Learning to Follow Directions / The Mystery of Biblical Numbers – Part 2

On August 26, 2023, Kalon Mitchell will present the sermonette, titled, “Learning to Follow Directions,” and Michael Link will present the sermon, titled, “The Mystery of Biblical Numbers – Part 2″.

The live services are available, over video and audio, at http://eternalgod.org/live-services/ (12:30 pm Pacific Time; 1:30 pm Mountain Time; 2:30 pm Central Time; 3:30 pm Eastern Time; 8:30 pm Greenwich Mean Time; 9:30 pm Central European Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

This Week in the News

Georgia’s Indictment Started with Fake News

Breitbart wrote on August 18:

“The fake news was reporting that Trump had told Georgia officials, by telephone, to fabricate votes.

“In early January 2020… Trump was reported to have told Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to ‘find’ the votes he needed to win. Actually, what Trump said was: ‘I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have because we won the state’ (emphasis added)… Trump was speaking in the context of believing he had already won the state

“As George Washington University Law School professor Jonathan Turley has noted: ‘… it seems more likely that Trump was swatting back claims that there was no value to a statewide recount by pointing out that he wouldn’t have to find a statistically high number of votes to change the outcome of the election. It is telling that many politicians and pundits refuse to even acknowledge that obvious alternate meaning.’

“The term ‘find’ is also used colloquially, and often, in the context of counting votes. Political analysts on television routinely say that a candidate needs to ‘find’ votes in one area or another, having already been cast, as results are reported by local precincts.”

It is just appalling to see how the left-wing mass media—also being described as fake news—influences the governments on federal and state levels… and vice versa. Of course, Georgia’s left-wing biased prosecutor Fani Willis jumped on just about anything she could think of in order to accomplish her declared goal of “getting Trump.”

Trump Cancels Press Conference on Indictment in Georgia

Breitbart wrote on August 18:

“Trump will no longer hold a media conference… to address his fourth indictment…

“‘Rather than releasing the Report on the Rigged & Stolen Georgia 2020 Presidential Election on Monday, my lawyers would prefer putting this, I believe, Irrefutable & Overwhelming evidence of Election Fraud & Irregularities in formal Legal Filings as we fight to dismiss this disgraceful Indictment,’ Trump wrote…”

As we predicted, these criminal indictments by Jack Smith and now by Fani Willis have opened a pandora’s box in that the carefully avoided discussions by the mass media of possible voter fraud and a rigged election in 2020 are now being attempted to be finally litigated in the courts, as this was for the most part NOT done before. The often-repeated claim by the mass media that many courts have decided on the merits that there was no voter fraud is absolutely false.

Schiff in Prison for a Millennium 

American Insider wrote on August 20:

“‘Remember the Russian hoax and the Mueller investigation?’ Senator Graham asked rhetorically. ‘Donald Trump is being charged with a criminal act for telling people to watch a network show about the election.’ ‘If that becomes a crime Adam Schiff will be in jail for 1,000 years!’ he continued. ‘How many times did Schiff go on MSNBC and CNN and tell us Donald Trump was a Russian agent?’…

“The blatant lies of Democrat Rep. Adam Schiff were recently exposed with the release of the bombshell ‘Durham Report.’ Schiff spread false information to Americans by repeatedly claiming President Trump’s 2016 campaign was coordinated with Russia to influence the election…”

A funny suggestion by Graham. Although satirical, it shows the blatant hypocrisy of Schiff and others regarding their condemnation of Trump.

CNN: Biden Was Wrong, Trump Was Right

Fox News wrote on August 19:

“CNN host and chief Washington correspondent Jake Tapper admitted that former President Donald Trump ‘was right’ when he accused then-presidential candidate Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden of accepting large amounts of foreign money during the 2020 presidential debates…

“Tapper also declared that Biden ‘was wrong’ during the match-ups between the two candidates three years ago, when the then-Democratic nominee denied Trump’s allegations that his son made ‘a fortune in Ukraine, in China, in Moscow and various other places.’ At the time Biden flatly rejected the claim, saying, ‘None of that is true.’…”

Even though Tapper seemed to suggest that Joe Biden might not have known better—a rather ridiculous assumption—CNN keeps shooting at Biden by finally admitting what has been known to be the truth for many years.  

Biden Lies and Lies…

The Editorial Board of the New York Post wrote on August 20:

“President Joe Biden is in the middle of a victory tour over his supposed economic successes — but the numbers keep showing his arguments for Bidenomics are pure disinformation. ‘It’s working,’ he crowed Tuesday to an audience in Milwaukee on a re-election campaign tour stop. Not, it’s not.

“…Average Americans are spending $709 more per month on everyday goods and services like food than they were two years ago. That’s an eye-watering $8,508 yearly bump. 

“Indeed, inflation since Biden took office totals 15%. Focus on daily essentials (like food, power bills, mortgages), and prices are up almost 25%…

“Biden’s lies on the economy are nothing new. Witness his February claim that ‘We created more new jobs in two years than any president did in their entire term.’ No: Those were jobs lost to COVID policy overreactions that came back during the long and tepid employment recovery he oversaw. 

“Seems the overall Biden strategy here just to lie and lie and lie as liberal [journalists] seal-clap, and figure everyday voters will buy it. Huge mistake: Every trip to buy milk or fill the tank proves what a disaster Bidenomics has been…”

The tragedy is, even though many Americans suffer economically and otherwise, they do not seem to be able or willing to connect the dots. Something else is happening in Germany; note the following articles.

Germans Dissatisfied

Deutsche Welle wrote on August 18:

“If you think Germany is efficient and decisive, you probably don’t live here. From unreliable passenger rail to long waits for public services, too few appointment slots to see doctors and not enough room in preschools, German institutions seem increasingly unable to meet the everyday needs of the population they serve. 

“That hasn’t gone unnoticed by the general public. Just 27% of people in Germany have the sense the state is able to fulfill its responsibilities…

“Germans are looking for leadership…”

It currently does not exist in Germany. But things will change…

Germany’s Decline

Daily Mail wrote on August 18:

“German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock, en route to Australasia on a week-long, high-profile mission to enhance her country’s status in the Indo-Pacific region, was left stranded in Abu Dhabi when her government A340 Airbus broke down during a refuelling stop in the Gulf. Attempts to continue her journey were aborted twice, minutes after take-off. She abandoned her diplomatic mission and returned to Berlin on a commercial flight…

“That broken-down official jet, opined Der Spiegel, the country’s leading news magazine, ‘fits with everything you’ve been hearing about the country lately’, capturing the pervasive sense of gloom that grips Germany these days — and with good reason.

“The economy, now in recession, has declined for three consecutive quarters. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) thinks Germany will be the only major economy to shrink this year… The country is gripped by a variety of woes signalling long-term decline, most of which can be traced to Angela Merkel’s 16 years as German Chancellor…

“Germany’s mighty car industry has its back to the wall, especially since it has no special advantages when it comes to building electric vehicles (EVs) and Berlin has inflicted such high costs on it. The combined market value of the country’s legendary carmakers — BMW, Mercedes, Volkswagen and Porsche — is now barely 50 per cent of Elon Musk’s Tesla. Chinese-manufactured EVs are eating away Germany’s once huge share of the car market…

“Government bureaucracy is mired in the analogue age, which makes it inefficient, and even its fabled railways no longer run on time. Indeed, some run so late that Switzerland often stops German trains at the border so they don’t mess up the immaculate time-keeping of its own train services.

“There are a lot of ways to ruin a nation… Merkel and her successors seem to have discovered most of them….”

Sadly, this seems to be very true. And so, Germans are crying out for change and decisive leadership.

The Success Story of Germany’s AfD

The left-wing radical Washington Post wrote on August 18:

Maximilian Krah, the newly elected top candidate of the far-right Alternative for Germany for the European elections, doesn’t believe in watering down political messages to win centrist votes… he has described Pride Month as ‘disgusting,’ is a proponent of deporting immigrants and peppers his speech with allusions [to] white supremacist conspiracy theories [Not really, see his statements and explanations below.]. ‘We have become clearer in what we want and what we think,’ the 46-year-old rising star of the far right said of his party, known by its German acronym AfD. ‘We have more of the Trumpian style of communication.’

“Far-right experts say his recent election as lead candidate to represent the party in the 2024 European Parliament elections was just another sign of the AfD’s increasing radicalization [How his election to the European Parliament is a sign of his party’s increasing realization is difficult to fathom.]. But while the party is becoming unpalatable as a partner even to some of Europe’s most radical right-wing populists, it is attracting a record number of German voters. In recent months the AfD has surged to become the second strongest political force in the country after the opposition Christian Democrats, polling at around 21 percent, ahead of all members of the country’s liberal governing coalition…

“While other European far-right parties… have toned down and turned their focus to courting more centrist conservatives, the AfD stands apart. ‘The experts and pundits always tell us that if you want to have better election results, you have to give up your positions, you should become a more centrist style party,’ said Krah, who has eight children by three women… ‘We are not the kind of singer that asks what your audience wants and then sings a song,’ he said… ‘We have a clear ideology.’

“At the European Union level, even Hungarian populist Prime Minister Viktor Orban last year said he was ‘forced to sacrifice relations with the AfD on the altar of good international relations’ while far-right Italian politician Matteo Salvini has indicated he’s looking for more centrist allies… At the summit in Magdeburg over weekends in late July and early August, 600 candidates vied to represent the party and adopt an election program that branded the European Union a ‘failed project.’ Guest speakers included Bulgarian right-wing extremist Kostadin Kostadinov, who fondly referred to the alliance between Germany and Romania during both world wars and called for Germany to take ‘its rightful place as a great power, and not only in Europe.’..

“The party has so far failed to overturn a decision by the agency to put it under surveillance, with a Cologne court ruling in March last year that there were ‘sufficient indications of anti-constitutional endeavors within the party’ to justify its monitoring…

Krah rejects the notion that the party is becoming more extreme or that he’s to the right of it… The idea that immigrants are replacing ethnic Germans is ‘a description’ of the situation rather than a conspiracy theory, said Krah, who also doesn’t see an issue with saying that Germany should reclaim its rightful place in the world. ‘Germany is a country in a crisis, and it’s not just an economic crisis. It’s also an identity crisis,’ he said. ‘It’s a crisis where Germans forgot to be proud of their own fathers and grandfathers. Mothers and grandmothers.’…

“The AfD’s record-high position in the polls comes amid brimming dissatisfaction with Germany’s ruling three-party coalition, led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s center-left Social Democrats… [In addition to Germany’s mishandling of the Covid pandemic and Germany’s shaky economy,] Krah puts the party’s success down to the population’s distain for liberal policies on climate, gender and LGBT issues, immigration and the war in Ukraine, saying established political parties have no answer to real issues German face… the party’s increased success makes it difficult for others to make viable political coalitions without them…  ‘The right wing is on rise,’ [Krah] said. ‘And that’s Europe wide.’”

The left-wing narrative in the article cannot hide the fact that, reading between the lines, many of the positions of the AfD, as described herein, are not unreasonable. They also seem to indicate the beginning of the fulfillment of prophecy.

AfD Politician Convicted of “Incitement”!

Deutsche Welle reported on August 18:

“A court in the German city of Munich on Friday convicted a politician from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party over remarks comparing a coronavirus vaccination campaign with Nazi-era anti-Jewish pogroms.

“Florian Jäger, who served as a member of Germany’s national parliament, the Bundestag, posted a video on his Facebook page in 2021. In it, he claimed that the German government’s COVID measures were comparable with the November pogrom terror campaign against German Jews in 1938…

“The court ruled that the comments in question amounted to incitement and sentenced Jäger to pay a fine of €2,700 ($2,930)…

“If the Holocaust is degraded to an arbitrary object of comparison for measures that are perceived as unwelcome, then the protection of Jewish people from anti-Semitic attacks, would also be dragged down,’ [the prosecutor] said.

“Jäger is currently the chairman for the AfD in the district Fürstenfeldbruck. He has one week to appeal the decision.”

An absolutely ridiculous decision. By no stretch of the imagination was the Holocaust “degraded” and neither was the “protection of Jews from anti-Semitic attacks” endangered. The comparison between Germany’s unconstitutional measures of “fighting” the Corona pandemic and Germany’s terror campaign against Jews amounted to just the opposite. But the German legal system does not want to hear this. No wonder the AfD rises in popularity with such nonsensical and blatantly false allegations and “findings” against it.

F-16 Jets for Ukraine Without Immediate Benefit!

The Wall Street Journal wrote on August 18:

“Washington has cleared the way for the Netherlands [and Denmark] to deliver F-16 jets to Ukraine…

“The announcement comes amid growing concerns that Ukraine’s counteroffensive has stalled, with Kyiv’s forces having so far failed to punch through fortified Russian lines. One U.S. official said an intelligence assessment concluded it was unlikely that the Ukrainians would reach Melitopol, their presumed objective near the Sea of Azov, during their current counteroffensive…

“Western officials caution it will take time to train Ukrainian pilots and deliver the aircraft. Ukrainians won’t have the aircraft until well into 2024, and perhaps not until the middle or latter part of next year, they said. Only eight Ukrainian pilots are currently deemed to meet the language requirements to immediately begin training…

“Ukrainian officials have complained about the slow pace of the projected delivery schedule and argued that Washington has dragged its feet…  Gen. James Hecker, the top U.S. Air Force commander for forces in Africa and Europe,… warned it could be [four or five] years before Ukraine would make full use of the jets…”

Washington’s blessing for the plane donations to Ukraine and the training of Ukrainian pilots are needed because the aircrafts are made in the United States.

America’s Friends Alienated and America’s Enemies Emboldened

The Telegraph wrote on August 20:

“[In 2021], the Americans handed to the Taliban one of the most expensive and complete sets of military equipment in the world… the manner of the withdrawal [from Afghanistan] and the weakness it projected have had profound implications. Many experts believe that Vladimir Putin’s long-held desire to annex Ukraine was sparked into action by the ineffectual way in which the US withdrew. Worse is that the axis on which the global order moves has subtly shifted in the resulting period.

“For instance, if you are going to make one big mistake in a region, you had better make sure that every other alliance is in very good working order. The necessary isolation of Russia since its aggression in Ukraine has certainly pushed Russia closer into its own axis, of China and Iran… far from being without clout, and all the more reason to shore up your natural allies. The Biden administration has been exceptionally poor at doing that.

“Israel is generally thought of by outsiders as being almost de facto within the orbit of America. But the fraying of that relationship during the Obama administration (during which Biden was vice president) is undeniable. During that time, Israel inevitably had to keep other lines of friendship open, including with Russia. So Israel has, as a matter of realpolitik, kept itself out of the clear demarcations the rest of America’s allies have held to since the start of the Ukraine crisis.

“Such things happen once you take to hectoring allies, rather than working with them. Until recently, there were few similarities between the Israelis and the Saudis. But Biden has managed to create some… With energy prices soaring last summer due to the fallout of the Ukraine war, Biden personally went to Saudi Arabia and asked them to increase oil production. There was a time when an American leader just needed to pick up the phone. But with midterms looming, Riyadh actually cut production. It was an amazing… sign not only that the Saudis didn’t need to do what the US asked, but could do the opposite if they chose.

“In such a situation, dangerous new alliances form. What has been most striking in the past year has been the audacious efforts by the Chinese to step into the roles once expected of the US. If there was a peace deal to be brokered in the Middle East, it used to be assumed that it would be America that would broker it. No more. 

“When a deal was agreed in March to restore relations between the bitter enemies Iran and Saudi Arabia, it was Beijing that brokered it. Around the same time, it was the Chinese leadership that started touting a ‘peace deal’ to end the war in Ukraine… as the Ukrainian counteroffensive makes slow progress, many nonaligned countries see China at least providing some solution to the conflict. The Americans, meanwhile, just talk the language of taking ‘as long as it takes’. And whatever your views on the Ukraine conflict, it is hard to deny that the line from Washington has changed again and again.

“Munitions that are ruled out one month are passed another month. Tanks and planes are presented as unthinkable to provide one month and provided the next. None of this is helped by the sheer lack of confidence that anybody dealing with the US president himself must feel. 

“Last month, Biden held a meeting at the White House with the Israeli president Isaac Herzog. The hope was that it would reassure Israelis that the relationship was as solid as ever. This came at the same time as Biden was chiding prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his judicial reforms. That in itself is a classic Biden misstep. What business is it of the Americans if the Israeli government chooses to make long overdue changes to its supreme court system?… the belief that the Americans have the right to lecture everyone in the region is built into the system…

Tehran is once again extorting the US by demanding money for prisoners. Iran has been a rogue state since 1979, but there are few rogue states in the world that America is so constantly and successfully blackmailed by. Expect pallets of cash to be handed over once more, as during the Obama-Biden years, to a regime dancing on the edge of trying to become a nuclear power. 

“For many countries in the region, Saudi Arabia and Israel perhaps most of all, that is the nightmare scenario, an Iran that goes nuclear fast. But then, Iran is in a good position. It has some strong friends… and some weak enemies, including the US…”

An accurate description of America’s shameful and incompetent performance on the world scene.

Saudi Arabia to Take Over the Temple Mount?

Israel News wrote on or about August 20:

“The timing was not accidental when Saudi Arabia announced over the weekend that its ambassador to Jordan will also take on the roles of ambassador to the Palestinian Authority and consul general in eastern Jerusalem…

“Although Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen on Sunday quickly shot down the idea of a Saudi consulate for the Palestinians in eastern Jerusalem, Saudi and Palestinian officials said, ‘The Saudi move is an indication of the possibility of an agreement to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia soon and is a signal to the entire region.’

“But Saudi and Palestinian officials also said, ‘Saudi Arabia wishes to signal to Jordan that it considers itself entitled to set foot in the al-Aqsa mosque in east Jerusalem, which would make the crown prince and the Al Saud dynasty responsible for the three holy places of Islam: Mecca, Medina and al-Aqsa.’… For several years, Saudi Arabia has been signaling to Jordan that it intends to replace Amman as custodian of Jerusalem’s Temple Mount

“Dr. Mordechai Kedar… said… ‘When considering the negotiations to bring normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia, it is important to remember that the Saudis do not consider the Palestinians to be Arabs… If the Saudis take over the Temple Mount, it will be a huge blow to the Palestinians. Without Al Aqsa, the Palestinians have nothing; no connection to the land, no political claim, no claim to status in Islam…’”

Interesting developments in the Middle East. The Temple Mount and the Al Aqsa mosque keep at the forefront of attention.

China and Russia Collaborate Militarily

Business Insider wrote on August 20:

“China claims it has remained neutral and has repeatedly denied sending military equipment to Russia since it launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

“But The Telegraph’s investigation found that the country has delivered tens of thousands of shipments to Russian military equipment manufacturers… Trade between the two countries is set to exceed $200 billion this year, per the report — setting a new record.”

Russia and Iran Collaborate Militarily

The New York Post wrote on August 20:

“Russia is secretly working on building thousands of drones through a covert partnership with Iran… Engineers are quietly working to construct 6,000 drones by the summer of 2025 via a billion-dollar weapons deal between Moscow and Tehran. The work is being carried out at a facility in Tatarstan, about 500 miles from the Russian capital.

“Leaked documents… show that Russian drone production is heavily reliant on electronic parts from other countries and that Russian engineers have been trying to improve on the Iranian Shahed-136 attack drone, which is able to travel over 1,000 miles. Among the attempted improvements is making the drones able to carry out a swarm attack, in which they autonomously coordinate to strike a common target.”

Russia and India Collaborate Economically and Militarily

Deutsche Welle wrote on August 22:

“Russia, an enemy? Not in India, where Russia has long been viewed as a valued political and economic partner. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year, the relationship has even picked up additional pace. India has declined to join the West’s sanctions on Moscow, and the country is now importing more crude oil from Russia than ever before…

“Russia has become India’s fourth-largest source of imports in the past year… The economic and political relationship between Russia and India, which are both nuclear powers, is not only based on their mutual interest regarding oil. It also goes back to their long-standing cooperation during the Cold War era.

“The Soviet Union supplied weapons to India for decades and trained Indian forces in how to use them. India obtained three-fifths of its arms from the USSR between 1955 and 1991military cooperation between India and Russia remains significant… By contrast, there was a cooler relationship with the United States, which delivered arms to India’s enemy Pakistan…

“‘The Russian-Indian partnership will continue,’ Rajan Menon and Eugene Rumer from the US think tank Carnegie Endowment for International Peace wrote in September last year. ‘For India, Russia remains an important supplier of weapons…’”

The Kings of the East are coming together, including China, Russia, India and North Korea (see article below).

The Russia-North Korea-Pact

Daily Express US wrote on August 23:

“Russia’s ‘probable secret’ nuclear agreement with North Korea signals a ‘very dangerous development’…

“According to Paul Bracken, professor of management and political science at the Yale School of Management, the alliance between Russia and North Korea is a major cause for concern. He told Daily Express US: ‘We’re seeing new coalitions taking shape right before our eyes…’

“North Korea currently holds a huge stockpile of ballistic missiles… [It] has conducted more than 100 weapons tests since 2022, some involving nuclear-capable missiles designed to strike the US mainland and its allies South Korea and Japan.

“Russia, meanwhile, has the world’s largest stockpile of nuclear weapons, with around 6,000 warheads in its arsenal.”

It is alleged that North Korea provides Russia with conventional weapons while Russia provides North Korea with information as to how to build nuclear weapons.

The BRICS Bloc to Enlarge?

Portland Press Herald wrote on August 21:

“The BRICS bloc – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – will use an annual leaders’ summit in Johannesburg this week to begin the process of enlisting more members to bolster its global heft, a push driven mainly by Chinese President Xi Jinping but also backed by Russia and South Africa. There will also be talks on how to accelerate a shift away from the dollar, in part by increasing the use of local currencies in trade between members, which is surging…

“The summit could see the bloc’s first expansion since South Africa was added in 2010. High on the list of potential candidates are Indonesia and Saudi Arabia, as well as the United Arab Emirates, Algeria and Egypt. But India wants the process to be gradual. An expanded group would represent about half of global output by 2040… double the share of the Group of Seven, a reversal from the turn of this century. A bigger BRICS would account for almost half of the global population, up from 42% currently…

“Russian President Vladimir Putin is staying away from this year’s summit because he faces a war-crimes arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court, of which host South Africa is a member. He will participate remotely. The gathering will give him another opportunity to present his narrative of the Ukraine invasion directly to leaders from the Global South, many of whom have been sympathetic to his accounts in the past. Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa have been cautious about openly taking Russia’s side in the war, but have also been unwilling to ally with the West in opposing it...”

The Guardian wrote on August 24:

“The Brics group of big emerging economies has announced the admission of six new members, in an attempt to reshape the global world order and provide a counterweight to the US and its allies. From the beginning of next year, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Argentina, the UAE and Ethiopia will join the current five members – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – it was announced…

“The decision to admit Iran, also looking for a way to sidestep sanctions, represented a win for Putin and Xi, helping give the group a more anti-western, non-democratic tinge. They prevailed over the more cautious approach of the other members, who prefer to portray the group as non-aligned…”

South Africa—a modern descendant of the House of Israel–appears to be out of place in this group.

Panama Canal Dried Out

On or about August 20, MSN wrote the following:

“In what is being called the ‘world’s worst traffic jam,’ some 200 cargo ships are waiting to pass at the Panama Canal… the area experiences its worst drought in 100 years... the huge backlog has been growing for some time and might not get any better for a few weeks yet. The human-made passageway is famous not only as one of the world’s most impressive feats of engineering but as one of the most important trade routes on Earth.

“The Panama Canal relies on massive amounts of water, the supply of which is shrinking in the current drought…

“Though the flow of ships at the Panama Canal started at about 1,000 vessels when it opened in 1914, that traffic has steadily increased. In the 2022 fiscal year, the passageway was crossed by over 14,200 ships, accounting for some 40% of U.S. container traffic and annually representing $270 billion in cargo…”

Not surprisingly, the current drought is being blamed on “man-made climate change.” Sounding like a parrot, the author mentions climate change eight times in this short article.

More and More Boosters

The Dossier wrote on August 17:

“Pfizer announced Thursday that their new shot, which targets the Eris variant (whatever that is) of… Covid-19, is showing great promise in mice.  And given that Big Pharma heavyweights like Pfizer pretty much control America’s Government Health institutions, we should expect to see FDA authorization for another ‘emergency use’ shot in the coming weeks.

“… this would make for an eighth dose of mRNA in under three years… some… now recommend a booster every two months for the immunocompromised. If you’re not yet immunocompromised, you can take a shot every four months…

“… most Americans have stopped getting mRNA injections, largely because many quietly realized that they have been bamboozled by Big Pharma into taking a shot that does not in fact stop [Corona].”

COVID Mandates Are Coming Back!

Breitbart wrote on August 21:

“COVID mask mandates are returning to Hollywood, with Lionsgate being the first major studio to reinstate masking and daily testing for its Los Angeles office workers… A growing number of colleges and medical institutions throughout the country are also reinstating mask mandates, with the mainstream news media running articles pushing for the return of face coverings

“The return of mask mandates comes as the Biden administration is ramping up another round of COVID hysteria ahead of 2024, pressuring all Americans to get the latest booster this fall. This had led to growing suspicion that Democrats will not only impose mask mandates but bring back mass lockdowns ahead of the next presidential election, in a repeat of 2020… the new push for Americans to line up for booster shots follows the revelation in January that health officials want to make coronavirus booster vaccinations an annual event.”

This is so appallingly incredible. Please take note of our new member letter, dated August 21, 2023, which addresses this issue in great detail.

A New Virus on the Horizon?

LifeSiteNews wrote on August 19:

“There are strong indications that another alleged ‘virus’ may be released early this Fall and that governments will once again, on the advice of the WHO, declare a health emergency mandating masking, lockdowns and much more and put heavy pressure on the populace to be ‘vaccinated.’ Should this happen and the public again complies, the results are certain to be catastrophic…

“We now know that all the mandates and policies for the last coronavirus alleged ‘pandemic’ were not only useless and medically and scientifically unjustified, they were also devastatingly harmful

“If another health emergency is declared… will be told another pile of seemingly convincing lies and for many it will be hard to resist the lies and the pressures to comply…

“Dr. Meryl Nass wrote: ‘We can produce vaccines in 100 days and manufacture them in 130 days–but there will be no guarantees that the products will be safe, effective, or adequately manufactured. And we can expect large profits but no consequences for the manufacturers… New biological weapons can be engineered. They can be shared. Maybe that will speed up the development of vaccines and therapeutics. But who really benefits from this scheme? Who pays the price of accidents or deliberate use? Wouldn’t it be better to end so-called gain-of-function research entirely through restrictions on funding and other regulations, rather than encouraging its proliferation?’”

Big Pharma would fight it. And so will be the mass media. Note the next article.

YouTube on the Warpath Again

Rebel News wrote on August 16:

“YouTube will censor content creators that disagree with, or perhaps only question, guidance from the World Health Organization or local health authorities, according to the company’s updated ‘medical misinformation’ policy.

“The change has broad, sweeping implications for content creators. The platform’s previous policy touched on vaccines, abortions and content promoting or glorifying eating disorders but severely ramped up during COVID-19.

“In the new, ambiguously worded update, YouTube says it ‘doesn’t allow content that poses a serious risk of egregious harm by spreading medical misinformation that contradicts local health authorities’ (LHAs) or the World Health Organization’s (WHO) guidance about specific health conditions and substances.’…

“Part of the policy means that one cannot make ‘claims that an approved COVID-19 vaccine will cause death, infertility, miscarriage, autism, or contraction of other infectious diseases.’”

This is completely unjustified and constitutes censorship aimed at supporting Big Pharma and suppressing the Truth.

Maui Wildfire Was Preventable!

Breitbart wrote on August 23:

“Evidence suggests the heartbreaking Maui wildfire was preventable… Democrats have become the equivalent of pagan sun worshippers. Nature has become their god. Therefore, in their pagan minds, human beings are nothing more than viruses, a threat to their god. This means that on their list of priorities, we humans come way behind the air, water, plants, animals, and even insects.

Democrats believe every living thing on the planet is sacred, worthy of respect, requires protection, and is part of the natural world … except human beings, especially Western ones. You see, with our hamburgers and air conditioners and automobiles and plastic coolers, we’re an aberration, a mistake made by nature. We are in the way.

“Hawaii is one of the most left-wing states in the union… Hawaii votes for politicians who put nature above human safety and comfort

“Firefighters in Maui didn’t run out of water to fight this deadly fire because Maui doesn’t have enough water…  With wildfires ravaging West Maui on Aug. 8, a state water official delayed the release of water that landowners wanted to help protect their property from fires. The water standoff played out over much of the day and the water didn’t come until too late…

“Then there are the pagan nature worshippers who neglected fire control to worship Gaia…

“We see this doom spiral throughout the country in one catastrophic Democrat-run city after another. In Hawaii, it was a totally preventable wildfire. In Chicago, Baltimore, New York, Detroit, Oakland, and San Francisco, it’s totally preventable violent crime, filthy and dangerous streets, hate crimes, addiction, failing schools, and exorbitant home prices…

“It’s a cult so brainwashed its members believe trashed cities and dead children are preferable to mean tweets. The Chief Priests of this cult will, of course, blame Climate Change… To them, Maui’s dead children are a necessary sacrifice to a pagan god that keeps them wealthy and powerful.”

Also note the next article.

Demonic Possession Is Real!

LifeSiteNews wrote on August 21:

“The idea that people can be possessed by malevolent spirits has been the basis of countless books, movies, and TV shows, many of which were, and remain, enormously popular… Despite our fascination with the topic, many people are ambivalent in their feelings about the demonic realm. Some dismiss the whole idea as mythical, assuming that all human wickedness can be explained as symptoms of psychological illness (or maybe politics).

“Others assume that incidents such as the one described in… Matthew 15, where Jesus frees the daughter of a Canaanite woman from possession — are artifacts of the distant past. ‘That was Bible times,’ they’ll say. ‘Such things don’t happen anymore.’

“Yet, the [Catholic] Church insists demons are indeed real, and that they’re as active today as they were in Jesus’ time. They work at the behest of Satan, and their intention is to make bad things happen. Really bad things…

“The Canaanite people (of whom the woman in Matthew’s Gospel was one) worshiped a variety of gods, each of which personified some force of nature. The Bible talks about the shrines, altars, and high places of worship at which the rituals of Canaanite religion were carried out. Those sites dotted the countryside, constant reminders of pagan presence in the land of Israel. The rites practiced there could open the hearts of participants to demonic influence (which may explain the daughter’s problem).

Nature worship still exists… as Environmentalism… the Environmental Movement has elevated concern for ‘Mother Earth,’ a created thing, over devotion to God who created it… But environmentalism, in the extreme form to which it has mutated, is a false god. And the worshipping of that false god has opened many people’s hearts to demonic influence, prompting numerous evil acts…

“This preoccupation with ‘Mother Earth,’ often to the exclusion of human need and safety, is just the kind of opening after which demons prowl. Another is involvement in the occult.

“Ouija boards, tarot cards, fortune telling, seances, crystals and pyramids, astrology — such devices have long been of great popular interest… they’re specifically intended for contacting a world outside of conscious life. And when people become absorbed in them (which happens more frequently than may be apparent), such practices can come to dominate someone’s thoughts. People can begin to make important decisions on the basis of ‘signs,’ ‘influences,’ and ‘messages’ from the beyond… These too are false gods. And giving oneself over to them can provide an opening to malevolent spirits…

“… in this modern era, we’ve seen evil of such magnitude that psychological illness (or even politics) is not sufficient to explain it.”

Satan is the god and ruler of this world, and he and his demons give their powers to whomever they want. Possession is clearly a fact, and not a thing of the past. Those who want to get in contact with demons—in whatever way—will pay a heavy price.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.

Update 1082

Learning to Follow Directions / The Mystery of Biblical Numbers – Part 2

On August 26, 2023, Kalon Mitchell will present the sermonette, titled, “Learning to Follow Directions,” and Michael Link will present the sermon, titled, “The Mystery of Biblical Numbers – Part 2″.

