* SIGN OF THE TIMES: MANY CANNOT SEE THE TRUTH

 

All of us are witness to one of the most troubling and frightening aspects of our time – the fact that many people just cannot see the truth at all.  Not only can they not see the truth, but their ideas and views are terribly irrational  and do not tie in with the history of the country or the Christian faith. It is nearly impossible to have any sort of discussion of issues with such people.

 

All this is not really surprising to any who have studied the end times, just depressing and disturbing. In 2 Thessalonians 2: 10-11, Paul says such people

 

perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason, God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

 

Who can deny that many out there just cannot seem to understand truth in any situation.  They are readily willing to believe the lie and to act on the lie. We could go further with this by citing the passage in Isaiah 5:20 that refers to calling evil good and good evil. I think we readily see that happening today as well.

 

We all pray and hope for a great last days’ awakening, for as many as possible to hear the truths of God and respond. But apparently many won't. Look at the words of the angel to Daniel in Daniel 12: 10 about our day:

 

Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.              

 

It is pretty obvious there are people who just are not going to hear the truth, will remain lost, will remain in the wicked camp. These will not be in the Kingdom of God but rather will end up in the lake of fire for eternity.

 

This makes our lives and our responsibilities difficult and challenging. We who are believers certainly want to help others become born again and become citizens of the Kingdom. And so we pray for the Father to lead specific people to Jesus. We ask the Holy Spirit for guidance in our speaking to specific people about Jesus. We ask for the Spirit to arrange encounters, to set up divine appointments.  And well we should. The Lord certainly gave us all the challenge of getting the Gospel out there.

 

But still the fact remains that there are those who will not and cannot hear. Once again we must remember the Lord's words in Matthew 7: 14:

 

…small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

 

 

 

May 2023

 

 

 

Copyright © 2023 by John Newlin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please forward copies of this to whomever you would.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Note:

 

 

 

To get copies of our book WAKE UP AMERICA! go to AMAZON or our website or contact the ministry.

 

 

 

To get any ministry materials just go to the ministry website or contact the ministry.

KEEP YOUR EYES ON JESUS!

JOHN NEWLIN MINISTRIES
P O BOX 1038
CARY, NC 27518
https://johnnewlinministries.org
email: john@johnnewlinministries.org
Twitter.com/johnnewlinmin
Blog: johnnewlin.blogspot.com
tel 910 395 1465

 

GOD'S GREAT FORGIVENESS OF YOU

Yesterday for a moment I thought about my mother.    I don’t know why, but I was just thinking about her and about various things over the years, especially the last several of her life which were hard for her.  And I thought about things I did, decisions I made regarding her care and her life and really all sorts of other decisions and actions over the years.  Some of them I debated at the time.  Some of them perhaps should have been handled otherwise. 

And as I was thinking about things she might not have liked, I said I hope she forgives me.

 

Almost immediately a smile broke out on my face.  Well, how ridiculous, I thought!  Of course she forgives me!  How silly!  My mother?  Of course she forgives me.  There is no question of that.  Of course she would and does.

It was not even an issue.  I know deep inside how much my mother loved me.  And I know that of course she would forgive me for anything.

Aha!  Now then the next thought.  If I can have such absolute certainly about my mother’s forgiveness that it is not even a question, what about God? What about his forgiveness?

It is the same absolute. It is there and real and absolute.  No question.  Jesus paid the price for that.  Realize it.  Take it.  Think about someone who truly loved you, like maybe your mother or father or some other family member or friend, and think about how of course they would forgive you for anything.  Then magnify that forgiveness an infinity of times to get to God’s level of forgiveness of you.

Forgiven.  That’s what you are.  You as a believer in the Lord.  Forgiven.

                                          
                                                                                                                          Copyright © 2018 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 appropriate attributions included (including the copyright and the ministry contact information).  It may also be quoted in part as long as appropriate attributions are given.]   

(All contributions to John Newlin Ministries, Inc. – whether money or material goods or stocks or bonds – are tax deductible.  John Newlin Ministries, Inc. is a 501 © 3 nonprofit corporation.)

Keep Your Eyes on Jesus!

P. O. Box 15797, Wilmington, NC 28408       910 395 1465        www.johnnewlinministries.org

Email: info@johnnewlinministries.org       Twitter.com/johnnewlinmin       
Blog:  johnnewlin.blogspot.com

A WORD

[Received Late At Night, February 12 ]

God puts kings in places.

And God takes them from their thrones.

He has people elected to positions.

And he has people lose elections.

And still the people struggle.

Still they wonder,

Those that ask at all.

Over and over the people fail tests.

They do not hear his prophets.

They do not see his words in action.

