71 King Street Hamilton, Victoria, Bulletin & News. Sabbath July 29th, We WELCOME you to our Worship Services Today

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1 Issue No Taking the Three Angels Messages to the whole world King Street Hamilton, Victoria, 3300 Bulletin & News Sabbath July 29th, 2017 We WELCOME you to our Worship Services Today Song Service Sabbath School Church Service 9:45 am 10:00 am 11:30 am "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:" [ Galatians 3:13 ]

2 ~ Announcements ~ Welcome - We welcome Dudley House to the pulpit today and for Sabbath praise and worship with us. May God bless you and lead you all in His truth always. Combined Lunch - There will be a combined lunch today in the church dining room after the main service. All are welcome to join us for fellowship and a light meal. Business Meeting - There will be a business meeting on August 9th. All those with items for the agenda should submit them before August 2nd. Building Fund - Next Sabbath there will be a special offering for the building fund to allow for upgrades etc. of our church building. Please dig deep to help with the repairs of God s house. Divine Service Prelim. Roster - Just a reminder that we have introduced a new preliminary roster for the Divine Service. Any Member who wants to participate, are to see Elder Peter Tung. Special Prayer Requests - Please Keep Peter and Susan Roberts in your prayers over the coming weeks as they have had to travel to Brisbane rather urgently. Also please keep the 45 LE contact visits in your prayers and the members doing the visiting, that they will be instruments of the Holy Spirit. Special Thanks - A special thankyou to all those volunteers helping out at recipe club last Tuesday night and to Shirley Adelwohrer for the cooking demonstration. As well as Pastor Bone for the health talk. Sabbath Singing Lessons - Just a reminder that all Sabbath afternoon singing lessons have been cancelled until Joi s return later this month, but until then, please keep her in your prayers as she still requires ongoing treatment. ~ Upcoming Events ~ Prayer Meeting - August 9th at 5pm. Please join us each fortnight for prayer and a short Bible study. Let us always keep the communication channels to heaven open through our prayers. Recipe Club - The next recipe club meeting will be on August 22nd. Please keep it in your prayers and on your calendar. Next month the cooking 2

3 demonstration is by a non-member, Wendy Radley, so we need special prayer for her and Peter Roberts will be giving he health talk.. Pastor Appreciation Day - This year there will be a Pastor Appreciation Day for Pastor Bone. It s scheduled to take place on Sabbath August 12th. Any member wanting to make a special presentation for Pastor appreciation day, Sabbath, August 12th, please see Peter Tung. C.A.R.E. Group meeting, August 4th - It s held every Friday at Amber & Krystal s place. (See page 11 and Krystal for address and further details.) ~ Prayer Requests ~ This Week s Prayer List: Please remember: Shaun Keast and his Grandchildren, his neighbour Steve and his children, Kyle Thomas, Youn & Lee Koh, The Hamilton Church and its members, Roger Pearce, Ruth O Dempsey, Joan Ruthven, Johnny and David Mocilac, Dale Mea, Olga Novak, Simon Novak, Kezia Derksen, Trevor from the fish shop and his sister and workmates, Marilyn McDonald, John & Gloria Tyack, Suzi, Peter Tyzack and family, Maria and John Franjic, the Recipe Club and our Pastor. ~ Quarterly Prayer Vigil ~ This quarter s vigil: The aim is to pray for Evangelism in the Community and Also for our Pastor and the work that he is doing. Please set aside the time on Wednesday, August 9th, 5:45pm for a special season of prayer. Time is short and we need to be ready now! ~ Reflections ~ Anger is a great weapon. It creates and moves wars, destroys families and relationships. It hurts men both physically and mentally blocking the pathways of communication to heaven. That s why it is written: "Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:" (Ephesians 4:26 ) The Editor 3