The live services are available, over video and audio, at http://eternalgod.org/live-services/ (12:30 pm Pacific Time; 1:30 pm Mountain Time; 2:30 pm Central Time; 3:30 pm Eastern Time; 8:30 pm Greenwich Mean Time; 9:30 pm Central European Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

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Be Prepared

by Kalon Mitchell

This past week, I was involved in a Jiu-Jitsu competition where I sparred with two other guys and came out in second place. 

The past few weeks though, leading up to this competition, have been tough in training and preparing for this moment. Almost 6 weeks ago, I pulled the ligament in my foot and had to take a week off, and I also had to be very careful now during training. All said and done, while it was fun to win second place, the most important thing I felt was not getting reinjured. 

While this has all been going on, even more importantly, I have been writing Q&As and messages for the upcoming Feast of Tabernacles. In all of our lives, we have moments that we prepare for. We must continue to prepare in our lives. Once we reach one milestone and one goal, more goals appear and the cycle continues.  

The Bible encourages us to be prepared in many areas of our lives. 

Specifically, we are told: 

  • To prepare by working to be able to provide for our family, and to be able to give tithes and offerings (compare Proverbs 21:20; 2 Thessalonians 3:10; 1 Timothy 5:8);
  • To be prepared to give an answer about our faith and what we believe (1 Peter 3:15-16). This means that we have to know what we believe which takes studying God’s Word. We have so much material on our website https://www.eternalgod.org/ that can be used. If we cannot give an answer to people, then we are not prepared and we should dig in a little more;
  • To prepare to be counted worthy to stand before Christ at His return (Luke 21:36; Matthew 24:42);
  • To prepare for the Feast of Tabernacles. Some will be giving messages, some will be translating, some will be giving special music, etc. All of this takes preparation and time. It should be something that we do with joy and great excitement. Whether or not we have been specifically assigned to serve at the Feast in some capacity, we should be prepared for this time and enjoy it with enthusiasm and great attitudes (Leviticus 23:33-44).

We are not the only ones preparing. Christ is preparing “a place” for us, as we read in John 14:3. 

The opportunities to prepare are given to us so that we can learn not to neglect the important things in life. The most important thing is living in a way that God is happy about. This challenge is laid out for us so that we may prove to Him that we want to be in His Family. This is an all-encompassing Way of Life that has to be studied and acted upon throughout our entire lives. 

What do you consider the most important thing in your life? How much do you prepare? 

Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27: “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.”

Preparations are happening for all of us in various ways. Let’s make sure we are preparing properly and with the right intent and motivation. It is then that we can make progress in our life. 

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by Norbert Link

We begin with new developments, revelations and reactions regarding Georgia’s indictment of Donald Trump and the frightening but to a large extent ignored terrible economic situation in the USA.

In contrast, we point out dissatisfaction of most Germans with their country’s miserable conditions and address logical reactions which the German government is unwilling to accept. In fact, their attempts to “handle” the situation make matters even worse for them. In this context, please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “America and Germany in Decline!”

We address the somewhat useless announcement by the USA of having given the green light for delivery of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine in the distant future; and show how America’s misguided policies have managed to alienate its friends and to embolden its enemies.

We speak on Saudi Arabia’s willingness to become custodian of the Temple Mount and Al Aqsa; and the military collaboration between Russia, China, India, North Korea and Iran. We also report on developments regarding the BRICS bloc.

We continue with a historical drought affecting the Panama Canal; and further attempts to influence a gullible public to take more and more booster shots, and to be prepared for another “virus,” allegedly necessitating again drastic governmental measures to combat it. Please read in this regard our new member letter, dated August 21, 2023. brethren-20230821.pdf

We conclude with insightful articles on nature worship and demonic possession.

Throughout this section, we have underlined pertinent statements in the quoted articles, for the convenience and quick overview of the reader.

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Georgia’s Indictment Started with Fake News

Breitbart wrote on August 18:

“The fake news was reporting that Trump had told Georgia officials, by telephone, to fabricate votes.

“In early January 2020… Trump was reported to have told Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to ‘find’ the votes he needed to win. Actually, what Trump said was: ‘I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have because we won the state’ (emphasis added)… Trump was speaking in the context of believing he had already won the state

“As George Washington University Law School professor Jonathan Turley has noted: ‘… it seems more likely that Trump was swatting back claims that there was no value to a statewide recount by pointing out that he wouldn’t have to find a statistically high number of votes to change the outcome of the election. It is telling that many politicians and pundits refuse to even acknowledge that obvious alternate meaning.’

“The term ‘find’ is also used colloquially, and often, in the context of counting votes. Political analysts on television routinely say that a candidate needs to ‘find’ votes in one area or another, having already been cast, as results are reported by local precincts.”

It is just appalling to see how the left-wing mass media—also being described as fake news—influences the governments on federal and state levels… and vice versa. Of course, Georgia’s left-wing biased prosecutor Fani Willis jumped on just about anything she could think of in order to accomplish her declared goal of “getting Trump.”

Trump Cancels Press Conference on Indictment in Georgia

Breitbart wrote on August 18:

“Trump will no longer hold a media conference… to address his fourth indictment…

“‘Rather than releasing the Report on the Rigged & Stolen Georgia 2020 Presidential Election on Monday, my lawyers would prefer putting this, I believe, Irrefutable & Overwhelming evidence of Election Fraud & Irregularities in formal Legal Filings as we fight to dismiss this disgraceful Indictment,’ Trump wrote…”

As we predicted, these criminal indictments by Jack Smith and now by Fani Willis have opened a pandora’s box in that the carefully avoided discussions by the mass media of possible voter fraud and a rigged election in 2020 are now being attempted to be finally litigated in the courts, as this was for the most part NOT done before. The often-repeated claim by the mass media that many courts have decided on the merits that there was no voter fraud is absolutely false.

Schiff in Prison for a Millennium 

American Insider wrote on August 20:

“‘Remember the Russian hoax and the Mueller investigation?’ Senator Graham asked rhetorically. ‘Donald Trump is being charged with a criminal act for telling people to watch a network show about the election.’ ‘If that becomes a crime Adam Schiff will be in jail for 1,000 years!’ he continued. ‘How many times did Schiff go on MSNBC and CNN and tell us Donald Trump was a Russian agent?’…

“The blatant lies of Democrat Rep. Adam Schiff were recently exposed with the release of the bombshell ‘Durham Report.’ Schiff spread false information to Americans by repeatedly claiming President Trump’s 2016 campaign was coordinated with Russia to influence the election…”

A funny suggestion by Graham. Although satirical, it shows the blatant hypocrisy of Schiff and others regarding their condemnation of Trump.

CNN: Biden Was Wrong, Trump Was Right

Fox News wrote on August 19:

“CNN host and chief Washington correspondent Jake Tapper admitted that former President Donald Trump ‘was right’ when he accused then-presidential candidate Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden of accepting large amounts of foreign money during the 2020 presidential debates…

“Tapper also declared that Biden ‘was wrong’ during the match-ups between the two candidates three years ago, when the then-Democratic nominee denied Trump’s allegations that his son made ‘a fortune in Ukraine, in China, in Moscow and various other places.’ At the time Biden flatly rejected the claim, saying, ‘None of that is true.’…”

Even though Tapper seemed to suggest that Joe Biden might not have known better—a rather ridiculous assumption—CNN keeps shooting at Biden by finally admitting what has been known to be the truth for many years.  

Biden Lies and Lies…

The Editorial Board of the New York Post wrote on August 20:

“President Joe Biden is in the middle of a victory tour over his supposed economic successes — but the numbers keep showing his arguments for Bidenomics are pure disinformation. ‘It’s working,’ he crowed Tuesday to an audience in Milwaukee on a re-election campaign tour stop. Not, it’s not.

“…Average Americans are spending $709 more per month on everyday goods and services like food than they were two years ago. That’s an eye-watering $8,508 yearly bump. 

“Indeed, inflation since Biden took office totals 15%. Focus on daily essentials (like food, power bills, mortgages), and prices are up almost 25%…

“Biden’s lies on the economy are nothing new. Witness his February claim that ‘We created more new jobs in two years than any president did in their entire term.’ No: Those were jobs lost to COVID policy overreactions that came back during the long and tepid employment recovery he oversaw. 

“Seems the overall Biden strategy here just to lie and lie and lie as liberal [journalists] seal-clap, and figure everyday voters will buy it. Huge mistake: Every trip to buy milk or fill the tank proves what a disaster Bidenomics has been…”

The tragedy is, even though many Americans suffer economically and otherwise, they do not seem to be able or willing to connect the dots. Something else is happening in Germany; note the following articles.

Germans Dissatisfied

Deutsche Welle wrote on August 18:

“If you think Germany is efficient and decisive, you probably don’t live here. From unreliable passenger rail to long waits for public services, too few appointment slots to see doctors and not enough room in preschools, German institutions seem increasingly unable to meet the everyday needs of the population they serve. 

“That hasn’t gone unnoticed by the general public. Just 27% of people in Germany have the sense the state is able to fulfill its responsibilities…

“Germans are looking for leadership…”

It currently does not exist in Germany. But things will change…

Germany’s Decline

Daily Mail wrote on August 18:

“German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock, en route to Australasia on a week-long, high-profile mission to enhance her country’s status in the Indo-Pacific region, was left stranded in Abu Dhabi when her government A340 Airbus broke down during a refuelling stop in the Gulf. Attempts to continue her journey were aborted twice, minutes after take-off. She abandoned her diplomatic mission and returned to Berlin on a commercial flight…

“That broken-down official jet, opined Der Spiegel, the country’s leading news magazine, ‘fits with everything you’ve been hearing about the country lately’, capturing the pervasive sense of gloom that grips Germany these days — and with good reason.

“The economy, now in recession, has declined for three consecutive quarters. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) thinks Germany will be the only major economy to shrink this year… The country is gripped by a variety of woes signalling long-term decline, most of which can be traced to Angela Merkel’s 16 years as German Chancellor…

“Germany’s mighty car industry has its back to the wall, especially since it has no special advantages when it comes to building electric vehicles (EVs) and Berlin has inflicted such high costs on it. The combined market value of the country’s legendary carmakers — BMW, Mercedes, Volkswagen and Porsche — is now barely 50 per cent of Elon Musk’s Tesla. Chinese-manufactured EVs are eating away Germany’s once huge share of the car market…

“Government bureaucracy is mired in the analogue age, which makes it inefficient, and even its fabled railways no longer run on time. Indeed, some run so late that Switzerland often stops German trains at the border so they don’t mess up the immaculate time-keeping of its own train services.

“There are a lot of ways to ruin a nation… Merkel and her successors seem to have discovered most of them….”

Sadly, this seems to be very true. And so, Germans are crying out for change and decisive leadership.

The Success Story of Germany’s AfD

The left-wing radical Washington Post wrote on August 18:

Maximilian Krah, the newly elected top candidate of the far-right Alternative for Germany for the European elections, doesn’t believe in watering down political messages to win centrist votes… he has described Pride Month as ‘disgusting,’ is a proponent of deporting immigrants and peppers his speech with allusions [to] white supremacist conspiracy theories [Not really, see his statements and explanations below.]. ‘We have become clearer in what we want and what we think,’ the 46-year-old rising star of the far right said of his party, known by its German acronym AfD. ‘We have more of the Trumpian style of communication.’

“Far-right experts say his recent election as lead candidate to represent the party in the 2024 European Parliament elections was just another sign of the AfD’s increasing radicalization [How his election to the European Parliament is a sign of his party’s increasing realization is difficult to fathom.]. But while the party is becoming unpalatable as a partner even to some of Europe’s most radical right-wing populists, it is attracting a record number of German voters. In recent months the AfD has surged to become the second strongest political force in the country after the opposition Christian Democrats, polling at around 21 percent, ahead of all members of the country’s liberal governing coalition…

“While other European far-right parties… have toned down and turned their focus to courting more centrist conservatives, the AfD stands apart. ‘The experts and pundits always tell us that if you want to have better election results, you have to give up your positions, you should become a more centrist style party,’ said Krah, who has eight children by three women… ‘We are not the kind of singer that asks what your audience wants and then sings a song,’ he said… ‘We have a clear ideology.’

“At the European Union level, even Hungarian populist Prime Minister Viktor Orban last year said he was ‘forced to sacrifice relations with the AfD on the altar of good international relations’ while far-right Italian politician Matteo Salvini has indicated he’s looking for more centrist allies… At the summit in Magdeburg over weekends in late July and early August, 600 candidates vied to represent the party and adopt an election program that branded the European Union a ‘failed project.’ Guest speakers included Bulgarian right-wing extremist Kostadin Kostadinov, who fondly referred to the alliance between Germany and Romania during both world wars and called for Germany to take ‘its rightful place as a great power, and not only in Europe.’..

“The party has so far failed to overturn a decision by the agency to put it under surveillance, with a Cologne court ruling in March last year that there were ‘sufficient indications of anti-constitutional endeavors within the party’ to justify its monitoring…

Krah rejects the notion that the party is becoming more extreme or that he’s to the right of it… The idea that immigrants are replacing ethnic Germans is ‘a description’ of the situation rather than a conspiracy theory, said Krah, who also doesn’t see an issue with saying that Germany should reclaim its rightful place in the world. ‘Germany is a country in a crisis, and it’s not just an economic crisis. It’s also an identity crisis,’ he said. ‘It’s a crisis where Germans forgot to be proud of their own fathers and grandfathers. Mothers and grandmothers.’…

“The AfD’s record-high position in the polls comes amid brimming dissatisfaction with Germany’s ruling three-party coalition, led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s center-left Social Democrats… [In addition to Germany’s mishandling of the Covid pandemic and Germany’s shaky economy,] Krah puts the party’s success down to the population’s distain for liberal policies on climate, gender and LGBT issues, immigration and the war in Ukraine, saying established political parties have no answer to real issues German face… the party’s increased success makes it difficult for others to make viable political coalitions without them…  ‘The right wing is on rise,’ [Krah] said. ‘And that’s Europe wide.’”

The left-wing narrative in the article cannot hide the fact that, reading between the lines, many of the positions of the AfD, as described herein, are not unreasonable. They also seem to indicate the beginning of the fulfillment of prophecy.

AfD Politician Convicted of “Incitement”!

Deutsche Welle reported on August 18:

“A court in the German city of Munich on Friday convicted a politician from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party over remarks comparing a coronavirus vaccination campaign with Nazi-era anti-Jewish pogroms.

“Florian Jäger, who served as a member of Germany’s national parliament, the Bundestag, posted a video on his Facebook page in 2021. In it, he claimed that the German government’s COVID measures were comparable with the November pogrom terror campaign against German Jews in 1938…

“The court ruled that the comments in question amounted to incitement and sentenced Jäger to pay a fine of €2,700 ($2,930)…

“If the Holocaust is degraded to an arbitrary object of comparison for measures that are perceived as unwelcome, then the protection of Jewish people from anti-Semitic attacks, would also be dragged down,’ [the prosecutor] said.

“Jäger is currently the chairman for the AfD in the district Fürstenfeldbruck. He has one week to appeal the decision.”

An absolutely ridiculous decision. By no stretch of the imagination was the Holocaust “degraded” and neither was the “protection of Jews from anti-Semitic attacks” endangered. The comparison between Germany’s unconstitutional measures of “fighting” the Corona pandemic and Germany’s terror campaign against Jews amounted to just the opposite. But the German legal system does not want to hear this. No wonder the AfD rises in popularity with such nonsensical and blatantly false allegations and “findings” against it.

F-16 Jets for Ukraine Without Immediate Benefit!

The Wall Street Journal wrote on August 18:

“Washington has cleared the way for the Netherlands [and Denmark] to deliver F-16 jets to Ukraine…

“The announcement comes amid growing concerns that Ukraine’s counteroffensive has stalled, with Kyiv’s forces having so far failed to punch through fortified Russian lines. One U.S. official said an intelligence assessment concluded it was unlikely that the Ukrainians would reach Melitopol, their presumed objective near the Sea of Azov, during their current counteroffensive…

“Western officials caution it will take time to train Ukrainian pilots and deliver the aircraft. Ukrainians won’t have the aircraft until well into 2024, and perhaps not until the middle or latter part of next year, they said. Only eight Ukrainian pilots are currently deemed to meet the language requirements to immediately begin training…

“Ukrainian officials have complained about the slow pace of the projected delivery schedule and argued that Washington has dragged its feet…  Gen. James Hecker, the top U.S. Air Force commander for forces in Africa and Europe,… warned it could be [four or five] years before Ukraine would make full use of the jets…”

Washington’s blessing for the plane donations to Ukraine and the training of Ukrainian pilots are needed because the aircrafts are made in the United States.

America’s Friends Alienated and America’s Enemies Emboldened

The Telegraph wrote on August 20:

“[In 2021], the Americans handed to the Taliban one of the most expensive and complete sets of military equipment in the world… the manner of the withdrawal [from Afghanistan] and the weakness it projected have had profound implications. Many experts believe that Vladimir Putin’s long-held desire to annex Ukraine was sparked into action by the ineffectual way in which the US withdrew. Worse is that the axis on which the global order moves has subtly shifted in the resulting period.

“For instance, if you are going to make one big mistake in a region, you had better make sure that every other alliance is in very good working order. The necessary isolation of Russia since its aggression in Ukraine has certainly pushed Russia closer into its own axis, of China and Iran… far from being without clout, and all the more reason to shore up your natural allies. The Biden administration has been exceptionally poor at doing that.

“Israel is generally thought of by outsiders as being almost de facto within the orbit of America. But the fraying of that relationship during the Obama administration (during which Biden was vice president) is undeniable. During that time, Israel inevitably had to keep other lines of friendship open, including with Russia. So Israel has, as a matter of realpolitik, kept itself out of the clear demarcations the rest of America’s allies have held to since the start of the Ukraine crisis.

“Such things happen once you take to hectoring allies, rather than working with them. Until recently, there were few similarities between the Israelis and the Saudis. But Biden has managed to create some… With energy prices soaring last summer due to the fallout of the Ukraine war, Biden personally went to Saudi Arabia and asked them to increase oil production. There was a time when an American leader just needed to pick up the phone. But with midterms looming, Riyadh actually cut production. It was an amazing… sign not only that the Saudis didn’t need to do what the US asked, but could do the opposite if they chose.

“In such a situation, dangerous new alliances form. What has been most striking in the past year has been the audacious efforts by the Chinese to step into the roles once expected of the US. If there was a peace deal to be brokered in the Middle East, it used to be assumed that it would be America that would broker it. No more. 

“When a deal was agreed in March to restore relations between the bitter enemies Iran and Saudi Arabia, it was Beijing that brokered it. Around the same time, it was the Chinese leadership that started touting a ‘peace deal’ to end the war in Ukraine… as the Ukrainian counteroffensive makes slow progress, many nonaligned countries see China at least providing some solution to the conflict. The Americans, meanwhile, just talk the language of taking ‘as long as it takes’. And whatever your views on the Ukraine conflict, it is hard to deny that the line from Washington has changed again and again.

“Munitions that are ruled out one month are passed another month. Tanks and planes are presented as unthinkable to provide one month and provided the next. None of this is helped by the sheer lack of confidence that anybody dealing with the US president himself must feel. 

“Last month, Biden held a meeting at the White House with the Israeli president Isaac Herzog. The hope was that it would reassure Israelis that the relationship was as solid as ever. This came at the same time as Biden was chiding prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his judicial reforms. That in itself is a classic Biden misstep. What business is it of the Americans if the Israeli government chooses to make long overdue changes to its supreme court system?… the belief that the Americans have the right to lecture everyone in the region is built into the system…

Tehran is once again extorting the US by demanding money for prisoners. Iran has been a rogue state since 1979, but there are few rogue states in the world that America is so constantly and successfully blackmailed by. Expect pallets of cash to be handed over once more, as during the Obama-Biden years, to a regime dancing on the edge of trying to become a nuclear power. 

“For many countries in the region, Saudi Arabia and Israel perhaps most of all, that is the nightmare scenario, an Iran that goes nuclear fast. But then, Iran is in a good position. It has some strong friends… and some weak enemies, including the US…”

An accurate description of America’s shameful and incompetent performance on the world scene.

Saudi Arabia to Take Over the Temple Mount?

Israel News wrote on or about August 20:

“The timing was not accidental when Saudi Arabia announced over the weekend that its ambassador to Jordan will also take on the roles of ambassador to the Palestinian Authority and consul general in eastern Jerusalem…

“Although Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen on Sunday quickly shot down the idea of a Saudi consulate for the Palestinians in eastern Jerusalem, Saudi and Palestinian officials said, ‘The Saudi move is an indication of the possibility of an agreement to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia soon and is a signal to the entire region.’

“But Saudi and Palestinian officials also said, ‘Saudi Arabia wishes to signal to Jordan that it considers itself entitled to set foot in the al-Aqsa mosque in east Jerusalem, which would make the crown prince and the Al Saud dynasty responsible for the three holy places of Islam: Mecca, Medina and al-Aqsa.’… For several years, Saudi Arabia has been signaling to Jordan that it intends to replace Amman as custodian of Jerusalem’s Temple Mount

“Dr. Mordechai Kedar… said… ‘When considering the negotiations to bring normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia, it is important to remember that the Saudis do not consider the Palestinians to be Arabs… If the Saudis take over the Temple Mount, it will be a huge blow to the Palestinians. Without Al Aqsa, the Palestinians have nothing; no connection to the land, no political claim, no claim to status in Islam…’”

Interesting developments in the Middle East. The Temple Mount and the Al Aqsa mosque keep at the forefront of attention.

China and Russia Collaborate Militarily

Business Insider wrote on August 20:

“China claims it has remained neutral and has repeatedly denied sending military equipment to Russia since it launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

“But The Telegraph’s investigation found that the country has delivered tens of thousands of shipments to Russian military equipment manufacturers… Trade between the two countries is set to exceed $200 billion this year, per the report — setting a new record.”

Russia and Iran Collaborate Militarily

The New York Post wrote on August 20:

“Russia is secretly working on building thousands of drones through a covert partnership with Iran… Engineers are quietly working to construct 6,000 drones by the summer of 2025 via a billion-dollar weapons deal between Moscow and Tehran. The work is being carried out at a facility in Tatarstan, about 500 miles from the Russian capital.

“Leaked documents… show that Russian drone production is heavily reliant on electronic parts from other countries and that Russian engineers have been trying to improve on the Iranian Shahed-136 attack drone, which is able to travel over 1,000 miles. Among the attempted improvements is making the drones able to carry out a swarm attack, in which they autonomously coordinate to strike a common target.”

Russia and India Collaborate Economically and Militarily

Deutsche Welle wrote on August 22:

“Russia, an enemy? Not in India, where Russia has long been viewed as a valued political and economic partner. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year, the relationship has even picked up additional pace. India has declined to join the West’s sanctions on Moscow, and the country is now importing more crude oil from Russia than ever before…

“Russia has become India’s fourth-largest source of imports in the past year… The economic and political relationship between Russia and India, which are both nuclear powers, is not only based on their mutual interest regarding oil. It also goes back to their long-standing cooperation during the Cold War era.

“The Soviet Union supplied weapons to India for decades and trained Indian forces in how to use them. India obtained three-fifths of its arms from the USSR between 1955 and 1991military cooperation between India and Russia remains significant… By contrast, there was a cooler relationship with the United States, which delivered arms to India’s enemy Pakistan…

“‘The Russian-Indian partnership will continue,’ Rajan Menon and Eugene Rumer from the US think tank Carnegie Endowment for International Peace wrote in September last year. ‘For India, Russia remains an important supplier of weapons…’”

The Kings of the East are coming together, including China, Russia, India and North Korea (see article below).

The Russia-North Korea-Pact

Daily Express US wrote on August 23:

“Russia’s ‘probable secret’ nuclear agreement with North Korea signals a ‘very dangerous development’…

“According to Paul Bracken, professor of management and political science at the Yale School of Management, the alliance between Russia and North Korea is a major cause for concern. He told Daily Express US: ‘We’re seeing new coalitions taking shape right before our eyes…’

“North Korea currently holds a huge stockpile of ballistic missiles… [It] has conducted more than 100 weapons tests since 2022, some involving nuclear-capable missiles designed to strike the US mainland and its allies South Korea and Japan.

“Russia, meanwhile, has the world’s largest stockpile of nuclear weapons, with around 6,000 warheads in its arsenal.”

It is alleged that North Korea provides Russia with conventional weapons while Russia provides North Korea with information as to how to build nuclear weapons.

The BRICS Bloc to Enlarge?

Portland Press Herald wrote on August 21:

“The BRICS bloc – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – will use an annual leaders’ summit in Johannesburg this week to begin the process of enlisting more members to bolster its global heft, a push driven mainly by Chinese President Xi Jinping but also backed by Russia and South Africa. There will also be talks on how to accelerate a shift away from the dollar, in part by increasing the use of local currencies in trade between members, which is surging…

“The summit could see the bloc’s first expansion since South Africa was added in 2010. High on the list of potential candidates are Indonesia and Saudi Arabia, as well as the United Arab Emirates, Algeria and Egypt. But India wants the process to be gradual. An expanded group would represent about half of global output by 2040… double the share of the Group of Seven, a reversal from the turn of this century. A bigger BRICS would account for almost half of the global population, up from 42% currently…

“Russian President Vladimir Putin is staying away from this year’s summit because he faces a war-crimes arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court, of which host South Africa is a member. He will participate remotely. The gathering will give him another opportunity to present his narrative of the Ukraine invasion directly to leaders from the Global South, many of whom have been sympathetic to his accounts in the past. Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa have been cautious about openly taking Russia’s side in the war, but have also been unwilling to ally with the West in opposing it...”

The Guardian wrote on August 24:

“The Brics group of big emerging economies has announced the admission of six new members, in an attempt to reshape the global world order and provide a counterweight to the US and its allies. From the beginning of next year, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Argentina, the UAE and Ethiopia will join the current five members – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – it was announced…

“The decision to admit Iran, also looking for a way to sidestep sanctions, represented a win for Putin and Xi, helping give the group a more anti-western, non-democratic tinge. They prevailed over the more cautious approach of the other members, who prefer to portray the group as non-aligned…”

South Africa—a modern descendant of the House of Israel–appears to be out of place in this group.

Panama Canal Dried Out

On or about August 20, MSN wrote the following:

“In what is being called the ‘world’s worst traffic jam,’ some 200 cargo ships are waiting to pass at the Panama Canal… the area experiences its worst drought in 100 years... the huge backlog has been growing for some time and might not get any better for a few weeks yet. The human-made passageway is famous not only as one of the world’s most impressive feats of engineering but as one of the most important trade routes on Earth.

“The Panama Canal relies on massive amounts of water, the supply of which is shrinking in the current drought…

“Though the flow of ships at the Panama Canal started at about 1,000 vessels when it opened in 1914, that traffic has steadily increased. In the 2022 fiscal year, the passageway was crossed by over 14,200 ships, accounting for some 40% of U.S. container traffic and annually representing $270 billion in cargo…”

Not surprisingly, the current drought is being blamed on “man-made climate change.” Sounding like a parrot, the author mentions climate change eight times in this short article.

More and More Boosters

The Dossier wrote on August 17:

“Pfizer announced Thursday that their new shot, which targets the Eris variant (whatever that is) of… Covid-19, is showing great promise in mice.  And given that Big Pharma heavyweights like Pfizer pretty much control America’s Government Health institutions, we should expect to see FDA authorization for another ‘emergency use’ shot in the coming weeks.

“… this would make for an eighth dose of mRNA in under three years… some… now recommend a booster every two months for the immunocompromised. If you’re not yet immunocompromised, you can take a shot every four months…

“… most Americans have stopped getting mRNA injections, largely because many quietly realized that they have been bamboozled by Big Pharma into taking a shot that does not in fact stop [Corona].”

COVID Mandates Are Coming Back!

Breitbart wrote on August 21:

“COVID mask mandates are returning to Hollywood, with Lionsgate being the first major studio to reinstate masking and daily testing for its Los Angeles office workers… A growing number of colleges and medical institutions throughout the country are also reinstating mask mandates, with the mainstream news media running articles pushing for the return of face coverings

“The return of mask mandates comes as the Biden administration is ramping up another round of COVID hysteria ahead of 2024, pressuring all Americans to get the latest booster this fall. This had led to growing suspicion that Democrats will not only impose mask mandates but bring back mass lockdowns ahead of the next presidential election, in a repeat of 2020… the new push for Americans to line up for booster shots follows the revelation in January that health officials want to make coronavirus booster vaccinations an annual event.”

This is so appallingly incredible. Please take note of our new member letter, dated August 21, 2023, which addresses this issue in great detail.

A New Virus on the Horizon?

LifeSiteNews wrote on August 19:

“There are strong indications that another alleged ‘virus’ may be released early this Fall and that governments will once again, on the advice of the WHO, declare a health emergency mandating masking, lockdowns and much more and put heavy pressure on the populace to be ‘vaccinated.’ Should this happen and the public again complies, the results are certain to be catastrophic…

“We now know that all the mandates and policies for the last coronavirus alleged ‘pandemic’ were not only useless and medically and scientifically unjustified, they were also devastatingly harmful

“If another health emergency is declared… will be told another pile of seemingly convincing lies and for many it will be hard to resist the lies and the pressures to comply…

“Dr. Meryl Nass wrote: ‘We can produce vaccines in 100 days and manufacture them in 130 days–but there will be no guarantees that the products will be safe, effective, or adequately manufactured. And we can expect large profits but no consequences for the manufacturers… New biological weapons can be engineered. They can be shared. Maybe that will speed up the development of vaccines and therapeutics. But who really benefits from this scheme? Who pays the price of accidents or deliberate use? Wouldn’t it be better to end so-called gain-of-function research entirely through restrictions on funding and other regulations, rather than encouraging its proliferation?’”

Big Pharma would fight it. And so will be the mass media. Note the next article.

YouTube on the Warpath Again

Rebel News wrote on August 16:

“YouTube will censor content creators that disagree with, or perhaps only question, guidance from the World Health Organization or local health authorities, according to the company’s updated ‘medical misinformation’ policy.

“The change has broad, sweeping implications for content creators. The platform’s previous policy touched on vaccines, abortions and content promoting or glorifying eating disorders but severely ramped up during COVID-19.

“In the new, ambiguously worded update, YouTube says it ‘doesn’t allow content that poses a serious risk of egregious harm by spreading medical misinformation that contradicts local health authorities’ (LHAs) or the World Health Organization’s (WHO) guidance about specific health conditions and substances.’…

“Part of the policy means that one cannot make ‘claims that an approved COVID-19 vaccine will cause death, infertility, miscarriage, autism, or contraction of other infectious diseases.’”

This is completely unjustified and constitutes censorship aimed at supporting Big Pharma and suppressing the Truth.

Maui Wildfire Was Preventable!

Breitbart wrote on August 23:

“Evidence suggests the heartbreaking Maui wildfire was preventable… Democrats have become the equivalent of pagan sun worshippers. Nature has become their god. Therefore, in their pagan minds, human beings are nothing more than viruses, a threat to their god. This means that on their list of priorities, we humans come way behind the air, water, plants, animals, and even insects.

Democrats believe every living thing on the planet is sacred, worthy of respect, requires protection, and is part of the natural world … except human beings, especially Western ones. You see, with our hamburgers and air conditioners and automobiles and plastic coolers, we’re an aberration, a mistake made by nature. We are in the way.

“Hawaii is one of the most left-wing states in the union… Hawaii votes for politicians who put nature above human safety and comfort

“Firefighters in Maui didn’t run out of water to fight this deadly fire because Maui doesn’t have enough water…  With wildfires ravaging West Maui on Aug. 8, a state water official delayed the release of water that landowners wanted to help protect their property from fires. The water standoff played out over much of the day and the water didn’t come until too late…

“Then there are the pagan nature worshippers who neglected fire control to worship Gaia…

“We see this doom spiral throughout the country in one catastrophic Democrat-run city after another. In Hawaii, it was a totally preventable wildfire. In Chicago, Baltimore, New York, Detroit, Oakland, and San Francisco, it’s totally preventable violent crime, filthy and dangerous streets, hate crimes, addiction, failing schools, and exorbitant home prices…

“It’s a cult so brainwashed its members believe trashed cities and dead children are preferable to mean tweets. The Chief Priests of this cult will, of course, blame Climate Change… To them, Maui’s dead children are a necessary sacrifice to a pagan god that keeps them wealthy and powerful.”

