When I look at myself I am ashamed. \nWhen I look at God\u2019s holy law I am condemned. When I look at God\u2019s\njustice I despair. When I look into the gospel I grow bold: for I see\npardon obtained, righteousness wrought out, salvation finished, and justice\nsatisfied: then I am filled with hope. For God is just, and the\njustifier of him, even the ungodly, who believeth in Jesus. Romans 3:26. \n <\/p>\n\n\n\n
William Mason <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHe That\nHath Seen Me Hath Seen The\nFather.\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n John\n14:9<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \n There is one word in the Bible which in itself forms an entire library,\none word which is the sum and substance of the entire Bible, one word which\ncomprises all truth. That word is \u201cChrist.\u201d He is he uncreated, living, eternal\nWord, whom to know is life eternal. He is the living Word of whom the written\nWord speaks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n When chosen, redeemed sinners are brought out of darkness into light by\nthe irresistible, regenerating grace and power of God the Holy Spirit, when\nChrist is revealed in the chosen vessels of mercy, when they become savingly\nacquainted with this Divine Word, they are \u201cmade wise unto salvation\nthrough faith which is in Christ Jesus.\u201d<\/em> (Tit. 3:15).<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n As we are led by the Spirit in the life of faith, enabled by his grace to\nlive upon, walk with, and rejoice in the glorious Person and finished\naccomplishments of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are brought into what the Apostle\nPaul describes as – \u201cAll the riches of the full assurance of\nunderstanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father,\nand of Christ; in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge\u201d <\/em>(Col.\n2:2-3).<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n Our Lord\u2019s own statements with regard to this \u201cmystery of God,\u201d<\/em> the\nmystery of the perfect unity and oneness of the Persons in the eternal Godhead\nare plain and clear (John 10:30; 14:7-9).<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n We worship one God in the trinity of his sacred Persons. “For\nthere are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy\nGhost: and these three are one” <\/em>(1 John 5:7). Yet, we recognise,\nand the Scriptures undeniably reveal, the fact that the revelation of the holy\nTrinity is found in Christ alone. Christ, and Christ alone, is the visible\nJehovah. The invisible God is seen and known only in him who is \u201cthe\nimage of the invisible God\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \n <\/strong>“No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son,\nwhich is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him”<\/em> (John\n1:18). “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead\nbodily”<\/em> (Col. 2:9). “Neither is there salvation in\nany other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby\nwe must be saved<\/em>” (Acts 4:12).<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n It is never written in Scripture that if a person believes in God, or if\nhe believes in the Holy Spirit, he is saved. It is written throughout the Word\nof God, \u201cBelieve on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be\nsaved\u201d <\/em>(Acts 16:31). The fact is – No one believes God and no one has\nthe Spirit of God, except those sinners who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,\nas he is revealed in the Scriptures, as the Savior of his people. As the all\nglorious Christ is alone the embodiment and revelation of God, he is also the\nonly Savior of sinners. While we adore our heavenly Father and worship him as\nour God, and God the Holy Spirit too, we realize that the only way for us to do\nso is by trusting Christ alone as our Savior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\nFortner<\/p>\n\n\n\n Emmanuel<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNow all\nthis was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the\nprophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring\nforth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is,\nGod with us.\u201d (Matthew 1:22-23)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Who\nwould ever have imagined that the prophecy found in Isaiah 7:14 had reference\nto the Lord Jesus Christ? We are so spiritually dull in this body of flesh that\nbefore we are capable of understanding prophecy, we must see it fulfilled. When\nwe know even as we are known, we will see how that all the Scriptures speak of\nhim whose name is Emmanuel (Luke 24:27, 44).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n This\nname, \u201cEmmanuel\u201d, is only found three times in the Word of God (Isaiah 7:14;\n8:8; and Matthew 1:23). But it is a name full of instruction and comfort to\nbelieving hearts. Emmanuel is God with us. Emmanuel declares the union of two\nnatures in the Person of our Saviour. He is both God and man in one glorious\nPerson, as perfectly God as though he were not man, and as completely man as\nthough he were not God. We must never lose sight of this great, foundation\ntruth of the gospel. Jesus Christ is a man, just like us, only without sin.\nYet, he \u201cis over all, God blessed forever\u201d (Romans 9:5), \u201cGod manifest in the\nflesh\u201d (1 Timothy 3:16). He must be both God and man, or he could not be our\nSaviour.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nSomeone said, \u201cGod could not suffer, and man could not satisfy; but the God-man\nboth suffered and satisfied.\u201d Our Saviour is a man. Therefore he is sympathetic\nwith us. But he is not at all limited by his humanity. \u201cIn him dwelleth all the\nfullness of the Godhead bodily\u201d (Colossians 2:9). Therefore he is able to save\nall who trust him.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Emmanuel\nis our Saviour\u2019s name! Through a virgin\u2019s womb He came,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Fully\nGod and fully man, without sin, God\u2019s holy Lamb!