4 ~ Keep the Faith Ministries ~ UK TO PERMIT LGBT PEOPLE TO SELF-IDENTIFY LEGALLY Tuesday July 25th, 2017 in Briefings, Prophetic Intelligence Briefings The government of the United Kingdom is planning to reform gender identity rules to make it easier for people to choose their own gender in law. Under plans being considered by ministers, adults will be able to change their birth certificates at will without a doctor s diagnosis, while non-binary gender people will be able to record their gender as X. The Gender Recognition Bill will have language to this effect added to it. The attempt at further normalization of transgender people is because the current law established in 2004 says that a person who wishes to transition must apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate. This requires a doctor s diagnosis of gender dysphoria and that someone spend two years of living as a member of the opposite gender. The reforms were recommended by Parliament s Women and Equalities Committee last year, which said that they were key to trans people being treated equally and fairly. Plans for self-identification were included in the Labour manifesto. Suzanna Hopwood, a member of the Stonewall Trans Advisory Group, said: It s vital that this reform removes the requirements for medical evidence and an intrusive interview panel, and finally allows all trans people to have their gender legally recognized through a simple administrative process. Equalities minister Justine Greening said: This Government is committed to building an inclusive society that works for everyone, no matter what their gender or sexuality, and today we re taking the next step forward. We will build on the significant progress we have made over the last 50 years, tackling some of the historic prejudices that still persist in our laws and giving LGBT people a real say on the issues affecting them. The end-time prophecy of the Bible predicting the push for LGBT equality and recognition has reached a new level of fulfillment. Likewise also, as it was in the days of Lot Luke 17:28. Source References: People to be allowed to pick their own gender without doctor s diagnosis, under Government plans 4

5 ~ Adventist Review ~ MISSION TO MONGOLIA FULFILLS AN ANCIENT REQUEST It Is Written initiative brings dozens of new converts to a thriving church. By: Yure Gramacho, Northern Asia Pacific Division In A.D. 1266, the great Kublai Khan, leader of the Mongol Yuan dynasty, asked two Italian merchantmen to return home with a letter requesting 100 well-educated Christian missionaries to come back and teach his people about the gospel. Unfortunately, Kublai Khan s desire was not fulfilled at that time; in fact, it seems his petition was never truly granted. Well, at least until now! The Great Khan could never have guessed that 750 years later, a ministry called It Is Written (IIW), in partnership with the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Mongolia, would respond to this ancient request, focusing its attention on Mongolia with a lifesaving message of hope. A Carefully Crafted Plan After three years of spiritual preparation, planning, and ministry, the IIW team, along with the Mongolia Mission, held a large evangelistic campaign from June 4-11 under the theme In What Can You Trust? Altogether, more than 120 volunteer missionaries came from abroad, and 14 churches and companies in the capital city of Ulaanbaatar got involved in this bold missionary challenge. On the last day of the series, 71 people were baptized. Since 2015, IIW has been actively involved in humanitarian and gospel work to help Mongolians get a clearer picture of Jesus as their help in this world and their hope in the world to come, said Erik Flickinger, associate speaker for the ministry. The humanitarian work began in 2015 by drilling water wells at two local churches where the local community had no access to fresh and clean drinking water. To get water, residents of Ger districts had to push carts of empty water jugs to a water station, sometimes located a mile away from their home. Today, three churches have hot and cold running water and can attract people who otherwise might not take notice of them. The Mission: Mongolia project involved medical, dental, and optical clinics as 5