Also note the next article.

Demonic Possession Is Real!

LifeSiteNews wrote on August 21:

“The idea that people can be possessed by malevolent spirits has been the basis of countless books, movies, and TV shows, many of which were, and remain, enormously popular… Despite our fascination with the topic, many people are ambivalent in their feelings about the demonic realm. Some dismiss the whole idea as mythical, assuming that all human wickedness can be explained as symptoms of psychological illness (or maybe politics).

“Others assume that incidents such as the one described in… Matthew 15, where Jesus frees the daughter of a Canaanite woman from possession — are artifacts of the distant past. ‘That was Bible times,’ they’ll say. ‘Such things don’t happen anymore.’

“Yet, the [Catholic] Church insists demons are indeed real, and that they’re as active today as they were in Jesus’ time. They work at the behest of Satan, and their intention is to make bad things happen. Really bad things…

“The Canaanite people (of whom the woman in Matthew’s Gospel was one) worshiped a variety of gods, each of which personified some force of nature. The Bible talks about the shrines, altars, and high places of worship at which the rituals of Canaanite religion were carried out. Those sites dotted the countryside, constant reminders of pagan presence in the land of Israel. The rites practiced there could open the hearts of participants to demonic influence (which may explain the daughter’s problem).

Nature worship still exists… as Environmentalism… the Environmental Movement has elevated concern for ‘Mother Earth,’ a created thing, over devotion to God who created it… But environmentalism, in the extreme form to which it has mutated, is a false god. And the worshipping of that false god has opened many people’s hearts to demonic influence, prompting numerous evil acts…

“This preoccupation with ‘Mother Earth,’ often to the exclusion of human need and safety, is just the kind of opening after which demons prowl. Another is involvement in the occult.

“Ouija boards, tarot cards, fortune telling, seances, crystals and pyramids, astrology — such devices have long been of great popular interest… they’re specifically intended for contacting a world outside of conscious life. And when people become absorbed in them (which happens more frequently than may be apparent), such practices can come to dominate someone’s thoughts. People can begin to make important decisions on the basis of ‘signs,’ ‘influences,’ and ‘messages’ from the beyond… These too are false gods. And giving oneself over to them can provide an opening to malevolent spirits…

“… in this modern era, we’ve seen evil of such magnitude that psychological illness (or even politics) is not sufficient to explain it.”

Satan is the god and ruler of this world, and he and his demons give their powers to whomever they want. Possession is clearly a fact, and not a thing of the past. Those who want to get in contact with demons—in whatever way—will pay a heavy price.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.

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How can young people have hope for the future?

It can seem bleak when it comes to the immediate future. Especially, when looking at it through the eyes of a young person growing up to become a Christian. With everything that is happening in the world at this time, how can a young person have hope for their future? Is it worth growing up and trying to accomplish things in this life?  

The definition of hope is “to trust in, wait for, look for, or desire something or someone; or to expect something beneficial in the future.” Viewing hope through the eyes of a young person is not something that comes easily. It is, however, something that is learned and which needs to grow. God will protect and help design the lives of the youth, giving them hope and encouragement throughout their lives. 

When we are young, it can be hard to see the future. Everything seems to be in the “here and now.” In an age of immediate gratification, it is challenging to sow seeds for the future. But these formative years as a young person are quite important. 

The book of Proverbs, being very informative, gives young people useful knowledge to live by. One of the best things one can do as a young person is to learn how to apply knowledge and understanding. Many young people in the world today are growing up without Godly knowledge, resulting in the breakdown and destruction of society. Notice, we are told in Proverbs 20:11: “Even a child is known by his deeds, Whether what he does is pure and right.” Today, most children are not worried about nor do they care about doing what is right; or we find most are doing whatever they feel is good. Society and social media continue to feed young children’s minds with thoughts of equality and gender neutralism with a picture of a “feel as you are” mentality.

While it is the parent’s duty to help educate children to understand the difference between right and wrong and to encourage them to do what is right, there is much more to say. 

One of the most important things to understand is that God has placed parents in young people’s lives for a reason. The 5th commandment, which is the first one mentioned after the first four which are directed towards God, is to honor our parents. Giving honor to parents is the first command that comes with a reward. By honoring our parents, God says we will receive a long life. 

How do you as a child honor your parents? Do you listen to what they have to say? Do you respect their wishes? Do you have good communication with them and do you not talk back? The list of questions could go on and on, but the idea is pretty simple—what do you do to show respect and honor? 

Going back to the promise of long life, this command is directed to children today! Long life will be theirs if they are willing to obey God. His commands come with built-in rewards. It is truly remarkable. 

God gives us hope for our futures—even for the future of young people! 

It is not wrong to think in terms of what one wants to do in the future. God gives everyone gifts in terms of talents (Romans 12:6)—what they are good at. Some people are good at math. Some people may be gifted at music or art. Not everyone is able to do the same things.

As you, as a young person,grow up, your talents and gifts will start to mature. This becomes important as you move on with your life. Including God in these matters and asking Him to show you the course of direction is extremely important. There are a few persons in the Bible who did this, and God led them through their lives (including Samuel, Daniel and his friends, Jeremiah, and Jesus Christ). Even Christ grew up learning how to be a carpenter. In our free booklet, “Do You Know the Jesus of the Bible?”, in chapter 9, it states that Christ was a carpenter or an architect. He didn’t just get this skill automatically and by chance. It took a lot of learning from His step-father Joseph, and He did work in this occupation until He started His public ministry. This is important to realize as you grow up. If there is a trade that interests you, you are going to have to spend time and effort in acquiring the skills to learn this trade. 

Recently, in a Youth Forum, Delayla Sperzel wrote about how a door was opened for her to have a part-time job. She rightly gave thanks to God for His hand in opening the door. Delayla had to take the initiative and do the work to get this job and to show up on time and to have a good attitude and strong work ethic, but God opened the door and gave favor to her in the eyes of her future boss. This is just one example of how God can operate in our lives. 

There is a large group of younger people today who feel lost and unsure. They are scared of all the uncertainty and are in desperate need of direction. It is easy to fall into this category. But this is not the type of attitude God wants young people (or anyone, for that matter) to have. In 2 Timothy 1:7, we find quite the opposite, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

When the lead writer of this Q&A was growing up, he remembers hearing messages from some ministers about the end of the world and how close it was, and he remembers overhearing adults around him being fearful. He remembers growing up and not having a purpose and wondering what he would do. Would Christ come back before he had a chance to grow up? Was the world going to end soon? What was the point of school, of education, finding something meaningful to do? 

Well, many years later, he looks back and realizes that this was the wrong attitude to take. Since then he has heard ministers in our Church say, and rightly so, that we need to live as if we have a lifetime ahead of us and yet be ready at all times for the return of Christ. As a young person, this means making plans for the future and spending time learning and being curious about how the world works, by asking questions. Having hope that you, as a young person, will accomplish the goals and the tasks you set your hand to. But at the same time, not to engage in foolish and ungodly conduct.

The early disciples tried to stop children from coming to Christ at times, and Christ rebuked them and had the little children come to Him. Mark 10:14-15 reads: “But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, ‘Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.” The attitude of children is what Christ was observing—being humble and able to learn, being willing to listen to adults and showing respect. 

God clearly states that He knows us and our children, being called and sanctified in this lifetime, well before we are born (Psalm 139:15-16). God’s plan for each and every person has its time and place. Those whose parents are called as Christians now are in a special group of people. God will certainly work with those young people and encourage them, giving them the help they need and directing their lives as long as they depend on Him, respecting and building a proper relationship with Him. 

As a young person, the hope for your future begins now. It begins when you start to choose to learn about God’s ways—when you start including God in your thoughts and in your prayers. We are told that God is a rewarder of those who diligently—constantly—seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). Building faith in God can begin at a young age. Converted parents have seen miracles that God has done for their children. God is constantly watching over them, as they also know that He has protected them multiple times so far.  

Psalm 108:13 tells us: “Through God we will do valiantly.” With God’s help, we will do mighty things. As children, it can feel challenging at times with situations they may go through, and it can feel like they don’t know what to do, say, think; especially, when it is a big trial, or challenge, or the test of their conviction. No matter what it is, God promises that if they take their request or challenge before Him and ask for help, for understanding or guidance, He will provide a solution or a door will open that they never considered.

The Bible is full of Scriptures showing us that when we are overwhelmed, we can turn to God and expect answers. 

The apostle Paul was encouraged to write the following in Romans 8:31: “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” Paul went through incredible challenges as he lived his life, and so for him to tell us this, we should feel encouraged. 

One of the very interesting things about God is His desire for us to try out His Way of Life. He tells us to tithe diligently, and then to watch and observe how He opens the doors and gives us blessings. The choice to do this, God leaves it up to everyone. 

The future of God’s Kingdom is ahead of us. God says He will protect and preserve our children. They will live in the Millennium and will continue to learn how to live righteously. We do not quite know in every little detail what the future will be like in the Millennium, but much has been revealed to us (compare our free booklet, “Biblical Prophecy—From Now Until Forever.”). We can be certain that there will be peace, no more wars [with two noteworthy exceptions at the beginning and the end of the Millennium] and plenty to do. The skills and experiences that are forming children now will be useful for their future. With all the previous destruction that happened before Christ’s return, there will be a lot of opportunities in the Millennium to help regenerate the earth and learn how to do things in a better way.

In all of this we should remember that God is the One Who is in control. He tells us in Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” A future and hope belong to our young people (and the old ones) who learn to rely and lean on God throughout their lives. 

Lead Writer: Kalon Mitchell

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Preaching the Gospel and Feeding the Flock

compiled by Dave Harris

“America and Germany in Decline!” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

As we will show in this program, both America and Germany are experiencing a decline in so many areas which is unprecedented in recent history, but which seems to have similar causes.  Many Americans seem to be unable or unwilling to connect the dots. This is not the case for most Germans. However, the fate and future for both countries is quite different. While America will be falling and rising, Germany will be rising and falling. 

“Amerikas und Deutschlands Niedergang,” is the title of  a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This program covers the same information as described above.

A new Member Letter (August 2023) has been sent to our subscribers and posted. Written by Norbert Link, this letter warns of more and more attempts by governments to control whole populations regarding such things as pandemics and climatic change. He asks what will true Christians do in the times ahead when confronted with rules that contradict what God commands.

Two new Spanish booklets were finalized and posted on our Spanish website:

“La clave para Matrimonios y familias felices” (“The Keys to Happy Marriages and Families”) and “Europa en la profecía—El desarrollo de acontecimientos del fin de los tiempos” (“Europe in Prophecy: The Unfolding of End-Time Events”) 

We received today, ready for distribution, the printed copies of our new German booklet, “Aufstieg und Fall von Deutschland und Europa” (“The Fall and Rise of Germany and Europe”).

“Wachstum nach Gottes Willen,” last Sabbath’s German sermonette presented by Robert Muhr, is now posted. Title in English: “Growth According to God’s Will.”

“Hugging the Cactus,” last Sabbath’s sermonette presented by Frank Bruno, is now posted. Here is a summary:

There are a couple of uses of this phrase that can be meaningful to a true Christian in the world today. One such use refers to the love we have for our children that can often be disregarded and unreciprocated. The other use is the idea of confronting that within each of us that is sinful and dealing with it so we can leave it in the past. In this sermonette, we explore Scriptures and examples that can help us in taking the necessary action to move forward productively.  

“Milestones,” last Sabbath’s sermon presented by Eric Rank, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Milestones mark the progressive achievements along a path. Christian growth involves reaching these demarcation points, one after the other, on a continual journey of conversion.

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How This Work is Financed

This Update is an official publication by the ministry of the Church of the Eternal God in the United States of America; the Church of God, a Christian Fellowship in Canada; and the Global Church of God in the United Kingdom.

Editorial Team: Norbert Link, Dave Harris, Rene Messier, Brian Gale, Margaret Adair, Johanna Link, Eric Rank, Michael Link, Anna Link, Kalon Mitchell, Manuela Mitchell, Dawn Thompson

Technical Team: Eric Rank, Shana Rank

Our activities and literature, including booklets, weekly updates, sermons on CD, and video and audio broadcasts, are provided free of charge. They are made possible by the tithes, offerings and contributions of Church members and others who have elected to support this Work.

While we do not solicit the general public for funds, contributions are gratefully welcomed and are tax-deductible in the U.S. and Canada.

Donations should be sent to the following addresses:

United States: Church of the Eternal God, P.O. Box 270519, San Diego, CA 92198

Canada: Church of God, ACF, Box 1480, Summerland, B.C. V0H 1Z0

United Kingdom: Global Church of God, PO Box 44, MABLETHORPE, LN12 9AN, United Kingdom

Hugging the Cactus / Milestones

On August 19, 2023, Frank Bruno will present the sermonette, titled, “Hugging the Cactus,” and Eric Rank will present the sermon, titled, “Milestones.”

The live services are available, over video and audio, at http://eternalgod.org/live-services/ (12:30 pm Pacific Time; 1:30 pm Mountain Time; 2:30 pm Central Time; 3:30 pm Eastern Time; 8:30 pm Greenwich Mean Time; 9:30 pm Central European Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream

This Week in the News

Trump Indicted in Georgia by “Hypocritical Democrats”

Breitbart wrote on August 15:

“Harvard Law School professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz said Monday that District Attorney Fani Willis had indicted former President Donald Trump and 18 others for a ‘conspiracy’ that was exactly what Democrats did in challenging the 2000 election. ‘The tactics of the Trump team, including claims of fraud, were neither more nor less than what Democrats had done in claiming that the election had been stolen from then-Vice President Al Gore by Republicans pushing for then-Governor George W. Bush… ‘You cannot start making crimes out of things that the Democrats did…’

“Dershowitz added that the indictments against Trump, both federal and state, were the ‘weakest’ he had ever seen against any candidate… The indictment against Trump and others claims that acts as mundane as tweeting to turn on the TV, reserving a meeting room, and asking for a phone number were part of the overall criminal conspiracy.

Such incompetent and concocted charges are truly mind boggling.

Breitbart added on August 15:

“… more than 150 examples show Democrats denying election results, including President Joe Biden; two-time failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton; House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY); Reps. Barbara Lee, Maxine Waters… and  failed Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams. 

“In fact, every single Democrat president since 1977 has questioned the legitimacy of U.S. elections…”

What hypocrisy! But this is not about justice, it is about the political motive by Democrats to interfere in the upcoming election. In trying to silence the leading candidate, they use methods of a dictatorship, reminiscent of a Banana Republic. With the approval and collaboration of the Presidency, the Biden Administration and numerous governmental agencies, the USA has ceased to be a Democracy.

Indictment Excessive and Dangerous

Fox News wrote on August 15:

“[Law Professor] Jonathan Turley argued the indictment is ‘excessive’ and ‘dangerous’… ‘It essentially criminalizes challenges to elections… They are charging things like the president saying publicly, we need to have a recount. Democrats and Republicans challenge these elections routinely… What’s concerning, particularly about this is that [Fani] Willis didn’t really show any semblance of restraint. She indicted everyone for everything she could think of

“‘But having said that, I think that the Trump team has to realize that this is a serious threat, not because of the merits, but because, as a racketeering case, it’s very hard to take these cases up on appeal before trial… Also, this is not a case that can be dismissed with a federal pardon, whether by Trump himself or by an elected Republican.”

The claimed reason being, this is a state, not a federal case. Fox News explained that “The power to pardon in Georgia does not fall to the governor, but rather a five-member board… Felons who are seeking pardon by the board must serve their sentence for five years before doing so.”

This view is not uncontested. Famous attorney and litigator Mark Levin “argued that Trump can pardon himself from state charges if he wins the presidency, under existing Department of Justice policy and the U.S. Constitution’s Supremacy Clause” (Breitbart, dated August 16).  

Of course, Trump could and probably will try to remove the case to federal court because it involves presidential powers. Trump attorney Alina Habba stated that “as a deliberate ploy, the state of Georgia is bringing charges against former President Donald Trump that should be in federal court… ‘Anything having to do with … election issues at this level with a president should 100% be in federal court,’ Abba said, adding that this was all done ‘by design’” (Newsmax, dated August 15).

Of course it was. That should be obvious to any objective observer.

Trump: The Whole World Is Laughing At the USA

Fox News wrote on August 15:

“‘Nineteen people were indicted, and the whole world is laughing at the United States as they see how corrupt and horrible a place it has turned out to be under the leadership of Crooked Joe Biden,’ Trump told Fox News Digital during an exclusive interview late Monday night. Trump and more than a dozen others were charged, including his former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, his former attorneys Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, Jenna Ellis, Kenneth Chesebro, Jeff Clark, John Eastman, among others.

“‘The racist and corrupt district attorney of Fulton County, which has turned out to be a murder capital of the world with among the highest violent crime levels anywhere in our country, just opened a fundraising site in order to benefit [she launched her reelection fundraising site days before the grand jury indicted Trump] off the things she most campaigned on, “I will get Donald Trump,”’ he said… [He] blasted Willis, saying that it is ‘not even conceivable that a person with such a record of failure could be allowed to interrupt perhaps the most important election in the history of our country… Trump said that Willis ‘should focus on the people that rigged the 2020 presidential election, not those who demand an answer as to what happened.’”

This Is Not Justice

Breitbart wrote on August 15:

“… conservative talker Mark Levin criticized the Fulton County, GA indictment against former President Donald Trump… ‘Well, Stalin would be proud. I’m sure Putin is proud. I’m sure enemies are celebrating, and our allies are appalled at what’s going on here… We’re going through the motions of justice here, like autocratic regimes… the Democrat Party has become so radicalized and such a tool of its radical base, they are tonight, most of them, celebrating. They don’t come out and say a… thing about Hunter Biden… they don’t even have a curiosity about anything related to Joe Biden despite the fact there are predicates all over the place for a special counsel and they are excited…

“‘Ladies and gentlemen, the people of America, you know what’s going on here… this is not justice. Just because you have a judge, just because you have grand juries, just because you have a fake media, that doesn’t mean things are going right… People vote for tyranny, and then it’s too late.

“‘You got people who are self-righteously saying how wonderful the system is, nobody’s above the law. Are you kidding me?… This is a grave time in American history…’”

According to Deutsche Welle, dated August 15, “former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who lost to Trump in the 2016 presidential election, told broadcaster MSNBC the indictment showed that justice in the US was working.”

Clinton is one to talk! IF justice in the USA was working, she would be in jail for illegally destroying over 30,000 emails, including sensitive and classified documents.

District Attorney Fani Willis a Disgrace for the Legal Profession

Newsmax wrote on August 15:

“Former federal prosecutor Joe diGenova told Newsmax on Tuesday that Democrat Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has brought disgrace to the legal profession

“Willis, 52, was raised by her single father, John Clifford Floyd III, a onetime Black Panther with a criminal record who became a defense lawyer in Washington, D.C… ‘Apparently that pedigree has worn well,’ diGenova said. ‘She has conducted herself unprofessionally. She has become basically a terrorist in a prosecutor’s uniform…’

“‘The truth is, Fani Willis, Bragg in New York, Jack Smith; there’s the cult because what they’ve decided to do is gather together like a bunch of witches and to bring their brew together to take down one man,’ diGenova said… ‘This is 250 years of jurisprudence being destroyed by a cult called the Democratic Party. This is disgraceful.’’

It surely is. The case against Trump should be dismissed for the reason alone that the prosecution posted on their website and thereby leaked a draft of the indictment to the press BEFORE the grand jury had even rendered a verdict, thereby violating Trump’s right to a fair trial. The methods which the prosecution in Georgia are using are truly unbelievable.  

Willful Ignorance or Intentional Lies?

Breitbart wrote on August 14:

“White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters at a briefing Monday that there was ‘zero evidence’ that President Joe Biden had ‘discussed,’ or was ‘involved with,’ his son Hunter’s business dealings… That response is different from Jean-Pierre’s effort in recent weeks to claim that ‘[t]he president was never in business with his son,’ which she denied was a change from Biden’s own earlier response that he had ‘never discussed’ his family’s businesses.

“In claiming that there was ‘zero evidence,’ Jean-Pierre ignored a mounting collection of evidence, including the following:

“Travel logs showing that Hunter Biden traveled to China with his father on Air Force Two before a lucrative business deal; E-mails and messages on Hunter Biden’s laptop showing that Joe Biden had met with his son’s business associates; Evidence from Hunter Biden’s laptop showing that he and his father had intermingled their family’s finances and bills; Businessman Tony Bobulinski’s claim that he met with Joe Biden to discuss ‘family business plans with the Chinese’; A voicemail from Joe Biden to his son regarding New York Times coverage of Hunter Biden’s business interests; Bank records showing wire transfers from abroad to Hunter Biden via shell companies for distribution to family members; Testimony from Hunter Biden’s former business partner, Devon Archer, stating that Joe Biden had spoken by speakerphone at least 20 times with Hunter Biden’s business associates, and had attended a dinner meeting with many of them in 2014; Joe Biden’s infamous boast about using the threat of withdrawing $1 billion in U.S. loan guarantees to remove a Ukrainian prosecutor, whom Devon Archer confirmed Hunter had been hired by the Ukrainian energy company Burisma to counteract.”

In light of these FACTS, events which took place the next day in Georgia are truly remarkable.

Articles of Impeachment Filed on Joe Biden

Newsmax wrote on August 13:

“Rep. Greg Steube has filed articles of impeachment against President Joe Biden, accusing him of ‘high crimes and misdemeanors’ and commenting that ‘it’s long past time’ to impeach him. ‘He has undermined the integrity of his office, brought disrepute on the presidency, betrayed his trust as president, and acted in a manner subversive of the rule of law and justice at the expense of America’s citizens,’ the Florida Republican said…”

Fox News wrote on August 12:

“While several congressional committees are building a multipronged case to remove Biden from office, Steube… filed [four] articles of impeachment against Biden charging that the president had been complicit in his son Hunter’s alleged crimes and had worked to shield him from justice

“The first accuses the president of abusing the power of his office by allegedly accepting bribes, committing Hobbs Act extortion and honest services fraud related to use of his official position. These charges arise from Biden’s alleged involvement with his family’s business dealings, including Hunter and James Biden’s (the president’s brother) alleged effort to sell access to then-Vice President Biden between 2009 and 2017 in exchange for ‘payments and business opportunities from foreign and domestic business partners.’ House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer, R-Ky, on Wednesday released a memo purporting to show that foreign payments to the Biden family totaled more than $20 million

“The second article charges that President Biden obstructed justice, citing IRS whistleblower testimony that ‘members of the Biden campaign improperly colluded with Justice Department (DOJ) officials to improperly interfere with investigations into tax crimes alleged to have been committed by Hunter Biden.’…

“The third and fourth articles accuse Biden of ‘fraud’ and paying for Hunter Biden’s illegal drugs and trysts with prostitutes, respectively

“On the same day, Steube introduced legislation to require the Secret Service chief to write a report on the illicit use of controlled substances in the White House. The move comes after the Secret Service closed its investigation into cocaine found at the White House last month without identifying a person of interest…”

Even though filing articles of impeachment on Joe Biden may have been long overdue, there is little chance that Biden will be removed from office, as Senate Democrats, for example, would not in any way support such a move. And even if Joe Biden would vacate the office, Kamala Harris would take his place, which would constitute the absolute nightmare in the eyes of many observers.

Appointment of “Special Counsel” in Hunter Biden Case Another Cover-Up?

Breitbart reported on August 11:

“Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed U.S. prosecutor David Weiss as a special counsel in the ongoing investigation of Hunter Biden… ‘David Weiss can’t be trusted and this is just a new way to whitewash the Biden family’s corruption,’ Russell Dye, a spokesperson for House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-OH), told Breitbart News in a statement. ‘Weiss has already signed off on a sweetheart plea deal that was so awful and unfair that a federal judge rejected it,’ he added…

“House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-KY) also was skeptical of the appointment of a special counsel. ‘This move by AG Garland is part of the Justice Department’s efforts to attempt a Biden family coverup in light of GOPoversight‘s mounting evidence of President Biden’s role in his family’s schemes selling “the brand” for millions of dollars to foreign nationals,’ he said in a statement.

“The appointment of a special counsel comes on the same day that news broke that Weiss’ prosecutors acknowledged that the gun and tax charges against Hunter will likely have to be resolved at a trial in California or Washington, DC…  The DOJ’s probe into Hunter Biden could implicate Joe Biden. A witness who testified before the jury was reportedly asked to identify the ‘big guy.’…

“George Washington law professor Jonathan Turley said Friday… that Attorney General Merrick Garland appointing David Weiss as special counsel in the Hunter Biden criminal case would make it harder for Congress to ask questions in their probe of Hunter Biden… ‘This new status can slow that process down. Weiss was at the top of the list of Congress to be brought in to explain why did you allow statute of limitations to run? Why were Biden people tipped off about raids? Why was there interference with investigators trying to interview Hunter Biden?

“‘All of those questions are now likely to be delayed before they are answered… The initial concern is whether Weiss is damaged goods. You usually appoint special counsel who will satisfy all sides, that is someone who doesn’t bring baggage to the question and can resolve issues. These whistleblowers were critical of Weiss. Weiss suggested that he always had this authority. The whistleblowers said he said the opposite to staff, suggested he allowed statute of limitations to run…’”

Garland’s appointment of Weiss might indeed have been a “dirty trick” in his attempts to continue the cover-up and protection of Joe Biden, as the next article suggests.

Garland’s Last Dirty Trick

The New York Post wrote on August 11:

“Attorney General Merrick Garland may have just played his last trick card to save Joe Biden: appointing a special counsel to delay prosecution of his son Hunter. With any luck, the official Justice Department final report on Biden family shenanigans will be released in December 2024, one month after the presidential election… Federal agencies and the Justice Department dragged out for five years the investigation of Hunter’s gun, tax and foreign influence peddling. The statute of limitations already expired on several of his crimes, but that was OK because of the spelling of his last name.

“Despite a string of crimes that would have sent average Americans up the river for a decade, Biden’s Justice Department cut a deal in June that permitted Hunter to plead guilty to misdemeanors, not serve a day in jail and dodge any other federal charges. That deal collapsed when federal Judge Maryellen Noreika asked a few questions after she was blindsided by a last-minute sweeping exoneration paragraph added to the plea deal…

“For Joe Biden, Weiss is absolutely trustworthy: He’s the same lawyer who dragged out prosecuting Hunter for years. Former White House correspondent Emerald Robinson quipped, ‘Appointing David Weiss is like appointing a crack pipe to ‘investigate’ Hunter Biden.’

“According to The Federalist’s Sean Davis, “Weiss demonstrated his loyalty to the Biden family by shutting down investigations, tipping off suspects before searches . . . refusing to interview Hunter, hiding FBI documents, firing IRS investigators . . .’ Is there any reason to expect Weiss to be more honest in the future?

Coverups have been a key to Biden’s political power for more than three years… Team Biden is teaching Americans that ‘Justice Department’ is often an oxymoron…”

Even CNN is questioning the appointment of David Weiss as a special counsel. Note the next article:

Jake Tapper: Some Concerns Have Merit

Fox News wrote on August 11:

“Many Republicans are wary of U.S. attorney David Weiss overseeing the Hunter Biden probe, and CNN anchor Jake Tapper agreed Friday that some of their concerns ‘have merit.’… ‘I think there are some legitimate questions about this whole situation,’ Tapper said on ‘CNN News Central.’ ‘First of all, I do think it’s fair to question why would U.S. Attorney Weiss be appointed to special counsel. Usually, a special counsel is an outside attorney. Now, it has happened before. Durham came from inside, and the attorney general has the right to do that, but it is odd.’

“Tapper went on to ask why they would stick with the person who was responsible for the ‘colossal failure’ of the Hunter plea deal

“He also spoke about the mixed messages regarding Weiss’ jurisdiction and whether he already had the necessary power to charge outside of Delaware before he was made a special counsel, recalling that the U.S. attorney had made different claims about his power in private versus in public, according to whistleblowers.

“‘The Justice Department and Weiss denied what the whistleblowers were saying, but this move makes it seem as though, well, maybe the whistleblowers were right. Maybe what they were alleging is true, and he didn’t have the ability to charge whatever he wanted to charge, and now he does. So I do have a lot of questions about that, and I do think some of the political questions being raised by Republicans have merit,’ Tapper said…”

When left-wing CNN begins to ask questions regarding the affairs of Joe and Hunter Biden, as well as the conduct of the Justice Department and the FBI in those matters, then that should tell us something.

 USA Like Nazi Germany?

The Daily Mail wrote on August 11:

“A majority of Republican voters in Iowa believe the pursuit of former President Donald Trump by the FBI and the Department of Justice smacks of Nazi rule in 1930s Germany, according to a new poll  for DailyMail.com. Some 57 percent of respondents said they agreed with the statement: ‘The lawlessness of the persecutions of President Trump and his supporters is reminiscent of Nazi Germany in the 1930s.’ [73 % of Trump supporters agreed with the statement.]  It comes after months of attacks on the FBI and the Department of Justice by Trump and his allies, who say he is the victim of an attempt to end his presidential campaign…

“Republicans in Iowa… will have a crucial say in selecting the party’s 2024 nomination. It is the first state to pick its preferred candidate next year, and the currents of public opinion will be watched closely until then… The DailyMail.com poll shows Trump retains a tight grip on the race. He is in clear first place with 43 percent support in the state…  Ron DeSantis has lost nine points, putting him on 17 percent… Meanwhile Sen. Tim Scott has surged to 11 percent.”

When the majority of Republican voters feel that the Justice Department and the FBI act like the Gestapo in Nazi Germany, then any confidence by a vast portion of America’s population in those institutions is gone. And we do not even know how many Independents (and Democrats) have similar opinions. What will the consequence be? 

Many propose that the DOJ, the FBI and many other federal agencies must be freed from their internal corruption by reforming them and by getting rid of the bad guys, starting with the very top. Others feel, such as businessman and Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, that these agencies are beyond repair and must be totally shut down.

Really Dangerous US-Iran Deal

Newsmax and The Associated Press wrote on August 13:

“Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo blasted the Biden administration for apparently buying the release of jailed Americans in Iran. Pompeo… was asked about the U.S. working to bring home the jailed Americans via a deal that involves billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets being transferred from banks in South Korea to Qatar. ‘It’s really dangerous… for the Gulf nations, it’s dangerous for … Israel.’

“Pompeo said paying for the Americans’ release ‘will build their [Iran’s] economy’ and encourage more hostage-taking. ‘You now have a situation where we have told the Iranians, For every American you take, the Biden administration will provide you with $1 billion,’ Pompeo [said]…

“The U.S.-Iran deal… was announced on Thursday, when Iran moved four of the five Americans from prison to house arrest. The fifth American had already been under house arrest. U.S. and Iranian officials say they believe the agreement could be finalized by mid- to late-September.

“The cash involved represents money South Korea owed Iran for oil purchased before the Trump administration imposed sanctions on such transactions in 2019.

“The U.S. maintains that, once in Qatar, the money will be held in restricted accounts and will only be able to be used for humanitarian goods, such as medicine and food. Those transactions are currently allowed under American sanctions targeting the Islamic Republic over its advancing nuclear program.

“Some people in Iran have disputed the U.S. claim, saying Tehran will have total control over the funds. Qatar has not commented publicly on how it will monitor the disbursement of the money.”

This deal is clearly an incentive for Iran to continue kidnapping and arresting American citizens.

 US Army in Trouble

The Hill wrote on August 11:

“… the military, and especially the Army, is now shrinking… A variety of factors have led to the recruiting crisis…  Disastrous wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have dented confidence in military leadership…

“President Joe Biden’s recent executive order authorizing the mobilization of up to 3,000 reserve soldiers to augment U.S. forces deployed to Europe highlighted the unending demands of maintaining an expansive U.S. global military presence… Without significant changes to its force structure or missions, the U.S. Army may be stretched to the breaking point, even though America is not at war.

