{"id":6499,"date":"2023-12-10T07:37:45","date_gmt":"2023-12-10T07:37:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/?p=6499"},"modified":"2023-12-10T07:37:45","modified_gmt":"2023-12-10T07:37:45","slug":"bulletin-edition-december-2023-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/?p=6499","title":{"rendered":"Bulletin Edition December 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We\nare no better than they<\/strong>
\n
\n<\/strong>(John Newton’s Letters<\/a>)
\n
\nJesus, full of compassion and tenderness, wept over
\nHis enemies, and prayed for His actual murderers! A
\nfeeling of this kind seems essential to that new nature
\nwhich characterizes the children of God; and where it
\nis not in habitual exercise, it is a sufficient evidence
\nthat the soul, if truly alive to God at all\u2014is at least
\nin a lean and distempered state.
\n
\nWhen we look at the ungodly<\/strong>, we are not to
\nhate them\u2014but to pity them, mourn over them,
\nand pray for them. Nor have we any right to boast
\nover them; for, by nature, and of ourselves, we<\/strong>
\nare no better than they<\/strong>.
\n
\n“For who maketh thee to differ from another?<\/em> and\nwhat hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it<\/em>,\nwhy dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it<\/em>?” 1\nCorinthians 4:7<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Idling life away like an idiot or a madman!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(J.C. Philpot<\/a>, “The Soul’s Growth in Grace<\/a>”\n1837)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“ <\/sup><\/strong>Therefore\nif any man be<\/em> in Christ, he is<\/em> a new\ncreature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become\nnew.”                    \n2 Corinthians 5:17
\n
\nWhen one is spiritually reborn<\/em>, he sees at one and the\nsame moment . . .
\n  God, and self,
\n  justice, and guilt,
\n  power, and helplessness,
\n  a holy law, and a broken commandment,
\n  eternity, and time,
\n  the purity of the Creator, and the filthiness of the\ncreature.
\n
\nAnd these things he sees, not merely as declared in the Bible,\nbut as revealed in himself as personal realities, involving all his happiness\nor all his misery, in time and in eternity. Thus it is with him as\nthough a new existence<\/em> had been communicated, and as if for the first\ntime he had found there was a God!
\n
\nIt is as though all his days he had been asleep<\/em>, and\nwere now awakened; asleep upon the top of a mast, with the raging waves\nbeneath;as if all his past life were a dream<\/em>, and the dream\nwere now at an end. He has been . . .
\n  hunting butterflies,
\n  blowing soap bubbles,
\n  angling for minnows,
\n  picking daisies,
\n  building houses of cards, and
\n  idling\nlife away like an idiot or a madman!<\/strong>
\n
\nHe had been perhaps wrapped up in a religious profession,\nadvanced even to the office of a deacon, or mounted in a pulpit. He had learned\nto talk about Christ, and election, and grace, and fill his mouth with the\nlanguage of Zion.
\n
\nBut what did he experimentally know<\/em> of these\nthings? Nothing, absolutely nothing!
\n
\nIgnorant of his own ignorance<\/em> (of all kinds of\nignorance the worst), he thought himself rich, and increased with goods, and to\nhave need of nothing; and knew not that he was wretched, and miserable, and\npoor, and blind, and naked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The greatest wonder in Heaven,\nor earth, or even in Hell!<\/strong>
\n<\/em><\/strong>
\n<\/em>(Charles Spurgeon<\/a>,\n“Open House for All Comers!”)
\n
\n“And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, This\nman receiveth sinners, and eateth with them!”<\/em> Luke 15:2
\n
\nJesus receives sinners into His heart’s love! This is the greatest wonder in heaven, or earth, or even in Hell!<\/strong>
\n
\nThere is no marvel like the truth that He who ever lives, bowed\nHis head to die for sinners; and having made atonement for sin, now receives\nthe very chief of sinners into His heart’s love, and makes us His companions\nand his friends!
\n
\nHe takes us from the dunghill \u2014 and wears us as jewels in His\ncrown!<\/em>
\n
\nHe plucks us as brands from the burning \u2014 and preserves us as\nprecious monuments of His mercy!
\n
\nNone are so precious in His sight, as the sinners for whom He\ndied!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the remarkable things\nabout growth in grace<\/strong>
\n
\n(Todd Nibert)
\n
\n“O what a wretched man I am!”<\/em> Romans\n7:24
\n
\nOne of the remarkable things about growth in grace<\/strong> is\nthat the more you grow<\/em>–the smaller <\/em>you become in\nyour own eyes.
\n
\nIn the first epistle Paul ever wrote, he was “the least <\/em>of\nall apostles.”
\n
\nHe later wrote to the Ephesians that he was “less than\nthe least <\/em>of all the saints.”
\n
\nShortly before his death he wrote to Timothy, “I am\nthe chief of sinners<\/em>.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You will have a much lower\nopinion of yourself!<\/strong>
\n
\n(John Newton<\/a>)
\n
\nDepend upon it–if you walk closely with God for forty years, at\nthe end of that time you will\nhave a much lower opinion of yourself <\/strong>than you\nhave now!
\n
\nYou will understand something of . . .
