{"id":6227,"date":"2022-08-09T10:17:13","date_gmt":"2022-08-09T10:17:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/?p=6227"},"modified":"2022-08-09T10:17:13","modified_gmt":"2022-08-09T10:17:13","slug":"bulletin-edition-august-2022","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/?p=6227","title":{"rendered":"Bulletin Edition August 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cWhosoever\nwill come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.\u201d\nMark 8:34b<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To \u201ccome after\u201d\nChrist is to be where He is. The Holy Spirit has put into the hearts of all\nGod\u2019s people the utmost desire to be where the Lord Jesus Christ is, now and in\nthe life to come. So what does it mean to \u201cdeny oneself, take up your cross and\nfollow Him\u201d? When it comes to denying oneself, surely there are some worldly\nand fleshly pleasures we should deny. But if we were to deny ourselves of all\nearthly comforts by living a life of poverty and extreme sacrifice, it would\nnot put us where Christ is. The one thing the natural man will not deny himself\nis credit for his salvation. By God\u2019s grace we deny ourselves any contribution\nfor our salvation. We deny ourselves any and all glory for our hope in Christ.\nOur salvation is of the Lord, and all to the glory of His grace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What about taking up\none\u2019s cross? Surely, there will be some suffering for righteousness\u2019 sake when\nwe stand for the Cross of Christ. However, considering what believers have\nsuffered in the past, we are embarrassed to think about how light that cross\nreally is for us. Apart from that, are the trials and troubles believers bear\nin this world any heavier than the ones unbelievers must carry? I Cor. 10:13.\nNo. To take up one\u2019s cross is to believe that when Christ died, I died. I am\nCrucified with Christ. Gal 2:20. Fellowshipping in His suffering. Phil. 3:10.\nWe are looking in faith to Christ on Calvary\u2019s Cross as the only means of\natonement for our sins. If by God\u2019s grace we are able to deny ourselves and\ntake up our cross, following Him will be the\nresult.     \n            ~Greg\nElmquist<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is utterly impossible!<\/strong>
\n<\/strong>
\n(Octavius Winslow<\/a>,\n1852)
\n
\nIt has been the distinctive aim, and the sincere desire of my\nministry \u2014 to make known and to endear the Saviour to your hearts.<\/em>
\n
\nOh, how worthy is He . . .
\n  of your most exalted conceptions,
\n  of your most implicit confidence,
\n  of your most self-denying service,
\n  of your most fervent love!
\n
\nWhen He could give you no more<\/em> \u2014 and the\nfathomless depths of His love, and the boundless resources of His grace, would\nnot be satisfied by giving you less \u2014 He gave you Himself!<\/em>
\n
\nRobed in your nature,
\noppressed with your sorrows,
\nladen with your curse,
\nwounded for your transgressions,
\nand slain for your sins \u2014
\nHe gave His entire self for you!<\/em>
\n
\nHis redeeming work now finished \u2014 He is perpetually engaged in\nmeting out blessings to His people, from the exhaustless treasures of His love!\nHe constantly woos your affection \u2014 invites your grief \u2014 and bids you to come\nwith your daily trials<\/em> to His sympathy, and with your hourly\nguilt<\/em> to His blood. You cannot in your drafts upon Christ’s fullness,\nbe too covetous; nor in your expectations of supply, be too extravagant! You\nmay fail, as, alas! the most of us do, in making too little of Christ \u2014 but you\ncannot fail, in making too much of Him!
\n
\nIt is utterly impossible<\/strong> to\nknow Christ, and not become inspired with a desire . . .
\n  to love <\/em>Him supremely,
\n  to serve <\/em>Him devotedly,
\n  to resemble <\/em>Him closely,
\n  to glorify <\/em>Him faithfully here,
\n  and to enjoy <\/em>Him fully hereafter!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rise up My love, My fair\n(beautiful) one\u2014and come away!<\/strong>
\n
\n(Charles Spurgeon<\/a>)
\n
\n“My Beloved spoke and said to me\u2014Rise up My love, My fair one\u2014and come away!<\/strong>”\nSong of Solomon 2:10
\n
\nLo, I hear the voice of my Beloved! He speaks to me! He bids me\n“Rise up!” and well He may, for I have long enough been lying\namong the pots <\/em>of worldliness. Why should I cleave unto the\ndust? <\/em>From lower loves, desires, pursuits, and aspirations\u2014I would\nrise towards Him.
\n
\nHe calls me by the sweet title of “My love” and\nregards me as beautiful!<\/em> This is a good encouragement for my\nrising. If He<\/em> has thus exalted me, and thinks me thus\nlovely\u2014how can I linger in the dark tents of Kedar<\/em> and find\ncongenial associates among the world?
\n
\nHe bids me “Come away!” Come away further and further\nfrom everything selfish, groveling, worldly, and sinful! He calls me from the\noutwardly religious<\/em> world which knows Him not, and has no\nsympathy with the mystery of the pious life.