“The active-duty force will soon be at its smallest duty size since the attack on Pearl Harbor. But unlike the pre-World War II force, today’s Army carries out a host of concurrent missions in Europe, the Middle East and East Asia…

“Shrinkage in the force without commensurate cuts in overseas deployments have led to an exceedingly high peacetime operational tempo, with negative effects on the Army’s readiness for war…

“When Hurricane Katrina ravaged Louisiana in 2006, thousands of the state’s Guardsmen were deployed in Iraq — active-duty Marines had to be hastily dispatched to New Orleans to assist with relief efforts and maintain order. In 2020, Oregon could not use six of its Guard helicopters to fight raging wildfires because they were in Afghanistan

“America’s Army needs either more soldiers or fewer missions. Given the demographic and societal headwinds hitting military recruiting, a larger force is going to be difficult to recruit for the foreseeable future. The alternative is making difficult, overdue decisions about which deployments are truly necessary for American national security. The Pentagon and its political overseers are resistant to such retrenchment… But perpetuating the status quo threatens a descent into a hollow force…”

The Bible shows that America’s Army will not help the country when it is going to be attacked in the near future.

Germany’s Approach Towards Ukraine

Express wrote on August 14:

“Kyiv’s relentless push to secure the Taurus cruise missile, a high-stakes weapon boasting an impressive range of over 500 kilometres (300 miles), has triggered alarm bells in Berlin. These missiles, packed with firepower and launched from formidable fighter jets like the Tornado, F-15, and F-18, have ignited geopolitical tensions that can no longer be ignored.

“In a rare twist, Germany’s reluctance to heed Kyiv’s call stands in stark contrast to the UK and France, who’ve already dispatched Storm Shadow and Scalp cruise missiles… Across the Atlantic, even the United States has chosen to sit this one out, withholding its own Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) from Ukraine’s eager grasp…

“According to Der Spiegel, the German Defence Ministry is asking Taurus’ manufacturer to integrate programming safeguards to dictate potential targets for these long-range cruise missiles.

“Scholz, the mastermind behind the manoeuvre, said he envisions a future where Ukrainian offensives on Russian soil are nothing more than a fleeting mirage, as the publication revealed.”

Die Welt Online wondered on August 14 what Germany’s strategy and goal towards Ukraine are; and if there is even a strategy.

Ukraine’s Counteroffensive Unsuccessful

Business Insider wrote on August 11:

“The Ukrainian summer counteroffensive began in June and, despite Western allies supplying advanced tanks and weaponry, the country’s recent moves against Russian combatants have resulted in only modest gains — and heavy casualties.

“The New York Times reported morgues in the country are seeing vastly increased fatalities due to the heightened fighting… The total dead in the local morgues is ‘more or less double since the counteroffensive’ started, added. Though Ukraine doesn’t publicly share the total number of casualties it has sustained, Insider reported General Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, estimated in February that Ukraine had lost more than 100,000 soldiers since the war began last year… Ukrainian troops are taking heavy damage from old-fashioned wartime tactics, including mines and booby traps, high-tech drone attacks, and advanced weapons systems.

“While the US and other allies have provided formidable battle tanks, armored fighting vehicles, and massive amounts of ammunition… the modest gains won so far in the summer counteroffensive have prompted Ukrainian troops to abandon Western tactics and strategies in favor of wearing the enemy down with barrages of missiles…”

Ukraine in Trouble

ZeroHedge wrote on August 11:

“It’s long been clear that Ukraine’s armed forces have undergone some significant recruitment problems amid generally low morale as throughout the summer the counteroffensive has stalled and appears failing. There’s also a grim emerging consensus that Ukraine is suffering staggering losses… This week, even one of Kiev’s most ardent supporters and NATO backers – Poland, has said the counteroffensive is likely to fail. Polish President Andrzej Duda said in a fresh Washington Post interview, ‘Does Ukraine have enough weapons to change the balance of the war and get the upper hand?’ And he answered his rhetorical with – ‘Probably, no’…

“A new announcement by President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday has further confirmed this pessimistic view of Kiev’s prospects, as the government has fired all heads of military recruitment on concerns of rampant corruption…  Recruiters have apparently been paid handsomely by those of means to look the other way as they avoid conscription…

“Aside from desperately needing more manpower, also at a time the phenomenon of Western mercenaries flocking to Ukraine is a thing of the past, Kiev is also likely concerned with the prior optics of the brutal mobilization by Ukrainian military recruitment officers. As the Hungarian newspaper Magyar Nemzet recently reported, ‘Many conscripted men are taken straight off the street by uniformed men.’ The paper gave the following example of such: ‘Most recently in Subcarpathia, a surveillance camera recorded the overreach of the authorities as a man trying to go to a store was kidnapped from his bicycle in broad daylight.’”

The victory of Ukraine over Russia, as had been so dogmatically proclaimed in much of the Western press, is more than doubtful.

“Overwhelming Consensus” on Climate Change “Manufactured”

The New York Post wrote on August 9:

“We are told climate change is a crisis, and that there is an ‘overwhelming scientific consensus.’ ‘It’s a manufactured consensus,’ climate scientist Judith Curry tells me. She says scientists have an incentive to exaggerate risk to pursue ‘fame and fortune.’

“She knows about that because she once spread alarm about climate change. The media loved her when she published a study that seemed to show a dramatic increase in hurricane intensity. ‘We found that the percent of Category 4 and 5 hurricanes had doubled,’ says Curry. ‘This was picked up by the media’…  ‘I was adopted by the environmental advocacy groups and the alarmists and I was treated like a rock star,’ Curry recounts. ‘Flown all over the place to meet with politicians.’

“But then some researchers pointed out gaps in her research — years with low levels of hurricanes. ‘Like a good scientist, I investigated,’ says Curry. She realized that the critics were right. ‘Part of it was bad data. Part of it is natural climate variability.’

“Curry was the unusual researcher who looked at criticism of her work and actually concluded: ‘They had a point.’ Then the Climategate scandal taught her that other climate researchers weren’t so open-minded. Alarmist scientists’ aggressive attempts to hide data suggesting climate change is not a crisis were revealed in leaked emails… It made Curry realize that there is a ‘climate-change industry’ set up to reward alarmism. ‘The origins go back to the . . . UN environmental program,’ says Curry.

“Some United Nations officials were motivated by ‘anti-capitalism. They hated the oil companies and seized on the climate change issue to move their policies along.’… The researchers quickly figured out that the way to get funded was to make alarmist claims about ‘man-made climate change.’ This is how ‘manufactured consensus’ happens.”

It has been observed for a long time that scientists manufacture and manipulate statistics to prove their case for man-made global warming.

US Money Down the Drain?

Ron Paul wrote in his weekly column in the Ron Paul Institute on August 14:

“I am not a big fan of Federal Government disaster relief. Too much of the time the money never gets to those who need it most, and too often Washington’s armies of disaster ‘experts’ are more interested in pushing people around than helping them.

“Nevertheless, it’s hard to look at recent footage of the devastation in Maui and then hear President Biden tell Congress that he needs another $24 billion for Ukraine. How can this Administration continue to justify tens of billions of dollars for this losing war that is not in our interest while the rest of the United States disintegrates?

“Biden’s new $24 billion request comes on top of well over $120 billion already spent to fight the US proxy war on Russia in Ukraine. Heritage Foundation budget expert Richard Stern has done the math and determined that Biden’s spending on the Ukraine war thus far will cost each and every American household $900. How many Americans would rather have those $900 dollars back in their pocket rather than in the pockets of Lockheed-Martin, Raytheon, and Ukraine’s oligarchs?

“Recent surveys have shown that a majority of Americans could not afford to cover a sudden $1,000 emergency. Will Americans connect the dots and realize that the reason they can’t find that $1,000 for an emergency is because the neocons have already sent it to Ukraine?

“Ukraine has long been known as among the most corrupt countries on earth and not long ago investigative journalist Seymore Hersh wrote that Ukrainian president Vladimir Zelensky has embezzled at least $400 million in aid from the American people. Corruption scandals continue to break in Ukraine. Just last week Zelensky fired the heads of all local draft boards for corruption. Some press reports suggest that sales of luxury cars in Ukraine have broken all previous records. I wonder why.

“No wonder the tide of US public opinion is turning against further involvement in the war. Recently CNN found that among all Americans, more than 55 percent are opposed to continued aid to Ukraine. Among Republicans the number opposing more aid to Ukraine rises to three-out-of-four…

“Yet the Biden Administration persists in backing Ukraine even as the US mainstream media is increasingly pointing out the obvious: Ukraine is not winning and cannot win, and continuing to pour money into a losing cause will just result in bankruptcy at home and more dead Ukrainians overseas.

“Last week Newsweek published an article asking, ‘Does Ukraine Have Kompromat on Joe Biden?’ In the article, Northeastern University Professor Max Abrahms wonders out loud whether Biden’s continued support for Ukraine might be related to compromising information held in Kiev about the many Biden family shady business ventures in Ukraine and the region. It is certainly worth considering.

“Meanwhile, the residents of Maui that survived the recent horrific fire will take little comfort knowing that the Biden Administration is more interested in sending their money to Ukraine than in helping them recover.”

Donald Trump stated in a recent interview that Biden is a compromised President.

Maui Wildfires Deadliest in More Than 100 Years

Deutsche Welle wrote on August 13:

“The newly released [death] figure has exceeded that of the 2018 Camp Fire in northern California…  The new death toll Saturday came as search teams with cadaver dogs sifted through the ruins of Lahaina, four days after a fast-moving blaze leveled the historic resort town.

“It is projected to be the second-costliest disaster in Hawaii history, behind only Hurricane Iniki in 1992…

“The cause of the fire is still unknown, but residents are puzzled and angered over the lack of warnings. Sirens stationed around the island — intended to warn of impending natural disasters — never sounded. Alerts were sent via cell phones, TV and radio stations, but the reach was limited due to power and cellular outages…

“Experts say many factors must have contributed to the rapid spread of the inferno, such as a dry summer, unchecked growth of flammable non-native plants, the volcanic topography that creates drying down-slope winds, an unusually parched winter, and a hurricane to the southwest.”

There have been numerous incidents in the past where Hawaii’s warning system had failed miserably. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will not visit Maui because they “don’t want to distract” from the relief efforts, Harris said. Finally, Biden spoke out on the disaster in Maui, but apparently forgot the name of the island.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.

Update 1081

Hugging the Cactus / Milestones

On August 19, 2023, Frank Bruno will present the sermonette, titled, “Hugging the Cactus,” and Eric Rank will present the sermon, titled, “Milestones.”

The live services are available, over video and audio, at http://eternalgod.org/live-services/ (12:30 pm Pacific Time; 1:30 pm Mountain Time; 2:30 pm Central Time; 3:30 pm Eastern Time; 8:30 pm Greenwich Mean Time; 9:30 pm Central European Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream

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Beauty Comes From Within…

by Thilo Hanstein

Some time ago, I found myself in the middle of a debate on how to behave towards other people. I mentioned the need for respect towards other people and that one should express oneself well and carefully by choosing one’s words without being hurtful.

My counterpart responded: “I just am who I am.”

This statement was very disappointing to me at that moment, showing a lack of respect and making it clear that there was a complete unwillingness to make a necessary change.

Unwillingness to change also means that one is not prepared to look at one’s reflection in the mirror to examine oneself, and to alter existing faults.

Conducting one’s life in such a way shows an utter indifference to other fellow human beings and a lack of concern for the behavior towards them, and such a person has no place in the Kingdom of God, for he literally would stop at nothing, thus making himself hideous. His heart is cold, and he will not find true peace in this cruel world; something that Christ wants to give us.

In Romans 12:2, Paul wrote: “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

This is precisely what we are to do as true Christians: We must critically examine ourselves to see if there is not some bad characteristic clinging to or in us that needs to be banned from our lives. It does not matter how long we have been part of the Body of Christ, regardless of whether we have been converted Christians for 10, 20, 40 or even more than 50 years.

Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians, chapter 13 and verse 5: “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? – unless indeed you are disqualified.” There is simply no age limit for this since self-examination is a lifelong process.

Being respectful to our fellow human beings, and showing kindness and helpfulness, is a huge responsibility that God bestows upon us, especially among true Christians. If we develop such respect for others, God will be very pleased with us. And how to cultivate such respect is explained by David in his Psalms: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever” (Psalm 111:10).

Christ expects us to interact properly with our fellow human beings, and He is the supreme role model for us that ever walked the earth as a human being, for He set an example of what is good and had it written down for the end time, for He was the light of the world (compare John 8:12).  He also taught several times, that “[n]o one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light” (Luke 11:33). And He also tells us: “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:14).

It is everyone’s own decision, how bright and beautiful this light is radiating from us; however, we must ensure that it glows powerfully both within and out of us. When it does shine brightly within us and people recognize this, then we will be beautiful to look at, for this beauty does indeed come from within us!

Initial Translation: Daniel Blasinger

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by Norbert Link

We begin with another appalling attempt in the ongoing witch-hunt against Trump to prevent him from successfully running for the US Presidency, in that the state of Georgia indicted Trump and 18 “co-conspirators” for criminal conduct regarding the 2020 election. This indictment has been described as hypocritical and ridiculous by “a cult of Democrats”; and prosecutor and Trump hater Fani Willis has been described as “basically a terrorist in a prosecutor’s uniform” who has “disgraced the legal profession.”

Please view our new StandingWatch program in this regard, titled, “WHY God Condemns Trump’s Indictments and Biden’s Protection!”

We continue with the willful ignorance or intentional lies of the White House regarding President Biden’s denial of knowledge and involvement in his son’s business dealings;  four articles of impeachment having been filed on President Joe Biden, accusing him of “high crimes and misdemeanors,” which, if successful, would remove him from office; and we report on the appointment of controversial prosecutor David Weiss as “special counsel” in the Hunter Biden scandal which has been described as another dirty trick by Attorney General Merrick Garland in his further attempts to protect Joe Biden. Even CNN finds this appointment rather “odd,” prompting some “significant questions about the whole situation.”

In light of these developments, it should not come as much of a surprise that the majority of Republican voters in Iowa believe “the pursuit of former President Donald Trump by the FBI and the Department of Justice smacks of Nazi rule in 1930s Germany.”

In other news, we report on the highly problematic deal between Iran and the USA, apparently “buying the release of jailed Americans in Iran for billions of US dollars”; quote articles pointing out that the US Army and Ukraine are in deep trouble; speak about a “manufactured” overwhelming scientific consensus on climate change; and conclude with the terrible disaster in Maui, Hawaii, and the US government’s pitiful reaction.

In this context, please view our new message, titled, Alarming Developments in the USA, Germany and the Ukraine—Comments on News and Prophecy – YouTube

Throughout this section, we have underlined pertinent statements in the quoted articles, for the convenience and quick overview of the reader.

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Trump Indicted in Georgia by “Hypocritical Democrats”

Breitbart wrote on August 15:

“Harvard Law School professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz said Monday that District Attorney Fani Willis had indicted former President Donald Trump and 18 others for a ‘conspiracy’ that was exactly what Democrats did in challenging the 2000 election. ‘The tactics of the Trump team, including claims of fraud, were neither more nor less than what Democrats had done in claiming that the election had been stolen from then-Vice President Al Gore by Republicans pushing for then-Governor George W. Bush… ‘You cannot start making crimes out of things that the Democrats did…’

“Dershowitz added that the indictments against Trump, both federal and state, were the ‘weakest’ he had ever seen against any candidate… The indictment against Trump and others claims that acts as mundane as tweeting to turn on the TV, reserving a meeting room, and asking for a phone number were part of the overall criminal conspiracy.

Such incompetent and concocted charges are truly mind boggling.

Breitbart added on August 15:

“… more than 150 examples show Democrats denying election results, including President Joe Biden; two-time failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton; House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY); Reps. Barbara Lee, Maxine Waters… and  failed Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams. 

“In fact, every single Democrat president since 1977 has questioned the legitimacy of U.S. elections…”

What hypocrisy! But this is not about justice, it is about the political motive by Democrats to interfere in the upcoming election. In trying to silence the leading candidate, they use methods of a dictatorship, reminiscent of a Banana Republic. With the approval and collaboration of the Presidency, the Biden Administration and numerous governmental agencies, the USA has ceased to be a Democracy.

Indictment Excessive and Dangerous

Fox News wrote on August 15:

“[Law Professor] Jonathan Turley argued the indictment is ‘excessive’ and ‘dangerous’… ‘It essentially criminalizes challenges to elections… They are charging things like the president saying publicly, we need to have a recount. Democrats and Republicans challenge these elections routinely… What’s concerning, particularly about this is that [Fani] Willis didn’t really show any semblance of restraint. She indicted everyone for everything she could think of

“‘But having said that, I think that the Trump team has to realize that this is a serious threat, not because of the merits, but because, as a racketeering case, it’s very hard to take these cases up on appeal before trial… Also, this is not a case that can be dismissed with a federal pardon, whether by Trump himself or by an elected Republican.”

The claimed reason being, this is a state, not a federal case. Fox News explained that “The power to pardon in Georgia does not fall to the governor, but rather a five-member board… Felons who are seeking pardon by the board must serve their sentence for five years before doing so.”

This view is not uncontested. Famous attorney and litigator Mark Levin “argued that Trump can pardon himself from state charges if he wins the presidency, under existing Department of Justice policy and the U.S. Constitution’s Supremacy Clause” (Breitbart, dated August 16).  

Of course, Trump could and probably will try to remove the case to federal court because it involves presidential powers. Trump attorney Alina Habba stated that “as a deliberate ploy, the state of Georgia is bringing charges against former President Donald Trump that should be in federal court… ‘Anything having to do with … election issues at this level with a president should 100% be in federal court,’ Abba said, adding that this was all done ‘by design’” (Newsmax, dated August 15).

Of course it was. That should be obvious to any objective observer.

Trump: The Whole World Is Laughing At the USA

Fox News wrote on August 15:

“‘Nineteen people were indicted, and the whole world is laughing at the United States as they see how corrupt and horrible a place it has turned out to be under the leadership of Crooked Joe Biden,’ Trump told Fox News Digital during an exclusive interview late Monday night. Trump and more than a dozen others were charged, including his former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, his former attorneys Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, Jenna Ellis, Kenneth Chesebro, Jeff Clark, John Eastman, among others.

“‘The racist and corrupt district attorney of Fulton County, which has turned out to be a murder capital of the world with among the highest violent crime levels anywhere in our country, just opened a fundraising site in order to benefit [she launched her reelection fundraising site days before the grand jury indicted Trump] off the things she most campaigned on, “I will get Donald Trump,”’ he said… [He] blasted Willis, saying that it is ‘not even conceivable that a person with such a record of failure could be allowed to interrupt perhaps the most important election in the history of our country… Trump said that Willis ‘should focus on the people that rigged the 2020 presidential election, not those who demand an answer as to what happened.’”

This Is Not Justice

Breitbart wrote on August 15:

“… conservative talker Mark Levin criticized the Fulton County, GA indictment against former President Donald Trump… ‘Well, Stalin would be proud. I’m sure Putin is proud. I’m sure enemies are celebrating, and our allies are appalled at what’s going on here… We’re going through the motions of justice here, like autocratic regimes… the Democrat Party has become so radicalized and such a tool of its radical base, they are tonight, most of them, celebrating. They don’t come out and say a… thing about Hunter Biden… they don’t even have a curiosity about anything related to Joe Biden despite the fact there are predicates all over the place for a special counsel and they are excited…

“‘Ladies and gentlemen, the people of America, you know what’s going on here… this is not justice. Just because you have a judge, just because you have grand juries, just because you have a fake media, that doesn’t mean things are going right… People vote for tyranny, and then it’s too late.

“‘You got people who are self-righteously saying how wonderful the system is, nobody’s above the law. Are you kidding me?… This is a grave time in American history…’”

According to Deutsche Welle, dated August 15, “former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who lost to Trump in the 2016 presidential election, told broadcaster MSNBC the indictment showed that justice in the US was working.”

Clinton is one to talk! IF justice in the USA was working, she would be in jail for illegally destroying over 30,000 emails, including sensitive and classified documents.

District Attorney Fani Willis a Disgrace for the Legal Profession

Newsmax wrote on August 15:

“Former federal prosecutor Joe diGenova told Newsmax on Tuesday that Democrat Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has brought disgrace to the legal profession

“Willis, 52, was raised by her single father, John Clifford Floyd III, a onetime Black Panther with a criminal record who became a defense lawyer in Washington, D.C… ‘Apparently that pedigree has worn well,’ diGenova said. ‘She has conducted herself unprofessionally. She has become basically a terrorist in a prosecutor’s uniform…’

“‘The truth is, Fani Willis, Bragg in New York, Jack Smith; there’s the cult because what they’ve decided to do is gather together like a bunch of witches and to bring their brew together to take down one man,’ diGenova said… ‘This is 250 years of jurisprudence being destroyed by a cult called the Democratic Party. This is disgraceful.’’

It surely is. The case against Trump should be dismissed for the reason alone that the prosecution posted on their website and thereby leaked a draft of the indictment to the press BEFORE the grand jury had even rendered a verdict, thereby violating Trump’s right to a fair trial. The methods which the prosecution in Georgia are using are truly unbelievable.  

Willful Ignorance or Intentional Lies?

Breitbart wrote on August 14:

“White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters at a briefing Monday that there was ‘zero evidence’ that President Joe Biden had ‘discussed,’ or was ‘involved with,’ his son Hunter’s business dealings… That response is different from Jean-Pierre’s effort in recent weeks to claim that ‘[t]he president was never in business with his son,’ which she denied was a change from Biden’s own earlier response that he had ‘never discussed’ his family’s businesses.

“In claiming that there was ‘zero evidence,’ Jean-Pierre ignored a mounting collection of evidence, including the following:

“Travel logs showing that Hunter Biden traveled to China with his father on Air Force Two before a lucrative business deal; E-mails and messages on Hunter Biden’s laptop showing that Joe Biden had met with his son’s business associates; Evidence from Hunter Biden’s laptop showing that he and his father had intermingled their family’s finances and bills; Businessman Tony Bobulinski’s claim that he met with Joe Biden to discuss ‘family business plans with the Chinese’; A voicemail from Joe Biden to his son regarding New York Times coverage of Hunter Biden’s business interests; Bank records showing wire transfers from abroad to Hunter Biden via shell companies for distribution to family members; Testimony from Hunter Biden’s former business partner, Devon Archer, stating that Joe Biden had spoken by speakerphone at least 20 times with Hunter Biden’s business associates, and had attended a dinner meeting with many of them in 2014; Joe Biden’s infamous boast about using the threat of withdrawing $1 billion in U.S. loan guarantees to remove a Ukrainian prosecutor, whom Devon Archer confirmed Hunter had been hired by the Ukrainian energy company Burisma to counteract.”

In light of these FACTS, events which took place the next day in Georgia are truly remarkable.

Articles of Impeachment Filed on Joe Biden

Newsmax wrote on August 13:

“Rep. Greg Steube has filed articles of impeachment against President Joe Biden, accusing him of ‘high crimes and misdemeanors’ and commenting that ‘it’s long past time’ to impeach him. ‘He has undermined the integrity of his office, brought disrepute on the presidency, betrayed his trust as president, and acted in a manner subversive of the rule of law and justice at the expense of America’s citizens,’ the Florida Republican said…”

Fox News wrote on August 12:

“While several congressional committees are building a multipronged case to remove Biden from office, Steube… filed [four] articles of impeachment against Biden charging that the president had been complicit in his son Hunter’s alleged crimes and had worked to shield him from justice

“The first accuses the president of abusing the power of his office by allegedly accepting bribes, committing Hobbs Act extortion and honest services fraud related to use of his official position. These charges arise from Biden’s alleged involvement with his family’s business dealings, including Hunter and James Biden’s (the president’s brother) alleged effort to sell access to then-Vice President Biden between 2009 and 2017 in exchange for ‘payments and business opportunities from foreign and domestic business partners.’ House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer, R-Ky, on Wednesday released a memo purporting to show that foreign payments to the Biden family totaled more than $20 million

“The second article charges that President Biden obstructed justice, citing IRS whistleblower testimony that ‘members of the Biden campaign improperly colluded with Justice Department (DOJ) officials to improperly interfere with investigations into tax crimes alleged to have been committed by Hunter Biden.’…

“The third and fourth articles accuse Biden of ‘fraud’ and paying for Hunter Biden’s illegal drugs and trysts with prostitutes, respectively

“On the same day, Steube introduced legislation to require the Secret Service chief to write a report on the illicit use of controlled substances in the White House. The move comes after the Secret Service closed its investigation into cocaine found at the White House last month without identifying a person of interest…”

Even though filing articles of impeachment on Joe Biden may have been long overdue, there is little chance that Biden will be removed from office, as Senate Democrats, for example, would not in any way support such a move. And even if Joe Biden would vacate the office, Kamala Harris would take his place, which would constitute the absolute nightmare in the eyes of many observers.

Appointment of “Special Counsel” in Hunter Biden Case Another Cover-Up?

Breitbart reported on August 11:

“Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed U.S. prosecutor David Weiss as a special counsel in the ongoing investigation of Hunter Biden… ‘David Weiss can’t be trusted and this is just a new way to whitewash the Biden family’s corruption,’ Russell Dye, a spokesperson for House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-OH), told Breitbart News in a statement. ‘Weiss has already signed off on a sweetheart plea deal that was so awful and unfair that a federal judge rejected it,’ he added…

“House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-KY) also was skeptical of the appointment of a special counsel. ‘This move by AG Garland is part of the Justice Department’s efforts to attempt a Biden family coverup in light of GOPoversight‘s mounting evidence of President Biden’s role in his family’s schemes selling “the brand” for millions of dollars to foreign nationals,’ he said in a statement.

“The appointment of a special counsel comes on the same day that news broke that Weiss’ prosecutors acknowledged that the gun and tax charges against Hunter will likely have to be resolved at a trial in California or Washington, DC…  The DOJ’s probe into Hunter Biden could implicate Joe Biden. A witness who testified before the jury was reportedly asked to identify the ‘big guy.’…

“George Washington law professor Jonathan Turley said Friday… that Attorney General Merrick Garland appointing David Weiss as special counsel in the Hunter Biden criminal case would make it harder for Congress to ask questions in their probe of Hunter Biden… ‘This new status can slow that process down. Weiss was at the top of the list of Congress to be brought in to explain why did you allow statute of limitations to run? Why were Biden people tipped off about raids? Why was there interference with investigators trying to interview Hunter Biden?

“‘All of those questions are now likely to be delayed before they are answered… The initial concern is whether Weiss is damaged goods. You usually appoint special counsel who will satisfy all sides, that is someone who doesn’t bring baggage to the question and can resolve issues. These whistleblowers were critical of Weiss. Weiss suggested that he always had this authority. The whistleblowers said he said the opposite to staff, suggested he allowed statute of limitations to run…’”

Garland’s appointment of Weiss might indeed have been a “dirty trick” in his attempts to continue the cover-up and protection of Joe Biden, as the next article suggests.

Garland’s Last Dirty Trick

The New York Post wrote on August 11:

“Attorney General Merrick Garland may have just played his last trick card to save Joe Biden: appointing a special counsel to delay prosecution of his son Hunter. With any luck, the official Justice Department final report on Biden family shenanigans will be released in December 2024, one month after the presidential election… Federal agencies and the Justice Department dragged out for five years the investigation of Hunter’s gun, tax and foreign influence peddling. The statute of limitations already expired on several of his crimes, but that was OK because of the spelling of his last name.

“Despite a string of crimes that would have sent average Americans up the river for a decade, Biden’s Justice Department cut a deal in June that permitted Hunter to plead guilty to misdemeanors, not serve a day in jail and dodge any other federal charges. That deal collapsed when federal Judge Maryellen Noreika asked a few questions after she was blindsided by a last-minute sweeping exoneration paragraph added to the plea deal…

“For Joe Biden, Weiss is absolutely trustworthy: He’s the same lawyer who dragged out prosecuting Hunter for years. Former White House correspondent Emerald Robinson quipped, ‘Appointing David Weiss is like appointing a crack pipe to ‘investigate’ Hunter Biden.’

“According to The Federalist’s Sean Davis, “Weiss demonstrated his loyalty to the Biden family by shutting down investigations, tipping off suspects before searches . . . refusing to interview Hunter, hiding FBI documents, firing IRS investigators . . .’ Is there any reason to expect Weiss to be more honest in the future?

Coverups have been a key to Biden’s political power for more than three years… Team Biden is teaching Americans that ‘Justice Department’ is often an oxymoron…”

Even CNN is questioning the appointment of David Weiss as a special counsel. Note the next article:

Jake Tapper: Some Concerns Have Merit

Fox News wrote on August 11:

“Many Republicans are wary of U.S. attorney David Weiss overseeing the Hunter Biden probe, and CNN anchor Jake Tapper agreed Friday that some of their concerns ‘have merit.’… ‘I think there are some legitimate questions about this whole situation,’ Tapper said on ‘CNN News Central.’ ‘First of all, I do think it’s fair to question why would U.S. Attorney Weiss be appointed to special counsel. Usually, a special counsel is an outside attorney. Now, it has happened before. Durham came from inside, and the attorney general has the right to do that, but it is odd.’

“Tapper went on to ask why they would stick with the person who was responsible for the ‘colossal failure’ of the Hunter plea deal

“He also spoke about the mixed messages regarding Weiss’ jurisdiction and whether he already had the necessary power to charge outside of Delaware before he was made a special counsel, recalling that the U.S. attorney had made different claims about his power in private versus in public, according to whistleblowers.

“‘The Justice Department and Weiss denied what the whistleblowers were saying, but this move makes it seem as though, well, maybe the whistleblowers were right. Maybe what they were alleging is true, and he didn’t have the ability to charge whatever he wanted to charge, and now he does. So I do have a lot of questions about that, and I do think some of the political questions being raised by Republicans have merit,’ Tapper said…”

When left-wing CNN begins to ask questions regarding the affairs of Joe and Hunter Biden, as well as the conduct of the Justice Department and the FBI in those matters, then that should tell us something.

 USA Like Nazi Germany?

The Daily Mail wrote on August 11:

“A majority of Republican voters in Iowa believe the pursuit of former President Donald Trump by the FBI and the Department of Justice smacks of Nazi rule in 1930s Germany, according to a new poll  for DailyMail.com. Some 57 percent of respondents said they agreed with the statement: ‘The lawlessness of the persecutions of President Trump and his supporters is reminiscent of Nazi Germany in the 1930s.’ [73 % of Trump supporters agreed with the statement.]  It comes after months of attacks on the FBI and the Department of Justice by Trump and his allies, who say he is the victim of an attempt to end his presidential campaign…

“Republicans in Iowa… will have a crucial say in selecting the party’s 2024 nomination. It is the first state to pick its preferred candidate next year, and the currents of public opinion will be watched closely until then… The DailyMail.com poll shows Trump retains a tight grip on the race. He is in clear first place with 43 percent support in the state…  Ron DeSantis has lost nine points, putting him on 17 percent… Meanwhile Sen. Tim Scott has surged to 11 percent.”

When the majority of Republican voters feel that the Justice Department and the FBI act like the Gestapo in Nazi Germany, then any confidence by a vast portion of America’s population in those institutions is gone. And we do not even know how many Independents (and Democrats) have similar opinions. What will the consequence be? 

Many propose that the DOJ, the FBI and many other federal agencies must be freed from their internal corruption by reforming them and by getting rid of the bad guys, starting with the very top. Others feel, such as businessman and Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, that these agencies are beyond repair and must be totally shut down.

Really Dangerous US-Iran Deal

Newsmax and The Associated Press wrote on August 13:

“Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo blasted the Biden administration for apparently buying the release of jailed Americans in Iran. Pompeo… was asked about the U.S. working to bring home the jailed Americans via a deal that involves billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets being transferred from banks in South Korea to Qatar. ‘It’s really dangerous… for the Gulf nations, it’s dangerous for … Israel.’