6 well as nightly Bible presentations by IIW speaker/director John Bradshaw. Organizers wondered how many people would show up for the evangelistic meetings in a country with 97 percent non-christian population. On the first night, we had the answer: more than 700 people attended! People continued to flock to the nightly evangelistic meeting at the Union Cultural Center Palace in Ulaanbaatar. A Successful Delivery Starting on Sunday, June 4, IIW carried out a major health project in Ulaanbaatar. The team of more than 120 including around 80 medical professionals from at least five countries conducted clinics at several locations around the city, providing a wide range of free health services. In cooperation with the city government, physicians, ophthalmologists, dentists, nurses, physical therapists, and many others ministered to thousands of people. The medical missionary team was divided up and went to hospitals, nursing homes, a school, a blind center, Adventist churches and even to a jail, offering dental, vision, surgical, and multiple other services touching many lives through this work. They provided medical services that in many cases people here would not otherwise be able to receive. Missionaries sacrificed vacation time and money to travel to the other side of the world to make friends for Jesus. At the same time, evangelistic meetings were held in downtown Ulaanbaatar each night, giving people the opportunity to know Jesus as not only Healer but as Lord and Savior. Our journey to Mongolia could not have ended on a better note. More than 70 precious souls publicly confessed their love for Jesus through baptism, said Yves Monnier, IIW evangelism director. There may not have been much water in the Tuul River, but there was enough for us to completely immerse every person. Monnier kept sharing a special moment he was part of. I had the honor of baptizing a young lady with muscular dystrophy. I just cradled her small body in my arms, and we both went down in the water, he said. You should have seen her when we came up out of the water: smiling and crying all at the same time. Monnier asked church members around the world to keep praying for Mongolia, as locals keep working with others who are continuing to study. Hundreds more are now being prepared for future baptisms, he said. In Mongolia, it seems that Kublai Khan s original request is being fulfilled thanks to the efforts of Adventist missionaries who proclaim a better, everlasting empire, and the coming of a new Khan (King)! 6

7 ~ Adventist Review ~ PUTTING CHRIST INTO CHRISTIANITY Taking the name is easier than living the life. STEPHEN CHAVEZ It should come as no surprise that Christianity seems to be experiencing the same polarization that much of society is going through. Pick up a newspaper, watch the evening news, or notice what is trending online, and you ll often see items about Christians taking principled stands that are almost polar opposites. In the current debate about immigration, some Christians emphasize the rule of law, and point out that citizenship is a privilege reserved for those who have jumped through the proper hoops. Other Christians, citing the deplorable levels of violence in some countries, favor using their church buildings as sanctuaries for illegal immigrants to avoid deportation. These are all Christians, mind you. They all claim allegiance to Christ, and use the Bible as their sourcebook for all things ethical and moral. Yet you might see them on opposite sides of a public place, holding posters and placards demeaning the positions taken by those on the other side. At moments like this it is essential to remember that being a Christian is not so much about what side of the political spectrum we re on, as much as it is about how well we reflect Christ s character to the people around us. Ideally Christians should be known for their devotion, for their faithfulness, for their generosity, for their sacrificial service. How is it, then, that so many Christians are known for hypocrisy, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness? The Next Level Jesus began His earthly ministry in a climate of religious and political intolerance. His manifesto is recorded in His Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7). Let s highlight just a few things from Matthew 5. First, Jesus placed a blessing on those we usually think of as marginalized: the poor in spirit, those who mourn, those who are meek, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, those who are persecuted. Clearly Jesus saw things from a different perspective than those who usually establish societal norms. 7

8 He went on to point out that keeping the letter of the law is not enough for those who want to live kingdom values. According to Jesus, we don t have to commit murder to kill someone. We can wound people just by what we say. We don t have to go to bed with someone to commit adultery; what happens in the head is as bad as what happens in bed. What matters most is how well we reflect Christ s character. Jesus took an Old Testament concept, Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth (Matt. 5:38), and said that it no longer applied in the kingdom He came to set up. Indeed, anyone who takes Jesus seriously can expect to be slapped, walk around coatless (and shirtless), and carry someone s pack twice as far as anyone else (verses 39-41). For Jesus, obedience is not just observing the letter of the law it s taking obedience to a whole new level. In fact, Matthew 5 ends with Jesus observing, You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven (verses 43-45). Loving our enemies: it s a radical concept, and it s the surest sign that we know Jesus: that we love those with whom we disagree, whether they be liberal or conservative, gay or straight, Christian, Jew, Muslim, or Atheist. Freedom From the Past Perhaps one of the best-known stories about Jesus, and how He balanced justice and mercy, is found in John 8: the woman taken in adultery. After Jesus confronted the teachers of the law and the Pharisees about the claims of Moses law, and issued His classic statement Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her (verse 7), Jesus said to the woman: Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you? (verse 10). No one, sir, she said. Then neither do I condemn you, Jesus declared. Go now and leave your life of sin (verse 11). Jesus knew that the only thing more important than Moses law is forgiveness, grace. The woman could hardly leave her life of sin if she was dead. So Jesus gave her the opportunity to begin again. The spirit of Christianity is the spirit of generous grace. Sadly, in the minds of many 8