People ask,

            Has God done anything since

            Jesus and the disciples?

It is all as God has said to Isaiah (Isaiah 6:9-10).

It is all as Paul wrote (2 Corinthians 4:4).

And the few, the remnant, who

See God’s actions, who hear

His voice, who see the miracles

And the healings,

Who live in peace with God but struggle

In distress at the world and those

Around,

They wonder:  How long, O Lord, How Long?

Soon.

I am coming soon.

Yes, He is.

Real soon.  The evidence is in.

The prophecies fulfilled.

He is coming soon.

And still the people stumble.

Still they murmur.

Will they ever repent?

Will they ever learn?

Only God knows.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6).

It is true.

Yet their ears, their hearts

Can’t hear the knowledge,

Can’t receive the truth.

They don’t even give it

An opportunity.

Narrow is the way

And few are they who find it (re Matthew 7:14).

So true.

The Lord will come with a shout,

An angel’s call, a trumpet blast,

And the dead in Christ will rise first.

To do what?  Walk the earth?

Who knows?

Then we who are still alive

Will together with them meet

Christ in the clouds.

And there we will be with Him forever.

God – our God.  Our Lord.

It is a remnant.

A remnant.

With a last second revival.

How many more?

A remnant for now.

And the time is running out.

If you do not stand in your faith,

you will not stand at all (Isaiah 7:9b).

Keep Your Eyes on Jesus!

                                                                                               (March 2017)

                                                                                       Copyright © 2017 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 appropriate attributions included (including the copyright and the ministry contact information).  It may also be quoted in part as long as appropriate attributions are given.  We in fact encourage you to do all this and 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       Twitter.com/johnnewlinmin    

                                        Blog:  johnnewlinblogspot.com

* OUR WEAPONS FOR TODAY'S CONFUSION AND DECEPTION

We live in a time of bizarre happenings internationally and at home, in the government and the media and the entertainment world and really everywhere.  It is a time of great confusion and great deception.

But there is also great help for all this in the Word.  First consider where all this confusion and deception is coming from:

·         “…God is not the author of confusion…” (1 Corinthians 14:33 KJV). 

 ·         Referring to the devil, Jesus said “…He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of liars.” (John 8:44 NIV)

 ·         “…the god of this world [the devil] has blinded the minds of the unbelievers…” (1 Corinthians 4:4 NRSV)

 “…satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.” (2 Corinthians 11:14 NIV)

Pretty clear and obvious is it not?  The devil is the author of confusion.  He is the sower of deception and lies.  There is no truth in him.  And of course he hides his actions.  By the way, please note above that he was a murderer from the beginning.  He is not just a liar and the spreader of lies.  He is a murderer too.  He wants all of you dead – believers so that you do not have the opportunity to work to spread the gospel, and unbelievers so they will not have the opportunity to receive the gospel. Again,

• “The thief [the devil] comes only to steal and kill and destroy;…” (John 10:10 NIV)

Some churches falsely spread the view that the devil and his demons are easily dealt with, that demons are just little things that you kick out the door.  The devil has obviously been very active in deception in those churches.  We give no respect to the devil and we realize that in Jesus certainly we have the victory, we overcome the world.  But the fact remains that the devil is a horrible opponent far worse than any Hollywood horror movie villain.  Only in Jesus do we have any protection from him and any chance of a victory and survival when he attacks.  Unbelievers have no protection against the devil (unless you are praying for them).

How do we stay calm and at peace in all this?  How do we know truth from falsehood?  How do we go forward as God would have us? 

Consider these mighty weapons we have in the WORD:

·       “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;” (Proverbs 3:5 NIV).  God knows a lot more than you do.  And his word is truth.

 ·         DO NOT FEAR!  “ So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God…” (Isaiah 41:10 NIV)

 ·         “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” (James 1:5 NIV)

·         “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7 NIV).  I have seen this work in very dangerous situations time and time again.  Speak it out loud!! Personalize it.  I submit myself to God, I resist the devil, and he will flee!  And he does flee!

 ·         “…do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God…” (1 John 4:1 NIV).  An evil spirit is a liar just as its leader the devil.  Test any evil situation or confusing word or action against God’s Word which is always true.  Read what John says about testing a spirit in John 4.

 ·         And in Jesus’ name cast out any attacking demons, any evil spirits.  Jesus said we can do that in his name (Mark 16:17)!  So do it!

 “… take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (Corinthians 10:5).

The Word is a real weapon, a powerful weapon.  It is the great weapon you have against the evil world.  It is the Sword of the Spirit in the armor Paul described in Ephesians 6.  Exercise it all in Jesus’ name. 