\n
\n“Come away” has no harsh sound in it to my ear\u2014for\nwhat is there to hold me in this wilderness of vanity and sin?<\/em> O\nmy Lord, would that I could come away\u2014but I am stuck among the thorns<\/em>\u2014and\ncannot escape from them as I would! I would, if it were possible, have neither\neyes, nor ears, nor heart for sin!
\n
\nYou call me to Yourself by saying “Come away!” and\nthis is a melodious call indeed. To come to You is to come home <\/em>from\nexile; to come to land out of the raging storm; to come to rest <\/em>after\nlong labor; to come to the goal <\/em>of my desires and the summit\nof my wishes! But Lord, how can a stone<\/em> rise, how can a lump\nof clay<\/em> come away from the horrible pit? O raise me, draw me\u2014and I\nwill run after You! Your grace alone can do it. Send forth Your Holy Spirit to\nkindle sacred flames of love in my heart\u2014and I will continue to rise until I\nleave life and time behind me, and indeed come away!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That secret loveliness<\/strong>
\n
\n(Philpot, “The Sacrifice Bound to the Horns of\nthe Altar<\/a>“)
\n
\n“I drew them with bands of love.”
\n     Hosea 11:4
\n
\nWhere Christ is made in any measure experimentally
\nknown, He has gained the affections of the heart. He
\nhas, more or less, taken possession of the soul. He
\nhas, in some degree, endeared Himself as a bleeding,
\nagonising Saviour to every one to whom He has in any
\nway revealed Himself. And, thus, the strong cord of
\nlove and affection is powerfully wreathed around the
\ntender spirit and broken heart. Therefore . . .
\n  His name becomes as ‘ointment poured forth’,
\n  there is a preciousness in His blood,
\n  there is a beauty in His Person,
\n  there is that\nsecret loveliness<\/strong> in Him,
\nwhich wins and attracts and draws out the tender
\naffections of the soul. And thus this cord of love
\nentwined round the heart, binds it fast and firm
\nto the cross of the Lord Jesus.
\n
\n“I drew them with My cords of kindness and love.”
\n     Hosea 11:4<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A hard, proud, hollow religion.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(from Horatius Bonar’s, “FOLLOW THE LAMB”)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Intimacy with God is the very essence of religion.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The understanding of doctrine is\none thing,
\nand intimacy with God is\nanother.  They
\nought always to go together; but they
\nare often  seen asunder; and, when there
\nis the former without the latter, there is
\na hard, proud, hollow religion.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beware of mere opinions and speculations.
\nThey become idols.
\nThey nourish pride of intellect.
\nThey furnish no food to the soul.
\nThey make you sapless and heartless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Intimacy with God is the very essence of religion.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n The monarch of our\n affections!<\/strong>
\n <\/em><\/strong>
\n <\/em>by Don Fortner<\/em>
\n
\n Nothing is so precious to Christ as His people.
\n
\n There is nothing so precious to
\n the true believer as Christ himself.
\n
\n Knowledge of Christ creates an ardent love for Christ.
\n
\n To truly know him is to love him.
\n
\n It is not possible for a person to have a saving
\n knowledge of Christ without a true heart of love
\n for Christ.
\n
\n If you do not love Christ, truly, sincerely, and
\n above all others, you simply to not know Christ.
\n
\n Jesus is the Lord of every believer’s heart.
\n He is <\/strong>the\n monarch of our affections!<\/strong>
\n
\n His rich, free, eternal, redeeming love has bound
\n me hand and foot, so that I cannot leave him.
\n
\n I am his totally and unreservedly. I belong to him.
\n He may do with me what he will.\n <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n\n\n\n
\n Why do we love Him?<\/strong>
\n <\/strong>
\n <\/em>Spurgeon, “THE CHURCH’S LOVE TO HER LOVING LORD”<\/em>
\n
\n Because before this round earth ever was fashioned
\n between the palms of the great Creator- before he
\n had painted the rainbow, or hung out the lights of
\n the sun and moon, Christ’s delights were with us.
\n He foresaw us and he knew what we should be-
\n and as he looked upon us, the glance was love.
\n
\n He delighted to sit upon the throne of glory, and to
\n remember his dear ones who were yet to he born.
\n It was the great prospect which his mighty and
\n infinite spirit had- a joy that was set before him,
\n that he should see a multitude that no man could
\n number who should be his beloved forever!
\n
\n Oh, if you know that Jesus had loved you from before
\n all worlds, you must love him. At least you will grant
\n there cannot be a better reason for love than love.
