*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!

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THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE WHITE FLAGS ON THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE

People in New York and much of the media and some government security personnel are frightened over the white flags planted high atop the famous Brooklyn Bridge in NY City.  And well they should be.  This is a real landmark in its own right, a mammoth structure highly regarded when it was built and highly used today.  In fact, I would expect there is little time when someone is not going over the bridge, even in the middle of the night.  Having spent a great deal of time in the past in and around NY City, I know this is a city that really never sleeps.  So how did these flags ever get put at the top of the bridge?

But these white flags portend more than I expect most experts even know. 

Some time back I pointed out some really bizarre happenings in the US and noted I would come forth with more in the future.  Well, we can’t ignore these white flags.  Why?  Let me tell you.

In New York City near Columbia University is a giant cathedral called the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.

Now, I am familiar with this cathedral.  When I lived in a dormitory at Columbia University I was located not far from the cathedral.  It is a huge and impressive structure, and not once in those days did I think it anything other than just one more Catholic cathedral.  But that is not the case.

You should know some of the startling characteristics of this place which you can investigate yourself if you wish.  What is going on and why are good questions.

HERE ARE THE KEY POINTS:

There are all sorts of sculptures around this cathedral.  On the west side high on a pillar are depicted in sculpture or fresco form the collapsing of the Twin Towers and the destruction of Manhattan.  Now the twin towers, known as the world trade centers, were destroyed by terrorists on September 11, 2001.  What you probably do not know is that this scene depicted high on a tower of this cathedral was put in place in 1997, four years before the shocking terrorist attack!

Pretty amazing, is it not?  Now to the Brooklyn Bridge:

Atop another tower at the cathedral there is a sculpture depicting the Brooklyn Bridge crumbling and buses and cars falling into the waters.  This has not happened, yet.

So this cathedral in hard stone has correctly forecast the destruction of the world trade centers before they were destroyed.  It also has forecast the destruction of the Brooklyn Bridge, something we cannot ignore in light of the white flags just placed at the top of that Bridge.  Certainly we can and should all pray that it does not happen.

Strange things are happening in our day. 

Since I have brought up the cathedral, I will quickly list a few more facts about it:

• This gigantic cathedral, the fourth largest church in the world, was built over a century by the Masons.  So proud are they of this that they had it on the cover of their publication in 1925.  Significance?  The upper echelons of the Masons are apparently somehow connected with the one world gang that is working tirelessly to bring that about. 

• There is another pillar with the four horsemen of the apocalypse described in Revelation depicted.

• And then another pillar presenting death and Ezekiel’s observed wheel within a wheel.

• And another with a man having one eye, the all seeing eye?

• Beyond the building there are strange happenings here – for example, each Halloween there is a procession of ghoulish figures in the cathedral itself.  I’ve seen some of the pictures and they are horrible indeed. 

• The cathedral is the home of the Temple of Understanding, a type of strange religious group involving the UN and famous leaders that has as an apparent goal the move to one world religion.  Troubling indeed.

Well, as we move rapidly to the end of this age, we should not be surprised by all the bizarre happenings.  We’ve already seen so many prophecies of last day events fulfilled or being fulfilled, and we know the evil one and his forces are not going out quietly.

As you consider this and all other signs of the times, the key for your peace and joy as always is to

Keep Your Eyes on Jesus!

                                                                                                                                       (July 2014)

                                                                                                            Copyright © 2014 by John Newlin

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* OUR CHALLENGE THIS FOURTH

As we approach the Fourth of July in the US, it is a good time for believers to look at where the world is now and where we believers are.    The following is meant to be a concise summary of the current situation and an encouragement to believers to stay focused and to get out there as they are led.  It is a call to action for all believers in Jesus.

We are living in the days leading up to the return of Jesus.  Things are falling apart all around.  Wars and rumors of war abound in the Middle East – Iraq, Syria, Iran, Israel, Afghanistan – and in other areas there are looming threats or horrible terrorist activities (e.g., North Korea, Nigeria).  Terrorism is expanding exponentially.  Leaders of the world governments do not know what to do.  Look at the people in the administration and the Congress in Washington.  No idea.  The same can be said about leaders in Europe and elsewhere.

