{"id":6775,"date":"2024-10-13T08:44:57","date_gmt":"2024-10-13T08:44:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/?p=6775"},"modified":"2024-10-13T08:44:57","modified_gmt":"2024-10-13T08:44:57","slug":"bulletin-edition-october-2024-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/?p=6775","title":{"rendered":"Bulletin Edition October 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n Married\n to an Ethiopian woman?<\/strong>
\n <\/em><\/strong>
\n (The following is by Spurgeon)
\n <\/em>
\n “And Miriam and Aaron spoke against
\n Moses because of the Ethiopian woman
\n whom he had married: for he had
\n married an Ethiopian woman<\/strong>.”\n Numbers 12:1
\n
\n Strange choice of Moses, but how much more
\n strange the choice of him who is a prophet
\n like unto Moses, and greater than he!
\n
\n Our Lord, who is fair as the lily, has entered
\n into marriage union with one who confesses
\n herself to be black, because the sun has
\n looked upon her.
\n
\n It is the wonder of angels that the love of Jesus
\n should be set upon poor, lost, guilty men!
\n
\n Each believer must, when filled with a sense
\n of Jesus’ love, be also overwhelmed with
\n astonishment that such love should be
\n lavished on an object so utterly unworthy of it.
\n
\n Knowing as we do our secret guiltiness,
\n unfaithfulness, and black-heartedness,
\n we are dissolved in grateful admiration of the
\n matchless freeness and sovereignty of grace!
\n
\n Jesus must have found the cause of his love
\n in his own heart, he could not have found it in
\n us, for it is not there. Even since our conversion we
\n have been black, though grace has made us lovely.
\n
\n “Most tender and faithful Husband of our souls,
\n pursue your gracious work of conforming us to
\n your image, until you shall present even us poor
\n Ethiopians unto yourself, without spot, or wrinkle,
\n or any such thing.”
\n
\n Moses met with opposition because of his
\n marriage, and both himself and his spouse
\n were the subjects of an evil eye.
\n
\n Can we wonder if this vain world opposes Jesus
\n and his spouse, and especially when great sinners
\n are converted? For this is ever the Pharisee’s ground
\n of objection, “This man receives sinners.”
\n Still is the old cause of quarrel revived,
\n “Because he had married\n an Ethiopian woman!<\/strong>”\n <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n\n\n\n
\n A\n staggering thought!<\/strong>
\n <\/strong>
\n Spurgeon, “The People’s Christ”<\/em>
\n
\n I may be poor, but I have a brother who is rich;
\n I have a brother who is a king–and will he allow
\n me to starve or lack, while he is on his throne?
\n
\n Oh! no; he loves me; he has fraternal feelings
\n towards me; he is my brother.
\n
\n But, more than that: think, O believer!
\n Christ is not merely your brother, but he is your husband!
\n “Your maker is your husband; the Lord of hosts is his name.”
\n
\n It rejoices the wife to lean her head on the broad chest of her
\n husband, in full assurance that his arms will be strong to labor for
\n her, or defend her; that his heart ever throbs with love to her,
\n and that all he has, and is, belongs to her, as the sharer of his
\n existence. Oh! to know, by the influence of the Holy Spirit, that
\n the sweet alliance is made between my soul and the ever
\n precious Jesus–surely, it is enough to quicken all my soul to
\n music, and make each atom of my frame a grateful songster to
\n the praise of Christ.
\n
\n Come, let me remember when I lay like an infant in my blood,
\n cast out in the open field; let me recollect the notable moment
\n when he said, “Live!” and let me never forget that one day he will
\n espouse me to himself in righteousness, crowning me with a
\n nuptial crown in the palace of his father.
\n
\n Oh! it is bliss unspeakable! I do not wonder that
\n the thought does stagger my words to utter it!
\n
\n Saint, put this blessed thought, like a necklace of diamonds,
\n around the neck of your memory–put it, as a golden ring,
\n on the finger of recollection!\n <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n\n\n\n

