{"id":6982,"date":"2026-01-14T10:46:48","date_gmt":"2026-01-14T10:46:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/?p=6982"},"modified":"2026-01-14T10:46:48","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T10:46:48","slug":"bulletin-edition-january-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/?p=6982","title":{"rendered":"Bulletin Edition January 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This year I may be in\nheaven!<\/strong>
\n
\n<\/strong>(Octavius Winslow, “Morning Thoughts”)
\n
\n“Ye have not passed this way heretofore!” Joshua 3:4
\n
\nHow solemn is the reflection, that each traveler to Zion is commencing a new and untrodden path!<\/strong>
\nNew events in his history will transpire;
\nnew scenes in the panorama of life will unfold;
\nnew phases of character will develop;
\nnew temptations will assail;
\nnew duties will devolve;
\nnew trials will be experienced;
\nnew sorrows will be felt;
\nnew friendships will be formed
\nnew mercies will be bestowed.
\n
\nHow truly may it be said of the pilgrim journeying through the wilderness to his eternal home, as he
\nstands upon the threshold of this untried period of his existence, pondering the unknown and uncertain future\u2014”You haven’t traveled this way before!”
\n
\nReader! if you are a believer in the Lord Jesus, you will enter upon a new stage of your journey by a
\nrenewed surrender of yourself to the Lord. You will make the cross the starting-point of a fresh setting out in the heavenly race.
\n
\nOh, to begin the year with a broken heart for sin, beneath the cross of Immanuel\u2014looking through
\nthat cross to the heart of a loving, forgiving Father!
\n
\nDo not be anxious about the future\u2014all that future God has provided for. “All my times are in Your hands.”
\n“Casting all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you.\u201d “Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain you.”
\n
\nLet it be a year of more spiritual advance. \u201cSpeak to the children of Israel that they go forward.”<\/em>
\nForward in the path of duty;
\nforward in the path of suffering;
\nforward in the path of conflict;
\nforward in the path of labor; and
\nforward in the path to eternal rest and glory!
\n
\nSoon will that rest be reached, and that glory appear! This new year may be the jubilee year of your soul\u2014 the year of your release. Oh spirit-stirring, ecstatic thought\u2014this year I may be in\nheaven!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\na mystery are you!<\/strong>
\n
\n“<\/strong>I find then a law,\nthat, when I would do good, evil is present with me.<\/strong>” Rom.\n7:21<\/strong> <\/sup><\/strong>
\nAre you not often a mystery to yourself?<\/strong>
\n
\nWarm one moment\u2014cold the next!
\n
\nAbasing yourself one hour\u2014
\nexalting yourself the following!
\n
\nLoving the world, full of it, steeped up to your head in it today\u2014crying, groaning, and sighing for a sweet manifestation of the love of God tomorrow!
\n
\nBrought down to nothingness, covered with shame and confusion, on your knees before you leave your room\u2014filled with pride and self importance before you have got down stairs!
\n
\nDespising the world, and willing to give it all up for one taste of the love of Jesus when in solitude\u2014trying to grasp it with both hands when in business!
\n
\nWhat a mystery are you!<\/strong>
\n
\nTouched by love\u2014and stung with hatred!
\n 
\nPossessing a little wisdom\u2014and a great deal of folly!
\n
\nEarthly minded\u2014and yet having the affections in heaven!
\n 
\nPressing forward\u2014and lagging behind!
\n
\nFull of sloth\u2014and yet taking the kingdom with violence!
\n
\nAnd thus the Spirit, by a process which we may feel but cannot adequately describe\u2014leads us into the mystery of the two natures<\/strong> perpetually\nstruggling and striving against\neach other in the same bosom.
\nSo that one man cannot more differ from another, than the same man differs from himself.<\/strong>
\n
\nBut the mystery of the kingdom of heaven is this\u2014 that our carnal mind undergoes no alteration, but maintains a perpetual war with grace. And thus, the deeper we sink in self abasement under a
\nsense of our vileness, the higher we rise in a knowledge of Christ, and the blacker we are in our own view\u2014the more lovely does Jesus appear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

