{"id":6502,"date":"2023-12-19T13:35:53","date_gmt":"2023-12-19T13:35:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/?p=6502"},"modified":"2023-12-19T13:35:53","modified_gmt":"2023-12-19T13:35:53","slug":"bulletin-edition-december-2023-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/?p=6502","title":{"rendered":"Bulletin Edition December 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The infinities of bliss and\nglory!<\/strong>
\n(Henry Law<\/a>, “Forgiveness of Sins”\n1875)
\n
\n“Yet\nit pleased the Lord to bruise him;
\nhe hath put him<\/em> to grief:”\nIsaiah 53:10
\n
\nThe Father of all mercies heaped on Christ the
\noutpourings of His wrath; that He may heap on
\npardoned sinners the infinities of bliss and
\nglory!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:6<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus, the Enthroned King<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

In our past Meditations we have, though in scanty measure and\nwith feeble pen, attempted to set before our readers a few leading features of\nthat surpassing grace and glory which the Lord Jesus Christ bears as anointed\nof the Father to be the interceding High Priest and the teaching Prophet of his\nChurch and people. We now approach the consideration of that still greater and\nmore glorious title which he wears as Zion’s enthroned King.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

But O, at the very outset, how unworthy, as well as unable, do\nwe feel ourselves to be to set forth in any suitable, any befitting manner the\nglory of that exalted Sovereign who sits at the right hand of the Father as\nHead over all things to the Church! When the sun veils its rays behind a cloud\nwe can look upon its milder glories with undazzled eye. But who can gaze on its\nmeridian beams in all their undimmed splendor? Thus when the Son of God veiled\nthe brightness of his eternal glory by assuming a tabernacle of flesh, faith\ncan view him as a suffering yet sacrificing High Priest in the garden and on\nthe cross with undazzled, though with sympathizing, eye. In a similar way, when\nJesus still speaks as a Prophet in the word of his grace\u2014”Take my yoke upon\nyou and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart,” faith can now sit\nat his feet and hear his words without being overwhelmed with his glory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But when we look up and attempt to view him sitting at the right\nhand of the Majesty on high in all his exalted dignity and power as King of\nkings and Lord of lords\u2014then we feel as if dazzled and overborne with a sight\nand sense of his surpassing glory. In the days of his flesh, the beloved\ndisciple could lean on the bosom of Jesus and stand by his cross; but when in\nPatmos’ lonely isle he appeared in his majesty so that “his eyes were as a\nflame of fire,” and “his countenance was as the sun shines in his strength,”\nJohn fell at his feet as dead! Yet if he has made us willing in the day of his\npower, has brought us to his feet in all humility to touch the scepter of his\ngrace and own him Lord of all, we may, in company with his saints, “speak\nof the glory of his kingdom and talk of his power, to make known to the sons of\nmen his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom.” (Psalm\n145:11, 12.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n All of Grace<\/strong>
\n <\/em><\/strong>
\n <\/em>by Don Fortner<\/em>
\n
\n <\/em>The glory, bliss, and perfection of heaven, whatever
\n it is and all that it includes, is but the consummation
\n of salvation; and it is, in its totality, the gift and work
\n of God\u2019s free and sovereign grace in Christ.
\n
\n In heaven’s glory we shall forever adore and praise
\n our great God for the wondrous mystery of his grace,
\n by which we are saved.
\n
\n Everything in the great work of salvation sets forth
\n the splendor of the grace of the Most High God.
\n What do we see in election, predestination, redemption,
\n regeneration, and preservation, but his grace?
\n
\n The whole work of salvation displays God\u2019s rich, free,
\n almighty, irresistible, sovereign, saving grace in Christ!
\n
\n In, salvation as well as in creation, all things are of
\n God, all things are by God, and all things are for God.
\n Unto him alone all praise must be forever!\n <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n\n\n\n

