{"id":6805,"date":"2025-01-26T21:47:44","date_gmt":"2025-01-26T21:47:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/?p=6805"},"modified":"2025-03-03T01:45:11","modified_gmt":"2025-03-03T01:45:11","slug":"bulletin-edition-january-2024-5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/?p=6805","title":{"rendered":"Bulletin Edition January 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Fading\nGlory and Lasting Glory<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor\nif that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is\nglorious<\/em>.\u201d II Corinthians 3:11.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is\nonly the greater and lasting glory of Christ and His Gospel that will convince\na person to let go of whatever weak and temporary glory he presently clings\nto.  Is a man enamoured of the law?  He will remain so until the\nglory of the Gospel eclipses that glory of the law.  Is a man absorbed\nwith the subject of his own righteousness?  That shall remain unchanged\nuntil the glorious Son of Righteousness rises on his soul.  A man never\ngives up anything until something better comes along. The Gospel is that\nsomething better.  When the Gospel is preached, those whose eyes the\nSpirit has opened see the greater glory of it and gladly embrace it while\nletting go of what they previously held.  Until the greater glory is\nrevealed, men will cling to their lesser\nglories.       \n           ~Joe Terrell<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two\nMountains<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

   \nWhen the fire of God\u2019s justice fell on the sacrifices at Mount Carmel, and\nMount Calvary there were two strikingly different outcomes. Upon Mt. Carmel,\nthe sacrifice that Elijah prepared, God consumed the wood, rocks, dust, water,\nand the sacrifice. There was nothing left. God\u2019s justice against sin could not\nbe satisfied. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

   \nHowever, upon Mt. Calvary and the Sacrifice that God made, the wrath, judgment\nand justice of God was exhausted and extinguished, while the Sacrifice\nremained. That means that when Christ said, \u201cIt is finished,\u201d that \u201cGod was\nsatisfied.\u201d Thank God for Christ, the One Sacrifice that was made for sin\nforever. (Hebrews\n10:12)                                     \n  ~David Eddmenson<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“For I say unto you,\nThat except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes\nand Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.”<\/em><\/strong> Matthew\n5:20<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

There are three kinds of\nrighteousness, or at least three kinds of righteousness which bear that name.\nThere is inherent<\/em> righteousness, of which we have none. There\nis imputed<\/em> righteousness, which is all our justification. And\nthere is imparted<\/em> righteousness, when God the Spirit makes us\nnew creatures, and raises up in the heart that “new man, which after\nGod” (that is, “after the image of God”) “is created in\nrighteousness and true holiness.” When the Lord, therefore, said,\n“Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes\nand Pharisees, you shall never enter into the kingdom of heaven,” he did\nnot mean only an external<\/em> righteousness wrought out by his\nobedience to the law for<\/em> them, but an internal<\/em> righteousness\nwrought out by the Holy Spirit in<\/em> them. Thus we read of the\ninward as well as the outward apparel of the Church, “The King’s daughter\nis all glorious within; her clothing<\/em> is of wrought gold.”\nTwo kinds of righteousness belong to the Queen; her imputed righteousness is\nher outward<\/em> robe, “the clothing<\/em> of\nwrought gold;” but imparted righteousness is her inward<\/em> adorning,\nwhich makes her “all-glorious within.”<\/em> This inward\nglory is the new man in the heart, with all his gifts and graces, what Peter\ncalls “the divine nature,” “Christ in the heart, the hope of\nglory.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At\nthe cross alone<\/strong>
\n
\n(J.C.Philpot, “Meditations on the Blessed Redeemer”)
\n
\nBut of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us\nwisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption <\/strong>1\nCorinthians 1:30<\/strong> <\/sup><\/strong>
\n
\n<\/strong>But God forbid that I should glory, save\nin the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me,\nand I unto the world.<\/strong> Galatians 6:14<\/strong>
\n
\nAn experimental knowledge of crucifixion with his
\ncrucified Lord, made Paul preach the cross–not only
\nin its power to save<\/strong>, but in its power to sanctify<\/strong>.
\n<\/strong>
\nThe cross is not only the meritorious cause of all
\nsalvation–<\/strong>but is the instrumental cause of all
\nsanctification<\/strong>. As there is no other way\nof salvation<\/strong>
\nthan by the blood of the cross–sothere is no other
\nway of holiness<\/strong> than by the power of the cross.
\n
\nThrough the cross, that is, through union and
\ncommunion with Him who suffered upon it, not
\nonly is there a fountain opened for all sin<\/strong>–but
\nfor all uncleanness!<\/strong>
\n
\nAll our . . .<\/strong>
\n  pardon and peace,
\n  acceptance and justification,
\n  happiness and holiness,
\n  wisdom and strength,
\n  victory over the world,
\n  mortification of the body of sin and death,
\n  hope and confidence,
\n  prayer and praise,
\n  gracious feelings,
\n  spiritual desires,
\n  warm supplications,
\n  honest confessions,
\n  godly sorrows for sin,
\nspring from the cross!<\/strong>
\n
\nAt the cross alone<\/strong> can we . . .
\n  be made wise unto salvation,
\n  become righteous by a free justification,
\n  receive of His Spirit to make us holy, and
\n  be redeemed and delivered from . . .
\n    sin, Satan, death and hell.
\n
\nTo the cross we are to bring . . .
\n  our sorrows,
\n  our trials,
\n  our temptations,
\n  our sufferings,
\nto get life from His death,
\npardon and peace from His atoning blood,
\njustification from His divine obedience, and
\nresignation to the will of God from His holy example.
\n
\nAt the cross alone<\/strong> is . . .
\n  the world crucified to us, and we to the world;
\n  sin mortified, and its reigning power dethroned;
\n  the old man crucified and put off, and the new man put\non.
\n
\nFor the most part, it is only through a long series of . . .
\n  afflictions,
\n  bereavements,
\n  disappointments,
\n  vexations,
\n  illnesses,
\n  pains of body and mind,
\n  hot furnaces, and
\n  deep waters,
\nas sanctified to his soul’s profit by the Holy Spirit,
\nthat the child of God comes to the cross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