He is my Beloved, my\nShepherd, my Savior and my Husband!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

John Newton
\n
\nThe life of faith<\/em> is a happy life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though it is attended\nwith conflicts<\/em>\u2014there is an assurance of victory<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If we sometimes get a wound<\/em>\u2014there\nis healing balm<\/em> near at hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If we seem to fall<\/em>\u2014we\nare raised <\/em>again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And, if tribulations <\/em>abound\u2014then consolations <\/em>shall\nmuch more abound.
\n
\nIs it not happiness to have . . .
\n  an infallible Guide,
\n  an invincible Guard,
\n  an Almighty Friend?
\n
\nIt is bliss to be able to say of the Maker of heaven and earth,\n“He is my Beloved, my Shepherd, my Savior\nand my Husband!<\/strong>“
\n
\n<\/em>Oh, the peace which flows from believing . . .
\n  that all the events in which we are concerned, are under\nHis immediate disposal;
\n  that the very hairs of our head are all numbered;
\n  that He delights in our prosperity;
\n  that there is a need-be, if we are in heaviness;
\n  and that all things shall surely work together for our\ngood!
\n
\nHow happy to have such views of His sovereignty, wisdom, love,\nand faithfulness\u2014as will enable us to meet every difficult dispensation with\nsubmission; and to look through the painful changes of the present life\u2014to that\nunchangeable inheritance to which the Lord is leading us; when all evil shall\ncease, and where our joy shall be perfect and eternal!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Lamb’s bride!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Henry Law
\n
\nRevelation 19:7, “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give\nhonour to Him! For the marriage of the Lamb has\ncome, and His wife<\/strong> hath\nmade herself ready!”
\n
\nEvery true Christian is part of the redeemed Church\u2014the Bride,\nthe Lamb’s wife!
\n
\nShe was beloved by the Heavenly Bridegroom before time began,\nwith an unfathomable and immutable love!
\n
\nShe is endowed by Him with all that He has, and with all that He is.
\n
\nShe has a priceless inheritance reserved in Heaven for her\u2014pure\nand undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay!
\n
\nHe has placed all the precious  promises as\na treasure in her hands.
\n
\nHis providences guide and\ndefend her path.
\n
\nHis righteousness is her\nbeauteous robe, rendering her fit to shine forever in the palace of the\nheavenly King.
\n
\nHer seat is prepared\nbeside Him on His throne.
\n
\nIt would exhaust all time to give a brief survey of the glories\nwhich adorn her!<\/em>
\n
\nJesus enriches His chosen bride with the best of gifts!
\n
\nHe withholds nothing precious from her.
\n
\nAll of His attributes are her grand inheritance!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 His wisdom is hers to guide her!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

   His power is hers to uphold her!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     His love is as the sun to cheer her!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

