* BLIND BATS?

That is a good and appropriate term, isn’t it?

A term to describe all those horribly violent, angry, vicious, hating members of the politically correct world – many from the entertainment world, the academic world, the media, the political establishment including some elected officials, even the religious world.

Lost is another good word for them.  They don’t know the truth.  They can’t see the truth.  Once years ago God said to me regarding unbelievers and their cold and hard response to his word, “They can’t see because they really can’t see.”

Yes, they don’t know the truth and they can’t recognize it.

I don’t know if they will ever wake up, if these people will ever be enlightened and come to recognize the Lord and what is happening at this end of the age.  I don’t know that.  God does.  I don’t.

It is so easy for all of us to get to the point of outrage ourselves at their outlandish and dangerous behavior, at their lack of basic human respect for the rights of others.  We just have to remember.  They don’t know.  They don’t know the truths of God.  They don’t know the truths of the Bible.  Deep down in their hearts they do not have these truths and this great moral basis to stand on.  They don’t know what is going on in the spiritual realm, although some no doubt are influenced by the wrong part of that realm.

If you ever needed help in understanding what lost people are like, you shouldn’t any more. They are in front of your face.  You see them in the news every day.  You hear their confused and terrible opinions and views all the time.  You encounter them in daily life, maybe even in your family.  Recently Cathy and I have encountered various people telling of breakups in their family life, how a son hadn’t talked to his father in fifteen years, how an older father says his daughter for some reason he does not know just suddenly decided to separate herself from him, how communications between different branches of the family were severely chilled just because of the recent election.  Amazing.  I hope you have not forgotten that Jesus himself said he came to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, that a man’s enemies will be members of his own household (Matthew 10:34-36).  Much the same words are in Micah 7:6.

In your efforts to get the truths of the Lord and the gospel message and Jesus’ soon return out, you surely will encounter some of these people.  It is not for you to battle and seek over and over again to win the same people to the Lord.  That is his battle.  That is the work of the Holy Spirit.  Do not take offense.  Be led by the Holy Spirit always.  As a general guide, unless directed otherwise, present your case as and if possible and move on.  That is what Jesus did.  He did not hang around and argue and cajole and work over and over to convince someone.  He told the truth and left for new and other pastures.  You do the same.

The Bible encourages us all to the extent possible to live at peace with our neighbors.  That guidance is going to be tested more and more in these last days, really tested. 

We are getting down to the nitty gritty now.  It is all about who is with him and who is not, who are going with him when he comes and who are not.

In all things and always maintain your focus on the Lord and his word.  Ask him to love these difficult people through you.  And in prayer put them in his hands.  Give them to him.

Perhaps a poem I wrote many years ago serves us well now, so I reprint it here:

WALK AWAY 

            by John Newlin

Walk away.

Jesus did -

A few words,

Sometimes a parable,

Then departure.

The next step was theirs.

You can’t make

Others believe.

On to the next town,

The next house,

The next person.

Walk away.

[This poem was published in the July 20, 2003 issue of Purpose and the March 2004 issue of Bible Advocate. ]

Keep Your Eyes on Jesus!

                                                                              (January 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:  johnnewlin.blogspot.com

* JESUS NOW

We have just come through what most probably consider the most joyous holiday season of the year – the season that remembers the birth of Jesus.  Indeed.  I have years of wonderful memories throughout my life of this great holiday.

On a more serious note, some of you will remember my describing a wonderful experience many years ago on Christmas Eve.  We were sitting in a local church.  Traditional hymns were being sung about Jesus, about the babe in the manger.  All of a sudden while I sat there, the Lord suddenly and very clearly spoke to me:  “John, these people are celebrating my birth, and here I am getting ready to come back soon.”

I never forgot that.

                        

Yes, it’s true.  Jesus is not in the manger.  He is not a baby.  He has already been born, grown up, lived and walked, gone about teaching, preaching, and healing, been arrested and tortured and killed horribly on the cross, risen from the dead, appeared to over 500, and ascended into heaven where he now sits at the right hand of his Father. 

Jesus is the King and he is returning soon as the ultimate ruler to eliminate his enemies and establish his kingdom rule from Jerusalem.  He did not come as the King the first time he came.  But that is how he is coming now.  That is where we are in time. 