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Christ\ncame here to save His own; and His work He\u2019s fully done! \u2013<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n See Him\nyonder on the throne, Christ, Emmanuel, God the Son!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\nFortner<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n A\nstable, a hovel, a hedge, any unadorned corner<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n J.C.Philpot<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Thus\nsayeth the Lord God; “Although I have cast them far off amongst the\nheathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yetI\nwill be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall\ncome.” Ezekiel 11:16<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Every\nplace in which the Lord manifests Himself, is a sanctuary to a child of God.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Jesus is\nnow our sanctuary, for He is “the true place of worship that was built by\nthe Lord and not by human hands.” We see the power and glory of God, in\nthe face of Jesus Christ.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Every\nplace is a sanctuary, where God manifests Himself in power and glory to the\nsoul. Moses, doubtless, had often passed by the bush which grew in Horeb; it\nwas but a common thorn bush, in no way distinguished from the other bushes of\nthe thicket. But on one solemn occasion it was all “in a flame of\nfire,” for “the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of\nfire” out of the midst; and though it burned with fire, it was not\nconsumed. God being in the bush, the ground round about was holy, and Moses was\nbidden to take off his shoes from his feet. Was not this a sanctuary to Moses?\nIt was, for a holy God was there! Thus wherever God manifests Himself,\nthat becomes a sanctuary to a believing soul.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n We don’t\nneed places made holy by the ceremonies of man; but places made holy\nby the presence of God!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Then a\nstable, a hovel, a hedge, any unadorned corner<\/strong> may be, and is a\nsanctuary, when God fills your heart with His sacred presence, and causes every\nholy feeling and gracious affection to spring up in your soul.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Supernatural\nlight<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Joseph\nPhilpot<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n “For God<\/strong>,\nwho commanded the light to shine out<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n of\ndarkness, hath shined in our hearts<\/strong>, to give the<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n light\nof the knowledge of the glory of God in the<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n face\nof Jesus Christ.” 2 Cor. 4:6<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Until,\nthen, this supernatural light<\/strong> of God<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n enters\ninto the soul, a man has no saving<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n knowledge\nof Jehovah. He may . . .<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nsay his prayers,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n read\nhis Bible,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n attend\npreaching,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n observe\nordinances,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nbestow all his goods to feed the poor,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \nor give his body to be burned;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n but he\nis as ignorant of God as<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n the\ncattle that graze in the fields!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n He may\ncall himself a Christian, and be<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n thought\nsuch by others, talk much about<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Jesus\nChrist, hold a sound creed, maintain<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n a\nconsistent profession, pray at a prayer<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n meeting\nwith fluency and apparent feeling,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n stand up\nin a pulpit and contend earnestly<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n for the\ndoctrines of grace, excel hundreds<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n of God’s\nchildren in zeal, knowledge and<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n conversation.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n And yet,\nif this ray of supernatural light<\/strong> has<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n never\nshone into his soul, he is only twofold<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n more the\nchild of hell than those who make<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n no\nprofession!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n “God\nis faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ\nour Lord.” \u20131 Corinthians 1:9<\/p>\n\n\n\n J.C.Philpot<\/p>\n\n\n\n When God\ncalls his people by his grace, it is to make them partakers of the highest\nbliss and the greatest glory that he could confer upon the sons of men. And\nthis not only in eternity, but in time; not only beyond, but this side of the\ngrave. He appeals, therefore, to them by his prophet. “Have I been a\nwilderness unto Israel? a land of darkness?” (Jer. 2:31.) When the Lord\ncalls his people out of earthly pleasures, is it for no other purpose than to\nlead them into paths of affliction and sorrow? Does he make them leave the\nflesh-pots of Egypt to starve them in a waste howling wilderness? This was the\ncomplaint of the ancient murmurers, that Moses had brought them up out of Egypt\nto kill them with thirst (Exod. 17:3). Does he take them from earthly delights\nto abandon them to misery and despair? O no! He calls them even in this time\nstate to the greatest privilege and highest favour that his everlasting love\ncould confer upon them, which is no less than “the fellowship of his Son,\nJesus Christ our Lord,” that they may have union and communion with the\nSon of God by grace here, and be partakers of his glory hereafter. God’s dear\nSon is, and always has been, the object of his eternal delight. To glorify him\nhas been from all eternity his fixed, his settled purpose; and in pursuance of\nthis settled purpose, he gave him a people whom he formed for himself, that\nthey might show forth his praise. Thus, therefore, the Redeemer addressed his\nheavenly Father–“And all mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I am\nglorified in them.