“Pompeo said paying for the Americans’ release ‘will build their [Iran’s] economy’ and encourage more hostage-taking. ‘You now have a situation where we have told the Iranians, For every American you take, the Biden administration will provide you with $1 billion,’ Pompeo [said]…

“The U.S.-Iran deal… was announced on Thursday, when Iran moved four of the five Americans from prison to house arrest. The fifth American had already been under house arrest. U.S. and Iranian officials say they believe the agreement could be finalized by mid- to late-September.

“The cash involved represents money South Korea owed Iran for oil purchased before the Trump administration imposed sanctions on such transactions in 2019.

“The U.S. maintains that, once in Qatar, the money will be held in restricted accounts and will only be able to be used for humanitarian goods, such as medicine and food. Those transactions are currently allowed under American sanctions targeting the Islamic Republic over its advancing nuclear program.

“Some people in Iran have disputed the U.S. claim, saying Tehran will have total control over the funds. Qatar has not commented publicly on how it will monitor the disbursement of the money.”

This deal is clearly an incentive for Iran to continue kidnapping and arresting American citizens.

 US Army in Trouble

The Hill wrote on August 11:

“… the military, and especially the Army, is now shrinking… A variety of factors have led to the recruiting crisis…  Disastrous wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have dented confidence in military leadership…

“President Joe Biden’s recent executive order authorizing the mobilization of up to 3,000 reserve soldiers to augment U.S. forces deployed to Europe highlighted the unending demands of maintaining an expansive U.S. global military presence… Without significant changes to its force structure or missions, the U.S. Army may be stretched to the breaking point, even though America is not at war.

“The active-duty force will soon be at its smallest duty size since the attack on Pearl Harbor. But unlike the pre-World War II force, today’s Army carries out a host of concurrent missions in Europe, the Middle East and East Asia…

“Shrinkage in the force without commensurate cuts in overseas deployments have led to an exceedingly high peacetime operational tempo, with negative effects on the Army’s readiness for war…

“When Hurricane Katrina ravaged Louisiana in 2006, thousands of the state’s Guardsmen were deployed in Iraq — active-duty Marines had to be hastily dispatched to New Orleans to assist with relief efforts and maintain order. In 2020, Oregon could not use six of its Guard helicopters to fight raging wildfires because they were in Afghanistan

“America’s Army needs either more soldiers or fewer missions. Given the demographic and societal headwinds hitting military recruiting, a larger force is going to be difficult to recruit for the foreseeable future. The alternative is making difficult, overdue decisions about which deployments are truly necessary for American national security. The Pentagon and its political overseers are resistant to such retrenchment… But perpetuating the status quo threatens a descent into a hollow force…”

The Bible shows that America’s Army will not help the country when it is going to be attacked in the near future.

Germany’s Approach Towards Ukraine

Express wrote on August 14:

“Kyiv’s relentless push to secure the Taurus cruise missile, a high-stakes weapon boasting an impressive range of over 500 kilometres (300 miles), has triggered alarm bells in Berlin. These missiles, packed with firepower and launched from formidable fighter jets like the Tornado, F-15, and F-18, have ignited geopolitical tensions that can no longer be ignored.

“In a rare twist, Germany’s reluctance to heed Kyiv’s call stands in stark contrast to the UK and France, who’ve already dispatched Storm Shadow and Scalp cruise missiles… Across the Atlantic, even the United States has chosen to sit this one out, withholding its own Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) from Ukraine’s eager grasp…

“According to Der Spiegel, the German Defence Ministry is asking Taurus’ manufacturer to integrate programming safeguards to dictate potential targets for these long-range cruise missiles.

“Scholz, the mastermind behind the manoeuvre, said he envisions a future where Ukrainian offensives on Russian soil are nothing more than a fleeting mirage, as the publication revealed.”

Die Welt Online wondered on August 14 what Germany’s strategy and goal towards Ukraine are; and if there is even a strategy.

Ukraine’s Counteroffensive Unsuccessful

Business Insider wrote on August 11:

“The Ukrainian summer counteroffensive began in June and, despite Western allies supplying advanced tanks and weaponry, the country’s recent moves against Russian combatants have resulted in only modest gains — and heavy casualties.

“The New York Times reported morgues in the country are seeing vastly increased fatalities due to the heightened fighting… The total dead in the local morgues is ‘more or less double since the counteroffensive’ started, added. Though Ukraine doesn’t publicly share the total number of casualties it has sustained, Insider reported General Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, estimated in February that Ukraine had lost more than 100,000 soldiers since the war began last year… Ukrainian troops are taking heavy damage from old-fashioned wartime tactics, including mines and booby traps, high-tech drone attacks, and advanced weapons systems.

“While the US and other allies have provided formidable battle tanks, armored fighting vehicles, and massive amounts of ammunition… the modest gains won so far in the summer counteroffensive have prompted Ukrainian troops to abandon Western tactics and strategies in favor of wearing the enemy down with barrages of missiles…”

Ukraine in Trouble

ZeroHedge wrote on August 11:

“It’s long been clear that Ukraine’s armed forces have undergone some significant recruitment problems amid generally low morale as throughout the summer the counteroffensive has stalled and appears failing. There’s also a grim emerging consensus that Ukraine is suffering staggering losses… This week, even one of Kiev’s most ardent supporters and NATO backers – Poland, has said the counteroffensive is likely to fail. Polish President Andrzej Duda said in a fresh Washington Post interview, ‘Does Ukraine have enough weapons to change the balance of the war and get the upper hand?’ And he answered his rhetorical with – ‘Probably, no’…

“A new announcement by President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday has further confirmed this pessimistic view of Kiev’s prospects, as the government has fired all heads of military recruitment on concerns of rampant corruption…  Recruiters have apparently been paid handsomely by those of means to look the other way as they avoid conscription…

“Aside from desperately needing more manpower, also at a time the phenomenon of Western mercenaries flocking to Ukraine is a thing of the past, Kiev is also likely concerned with the prior optics of the brutal mobilization by Ukrainian military recruitment officers. As the Hungarian newspaper Magyar Nemzet recently reported, ‘Many conscripted men are taken straight off the street by uniformed men.’ The paper gave the following example of such: ‘Most recently in Subcarpathia, a surveillance camera recorded the overreach of the authorities as a man trying to go to a store was kidnapped from his bicycle in broad daylight.’”

The victory of Ukraine over Russia, as had been so dogmatically proclaimed in much of the Western press, is more than doubtful.

“Overwhelming Consensus” on Climate Change “Manufactured”

The New York Post wrote on August 9:

“We are told climate change is a crisis, and that there is an ‘overwhelming scientific consensus.’ ‘It’s a manufactured consensus,’ climate scientist Judith Curry tells me. She says scientists have an incentive to exaggerate risk to pursue ‘fame and fortune.’

“She knows about that because she once spread alarm about climate change. The media loved her when she published a study that seemed to show a dramatic increase in hurricane intensity. ‘We found that the percent of Category 4 and 5 hurricanes had doubled,’ says Curry. ‘This was picked up by the media’…  ‘I was adopted by the environmental advocacy groups and the alarmists and I was treated like a rock star,’ Curry recounts. ‘Flown all over the place to meet with politicians.’

“But then some researchers pointed out gaps in her research — years with low levels of hurricanes. ‘Like a good scientist, I investigated,’ says Curry. She realized that the critics were right. ‘Part of it was bad data. Part of it is natural climate variability.’

“Curry was the unusual researcher who looked at criticism of her work and actually concluded: ‘They had a point.’ Then the Climategate scandal taught her that other climate researchers weren’t so open-minded. Alarmist scientists’ aggressive attempts to hide data suggesting climate change is not a crisis were revealed in leaked emails… It made Curry realize that there is a ‘climate-change industry’ set up to reward alarmism. ‘The origins go back to the . . . UN environmental program,’ says Curry.

“Some United Nations officials were motivated by ‘anti-capitalism. They hated the oil companies and seized on the climate change issue to move their policies along.’… The researchers quickly figured out that the way to get funded was to make alarmist claims about ‘man-made climate change.’ This is how ‘manufactured consensus’ happens.”

It has been observed for a long time that scientists manufacture and manipulate statistics to prove their case for man-made global warming.

US Money Down the Drain?

Ron Paul wrote in his weekly column in the Ron Paul Institute on August 14:

“I am not a big fan of Federal Government disaster relief. Too much of the time the money never gets to those who need it most, and too often Washington’s armies of disaster ‘experts’ are more interested in pushing people around than helping them.

“Nevertheless, it’s hard to look at recent footage of the devastation in Maui and then hear President Biden tell Congress that he needs another $24 billion for Ukraine. How can this Administration continue to justify tens of billions of dollars for this losing war that is not in our interest while the rest of the United States disintegrates?

“Biden’s new $24 billion request comes on top of well over $120 billion already spent to fight the US proxy war on Russia in Ukraine. Heritage Foundation budget expert Richard Stern has done the math and determined that Biden’s spending on the Ukraine war thus far will cost each and every American household $900. How many Americans would rather have those $900 dollars back in their pocket rather than in the pockets of Lockheed-Martin, Raytheon, and Ukraine’s oligarchs?

“Recent surveys have shown that a majority of Americans could not afford to cover a sudden $1,000 emergency. Will Americans connect the dots and realize that the reason they can’t find that $1,000 for an emergency is because the neocons have already sent it to Ukraine?

“Ukraine has long been known as among the most corrupt countries on earth and not long ago investigative journalist Seymore Hersh wrote that Ukrainian president Vladimir Zelensky has embezzled at least $400 million in aid from the American people. Corruption scandals continue to break in Ukraine. Just last week Zelensky fired the heads of all local draft boards for corruption. Some press reports suggest that sales of luxury cars in Ukraine have broken all previous records. I wonder why.

“No wonder the tide of US public opinion is turning against further involvement in the war. Recently CNN found that among all Americans, more than 55 percent are opposed to continued aid to Ukraine. Among Republicans the number opposing more aid to Ukraine rises to three-out-of-four…

“Yet the Biden Administration persists in backing Ukraine even as the US mainstream media is increasingly pointing out the obvious: Ukraine is not winning and cannot win, and continuing to pour money into a losing cause will just result in bankruptcy at home and more dead Ukrainians overseas.

“Last week Newsweek published an article asking, ‘Does Ukraine Have Kompromat on Joe Biden?’ In the article, Northeastern University Professor Max Abrahms wonders out loud whether Biden’s continued support for Ukraine might be related to compromising information held in Kiev about the many Biden family shady business ventures in Ukraine and the region. It is certainly worth considering.

“Meanwhile, the residents of Maui that survived the recent horrific fire will take little comfort knowing that the Biden Administration is more interested in sending their money to Ukraine than in helping them recover.”

Donald Trump stated in a recent interview that Biden is a compromised President.

Maui Wildfires Deadliest in More Than 100 Years

Deutsche Welle wrote on August 13:

“The newly released [death] figure has exceeded that of the 2018 Camp Fire in northern California…  The new death toll Saturday came as search teams with cadaver dogs sifted through the ruins of Lahaina, four days after a fast-moving blaze leveled the historic resort town.

“It is projected to be the second-costliest disaster in Hawaii history, behind only Hurricane Iniki in 1992…

“The cause of the fire is still unknown, but residents are puzzled and angered over the lack of warnings. Sirens stationed around the island — intended to warn of impending natural disasters — never sounded. Alerts were sent via cell phones, TV and radio stations, but the reach was limited due to power and cellular outages…

“Experts say many factors must have contributed to the rapid spread of the inferno, such as a dry summer, unchecked growth of flammable non-native plants, the volcanic topography that creates drying down-slope winds, an unusually parched winter, and a hurricane to the southwest.”

There have been numerous incidents in the past where Hawaii’s warning system had failed miserably. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will not visit Maui because they “don’t want to distract” from the relief efforts, Harris said. Finally, Biden spoke out on the disaster in Maui, but apparently forgot the name of the island.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.

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How to Survive in This Day and Age!

Surviving in the present age involves many challenges on several levels and God does not want us to get a hunting rifle or a fishing rod and go live in the wilderness, or to live in a monastery, waiting for the return of Christ. Notice the admonition of Christ in John 17:15: “I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.”

We have to live in this world and since one of our responsibilities is to support the Work of preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God to the world, which includes warning the world of impending doom because of sin, we need to do our best to survive ourselves under these conditions now and in the near future.

We all face different challenges, based on age, marital status, raising a family or being retired or widowed. The physical challenges come with aging and we have to learn to do our best in whatever circumstance we find ourselves.

In this Q&A, we will look at our relationship with God, our family, our employers and our neighbors, always with the view to our survival.

  1. Our relationship with God

We need to have and maintain a close relationship with God by using the tools He has provided for us, including prayer, bible study, meditation, and occasional fasting.

In regard to prayer, we read that Christ often got up early, went to a remote area where there would be no distractions, and prayed there. During the day, He was surrounded by crowds seeking healing and wanting to hear what He was saying, even to the point that at one time it was challenging to eat, as we read in Mark 3:20: “Then the multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread.” Mark 6:31 records another episode: “And He said to them, ‘Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.’ For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.’” 

There were other times when Christ prayed all night, alone, or when He prayed not too far away from His disciples. So following His example, we need to find a private place to pray without distractions, and depending on our situation, we may have to adjust our schedule to accomplish this. The same is true for your Bible study, and there may be several times during a day when one is able to meditate. David said in Psalm 119:15: “I will meditate on Your precepts, And contemplate Your ways.”

Fasting should be planned in such a manner that it gives us a chance to combine it with prayer, Bible study and meditation.

With this introduction, we want to concentrate on building our relationship with God by keeping God’s commandments which we must do if we want to survive the evil time to come.

We prove our love for God by keeping His commandments. In John 14:15, Christ tells us: “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” To some in the world, obeying God is foreign to them and not on their agenda.

The commandments are not complicated rules to follow, and the first four of the Ten Commandments tell us how to love God.

(a) Exodus 20:1-3 states:

“And God spoke all these words, saying: ‘I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me.’”

This is not complicated. We are not to place anything between us and God; be it another person, job, position, or even our intellectual capacity (which comes from God)—in other words, anything that could become a stumbling block before us. We are to put God first in our lives and utilize the fact that He and His Son dwell in us (when we are converted baptized members of the Church of God) and look to Christ’s perfect example of always giving glory to God the Father. We must give God the credit for what He is able to do through us. We are to put the spotlight on God, not on ourselves.

(b) Exodus 20: 4-6 continues:

“You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.”

Several religions blatantly break this commandment by praying to statues or human figures, and they number in the billions. Such worship is all in vain, as described by these words:

“But they are altogether dull-hearted and foolish; A wooden idol is a worthless doctrine” (Jeremiah 10:8).

“You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led” (1 Corinthians 12:2) . 

Today people idolize movie stars and rock stars. One popular competition show is called “American Idol.” But idol worship became a stumbling block for Israel and was one of the reasons why they had to go into captivity.

Idolizing anyone–any man or woman—and any object breaks the second commandment.

(c)   Exodus 20:7 continues:

 “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.”

On any job site in the Western world, God’s name is continuously used in vain. This is also the case in many songs and in movies. It’s hard to find a song or a movie where God’s name is not used in vain.

The third commandment prohibits using God’s name in vain, such as “My God,” but it also includes vain repetitions, as is the custom in some churches and in prayers, or cursing (“God da…”), or using euphemisms which appear harmless like “my goodness”, “gee,” “gosh” or “geez.”

All these are an affront to God and should be avoided by true Christians.

(d) Exodus 20:8-11 reads:

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.”

God says, remember the Sabbath, and man quickly forgets or substitutes other days like Wednesday, Friday or Sunday, and some say, the Sabbath could be every day of the week. But God makes clear that the weekly Sabbath is from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset. We are to refrain from working and doing business, and we are instead to spend time at services or listening in to services if one lives too remote to be able to attend in person. We do not do our own things like attending sports events or watching them on TV. The Sabbath should be dedicated to God. It was a day of rest for God after six days of recreating the surface of the earth, and it should be a day of rest for us. God was of course not tired after His creation, but He kept the Sabbath for us, showing us that we must follow His example. It sets us apart as God’s people, and it is a sign for us that we worship the true God.

Exodus 31:13 tells us: “Speak also to the children of Israel, saying: ‘Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you.’”

It points to the God of creation. It sets us apart as His children who worship the God of creation. No other day does that, be it Sunday, Friday or any other day. This also includes the annual Sabbaths and Festival seasons which outline God’s plan for mankind from repentance and baptism to becoming full members of the God Family as God beings which is our ultimate potential.

The tools of prayer, bible study, fasting and meditation are useful for having and maintaining a good relationship with God, and keeping the first four commandments demonstrates our love for God.

  2. Our relationship with our family

Husband and wife ought to be on the same page when it comes to following the dictates of the Bible in the relationship between them. Our booklet “The Keys To Happy Marriages and Families” goes into detail about how to achieve this.

One key issue in the raising of children is not to allow a child to create a division between the parents. They must agree on how to deal with requests from their children. Children have to see parents as united for the purpose of keeping harmony in the family.

Parents must be aware of what their children are exposed to at school or by their peers. Schools may propagate the critical race theory which teaches children to hate their country, or promote sex-changing drugs and abortions without the parents’ knowledge and consent. Parents need to stay informed as to what their children learn and must counteract at home any evil teachings their children may be exposed to.

Children need to be taught about God and His ways and to get used to the habit of praying and studying the Bible.

Proverbs 22:6 tells us: “Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proper teachings will carry them a long way, so when they become teens and adults, it will help them to stay on the narrow path of righteousness. However, such an outcome is not automatic, as we explain in our Q&A, “How do you understand Paul’s statement that our children are holy? And what are the practical consequences? (Part 2)” https://www.eternalgod.org/update-1078/#qa , where we said:

“Rightly understood, Proverbs 22:6 does not teach that a child who has been trained by a righteous parent will continue automatically in God’s Way of Life… In light of the fact that the Bible emphasizes individual responsibility, it must be concluded that Proverbs 22:6 does not intend to impress the idea that the righteous teaching of parents will automatically lead to the conversion of a child. It is true, of course, that parents are to teach their children about God and His Way of Life (Deuteronomy 11:18-19). But this does not mean that converted parents can bring about the conversion of their children. They have their own responsibility in the matter. Ultimately, a child who is ‘brought up’ in God’s Church CAN make it into God’s Kingdom. Those who are called today for salvation have been foreknown and predestined by God to be called before they were born.”

  3. Our relationship with our employers

If someone is self-employed, he or she can determine when to take time off to attend the Feast of Tabernacles and keep the other Holy Days. As an employee, it is sometimes more challenging. A good relationship with our employer is crucial in getting time off for God’s Holy Days. If we are  diligent and conscientious workers, employers may not want to fire us for keeping God’s Holy Days at an “inopportune” time, even though they do not like to grant us time off. In any event, it is critical that we pray to God first, before making our request, that God will give us favor in the eyes of our employer.  

  4. Our relationship with our neighbors

Being friendly to our neighbors without getting involved in their lives is good advice. They will soon find out that we are different in that we don’t swear or use bad language, we are polite and we go out every Saturday dressed up with the family. We don’t have Christmas lights on our property or no pumpkins on Halloween.  They will see we don’t do work projects on Saturday, we don’t cut the lawn on Saturday, but they may hear our lawnmower on Sunday (unless it is against the law to mow our lawn on Sunday). We go “on vacation” in the fall for over a week with your children. Our children are polite, non-destructive and help around the yard, and even though we have different practices, we are good neighbors who can be trusted.

At least, that is how it should be, even though we all lack in this to an extent. Still, even though our neighbors see and scoff at our strange behavior, they may respect us for our friendliness and willingness to help when there is a need.

For further study, please read our free booklet, “The Ten Commandments.”

We live in a perverse, corrupt and evil society that is under the influence of Satan the devil—an evil being beyond redemption for his evil deeds. Satan hated God in that he tried in the past to overthrow Him and take possession of ruling over God’s creation, but he was cast down to this earth in failure.  He will try again to fight against God in another rebellion, proving he is unwilling and unable to change because attempting the same effort twice, expecting a different result, defines insanity.

He hates God’s Church and people and would like to see us fail in our calling and lose out on our salvation, and he will try to get us to compromise or fall short so that we fail.

If this is unsuccessful, he will try to destroy us physically. That is why we need to seek God’s protection and pray we may be counted worthy to escape the trials and destruction coming on this world in a few years.

Being faithful to death does not take away our salvation. Unfortunately, some having fallen a little short in what is required to maintain a proper relationship with God, may have to go through the tribulation.

Troublesome times are ahead and this Q&A is written to help us to survive what’s coming and to stand before our beloved Saviour at His return. Then, we can truly help change this world to become a better place in the Millennium and beyond, ruling under Christ when Satan’s influence is removed.

We want to ensure we fulfill our destiny to become God beings in the glorious Kingdom of God, which is not too far away.

Lead Writer: Rene Messier (Canada)

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Preaching the Gospel and Feeding the Flock

compiled by Dave Harris

“WHY God Condemns Trump’s Indictments and Biden’s Protection!” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

Georgia’s District Attorney Fani Willis filed preposterous criminal charges against Trump and 18 codefendants for an alleged conspiracy pertaining to the 2020 election, which, according to legal experts, Democrats have engaged in since at least 1977.  It was also pointed out that especially alarming is Willis’ “excessive” and “dangerous” conduct while showing not even a “resemblance of restraint.” Just prior to the indictments in Georgia, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was ridiculed for incorrectly stating that there was “zero evidence” that Joe Biden had “discussed” or was “involved with” his son’s business dealings, while ignoring a “mounting collection of evidence” proving the opposite. Attorney General Merrick Garland’s appointment of David Weiss as special counsel in the Hunter Biden case, after Weiss’s sweetheart plea deal with Hunter fell apart, may be his “last trick card to save Joe Biden,” according to an opinion piece in the New York Post. Even CNN questioned this “odd” appointment.  God has some strong and frightening words to say about the current state of affairs in the USA. Will His warning be heard?

“Unsere Versprechen— sind sie etwas wert?”, last Sabbath’s German sermon presented by Thilo Hanstein, is now posted. Title in English: “Our Promises—Are They Worth Anything?”

“Alarming Developments in the USA, Germany and the Ukraine—Comments on News and Prophecy, August 12, 2023,” last Sabbath’s first message presented by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Will an allegedly biased judge in the 2020 Election case against Trump recuse herself? Was the “odd” appointment of David Weiss as special counsel in the Hunter Biden case just a trick of Merrick Garland?  Why do most Republican voters in Iowa think that the conduct of the Justice Department and the FBI “is reminiscent of Nazi Germany in the 1930s”? Are we facing coming climate and pandemics lockdowns? Is the US Army descending into a “hollow force”? Why do we need to wake up when Germans are extremely unhappy with their entire political system; when the country is in deep financial trouble; and when fear of war is widespread among German soldiers? And while Germany is hesitant to supply more arms to Ukraine, brutal mobilization by Ukraine military recruitment officers; the suffering of staggering losses; and the apparent failure of Ukraine’s counteroffensive give pause for alarm.

“Europe’s War with America, Britain, Israel and Russia,” last Sabbath’s sermon presented by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

The soon-coming Great Tribulation includes the destruction and occupation of America, Great Britain and the State of Israel in a nuclear World War III. What is meant with the “abomination of desolation” which will be placed in the Third Temple? When will the prophesied war between Europe and Russia occur? And what IS the sign of Christ’s coming and the end of the world? 

We would like to announce the wedding of Church members Charpantidis Kiriakos and Manuela Young, which took place last Sunday in Germany. The marriage ceremony was performed by Christoph Sperzel.

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How This Work is Financed

This Update is an official publication by the ministry of the Church of the Eternal God in the United States of America; the Church of God, a Christian Fellowship in Canada; and the Global Church of God in the United Kingdom.

Editorial Team: Norbert Link, Dave Harris, Rene Messier, Brian Gale, Margaret Adair, Johanna Link, Eric Rank, Michael Link, Anna Link, Kalon Mitchell, Manuela Mitchell, Dawn Thompson

Technical Team: Eric Rank, Shana Rank

Our activities and literature, including booklets, weekly updates, sermons on CD, and video and audio broadcasts, are provided free of charge. They are made possible by the tithes, offerings and contributions of Church members and others who have elected to support this Work.

While we do not solicit the general public for funds, contributions are gratefully welcomed and are tax-deductible in the U.S. and Canada.

Donations should be sent to the following addresses:

United States: Church of the Eternal God, P.O. Box 270519, San Diego, CA 92198

Canada: Church of God, ACF, Box 1480, Summerland, B.C. V0H 1Z0

United Kingdom: Global Church of God, PO Box 44, MABLETHORPE, LN12 9AN, United Kingdom

Comments on News and Prophecy–August 12, 2023 / Europe’s War with America, Britain, Israel and Russia

On August 12, 2023, Norbert Link will present, “Comments on News and Prophecy—August 12, 2023,” and the sermon, titled, “Europe’s War with America, Britain, Israel and Russia.”

The live services are available, over video and audio, at http://eternalgod.org/live-services/ (12:30 pm Pacific Time; 1:30 pm Mountain Time; 2:30 pm Central Time; 3:30 pm Eastern Time; 8:30 pm Greenwich Mean Time; 9:30 pm Central European Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

This Week in the News

Biased Judge in Trump 2020 Election Case Must Recuse Herself

Breitbart wrote on August 4:

“Appointed to the bench by the Obama administration in 2014, U.S. District Judge Tanya S. Chutkan will oversee the 2020 election case against Trump. Chutkan previously worked in litigation and white-collar criminal defense at Boies, Schiller, & Flexner, where Hunter Biden and Chutkan were colleagues for five years. During her tenure as a judge, she also oversaw an important case regarding the Russia Hoax.

“‘I don’t believe for one second it’s a coincidence that in Washington, D.C., Donald Trump drew the most partisan, bias judge who is incapable of being fair and neutral,’ said Patel, who is a former House Intelligence Committee aide and principal deputy at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI).

“Patel argues Chutkan is a partisan judge and has no credibility to oversee Trump’s case after she recused herself from overseeing an ongoing case concerning Trump and the Russia hoax in November 2017. ‘If you’re a judge, and you represented one of the parties or your firm represented one of the parties before you, it’s an automatic recusal, full stop,’ he said…

“‘The [Russia hoax] court case was assigned to Judge Chutkan,’ Patel said. ‘And we litigated the case for approximately one month… after about a month of all that heavy litigation, she just shuts down on her own, recuses herself,’ Patel said. ‘She didn’t file an order justifying it. She just does it…  Why would she recuse from Russiagate? Well, it’s because Boies, Schiller, under her tenureship, represented Fusion GPS, the very firm that was suing us before her [court]… She knew that when we filed the lawsuit because it was Fusion who brought the lawsuit, and she allowed it to be litigated in front of her already, violating the canons of ethics and the rule of law about maintaining neutrality

“‘She cannot be fair, based on her prior employment at a law firm that has literally been one of the most corrupt, legal con artists for the Democrat National Party [and] in the Hillary Clinton Campaign,’ Patel said, ‘All of which was to get Trump during Russiagate and the Steele Dossier, all of it ran through her.’”

Professor Dershowitz said that she must recuse herself, as she is obviously biased. That should be obvious, but we will see what she will do. Trump is also asking for a change of venue as he could not possibly receive a fair trial in Washington DC. That should be obvious too.

2020 Election on Trial?

Newsmax wrote on August 4:

Former President Donald Trump and his legal advisers see his latest indictment as another opportunity to argue that the 2020 election was stolen from him in favor of President Joe Biden… Trump’s defense team is signaling that it will rebut allegations in the indictment that Trump knew his claims of fraud in the election were false, but that he allegedly took steps to flip the results.

“According to sources close to Trump, he wants to subpoena people about the election while arguing that he won… Some Republican strategists see this plan as problematic, as they say there are more issues to focus on in the 2024 race…

“Meanwhile, Trump attorney Alina Habba said Thursday that Trump’s defense team will show that he believed there were issues with the 2020 election’s results… ‘When somebody wants to say that the 2020 election was perfect and that President Trump has no right to object to it, we’ve got to go show him all the facts, and there’s a lot of facts to show.”

Habba was also quoted as saying this on National Report:

“Trump has every right to question the integrity of the election… He had every right to do so at the time, I think millions and millions of Americans still to this day also share that sentiment that there may have been issues in the 2020 election

“We’ve seen a lot of facts that result in this continual belief that things were not done exactly appropriately, and the president did what he wanted to do and what he needed to do in the way that he was advised by some … But imagine any politician who feels that that somebody has lied or that there’s been a fraud, not being able to challenge that fraud and what that means for our country. That’s their job, and he was the sole person in the executive branch who had the power to do so…”

As we pointed out last time, special counsel Jack Smith might have opened a Pandora’s Box.

Did House Select Committee Destroy January 6 Documents?

Newsmax wrote on August 9:

“Former President Donald Trump accused the Democrat-led Jan. 6 House Select Committee of ‘illegally’ destroying records and documents… ‘So now that I have full Subpoena Power… it has just been reported that the Unselect January 6th Committee of Political Hacks and Thugs has illegally destroyed their Records and Documents,’ Trump wrote. ‘This is unthinkable… The system is Rigged & Corrupt, very much like the Presidential Election of 2020. We are a Nation in Decline!’

“Rep. Barry Loudermilk, R-Ga., chair of the Subcommittee on Oversight for the Committee on House Administration, told Fox News that former Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s partisan Jan. panel, which was comprised of Democrats and two anti-Trump Republicans in the previous Congress, failed to adequately preserve documents, data, and video depositions.

“Loudermilk said that he was contacted by a defense attorney, who needed access to key information in one of the video depositions. The committee then realized it did not have the videos he was seeking.”

Nancy Pelosi’s conduct in the matter of the 2020 election deserves some investigation and scrutiny.

How All Criminal Charges Against Trump Could Be Wiped Out

Breitbart wrote on August 3:

“Harvard Law professor emeritus Laurence Tribe told CNN on Thursday that former President Donald Trump could ‘wipe out’ all criminal charges against him, including both state and federal cases if he gets elected to the White House in 2024… Tribe said a Republican president could ‘simply erase’ the charges against Trump if Trump does not win the presidency… ‘Simply appoint an attorney general who dismisses it all.’…

“The fact that Tribe recognized a Trump presidency would ‘wipe out’ all of Trump’s criminal cases is notable because House Democrats consulted with Tribe as they prepared their first articles of impeachment against Trump…”

That Attorney General Merrick Garland [and his special counsel Jack Smith] would be fired under Trump is a foregone conclusion. Tribe also said that Jack Smith’s indictment was brilliant. The truth is, this was a horrible piece of draftsmanship, and there was nothing brilliant about it. A first semester law student could rip (at least some of) it apart. It is an attack on constitutionally protected political free speech. If Trump is convicted (which is the likely outcome in a trial in antagonistic and hostile Washington DC) and the case should not be thrown out by a Court of Appeals and should ever reach the US Supreme Court, it surely would have to be overturned by them.

AG Garland May Face Charges of Obstruction of Justice

Fox News wrote on August 4:

“Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich… believes Attorney General Merrick Garland is in danger of facing charges of his own for ‘directing’ special counsel Jack Smith’s ‘disgustingly political’ assault on former President Donald Trump.

“[Gingrich said:] ‘Look, we have never seen a major political figure as routinely and methodically assaulted as Donald Trump. It’s a sign of how desperate the establishment is. They are terrified that if he’s still standing and in October of 2024, he is going to become the president. And, of course, if he does become the president, all of these people are in jeopardy. Remember, Watergate led to 46 people being convicted. The only Cabinet officer ever to go to jail was Attorney General John Mitchell for obstruction of justice.

‘‘And I am absolutely certain that the current attorney general, Merrick Garland, is in grave danger of being charged with obstruction of justice and with having destroyed the system. And I think the Congress, frankly, should be right now subpoenaing all the documents between Smith and Garland, because I think Garland’s been directing this. I think the timing is weird. As you know, the other night, ‘Jesse Watters Primetime’ put up a chart that showed something happens to Hunter, the next two or three days, something happens to Trump… I mean, this is so blatantly, disgustingly political. And it has no business being in the Department of Justice.’”