\n
\n Love demands; no, it does not demand- it takes
\n by almighty force, by irresistible energy, that heart
\n captive, upon whom it thus sets itself.\n <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n\n\n\n

“Come Unto\nMe”      <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Matthew 11:28<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

     The Lord Jesus calls sinners to\ncome to him. He does not call you to come to an altar, come down a church\naisle, come to a priest or a preacher, or even to come to his doctrine. He\nsays, “Come unto me.” What does that mean? How can a sinner on the\nearth come to Christ who is in heaven? In John 6:35 he explains that\ncoming to him is an act of faith, an act of the heart. TO COME TO CHRIST IS TO\n“BELIEVE ON” HIM!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     Read the Gospel narratives again.\nYou will discover that all who came to our Lord in this sense while he was upon\nthe earth had four things in common. Even so, today all who come to Christ have\nthese same four characteristics:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     1. THOSE WHO COME TO\nCHRIST NEED HIM. There was one woman with an issue of blood who had been sick\nand unclean for twelve years. She had spent everything she had on physicians of\nno value. She came to Christ realizing that he alone possessed the grace,\nmercy, and power she needed (Lk. 8:43-48).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     2. ALL WHO COME TO THE SAVIOR ARE\nPERSUADED THAT HE IS ABLE TO SAVE. The leper knew Christ could heal him if he\nwould (Matt. 8:2). The thief knew that Christ could grant him an entrance into\nhis kingdom (Lk. 23:42). None truly trust Christ but those who are\npersuaded that his righteousness, blood, grace, and power are sufficient to\nsave to the uttermost all who come to God by him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     3. ALL WHO COME TO CHRIST COME\nWITH A SUIT FOR MERCY. Bartimaeus cried out for mercy (Mk. 10:46-52). The\nCanaanite woman needed mercy that only Christ could give, and refused to leave\nhim alone until she had obtained the mercy she needed (Matt. 15:21-28). Do\nyou need mercy? Go directly to the King upon his throne and make your suit –\n“God be merciful to me, the sinner!” All who do so obtain mercy\n(John 6:35). Why not you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     4. ALL WHO COME TO CHRIST\nSURRENDER TO HIS RULE AS LORD. All who come in faith “follow Jesus in\nthe way.” His way becomes their way (Mk. 10:52). His\nwill becomes their will. They trust him, surrender to him, obey him,\naccept his reproach, and renounce all that is opposed to him. All who come to\nChrist in faith throw up the white flag of surrender and bow to the yoke of\nChrist as their Lord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don Fortner<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We must be taught of God<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

J.C.Philpot<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“No man can come to Me, except the Father who sent Me draws\nhim.”<\/em> John 6:44<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Four things are absolutely necessary to be experimentally known\nand felt before we can arrive at any saving or sanctifying knowledge of the\ntruth\u2014
\n1. Divine light<\/em> in the understanding.
\n2. Spiritual faith<\/em> in the heart.
\n3. Godly fear<\/em> in the conscience.
\n4. Heavenly love<\/em> in the affections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Without light<\/em>we cannot see.\nWithout faith <\/em>we cannot believe. Without godly\nfear <\/em>we cannot reverentially adore. Without love<\/em> we\ncannot embrace Him who is the way, the truth, and the life. We must be\ntaught of God <\/strong>and receive the kingdom of heaven as a little child\u2014or\nwe shall never enter therein.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Savoury food such as their soul loves<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

J.C.Philpot<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“For My flesh is meat indeed, and My blood is drink\nindeed.” <\/em>John 6:55<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This food is specially for the elect<\/em>\u2014blood\nshed for their sins, and for their sins only\u2014righteousness brought in for them,\nand for them only\u2014love bestowed upon them, and upon them only\u2014promises revealed\nfor their comfort, and for their comfort only\u2014an eternal inheritance reserved\nin heaven for them, and for them only. The elect are the only\npeople <\/em>who hunger after it\u2014who have an appetite for it\u2014who have a\nmouth to feed upon it\u2014who have a stomach to digest it. They are the only people\nwhose eyes are really open to see what “food” is. All others feed\nupon shadows\u2014they know nothing of the savoury food of the gospel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I have food to eat that you don’t know about.” Jesus’\nfood was\u2014the hidden communications of God’s love\u2014the visitations of His\nFather’s presence\u2014the divine communion that He enjoyed with His Father. So, for\nthe children of God, there is food in Christ\u2014and this food the Lord gives\nthem a hunger after<\/em>. He not only sets before their eyes what the\nfood is, butHe kindles inexpressible longings in their\nsoul <\/em>to be fed with it. God’s people cannot <\/em>feed upon\nhusks\u2014nor upon ashes\u2014nor upon chaff\u2014nor upon the wind\u2014nor upon grapes of gall\nand the bitter clusters of Gomorrah. They must have real food<\/em>\u2014savoury\nfood such as their soul loves<\/strong>\u2014that which God Himself communicates, and\nwhich His hand alone can bring down and give unto them\u2014so that they may receive\nit from Him as their soul-satisfying portion.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cWhosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.\u201d Mark 8:34b To \u201ccome after\u201d Christ is to be where He is. The Holy Spirit has put into the hearts of all God\u2019s people the utmost desire to be where the Lord Jesus Christ is, now and in the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6227","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bulletin-editions"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6227","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6227"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6227\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6228,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6227\/revisions\/6228"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6227"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6227"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6227"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}