The economy is heading south rapidly.  The US suffered and even surprisingly officially reported a dramatic fall of almost 3 percent in its economy in the first quarter of this year.  That is a huge fall for a country like the US and underscores there is no great rebound of the economy underway.  Average income of Americans has fallen precipitously the last several years.  Worse, the dollar is propped up by printing enormous amounts of paper money, which of course devalues the currency internationally and even is leading some international giants to consider moving away from the dollar as the world money standard.  Some have already taken initial steps in that direction.  When that happens, expect the dollar value to go into free fall and inflation to rocket in the US.  Americans will be shocked by the prices of basic goods.

Morality as those more than a few years old have known it in their lifetimes has largely disappeared.  Oh surely some individuals and families still seek to live according to God’s values and laws.  But society?  Hardly.  While the state governments supported by the federal judiciary and the leadership in the White House have led a rapid move toward formally approving a lifestyle not accepted by millions and condemned as abomination by the Bible, individual traditional denominations too have joined the rush.  Some even now hold homosexual marriages and have homosexual ministers.  One recently announced an effort to withdraw all investments from Israel in hope of putting pressure on Israel, despite the clear warning from God regarding Israel that those who bless you I will bless and those who curse you I will curse.  No doubt there are still some individual believers in churches in these wayward denominations, why I don’t know.  But overall such churches are clearly not churches of God, of Jesus.

And everywhere in the daily news reports and television we see massive lying, massive deception which Jesus warned about.  Over and over people call good evil and evil good.  Clear and obvious bad actions on the part of people and government leaders and agencies are not dealt with or are just ignored.  Members of Congress who should investigate and bring correction themselves divide along party lines, not ever putting the country first in their duties.

Efforts of society to bring any meaningful correction to this dire situation have not succeeded.  In politics the now several years old tea party movement is floundering.  While one or two have gained office, its candidates have run into the establishment which will do anything to keep its jobs, regardless of the issues or morality of their positions.  And in truth, the tea party primarily focuses on the economy, which is hardly the only key issue out there. 

On the spiritual and values side, the public at large seems to ignore efforts of serious ministers of God in their calling the people to change, to move, and in their warning them the return is near.  People just focus on their jobs and their families and homes.   Well, why not?  They don’t know what else to do.  They have clearly seen how the large national government is not impacted by their views and wants.

Aside from all the Biblical prophecies of individual things to happen before Jesus’ return, which I have reported on many times and which have been and are being fulfilled, there are two key fundamental prophecies that have come to the fore – Jesus’ warning to watch so as not to be deceived and Paul’s warning that the day of the Lord will not come until there is a falling away from God, really a rebellion against God.  Both of these giant prophetic warnings have now clearly occurred.  We are in the midst of them.

So what are we to do?  We can bemoan all the horrible actions and behaviors in the world society today and just sit on our hands, or we can seek to influence and fight against horrible positions and actions in society – all the time keeping our eyes on Jesus and living in an internal peace that realizes he will soon be here.  Whenever we see governments and other groups taking actions and positions opposed to God and the Bible, we can speak out.  We can write our government leaders and our newspapers.  We can go to meetings and stand up for God as possible.  We can make sure those we are in contact with know our views.  And in all this we of course must act as we are led by God.   I think Jesus expects believers to be out there doing our best in standing up for him.

Remember Jesus’ words:

“I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God.  But whoever disowns me before others will be disowned before the angels of God.”  (Luke 12:8-9 NIV)

 And God the Father’s words: “…Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained.”

 (1 Samuel 2:30)

And Jesus’ words on this very time in which we live:  “…when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”   (Luke 18:8 NIV)

Well, will he?  In you?

                                                                                                                   (July 2014)

                                                                                             Copyright © 2014 by John Newlin

Keep Your Eyes on Jesus!