A New Nature<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The person who says, \u201cI am saved\nby grace alone and it does not matter how I talk, walk, or conduct my life,\u201d is\na fool and neither understands nor loves the grace of God. Our union with the\nLord Jesus not only justifies and sanctifies us before the law of God and the\ncourt of heaven, but that same regenerating union implants within and imparts\nunto us A NEW NATURE which delights in the principles and actions of holiness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One cannot separate the blessings\nof Christ from the indwelling presence of Christ. \u201cHe that LOVETH not KNOWETH\nnot!\u201d Learning the doctrine will not produce a new creature, but \u201clearning\nChrist\u201d will.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

~Henry Mahan<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“For the flesh\nlusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh–and these are\ncontrary the one to the other–so that ye cannot do the things that ye\nwould.”<\/em> Galatians 5:17<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

The Holy Spirit is especially\ntender of his own work upon the soul. He originally formed it–it is his own\nspiritual offspring; and as a mother watches over her babe, so the blessed\nSpirit watches over the spirit of his own creating. It is the counterpart of\nhimself, for it is the spirit that he has raised up in the soul by his own\nalmighty power. He, therefore, acts upon it, breathes into it fresh life and\npower, and communicates grace out of the inexhaustible fullness of the Son of\nGod, thus enabling the spirit to breathe and act, struggle and fight against\nthe flesh, so that the latter cannot have all its own way, but must submit and\nyield. For the spirit can fight as well as the flesh; can act as well as the\nflesh; and can desire good as well as the flesh can desire evil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What a mercy for us it is that\nthere are those heavenly breathings in our soul, of the spirit against the\nflesh, cryings out to God against it; and that the spirit within us thus takes\nhold of the arm of Omnipotence outside us, seeks help from the Lord God\nAlmighty, and by strength thus communicated fights against the flesh, and gains\nat times a most blessed victory over it. For what can the flesh do against the\nspirit when animated by divine power? What are sin, Satan, and the world when\nthey have to oppose a Triune God in arms? This makes the victory sure, that our\nfriends are stronger than our foes, and the work of God upon our soul greater\nthan anything sin, Satan, or the world can bring against it. This made the\nApostle say, after he had been describing the inward conflict, “I thank\nGod through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 7:25). And when he had enumerated\nthe opposition that the Christian has to endure on every side, he cries out, as\nif in holy triumph, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors\nthrough him who loved us” (Rom. 8:37)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why\nAm I\nThus?                                <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Romans\n7:18-21<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \u201cI\nknow that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing…The evil which\nI would not, that I do…When I would do good, evil is present with me.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why?\nWhy am I in this condition? Why is sin so prominent in my nature? Why is evil\nalways present with me? Why is there a constant warfare in my soul? These are\nquestions that I am frequently asked by concerned souls who honestly\nacknowledge their sin. And these are questions I frequently ask myself. The\nWord of God alone supplies us with the answer to them. \u201cThat which is\nborn of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is\nspirit\u201d <\/em>(John 3:6). It is as simple and as profound as that. All true\nbelievers are people with two natures – \u201cFlesh\u201d <\/em>and \u201cSpirit.\u201d <\/em>Those\ntwo natures are constantly at war with one another. The spirit will never\nsurrender to the flesh and the flesh will never bow to the spirit. We do not\nwalk in the flesh. We walk in the Spirit. And those who walk in the Spirit do\nnot fulfil the lusts of the flesh. Yet, we never escape those lusts. We will\nnever be free from \u201cthe body of this death\u201d <\/em>until we have\ndropped this body in death. Painful as this condition is, it is best for us, while\nwe live in this world, that we live in this condition for three reasons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            1.\nWe must never forget that the only thing that distinguishes us from other\npeople is the distinguishing grace of God (I Cor. 4:7).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            2.\nWe must never forget that our only ground of acceptance with God is the blood\nand righteousness of Christ (I Cor. 1:30).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            3.\nWe must never become content with our existence in this world (II Cor. 5:1-9).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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