This is the greatest sight you will ever see!<\/strong>
\n
\n(Charles Spurgeon<\/a>)
\n
\n“For he hath made him to be<\/em> sin for us, who knew no sin;\nthat we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21
\n
\nJesus has borne the penalty of sin on behalf of His people.
\n
\nBehold the wonder!
\n
\nThere He hangs upon the cross!
\n
\nThis is the greatest sight you will ever see!<\/strong>
\n
\nSon of God and Son of Man\u2014there He hangs, bearing unutterable pains, the just\nfor the unjust, to bring us to God.
\n
\nOh, the glory of that sight!
\n
\nThe innocent One, punished!
\nThe Holy One, condemned!
\nThe ever-blessed One, made a curse!
\nThe infinitely glorious One, put to a shameful sin-atoning death!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Sun of righteousness<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Spurgeon, “The Sun of Righteousness” #1020)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“But\nunto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in\nhis wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.”
\n    Malachi 4:2<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The golden tressed sun is the most glorious<\/strong>
\nobject in creation; and in Jesus the fullness
\nof glory dwells.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sun is at the same time the most influential<\/strong>
\nof existences, acting upon the whole world; and
\ntruly our Lord is, in the deepest sense, of this
\ngreat world both eye and soul. He with benignant
\nray sheds beauty, life, and joy from above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sun is, moreover, the most abiding<\/strong> of\ncreatures;
\nand therein it is also a type of Him who remains
\nfrom generation to generation, and is the same
\nyesterday, today, and forever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ‘king of day’ is so vast<\/strong> and so bright<\/strong> that
\nthe human eye cannot bear to gaze upon him.
\nWe delight in his beams, but we would be blinded
\nshould we continue to peer into his face. Even yet
\nmore brilliant is our Lord by nature, for as God he
\nis a consuming fire, but He deigns to smile upon
\nus with milder beams as our brother and Redeemer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus, like the sun, is . . .
\n  the center<\/strong> and soul<\/strong> of all things,
\n  the fullness<\/strong> of all good,
\n  the lamp<\/strong> that lights us,
\n  the fire<\/strong> that warms us,
\n  the magnet<\/strong> that guides and controls us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus is the source and fountain of all . . .
\n life,
\n   beauty,
\n   fruitfulness,
\n   and strength.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus is . . .
\n  the fosterer of tender herbs of penitence<\/strong>,
\n  the quickener of the vital sap of grace<\/strong>,
\n  the ripener of fruits of holiness<\/strong>, and the life of
\neverything that grows within the garden of the Lord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whereas to adore the sun would be idolatry;
\nit is treason not to worship ardently the divine
\nSun of righteousness<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the sun is the center<\/strong>, so is Christ to His\npeople.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the sun is the great source of power<\/strong>,
\nso is Christ to His people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the sun is the fountain from which
\nlight, life, and heat <\/strong>perpetually flow,
\nso is the Savior to His people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the sun is the fructifier<\/strong> by which fruits
\nmultiply and ripen, so is Christ to His people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enthrone Jesus as the central sun of your hearts.
\nBask in his beams<\/strong>, and let Him rule your entire
\nbeing; enlightening your understanding; warming
\nyour hearts; filling all your powers, passions, and
\nfaculties with the fullness of his presence. Come
\nand lay your souls beneath His divine influence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Come, plunge into this sea of sweetness,<\/strong>
\ndive deep into this abyss of happiness!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“He will keep the feet of His saints.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

     1 Samuel 2:9<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Lord sees His poor scattered pilgrims <\/p>\n\n\n\n

traveling through a valley of tears\u2014journeying <\/p>\n\n\n\n

through a waste-howling wilderness\u2014a path <\/p>\n\n\n\n

beset with baits, traps, and snares in every <\/p>\n\n\n\n

direction. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How can they escape? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why, the Lord ‘keeps their feet’. He carries them <\/p>\n\n\n\n

through every rough place\u2014as a tender parent <\/p>\n\n\n\n

carries a little child. When about to fall\u2014He <\/p>\n\n\n\n

graciously lays His everlasting arms underneath <\/p>\n\n\n\n

them. And when tottering and stumbling, and <\/p>\n\n\n\n

their feet ready to slip\u2014He mercifully upholds <\/p>\n\n\n\n

them from falling altogether. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But do you think that He has not different ways <\/p>\n\n\n\n

for different feet? The God of creation has not <\/p>\n\n\n\n

made two flowers, nor two leaves upon a tree <\/p>\n\n\n\n

alike\u2014and will He cause all His people to walk <\/p>\n\n\n\n

in precisely the same path? No. We have . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  each our path, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  each our troubles,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  each our trials,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  each peculiar traps and snares laid for our feet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And the wisdom of the all-wise God is shown by His <\/p>\n\n\n\n

eyes being in every place\u2014marking the footsteps of <\/p>\n\n\n\n

every pilgrim\u2014suiting His remedies to meet their <\/p>\n\n\n\n

individual case and necessity\u2014appearing for them <\/p>\n\n\n\n

when nobody else could do them any good\u2014watching <\/p>\n\n\n\n

so tenderly over them, as though the eyes of His <\/p>\n\n\n\n

affection were bent on one individual\u2014and carefully <\/p>\n\n\n\n

noting the goings of each, as though all the powers <\/p>\n\n\n\n

of the Godhead were concentrated on that one <\/p>\n\n\n\n

person to keep him from harm . <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

