{"id":6483,"date":"2023-10-31T01:45:34","date_gmt":"2023-10-31T01:45:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/?p=6483"},"modified":"2023-10-31T01:45:34","modified_gmt":"2023-10-31T01:45:34","slug":"bulletin-edition-october-2023-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/?p=6483","title":{"rendered":"Bulletin Edition October 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

JOHN\u2019S\nVISION of the Fall of Babylon<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Revelation 18 we see John\u2019s\nvision of this woman\u2019s destruction. Satan has\nalways opposed the Lord Jesus Christ<\/strong>. In the beginning, his heart\nwas lifted up with pride against the Son of God. He inspired, organised, and\nled a rebellion among the angels of heaven, attempting to overthrow God\u2019s\nthrone, frustrate his purposes, destroy his works, and prevent the triune God\nfrom executing and fulfilling his eternal covenant of grace. Though his revolt\nwas totally unsuccessful. (He did not even shake God\u2019s throne, much less\noverturn it! {See Isa. 14:24, 26, 27}. Yet, the old serpent has never ceased to\noppose the purpose of God. He knows he has but a short time until Christ shall\ncast him forever into the pit (Rev. 12:12). Yet, he continues his rebellion. He\ncontinues to inspire, organise and lead men and women in rebellion against the\nGod of heaven. And his primary means of opposition to Christ is organised false\nreligion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That religious system,\ninspired, organised, and led by Satan, the religion of antichrist, is portrayed\nas a great harlot patronised by the whole world and a great city of world wide\ninfluence and wealth. The name of that great harlot and that great city is Babylon. Babylon represents\nthe world, especially the religious world, in opposition to Christ. The\nreligions of the world have many names. But their essential tenets are always\nthe same. The religion of the world, the religion of antichrist, the religion\nof Babylon, is the religion of free-willism and works salvation. The\nreligion of Babylon, the hell inspired religion of antichrist by which the\nsouls of deceived multitudes are destroyed, always proclaims that salvation is\nultimately decided and determined by man. Free-will, works religion is satanic\nantichrist and damning to the souls of men. Both the preachers and the\nadherents of such religion, like Nimrod, are rebels against God, utterly lost,\nwithout the knowledge of the living God. And, like Nimrod, they all shall\nperish under the wrath of God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is popular. Men love it,\nsupport it, promote it, and defend it. It has always been the religion of the\nworld. It is wealthy. The world\u2019s most famous, most well respected religious\nleaders are the servants of this great whore. And the religion of Babylon so\nthoroughly controls the minds of men that it controls the political, economic,\nacademic, and philosophical powers of the world. The whole world, by the\ndeception of satan, cherishes free-will, man-centered, Babylonian religion.\nBut, thank God, the religion of Babylon, all opposition to\nthe church of Christ, the truth of Christ, and the glory of\nChrist shall be destroyed. That is the subject of Revelation 17 and 18.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rev. 18:1 And after these\nthings I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the\nearth was lightened with his glory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rev. 18:2 And he cried\nmightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen,\nand is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and\na cage of every unclean and hateful bird.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A great, mighty angel came\ndown from heaven, whose glory lightened the earth. These mighty spirits, who\nwere created by God to be ministering spirits to those chosen and ordained of\nGod to be the heirs of salvation (Heb. 1:14). But these mighty angels are also\nthe instruments by which God executes his judgment upon his enemies. Those holy\nbeings who, by divine direction, have protected God\u2019s church from their enemies\nin every age shall destroy our enemies in the end. \u2014 But the Angel here is\nChrist himself, the Angel of the Covenant, whose glory fills the earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This\nmighty angel announced the fall of Babylon as if it had already\noccurred.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rev. 18:2 And he cried\nmightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen,\nand is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and\na cage of every unclean and hateful bird.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rev. 18:3 For all nations\nhave drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the\nearth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are\nwaxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 So sure\nand certain is God\u2019s judgment upon Babylon that it is recorded as a\npast event. Notice how the angel describes Babylon. It is not a literal\ncity, but a religious system that encompasses and includes everything opposed\nto God. It is the habitation of devils, the home of every foul spirit, and the\ncage of every unclean and hated bird! Babylon is the idolatrous\nreligion of the world (Isa. 21:9; Jer. 50:2). The gods of Babylon are\nthe dung-gods of freewillism and works salvation. The dung of Babylon\u2019s religious\nsolemnities has smeared and defiled the whole earth. Had it not been for the\nLord\u2019s free, preserving grace, we all would have been swallowed up\nin Babylon. But God would not allow us to have our way (Jer. 51:7-10; 2\nThess. 2:10-13).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