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* THERE ARE ONLY TWO GROUPS OF PEOPLE

There are all kinds of religions on earth, and an enormous number of academic systems, and diverse beliefs everywhere.  There are many different types of people as to education levels, knowledge and talents, and skills.

But in the end there are only two groups of people that really matter on earth:  those who know Jesus, and those who don’t.  This second group is lost.  Unless something happens that opens the eyes of people in this group so they can see the truth and receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior, they are not going to have a good future. 

Unfortunately, this second group is much larger than the first group.  Throughout the Bible the point comes through that the group of true believers just is not the majority of people on earth.  Once Jesus even says that narrow is the way and few are they who find it (the way to life, to eternal life). 

Have you ever wondered why in history and even today certain Christians when threatened with death if they do not renounce Jesus choose to die?  And they do.  In ancient Rome.  And today in many places on earth where believers are attacked and killed by members of false religions.  You know those places.  If you do not you are not paying attention.  Christians are killed on a daily basis in today’s world.

Why would they prefer death over renouncing Jesus and continuing to live an earthly life?  Because they know Jesus.  Because they know their future with him.  And they know that life on this earth in its current form is as nothing in comparison.  Renouncing Jesus would condemn them to eternal hell, life in the lake of fire as described in the last book of the Bible.

We are right now at the great dividing time in human history.  Huge numbers are in the lost camp by virtue of being in false religions and lost societies.  Others actually may think they are Christians and are saved by virtue of going to a church somewhere and sitting there once a week, by growing up in a Christian home, maybe even by doing some good works in that church.  But for some of these nothing may be further from the truth.  Being someone whom Jesus calls out when he comes to collect his true CHURCH depends on your truly knowing him.  In his own words, you must be born again, or born from above (perhaps a better translation).  And the apostle Paul further elaborates:  You must confess Jesus as your Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead.  In other words, it is all about truth.  God doesn’t play games.  As the stenographer said in Congress a few weeks ago, God will not be mocked.  She was quoting the Bible.  Mocking God is what happens in Washington, DC on a regular basis.

Two groups of people.   One group already spiritually in the kingdom and on its way to totally realizing that in all ways and the other a collection of lost people.  Unless God draws people from that lost group to Jesus, they will stay there.  As we approach the Lord’s return, I expect to see more and more drawn to Jesus, and I also expect to see a steadily increasing display of people obviously falling away from God, from the Lord, from a true faith.  The Bible in essence says as much.

So keep your eyes on Jesus no matter what happens in and around you.  The return of the Lord is imminent.  In recent decades numerous Biblical prophecies of things to happen before his return have indeed happened.  As described in the Bible, he could come in the clouds at any moment to call out his believers, with the horribly difficult seven year period of judgment on the world known as the tribulation beginning shortly thereafter and culminating in the great Armageddon battle and his beginning to rule from Jerusalem.

As possible, through your words and actions, seek to help the Father in his drawing others to Jesus.  Ask the Holy Spirit for guidance, to pave the way for meaningful conversations about the Lord with others, to arrange situations.  He will.  Always remember, it is all about a personal relationship between a person and the Lord.  No one can get another person into heaven.  You can’t do that for your children or parents, and they can’t do that for you.

Two groups.  That’s all that counts.  What group are you in?  And what group are your friends and family members in?

Where are you all heading?

Keep Your Eyes on Jesus!

                                                                                                                    (June 2014)

                                                                                                              Copyright © 2014 by John Newlin.

[For more information on all this, go to the web site below and request the CDs such as HOW DOES ANYONE EVER REALLY GET INTO HEAVEN? and WHAT DID JESUS DO, PARTS ONE, TWO AND THREE.  Or watch the videos there such as GETTING INTO HEAVEN and WHAT DID JESUS DO?.]

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- A SOMBER AND SERIOUS WARNING! THINGS ARE HAPPENING RAPIDLY!

This is a very somber and serious watchman warning.

For some time – months, even years – we have watched together and I have sent out warnings regarding the steady progress as we march through the last days before the Lord’s return.  We have seen how so many of the prophecies of the events to happen before his return have happened. 