The imminent return of Jesus is a celebration for all believers who understand its significance every day.  Jesus is our hope and future.  He is in fact our only hope. 

                                                                   

Remembering why and how he came the first time brings great joy to almost all of us who call ourselves Christians, as it did just a few days ago.

Truly recognizing where and who he is and what he is about to do now is essential for all living who have hope of a good future.

The words from Isaiah wonderfully apply to all of this:

For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

-      Isaiah 9:6 NIV

Keep Your Eyes on Jesus!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 (December 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 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

* LISTEN TO GOD

Simple to say.  Wonderful Advice.  The key is to do it! 

We all know every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ should pray regularly and should keep his spiritual ears open to hear the Lord.  God will speak through the words of the Bible certainly.  He will speak through circumstances and events, and even through other people.  And he will just speak to you in real words.  My experience is that most of this occurs in that famous still small voice of God that you alone will hear.  Sometimes though he might speak to you in an audible voice, or at least a voice that to you is bold and audible whether it really is or not.

What else can you do of more importance than to truly live a life of prayer and always, always be in an attitude of listening expectantly for God’s word, for his guidance?

Anyone who has followed us has heard or read of instances in my life where the Lord has spoken.  I only write or speak about a few as appropriate to what I am writing.  And too, some of God’s words are just for me, or for Cathy and me.

Let me present one great example of the Lord’s speaking to me.  It occurred in August and September of 2001.  Cathy and I had an important meeting scheduled near New York City for September 11 of that year.  It involved many people and had been fixed for some time.

About six weeks prior to that date, one day while sitting quietly in prayer about that upcoming meeting, God spoke:  “No need to make airline or hotel reservations…”  That’s what he said.

Then in succeeding weeks he spoke again and again on this.  Always the words contained advice about taking no airplane.  Sometimes they included no hotel and no car.

All in all, he spoke about five or six times on this.

Needless to say Cathy and I were concerned about these words from God and about the meeting.  We even invited over the minister of the church we were attending and his wife.  They were obviously amazed.  One said “You can’t go!”  The other said “You have to go!” 

So we pondered and prayed.

Finally we made what seemed sensible from a human standpoint.  We flew to the area early, before September 11.  And then we took a hotel quite a few miles away and rented a car. 

So on September 11 we were there, in a city outside New York City, and we drove to the place of our scheduled meeting.  We parked in a garage, got out and walked through a tall hotel on the way to the building of the meeting.  While walking through the lobby we encountered a television set blaring in the lounge in the bar, and one or more people standing rapt in attention watching.  We stopped.  The television was showing an airplane flying into the World Trade Center.  It was quiet.  A man at a nearby table prayed out loud.  The moment was overwhelming.  Cathy and I looked at the television and at each other.

Soon quietly we stumbled on to the place of our meeting.  A few minutes there and we heard another plane had hit the World Trade Center and one had hit the Pentagon.  The meeting was postponed.

Cathy and I left.  Later in the day I telephoned the minister back home.  Simple comment.  “Did you see what happened?”  Of course he had.  No words fit.

God had warned Cathy and me over and over about 9/11.  He never told me what was to happen, but he told me what we needed to do to protect ourselves.  In terms of the gifts of the Spirit, this could be called a gift of knowledge, and perhaps also a gift of prophecy.  It was a warning to us about an event to happen, and thank God we at least adjusted our travel plans. 

In these difficult days leading up to the Lord’s return, we all need as much of God’s guidance as he will give us.  Listen to God.  Ask him to speak.  Seek him.  He will be found by those who seek him.

Who knows the truth but God?  Who knows the future but God?  Who cares more for you than God?

Keep Your Eyes on Jesus!

                                                                                              (December 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 (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

* A CHRISTMAS GIFT - A MUST READ FOR ALL!

[This true, wonderful, and amazing demonstration of God's love for each of us occurred in my life in December 2007.  I am reprinting it one more time to encourage us all now!]

God loves us. He really, really does. That’s a key part of the Christmas message. Why else would He ever have sent His son here to go through what he went through? And why else would Jesus ever have willingly gone to the cross? 

I was reminded of that this past weekend in a way only God can arrange. Sunday afternoon a friend was coming to visit us at home. Late in the afternoon the doorbell rang, and I opened the door. There stood our friend, holding out a box of clementines. For those of you who do not know, clementines are small citrus fruit, like small oranges, and they seem to make an appearance in grocery stores about this time of year. They come in small but clearly distinct boxes. 