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n <\/strong> \n \n Easy?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Revelation 21:7, “He that\novercometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God and he shall \nbe my son.” “…..for Without\nMe<\/em><\/strong> you can do nothing.” (John 15:5).<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Take my yoke upon you\nand learn of me<\/em><\/strong>; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and\nye shall find rest unto your souls.” (Matt. 11:29). \n \n \n <\/p>\n\n\n\n One day soon, whether willingly\nor unwillingly, whether through physical death or the coming of the LORD Jesus\nChrist, we are all going to leave this world. At that time every mere earthly\nrelationship and association will be severed and lost to us forever. Will this\nbe the end of all your treasures and pleasures, joys and dreams? Dear soul, it\nwill be unless you are NOW dying to this world and this world is NOW dying to\nyou, and you are living on Christ and Him crucified (Galatians 6:14).<\/p>\n\n\n\n To true believers, leaving this\npresent, evil world is not looked upon as loss, but as a great, a precious, and\nan eternal gain (Philippians 1:21). It is that \u201cdeliverance\u201d which they have\nlonged for (Romans 7:24). It will be the first time since they have known the\nLORD Jesus Christ, that One who washed them from their sins in His own blood\n(Revelation 1:5; Revelation 5:9), that they will be able to do that which they\n\u201cwould\u201d (Romans 7:15-25; Galatians 5:17), that which they desire. They shall\nsee Him, and know Him, and love Him, and worship Him perfectly; that is,\nwithout sin. Now they shall dwell in that \u201cbetter country,\u201d that \u201cheavenly\ncountry\u201d (Hebrews 11:8-16). Now their faith is swallowed up in glorious sight.\nNow they see Him as He is, and are made like Him (1st John 3:1-2). Now they are\n\u201cSATISFIED\u201d (Psalm 17:15). ALL OF GOD! ALL OF GRACE! ALL IN AND BY AND THROUGH\nTHE LORD JESUS CHRIST!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Maurice Montgomery <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When I look at myself I am ashamed. When I look at God\u2019s holy law I am condemned. When I look at God\u2019s justice I despair. When I look into the gospel I grow bold: for I see pardon obtained, righteousness wrought out, salvation finished, and justice satisfied: then I am filled […]<\/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-6781","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\/6781","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=6781"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6781\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6782,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6781\/revisions\/6782"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6781"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6781"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6781"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n
\nTo be a true Christian is not so easy<\/strong> a thing as some suppose.\nIt is not merely . . .
\ntrue beliefs, an evangelical creed, attending a scriptural church, a\ncomfortable sermon once or twice a week. It is not this, which constitutes\ngenuine Christianity.
\n
\nYou who think that religion is so very easy<\/strong> a thing–be\napprehensive lest, when too late, you find that you have experienced nothing of\nsaving religion.
\n
\nEasy?<\/strong> For a depraved<\/em> being, to trample upon his\nlusts?
\nFor a proud<\/em> being, to lie prostrate with humility and\nself-reproach?
\nFor those who are slow of heart, to believe?
\nFor the educated<\/em> man, to receive the Gospel as a little child?
\n
\nEasy?<\/strong> To crucify the flesh?
\nTo deny ungodliness?
\nTo cut off a right hand, and to pluck out a right eye?
\n
\nEasy?<\/strong> To be in the world, and\nyet not of the world?
\nTo come out from it, not by the seclusion of the cloister, but by holiness of\nlife?
\nTo be diligent in its duties, yet not absorbed<\/em> by them?
\nTo appreciate its innocent delights, and yet not ensnared<\/em> by\nthem?
\nTo behold its attractions, and yet rise superior to them?To live surrounded by objects which appeal to the sight, and yet to endure\nas seeing what is invisible?
\n
\nEasy?<\/strong> To pray and see no answer to prayer–and still pray on?
\nTo fight this battle, and find new foes ever rising up–and still to fight on?
\nTo be harassed with doubts and fears–and yet walk on in darkness, staying\nourselves upon God?
\n
\nEasy?<\/strong> To be preparing for a world we have never visited, in opposition\nto so much that is captivating in a world where we have always dwelt . . .
\n whose beauties we have seen,
\n whose music we have heard, and
\n whose pleasures we have\nexperienced?
\n
\nEasy?<\/strong> To resist that subtle foe who\nhas cast down so many of the wise and the mighty?
\n
\nEasy? <\/strong>When Jesus says it is a “narrow gate,” and that if we\nwould enter, we must strive, bidding us to\n“take up our cross daily, deny ourselves, and follow Him?”
\n
\nAh! It is no soft flowery meadow<\/em>, along which we may languidly\nstroll–but a rough, craggy cliff<\/em> that we must climb.
\n
\nIt is no smooth, placid stream<\/em>, along which we may dreamily\nfloat–but a tempestuous ocean<\/em> that we must stem!
\n
\n“Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will\nseek to enter in and shall not be able.” (Luke 13:24).<\/p>\n\n\n\n