* GOD HELP US!

We live in a time right now when a group of butchers known as ISIS (the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) is carving its way through parts of Iraq, destroying and driving out Shiite Muslims, Christians, and others whom it considers apostate or infidel.  As you know from the sparse news details of the actual battles and incidents, Christians and others have fled to the mountain tops.  There are now so few Christians there, as compared to just a few years ago.

And is the world speaking out?  Some.  A little, in newspapers.  Why not more?  Every civilized nation and leader should be speaking out boldly!

Just as the world in the past should have spoken openly against horrible actions and leaders and perhaps by doing so may have averted the terrors that followed, such as that of the Nazis in WWII and the evil regime of Pol Pot in Cambodia in the killing fields, here we have an opportunity to act.

Speaking out boldly and publicly is important.

But even more important is acting boldly.  The West which in the past has prided itself on its “high moral road” cannot avoid taking real serious strong action to stop and to destroy this butchering group. 

In the Bible at times God instructed Moses and Joshua to take bold action to destroy an evil enemy – destroy!  Get that absolute evil out of existence.  And that is what ISIS is.

If you cannot recognize ISIS for what it is, I pity you and I suggest you retreat to a time of prayer and seeking God.  This is evil.  Yes, there really is good and evil even though so many seem to have forgotten that.  It is not clear if the leadership of the US government understands that.  But this is a time for action, not for discussion.  You cannot discuss with the devil .  You have to take action.

Help us God not to ignore your people.  May this country go forward boldly as it has in the past. 

Pray for strong moral leadership for this nation and for other nations.  This empty falling and just letting things happen must end.  Evil unchecked will gobble up everything in its path.  There is more evil out there beyond just ISIS, but it surely has made its case for us.  There is no doubt it is evil and must be stopped.

May God bless you all and guide you to pray as you should and to act as you should.

Keep Your Eyes on Jesus!

(August 2014)

Copyright © 2014 by John Newlin

[NOTE:  This article may and should be copied, printed, or forwarded by email to others, so long as it is copied, printed, or forwarded in its entirety with the appropriate attributions included.  We encourage you to do so and especially to give printed copies to those who you know would benefit and do not have access to computers.]

P  O Box 15797, Wilmington, NC 28408 * 910 395 1465

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*SIGN OF THE TIMES - A REMINDER OF WHAT IS NEXT

These are troubling and trying times for many of us.  The news is difficult and unpleasant.  The government and elected leadership are hard to watch and difficult to listen to.  The world is full of wars and confusion.

Jesus clearly is coming soon.  Well, that is certainly not unpleasant.  That is the giant ray of light in all this current world darkness.

We have written and discussed often the Biblical prophecies fulfilled, all the things that have happened.  Jesus talked about the birth pains before he returns, and we have experienced them.  We are well into them, if we are not even almost past them.  We have moved into that serious thing he warned of, his very first response when the disciples asked about the time of his return – watch that you are not deceived.  Deception is everywhere, isn’t it?  Everywhere.  And we are also living in the period Paul referred to as the falling away from God.  That is so apparent.

Everywhere it seems people call good evil and evil good.  Anyone standing up for God and his word has a high risk of ridicule and even vicious attack.  Actions and behavior clearly opposed to God are approved and accepted by government and the courts.  The will and values of the people as a whole are largely ignored.  In fact, individuals who have faith and seek to follow God feel disenfranchised in the modern world.  Hopefully by now most believers have realized this current world is not their home.

In the global community evil is running amuck, even as more people become believers in Jesus in places like China and Algeria.  Terrorist groups are growing and committing horrible acts.  Our established government often seems to ignore it all.  In some of these places like Nigeria and Iraq and Egypt, Christians are specifically oppressed and terrorized.

Yet with all this many know nothing about the imminent return of the Lord.  The majority of individual churches do not teach on this subject!  Amazing.  I hear comments from time to time that younger people with children, at least some of them, do not want to hear of the return.  They want their children to have full lives in this world.

But what a terrible world it has become.

So what is next?  From all God’s revelations, the chronology of events to come appears to be this:

·         A general war in the Middle East seems likely to be very near, with Israel winning in a big way and the destruction of several opponents (see Psalm 83).  I would think we might see the prophesied destruction of Damascus as part of this (Isaiah 17:1).  The timing of this particular war has been difficult to pinpoint.

·         A covenant either agreed to or endorsed such that Israel will be at peace.  This and the next two points occur almost simultaneously.

·         The return in the clouds of Jesus and the collection and removal from earth of his true believers.

·         The appearance on the public scene of the antichrist, a being who eventually becomes a terrifying leader striving for world domination. (2 Thessalonians 2, Revelation 13)

·         The step by step carrying out of the details of the Tribulation as recounted in Revelation.

·         The appearance on the public scene of a world religious leader, a powerful assistant to the anti-christ (Revelation 13).

·         An attack on Israel by Russia, Turkey, Iran, Libya, the Sudan, and others, which God will totally rebuff to the shock of Israel and the world.  (Ezekiel 38-39).  Note no Egypt or Iraq or Syria.  Where are they?  Possibly rendered weak or impotent in the general war noted in the first point.

·         The great battle at Armageddon won completely by Jesus, with all of the enemy killed.  Notice I said “all.”  The anti-christ and the false prophet are thrown into the Lake of Fire, and the devil is locked in a pit.  (Revelation 19 and Zechariah 14)

·         Jesus begins rule from Jerusalem using his followers in the government. (Revelation 20)

Most people living now should see some or all of this.  Believers of course will be gone from the earth after step 3 but will return as part of the heavenly host for the great battle at Armageddon.

All of this is near.  The return is imminent. 

For believers, what an indescribable thrill and joy if Jesus were to return right now!  Or whenever he returns!  Until that time we must be about his business, working to fulfill that which he has called each of us to.  If you are not sure what that is for you, as a minimum you have his guidance in the gospels.  You can be busy telling people about him and the gospel and representing him in whatever situations you find yourself, always being guided by the Holy Spirit.

 (August 2014)

                                                                                                                   Copyright © 2014 by John Newlin

Keep Your Eyes on Jesus!

 [NOTE:  This article may and should be copied, printed, or forwarded by email to others, so long as it is copied, printed, or forwarded in its entirety with the appropriate attributions included.  We encourage you to do so and especially to give printed copies to those who you know would benefit and do not have access to computers.]

                                                  P  O Box 15797, Wilmington, NC 28408 * 910 395 1465

 www.johnnewlinministries.org           Email: info@johnnewlinministries.org

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