God’s words are true.  His commands are to be obeyed.  Now it is up to you to step out and act in and on the Word.  God’s words.  Step out in faith.  That is how it all works.

You must stand firm in your faith, or you will not stand at all.  (Yes, that is scripture too!  See Isaiah 7:9).

Keep Your Eyes on Jesus!

                                                                                               (February 2017)

                                                                                             Copyright © 2017 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 appropriate attributions included (including the copyright and the ministry contact information).  It may also be quoted in part as long as appropriate attributions are given.  We in fact encourage you to do all this and 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       Twitter.com/johnnewlinmin     

                                           Blog:  johnnewlinblogspot.com

* YES GOD IS LOVE - HE IS ALSO A LOT MORE THAN THAT

I am increasingly concerned with the continuing modern focus on the love aspect of our wonderful God.  Yes, God is love.  We know that.  The Bible tells us that.  Look at Jesus’ actions in going to the cross for us.

Yes, it is true.  God is love.

He is also many other things.  And this is where so many today who profess to be Christians just turn a blind eye.

God is patience.  He is long-suffering, but that patience does not last forever.  Eventually people have to realize who he is and what he expects. 

And he is jealous.  He is a jealous God.  You cannot have other gods before him.  You cannot put other things in life before him.  You just can’t.

And he is a just God who indeed does avenge.  Vengeance is mine, says the Lord. 

If you read the Bible you know that God will only tolerate evil so long, even in his chosen people the Jews.  Notice how he brings all sorts of calamities on the Israelites over the years when they are out of line.  Eventually at one point he even lets Jerusalem be overrun and the leaders taken away to Babylon.

And he makes it clear in the Bible that all these things that happen aren’t just necessarily by accident.  The book of Nahum notes the Lord’s way is in the whirlwind and storm.  And the book of Amos asks has disaster come to a city and the Lord not caused it?

Pretty chilling, is it not – certainly .  Except for the fact that we also do know the goodness and love of God!

Yes, God is God.  I wrote about that quite a bit recently in the newsletter in March titled NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD.  People today just can’t seem to get a grip on the immensity of God.  All powerful.  All knowing.  All present.  He is God. 

We humans can hardly imagine God! 

One approach is to look at some movies where an emperor or other powerful figure is portrayed.  Maybe a movie about Caesar or Genghis Khan or some other powerful historical figure.  I expect you have all seen something like that.  Remember how sometimes a trembling subject or stranger is brought in before the ruler, and the subject is kneeling or crawling on the floor.  They are terrified because of the great power of the ruler.

Well, they should be.  The ruler can just decide to end their lives, or maybe send them off to some battle, or take their possessions away, or whatever.

I tell you, none of those rulers have even a tiny percentage of the power that our God has.  If people fear someone who can take away their life, how much more should they fear someone who not only could do that but also could send them for an eternity into a horrible place to exist?  Here is the actual scripture that makes that point:    “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”  (MT 10:28 NIV)

Most people just don’t appreciate the immensity of God or who he really is because they don’t know him – let’s be honest.  They just don’t.  God to them is someone in a book or someone talked about once in a while or at church.

But we are talking about God.  Yes, he is love.  Yes, he is patient. 

But do you remember when he killed everyone on earth except Noah and seven members of Noah’s family, because he was so upset by the behavior of people? 

And do you remember when he was going to eliminate all the Israelites because of their behavior, and start over with Moses?  Moses interceded and God decided not to do that.

God is love all right.  The actions of Jesus in his first visit to earth were love, all right.  Lots of demonstrations of compassion.  And his love for us comes through in our times of prayer and communication with him. 

But even Jesus is returning as the great leader of the army of angels and saints to win at Armageddon and then to establish his rule from Jerusalem.  Jesus himself kills everyone in the army opposing him at Armageddon.  Jesus.

I am telling you all this because I am so concerned that people today just look at the love aspect of God.  For sure he loves us and he forgives us and he wants the best for us.  But he also wants his plans to be fulfilled and his words to be obeyed. 

We are very near the time Jesus will come to collect his believers and take them away, giving them a new glorious body.  During the time they are away in heaven, the seven year tribulation will occur.  Yes, terrible things are done during that period by the antichrist, the false prophet, and the devil.  See Chapter 13 of Revelation, for example.  But many horrors poured out during that seven year period described in many chapters in Revelation beginning in Chapter 6 are horrors poured out on the remaining humans on earth and on the earth itself by God.  They are the wrath of God.  At the time of the seven year tribulation, God will have been long-suffering for long enough.  He still will be seeking those who will turn to Jesus, but he will also be pouring out his wrath.