Our friend handed me this box of clementines. “God told me to get this for you,” she said. And she went on, exclaiming that God was very specific and strong about it. “So I went into a grocery store and I couldn’t find them. I thought that I would just get a poinsettia, but well, God said to get clementines.” So she stuck with her search, and she found them. Later in the kitchen she spoke with Cathy and asked if clementines were my favorite. Our friend couldn’t get over how insistent God had been. 

Later I thought more about this. I remembered how as my children grew up we would always get a box of clementines sometime around Christmas. It was a regular feature in our house. The box could always be found sitting somewhere in the kitchen. Everyone liked them. To this day when I see a display of clementines in a store, I want to buy a box. 

And I thought some more. Here we are in the ministry involved in our usual activities and praying for guidance from God on key issues, like where and how to proceed in the expensive television ministry, where and what meetings to arrange, whether to begin another regular meeting in southeastern NC, and more. For months, even years, we have been going steadily forward, always fighting and overcoming attacks of the evil one which do come whenever anyone steps out for God. Into the midst of all that God sent an obedient woman friend to bring a box of clementines. Even when I write this the Holy Spirit is so strong in the office I keep stopping and reflecting. Is that love? Yes! And much more. That is God saying - John, even in the midst of all this, I’m still here, and I love you, and look, I even know little things about you, like how you like a box of clementines and what that means to you. 

So I've been feeling really warm every since. God sent me a box of clementines for Christmas. God knows where you are and what you’re going through. He knows every hair on your head. Every day, if we’ll just look around and take time to see with spiritual eyes, we’ll see God directing our paths. 

What a heavenly Father we have! 

                                                                                Copyright © 2007 John Newlin 

* THE LAST DAYS REVIVAL PLAN FOR RIGHT NOW

                          

Many Christian leaders hope to see a big revival, locally or nationally.  I expect some see the recent presidential election result as great encouragement in this.  They along with other believers well bemoan the great fall away from God in the country.  They bemoan the falling morality and the terrible behaviors we see everywhere. 

Over recent years, we have all seen efforts from well-meaning pastors and believers to move toward that revival.  In the area where I live, one church for years held an all-night prayer meeting once a week to pray for the city, the hope no doubt being to lead to a revival.

So many have seen actions like that.  But I have not seen anything come out of this beyond whatever happened in that specific effort and the people involved.  I may not know all that happened, of course, but certainly no regional revival took place.  Our own community demonstrates the fall away just as the nation does.

In some of our own past meetings – especially healing services but also other programs open to and led by the Holy Spirit - God did indeed show up in a powerful way, people were touched and healed and amazed.  People experienced the presence and power of God like they never had.  It was all wonderful.  For years I thought these meetings and what God was doing would lead to more and more being drawn in.  But it never happened.  Only once during an inner city healing service did a woman attending call people she knew on her cell phone and tell them to get down there while the meeting was underway.  She did not want her friends and family to miss it.  But in general, even at the most wonderful meetings where so many were touched and greatly impacted, people did not go and bring all their neighbors and friends and others to future programs as happened in the giant revivals of times past.  There was no big revival.

Why not?

I am still wondering and searching.

Best answer?  It was not God’s time. 

We are in the last of the last days.   Well-meaning, serious Christian leaders and others hope and pray for such a revival, but they likely either are - or should be - coming to the realization they just don’t know how to make that happen. They don’t know how to organize the effort so it will work.  They don’t know what the effort should look like. 

That is not really their fault.  It is not their revival.  They can’t do it on their own.

That is just not going to be the way a revival in the last days will happen.  I’m talking about a real breakthrough where people really encounter God, where people become born again Spirit-filled believers, where there is a recognizable and significant move of God impacting the people and the region in which they live, and hopefully even in the country as a whole, where large numbers of unbelievers become real believers.

Here is a big lesson I have learned, and in a discussion recently with one of my minister friends, I see he has learned it too.  The lesson:  It is not going to come about by serious people planning programs and campaigns and praying and asking God to bless and guide the programs they have designed.  Nope.  Those are actions of men.  Even though God has blessed such actions in the past, even though many ministers may want to try one more time, even though God always blesses the preaching of the gospel, that is not how the last days' revival will happen.  It is going to come about by God himself taking the actions he intends at his perfect time.   