JUDGE NOT LIFE BY OUTWARD\nCIRCUMSTANCES<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is good for me that I\nhave been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes\u201d<\/em> Psalms\n119:71. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

God\u2019s ways and God\u2019s word are\nbest learned by experience and in time of trouble. When our Lord is pleased to\nlay His hand heavily upon us, we do not soon forget the lessons learned. When\nthe Lord singles out a believer or a church for special affliction and\nadversity, it is not for punishment or lack of love for them; it is for eternal\nblessings and because He does love them. \u201cWhom the Lord loveth<\/em>\u201d He\nchastens, corrects, and teaches! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Job sat before his friends,\nwho was afflicted? The one God loved! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Paul stood before King\nAgrippa, who wore the chains? The one God loved! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Humanly speaking, which path of\nlife would you prefer to live on earth, that of Esau or that of Jacob? Esau had\nthe life of prosperity and ease; Jacob was full of trouble and conflict, but\nGod loved Jacob! Thank God he has not left us alone! Thank God he has loved us\nin Christ and is pleased to teach us his ways by dealing with us in such a way\nthat we are weaned from the world and find our life, comfort, and hope only in\nhim. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A person who measures his\nblessings and relationship with God by his prosperity, health, happiness, and\nworldly comforts makes a fatal mistake. \u201cIf ye be <\/em>without\nchastisement, wherefore all believers are partakers, then are ye bastards\nand not sons\u201d<\/em> Heb. 12:8. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paul said, \u201cMost gladly\n therefore will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may\nrest upon me\u201d <\/em>2Cor. 12:9-10. He who sends the trial for His glory and\nmy good will supply the grace sufficient. Those who know the Redeemer also know\nthat when we are weak, we are strong; when we are poor, we are rich; when we\nare empty, we are full, and when we die, we\nlive!                                                     <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pastor Henry Mahan<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018A god that cannot save\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read Isa.45:20 to Isa.46:13<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Is. 45:20 Assemble\nyourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are<\/em> escaped of the\nnations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and\npray unto a god that<\/em> cannot save.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anyone who reads the Bible, with\nthe slightest bit of interest, must see that the god of modern religion does\nnot even faintly resemble that God who reveals Himself in Holy Scripture. The\ngod of this generation is moved by sentiment, emotion and impulse. The God of\nheaven acts according to justice and the principles of holiness and\nrighteousness\u2026\u201dJustice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne\u201d<\/em> (Psa.\n89:14).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The god of this generation has a\nwill, a purpose and a desire, but his will is defeated both by men and Satan.\nHe desires, but he cannot accomplish his desire. He wills, but he cannot\nperform his will. He purposes, but he cannot do what he has purposed. The God\nof the Bible works all things according to the counsel of His own will and\npurpose. This is what God says about Himself: \u201cI am God, and there is\nnone else; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the\nbeginning, and from unclear times the things that are not yet done, saying, My\ncounsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure\u201d <\/em>(Isa. 46:9-10).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today\u2019s Jesus offers eternal life\nto as many as will let himsave them. The Christ of the Bible \u201cgives\neternal life to as many as the Father has given him\u201d <\/em>(Joh. 17:2).\nToday\u2019s god has a wonderful plan foryour life, if you will just\nfulfil the necessary requirements. The one trueand living\nGod \u201cworks in you both to will and to do according to His good\npleasure\u201d<\/em> (Phil. 2:13; Rom. 8:28).