July, 2020.
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Around and About the Centre Place by High Priest Paul J. Gage, Independence, Missouri.
Greetings to all the Dear Saints in Australia,
I trust the good Lord is continuing to bless each of you with a daily outpouring of His Divine Love. As we sing, "There's no love to me, like the Love of Jesus" I pray that also, out of that great love He is blessing you very abundantly, for Jesus states in John 10:10, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."
As everyone knows, activities and events have been greatly curtailed for the last 4-6 months and thus it is with the usual summer events in the Centre Place and around the country. A number of Restoration Branches are back to having real life services while also live streaming. Several websites are listed in each Tidings of Zion..
In the midst of the virus and other kinds of wild happenings, we still hope and pray for Zion. That is our hope for the future of the world. The hymn entitled, "Onward to Zion," was written by Prophet Frederick Madison Smith. Brother Smith had a strong desire for Zion and did much to promote it, but one time he remarked, "Zion, the difficult, beckons us on." Why would he say that? Well, you would have to ask him, but it is easy to imagine the discouragement that he and other prophets have felt, when the Saints did not respond as the Lord desired. This can be discerned by reading the messages from God that came through F.M. Smith, D&C 132-138 and also D&C 140 through Israel A. Smith.
Zion, to many, is like a mirage. Something you see, or think you see somewhere off in the distance, but you never can get to it. We could say that Zion has been a mirage to the Restoration since 1830, always beckoning, but off in the distance because of all the clouds we allow to keep it away. A mirage is an optical effect, a trick, if you will, that certain atmospheric conditions play on our eyes. Satan is good at producing mirages to distract us from God's purposes. May we shake off the coals from our garments and the cataracts off our eyes and wake up real soon to find ourselves in Zion and see it as it is, an Ensign to the world with Jesus the Centre.
The missionary groups continue to function as much as possible and there will hopefully be trips made in the months ahead to Australia, Canada, England, Germany, Honduras, India, Kenya, Nepal, the Philippines, possibly Russia and other places.
God be with each of you as you endeavour to keep the gospel torch brightly burning in Australia.
Riches from the Scriptures by Elder Neil Kerswell, Queensland, Australia.
Vol 4 Chapter 11 “Bind the Word Upon Your Heart
Today we will be looking at a couple of Scriptures that give wise counsel about the Word, and Wisdom in general.
Proverbs 6:16-23
[Proverbs 6:16] These six things doth the Lord hate; yea, seven are an abomination unto him;
[Proverbs 6:17] A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
[Proverbs 6:18] A heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
[Proverbs 6:19] A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
[Proverbs 6:20] My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother;
[Proverbs 6:21] Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.
[Proverbs 6:22] When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.
[Proverbs 6:23] For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life;
First let’s look at what the Lord hates. 1: a proud look – pride comes before a fall and is distasteful for us when seen in those, who are possessed of it. I believe there is also good pride~ an example is when we are proud of our children growing up. 2: A lying tongue – the devil is the father of lies and when we get caught up in such practice, we sometimes don’t realise that in that moment we are a devil to the Devil doing his work. Some people tell lies in order to catch out others in a lie, thinking they are justified. Lying is never acceptable. If we are the Lord’s we must be like him, for He cannot lie. 3: Hands that shed innocent blood - there are some reasons that justify us in killing our fellow man, like war and to protect our lives from someone who seeks to take our liberty from us. We are allowed to defend our country and liberty and we can protect our own life and the lives of our family and friends. Murder is never acceptable and is an abomination with a heavy price to be paid. 4: a heart that deviseth wicked imaginations – the reason God flooded the Earth in Noah’s day was because the imaginations of the hearts of the people were set upon evil continually and there was bloodshed throughout the land. When our hearts are set upon righteousness our imaginations are Faith, believing in something good before it has come to pass, leading to holy achievements. 5: feet that be swift in running to mischief – we must be monitoring our own lives always, making sure we are not spreaders of gossip and rumours about others, as soon as we hear of someone’s weakness or sins seeking to break them down instead of building them up and helping. 6: a false witness that speaks lies – This one is very important in as much as it relates to our testimony about other people. When we bare false witness about another person we can destroy their reputation, and alienate them from others and possibly get them into trouble with the law of the land ~ all of which was not their fault or problem to bare. Woe unto those who do such things. 7: he who sows discord among brethren – We have all known someone who is a catalyst for trouble and fights between people, this is one of the reasons God allowed for Teachers in the priesthood ~ to stop back biting between the brethren. We need peace makers at all times. We are counselled in this scripture to remember what our Father and Mother taught us about God and life, and to bind them upon our heart and to tie them about our neck. This in turn will guide us and keep us safe. The commandments are a lamp ~ the law is a light to show us right from wrong.