I seldom talk about all the prophecies anymore since I have so often in the past.  And people can read my past newsletters or listen to the CDs or watch the television programs on the Internet – at our web site and on YOUTUBE.

Now things are really getting tough.  While many Americans are preparing to enjoy the summer months and looking forward to vacations and cookouts and maybe golf and beaches, the actions of the evil side of existence are boldly moving forward at a terrifying clip.

I don’t know how many of you know any of this, so prepare to be shocked.  But better to be shocked and alert.

·       *   Iraq - The move of yet another two really wild and vicious terrorist groups in the Middle East cannot be ignored.  Really the term terrorist group is not a good description.  Yes, they are terrifying all right.  But they are larger, comprised of many diverse groups.  One of these overall groups is associated with Iraq and the other with Syria, but obviously somehow there are connections with Al Queda.  They are reeking havoc on the Iraqi population.  In no time almost they have taken over the third largest city in Iraq and a large amount of territory.  And they clearly are setting their sights on Baghdad and the whole country.  Their methods are horrible and have shocked the world.  While I haven’t seen write-ups of much of this in most press, I did see the Washington Post describe their methods.  In Mosul there have been large numbers of beheadings.  Barbarous beheadings by horrible means, torturous means.  In a home, wherever.  Of the police and others in authority or whomever they see as opposition.  One woman reported seeing large rows of beheaded bodies.  These groups not only are militaristic and violent, they rule and intimidate by absolutely terrifying those in their path.  The police and militia and such are reported to be running fast to get away, shedding their clothes so they can’t be identified.  They say that these horrible groups can’t be stopped.  They can’t fight them. 

You recognize the hand of the evil one here, I hope.  Remember he comes to kill, steal, and destroy, and that is what is happening in Iraq now.  Not only are areas that our own servicemen have given their lives for now being lost, but much worse this important nation is being captured by wild, vicious horribly immoral and evil people.  Real enemies.  Others in the region are horrified.  The more absolute evil gains control of, the more havoc and absolute evil it can do---everywhere.  Americans are not prepared to confront such an enemy.

·        *  A London newspaper recently carried a long article detailing various actions of the US government funding studies and programs in universities to develop appropriate strategies and reaction plans for the government to deal with wide-spread civil unrest.  While this looks over a variety of cultures and nations, I wonder if it might not also be read like this:   The government is aware that many do not agree with its policies of recent years, and increasingly opposition is speaking out.  The government is preparing to deal with that opposition if necessary with ways we have not seen in the US.  This probably goes along with the constant reports from various sources of holding pens for people that have been developed in many places and many states.  Who goes in those pens?  And why?

·         * The massive flow of illegal immigrants into the country that so strains the economy has reached a new height – large numbers of children from somewhere in Latin America are being dumped on the border and are crossing over the border into Arizona and Texas.  Where does the money come from to take care of them?  Can the states of Arizona and Texas handle this?  And even if the government were to decide to send them back, where would they send them and to whom?  This is a steadily increasing problem and another way of attacking the United States.  The US government has not dealt with this problem for many years, and now it is truly reaching disaster proportions.

·        *  Within the US, the gay rights movement seems to occupy so much of media attention.  Is this perhaps a diversion keeping Americans from seeing what is really happening to the country and world?  Remember, homosexuals are a tiny minority of the population.  Some say as small as 2 %.  And this is supposed to be a democracy.   The policies and efforts of the government and people can’t be so fully caught up with this.  Besides, the positions being taken by the governments and judges end up with allowing and permitting a life style that is directly opposed by God in the Bible.  So America is on the wrong side of the issue.  There is increasing fear that eventually preachers in the country will not be allowed to speak out on this issue, as they indeed are prohibited by law elsewhere.

·       *   And of course the US government keeps trying to force peace on Israel and the Palestinians, with no doubt an ever present pressure on Israel to give up land.  There has been no peace reached.  The US is on the wrong side of God again.  We should be supporting Israel whenever possible and never pressing the country to give up land.