VESSELS\nOF WRATH AND VESSELS OF MERCY<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Romans\n9:21-24′<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why\nis it that all men are not saved? Why does God endure “with much\nlongsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction”, when he\ncertainly has the power, were it his purpose to do so, to save them? Paul tells\nus very plainly that the reason is, GOD<\/strong> IS WILLING TO SHEW\nHIS WRATH AND MAKE HIS POWER KNOWN BY THE VESSELS OF WRATH.<\/strong> Every\ncreature must form a step to the Creator’s throne. Though many would rob God of\nhis glory if they could, they will be to the praise of his glory. All who\npersist in their rebellion and unbelief, refusing to bow to Christ as Lord and\ntrust him, are FITTING THEMSELVES FOR DESTRUCTION.<\/strong> But their\nunbelief, rebellion, and sin will in no way affect God. His purpose shall\nstand, and his name shall be magnified, even in the vessels of wrath. God’s\nenemies shall yet praise him. They all shall stand as monuments, eternal\nmonuments, to the wrath and power of God, even as Pharaoh of old. Hear this and\nbe warned: “The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the\nwicked for the day of (judgment)” (Prov. 16:4).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But GOD HAS CHOSEN SOME OF ADAM’S RACE AS VESSELS OF\nMERCY.<\/strong> These vessels of mercy are God’s elect, chosen in eternity,\nredeemed by the blood of Christ, and PREPARED BY GOD’S OWN GRACE FOR\nGLORY,<\/strong> God’s reason for making these vessels of mercy is to show forth\n“the riches of his glory”. Particularly, Paul is talking about the\nglory of God’s sovereignty. We could not know God’s sovereignty, were there not\nboth vessels of wrath and vessels of mercy. Both are the same by nature. Both\ncame from the same lump of clay. But God made a difference between his elect\n(the vessels of mercy) and the reprobate (the vessels of wrath) (I Cor. 4:7).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who are these vessels of mercy? “EVEN US WHOM HE\nHATH CALLED.”<\/strong> If you are called of God from death to life, you\nare a vessel of mercy! If God the Holy Spirit has called you by his almighty\ngrace to Christ and given you faith in him, you are a vessel of mercy. It is\ngrace that has made you to be a vessel of mercy. God has done this for us\n“that (we) should show forth the praises of him who hath called us out of\ndarkness into his marvellous light” (I Pet. 2:9).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

The\nabsolute Monarch of the universe!<\/strong>
\nThe following is by Don Fortner
\nTo worship a god…
\n…whose purpose can be defeated,
\n…whose will can be thwarted,
\n…whose work can be overturned, and
\n…whose grace can be frustrated is to worship an idol.
\nSuch a god is no GOD at all!
\n
\nJesus Christ our Lord is the unrivalled Sovereign of the
\nuniverse (Matt. 28:18; John 17:2). He who is God our
\nSaviour does as he will in the army of heaven and among
\nthe inhabitants of the earth. He makes one a vessel of
\nhonour and another a vessel of dishonour, one a vessel of
\nmercy and another a vessel of wrath, one to show forth
\nthe riches of his grace and another to show forth the severity
\nof his justice, exactly as it pleased him from all eternity.
\n
\nTo deny that Christ created all things and rules all things
\nis to deny that he is God. To deny that he is God is to
\nmock him, blaspheme him, and attempt to deny him his glory.
\n
\nTo deny that Christ is God, sovereign upon his throne is to
\ndeny hope to needy sinners who look to him alone for grace,
\nsalvation, and eternal life (John 17:2; Rom. 14:9).
\n
\nNone but an absolute sovereign Lord can save.
\nNone but an absolute sovereign can be trusted implicitly.
\nNone but an absolute sovereign will be worshipped.
\nJesus Christ, our God and Saviour, rules all things absolutely
\n(Ps. 76:10; 115:3; 135:6; Pro.16:1, 33; 21:1).
\n
\nJesus Christ is the absolute Monarch of the universe!
\nOur Saviour is the great King! Nothing more fully shows
\nforth the unrivalled excellence of Christ than his total
\nsovereignty, “upholding all things by the word of his\npower.”
\n
\n
\nThe greatest wonder in heaven, or earth, or even in hell!
\nThe following is from Spurgeon’s sermon,
\n“Open House for All Comers”  No. 665. Luke 15:2.
\n
\nBut the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered,
\n“This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
\n       -Luke 15:2
\n
\nJesus receives sinners into his heart’s love!
\nThis is the greatest wonder in heaven,
\n  or earth, or even in hell!
\n
\nThere is no marvel like the truth that He who ever
\nlives bowed his head to die for sinners; and having
\nmade atonement for sin, now receives the very chief
\nof sinners into his heart’s love, and makes us his
\n  companions and his friends!
\n
\nHe takes us from the dunghill and
\n wears us as jewels in his crown!
\n
\nHe plucks us as brands from the burning, and
\npreserves us as precious monuments of his mercy!
\n
\nNone are so precious in his sight as the sinners for whom he\ndied!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Fading Glory and Lasting Glory \u201cFor if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.\u201d II Corinthians 3:11. It is only the greater and lasting glory of Christ and His Gospel that will convince a person to let go of whatever weak and temporary glory he presently clings to.  Is […]<\/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-6805","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\/6805","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=6805"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6805\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6824,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6805\/revisions\/6824"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6805"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6805"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6805"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}