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The god of modern-dayfundamentalism\nhas provided a remedy for sin, and it will work if only thesinner\nwill co-operate with God. The living God has provided a perfectrighteousness\nand an effectual atonement for all of His elect through therighteous\nobedience and substitutionary death of his Son at Calvary(Heb.10:11-14).This\nis what I am saying: the god of modern religion is a puny pigmy. Heis\nan idol. The God of the Bible is great and glorious. He is the only trueGod.                          \nPastor Don Fortner<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Lamb Slain from the\nFoundation of the World\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Revelation 13:8<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Redemption by Christ was not an\nafterthought of God, something he did because the Jews would not \u201clet \u201c Jesus\nbe their king. Far from it! In the mind and purpose of God, our redemption by\nChrist was accomplished in eternity. All the Old Testament types bear testimony\nto Christ as the Lamb that had been slain. Beginning with the sacrifice of\nAbel, God\u2019s saints of old offered the blood of lambs upon the altar by faith.\nAnd that faith was based upon the Divine revelation that the only way of\nacceptance with God is by the blood of \u201cthe Lamb slain.\u201d Every type was drawn\nfrom the picture given by God\u2019s direct revelation and foreshadowed the coming\nof the Lamb to be slain. When Christ is described as \u201cthe Lamb slain from the\nfoundation of the world,\u201d it is to show us that from all eternity God regarded\nChrist as the Lamb who had been slain for his elect. There has always been only\none way of salvation: The blood of the Lamb! In the Old Testament, God forgave\nsin and imputed righteousness to believers exactly as he does in the New, upon\nthe basis of Christ\u2019s sacrifice as \u201cthe Lamb slain from the foundation of the\nworld\u201d (Romans 3:24-26). God\u2019s eye of justice always has been and always shall\nbe upon \u201cthe Lamb slain!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Smile God Loves You<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does He? I recently saw a\nbillboard that in bold letters read, \u201cSmile God Loves You.\u201d I immediately\nthought to myself, \u201cDoes He?\u201d No wonder people in this world don\u2019t give the\nholy judgment and justice of God much thought! After all, they believe that God\nloves everyone in the world and Christ died for the whole world. But \u201cdoes He,\nand did He?\u201d Not according to John 3:16, the very verse that unenlightened\nsinners say proves such nonsense. God only loves those in the world that He has\nenabled to believe on Him. \u201cFor God so loved the world, that he gave his only\nbegotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have\neverlasting life.\u201d Why else would our Lord have prayed NOT for the world, but\nfor those that God had given Him? (John 17:9) No wonder sinners put off the\nmost urgent question asked in the scriptures which is, \u201cWhat think ye of\nChrist?\u201d If God loves everyone in the world so much, why would He send anyone\nto hell in everlasting judgment? The Bible clearly teaches that God is holy and\njust and must punish sin by the execution of His Holy Justice. God\u2019s love is\nonly for those who are found in Christ. To those who do not believe and trust\nChrist to put their sin away, has nothing to smile\nabout.         \n                                            \n  ~David Eddmenson<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trusting God, Not\nMeans<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Lord used ravens to feed\nElijah, but Elijah never thought of trusting in the ravens.  If we lean on\ninstruments instead of the hand that used them, we bring down a curse upon\nourselves, for it is written, \u201cCursed be the man that trusteth in man, and\nmaketh flesh his arm and whose heart departeth from the Lord.\u201d   \n                     \n           \n                            ~Scott\nRichardson<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

JOHN\u2019S VISION of the Fall of Babylon In Revelation 18 we see John\u2019s vision of this woman\u2019s destruction. Satan has always opposed the Lord Jesus Christ. In the beginning, his heart was lifted up with pride against the Son of God. He inspired, organised, and led a rebellion among the angels of heaven, attempting to overthrow […]<\/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-6483","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\/6483","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=6483"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6483\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6484,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6483\/revisions\/6484"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6483"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6483"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6483"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}