·        *  Large numbers of Americans recognize that something is wrong.  Only a small percentage of that realize it is related to the end times, the period in which we are living.  And of course there are still blind millions who see nothing.  The truth of the words from the Bible that the devil has blinded the minds of unbelievers was never more powerfully demonstrated.

So where are those people in our society who will stand up for Jesus, who will stand up for truth and decency and honesty?  Who brings the truth out?  Who?

I think the answer is that it has to be you and me.  We are the only ones here.

Keep Your Eyes on Jesus!

(June 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.]

  

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TAKING A BREAK FROM ALL AROUND AND FOCUSING ON FATHERS

Not as much is written about fathers, and surely Father’s Day doesn’t get the enormous attention that Mother’s Day does.  But undeniably the impact of fathers on the lives of their children is enormous, and I thought for a change to write on this subject.

My father didn’t see me until I was a year and three months old.  Oh, he heard about me.  I can read the tiny cables that were sent both ways in the little aged envelopes that date from the middle of the war.  You know, the great war, World War II, which killed many more than the other war to end all wars, World War I.

I still know the story from my mother.  How I woke up the morning after he had come home.  How I was standing in my crib (evidently, I was still in a crib for some reason).  Standing and looking at this strange man.

So my dad missed the infant years.  He knew me after I had learned to sit and stand and walk.  Maybe even to talk a little.

Well, he didn’t want it to be that way.  In that stack of old cables and letters I can read after the end of World War II how upset and tired he was being in Guam so far from home, wondering when indeed would he be sent home.  I think they all wanted to come home, all of the military,  but then somebody had to stay and keep things going in the really bad areas that were so destroyed by the war.

Eventually he came, and our life went on.  Dad was quiet, quiet and somber.  He went about his work and life in a steady and highly competent manner.  Getting it done.  Before the War sometime in the past he had wanted to be an architect.  But now, with a family and those years all gone away, no, he couldn’t see that.  And he was back in the hardware and building supply business with his cousins.

Dad never talked about the war to me.  I mean never.  And so as a boy for some reason I didn’t ask.  I had other things going on of course, like growing up.  Once when he was taking me over to meet my friend Joe for a ride with him back to college some miles away, Dad suddenly said he never liked leaving home, going away like I was doing then, leaving.  That was it.  That comment I remember.  It was almost a comment about his life in the war.

He died way before his time.  I’ve got his dark blue navy uniform.  Can’t believe he ever could fit into that!  And then his various ribbons and such.  And a great picture of him on Guam that I had copies made of and gave to my kids and my sister.

But I don’t have him.  What else do I know of that time period?  From Mom only over the years, really the early years when I was very small, I heard that once he and Mom lived in Rhode Island while Dad did something for the navy.  And when he shipped out, my grandmother rode a bus all the way there so she could ride the bus back with Mom.

And then Dad worked in the pentagon for a while, especially on records of those killed in air crashes.  I do know he never flew to visit me ever, always driving. 

I am so sorry he left this earth before I was in Guam several times.  I even was in nearby Saipan where the Japanese tanks were still there by the side of the road.  Wonder if he was there too?  Who knows? 

I miss him.  Especially when life got difficult at times over the years, I missed him and his quiet wisdom.  At times I recall his throwing a baseball with me or playing basketball, using his two-handed set shot I could never understand.   But life goes on.  I do get misty when I see veterans or hear their stories or even when I meet those young military of our day on their way headfirst right into harm’s way.  And I wonder how prepared they are, beyond the training of course.  How prepared to deal with all they will encounter, not just the physical but the shockingly different cultural and yes spiritual.   How ready?  And how ready was my dad? 

Don’t know. But he and his generation did keep the country going for a while longer, kept the great evil surge at bay for a while.  Obviously just for a while.  But they did their part in that.  I am proud of him, and I miss him.  If your dad is still alive, don’t let the day pass without contacting him.

                                                                                                                                       (June 2014)

                                                                                                                   Copyright © 2014 by John Newlin

[NOTE:  This article may 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.]

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