Proverbs 3:1-8
[Proverbs 3:1] My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments;
[Proverbs 3:2] For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
[Proverbs 3:3] Let not mercy and truth forsake thee; bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart;
[Proverbs 3:4] So shalt thou find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
[Proverbs 3:5] Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
[Proverbs 3:6] In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
[Proverbs 3:7] Be not wise in thine own eyes; fear the Lord, and depart from evil.
[Proverbs 3:8] It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
If we are filled with Mercy and Truth, we are promised we shall find favour in the sight of God and man. We must trust God completely, and not rely upon our own understanding. Our way is faulty and if we turn our back on God’s counsel we will ultimately fail and enjoy much less than we were created for. Let us acknowledge God in everything we do, so we may receive His direction. If we are humble and respect God and keep His ways, it shall be health to our navel and Marrow to our bones. We hear this one in other scriptures and especially where it mentions Marrow to the bones, indicates health over time, because what happens in our marrow today affects the making of blood and all the incredible things our blood does in keeping us alive and fighting off disease and infection. We all need this to survive.
[Proverbs 3:9] Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase;
[Proverbs 3:10] So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
[Proverbs 3:11] My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction;
[Proverbs 3:12] For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
[Proverbs 3:13] Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding;
[Proverbs 3:14] For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
[Proverbs 3:15] She is more precious than rubies; and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
[Proverbs 3:16] Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honor.
[Proverbs 3:17] Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
[Proverbs 3:18] She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her; and happy is everyone that retaineth her.
Wisdom and Understanding bring all the blessings of this scripture, and are precious above all that the world can offer us. Let us remember always the Godly things our parents have taught us. Let us always remember the Word of God. May it be written in our hearts and in our minds. Sometimes when we hurt ourselves or something goes wrong, our default setting is to use bad language. In those instances we are drawing on our worldly database because that’s what we have taken in as we have listened to work mates etc. If we take in God’s word on a regular basis, then as a result we are filled with the Holy Spirit. Then Patience, Love and Virtue will be our default setting in life. You, like me, still have a long way to go and we rely upon the Merits of Christ always for Salvation. May you be blessed is my prayer in Jesus name Amen.
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Being Healthy: submitted by Sr.Monique Hummel
‘For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things.’
The Bible says, ‘physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.’ But that doesn’t mean that taking care of our bodies isn’t important. It means we must stay in balance. We need to take the time to make sure we’re both spiritually and physically healthy. If we neglect our physical health, we can find ourselves in a position where we struggle to do the things God’s called us to do. God can heal us, but He also wants us to take responsibility for looking after our health. God created each of us, and we need to look after the things He’s created. But we also need to make sure that looking after our physical health doesn’t become an obsession. 1 Timothy says that ‘physical training is of some value’, but it’s not the most important thing. We need to be focused on our spiritual health. That means building a relationship with God, fulfilling our purposes, and becoming more like Jesus. In the same way that we can train and strengthen our physical bodies, we can train to become godly. We can work to produce the fruits of the Spirit (you can find a list of these in Galatians 5). The Bible tells us that our bodies are ‘temples of the Holy Spirit’ (1 Corinthians). We need to make sure that our bodies are physically a good home for the Spirit, but also that our hearts are a good home too. If our hearts are full of ungodly things, we’re not providing a good home for the Spirit. Assess whether you’re healthy, and then make any necessary lifestyle changes.
What Now?
Think of one way you can improve your physical health and one way you can improve your spiritual health. Then put those into action in the month ahead.
(From United Christian Broadcasters).
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We are wanting all our isolatd church members in Australia to really feel they are an integral part of the Church and we have provided an avenue to overcome the distance barrier.
Repeating a message that was printed in last month’s Australian Restoration News. Here is a great opportunity for Congregations and Isolated Saints to create an Online Congregation to Worship and Fellowship together and get to know each other. To join and share in this group actiity all you need to do is email Elder Danny Archer in Sydney danny@inbeta.org and register and he will give you the instructions on how to get connected. You must have internet internet to access this service.
Tamworth News Reported by Sr. Helen Archer
We continue to meet but now we are meeting on Microsoft teams online. Prayer meetings on Wednesday night at 7pm and Church on Sunday morning. It has been a joy to see our Brothers and Sisters and share with Prayer and testimonies on Wednesday night.