9 Christians, once a sinner, always a sinner. Many Christians can t forgive others; they can t even forgive themselves. But Jesus promised new life, for ourselves, and for everyone who comes into our orbit. That s real Christianity, because it s how Christ lived. Christ s Transforming Touch One of my favorite stories about Jesus is His encounter with Zacchaeus, the heightchallenged tax collector (Luke 19:1-10). We know the story. The crowd following Jesus stopped when Jesus stopped. As they followed Jesus gaze, they saw Zacchaeus staring down from the branches of a sycamore-fig tree. Then, in the words of the classic children s song, Jesus said (all together now), Zacchaeus, you come down. For I m coming to your house today. I m coming to your house today. That, of course, raised the ire of the crowd following Jesus: He has gone to be the guest of a sinner (verse 7). Zacchaeus reputation was well-deserved. He cheated his own people as much as he could. Going to Zacchaeus house made Jesus look as if he was being soft on sin. Being like Jesus isn t easy. Jesus was often misunderstood and His motives impugned. Those who follow Him should expect nothing less. I wish I could have been a fly on the wall in the room where Zacchaeus entertained Jesus. What did they talk about? Who steered the conversation? Did Jesus twist Zacchaeus arm? All we know is that by the end of the conversation Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount (verse 8). When we experience salvation, we can t be content to merely undo the bad we ve done; we strive to pay back four times the amount ; or, as Jesus told Peter, not seven times, but seventy-seven times (Matt. 18:22). We might call it Christianity to the max. We might even say it s putting Christ back into Christianity. The Measure of a Movement What matters most is not whether we call ourselves Christian Fundamentalists, Social Christians, Evangelical Christians, or Red-letter Christians. What matters most is how well we reflect Christ s character. 9

10 Living like Jesus is not easy; it s contrary to our natural inclination. We would rather live for ourselves, for our own selfish interests, than live for Christ and others. We d like to think that living like Jesus is easy: you just read the Gospels and live accordingly. But living the principles of the kingdom cost Jesus His life. And in the two millennia since Jesus lived on earth, countless martyrs have risked their lives to live like Jesus. These martyrs were often persecuted by other Christians, people who thought they were being faithful to God. These persecutors may have been faithful to their convictions, but they forgot to put Christ into their Christianity. Stephen Chavez is an assistant editor of Adventist Review. ~ Off The Net ~ LIFE WITHOUT LOVE Intelligence without love makes you perverse. Fairness & justness without love makes you inflexible & stern. Diplomacy & tact without love makes you a hypocrite. Success without love turns you arrogant. Wealth without love makes you mean & tight-fisted. Poverty without love turns you into a radical. Beauty without love makes you capricious. Authority & power without love lead to tyranny. Labour without love turns you into a slave. Naivety without love deprives you of values. Prayer & worship without love turns you into a egotist. Faith without love turns you into a fanatic. Bearing your cross in life without love becomes a terrible burden. LIFE WITHOUT LOVE LOSES ITS MEANING! Author Unknown 10