Please view our new lengthy and detailed StandingWatch program in this context, titled, “IS America Doomed? The Biden and Trump Scandals.”

Federal Judge Comes Out Swinging Against Jack Smith in Document Case

Fox News wrote on August 7:

“The federal judge overseeing the classified documents case against former President Donald Trump delivered multiple blows to Special Counsel Jack Smith’s efforts in a brief Monday. Judge Aileen Cannon of the Southern District of Florida – who is presiding over the case stemming from a Miami grand jury’s June indictment of Trump – denied the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) request for sealed filings, striking two from the record. Cannon also requested additional information from prosecutors regarding the continued use of an out-of-state grand jury to investigate the case.

“‘The Special Counsel states in conclusory terms that the supplement should be sealed from public view “to comport with grand jury secrecy,” but the motion for leave and the supplement plainly fail to satisfy the burden of establishing a sufficient legal or factual basis to warrant sealing the motion and supplement,’ Cannon wrote in the brief, denying the DOJ’s request. ‘Among other topics as raised in the Motion, the response shall address the legal propriety of using an out-of-district grand jury proceeding to continue to investigate and/or to seek post-indictment hearings on matters pertinent to the instant indicted matter in this district,’ she continued in the brief…”

Trump Not Guiltless

Breitbart wrote on August 7:

“During an interview with NBC News on Monday, 2024 Republican presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis stated that the 2020 election was poorly run, but we had mass mail-in balloting because ‘Trump turned the government over to Fauci, they embraced lockdowns, they did the CARES Act, which funded mail-in ballots across the country. Donald Trump signed that bill that funded the mail ballots that all the Republicans have been so concerned about.’ And that the censorship of the Hunter Biden laptop story ‘was Donald Trump’s FBI that was working with that’…

“‘…when they changed the rules for COVID, I think that was wrong. I think some of those changes were unconstitutional. When they do mass mail ballots, I think that’s wrong. I think ballot harvesting is wrong… I think the fact that the FBI was working with Facebook and these other tech companies to censor the Hunter Biden story was wrong. And so, I don’t think it was the perfect election. I remember after, a lot of the media was saying, this was the most secure election in history. How could it be the most secure with those millions of mail ballots going out?…’ [Trump] didn’t have control over his own government. … And so, I think all of those issues were very problematic, but, at the end of the day, Donald Trump helped facilitate that whole set of circumstances.’”

Even though clearly prompted by political motives, DeSantis has a point. Especially Trump’s failure to deal with Fauci and his crazy ideas caused great harm to the country.

Four Pinocchios for Lying Joe Biden

Breitbart wrote on August 3:

“The Washington Post‘s fact-checker, Glenn Kessler, gave President Joe Biden four Pinocchios for lying about his son Hunter Biden not making money in China.

“Kessler documented two instances where Biden denied his son had made money in China.

“In an October 22, 2020 presidential debate, Biden told moderator Kristen Welker: ‘My son has not made money in terms of this thing about, what are you talking about, China. I have not had … the only guy who made money from China is this guy [Donald Trump]. He’s the only one. Nobody else has made money from China.’

“In a September 29, 2020, debate, Trump told Biden, ‘Once you became vice president [Hunter Biden] made a fortune in Ukraine, in China, in Moscow and various other places,’ to which Biden responded, ‘That’s not true.’

“Kessler wrote: ‘But now, nearly three years later, Biden’s assertions have been directly rebutted by Hunter himself. In court testimony last week, the younger Biden acknowledged that he in fact had been paid substantial sums in China — the first official confirmation that this was the case…”

The Ron Paul Institute republished on August 1 the following article by Law Professor Jonathan Turley:

“President Joe Biden has been a regular recipient of ‘Pinocchios’ by the Washington Post for his false statements… Biden is undeterred and regularly repeats false stories from his life… Now, the President has a fresh set of ‘Four Pinocchios’…

“The Post is admitting that Biden has been lying about how his son Hunter never made money from China. It is the latest indication that the protective media wall surrounding Biden is beginning to crumble under the weight of new evidence in the corruption scandal…

“What is curious is that Kessler and the Post waited for Hunter to effectively confess rather than take notice of money transfers and records released by House committees investigating the corruption scandal. The Post and most of the media have taken little observable journalistic interest in independently confirming such payments or benefits. Instead, the media has adopted a largely passive stance and waited for confessions rather than find confirmation…

“Of course, the Post has not been known to be particularly active in independently trying to confirm such benefits [which Joe Biden allegedly received from Hunter’s business deals with foreign associates] absent another Biden admission or confession. As with the clearly false claims that he had no knowledge or involvement in these dealings, the question is now not whether Joe Biden has been lying but why he has been lying.” 

Joe Biden’s blatant denial of Hunter’s receipt of money from China does in fact raise serious questions regarding Joe Biden himself. His continuous lies do not help either.

Kennedy and Trump

American Thinker wrote on August 4:

“Trump’s Achilles heel was allowing himself to be bamboozled into supporting the COVID narrative of the pharmaceutical-medical-globalist complex. Because of his congenital reluctance to issue a mea culpa and admit that he was conned, Kennedy could potentially appeal to this large segment of the electorate… For solid realpolitik reasons Trump avoids attacking Kennedy and is modestly complimentary…

“There will be many disaffected Democrats regardless which candidate secures the nomination. Media and Democratic attacks on Kennedy only help him, similar to Trump… Capturing the Democratic nomination requires that Kennedy overcome the media and the Clinton/Obama machine…

“Kennedy… is a skilled debater, commanding facts, with his finger on the pulse of current existential concerns. No one in his imploding party comes close. No one owns the COVID vaccine debate as he does… Trump currently needs Kennedy more than Kennedy needs Trump…”

An interesting proposal to contemplate.

No Religious Exemption in Connecticut

The Associated Press wrote on August 4:

“A federal appeals court on Friday upheld a 2021 Connecticut law that eliminated the state’s longstanding religious exemption from childhood immunization requirements for schools, colleges and day care facilities. The decision comes about a year and a half after a lower court judge dismissed the lawsuit challenging the contentious law…

“‘This decision is a full and resounding affirmation of the constitutionality and legality of Connecticut’s vaccine requirements. Vaccines save lives — this is a fact beyond dispute,’ Democratic Attorney General William Tong said in a statement. ‘The legislature acted responsibly and well within its authority to protect the health of Connecticut families and stop the spread of preventable disease.’

“The plaintiffs, We the Patriots USA Inc. and others, had argued that Connecticut violated religious freedom protections by removing the exemption. The 2021 law, they said, demonstrates a hostility to religious believers and jeopardizes their rights to medical freedom and child rearing. ‘We fully intend to seek review of this decision in the United States Supreme Court, to obtain equal justice for all children — not only in Connecticut, but in every state in the nation,’ Brian Festa, co-founder and vice president of We the Patriots USA Inc., said in a statement.

“He said his group, which focuses on religious and medical freedom, parental rights and other matters, disagrees with the court’s conclusion that removing the exemption does not violate religious freedom under the First Amendment or the 14th Amendment’s guarantee of equal protection under the law…

“Connecticut law currently requires students to receive certain immunizations before enrolling in school, yet allows some medical exemptions. Students could seek religious exemptions as well prior to 2021, but lawmakers decided to end that after being concerned by an uptick in exemption requests coupled with a decline in vaccination rates in some schools. The Connecticut General Assembly ultimately passed legislation that eliminated the exemption but grandfathered students in K-12 that had already received one…”

There is nothing reasonable about this terrible decision which, sadly, reflects the policy of so many states in a country which claims religious freedom but is becoming more and more an autocratic dictatorship.

Poland’s Diminishing Support for Ukraine

The Conversation reported on August 4:

“There has been a fundamental shift when it comes to the stance that young Poles think their government should adopt in the war in Ukraine. In 2022, an overwhelming majority of 83 percent argued that the government should support Ukraine — but this number has changed drastically.

“Now, 65 percent of respondents back continuous support for Ukraine, whereas the remaining 34 percent wish for Poland to stay neutral. Clearly, more than one and a half years into the current phase of the conflict and amid fears of other countries being pulled into the war, young people have become more cautious…

“Asked about the type of support that people consider appropriate for Ukraine, our most recent (2023) data shows that only 2 percent of young Poles want the national army to be involved in the Ukraine war. And while 60 percent support offering humanitarian aid, only 28 percent want Poland to offer weapons.”

That even Poland—Ukraine’s strongest supporter in Europe—has begun to have second thoughts is rather telling.

Germans Unhappy With Political System

Deutsche Welle wrote on August 4:

“If federal elections were held this week, the populist party [AfD] would win 21% of the vote, putting it firmly in second place [after the CDU]. [In a new poll,] Germany’s center-left government [SPD, FDP and the Green] again failed to win a majority… Only one in five respondents said they were satisfied with the work of the federal government…Chancellor Scholz is also becoming increasingly unpopular: Only three out of 10 eligible voters (31%) say they are satisfied with his work, the lowest approval rating since he took office in December 2021…

“Voters are not only dissatisfied with the chancellor and his government, but also with the overall situation in the country. Some 58% say that burdens are not shared fairly in Germany. That feeling has to do with the distribution of wealth, but also with the fact that certain groups in the population feel that their views and interests are not being taken into account enough by the political mainstream… As many as 62% of respondents said politicians focus too much on the interests of those who are wealthy, while 48% think that politicians focus too much on the needs of refugees.

“Despite the fact that the opposition conservative parties are leading in the polls, only 19% said they believe that they would do a better job at solving the country’s problems — in fact, 21% said they would do an even worse job, and 53% said they’d expect a conservative-led government’s overall performance to be similar… The low expectations for a CDU-led federal government correspond to the poor rating of CDU leader Friedrich Merz. Only three out of 10 respondents said they think he is a good party leader, and only 16% said they thought he would make a good chancellor. Perhaps even worse for Merz, only one in three CDU supporters want him to become the next head of government after the general election in 2025…

“The CDU/CSU has been thrown into turmoil by the question of whether the decision to disassociate itself from the far-right AfD should apply at all political levels. This comes after Merz suggested in an interview with public broadcaster ZDF in July that cooperation with AfD representatives on a local level was sensible common practice. He walked his comments back the following day in response to an immediate backlash, including from figures within his own party.

“Overall, 64% of those surveyed for the Deutschlandtrend poll said they think it is right for the CDU to rule out cooperation with the AfD in principle, while 29% are open to considering it. However, there are considerable differences when the western and eastern German states are considered separately.

“While two-thirds of eligible voters in western Germany welcome the CDU’s official stance of rejecting cooperation with the AfD, in eastern Germany, the former German Democratic Republic (GDR), only half of the eligible voters agree. There, the AfD is the strongest party, polling at over 30%.

“Some 70% of all respondents called for more pragmatism: They say that support of individual AfD motions in the parliaments of cities, municipalities and districts should be decided on a case-by-case basis.

“In eastern Germany, as many as 81% of respondents said they were in favor of more pragmatism, compared with 67% in western Germany. Nationwide, it is only Green supporters (51%) where a majority say that all AfD motions should be rejected on principle.”

Germany is in chaos, due to a lack of true leadership. All seem to act as proverbial politicians… without any strong convictions and without any backbone. But this will end soon when the “right man” shows up.

Germany in Deep Financial Trouble

Express wrote on August 8:

“Germany, once regarded as the powerhouse of the European economy, is grappling with severe economic challenges that are leaving a profound impact on its social fabric. The nation’s economic struggles have manifested in a distressing rise in poverty rates, increased reliance on food banks, and a worrying decline in industrial output, particularly within the renowned car manufacturing sector.

“Recent data reveals that more than two million Germans are now dependent on foodbanks for their daily sustenance… Furthermore, approximately 14 million Germans, equivalent to one in six of the population of 88 million, are classified as living in poverty... Amid these challenges, official economic forecasts point toward a recession in Germany this year.”

All the while, enormous amounts of money are being spent on ridiculous “Green” projects and on assisting Ukraine militarily.

Fear of War in Germany

Bild Online wrote on August 4:

“Since Putin’s brutal war of aggression against Ukraine, the number of conscientious objectors in the Bundeswehr has increased fivefold! Background: In the case of a partial or general mobilization in the event of tension or defense, ALL men between the ages of 18 and 59 could be drafted. THAT apparently scares even soldiers.

“In the German Basic Law, Article 4, Paragraph 3, it says: ‘No one may be forced into military service against his conscience.’ A response from the Federal Government to a small question from the Left Group now shows: More and more are invoking this law – there is a trend towards objection…

“But when do German soldiers actually have to fear being mobilized for a defensive mission? The Bundestag must decide with a two-thirds majority that there is a ‘stress situation’ (“Spannungsfall”). Meaning: increased military alert and general compulsory military service for men up to the age of 60. This is a preliminary stage of the ‘defense case’ (“Verteidigungsfall”).

“The defense case can also occur if the Federal Republic is attacked with armed force [by the enemy; or when such an armed attack is “imminent”]. Then the authority to command the armed forces [of Germany] is transferred to the Federal Chancellor. So far this has remained a theoretical scenario: the stress situation or the defense case have never been announced.”

Sadly, this scenario will become all-too-real pretty soon.

Germany Hesitates to Supply Arms to Ukraine

Focus wrote on August 5:

“In May, the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Berlin after a long time—a symbolic visit to show that Ukraine and Germany are now putting their tensions over arms shipments behind them. But little has happened since then. Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) promised a comprehensive weapons package worth 2.4 billion euros at his meeting with Selenskyj in May of this year. But until today, this promise has hardly been fulfilled

“The list of delivered weapons… shows sobering numbers. So far, only a few of the promised weapons have arrived in Ukraine. Only ten of 110 Leopard 1 tanks, twelve of 18 Cheetahs, an air surveillance radar and 850 rounds of artillery ammunition were delivered. Non-lethal weapons such as reconnaissance drones, air surveillance radars and tankers have also not received so far…

“It is also particularly annoying for Kiev that commitments for weapons have apparently been withdrawn

“Germany also remains hesitant with regard to new types of weapon systems… Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) and his party colleague Ralf Stegner continue to reject a delivery [of German Taurus missiles] in order to avoid an escalation of the conflict with Russia. Taurus missiles have an enormous range and could theoretically hit targets on Russian territory. Ukraine had repeatedly pledged to only use the weapons to defend Ukrainian territories.”

Germany is repeating an all-too-familiar pattern of unreliability.

EU a Failed Project?

Deutsche Welle wrote on August 6:

“Germany’s far-right AfD on Sunday derided the EU as a ‘failed project’ during a party conference in the eastern German city of Magdeburg.

“A text adopted by hundreds of party delegates at the event said the bloc ‘completely failed’ on issues such as climate and immigration. The party also said it does not support the Euro as a currency.  

“However, the text did not urge Germany to leave the EU. The AfD also did not call for the bloc to be dissolved entirely, as suggested by an earlier party draft in June.

“The AfD rather wishes to establish ‘a federation of European nations, a new European economic and interest community that preserves the sovereignty of member states.’

“The party conference this weekend was tasked with preparing a program for next year’s European Parliament elections. Last month, the AfD selected EU Parliament member Maximilian Krah as its top EU election candidate. Krah, an incumbent lawmaker in the European Parliament, has called the AfD ‘the most exciting right-wing party’ in Europe.

“The AfD’s deliberations on its EU strategy come as the anti-immigration party rises in support among the German population. The party has capitalized on rising inflation in Germany as well as higher energy costs following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”

The AfD’s switch in policy towards the EU is interesting. Even though the call for an abandonment of the euro will not come to fruition, the call for greater independence of EU member states might be answered, at least to an extent and for a while, until power and authority is being transferred to “the beast.” Daniel 2:42-43 reads: “… the kingdom [of Europe] shall be partly strong and partly fragile… they [ten core nations of Europe] will not adhere to one another…”

American Anger at Europe

Die Welt wrote on August 9:

“If US citizens want to travel to Europe in the future, they have to register online beforehand – and pay eight dollars for it. Many Americans are angry, others are in a real Oktoberfest panic. The USA has had comparable – and more expensive – rules for travelers from the EU for 15 years…

“They are venting their anger on social networks. Some speak of a ‘deterrent‘ by the EU, while others speak of ‘expensive insolence’.

“The excitement seems so great that ETIAS has already arrived in the US election campaign. Ex-President Donald Trump has already announced that if he is re-elected, he will not allow his compatriots to pay to enter the EU… ‘We give them everything, including military support and trade, and now we are supposed to pay to go there.’ Europeans have no respect for the United States, Trump continues…

“To register, travelers have to pay a fee of seven euros (equivalent to around eight dollars) and provide some personal information. In the US, in addition to the costs, there are also concerns about the latter…

“Nile Gardiner, a former adviser to British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, even described the new EU program as ‘Orwellian’ – in reference to George Orwell’s dystopian novel 1984 about a totalitarian surveillance state

“This week showed again that the United States is not squeamish when it comes to entry from EU countries. The US authorities have severely restricted the visa exemption for Hungary. Last week, the ESTA validity period for Hungarian passport holders was reduced from two years to one year, and an ESTA permit is only valid for single entry…

“Some Americans have already drawn their own conclusions from the new EU rules. They no longer want to travel to Europe as a protest, as Jeffery Lawnicki writes on Instagram: ‘Who wants to visit a garbage dump like Europe?‘”

The deterioration of the EU-USA relationship will continue drastically.

Right To Cash

The Associated Press wrote on August 4:

“Austria’s… Chancellor Karl Nehammer said in a statement on Friday that ‘more and more people are concerned that cash could be restricted as a means of payment in Austria.’…  ‘People in Austria have a right to cash,’ Nehammer said.

“While payments by card and electronic methods have become increasingly common in many European countries, Austria and neighboring Germany remain relatively attached to cash. The government says 47 billion euros ($51 billion) per year are withdrawn from ATMs in Austria, a country of about 9.1 million people.

“Protecting cash against supposed threats has been a demand of the far-right opposition Freedom Party, which has led polls in Austria in recent months. The country’s next election is due in 2024…

“The chancellor’s proposal, according to his office, involves a ‘constitutional protection of cash as a means of payment,’ ensuring that people can still pay with cash, and securing a ‘basic supply’ of cash in cooperation with Austria’s central bank. Austria is one of 20 countries that are part of the euro area. Nehammer said he has instructed Finance Minister Magnus Brunner to work on the proposal and plans to hold a round table with the ministries concerned, finance industry representatives and the central bank in September.”

The very thought that people might be prevented from paying in cash is abhorrent and disgusting—and worthy of a manipulating, controlling and suppressing dictatorship.

The Problems With Electric Cars

1945 wrote on August 4:

“In 2022, California Governor Gavin Newsom dictated that by 2035, all new cars and trucks sold in the state must be fossil-fuel-free. Electric vehicles, or EVs, are to be the new king of the road…

“Almost every EV battery requires cobalt—a rare and expensive mineral found mostly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The African country is by far the world’s largest producer… The DRC is also rich in other natural resources such as copper, zinc, coltan, cassiterite, gold, bauxite, diamond, oil, and gas. Yet it is also one of the poorest countries in the world, with a gross national income of approximately $550 per person as measured in U.S. dollars.

“The Congolese people have seen little benefit from these immense natural resources, which have been exploited for many decades, particularly by… China, as well as its own government. Not only are miners, including children, essentially working as slaves, risking their lives. Mining for these natural resources is an extremely dangerous endeavor, one that kills up to 2,000 illegal miners a year… Yet, no one, particularly Governor Gavin Newsom, wants to talk about this. 

“Although far behind the Congo, Russia and China are also in the top ten list of producers, raising geopolitical concerns around this valuable mineral. While China is at the bottom of the list, producing only 2,200 MT, the country leads the world in refined cobalt production at 70 percent of the total global supply with most of the raw material coming from the Congo…

“China is also the top consumer of cobalt with most of it used to supply the rechargeable battery industry. The push for EVs drives the U.S. increasingly into the arms of the CCP. While some companies have created batteries without cobalt, these have not proven to provide the necessary energy to power a car for any significant distance…

“Currently, the Lucid Air is the car that can go the farthest on a single charge – 516 miles or approximately the distance from San Diego to San Francisco. The car costs $139,650. The Tesla S Model will take you 405 miles on a single charge, or about the distance from Los Angeles to San Francisco and the vehicle sells to the tune of almost $90,000

“The most reasonably priced EVs… like the Chevy Bolt (which is set to be discontinued to make room for other electric vehicle models from Chevy) or the Nissan Leaf, which run between $26,000 and $30,000 – have a maximum range closer to 230 miles which, if driving at 65mph is approximately 3.5 hours. Who drives at 65mph on an open freeway?… This is before, like any battery, the cells lose their maximum charging capacity, which will decrease maximum driving distances…

“Lithium-ion batteries are toxic and can cause destructive fires that spread quickly, particularly when they are stored together. Then there’s the issue of charging stations and availability… It typically takes anywhere between 6 to 12 hours to charge an EV using a Level 2 charger…”

The push for electric cars by the green Woke culture seems to be a rather ineffective, costly and perhaps even dangerous idea.

Biden Administration Concedes No Evidence Behind Recommendation for 6 COVID Booster Shots a Year

Southern Maryland Online wrote on August 8:

“President Joe Biden’s administration concedes that there is no scientific evidence to support an apparent recommendation to receive as many as six COVID-19 booster shots in a year. After Health Secretary Xavier Becerra [an attorney with no medical degrees], a Biden appointee, wrote in a social media post on Nov. 29, 2022, that people should get vaccinated ‘if it’s been over 2 months since your last dose,’ the Functional Government Initiative (FGI) filed a Freedom of Information Act request for documents supporting the statements.

“The watchdog organization then sued after the administration didn’t comply with timelines laid out in the law. FGI asked for, among other documents: ‘Any scientific support relied on by Secretary Becerra when approving or issuing the tweet recommending that all Americans receive a booster shot every two months’ and ‘any study, synopsis, or similar statement or document of scientific, academic, or government research on whether a bi-monthly booster shot will effectively prevent the transmission or susceptibility to COVID-19 and known active variants as of November 2022.’

“It also asked for internal communications regarding Mr. Becerra’s statements. In a new response, the government said it had no evidence to support Mr. Becerra’s recommendation. ‘The department reviewed 1,263 pages of potentially responsive records captured in the agency’s search for this FOIA request. After a careful review of these records, I determined the 1,263 pages were not relevant to your request,’ Alesia Williams, an official in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), told FGI.

“‘The lack of a single record supporting Secretary Becerra’s bold public health recommendation for six COVID boosters a year is a startling development,’ Pete McGinnis, a spokesman for FGI, said in a statement. ‘It is tremendously irresponsible for the government’s chief health official to fire off tweets recommending frequent injections of a new vaccine booster apparently based on no academic or scientific support,’ Mr. McGinnis added. ‘How can the public be assured that the agency is ‘following the science’ on other important public health matters when it demonstrates such clear disregard for basic scientific integrity standards on an issue as important as COVID vaccine shots?’”

This ongoing propaganda by the Biden Administration is truly alarming.

A World Deceived?

The Dossier wrote on August 1:

Anthony Fauci is a worldwide celebrity and has taken up a prestigious series of appointments at Georgetown University and elsewhere. Bill Gates and the gang are jet setting around the world preaching the gospel of the Climate Hoax Church… Most of the appointees to the Trump and Biden coronavirus task forces have long since cashed out and laundered their credentials through the revolving door and into the BioTech/Big Pharma space…

“So it shouldn’t come as much as a surprise that they’re trying to restart the party to attempt another series of grand slams. The Pharma-sponsored corporate media is once more spreading the fear hype. ‘Time to bring [masks] out again especially as the school season starts,’ read the MSNBC headline Tuesday morning. An entire segment on Tuesday from ABC’s Good Morning America was dedicated to tracking supposed increasing hospitalizations from coronavirus infections, warning that the numbers are ‘on the rise.’

“… the bad guys of the Covid hysteria era never faced any consequences for the human rights atrocities they committed since 2019. And in all likelihood, they probably never will…

“Coronavirus hysteria ended because enough human beings became educated to the reality that the ‘response’ to the ‘pandemic’ was wildly overblown… It’s the same reason why Pfizer and Moderna stock is crashing…

“The problem occurred because it took too many people way too long to realize that humanity had been bamboozled by power hungry tyrants… When the next big power grab arrives, we should hope for much more courage and bravery than last time around.”

Note the next article as well.

Climate Lockdowns?

Report 24 wrote on July 31:

“Klaus Schwab’s daughter Nicole Schwab obviously follows the example of her father. At an event, she indicated that the Covid crisis had shown that radical change is possible if there is enough panic. The best conditions for a Great Reset: Will climate lockdowns follow soon after the Covid lockdowns? The desire to establish a globalist dictatorship including the dystopian ‘Great Reset’ is obviously in the blood.

“The WEF [World Economic Forum] makes no secret that Covid-19 has been used as a test run for a potential climate dictatorship… Nicole Schwab [a ‘WEF Executive Committee member’] takes a similar stance… she sees Covid as a ‘tremendous opportunity’ that has shown that radical change is achievable when people are scared. This could be used to launch the WEF’s ‘Great Reset’ agenda…

“If you take the political measures of the Corona period as a model, the fear arises that globalists are actually flirting with dictatorial ‘climate lockdowns’. That would mean severe restrictions being imposed on individuals and businesses to reduce carbon emissions. These measures could include travel restrictions, strict regulations on energy use and consumption in general, and even temporary closures of industries considered to be harmful to the environment. Globalist advocates argue that strict action is needed to prevent catastrophic consequences of supposedly man-made climate change…”

Too far-fetched to be true? Perhaps not!

“Preparing” For the Next Pandemic

Life Stite News reported on August 7:

“U.K. scientists at a high-security government laboratory have begun developing vaccines for a potential future pandemic. 

“Two-hundred scientists are currently working on vaccines against an unknown ‘Disease X’ at the Porton Down laboratory in Wiltshire, England… Bird flu is considered the most likely candidate to cause the ‘next pandemic’ by the scientists working at the lab. They are furthermore developing vaccines against a potential outbreak of monkeypox and hantavirus, a disease that primarily occurs in rodents. 

“The laboratory reportedly successfully developed ‘the world’s first vaccine against Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, a disease that’s spread by ticks and has a fatality rate of 30%.’ The tropical disease is viewed as a potential global pandemic threat as it is allegedly becoming more common in Europe…

“Since the coronavirus outbreak in 2020 and the subsequent draconian lockdown policies, leading globalists like Bill Gates have been continuously warning about the ‘next pandemic.’

“During a 2023 World Economic Forum (WEF) panel discussion fittingly titled ‘100 Days to Outrace the Next Pandemic,’ former British prime minister Tony Blair predicted that vaccines for future pandemics will require ‘multiple shots.’ Blair called for digital infrastructure ‘to know who has been vaccinated and who hasn’t been.’ A few months later, the European Union (EU) and the World Health Organization (WHO) announced a partnership to create a ‘global system’ of vaccine passports built on the EU’s ‘system of digital COVID-19 certification.’ 

Moreover, the head of a ‘nudge unit’ employed by the U.K. government during the COVID crisis said in a recent interview that lockdowns would be accepted by the population in future pandemics because people already ‘know what the drill is.’ 

“Professor David Halpern from the Behavioural Insights Team (the ‘nudge unit’) admitted that his agency used psychological manipulation to prime the population and defended the use of fear-based messaging ‘in extreme circumstances.’ He said that visual prompts and catchy slogans can be used to prime people if they ‘are wrongly calibrated.’”

Satan is the ruler of this world, which is also shown in the next article.

Persecution and Prosecution of Christians in the West

The Christian Post wrote on August 6:

“Don’t be surprised if one day you are on trial for quoting the Bible on social media. If that seems unthinkable, you should know it’s already happening to some Christians in other parts of the world… Christians have become accustomed to getting banned (or shadowbanned) on social media for our beliefs, but it seems strange to think that one day we could be arrested for quoting the Bible. 

“But that’s what happened to Päivi Räsänen, a member of parliament in Finland. She has been an elected official since 1995. She was the chair of the Christian Democratic Party from 2004 to 2015, she was minister of the interior from 2011 to 2015, and she is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland with her husband, who serves as a pastor. 

“In June 2019, Päivi tweeted a picture of Bible verses and questioned her denomination’s partnership with an LGBT Pride event. The prosecutor general in Finland opened an investigation against her. In April 2021, the prosecutor announced three charges of hate speech against Päivi — one charge for the tweet, a second charge for a 2004 pamphlet on sexuality for her church, and a third charge for a 2019 radio debate on sexuality.

“Alliance Defending Freedom International supported her defense at a district court, and in a unanimous ruling in March 2022, the court dismissed all charges against her. However, the prosecutor appealed the ruling. So on August 22nd, Päivi will stand trial again.

“It is tempting to think this could never happen in America. Freedom of speech is protected by law in this country. But Päivi can say the same about her country. The constitution in Finland protects freedom of religion and freedom of speech.

“Therefore it is Päivi today, but it could be your pastor tomorrow. If a politician can be charged with hate speech for quoting the Bible, pastors can receive the same charge. If politicians can be charged for that, less powerful people like you can also be charged for quoting the Bible on social media.

“Last week, police officers in Wisconsin arrested several young Christians for preaching the gospel at a public drag queen event that targeted children. In June, the House of Representatives in Michigan passed House Bill 4474, a bill that would make speech that ‘causes the victims to feel terrorized, frightened, or threatened’ a hate crime. Speech against a person’s ‘sexual orientation’ or ‘gender identity or expression’ are listed as hate crimes.

“Western nations like America and Finland founded their legal system on Christian ethics, but now they are radically committed to LGBT ideology and opposed to their founding values. Just as Christian theology shaped the West’s legal system, LGBT ideology is reshaping it. LGBT ideology cannot co-exist with Christian theology… Therefore, it suppresses Christianity through persecution. It arrests Christians for preaching the Gospel. It criminalizes speech against homosexuality and transgenderism.”

The LGBT ideology is condemned in the Bible.

Building the Third Temple

Israel 365 News wrote on August 4:

“Channel 12, a Hebrew-language news site, published an article on Sunday accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of allocating resources to a project aimed at building a third temple on the Temple Mount. The article blames Christians for bringing red heifers to Israel.

“The Channel 12 article cites a project by Boneh Israel, an organization that brings together Jews and Christians. In cooperation with the Temple Institute, Boneh Israel successfully imported five red calves in September to Israel from Texas for the purpose of raising them for the Biblical commandment.  

“The red heifer was the main component in the Biblically mandated process of ritual purification for impurity that results from proximity or contact with a dead body. Because the elements needed for this ceremony have been lacking since the destruction of the Second Temple, all Jews today are considered ritually impure, thereby preventing the return of the Temple service… [Not all religious authorities in Israel agree with this conclusion, but many do. And even though a red heifer is not required in the Bible for the building of the third temple, many rabbis think that it is.]

“The article claimed that the Netanyahu government is complicit. ‘A few years ago, the Jerusalem Ministry submitted a design proposal for the construction of the Mount of Olives Promenade, and officials who were involved in the planning claim that its route is intended to serve, among other things, the future ceremony of burning the cow,’ the article wrote, also blaming the Ministry of Agriculture for complicity by issuing permits for importing the red calves…

“The article also noted that the Minister for Jerusalem and Heritage, Nathaniel Isaac attended the ceremony at Ben Gurion International Airport when the calves arrived, citing this as proof that Netanyahu’s government is paving the way for the Third Temple.

“The article quoted Dr. Tomer Persico, a Research Fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute, who claimed that Christians are involved in the project in order to help bring about the ‘Temple of the Antichrist’. ‘The Antichrist, the “Satan” one might say, needs to come here and defile the Temple,’ notes Persico…

“The Ministry of Heritage responded to Channel 12 by stating that the project did not receive funding from the government… ‘The Director General of the Ministry participated in the ceremony of their arrival privately and during the tenure of the previous government. The plan for the promenade on the Mount of Olives was intended for tourism purposes and not for the benefit of the Red Cow fire.’