\n  Abraham’s feeling when he says, “I am dust\nand ashes!”<\/em>
\n  Jacob’s feeling when he says, “I am unworthy\nof the least of all Your mercies!”<\/em>
\n  Job’s feeling when he says, “Behold! I am\nvile!”<\/em>
\n  Paul’s feeling when he says, “I am the chief\nof sinners!”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This sacred teaching<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

All God’s people are sooner or later brought to this point in\ntheir experience\u2014they are all brought to know their own sinfulness, ignorance,\nand helplessness. And when their eyes are thus anointed with eye-salve to\ndiscover their own wretchedness, the same unction from the Holy One reveals to\nthem what Christ has done to save them from it! They learn by this\nsacred teaching<\/strong>, their own iniquity\u2014and His atoning blood; their misery\u2014and\nthe bliss and blessedness which is secured up in Him! And when these two\nextremes meet in the quickened soul, it is brought in one and the same\nmoment\u2014while it debases itself\u2014to exalt the Lord of life and glory! And while\nit thus sinks down in the depth of creature wretchedness\u2014it learns to glory in\nthe Lord Jesus alone, as its all in all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

None are too sinful, too\nbase, too vile, or too far gone!<\/strong>
\n
\n(Don Fortner)
\n
\n“A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus<\/em>; he\nwas a chief tax collector and was wealthy.
\n Jesus said to him: Today salvation has come to\nthis house!”<\/em> Luke 19:2, 9
\n
\nIt is always profitable for our souls to read about the\nconversion of a sinner by God’s omnipotent grace. It is especially profitable\nto read and study the stories of God’s converting grace given to us in the\npages of Holy Scripture. We should read them often and study them with care,\nasking God the Holy Spirit to teach us the wonders of His grace. When we read\nabout these conversions, we find our hearts saying, “That is what\nthe Lord has done for me<\/strong>!”<\/em>
\n
\nWe see here the story of Zacchaeus’ conversion by the Lord\nJesus. He was saved by omnipotent grace. What He did for Zacchaeus, He still\ndoes for sinners today. Never cease to adore and give thanks to God our Savior\nfor His sovereign, distinguishing grace! He who has mercy on whom He will have\nmercy, has not left us to ourselves!
\nGrace Omnipotent<\/strong>
\nZacchaeus’ conversion tells us that the grace of God that brings\nsalvation is omnipotent and irresistible. None\nare too sinful, too base, too vile, or too far gone<\/strong> for\nChrist to save! His arm is not shortened that He cannot save. Oh, no! His\nmighty arm is omnipotent in the operations of His grace! None are\nbeyond the reach of His omnipotent mercy!<\/em>
\n
\nHere is a notorious publican<\/em> transformed into a\nsaint.
\nHere is a rich man<\/em> made to pass through the\nneedle’s eye into the kingdom of God.
\nHere is a covetous man<\/em> transformed\ninstantaneously into a self-sacrificing philanthropist!
\n
\nOur all-glorious, ever-gracious Christ is able to save to the\nuttermost! Here is a Physician before whom none are incurable! Yes, Jesus\nChrist still makes the lame to walk again and causes the blind to see!
\n
\nSovereign Election<\/strong>
\nSalvation comes to chosen sinners because the purpose of God\naccording to election is sure. Like you and me, Zacchaeus was . . .
\n  a sinner by birth<\/em>,
\n  a sinner by nature<\/em>,
\n  a sinner by choice<\/em>, and
\n  a sinner by practice<\/em>.
\nBut he was distinguished from all others in the crowd that day\nby God’s distinguishing grace, and effectually called because God had from the\nbeginning chosen him to salvation.
\n
\nO my soul, roll these things over in your heart day by day.\nNever lose sight of them. The Son of God had His eye upon you<\/em> from\neternity, just as He had his eye upon Zacchaeus.
\nYou<\/em> were chosen by Him in everlasting love! (Ephesians 1:3-4)
\nYour<\/em> name was written in the Book of Life before the worlds\nwere made! (Revelation 13:8; Luke 10:20)
\nYou<\/em> were one of those sheep given to the Good Shepherd by the\nFather from old eternity! (John 10:27-29).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In My Flesh Dwelleth No Good Thing<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good\nthing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I\nfind not.  Romans 7:18<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not only Satan and false preachers, but our own flesh is an\nenemy of salvation by grace alone. Human nature always did kick against\nsalvation by grace through faith and it always will. Even we ourselves, who\nknow that Christ is our righteousness and sanctification, have to do battle\nwith the urge to feel good, holy and wise; because of what we have done, given\nor learned. “Down, foolish thought, thou art the enemy of my soul.”\n\u201cIn my flesh dwelleth no good thing.\u201d My one hope is pure grace, sovereign\ngrace, grace unqualified! God blesses me because he is good, not because I am\ngood. God saves me because he is gracious, not because I am gracious. God\naccepts me because of what Christ has done, not because of what I have done.\nAny good or grace manifested in me is not me at all, but Christ who dwelleth in\nme. I can take no credit for any act of mercy or any pure thought. Left to\nmyself I would be no better than the most evil creature. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fred Evans <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you wish to know if the gospel you are hearing preached is\nthe gospel of God, ask yourself this question, “Who gets the\nglory?”<\/strong> If you wish to know whether your religious experience is\nof the flesh or of the Lord, ask yourself the same thing, “Who\ngets the glory?”<\/strong> Also, examine all your gifts, works, and\nmissionary efforts by the same rule, “Who gets the glory?”<\/strong> God\nwill not share His glory! That which is of<\/strong> God, from<\/strong> God,\nand for<\/strong> God\u2019s glory will be blessed with His presence and\npower\u2026“that no flesh should glory in His presence\u2026that, according as it\nis written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:29,\n31).                  \n                     \n                     \n                     \n                    \nHenry Mahan<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We are no better than they (John Newton’s Letters) Jesus, full of compassion and tenderness, wept over His enemies, and prayed for His actual murderers! A feeling of this kind seems essential to that new nature which characterizes the children of God; and where it is not in habitual exercise, it is a sufficient evidence […]<\/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-6499","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\/6499","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=6499"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6499\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6500,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6499\/revisions\/6500"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6499"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6499"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6499"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}