11 The EDITOR ~ Bible Promises ~ "For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon him for?" [ Deuteronomy 4:7 ] Anger consumes love and destroys the soul. Guard thy tongue! HAMILTON CHURCH WEBSITE Website: Church info@hamilton-adventist.net recipeclub@hamilton-adventist.net Facebook: Mobile App: Recipe Club: ~ C.A.R.E. Group ~ We are not just another small group meeting weekly to read the bible and hang out together - we are a C.A.R.E. Group! C.A.R.E. stands for Christ's Attitude Reflected in Everyone - and that is exactly what we are all about. Our group meets on Friday nights from 6:00pm every week at Amber and Krystal's House. Next gathering - Friday, August 4th. EVERYONE is welcome to join in the fun of sharing and caring for one another and there is plenty of floor space. For more information contact Krystal/Amber (03) or visit / care_group.htm or find us on Facebook - Hamilton CARE group. See Amber or Krystal for more information. 11

12 ~ From the Spirit of Prophecy - Think About: ~ The Lungs and Respiration Many labour under the mistaken idea that if they have taken cold, they must carefully exclude the outside air, and increase the temperature of their room until it is excessively hot. The system may be deranged, the pores closed by waste matter, and the internal organs suffering more or less inflammation, because the blood has been chilled back from the surface and thrown upon them. At this time of all others the lungs should not be deprived of pure, fresh air. If pure air is ever necessary, it is when any part of the system, as the lungs or stomach, is diseased.--t., V. II, p {HL 177.4} 736. Air is the free blessing of Heaven, calculated to electrify the whole system.-- T., V. I, p {HL 177.5} Chapter 27 - The Heart and Blood Physiology of the Circulatory System 737. Perfect health depends upon perfect circulation. --T., V. II, p {HL 178.1} 738. The more active the circulation the more free from obstructions and impurities will be the blood. The blood nourishes the body. The health of the body depends upon the healthful circulation of the blood.--h. R. {HL 178.2} 739. At every pulsation of the heart, the blood should be propelled to the extremities quickly and easily in order to have health.... The current of human life is struggling to go its accustomed rounds, and should not be hindered in its circuit through the body by the imperfect manner in which women clothe their limbs.--h. R. {HL 178.3} 740. The limbs were not formed by our Creator to endure exposure, as was the face. The Lord provided the face with an immense circulation, because it must be exposed. He provided, also, large veins and nerves for the limbs and feet, to contain a large amount of the current of human life, that the limbs might be uniformly as warm as the body.--t., V. II, p {HL 178.4} 741. The limbs and feet have large arteries, to receive a large amount of blood, that warmth, nutrition, elasticity, and strength may be imparted to them. But when the blood is chilled from these extremities, their blood-vessels contract, which makes the circulation of the necessary amount of blood in them still more difficult.-- H. R. {HL 178.5} 742. The extremities are chilled, and the heart has thrown upon it double labour, to force the blood into these chilled extremities; and when the blood has performed its circuit through the body, and returned to the heart, it is not the same vigorous, 12