       His faithfulness and truth are\nher shield and support!
\n
\nHis Spirit is hers, to\ncomfort, to teach, to solace, and to bless her!
\n
\nHis righteousness is hers,\nto be her spotless robe.
\n
\nHis Heaven is hers, to be\nher home!
\n
\nHis throne is hers, to be\nher seat!
\n
\nHis glory is hers, to be\nher crown!
\n
\nHis eternity is hers, that\nshe may rejoice forever!
\n
\n“Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb!”Revelation 19:9<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am my\nBeloved’s – and my Beloved is mine!<\/strong>
\n
\n(“Every Day!” Author unknown, 1872)
\n
\n“I am my Beloved’s – and\nmy Beloved is mine!<\/strong>” Song of Songs 6:3
\n
\nThe Lord Jesus Christ is not only the Father’s beloved Son – He\nis the believer’s beloved Savior.
\n
\nJesus is the object of a Christian’s adoring love – as well as\nof his hearty trust.
\n
\nHe loves Him – because He laid down His life to redeem him. He\nalso loves Him for what He is in Himself. He loves Him for His personal\nglories, and for the excellence of His character:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“All human<\/em> beauties\n– all Divine<\/em>,
\n In His Beloved meet and shine!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He is to him the chief among\nten thousand, and “altogether lovely.” What especially affords him\nsatisfaction, is that he can claim Christ as his own – and that Christ also\nclaims him as His own! His joy is supreme, when with assurance he can say, “I\nam my Beloved’s – and He is mine!”<\/em>
\n
\nEvery believer who heartily receives Christ as his Savior, his\nSubstitute, and as his Lord and Master, and who unreservedly yields himself to\nHim – is warranted to claim Christ as His own, and to know also that he is\nChrist’s.
\n
\n“Oh! I am my Beloved’s,
\n And my Beloved is mine!
\n He feasts a poor vile sinner,
\n With love and grace Divine!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMembers of His Body, of His Flesh, and of His Bones\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ephesians 5:30<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The apostle Paul seems to stretch language almost to the\nbreaking point describing the union of Christ and his people. Paul tells us\nthat Christ dwells in us and we in him. We died to sin in him. We were\ncrucified with him. We live in him. We are baptized into him and into his\ndeath. Christ is the Head and we are the body, bone of his bones and flesh of\nhis flesh. He is the Foundation and we are the building. He is the Husband and\nwe are his wife. For Christ to live is for us to live. For us to live is for him\nto live. Indeed, we are \u201cthe fulness of him that filleth all in all!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      We are one with Christ in all\nthings. \u2014 Representatively one with him as our Surety from eternity. \u2014 Vitally\none with him by grace and faith, as the vine and the branches, as the head and\nthe body are one. \u2014 And assuming our nature, living, and dying, and rising\nagain, our Lord Jesus Christ is one with us. He became all that we are,\nand makes us all that he is. And, now, \u201cas he is, so are we in this world<\/em>\u201d\n(1 John 4:17).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

A union which will\nlast forever!<\/strong>
\n
\n(John MacDuff<\/a>, “The Christian’s\nPathway” 1858″)
\n
\n“My Beloved is mine \u2014 and I am His!” Song of Songs 2:16
\n
\nThis is the language of the Christian in the book of Canticles. How great is\nthe blessedness involved in such an assurance! My beloved Jesus is mine . . .
\n  in the dignity of His person;
\n  <\/em>in the suitability of His offices;
\n  <\/em>in the immensity of His love;<\/em>
\n  in the efficacy of His atonement;<\/em>
\n  in the riches of His abounding grace!
\n<\/em> 
\nHis righteousness <\/em>is mine \u2014 to justify me,
\nHis Spirit <\/em>is mine \u2014 to sanctify me,
\nHis power <\/em>is mine \u2014 to defend me,
\nHis wisdom <\/em>is mine \u2014 to guide me, and
\nHis Heaven <\/em>is mine \u2014 to receive me!
\n
\nAnd what does Christ <\/strong>say to the believer in return?
\n
\n“I am yours \u2014 and all that I have is yours! I have boundless and\nunsearchable riches<\/em> \u2014 and those riches are for you! I\nhave happiness <\/em>to bestow, such as the mind in its largest\ngrasp has never been able to conceive \u2014 and that happiness is for you! I have\ncrowns and sceptres at My disposal \u2014 and all those honours <\/em>are\nfor you! Yes, to him who overcomes, I will grant to sit with Me on My glorious\nthrone!”
\n
\nThe Christian’s exaltation and bliss is not a matter of doubtful disputation.\nAnd what makes it so certain? It is the blessed truth that the union <\/em>which\nexists between him and Christ \u2014 is an indissoluble union!<\/em> All\nother relations, however close and endearing, must be broken. That union of\nhusband and wife; and soul and body \u2014 has no power to resist the assault of\ndeath, the great destroyer<\/em>.
\n
\nAll earthly ties must then be severed. But death, which breaks every\nother bond<\/em> \u2014 only strengthens the bond between the Christian\nand Christ! Death, which quenches every other love<\/em> \u2014 only\nkindles that of the believer for Jesus, into a purer and intenser flame! Death,\nwhich snatches every other object <\/em>from our grasp \u2014 only brings\nus to the full enjoyment of Him, who is the fountain of life, the great centre\nand source of all blessedness.
\n
\nChristian, rejoice in your union with Jesus!
\nThe changes of time<\/em> cannot touch it!
\nThe storms of life<\/em> cannot injure it!
\nThe sword of persecution<\/em> cannot sever it!
\nThe damps of death<\/em> cannot affect it!
\nThe malice of hell <\/em>cannot move it!
\nIt is a union which will last forever! <\/strong>It follows, therefore,\nthat you, if a partaker of it \u2014 will be rich <\/em>forever, safe <\/em>forever, dignified <\/em>forever,\nand blessed <\/em>forever!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 WONDERFUL!\nWONDERFUL! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Under a dark, ominous cloud\nof impending judgment, the <\/p>\n\n\n\n