Birthdays
July 26 Sister Daphne Schubert turns 85
***************** Church of Jesus Christ Restoration Branch--Kelvin View, Euroa. Reported by Elder Murray Broughton
24 -5-2020 Church at Kelvin View Reading John 20: 1--9.
Text He is Risen,He is Risen Indeed. Sermon. John Chapters 20 & 21.
31-5-2020. Church in Euroa--In our Home. Reading Luke Chapter 2 v 25-35 .
Sermon Luke 2: 40--49. Luke 4: 16-21, Luke 8: 42, 43 & 50--55.
7- 6-2020 Church at Kelvin View Hall. Reading John Chapter 1: 1-5.
Sermon John Chapter 1.
Text v 16, Immorality and Grace,Life through his grace.[ Love and Power.]
The Sacrament.
14- 6- 2020. Church in Euroa-In our Home.
Reading Matthew Chapter 25: 1--12.
Sermon - Last Days-Christ's Coming Again-Prophecies which have been foretold.
PRAYERS --Philippines Jerome and Mary Jane Natino baby. Ronnie Caducio had a stroke only mild one in bed, now at home.
Finally a Reading 2nd. Timothy Chapter 3:1-7. Perils of the last days--Apostacy.
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come, For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy. Without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good. Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away. Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
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Australian Priesthood Please Note
On Line Priesthood Meeting
at 7.00 pm
Monday 6th July
Please include in your daily prayers the following people who are in need of a blessing Gwen Whately, Alma & Janice Kerswell Audrey Kerswell Michael & Patty Fulton, Gary Rowlatt, Ellen Sheppard, Olive Melling,
{plus those on Elder Murray Broghton’s list above)
CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST RESTORATION BRANCH, KINGSTON
17-19 Juers Street, Kingston, Queensland. Pastor: Elder Alma Kerswell. Phone 07 3800 1151
ACTIVITY SCHEDULE. JULY, 2020.
eSun. 5th. 10.00 a.m. COMMUNION SERVICE. Elder N. Churchill asstd.by Priest G. Kerswell
Musical Item for Service. Linda Myers
Sun. 12th. 9.50 a.m. Hymn Sing: Rebcca Melling Flowers:Cathy Melling 10 00pm. PREACHING SERVICE. Elder G. Melling asstd.by Elder N. Melling ( Live streamed out)
11.10 a.m. Class: Priest G. Kerswell
Sun. 19th. 9.50 a.m. Hymn Sing: Glen Kerswell Flowers: Janice Kerswell
10.00 a.m. PREACHING SERVICE. Elder Danny Archer
(Live streamed in)
11.10 a.m. Class. Elder N. Churchill
Sun. 26th. 9.50 a.m. Hymn Sing: Linda Myers Flowers: Rebecca Melling
10.00 a.m. PREACHING SERVICE. Elder N. Rowlatt asstd.by Priest G. Kerswell
( Live streamed out)
Musical Item for Service. Linda Myers
11.10 a.m. Class. Elder N.Churchill
BRANCH NEWS and ANNOUNCEMENTS for Kingston Branch..
Birthdays. Peter Churchill will celebrate his Birthday on the 8th July
Prayer Request for our Pastor and Wife. Elder Alma Kerswell and his wife Janice, have both been battling ill heath for a long time now and it is starting to catch up with them. Will you please uphold their needs constantly before the Lord.
Change of Address. Priest Glenn Kerswell has recently moved house. Please note his new address: Mr.Glenn Kerswell, 116 Dart Street, Redland Bay. Q4165
It is planned to be streaming some Sunday Services around Australia and to receive some in and to help facilitate this, we will be will be purchasing whatever equipment is required. In July, our Activity schedule has 2 Sunday Preaching Services going out from Kingston Chapel and one Sunday when we will be in Church and watching and hearing Elder Danny Archer preach on the our Branch TV.
Contributions to the Australian Restoration News need to come by the 20th of the month and must be submitted by email if possible.Email details are nandjrow@bigpond.com.au Phone contact: 07 3824 8386
We would love to have contributions from isolated members in Australia; articles or testimonies or just greetings. We would also like to hear from American saints who have ministered in Australia.
Postal details are as follows: Noel Rowlatt, 6 Wetheral Place, Alexandra Hills. Q4161
Editor Elder Noel Rowlatt Assistant Editor Gary Rowlatt