“The Ministry of Agriculture stated in response:  “An import license for the source is granted as long as the country is approved for the type of import requested. The US has been approved for this for about a year. The calves mentioned in the article were imported for breeding purposes, and met all the import conditions required by the ministry.’

“The article raised an uproar among the Arab mediaAl Jazeera cited Dr. Saleh Lutfi, ‘a researcher in Jewish, Zionist, and political affairs,’ as saying that in light of the current Palestinian and regional circumstances, the Netanyahu government [thinks] the time is ripe to ‘realize the myth of building the alleged “Third Temple”All parties in the government coalition… agree among themselves on the need to continue preparations… for the construction of the Temple, the preparation of priests’ clothing, the raising of the red cow, and the strengthening of the position of the Chief Rabbi,’ Lufti wrote.

“He went on to claim that the idea of rebuilding the Temple ‘has become rooted even among large segments of the Israeli secular and liberal movement, as well as among the circles of the so-called Jewish Zionist left.’

“Despite the preparations and the allocation of budgets, Lufti reasoned that the Netanyahu government is not currently building the Temple in the courtyards of the Temple Mount, pointing out that this would be ‘a suicidal step for the Israeli entity, which would ignite a religious uprising in historic Palestine, taking into account that it will spread to the Arab and Islamic worlds, which will expose the region to a religious war… The temple includes a biblical council (Sanhedrin) as well, deciding and prosecuting according to Jewish religious provisions, and paves the way for the preparation of the king, or the so-called chief rabbi, who does not necessarily rule in a democratic manner.’

“Palestinian Shehab News reported that the deputy director of the Islamic Endowments Department in Jerusalem, Najeh Bakirat, ‘confirmed that the occupation government adopted the project to build the Temple in the place of Al-Aqsa, to make Jerusalem a Jewish capital…through several steps and nonstop violations against the mosque.’”

Netanyahu’s position regarding the Third Temple has been quite ambiguous for a long time. We wonder what is really going on behind the scenes. You might want to listen to our StandingWatch program from 2018, titled, ‘Netanyahu’s Announcement of a Third Temple?”

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.

Update 1080

Comments on News and Prophecy–August 12, 2023 / Europe’s War with America, Britain, Israel and Russia

On August 12, 2023, Norbert Link will present, “Comments on News and Prophecy—August 12, 2023,” and the sermon, titled, “Europe’s War with America, Britain, Israel and Russia.”

The live services are available, over video and audio, at http://eternalgod.org/live-services/ (12:30 pm Pacific Time; 1:30 pm Mountain Time; 2:30 pm Central Time; 3:30 pm Eastern Time; 8:30 pm Greenwich Mean Time; 9:30 pm Central European Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

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A Song in Your Heart

by Eric Rank

There are moments in life that are utterly delightful if we are wise enough to take the time to appreciate them. A quiet, sunny summer morning conversing uninterrupted with my wife over a good cup of coffee is what does it for me. I’m sure you have moments that fit your own formula of delight.  Those kinds of moments are the easy ones to appreciate, of course. When there’s not a problem in the world that comes to mind and everything is wonderful, the experience of joy is readily available.

The thing about delightful moments is that they tend to pass by. If we don’t take the time to acknowledge the good things for which we have reason to be grateful, we can miss out on our opportunity to enjoy the gifts of momentary gladness that God gives us. I dare say that every single day is laden with delightful moments if we are attentive enough to capture them.  But we have to be adept enough to notice them, and deliberate enough to spend our time experiencing them.

For as many reasons that we can find to be delighted, we can find just as many reasons – or more – to be disgruntled. Being human, the disruptive elements in a moment can easily inundate our otherwise blissful state of being. The neighbor’s gas-powered leaf blower on a quiet, sunny summer morning is enough to ruin everything!

Acknowledging that life’s frustrations are abundant, how is it possible to find any meaningful, lasting joy in our life? Jesus Christ gives us a clue in John 16:33, “‘These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.’”

The Bible is very clear in letting us know that life is hard, especially living as a Christian! But Jesus doesn’t tell us that we just have to be tough and suffer through it without any hope of relief in this life. He encourages us to rise above the reasons that we have to complain, and focus instead on the reasons we have to be cheerful. This world in which we find struggle is the same world that Jesus Christ has overcome. And in doing that, He has given us a hope that is far greater than relief from the struggles in life. We have the kind of hope that makes all problems infinitesimally insignificant – if we take the time to acknowledge and meditate on the infinite wonder of eternal life.

We have to look in the right places to find joy. It is not too difficult to indulge in a temporary hedonistic experience, but those will inevitably lead us down the wrong path. We obtain lasting joy by being filled with the Holy Spirit, which helps us understand our life with the mind of Christ and overflow with positive emotion. In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul shares his perspective that a delightful state of being is attainable to us all, inspiring us to have a song in our heart!

“Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.  And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:17-20).

Our state of mind and Way of Life is filled with inspiration of God’s Spirit. Having God live with or even within us through His Holy Spirit allows us to be thankful for ALL things. Even the hard things that attempt to disrupt our delight serve a meaningful purpose for us in our spiritual growth as we learn to overcome (compare Romans 8:28). By setting our outlook in this way, we understand that each moment is a gift from God that offers us an opportunity to be thankfully delighted, with a song in our heart, knowing that His Will is working in our lives.

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by Norbert Link

We begin with further developments regarding the politically motivated and constitutionally failing indictment against Donald Trump pertaining to the election results in 2020. The court case is supposed to be presided over by a biased judge in a hostile environment. We also point out how all charges against Trump could just disappear; and report on the possibility of impeachment by Merrick Garland and four Pinocchios given to Joe Biden for his continuous lies. We also speak on proposals for Trump and Kennedy running together as potential President and Vice-President; and the abominable abolishment of religious exemptions for childhood immunizations in Connecticut (and in many other US states).

We continue with Poland’s diminishing support for Ukraine; the unhappiness of most Germans with their government and the opposition; Germany’s economic hardship; the growing fear of war by German soldiers; Germany’s hesitancy to support Ukraine with more weapons; and the interesting switch in policy of Germany’s right-wing party, the AfD, regarding Europe.

We speak on American anger with Europe; idle attempts by German and Austrian politicians to abolish cash transactions; address the problems and dangers with electric cars; point out misleading and deceiving recommendations by Fauci and others, including Health Secretary Xavier Becerra, regarding the COVID hysteria; and warn of another dictatorial lockdown because of a “new epidemic” and “climate change.”

We conclude with an article about coming persecution and prosecution of Christians in America and the Western world, especially because of the LGBT ideology; and a remarkable article regarding developments in Israel pertaining to the building of the Third Temple.

Throughout this section, we have underlined pertinent statements in the quoted articles, for the convenience and quick overview of the reader.

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Biased Judge in Trump 2020 Election Case Must Recuse Herself

Breitbart wrote on August 4:

“Appointed to the bench by the Obama administration in 2014, U.S. District Judge Tanya S. Chutkan will oversee the 2020 election case against Trump. Chutkan previously worked in litigation and white-collar criminal defense at Boies, Schiller, & Flexner, where Hunter Biden and Chutkan were colleagues for five years. During her tenure as a judge, she also oversaw an important case regarding the Russia Hoax.

“‘I don’t believe for one second it’s a coincidence that in Washington, D.C., Donald Trump drew the most partisan, bias judge who is incapable of being fair and neutral,’ said Patel, who is a former House Intelligence Committee aide and principal deputy at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI).

“Patel argues Chutkan is a partisan judge and has no credibility to oversee Trump’s case after she recused herself from overseeing an ongoing case concerning Trump and the Russia hoax in November 2017. ‘If you’re a judge, and you represented one of the parties or your firm represented one of the parties before you, it’s an automatic recusal, full stop,’ he said…

“‘The [Russia hoax] court case was assigned to Judge Chutkan,’ Patel said. ‘And we litigated the case for approximately one month… after about a month of all that heavy litigation, she just shuts down on her own, recuses herself,’ Patel said. ‘She didn’t file an order justifying it. She just does it…  Why would she recuse from Russiagate? Well, it’s because Boies, Schiller, under her tenureship, represented Fusion GPS, the very firm that was suing us before her [court]… She knew that when we filed the lawsuit because it was Fusion who brought the lawsuit, and she allowed it to be litigated in front of her already, violating the canons of ethics and the rule of law about maintaining neutrality

“‘She cannot be fair, based on her prior employment at a law firm that has literally been one of the most corrupt, legal con artists for the Democrat National Party [and] in the Hillary Clinton Campaign,’ Patel said, ‘All of which was to get Trump during Russiagate and the Steele Dossier, all of it ran through her.’”

Professor Dershowitz said that she must recuse herself, as she is obviously biased. That should be obvious, but we will see what she will do. Trump is also asking for a change of venue as he could not possibly receive a fair trial in Washington DC. That should be obvious too.

2020 Election on Trial?

Newsmax wrote on August 4:

Former President Donald Trump and his legal advisers see his latest indictment as another opportunity to argue that the 2020 election was stolen from him in favor of President Joe Biden… Trump’s defense team is signaling that it will rebut allegations in the indictment that Trump knew his claims of fraud in the election were false, but that he allegedly took steps to flip the results.

“According to sources close to Trump, he wants to subpoena people about the election while arguing that he won… Some Republican strategists see this plan as problematic, as they say there are more issues to focus on in the 2024 race…

“Meanwhile, Trump attorney Alina Habba said Thursday that Trump’s defense team will show that he believed there were issues with the 2020 election’s results… ‘When somebody wants to say that the 2020 election was perfect and that President Trump has no right to object to it, we’ve got to go show him all the facts, and there’s a lot of facts to show.”

Habba was also quoted as saying this on National Report:

“Trump has every right to question the integrity of the election… He had every right to do so at the time, I think millions and millions of Americans still to this day also share that sentiment that there may have been issues in the 2020 election

“We’ve seen a lot of facts that result in this continual belief that things were not done exactly appropriately, and the president did what he wanted to do and what he needed to do in the way that he was advised by some … But imagine any politician who feels that that somebody has lied or that there’s been a fraud, not being able to challenge that fraud and what that means for our country. That’s their job, and he was the sole person in the executive branch who had the power to do so…”

As we pointed out last time, special counsel Jack Smith might have opened a Pandora’s Box.

Did House Select Committee Destroy January 6 Documents?

Newsmax wrote on August 9:

“Former President Donald Trump accused the Democrat-led Jan. 6 House Select Committee of ‘illegally’ destroying records and documents… ‘So now that I have full Subpoena Power… it has just been reported that the Unselect January 6th Committee of Political Hacks and Thugs has illegally destroyed their Records and Documents,’ Trump wrote. ‘This is unthinkable… The system is Rigged & Corrupt, very much like the Presidential Election of 2020. We are a Nation in Decline!’

“Rep. Barry Loudermilk, R-Ga., chair of the Subcommittee on Oversight for the Committee on House Administration, told Fox News that former Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s partisan Jan. panel, which was comprised of Democrats and two anti-Trump Republicans in the previous Congress, failed to adequately preserve documents, data, and video depositions.

“Loudermilk said that he was contacted by a defense attorney, who needed access to key information in one of the video depositions. The committee then realized it did not have the videos he was seeking.”

Nancy Pelosi’s conduct in the matter of the 2020 election deserves some investigation and scrutiny.

How All Criminal Charges Against Trump Could Be Wiped Out

Breitbart wrote on August 3:

“Harvard Law professor emeritus Laurence Tribe told CNN on Thursday that former President Donald Trump could ‘wipe out’ all criminal charges against him, including both state and federal cases if he gets elected to the White House in 2024… Tribe said a Republican president could ‘simply erase’ the charges against Trump if Trump does not win the presidency… ‘Simply appoint an attorney general who dismisses it all.’…

“The fact that Tribe recognized a Trump presidency would ‘wipe out’ all of Trump’s criminal cases is notable because House Democrats consulted with Tribe as they prepared their first articles of impeachment against Trump…”

That Attorney General Merrick Garland [and his special counsel Jack Smith] would be fired under Trump is a foregone conclusion. Tribe also said that Jack Smith’s indictment was brilliant. The truth is, this was a horrible piece of draftsmanship, and there was nothing brilliant about it. A first semester law student could rip (at least some of) it apart. It is an attack on constitutionally protected political free speech. If Trump is convicted (which is the likely outcome in a trial in antagonistic and hostile Washington DC) and the case should not be thrown out by a Court of Appeals and should ever reach the US Supreme Court, it surely would have to be overturned by them.

AG Garland May Face Charges of Obstruction of Justice

Fox News wrote on August 4:

“Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich… believes Attorney General Merrick Garland is in danger of facing charges of his own for ‘directing’ special counsel Jack Smith’s ‘disgustingly political’ assault on former President Donald Trump.

“[Gingrich said:] ‘Look, we have never seen a major political figure as routinely and methodically assaulted as Donald Trump. It’s a sign of how desperate the establishment is. They are terrified that if he’s still standing and in October of 2024, he is going to become the president. And, of course, if he does become the president, all of these people are in jeopardy. Remember, Watergate led to 46 people being convicted. The only Cabinet officer ever to go to jail was Attorney General John Mitchell for obstruction of justice.

‘‘And I am absolutely certain that the current attorney general, Merrick Garland, is in grave danger of being charged with obstruction of justice and with having destroyed the system. And I think the Congress, frankly, should be right now subpoenaing all the documents between Smith and Garland, because I think Garland’s been directing this. I think the timing is weird. As you know, the other night, ‘Jesse Watters Primetime’ put up a chart that showed something happens to Hunter, the next two or three days, something happens to Trump… I mean, this is so blatantly, disgustingly political. And it has no business being in the Department of Justice.’”

Please view our new lengthy and detailed StandingWatch program in this context, titled, “IS America Doomed? The Biden and Trump Scandals.”

Federal Judge Comes Out Swinging Against Jack Smith in Document Case

Fox News wrote on August 7:

“The federal judge overseeing the classified documents case against former President Donald Trump delivered multiple blows to Special Counsel Jack Smith’s efforts in a brief Monday. Judge Aileen Cannon of the Southern District of Florida – who is presiding over the case stemming from a Miami grand jury’s June indictment of Trump – denied the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) request for sealed filings, striking two from the record. Cannon also requested additional information from prosecutors regarding the continued use of an out-of-state grand jury to investigate the case.

“‘The Special Counsel states in conclusory terms that the supplement should be sealed from public view “to comport with grand jury secrecy,” but the motion for leave and the supplement plainly fail to satisfy the burden of establishing a sufficient legal or factual basis to warrant sealing the motion and supplement,’ Cannon wrote in the brief, denying the DOJ’s request. ‘Among other topics as raised in the Motion, the response shall address the legal propriety of using an out-of-district grand jury proceeding to continue to investigate and/or to seek post-indictment hearings on matters pertinent to the instant indicted matter in this district,’ she continued in the brief…”

Trump Not Guiltless

Breitbart wrote on August 7:

“During an interview with NBC News on Monday, 2024 Republican presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis stated that the 2020 election was poorly run, but we had mass mail-in balloting because ‘Trump turned the government over to Fauci, they embraced lockdowns, they did the CARES Act, which funded mail-in ballots across the country. Donald Trump signed that bill that funded the mail ballots that all the Republicans have been so concerned about.’ And that the censorship of the Hunter Biden laptop story ‘was Donald Trump’s FBI that was working with that’…

“‘…when they changed the rules for COVID, I think that was wrong. I think some of those changes were unconstitutional. When they do mass mail ballots, I think that’s wrong. I think ballot harvesting is wrong… I think the fact that the FBI was working with Facebook and these other tech companies to censor the Hunter Biden story was wrong. And so, I don’t think it was the perfect election. I remember after, a lot of the media was saying, this was the most secure election in history. How could it be the most secure with those millions of mail ballots going out?…’ [Trump] didn’t have control over his own government. … And so, I think all of those issues were very problematic, but, at the end of the day, Donald Trump helped facilitate that whole set of circumstances.’”

Even though clearly prompted by political motives, DeSantis has a point. Especially Trump’s failure to deal with Fauci and his crazy ideas caused great harm to the country.

Four Pinocchios for Lying Joe Biden

Breitbart wrote on August 3:

“The Washington Post‘s fact-checker, Glenn Kessler, gave President Joe Biden four Pinocchios for lying about his son Hunter Biden not making money in China.

“Kessler documented two instances where Biden denied his son had made money in China.

“In an October 22, 2020 presidential debate, Biden told moderator Kristen Welker: ‘My son has not made money in terms of this thing about, what are you talking about, China. I have not had … the only guy who made money from China is this guy [Donald Trump]. He’s the only one. Nobody else has made money from China.’

“In a September 29, 2020, debate, Trump told Biden, ‘Once you became vice president [Hunter Biden] made a fortune in Ukraine, in China, in Moscow and various other places,’ to which Biden responded, ‘That’s not true.’

“Kessler wrote: ‘But now, nearly three years later, Biden’s assertions have been directly rebutted by Hunter himself. In court testimony last week, the younger Biden acknowledged that he in fact had been paid substantial sums in China — the first official confirmation that this was the case…”

The Ron Paul Institute republished on August 1 the following article by Law Professor Jonathan Turley:

“President Joe Biden has been a regular recipient of ‘Pinocchios’ by the Washington Post for his false statements… Biden is undeterred and regularly repeats false stories from his life… Now, the President has a fresh set of ‘Four Pinocchios’…

“The Post is admitting that Biden has been lying about how his son Hunter never made money from China. It is the latest indication that the protective media wall surrounding Biden is beginning to crumble under the weight of new evidence in the corruption scandal…

“What is curious is that Kessler and the Post waited for Hunter to effectively confess rather than take notice of money transfers and records released by House committees investigating the corruption scandal. The Post and most of the media have taken little observable journalistic interest in independently confirming such payments or benefits. Instead, the media has adopted a largely passive stance and waited for confessions rather than find confirmation…

“Of course, the Post has not been known to be particularly active in independently trying to confirm such benefits [which Joe Biden allegedly received from Hunter’s business deals with foreign associates] absent another Biden admission or confession. As with the clearly false claims that he had no knowledge or involvement in these dealings, the question is now not whether Joe Biden has been lying but why he has been lying.” 

Joe Biden’s blatant denial of Hunter’s receipt of money from China does in fact raise serious questions regarding Joe Biden himself. His continuous lies do not help either.

Kennedy and Trump

American Thinker wrote on August 4:

“Trump’s Achilles heel was allowing himself to be bamboozled into supporting the COVID narrative of the pharmaceutical-medical-globalist complex. Because of his congenital reluctance to issue a mea culpa and admit that he was conned, Kennedy could potentially appeal to this large segment of the electorate… For solid realpolitik reasons Trump avoids attacking Kennedy and is modestly complimentary…

“There will be many disaffected Democrats regardless which candidate secures the nomination. Media and Democratic attacks on Kennedy only help him, similar to Trump… Capturing the Democratic nomination requires that Kennedy overcome the media and the Clinton/Obama machine…

“Kennedy… is a skilled debater, commanding facts, with his finger on the pulse of current existential concerns. No one in his imploding party comes close. No one owns the COVID vaccine debate as he does… Trump currently needs Kennedy more than Kennedy needs Trump…”

An interesting proposal to contemplate.

No Religious Exemption in Connecticut

The Associated Press wrote on August 4:

“A federal appeals court on Friday upheld a 2021 Connecticut law that eliminated the state’s longstanding religious exemption from childhood immunization requirements for schools, colleges and day care facilities. The decision comes about a year and a half after a lower court judge dismissed the lawsuit challenging the contentious law…

“‘This decision is a full and resounding affirmation of the constitutionality and legality of Connecticut’s vaccine requirements. Vaccines save lives — this is a fact beyond dispute,’ Democratic Attorney General William Tong said in a statement. ‘The legislature acted responsibly and well within its authority to protect the health of Connecticut families and stop the spread of preventable disease.’

“The plaintiffs, We the Patriots USA Inc. and others, had argued that Connecticut violated religious freedom protections by removing the exemption. The 2021 law, they said, demonstrates a hostility to religious believers and jeopardizes their rights to medical freedom and child rearing. ‘We fully intend to seek review of this decision in the United States Supreme Court, to obtain equal justice for all children — not only in Connecticut, but in every state in the nation,’ Brian Festa, co-founder and vice president of We the Patriots USA Inc., said in a statement.

“He said his group, which focuses on religious and medical freedom, parental rights and other matters, disagrees with the court’s conclusion that removing the exemption does not violate religious freedom under the First Amendment or the 14th Amendment’s guarantee of equal protection under the law…

“Connecticut law currently requires students to receive certain immunizations before enrolling in school, yet allows some medical exemptions. Students could seek religious exemptions as well prior to 2021, but lawmakers decided to end that after being concerned by an uptick in exemption requests coupled with a decline in vaccination rates in some schools. The Connecticut General Assembly ultimately passed legislation that eliminated the exemption but grandfathered students in K-12 that had already received one…”

There is nothing reasonable about this terrible decision which, sadly, reflects the policy of so many states in a country which claims religious freedom but is becoming more and more an autocratic dictatorship.

Poland’s Diminishing Support for Ukraine

The Conversation reported on August 4:

“There has been a fundamental shift when it comes to the stance that young Poles think their government should adopt in the war in Ukraine. In 2022, an overwhelming majority of 83 percent argued that the government should support Ukraine — but this number has changed drastically.

“Now, 65 percent of respondents back continuous support for Ukraine, whereas the remaining 34 percent wish for Poland to stay neutral. Clearly, more than one and a half years into the current phase of the conflict and amid fears of other countries being pulled into the war, young people have become more cautious…

“Asked about the type of support that people consider appropriate for Ukraine, our most recent (2023) data shows that only 2 percent of young Poles want the national army to be involved in the Ukraine war. And while 60 percent support offering humanitarian aid, only 28 percent want Poland to offer weapons.”

That even Poland—Ukraine’s strongest supporter in Europe—has begun to have second thoughts is rather telling.

Germans Unhappy With Political System

Deutsche Welle wrote on August 4:

“If federal elections were held this week, the populist party [AfD] would win 21% of the vote, putting it firmly in second place [after the CDU]. [In a new poll,] Germany’s center-left government [SPD, FDP and the Green] again failed to win a majority… Only one in five respondents said they were satisfied with the work of the federal government…Chancellor Scholz is also becoming increasingly unpopular: Only three out of 10 eligible voters (31%) say they are satisfied with his work, the lowest approval rating since he took office in December 2021…

“Voters are not only dissatisfied with the chancellor and his government, but also with the overall situation in the country. Some 58% say that burdens are not shared fairly in Germany. That feeling has to do with the distribution of wealth, but also with the fact that certain groups in the population feel that their views and interests are not being taken into account enough by the political mainstream… As many as 62% of respondents said politicians focus too much on the interests of those who are wealthy, while 48% think that politicians focus too much on the needs of refugees.

“Despite the fact that the opposition conservative parties are leading in the polls, only 19% said they believe that they would do a better job at solving the country’s problems — in fact, 21% said they would do an even worse job, and 53% said they’d expect a conservative-led government’s overall performance to be similar… The low expectations for a CDU-led federal government correspond to the poor rating of CDU leader Friedrich Merz. Only three out of 10 respondents said they think he is a good party leader, and only 16% said they thought he would make a good chancellor. Perhaps even worse for Merz, only one in three CDU supporters want him to become the next head of government after the general election in 2025…

“The CDU/CSU has been thrown into turmoil by the question of whether the decision to disassociate itself from the far-right AfD should apply at all political levels. This comes after Merz suggested in an interview with public broadcaster ZDF in July that cooperation with AfD representatives on a local level was sensible common practice. He walked his comments back the following day in response to an immediate backlash, including from figures within his own party.

“Overall, 64% of those surveyed for the Deutschlandtrend poll said they think it is right for the CDU to rule out cooperation with the AfD in principle, while 29% are open to considering it. However, there are considerable differences when the western and eastern German states are considered separately.

“While two-thirds of eligible voters in western Germany welcome the CDU’s official stance of rejecting cooperation with the AfD, in eastern Germany, the former German Democratic Republic (GDR), only half of the eligible voters agree. There, the AfD is the strongest party, polling at over 30%.

“Some 70% of all respondents called for more pragmatism: They say that support of individual AfD motions in the parliaments of cities, municipalities and districts should be decided on a case-by-case basis.

“In eastern Germany, as many as 81% of respondents said they were in favor of more pragmatism, compared with 67% in western Germany. Nationwide, it is only Green supporters (51%) where a majority say that all AfD motions should be rejected on principle.”

Germany is in chaos, due to a lack of true leadership. All seem to act as proverbial politicians… without any strong convictions and without any backbone. But this will end soon when the “right man” shows up.

Germany in Deep Financial Trouble

Express wrote on August 8:

“Germany, once regarded as the powerhouse of the European economy, is grappling with severe economic challenges that are leaving a profound impact on its social fabric. The nation’s economic struggles have manifested in a distressing rise in poverty rates, increased reliance on food banks, and a worrying decline in industrial output, particularly within the renowned car manufacturing sector.

“Recent data reveals that more than two million Germans are now dependent on foodbanks for their daily sustenance… Furthermore, approximately 14 million Germans, equivalent to one in six of the population of 88 million, are classified as living in poverty... Amid these challenges, official economic forecasts point toward a recession in Germany this year.”

All the while, enormous amounts of money are being spent on ridiculous “Green” projects and on assisting Ukraine militarily.

Fear of War in Germany

Bild Online wrote on August 4:

“Since Putin’s brutal war of aggression against Ukraine, the number of conscientious objectors in the Bundeswehr has increased fivefold! Background: In the case of a partial or general mobilization in the event of tension or defense, ALL men between the ages of 18 and 59 could be drafted. THAT apparently scares even soldiers.

“In the German Basic Law, Article 4, Paragraph 3, it says: ‘No one may be forced into military service against his conscience.’ A response from the Federal Government to a small question from the Left Group now shows: More and more are invoking this law – there is a trend towards objection…

“But when do German soldiers actually have to fear being mobilized for a defensive mission? The Bundestag must decide with a two-thirds majority that there is a ‘stress situation’ (“Spannungsfall”). Meaning: increased military alert and general compulsory military service for men up to the age of 60. This is a preliminary stage of the ‘defense case’ (“Verteidigungsfall”).

“The defense case can also occur if the Federal Republic is attacked with armed force [by the enemy; or when such an armed attack is “imminent”]. Then the authority to command the armed forces [of Germany] is transferred to the Federal Chancellor. So far this has remained a theoretical scenario: the stress situation or the defense case have never been announced.”

Sadly, this scenario will become all-too-real pretty soon.

Germany Hesitates to Supply Arms to Ukraine

Focus wrote on August 5:

“In May, the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Berlin after a long time—a symbolic visit to show that Ukraine and Germany are now putting their tensions over arms shipments behind them. But little has happened since then. Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) promised a comprehensive weapons package worth 2.4 billion euros at his meeting with Selenskyj in May of this year. But until today, this promise has hardly been fulfilled

“The list of delivered weapons… shows sobering numbers. So far, only a few of the promised weapons have arrived in Ukraine. Only ten of 110 Leopard 1 tanks, twelve of 18 Cheetahs, an air surveillance radar and 850 rounds of artillery ammunition were delivered. Non-lethal weapons such as reconnaissance drones, air surveillance radars and tankers have also not received so far…

“It is also particularly annoying for Kiev that commitments for weapons have apparently been withdrawn

“Germany also remains hesitant with regard to new types of weapon systems… Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) and his party colleague Ralf Stegner continue to reject a delivery [of German Taurus missiles] in order to avoid an escalation of the conflict with Russia. Taurus missiles have an enormous range and could theoretically hit targets on Russian territory. Ukraine had repeatedly pledged to only use the weapons to defend Ukrainian territories.”

Germany is repeating an all-too-familiar pattern of unreliability.

EU a Failed Project?

Deutsche Welle wrote on August 6:

“Germany’s far-right AfD on Sunday derided the EU as a ‘failed project’ during a party conference in the eastern German city of Magdeburg.

“A text adopted by hundreds of party delegates at the event said the bloc ‘completely failed’ on issues such as climate and immigration. The party also said it does not support the Euro as a currency.  

“However, the text did not urge Germany to leave the EU. The AfD also did not call for the bloc to be dissolved entirely, as suggested by an earlier party draft in June.

“The AfD rather wishes to establish ‘a federation of European nations, a new European economic and interest community that preserves the sovereignty of member states.’

“The party conference this weekend was tasked with preparing a program for next year’s European Parliament elections. Last month, the AfD selected EU Parliament member Maximilian Krah as its top EU election candidate. Krah, an incumbent lawmaker in the European Parliament, has called the AfD ‘the most exciting right-wing party’ in Europe.

“The AfD’s deliberations on its EU strategy come as the anti-immigration party rises in support among the German population. The party has capitalized on rising inflation in Germany as well as higher energy costs following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”

The AfD’s switch in policy towards the EU is interesting. Even though the call for an abandonment of the euro will not come to fruition, the call for greater independence of EU member states might be answered, at least to an extent and for a while, until power and authority is being transferred to “the beast.” Daniel 2:42-43 reads: “… the kingdom [of Europe] shall be partly strong and partly fragile… they [ten core nations of Europe] will not adhere to one another…”

American Anger at Europe

Die Welt wrote on August 9:

“If US citizens want to travel to Europe in the future, they have to register online beforehand – and pay eight dollars for it. Many Americans are angry, others are in a real Oktoberfest panic. The USA has had comparable – and more expensive – rules for travelers from the EU for 15 years…

“They are venting their anger on social networks. Some speak of a ‘deterrent‘ by the EU, while others speak of ‘expensive insolence’.

“The excitement seems so great that ETIAS has already arrived in the US election campaign. Ex-President Donald Trump has already announced that if he is re-elected, he will not allow his compatriots to pay to enter the EU… ‘We give them everything, including military support and trade, and now we are supposed to pay to go there.’ Europeans have no respect for the United States, Trump continues…

“To register, travelers have to pay a fee of seven euros (equivalent to around eight dollars) and provide some personal information. In the US, in addition to the costs, there are also concerns about the latter…

“Nile Gardiner, a former adviser to British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, even described the new EU program as ‘Orwellian’ – in reference to George Orwell’s dystopian novel 1984 about a totalitarian surveillance state

“This week showed again that the United States is not squeamish when it comes to entry from EU countries. The US authorities have severely restricted the visa exemption for Hungary. Last week, the ESTA validity period for Hungarian passport holders was reduced from two years to one year, and an ESTA permit is only valid for single entry…

“Some Americans have already drawn their own conclusions from the new EU rules. They no longer want to travel to Europe as a protest, as Jeffery Lawnicki writes on Instagram: ‘Who wants to visit a garbage dump like Europe?‘”

The deterioration of the EU-USA relationship will continue drastically.

Right To Cash

The Associated Press wrote on August 4:

“Austria’s… Chancellor Karl Nehammer said in a statement on Friday that ‘more and more people are concerned that cash could be restricted as a means of payment in Austria.’…  ‘People in Austria have a right to cash,’ Nehammer said.

“While payments by card and electronic methods have become increasingly common in many European countries, Austria and neighboring Germany remain relatively attached to cash. The government says 47 billion euros ($51 billion) per year are withdrawn from ATMs in Austria, a country of about 9.1 million people.

“Protecting cash against supposed threats has been a demand of the far-right opposition Freedom Party, which has led polls in Austria in recent months. The country’s next election is due in 2024…

“The chancellor’s proposal, according to his office, involves a ‘constitutional protection of cash as a means of payment,’ ensuring that people can still pay with cash, and securing a ‘basic supply’ of cash in cooperation with Austria’s central bank. Austria is one of 20 countries that are part of the euro area. Nehammer said he has instructed Finance Minister Magnus Brunner to work on the proposal and plans to hold a round table with the ministries concerned, finance industry representatives and the central bank in September.”

