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Shellharbour Christian Fellowship .
100th. Edition!
News letter.
“And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up , and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified”
Acts 20:32.
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Barrack Heights Public School
Cnr Captain Cook Dr & Hunter St
News Letter Coverage Dates:
22nd April – 5th May, 2012.
Sunday Meetings begin at 10am & 6pm.
Church Contact
Evan & Josephine: 4203 2619
Email:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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The Normal Christian Life
Watchman Nee
¶ W ha t is the normal Christian life? We do well at the outset to ponder this question. The object of these studies is to show that it is something very different from the life of the average Christian. Indeed a consideration of the written Word of God – of the Sermon on the Mount, for example – should lead us to ask whether such a life has ever in fact been lived upon earth, save only by the Son of God Himself . But in that last saving clause lies immediately the answer to our question.
The apostle Paul gave us his own definition of the Christian life in Galatians 2:20. It is “no longer I, but Christ.” Here he is not stating something special or peculiar - a high level of Christianity. He is, we believe, presenting God’s normal for a Christian, which can be summarized in the words: I live no longer, but Christ lives his life in me.
God makes it quite clear in his Word that he has only one answer to every human need – his son, Jesus Christ. In all his dealing with us he works by taking us out of the way and substituting Christ in our place. The Son of God died instead of us for our forgiveness: he lives instead of us for our deliverance. So we can speak of two substitutions – a Substitute on the Cross who secures our forgiveness and a substitute within who secures our victory. It will help us greatly, and save us from much confusion, if we keep constantly before us this fact, that God will answer all our questions in one way and one way only, namely, by showing us more of his Son.
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For F.B Meyer there was one pervading thought in his narrative on Abraham –
ABRAHAM
¶ Abraham was great through his faith. And that faith was at first but a silver thread, a tiny streak, an insignificant sinew-not stronger than that which trembles in the humblest and weakest reader of these lines.
But whatever faith is, it is the link with the Omnipotence; the channel for the Divine communications; the wire along which the Fire of Heaven may travel. And as it is used according to the promptings of the Divine Spirit, and in obedience to his commands, it will grow. It grew in Abraham. It will grow in us.
Preface to ABRAHAM. F.B Meyer.
“Thou Israel art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham My friend” Is.41:8
“Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth, but I have called you friends” John 15:15
“Oh, FRIENDS OF GOD, why do you not make more of your transcendent privileges? Why do you not talk to Him about all that wearies and worries you, as freely as Abraham did, telling Him about your Ishmaels, your Lots, and His dealings? Why do you not fall on your faces while God talks with you (Genesis 17:3)? Life should be one long talk between God and us. No day at least should close without our talking over its history with our patient and loving Lord; entering into His confessional; relieving our hearts of half their sorrow, and all their bitterness, in the act of telling Him all. And if only we get low enough, and be still enough, we shall hear His accents sweet and thrilling, soft and low, opening depths which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, but which He has prepared for those who love and wait for Him.” Abraham . P97. F.B Meyer
w u u u w
Fellowship Calendar : 22nd April to 6th May, 2012
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22– Sunday
Welcome to the
GIDEONS!
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23– Monday
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24– Tuesday
Ladies Bible study?
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25– Wednesday
ANZAC CUP
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26– Thursday
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27– Friday
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28– Saturday
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29– Sunday
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30– Monday
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1– Tuesday
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2– Wednesday
Bible study @
Tony & Soula’s
General sharing
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3– Thursday
Renae
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4– Friday
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5– Saturday
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6– Sunday
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Notes:
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For those who drive, if you must speed on the highway,
These hymns would be good for you…
 
At 80 km/h – “God will take care of you”
At 90 km/h – “Guide me, O Thou Great Jehovah”
At 120 km/h – “Nearer my God to thee”
At 130 km/h – “Nearer still nearer”
At 140 km/h – “This world is not my home”
At 150 km/h – “Lord I’m coming home”
At 160 km/h – “Precious memories”
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 Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Thy sight.
- Matthew 11:26
¶ In almost everyone's life there are things which he never would have chosen, which he would like to be rid of, but which can never be changed. There is the matter of physical impairments or abnormalities. Or it may be a chronic, low-grade illness that will not leave us alone. Again it may be a nervous or emotional disorder that lingers as a most unwelcome guest.
So many defeated lives, dreaming of what might have been, if only.... If only they were taller. If only they were better looking. If only they had been born in a different family, race, or even sex. If only they were built to excel in athletics. If only they could know perfect health.
The lesson that we need to learn is that there is peace in accepting what cannot be changed. What we are, we are by the grace of God. He has planned our lives with infinite love and infinite wisdom. If we could see as well as He, we would have arranged things exactly as He has done. Therefore we should be able to say, "Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Thy sight."
But there is a step further. We don't have to accept these things in a spirit of meek resignation. Knowing that they were permitted by a God of love, we can make them the cause of praise and rejoice. Paul prayed three times that his thorn in the flesh might be removed. When the Lord promised grace to bear the thorn, the Apostle exclaimed, "Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me" (2 Corinthians 12:9).
One Day at a Time
By William MacDonald
w u u u w
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