\n<\/strong>The Old Man and the New<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Romans\n7:24<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The inward\nwarfare raging in our hearts, that which so painfully disturbs the peace and\njoy of God\u2019s saints in this world, arises from the fact that every regenerate\nperson lives in this body of flesh with two natures. Most people have been\ntaught, and believe, that in regeneration the old man is changed, spiritually\nrenewed; but the Scriptures teach that a new man is formed in the heaven born\nsoul, making the regenerate \u201ca new creature<\/em>\u201d in Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

           \nFrom the moment of his heavenly birth, until he enters into glory, the believer\nlives with two natures, flesh and spirit, the old man and the new man, that\nwhich is born of flesh and that which is born of the Spirit. The old man is in\nno way changed. That which is new in him is the new man, by which he has become\na partaker of the divine nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

           \nThat the heaven-born soul is two men cannot be disputed. Who would say, \u201cThe\nold man is the new man and the new man is the old man\u201d? That would be to\nconfound the language of Holy Scripture and make it unintelligible. The new\nbirth is not a reforming of the old man, but the creation of the new man. And\nwith the creation of the new man in us, a violent warfare breaks out between\nflesh and spirit. That sad fact is verified in the daily experience of all who\nhave \u201ctasted that the Lord is gracious<\/em>.\u201d All confess with Paul, \u201cThat\nwhich I do, I allow not; for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that\ndo I<\/em>.\u201d Rom 7:15<\/p>\n\n\n\n

           \nYes, in every child of God two distinct natures inhabit the same tenement. The\n\u201cold man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts<\/em>.\u201d His\ngenealogy we trace back to his father, the \u201cfirst Adam<\/em>,\u201d from whom he\nreceives his corrupt nature. The \u201cnew man,<\/em>\u201d which after God is \u201ccreated\nin righteousness and true holiness<\/em>,\u201d (Eph. 4:24) derives his being from\nChrist, his \u201ceverlasting Father,<\/em>\u201d the last Adam. Just as the old man is\nwhat he is by virtue of his union with Adam, the new man is what he is by\nvirtue of his union with Christ. As by natural generation we receive the nature\nof \u201cthe old man<\/em>,\u201d by spiritual regeneration we are \u201cmade partakers of\nthe divine nature<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

           \nEvery child of faith can say with Job, \u201cthe root of the matter is found in\nme<\/em>.\u201d The Root of the matter is \u201cChrist in you, the Hope of glory<\/em>.\u201d\nAnd \u201cif the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be\nholy, so are the branches<\/em>,\u201d (Rom. 11:16) \u201cfor as he is so are we in this\nworld.<\/em>\u201d (1 John 4:17)  Nothing\npure or holy is attached to the \u201cold man<\/em>.\u201d But even the mind and\nconscience of flesh is defiled. Yet, nothing impure or unholy is attached to\nthe \u201cnew man,<\/em>\u201d to that which is born of God, for \u201cunto the pure all\nthings are pure<\/em>\u201d (Titus 1:15). \u201cBlessed are the pure in heart, for they\nshall see God<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

           \nGod calls his children \u201cthe holy people,<\/em>\u201d because they really are holy,\n\u201cfor his seed remaineth in them<\/em>.\u201d \u201cBeloved, now are we the sons of\nGod; and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he\nshall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is<\/em>.\u201d (1 John\n3:2) Until then, we must continue, like the Shulamite, \u201cas it were the\ncompany of two armies.<\/em>\u201d (Song 6:13)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\nFortner<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n