13 warm current which left it. It has been chilled in its passage through the limbs. The heart, weakened by too great labour and poor circulation of poor blood, is then compelled to still greater exertion, to throw the blood to the extremities which are never as healthfully warm as other parts of the body. The heart fails in its efforts, and the limbs become habitually cold; and the blood, which is chilled away from the extremities, is thrown back upon the lungs and brain, and inflammation and congestion of the lungs or the brain is the result.--h. to L., Chap. 5, p. 72. {HL 179.1} Nervous Control of the Circulatory System 743. The nerves control the circulation of the blood;... for instance, you are impressed that if you bathe, you will become chilly. The brain sends this intelligence to the nerves of the body, and the blood-vessels, held in obedience to your will, cannot perform their office and cause a reaction after the bath.--t., V. III, p. 70. {HL 179.2} 744. You have a determined will, which causes the mind to react upon the body, unbalancing the circulation, and producing congestion in certain organs; and you are sacrificing health to your feelings. --T., No. 32, p. 66. {HL 179.3} 745. The exercise of the brain in study without corresponding physical exercise has a tendency to attract the blood to the brain, and the circulation of the blood through the system becomes unbalanced. The brain has too much blood and the extremities too little.--t., V. III, p {HL 180.1} Causes of Diseases of the Blood and Circulation 746. Those who are not in health have impurities of the blood.--t., V. III, p. 70. {HL 180.2} 747. A bad circulation leaves the blood to become impure, induces congestion of the brain and lungs, and causes diseases of the heart, the liver, and the lungs.--h. R. {HL 180.3} 748. By interrupting the circulation of the blood, the entire system is deranged.--h. R. {HL 180.4} 749. The chief if not the only reason why many become invalids is that the blood does not circulate freely, and the changes in the vital fluid which are necessary to life and health do not take place. They have not given their bodies exercise nor their lungs food, which is pure, fresh air; therefore it is impossible for the blood to be vitalized, and it pursues its course sluggishly through the system.--t., V. II, pp {HL 180.5} 750. Foul blood will surely becloud the moral and intellectual powers, and arouse and strengthen the baser passions of your nature.--t., V. II, p {HL 180.6} From the book Healthful Living Chapter 26 (1897, 1898) by (E.G. White) 13

14 ~ For The Kids ~ 14

15 July 29th Building of God's Temple Goes Forward Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone. Ephesians 2:19, 20 ~ Weekly Devotional ~ The enemy of righteousness left nothing undone in his effort to stop the work committed to the Lord's builders. But God "left not himself without witness" (Acts 14:17). Workers were raised up who ably defended the faith once delivered to the saints. History bears record to the fortitude and heroism of these men. Like the apostles, many of them fell at their post, but the building of the temple went steadily forward. The workmen were slain, but the work advanced. The Waldenses, John Wycliffe, Huss and Jerome, Martin Luther and Zwingli, Cranmer, Latimer, and Knox, the Huguenots, John and Charles Wesley, and a host of others brought to the foundation material that will endure throughout eternity. And in later years those who have so nobly endeavoured to promote the circulation of God's Word, and those who by their service in heathen lands have prepared the way for the proclamation of the last great message--these also have helped to rear the structure. Through the ages that have passed since the days of the apostles, the building of God's temple has never ceased. We may look back through the centuries and see the living stones of which it is composed gleaming like jets of light through the darkness of error and superstition. Throughout eternity these precious jewels will shine with increasing lustre, testifying to the power of the truth of God. The flashing light of these polished stones reveals the strong contrast between light and darkness, between the gold of truth and the dross of error. Paul and the other apostles, and all the righteous who have lived since then, have acted their part in the building of the temple. But the structure is not yet complete. We who are living in this age have a work to do, a part to act. We are to bring to the foundation material that will stand the test of fire--gold, silver, and precious stones, "polished after the similitude of a palace" (Psalm 144:12). To those who thus build for God, Paul speaks words of encouragement... : "If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward."... The Christian who faithfully presents the word of life, leading men and women into the way of holiness and peace, is bringing to the foundation material that will endure, and in the kingdom of God He will be honoured as a wise builder.--the Acts of the Apostles, pp. 598, 599. (Reflecting Christ Ellen G White - page 224) 15

16 ~ Sabbath Services ~ Service This Week Next Week July 29th August 5th Divine Service Dudley House Ray Lucas Divine Service Prelims Karen Roberts Jay Neff Sabbath School Peter Tung Peter Tung ~ Sunset Times ~ Sunset Sabbath (Tonight) 5:43 pm Sunset Next Friday 5:48 pm This Week: Next Week: ~ Church Offering ~ Local Church Budget Local Church Budget July 30th August 12th 2017 ~ Church Cleaning ~ Koh Family August 13th August 26th 2017 Neff Family ~ Garden Maintenance ~ July 30th August 12th 2017 Youn Koh August 13th August 26th 2017 Jay Neff ~ Church Website ~ Website : info@hamilton-adventist.net - Contact Details - Pastor Justin Bone