The very thought that people might be prevented from paying in cash is abhorrent and disgusting—and worthy of a manipulating, controlling and suppressing dictatorship.

The Problems With Electric Cars

1945 wrote on August 4:

“In 2022, California Governor Gavin Newsom dictated that by 2035, all new cars and trucks sold in the state must be fossil-fuel-free. Electric vehicles, or EVs, are to be the new king of the road…

“Almost every EV battery requires cobalt—a rare and expensive mineral found mostly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The African country is by far the world’s largest producer… The DRC is also rich in other natural resources such as copper, zinc, coltan, cassiterite, gold, bauxite, diamond, oil, and gas. Yet it is also one of the poorest countries in the world, with a gross national income of approximately $550 per person as measured in U.S. dollars.

“The Congolese people have seen little benefit from these immense natural resources, which have been exploited for many decades, particularly by… China, as well as its own government. Not only are miners, including children, essentially working as slaves, risking their lives. Mining for these natural resources is an extremely dangerous endeavor, one that kills up to 2,000 illegal miners a year… Yet, no one, particularly Governor Gavin Newsom, wants to talk about this. 

“Although far behind the Congo, Russia and China are also in the top ten list of producers, raising geopolitical concerns around this valuable mineral. While China is at the bottom of the list, producing only 2,200 MT, the country leads the world in refined cobalt production at 70 percent of the total global supply with most of the raw material coming from the Congo…

“China is also the top consumer of cobalt with most of it used to supply the rechargeable battery industry. The push for EVs drives the U.S. increasingly into the arms of the CCP. While some companies have created batteries without cobalt, these have not proven to provide the necessary energy to power a car for any significant distance…

“Currently, the Lucid Air is the car that can go the farthest on a single charge – 516 miles or approximately the distance from San Diego to San Francisco. The car costs $139,650. The Tesla S Model will take you 405 miles on a single charge, or about the distance from Los Angeles to San Francisco and the vehicle sells to the tune of almost $90,000

“The most reasonably priced EVs… like the Chevy Bolt (which is set to be discontinued to make room for other electric vehicle models from Chevy) or the Nissan Leaf, which run between $26,000 and $30,000 – have a maximum range closer to 230 miles which, if driving at 65mph is approximately 3.5 hours. Who drives at 65mph on an open freeway?… This is before, like any battery, the cells lose their maximum charging capacity, which will decrease maximum driving distances…

“Lithium-ion batteries are toxic and can cause destructive fires that spread quickly, particularly when they are stored together. Then there’s the issue of charging stations and availability… It typically takes anywhere between 6 to 12 hours to charge an EV using a Level 2 charger…”

The push for electric cars by the green Woke culture seems to be a rather ineffective, costly and perhaps even dangerous idea.

Biden Administration Concedes No Evidence Behind Recommendation for 6 COVID Booster Shots a Year

Southern Maryland Online wrote on August 8:

“President Joe Biden’s administration concedes that there is no scientific evidence to support an apparent recommendation to receive as many as six COVID-19 booster shots in a year. After Health Secretary Xavier Becerra [an attorney with no medical degrees], a Biden appointee, wrote in a social media post on Nov. 29, 2022, that people should get vaccinated ‘if it’s been over 2 months since your last dose,’ the Functional Government Initiative (FGI) filed a Freedom of Information Act request for documents supporting the statements.

“The watchdog organization then sued after the administration didn’t comply with timelines laid out in the law. FGI asked for, among other documents: ‘Any scientific support relied on by Secretary Becerra when approving or issuing the tweet recommending that all Americans receive a booster shot every two months’ and ‘any study, synopsis, or similar statement or document of scientific, academic, or government research on whether a bi-monthly booster shot will effectively prevent the transmission or susceptibility to COVID-19 and known active variants as of November 2022.’

“It also asked for internal communications regarding Mr. Becerra’s statements. In a new response, the government said it had no evidence to support Mr. Becerra’s recommendation. ‘The department reviewed 1,263 pages of potentially responsive records captured in the agency’s search for this FOIA request. After a careful review of these records, I determined the 1,263 pages were not relevant to your request,’ Alesia Williams, an official in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), told FGI.

“‘The lack of a single record supporting Secretary Becerra’s bold public health recommendation for six COVID boosters a year is a startling development,’ Pete McGinnis, a spokesman for FGI, said in a statement. ‘It is tremendously irresponsible for the government’s chief health official to fire off tweets recommending frequent injections of a new vaccine booster apparently based on no academic or scientific support,’ Mr. McGinnis added. ‘How can the public be assured that the agency is ‘following the science’ on other important public health matters when it demonstrates such clear disregard for basic scientific integrity standards on an issue as important as COVID vaccine shots?’”

This ongoing propaganda by the Biden Administration is truly alarming.

A World Deceived?

The Dossier wrote on August 1:

Anthony Fauci is a worldwide celebrity and has taken up a prestigious series of appointments at Georgetown University and elsewhere. Bill Gates and the gang are jet setting around the world preaching the gospel of the Climate Hoax Church… Most of the appointees to the Trump and Biden coronavirus task forces have long since cashed out and laundered their credentials through the revolving door and into the BioTech/Big Pharma space…

“So it shouldn’t come as much as a surprise that they’re trying to restart the party to attempt another series of grand slams. The Pharma-sponsored corporate media is once more spreading the fear hype. ‘Time to bring [masks] out again especially as the school season starts,’ read the MSNBC headline Tuesday morning. An entire segment on Tuesday from ABC’s Good Morning America was dedicated to tracking supposed increasing hospitalizations from coronavirus infections, warning that the numbers are ‘on the rise.’

“… the bad guys of the Covid hysteria era never faced any consequences for the human rights atrocities they committed since 2019. And in all likelihood, they probably never will…

“Coronavirus hysteria ended because enough human beings became educated to the reality that the ‘response’ to the ‘pandemic’ was wildly overblown… It’s the same reason why Pfizer and Moderna stock is crashing…

“The problem occurred because it took too many people way too long to realize that humanity had been bamboozled by power hungry tyrants… When the next big power grab arrives, we should hope for much more courage and bravery than last time around.”

Note the next article as well.

Climate Lockdowns?

Report 24 wrote on July 31:

“Klaus Schwab’s daughter Nicole Schwab obviously follows the example of her father. At an event, she indicated that the Covid crisis had shown that radical change is possible if there is enough panic. The best conditions for a Great Reset: Will climate lockdowns follow soon after the Covid lockdowns? The desire to establish a globalist dictatorship including the dystopian ‘Great Reset’ is obviously in the blood.

“The WEF [World Economic Forum] makes no secret that Covid-19 has been used as a test run for a potential climate dictatorship… Nicole Schwab [a ‘WEF Executive Committee member’] takes a similar stance… she sees Covid as a ‘tremendous opportunity’ that has shown that radical change is achievable when people are scared. This could be used to launch the WEF’s ‘Great Reset’ agenda…

“If you take the political measures of the Corona period as a model, the fear arises that globalists are actually flirting with dictatorial ‘climate lockdowns’. That would mean severe restrictions being imposed on individuals and businesses to reduce carbon emissions. These measures could include travel restrictions, strict regulations on energy use and consumption in general, and even temporary closures of industries considered to be harmful to the environment. Globalist advocates argue that strict action is needed to prevent catastrophic consequences of supposedly man-made climate change…”

Too far-fetched to be true? Perhaps not!

“Preparing” For the Next Pandemic

Life Stite News reported on August 7:

“U.K. scientists at a high-security government laboratory have begun developing vaccines for a potential future pandemic. 

“Two-hundred scientists are currently working on vaccines against an unknown ‘Disease X’ at the Porton Down laboratory in Wiltshire, England… Bird flu is considered the most likely candidate to cause the ‘next pandemic’ by the scientists working at the lab. They are furthermore developing vaccines against a potential outbreak of monkeypox and hantavirus, a disease that primarily occurs in rodents. 

“The laboratory reportedly successfully developed ‘the world’s first vaccine against Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, a disease that’s spread by ticks and has a fatality rate of 30%.’ The tropical disease is viewed as a potential global pandemic threat as it is allegedly becoming more common in Europe…

“Since the coronavirus outbreak in 2020 and the subsequent draconian lockdown policies, leading globalists like Bill Gates have been continuously warning about the ‘next pandemic.’

“During a 2023 World Economic Forum (WEF) panel discussion fittingly titled ‘100 Days to Outrace the Next Pandemic,’ former British prime minister Tony Blair predicted that vaccines for future pandemics will require ‘multiple shots.’ Blair called for digital infrastructure ‘to know who has been vaccinated and who hasn’t been.’ A few months later, the European Union (EU) and the World Health Organization (WHO) announced a partnership to create a ‘global system’ of vaccine passports built on the EU’s ‘system of digital COVID-19 certification.’ 

Moreover, the head of a ‘nudge unit’ employed by the U.K. government during the COVID crisis said in a recent interview that lockdowns would be accepted by the population in future pandemics because people already ‘know what the drill is.’ 

“Professor David Halpern from the Behavioural Insights Team (the ‘nudge unit’) admitted that his agency used psychological manipulation to prime the population and defended the use of fear-based messaging ‘in extreme circumstances.’ He said that visual prompts and catchy slogans can be used to prime people if they ‘are wrongly calibrated.’”

Satan is the ruler of this world, which is also shown in the next article.

Persecution and Prosecution of Christians in the West

The Christian Post wrote on August 6:

“Don’t be surprised if one day you are on trial for quoting the Bible on social media. If that seems unthinkable, you should know it’s already happening to some Christians in other parts of the world… Christians have become accustomed to getting banned (or shadowbanned) on social media for our beliefs, but it seems strange to think that one day we could be arrested for quoting the Bible. 

“But that’s what happened to Päivi Räsänen, a member of parliament in Finland. She has been an elected official since 1995. She was the chair of the Christian Democratic Party from 2004 to 2015, she was minister of the interior from 2011 to 2015, and she is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland with her husband, who serves as a pastor. 

“In June 2019, Päivi tweeted a picture of Bible verses and questioned her denomination’s partnership with an LGBT Pride event. The prosecutor general in Finland opened an investigation against her. In April 2021, the prosecutor announced three charges of hate speech against Päivi — one charge for the tweet, a second charge for a 2004 pamphlet on sexuality for her church, and a third charge for a 2019 radio debate on sexuality.

“Alliance Defending Freedom International supported her defense at a district court, and in a unanimous ruling in March 2022, the court dismissed all charges against her. However, the prosecutor appealed the ruling. So on August 22nd, Päivi will stand trial again.

“It is tempting to think this could never happen in America. Freedom of speech is protected by law in this country. But Päivi can say the same about her country. The constitution in Finland protects freedom of religion and freedom of speech.

“Therefore it is Päivi today, but it could be your pastor tomorrow. If a politician can be charged with hate speech for quoting the Bible, pastors can receive the same charge. If politicians can be charged for that, less powerful people like you can also be charged for quoting the Bible on social media.

“Last week, police officers in Wisconsin arrested several young Christians for preaching the gospel at a public drag queen event that targeted children. In June, the House of Representatives in Michigan passed House Bill 4474, a bill that would make speech that ‘causes the victims to feel terrorized, frightened, or threatened’ a hate crime. Speech against a person’s ‘sexual orientation’ or ‘gender identity or expression’ are listed as hate crimes.

“Western nations like America and Finland founded their legal system on Christian ethics, but now they are radically committed to LGBT ideology and opposed to their founding values. Just as Christian theology shaped the West’s legal system, LGBT ideology is reshaping it. LGBT ideology cannot co-exist with Christian theology… Therefore, it suppresses Christianity through persecution. It arrests Christians for preaching the Gospel. It criminalizes speech against homosexuality and transgenderism.”

The LGBT ideology is condemned in the Bible.

Building the Third Temple

Israel 365 News wrote on August 4:

“Channel 12, a Hebrew-language news site, published an article on Sunday accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of allocating resources to a project aimed at building a third temple on the Temple Mount. The article blames Christians for bringing red heifers to Israel.

“The Channel 12 article cites a project by Boneh Israel, an organization that brings together Jews and Christians. In cooperation with the Temple Institute, Boneh Israel successfully imported five red calves in September to Israel from Texas for the purpose of raising them for the Biblical commandment.  

“The red heifer was the main component in the Biblically mandated process of ritual purification for impurity that results from proximity or contact with a dead body. Because the elements needed for this ceremony have been lacking since the destruction of the Second Temple, all Jews today are considered ritually impure, thereby preventing the return of the Temple service… [Not all religious authorities in Israel agree with this conclusion, but many do. And even though a red heifer is not required in the Bible for the building of the third temple, many rabbis think that it is.]

“The article claimed that the Netanyahu government is complicit. ‘A few years ago, the Jerusalem Ministry submitted a design proposal for the construction of the Mount of Olives Promenade, and officials who were involved in the planning claim that its route is intended to serve, among other things, the future ceremony of burning the cow,’ the article wrote, also blaming the Ministry of Agriculture for complicity by issuing permits for importing the red calves…

“The article also noted that the Minister for Jerusalem and Heritage, Nathaniel Isaac attended the ceremony at Ben Gurion International Airport when the calves arrived, citing this as proof that Netanyahu’s government is paving the way for the Third Temple.

“The article quoted Dr. Tomer Persico, a Research Fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute, who claimed that Christians are involved in the project in order to help bring about the ‘Temple of the Antichrist’. ‘The Antichrist, the “Satan” one might say, needs to come here and defile the Temple,’ notes Persico…

“The Ministry of Heritage responded to Channel 12 by stating that the project did not receive funding from the government… ‘The Director General of the Ministry participated in the ceremony of their arrival privately and during the tenure of the previous government. The plan for the promenade on the Mount of Olives was intended for tourism purposes and not for the benefit of the Red Cow fire.’

“The Ministry of Agriculture stated in response:  “An import license for the source is granted as long as the country is approved for the type of import requested. The US has been approved for this for about a year. The calves mentioned in the article were imported for breeding purposes, and met all the import conditions required by the ministry.’

“The article raised an uproar among the Arab mediaAl Jazeera cited Dr. Saleh Lutfi, ‘a researcher in Jewish, Zionist, and political affairs,’ as saying that in light of the current Palestinian and regional circumstances, the Netanyahu government [thinks] the time is ripe to ‘realize the myth of building the alleged “Third Temple”All parties in the government coalition… agree among themselves on the need to continue preparations… for the construction of the Temple, the preparation of priests’ clothing, the raising of the red cow, and the strengthening of the position of the Chief Rabbi,’ Lufti wrote.

“He went on to claim that the idea of rebuilding the Temple ‘has become rooted even among large segments of the Israeli secular and liberal movement, as well as among the circles of the so-called Jewish Zionist left.’

“Despite the preparations and the allocation of budgets, Lufti reasoned that the Netanyahu government is not currently building the Temple in the courtyards of the Temple Mount, pointing out that this would be ‘a suicidal step for the Israeli entity, which would ignite a religious uprising in historic Palestine, taking into account that it will spread to the Arab and Islamic worlds, which will expose the region to a religious war… The temple includes a biblical council (Sanhedrin) as well, deciding and prosecuting according to Jewish religious provisions, and paves the way for the preparation of the king, or the so-called chief rabbi, who does not necessarily rule in a democratic manner.’

“Palestinian Shehab News reported that the deputy director of the Islamic Endowments Department in Jerusalem, Najeh Bakirat, ‘confirmed that the occupation government adopted the project to build the Temple in the place of Al-Aqsa, to make Jerusalem a Jewish capital…through several steps and nonstop violations against the mosque.’”

Netanyahu’s position regarding the Third Temple has been quite ambiguous for a long time. We wonder what is really going on behind the scenes. You might want to listen to our StandingWatch program from 2018, titled, ‘Netanyahu’s Announcement of a Third Temple?”

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.

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How should especially young people handle bullying and teasing, and what does the Bible have to say about it?

We live in an age where bullying and teasing are rampant, and we hear all these stories about physical bullying, psychological online bullying, known as cyberbullying, and other intimidation and manipulative techniques.  This can happen anywhere, whether it be at school, at work, or through social media, and anyone can be a victim; but in this Q&A we want to concentrate specifically on young people as victims of bullying. How should they respond? We may have been a victim ourselves or we may have even participated in being the bully or involved with teasing, causing hurt to others, which we shouldn’t do, since we are to be good examples.  There are attempts in the workforce or at schools where recommendations are made about whom we need to talk to when trying to deal with these problems, as well as reporting the bully to proper authorities, such as administrators, counselors, human resource departments, psychiatrists, therapists, and so on, but they tend to dismiss the most important One who could truly help us.  What about God?  How can God actually help US in these situations?  And what does GOD say about how we should or should not react?

When it comes to God’s people specifically, we can be bullied or teased strictly on our beliefs and faced with situations where we are put to the test, as many examples in the Bible of God’s people show who had to go through this type of situation. How did they deal with it?  They were also confronted with peer pressure, just as we are on a continuous basis, but the important thing is how they handled it and how we should do likewise.

Quoting at length from our free booklet, “Should You Fight in War?“:

“Do we believe in God and rely on Him for our protection, having the faith that it is GOD who is our protecting shield…? Do we think that God is incapable of helping us in certain circumstances?  We should, of course, do everything that we can do to avoid getting into dangerous situations. We obviously should not go to places where gangs assemble, and we should not get involved with people who are known to be active in crimes, for instance. In addition, Proverbs 15:1 tells us that a soft answer turns away wrath but that grievous words stir up strife. So then, we need to be peacemakers, and we need to avoid everything that would create strife. Proverbs 18:6 reminds us that a fool’s lips enter into contention and that his mouth calls for violent reactions. We are also told in Proverbs 26:17 that he who passes by and meddles with strife belonging not to him, is like one who takes a dog by the ears. The point is, the battles of this world, which are fought by this world, are not our battles! This Scripture tells us not to be a fool, meddling with strife not belonging to us!…

“The most important of all the things you can do to avoid using violence is to pray to God, on a daily basis: ‘Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil’ (compare Matthew 6:13). We are to plead with God daily to NOT ALLOW a tempting situation that might be too difficult for us to bear, to overtake us.  However, we read in the Bible that righteous persons have sometimes found themselves being attacked by others. What did they do, and what should YOU do, if God allows it?

“First, realize that God would NOT allow it if you were not able to bear it, as 1 Corinthians 10:13 tells us. And when God does allow it, He will also provide a way of escape for you. This is sometimes literally the case. Sometimes you need to actually flee, to run away! Christ did so on occasion. We read in John 10:39: ‘Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand.’… When we find ourselves, or others, in a dangerous, challenging, life-threatening situation, we must PRAY to God, with faith, to HELP us out of that situation. To fight our fight for us! To give us the wisdom and the power NOT to do the WRONG thing, however tempting it may be.

“We must realize that no matter what harm we may WANT to do physically in a given situation, we must not seriously injure or kill the attacker… If we carry a gun with us or have one handy, say, next to our bed, we will certainly try to use it, but then may be killed in the process… In any case, to use a gun and shoot the attacker would be against the clear Biblical teaching of prohibiting killing. But what about just trying to injure him? In the heat of the moment, you may not be able to do just that, even if you wanted to. And if the attacker would only be injured, he would still have the chance to kill you or others who are with you. Christ told Peter, when he pulled his sword in defense of Christ and just injured the servant, to put his sword away. Christ’s protection did not depend on human weapons. It depended on God the Father and His angels. So, too, with us. Our real protection comes from the same source….”

The same applies to the use of a knife or other tools which a bullied person could use as weapons. The principle is clear not to use anything for the purpose of seriously injuring or even killing an attacker, including a bully. This could even include our own physical strength or skills which would enable us to seriously injure a bully.

Continuing with the above-mentioned booklet:

“The whole issue really comes down to where we place our trust and confidence for our protection, in EVERY situation… When man places his trust and confidence in God, God will protect man. Ultimately though, no matter the consequences, we must be living a life pleasing to God. We must never fear the ones who can take our physical life from us, but we must fear, or deeply respect, the One who can refuse to give us ETERNAL LIFE… 

“We must always have the attitude that Daniel’s three friends had when they were asked to violate God’s laws by worshipping an idol, and in case of refusal, were threatened with being thrown into a fiery furnace. We need to speak and act in the same way when we are being tempted to worship Satan – the god of war – by picking up a gun or a knife or another weapon to injure or even kill another person. We read their answer in Daniel 3:17-18: ‘ … our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.’ We must not serve the wisdom of this world, worshipping the power of the air and the god of destruction and war. Rather, we must always follow the PRINCE OF PEACE.

“Remember what the angels told the shepherds when Christ was born: ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests’ (Luke 2, 14, NIV), or, as the NRSV renders it, ‘ … with whom He is pleased.’… When God is pleased with us, when His favor rests on us, THEN He will be our shield and protection in times of impending battles. We must trust in God (compare Psalm 56:3-4, 8-11), AND we must be willing to obey His commandments, no matter what the situation, circumstance or consequence.”

Bullying, even over the internet as cyberbullying, is a form of verbal physical attack, so our comments made herein regarding responding to violent attacks apply clearly to bullying.  In any situation that we may be in, we must firmly keep in mind God’s limitless power and His willingness to help His people, who place their trust and confidence in Him.  If we are a victim of bullying, we may think about ways of fighting back, including bullying the bully.  But that could also have its consequences that we just read about.  Again, resorting to violence with the intent to seriously injure or kill another person, including damaging his or her reputation, even for the purpose of self-defense or defending others, is not in conformity with Christ’s teaching. Let us also never forget that God has assigned angels for our protection. Christ also knew that His protection did not depend on man’s strength — including His own — but on God the Father’s.

A true Christian must allow God to fight his battles for him. The Bible contains numerous examples of when God did just that. In our Q&A: “If someone tries to confront us physically, what is an appropriate response for a Christian? Would it be okay to try to subdue him, or should we not give any resistance at all? What if someone physically assaulted a loved one?” we say the following: 

“When the ancient Israelites left the slavery of Egypt and were pursued by the Egyptians, God fought their battle for them, by drowning the enemy in the Red Sea. Moses told the Israelites at that time: ‘The LORD shall fight for you, and you shall hold your peace’ (Exodus 14:14).”

This is proven throughout the Bible on many occasions, showing what God accomplished for His people–and what He is willing and capable of doing TODAY for you and me–if we trust in His protection.  

Continuing with the above-quoted Q&A:

“He protected Daniel in the lions’ den, and He protected Daniel’s three friends in the fiery furnace. All these things recorded in the Old Testament ‘were written for our admonition [or instruction], upon whom the ends of the ages have come’ (1 Corinthians 10:11). Christ told us that we must not take the sword or resort to violence. God and His mighty angels are always there to help us (compare Psalm 34:7; 91:11). But we must believe and be persuaded that no matter what the circumstances, we have to remain peaceful, while praying to God to fight our battles for us!”

We say this in our Q&A, “Do You Believe in and Teach Self-Defense?

“God who protected Daniel in the lions’ den is ready and able to protect us today, if we long for His protection. We don’t need to use violence against others for our own protection, when we trust that God is there to help us, whenever we are in need. As we read in Psalm 46:1-3: ‘God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling.’ And notice this comforting reassurance and promise of God’s presence in our lives, and His protection:

“‘When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you’ (Isaiah 43:2).

“At the same time, we must always look at God’s overall Will for us and our great potential and destiny for our lives, as Christ expressed in Matthew 10:28-31: ‘And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground APART FROM YOUR FATHER’S WILL. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.’”

We also need to consider our thoughts and attitudes toward bullies.  It may be easy to think of them as evil people but this is not a godly attitude.  Quoting from gotquestions.org on bullying: “At the very least, we should pray that the bully would have a change of heart… Many times, though, bullies act the way they do out of their own hurt. Perhaps they were bullied in the past. Perhaps they feel insecure, and the only way they can feel acceptable to themselves is by belittling others. We can empathize with their hurt and extend God’s compassion, love, and grace to them while also maintaining solid boundaries to address their wrong behavior. Whether bullying is driven by past hurt or simply the sin nature, God is the one who can bring healing, restoration, and change. It is always appropriate to pray for both bullies and their victims. Similarly, when we are the victim of bullying, we can go to God with our hurt and seek His reassurance and healing.”

Romans 12:17–21 says, “Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to [God’s] wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. Therefore ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

In our Q&A, “What does it mean to bless our enemies and those who curse us?” we say the following: 

“When we bless those who curse us, we do this with our mouth–but our words must be coming from the heart. This includes, praying for them. Our prayer could include, asking God to grant them repentance so that their sins may be forgiven. It could include asking God to prevent them from continuing their evil deeds, since their attitudes and conduct harm themselves and others.

“Our prayer might include the plea to God to let our enemies see that what they are doing is wrong. We are not to avenge ourselves because we know that God will avenge us–and if this means that God will allow or bring trials on our enemies to bring them to repentance or a recognition of the evil of their doing, then that, too, would be a blessing for them…

“Blessing would mean not to slander our enemies or to speak evil of them, by inventing facts or ‘adding to’ the truth. It does not mean hiding the facts if there is a need to speak out, but even then, we must be sure that we do not speak or act with hate and with a desire to avenge ourselves (2 Timothy 2:17-18, 20-21; 4:14-15; 1 Timothy 1:18-20).”

This does not mean that we have to be passive victims of bullying and must not do anything in response.

In our Q&A titled, “What Kinds of Sports, Games and Related Activities Are Appropriate and Inappropriate for Christians?” we say: 

“In Matthew 5:38-41 and in Luke 6:27-30, where Christ says that we must not resist an evil person; pointing out that when we are being hit, we are to turn the other cheek; when someone tries to take our cloak, we ought to leave him our tunic, and vice versa; and when someone compels us to go one mile, we must go with him two miles–the famous extra mile. Does all of this mean that we have to passively give in to violent conduct and that we can do nothing in our defense?”

We answer these questions in part 6 (pages 49-56) of our free booklet, “Old Testament Laws—Still Valid Today?:

“Jesus… addressed the principle of ‘an eye for an eye.’ He stated, in Matthew 5:38-39:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist [forcefully, by resorting to violence and thereby injuring or killing] an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.” According to the Lamsa Bible, the concept of ‘turning the other cheek’ is another Aramaic idiom, meaning, ‘Do not start a quarrel or a fight…’

“The Old Testament ‘lex talionis’ of an eye for an eye principle was never meant to be applied literally by actually maiming an offender. It was meant to outlaw personal vindictive ‘self-help’ and to allow, instead, a magistrate or a judge to consider the case and render righteous judgment by ordering the offender to pay just compensation to the victim. Jesus Christ addressed a wrong understanding of His listeners who thought they could avenge themselves. He cautioned all of us to be forgiving and kind, and He encouraged us to avoid fights and especially violence, even, if need be, at the price of foregoing our legal rights.”

As we can see, Christ did not mean to imply that we are to be helpless and passive victims and bystanders when confronted with violence. Rather, He told us not to treat violence with violence and revenge.

It is also important when we are victims of bullies, not to pay attention to or get excited about every little comment made about us. Ecclesiastes 7:21-22 admonishes us: “Also do not take to heart everything people say, Lest you hear your servant cursing you. For many times, also, your own heart has known That even you have cursed others.” Proverbs 10:12 adds: “Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all sins.” And Proverbs 19:11 tells us: “The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression.”

If you are a victim of a bully, it might be appropriate, depending on the circumstances, to confront the bully, if known to you, and talk to him or her. But it is important to pray first to God that He will give you a discerning and calm heart and a willingness to help the bully to stop hurting you and others, and to give the bully a discerning and receptive heart to see and appreciate his evil conduct. The principle is laid out in Matthew 18:15. Even though it speaks of spiritual brothers, it could also apply in other situations: “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.” You might also note the admonition in Proverbs 25:8-12:

“Do not go hastily to court; For what will you do in the end, When your neighbor has put you to shame? Debate your case with your neighbor, And do not disclose the secret to another; Lest he who hears it expose your shame, And your reputation be ruined. A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold In settings of silver. Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold Is a wise rebuker to an obedient ear.”

Rather than immediately reporting a bully to the teacher or school principal, or to the boss at work, or “discussing” the bully with other friends in an attempt to “get even,” it might be a better idea to speak first to the bully in a private setting, after having prayerfully sought God’s guidance and inspiration as to what to say, and how to say it.

There are ways we can cope with bullying and teasing as mentioned above, especially for God’s people.  There is NOTHING impossible for God who can help us in every possible way, as long as we do our part and continue being obedient to Him, obeying His Laws, and BELIEVE and have the FAITH that He will help us. Trust in God and we will have nothing to fear.

Lead Writer: Michael Link

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Preaching the Gospel and Feeding the Flock

compiled by Dave Harris

“Does Netanyahu Secretly Prepare for the Third Temple?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

It is claimed that projects are going on behind the scenes, apparently revealing that Netanyahu and his government are secretly planning to build the anticipated Third Temple. What are those projects, and how credible are the reports about Netanyahu’s and his coalition government’s real intentions, given the fact that he has been quite inconsistent, ambiguous and evasive on the issue when addressing the public.

“Arbeitet Netanyahu im Geheimen am Bau des Dritten Tempels?” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This German language program  discusses the same topic as the English program described above.

A Tech Team Meeting was held on August 6, 2023, via Google Meets. Hosted by Eric Rank, topics covered included: advertising results for both English and German booklets; purchase of domain names for French and Spanish sites; inclusion of a “Youth Forum” for the Update when submissions are available; technical difficulties in live broadcasting and Feast preparations.

“Die Schöpfung ist logisch,” last Sabbath’s sermonette in Germany by Manuel Giermann, is now posted. Title in English: “Creation is Logical. ”

“Beware the Company You Keep,” last Sabbath’s sermonette presented by Brian Gale, is now posted. Here is a summary:

The importance of keeping good company cannot be over-emphasized, and good and true friends can help us in achieving our goal of making it into the Kingdom of God.   We must always keep in mind that “evil company corrupts good habits.”

“Our Self-Destruction Is Imminent!” last Sabbath’s sermon presented by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

The Bible warns that the insane behavior of warring powers would lead to the total annihilation of mankind so that no one would survive the coming World War III, if Christ were not to intervene at the last moment to stop such insanity. How can this madness of seduced and seducing warmongers even happen? Christ describes in detail in the Mount of Olives prophecy how the phases of events will unfold and when the end of the world and Christ’s return will come. In the first part of this new series, we look at the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and the Great Tribulation, with special emphasis on false Christianity and its unbiblical teachings, the persecution of true Christians, and how they will be protected from the terrible events to come.

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How This Work is Financed

This Update is an official publication by the ministry of the Church of the Eternal God in the United States of America; the Church of God, a Christian Fellowship in Canada; and the Global Church of God in the United Kingdom.

Editorial Team: Norbert Link, Dave Harris, Rene Messier, Brian Gale, Margaret Adair, Johanna Link, Eric Rank, Michael Link, Anna Link, Kalon Mitchell, Manuela Mitchell, Dawn Thompson

Technical Team: Eric Rank, Shana Rank

Our activities and literature, including booklets, weekly updates, sermons on CD, and video and audio broadcasts, are provided free of charge. They are made possible by the tithes, offerings and contributions of Church members and others who have elected to support this Work.

While we do not solicit the general public for funds, contributions are gratefully welcomed and are tax-deductible in the U.S. and Canada.

Donations should be sent to the following addresses:

United States: Church of the Eternal God, P.O. Box 270519, San Diego, CA 92198

Canada: Church of God, ACF, Box 1480, Summerland, B.C. V0H 1Z0

United Kingdom: Global Church of God, PO Box 44, MABLETHORPE, LN12 9AN, United Kingdom

Beware the Company You Keep / Our Self-Destruction Is Imminent!

On August 5, 2023, Brian Gale will present the sermonette, titled, “Beware the Company You Keep,” and Norbert Link will present the sermon, titled, “Our Self-Destruction Is Imminent!”

The live services are available, over video and audio, at http://eternalgod.org/live-services/ (12:30 pm Pacific Time; 1:30 pm Mountain Time; 2:30 pm Central Time; 3:30 pm Eastern Time; 8:30 pm Greenwich Mean Time; 9:30 pm Central European Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

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