\n<\/strong>Such a\nperpetual and unceasing conflict?<\/strong>
\n
\n(Philpot, “The Groaning\nCaptives Deliverance” 1847)
\n
\n“<\/strong> For\nthat which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate,\nthat do I. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good\nthing: for to will is present with me; but how<\/em> to perform that\nwhich is good I find not. <\/strong>19 <\/sup><\/strong>For\nthe good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I\ndo. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with\nme. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this\ndeath?<\/strong>” Rom.\n7:15,18,19,21,24<\/strong>
\n
\nWhat a picture of that which\npasses in a godly man’s\nbosom! He has in him two distinct <\/strong>principles<\/strong>, two different natures\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n

one . . .<\/strong>
\n  holy,
\n  heavenly,
\n  spiritual,
\n  panting after the Lord, and
\n  finding the things of God its element.
\n
\nAnd yet in the same bosom a principle . . .<\/strong>
\n  totally corrupt,
\n  thoroughly and entirely depraved,
\n  perpetually striving against the holy principle within,
\n  continually lusting after evil,
\n  opposed to every leading of the Spirit in the soul,
\n  and seeking to gratify its filthy desires at any cost!
\n
\nNow, must there not be a feeling of misery in a man\u2019s bosom to have these two armies perpetually fighting? That when he desires to do good, evil is present with him\u2014when he would be holy, heavenly minded, tender hearted, loving, seeking God’s glory, enjoying sweet communion with Jehovah\u2014there is a base, sensual, earthly heart perpetually at work\u2014infusing its baneful poison into every thought, counteracting every desire, and dragging him from the heaven to which he would mount, down to the very hell of carnality and filth?
\n
\nThere is a holy, heavenly principle in a man’s bosom that knows, fears, loves, and delights in God. Yet he finds that sin in himself, which is altogether opposed to the mind of Christ, and lusts after that which he hates.
\nMust there not be sorrow and grief in that man’s bosom to feel such a\nperpetual and unceasing conflict?<\/strong>
\n
\n<\/strong>Is there ever this piteous cry forced by guilt, shame, and sorrow out of your <\/strong>bosom, “O wretched\nman that I am!” If not, be assured\nthat you are dead in sin, or dead in\na profession.
I am chained to a dead body!<\/strong>

\n(John Newton)

\n“Not as though I had already attained,\neither were already perfect.” Philippians 3:12

\nAlas! alas! indeed I “have not\nattained!” I love the truth, and I love to declare it, and sometimes my\nearnestness in the pulpit may make the hearers think I am ‘somebody’.

\nBut could you compare Mr. Newton in the pulpit,\nwith Mr. Newton at home and in himself – you would startle and exclaim,\n“Nothing was ever so unlike itself!”

\nWell, I believe it must be so in some measure –\nwhile, like the prisoners of Mezentius, I am chained to a dead body<\/strong>. But I hope the time will come, when I shall no\nlonger drag the loathsome corpse of a depraved nature about with me. Ah! what a\nloathsome sight; what a cadaverous smell haunts me in every place!

\nI believe, if the Lord was pleased to increase\nmy little exercise of grace tenfold, I would be ten times more out of conceit\nwith myself than I am at present.

\nThis is a poor subject – let us change it, and\ndrop a thought about Jesus! In Him we have wisdom, righteousness, peace, power,\nand salvation. Grace abounds in Him, more than sin can abound in me – and His\ncompassion is fully adequate to my case. With Him there is plenteous\nredemption, therefore I will trust and not be afraid.

\nThe more vile I – the more glorious and\nwonderful will He be in saving me to the uttermost! I wish to be humbled under\na sense of sin, to strive in His strength against it; and then to be willing to\nbe nothing, that He m\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This year I may be in heaven! (Octavius Winslow, “Morning Thoughts”) “Ye have not passed this way heretofore!” Joshua 3:4 How solemn is the reflection, that each traveler to Zion is commencing a new and untrodden path! New events in his history will transpire; new scenes in the panorama of life will unfold; new phases of […]<\/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-6982","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\/6982","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=6982"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6982\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6983,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6982\/revisions\/6983"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6982"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6982"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6982"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}