Now this is what will most likely happen.  At some moment in the future the Holy Spirit will move to make this all come about.  He will organize.  He will put together the organization and the steps and actions, no doubt I believe using those really serious sold-out believers.  God has the plans.  Jesus knows what should happen.  And the Holy Spirit will put it all together.

Those whom God will use in this as his workers will have to be absolutely open to him.  No pride.  No seeking fame or glory at all for themselves.  We are way past the point in time of building careers.  Sold-out.  Those God will use must have great patience.  They must be at peace with not following that natural desire to step out and take some action.  Any action they take on their own will be fruitless.  It is God’s actions through them, God’s words and plans, that will count.  We have to be open and seeking and listening.  We have to see with spiritual eyes, hear with spiritual ears.  This last revival will be like the end time judgment, an action God takes in his perfect knowledge and wisdom and timing.

It is all God.  All God.  He has put you where you are, and he will work through you and use you in all this if you are in the right relationship with him and patient and open and listening. 

Remember:  We can’t do it ourselves.  No, we can’t.  Not alone.  To fulfill his plan, his objective, his assignment, he has to do it.  The plan and the approach is his, not ours.  We have to become nothing.  We must give ourselves up entirely.  Be consciously and unconsciously open to what he is doing, sensitive to him always, not ever pressing or forcing anything that we think must happen but rather letting him work through us to accomplish his plan, ready always to move and act as he would have us.  We are not taking the initiative.  He is.

Remember that old term - dying to self.  Dying to the old self, the old priorities, the old interests, the old objectives.  We are still learning what that means.  We must learn what that means.

We must be absolutely ready to go forward, to wage the battle, to do all that is required – at his guiding through us.  It is his initiative.  He takes the initiative.  He moves…through us and also directly as he chooses.

It’s not us stepping out.  More than ever, at this time in history, no evidence or glory of or for us.  It is all about you, Lord.  It is all you, Lord. Everything.  And if we don’t know or see how something is to go forward or might happen that you have revealed to us, well, that’s alright.  You will reveal what you want us to know at your time, your perfect time.  It is never our time that counts, but yours.

One last thing:  I do think this revival will not come about in the format or ways of past historical revivals.  I think it will not come through the normal traditional practices of established churches, so many of which are so far adrift from where we are in time and from teaching the full gospel and from being true to God and his word.  Rather, I think somehow it will be out in the public arena, regardless of where meetings and gatherings and such are held.  It will come about through the new wineskins I have been writing about.  After all, it needs to reach all those who don’t know.  Maybe God will do some overwhelming and undeniable miracles that will suddenly wake people up – perhaps direct miracles or perhaps through people we would not expect or people we do expect.  Don’t know. 

We are near this happening.  Of course we are.  We are near the return of the Lord.   

Stay alert, focus on Jesus, keep your spiritual eyes and ears open.  Pray in the Spirit at all times. 

It is an amazing time to be alive.  Not pleasant.  But amazing.

Keep Your Eyes on Jesus!

                                                                                          (December 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 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:  johnnewlin.blogspot.com

* GOD'S WINDOW

Since the presidential election, there has been continual elation on the part of many Americans, including many evangelical Christians and political moderates and conservatives, who see this as a turnaround in the steady fall of the country in recent years.  I think the election is seen by all these as a rebuke to the ever increasing incursion of government into the lives of individuals and to the steady move to ever bigger “Big Brother” type government (which leads eventually to the one world government of the anti-christ during the tribulation period).  The vote in the United Kingdom to withdraw from the European Union appears to have been a similar expression of this view.

While the popular vote was close, the electoral vote was not.  And it is amazing to note that of the 3141 counties in the United States, the new president-elect won more than 3000.  The few won by his opponent were those of the giant coastal cities in California and New York and other large urban areas.  It really was an election won by middle mainstream Americans.

We see and hear often Christian leaders and other conservative and moderate politicians expressing elation and prophesying all sorts of good things about the USA returning to its former glory.

The newly elected government will obviously work to improve the areas of the economy, trade, medical care, security against terrorism, law and order, and such.  And these are all areas that need repair and turning around.  This certainly encourages many after the election.