Don’t let anyone mislead you so into thinking that God is only love.  Remember, he is absolutely God.  Someone to be feared as well as loved.  And yes, that advice about fearing the Lord is in the Bible too.

Keep Your Eyes on Jesus!

                                                                                                    (APRIL, 2016)

                                                                                        Copyright © 2016 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 in fact 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       Twitter.com/johnnewlinmin
     
                                    Blog:  johnnewlinblogspot.com

* NO OTHER GODS

THOU SHALT HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME

Americans have not done a good job of following this first of the Ten Commandments, have they?  Not just unbelievers, of course, but not even many believers, I would suggest.

No gods before God.  Our focus must be on him first and always.  Family, jobs, friends, hobbies, sports, whatever, even worthwhile causes, cannot come before God.

Jesus again made the same point when asked what was the greatest commandment.  He said to love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.  Again, God is first.  Jesus in his statement went on to make loving our neighbor – i.e., all other people – in second place.  A close second he pointed out, but still second.  Notice again no job mentioned anywhere.  No work assignment.  Don’t think anyone will ever get any praise in heaven regarding how hard they worked at the office or store or plant or factory.

So no gods before God.

Look at America today.  How many gods can you name that Americans worship more than God?  Or put before God in their actions.  Remember, you can judge what a person believes or thinks by looking at his actions.  What he says means little, but what he does tells all.

How about money.  Income.

 

How about work.  Jobs.  Easy to see in some people’s lives that their jobs are the god of their life.  They sacrifice everything to getting ahead in that job (There really is a difference between having income as a god and having work as a god.  Some people just want money, they want more income, they focus on income in life.  And some others really do just focus on a particular type of work – their job really is them—they revel and live in that job.).

How about sports.  Watching sports, especially pro football.  Or playing golf.

How about good times – vacations, etc.

How about a spouse or love.  Putting a person higher than God.  Suppose you are having great difficulty in your marriage.   Suppose you go to all sorts of experts for help – spiritual experts as well as secular counselors, and nothing seems to work.  And you just keep at it and keep trying to adjust your own life, yet nothing you seem to do ever pleases this spouse.  You have made that spouse and your relationship with the spouse your top priority.  You have put that spouse above God.  You need to stop, repent, and put God back at the top of the list.

How about children?  Strange sounding, isn’t it.  We are all supposed to love our children, and I expect overwhelmingly most do.  But I suggest a strange thing has happened in recent decades.  For some reason young parents have become more devoted than ever to being sure their children have everything possible, experience everything possible.  And to being sure they are safe, protected.  Not only do they work tirelessly to do that, but they adjust their entire life schedules and activities to do that.  The children are the center of their lives…and I would suggest their god.  Not the way it was supposed to be.  Children are wonderful, but they are just part of the family.  Life most assuredly is not just about the children, although I expect if you are alert you know some young parents who live that way.

Still having trouble seeing this?  Just look at time – how much time you or others spend on various subjects.  Write it down.  Look at the time spent in work, in watching television for relaxation or vegging out, in driving about and going shopping or out to restaurants, in working on the yard or house, in going to school events, in going to social occasions.  You can do this for yourself and those you know closely.  You likely will be shocked.  Looking at where you spend your time is another indication of your priorities in life.

What if people put God first?  What would happen?  They would realize all the other blessings and promises of God, that’s what. Putting God first surely means you believe him and his words.  It means that you live and act according to his words.  If you don’t you are surely not putting him first.  That’s just like Paul’s famous words about confessing that Jesus is Lord of your life.  If he is your Lord, then you by definition obey and do whatever he says.

Never too late to start.  At least while you are still living and still on planet earth.  But it will be too late soon.

Keep Your Eyes on Jesus!

                                                                                                                        (February 2016)

                                                                                                                      Copyright © 2016 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 in fact 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       Twitter.com/johnnewlinmin        Blog:  johnnewlin.blogspot.com

GOD'S PROVISION FOR A VICTORIOUS LIFE

The commands, the promises, the rules given in the Bible are not there because God wants to be harsh on people or because he wants them to have a hard time. No, God knows the behaviors that will bring hardship and heartbreak, and he has given us there truths of his kingdom that will enable us to avoid such behaviors if they are obeyed and followed in our actions. Sadly, most people have either not known the Bible at all or have treated it as a general guidebook or an interesting ancient book kept on a table. But the Bible is full of God’s truths, and also warnings about what is to come. It was written by God through people as a gift to people. It is not a guidebook. It is the policy manual and the book of laws for the Kingdom of God. You could say also it is the policy manual and the book of laws for a truly successful life now and in that Kingdom. One more point - these truths and promises of God work if they are actually applied to your life, if you actually act on them.