FOR WHOM DID CHRIST DIE?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For WHOM did Christ die? We answer, Christ died for \u201cGod\u2019s elect\u201d!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cStrangest thing in the world for me is for men to contend that\nChrist made an effort on the Cross to save the whole world, and then turned\naround and said, \u201cI pray not for the world!\u201d \u2013 Pastor Henry Mahan<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd she shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name\nJesus: for He shall save HIS people from THEIR sins [Mt. 1:21]. Christ died not\nsimply to render sins pardonable, but \u201cto PUT AWAY SIN by the sacrifice of\nHimself\u201d [Heb. 9:26].<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As to WHO\u2019S \u201csin\u201d has been \u201cput away\u201d, Scripture leaves us in no\ndoubt\u2014it was that of the elect. \u201cFor the transgressions of MY PEOPLE was He\nstricken [Isa. 53:8]. Again the Lord\u2019s own words are, \u201cI lay down My life for\nthe SHEEP\u201d (not the goats)! [John 10:15]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cChrist did not intend to save those He knew He would not save. If\nHe intended to and NOT FOR THE WORLD. It was the elect that Christ came to\nsave. Since God eternally decreed not to save others Christ would not be\nengaged in a FOOL\u2019S errand.\u201d [Jonathan Edwards]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Men\u2019s fanciful delusion of an Unlimited\nAtonement is reduced to this \u2013 \u201cIF the sinner believes, then Christ died for\nhim; if the sinner does not believe, then Christ did not die for him; thus the\nsinner\u2019s act is made the cause of its own object, as though his believing WOULD\nMAKE THAT TO BE WHICH OTHERWISE WAS NOT\u201d. A.W. Pink<\/p>\n\n\n\n

THE GOD OF THE AVERAGE PULPIT<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMen imagine the Most High is moved by sentiment, rather than by\nprinciple. They suppose His omnipotency is such an idle fiction that Satan can\nthwart His designs on every side. They think that if He has formed any plan or\npurpose at all, then it must be like theirs, constantly subject to change. They\nopenly declare that whatever power He possesses must be restricted, lest He\ninvade the citadel of man\u2019s free will and reduce him to a machine. They lower\nthe all-efficacious atonement, which redeems everyone for whom it was made, to\na mere remedy, which sin-sick souls may use if they feel so disposed. They\nlessen the strength of the invincible work of the Holy Spirit to an offer of\nthe Gospel which sinners may accept or reject as they please.The god of this century\nno more resembles the Sovereign of Holy Writ than does the dim flickering of a\ncandle the glory of the midday sun. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The god who is talked about in the average pulpit, spoken of in\nthe ordinary Sunday school, mentioned in much of the religious literature of\nthe day, and preached in most of the so-called Bible conferences, is a figment\nof human imagination, an invention of maudlin sentimentality. The heathen\noutside the pale of Christendom form gods of wood and stone, while millions of\nheathen inside Christendom manufacture a god out of their carnal minds. In\nreality, they are but atheists, for there is no other possible alternative\nbetween an absolutely supreme God, and no God at all. A god whose will is\nresisted, whose designs are frustrated, whose purpose is checkmated, possesses\nno title to deity, and far from being a fit object of worship, merits nothing\nbut contempt.\u201d  [A.W. Pink]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd so the way is prepared for that caricature of gospel\npreaching, that consists chiefly in begging the sinner to come to Jesus before\nit is too late, leaves the false impression that it is quite in his power to\ncome today or tomorrow, or whatever time may be convenient to him, and that\npresents a very willing but powerless Jesus, that would ever be pleased to save\nthe sinner, but is incapable to do so unless the sinner gives his consent. The\n\u201cwhosoever will may come\u201d is presented as meaning: \u201cAll men can will to come\nwhenever they please.\u201d And instead of the truth of the gospel that no man can\ncome to Christ unless the Father draw him, we now hear; \u201cNo, Christ cannot come\nto the sinner, unless the sinner permit him!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here is a fair example of it: \u201cGod is ready, God is willing, God\nis eager, God is anxious, God is pleading for the privilege of washing away the\nsins of every soul in the precious blood of His son and heir. But His hands are\ntied, His power is limited, His grace is constrained by you. If you want to be\nsaved, God is willing to save you. If you don\u2019t want to be saved, there isn\u2019t\nanything that even God can do to rescue you from that pit of eternal\nburning.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is what becomes of the preaching of the gospel when the truth\nof God\u2019s sovereign grace is either forgotten or denied. Call it the gospel, if\nyou like; to me it is nothing short of blasphemy of the name of the living God!\nAn anxious and pleading God, whose power is limited, and whose hands may be\ntied by the proud and stubborn sinner, who is less than dust of the balance, is\nno God, but a miserable idol!\u201d  (Herman Hoeksema (1886-1965) in \u201cWhosoever\nWill\u201d). <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The infinities of bliss and glory! (Henry Law, “Forgiveness of Sins” 1875) “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief:” Isaiah 53:10 The Father of all mercies heaped on Christ the outpourings of His wrath; that He may heap on pardoned sinners the infinities of bliss and glory! “Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans […]<\/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-6502","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\/6502","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=6502"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6502\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6503,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6502\/revisions\/6503"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6502"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6502"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6502"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}