The newly elected government also seems to offer a promise of standing against further government incursion into the rights of Christians in the country.  We can all even hope to see these rights returning, the rights to speak more openly about Jesus and the Bible in numerous areas which had been largely shut down or closed under the past government.  This is a real blessing.

But – and this is really important - have you heard or seen any plans to turn around the great moral fall in America of these last several years?  Have you heard any steps to be taken?  Look at all the recent government actions in areas that are opposite to God and the Bible.  I haven’t heard any steps or plans to act on this.

Further, please recognize that the serious forces behind the steady growth in big government and ever greater one-world type government over past recent administrations in Washington have not gone away.  They will not go away.  They will fight with all the ability they have and use every tool they have.  They do not play by Christian rules and values.  Look even now at the efforts to challenge the election and force a recount in several states.  Expect ever more interference as the newly elected government moves toward inauguration day.  Be alert!

Yes, there are the obvious far left wing nuts, as some refer to them, who demonstrate publicly and say and do all sorts of stupid things.  But there are also really serious big money groups behind them.  The devil has worked toward a one world government for centuries.  Hitler and his efforts were the greatest example in recent memory.

You may know some of the names behind all this.  Most are quiet, hidden.  Some incredibly wealthy.  It is all real. 

 

All this I write to make the point that much of what you have seen in the past several years is not going away.  The strategies will just change and be different.

So all these overly hopeful but understandable statements of how the US is now returning to its great position of the past for a great new future are obviously a bit overstated and premature.  What I see is that God has given us a window under this new president in which apparently and hopefully Christians will not be further persecuted or limited in the US and thus can go forward in getting the gospel message out.  How long will this window be open?  I don’t think it is a long period.  I think we all had better be praying for protection and safety and wisdom for this new government, that the inauguration goes smoothly, that the efforts to go forward as God would have them go smoothly.

Remember, Jesus is still returning at the appointed time.

Last week I was awakened at about 2:30 AM.  I went downstairs and opened my Bible.  Immediately I was led to Jeremiah 23.  It was a clear message from God.  There are numerous scriptures there that apply directly to the US and our current situation.  God first applied them to Jerusalem long ago, but as you know the Bible’s words have more than one application.

Consider these few verses and then go read the chapter:

³² Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” declares the Lord. “They tell them and lead my people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint them. They do not benefit these people in the least,” declares the Lord.

….

²¹ I did not send these prophets,
    yet they have run with their message;
I did not speak to them,
    yet they have prophesied.
²² But if they had stood in my council,
    they would have proclaimed my words to my people
and would have turned them from their evil ways
    and from their evil deeds.

In these days you must be able to identify false prophets.  I am speaking of all those who fail to see what is coming, who speak about the USA returning to its former greatness as if this promising turnaround is going to continue forever.  It is not. 

Jesus’ return is imminent, the time is soon, and further there are great evil forces out there working against this new government and a return of the USA to its former position.  There is nothing these forces will not do.

Use the time we have been given now to get the word out, to stand, to speak to others about the Lord every opportunity the Lord gives.  Be bold, be honest and true to the Word, let God lead people to Jesus through you.  Be guided always by the Holy Spirit.  Pray always in any situation to see what the Lord would have you do and to be guided thusly.  Pray in the Spirit.  And continue to pray for repentance and revival and that God has mercy on the American people.

Keep Your Eyes on Jesus!

                                                                                        (NOVEMBER 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 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

* BEING THANKFUL

Be thankful that you know the Lord.

That relationship is far greater in importance in your life than anything else – your family, your work, your home, your friends, your house, your car, any and every thing.

If you don’t know the Lord when you die, you will be lost forever.

If you don’t know the Lord when he soon returns to collect his church, you will not go with him.

If you don’t know the Lord when the tribulation begins, you will suffer unimaginably.

Never stop thanking and praising the Lord.  Yes, you can thank him for all the other blessings in your life too, but number one is that you truly know the Lord.

Thank the Lord for who he is and for all he has done and who you are in him.  If you don’t know who you are in him, click on this link http://johnnewlinministries.org/Who_We_Are_In_Jesus.htm

Thank him and praise him!  Remember, God lives in the praises of his people.

And have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Keep Your Eyes on Jesus!

                                                                                                (November 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