prophet Isaiah sees the \u201cSun of\nrighteousness arise with healing <\/p>\n\n\n\n

in His wings.\u201d And oh what a\nsight it was! Says he, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUnto us a child is born,\nunto us a Son is given\u2026and His name shall be called <\/p>\n\n\n\n

wonderful\u201d (Isa.9:6). His name\nshall be called \u201cWonderful\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

because He IS \u201cwonderful!\u201d He is\nwonderful to the holy angels, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

and He is wonderful to the saints\nof God, those who know Him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cWonderful\u201d is a powerful\nadjective. A wonderful person is One <\/p>\n\n\n\n

who excites wonder; One who is\nextraordinary, One who is <\/p>\n\n\n\n

astonishing, One who is amazing,\nOne who is separate and <\/p>\n\n\n\n

distinguished from others. \u201cUnto\nus a child is born, unto us a son <\/p>\n\n\n\n

is given\u201d–the gloriously unique,\nincomparable God-man! He is <\/p>\n\n\n\n

indeed \u201cwonderful!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cWithout controversy great\nis the mystery of <\/p>\n\n\n\n

godliness: God was manifest in\nthe flesh, justified in the Spirit, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

seen of angels, preached unto the\nGentiles, believed on in the <\/p>\n\n\n\n

world, received up into glory\u201d (I\nTim. 3:16). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The saints of God stand in\nwonder, adoration, and awe before this One!!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 He is wonderful in all that\nHe is, all that He says, all that He has <\/p>\n\n\n\n

done, and all that He is doing.\nHe is wonderful as the <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Representative, Substitute, and\nSurety of His people!!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 – a sovereign,\nsufficient, successful, satisfied Savior! In all of His <\/p>\n\n\n\n

glorious work of saving His\npeople, from the very beginning to the <\/p>\n\n\n\n

end \u2013 He is wonderful!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 He came from the highest\nheaven to the lowest hell to bring those who deserved the lowest hell to\nthe <\/p>\n\n\n\n

highest heaven \u2013 He is wonderful!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cHe shall not fail nor\nbe discouraged\u201d (Isa. 42:4; 53:11). In His faithfulness to save, He\nis <\/p>\n\n\n\n

wonderful! \u201cBelieve on the Lord\nJesus Christ and thou SHALT be <\/p>\n\n\n\n

saved\u201d \u2013 He is wonderful! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 The saints of God never\ncease to wonder at their Lord and <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saviour. They wonder at Him as\nthey see Him in His Word, as they <\/p>\n\n\n\n

see Him in His Providence, and as\nthey see Him in their salvation, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

now and throughout eternity. \u201cHis\nname shall be called <\/p>\n\n\n\n

WONDERFUL\u201d \u2013 and it WAS, and\nIS! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maurice Montgomery<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Married to an Ethiopian woman? (The following is by Spurgeon) “And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.” Numbers 12:1 Strange choice of Moses, but how much more strange the choice of him who is a prophet like unto Moses, […]<\/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-6775","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\/6775","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=6775"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6775\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6776,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6775\/revisions\/6776"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6775"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6775"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6775"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}