Update 1076

On July 15, 2023, Norbert Link will present “Comments on News and Prophecy—July 15, 2023,” and Kalon Mitchell will present the sermon, titled, “Regeneration – To Create Again.”

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.

In his autobiography, Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong relates an impressive example of someone who was to give an attack speech in public. Beginning on page 249, Mr. Armstrong explains that he asked his friend, “What do you hate the most?,” continuing, “He didn’t seem to hate anything… There was nothing I could find that he was really MAD about.” But then, certain events occurred which his friend witnessed, and he “was now really outraged.” When he began to rehearse in front of Mr. Armstrong, his “words described in dynamic language exactly the way he now felt… THEY WERE TERRIFICALLY CONVINCING!…IT WAS POWERFUL and it was CONVINCING!”

When it was his turn to give his first attack speech in public, during a competition, Mr. Armstrong describes the events in this way: “He forgot his nervousness that had seized him at the beginning. He thought only of the outrageous injustices he had SEEN with his own eyes… He really MEANT what he was saying—and HE was SAYING SOMETHING!” And so, he won the competition. He later became “the first president of Ambassador College, and its first instructor in public speaking.”

I have thought about this episode quite often. When attending Spokesman and Graduate and Ambassador Clubs for many years, I observed participants who were like Mr. Armstrong’s friend at first; they did not seem to hate anything, were not angry about anything, and did therefore not deliver a meaningful and convincing attack speech.

We, in the Churches of God, must learn to hate what is wrong, and we must not be afraid or too timid to show and express that anger and that hatred at the opportune time. Some feel that it is unchristian to become angry. They totally misunderstand what the Bible teaches. Sure, we are admonished not to express unrighteous human anger (James 1:20), but we also know that Christ, in the flesh, became angry when He saw the hardness of the heart of merciless people (Mark 3:5). And Christ, as well as John the Baptist, did not mince any words when they addressed and spoke about certain hypocritical leaders (Matthew 12:34; 23:17, 23-29, 33; 3:7). Sometimes, Christ spoke about them with sarcasm to make His point even clearer (Luke 13:31-32).

Especially God’s true ministers have a God-given duty, when addressing a “sinful nation, A people laden with iniquity, A brood of evildoers, Children who are corrupters” (Isaiah 1:4); a nation whose “whole head is sick” and whose “whole heart faints” (verse 5); with “no soundness in it” from “the soles of the foot even to the head” (verse 6) to “Cry aloud, spare not [Margin in the New King James Bible: “do not hold back”]; Lift up your voice like a trumpet; Tell My people their transgression, And the house of Jacob their sins” (Isaiah 58:1). To be able to do that and to tell the people and the political and religious leaders about their miserable condition and their terrible fate, we must be “full of power by the spirit of the LORD” (Micah 3:8).

In order to fulfill our responsibility effectively and convincingly, we ourselves must feel anger and hatred for the injustice, wickedness, rebellion against God and the lies and misrepresentations we observe daily, from the very top down, starting with the “heads of the house of Jacob” and the “rulers of the house of Israel, Who abhor justice And pervert all equity” (Micah 3:9). This anger must be reflected in our speaking and writing in order to be convincing. When we speak about the horrible sinful conduct of our leaders and the people, and don’t show convincingly how mad and really outraged we are about it, we will not wake anybody up (Ephesians 5:14).

by Norbert Link

We begin with the White House’s attempts to object to reporting and suppressing a meaningful investigation in regard to the latest scandal of the Biden Administration—finding cocaine in the West Wing—by resorting to blatant misrepresentations.

Please view in this regard our new StandingWatch program, titled, “America, Where ARE You Going???“. This program addresses the most recent outrageous scandals pertaining to the White House, Joe Biden and the Biden Administration, as well as certain governmental agencies.

We continue with the controversial decision of President Biden to deliver cluster bombs to Ukraine, after the Biden Administration had stated in the past that using such weapons might be tantamount to war crimes.  

We report on the difficult decisions NATO is facing, including its updated plans for countering any invasion that Russia might launch on allied territory; including the creation of a more militarized Europe for decades to come and Germany’s announcement that it is willing and will be able to take responsibility now for the new eastern flank.

We continue with obvious disagreements between the USA and the UK; the collapse of the Dutch government; and the growing dissatisfaction of most Germans with their government.

We speak on more blasphemous woke nonsense in the Church of England; the appointment of 21 new cardinals in the Catholic Church; and Jewish disunity regarding LGBTQ symbols.

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

How the White House Is Twisting the Facts

The New York Post wrote on July 7:

“White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called The Post ‘irresponsible’ Friday for asking point-blank whether cocaine found in the West Wing last weekend belonged to any member of the first family… ‘the Biden family was not here,’ Jean-Pierre added… ‘They were at Camp David. They were not here Friday, they were not here Saturday or Sunday, they were not even here Monday. They came back on Tuesday. So to ask that question is actually incredibly irresponsible, and I’ll just leave it there.’…

“In fact, the first family — including first son Hunter Biden, an admitted past crack cocaine addict — did not leave the White House for Camp David until around 6:30 p.m. on Friday, June 30, almost exactly 48 hours before the dime-sized bag of illicit white powder was found by a Secret Service agent on a routine patrol…

“Five days after the drugs were discovered in a cubby near the West Wing’s basement entrance and steps from the Situation Room, the White House has yet to flat-out deny that the cocaine belonged to any member of the president’s family or staff…

“Elsewhere in the briefing, national security adviser Jake Sullivan appeared to suggest that outside workers may have been responsible for the cocaine getting inside one of the most secure buildings in the world…”

Also, the location where the substance was found is NOT open to the general public.

Report 24 wrote on July 6:

“Just hours after Hunter Biden visited the White House, the Secret Service found cocaine there. Joe Biden’s son is known for his drug use, thanks in particular to his ‘Laptop from Hell’.

“…While it is likely that there would be fingerprints and DNA evidence on the package, it is highly unlikely that these would be… publicly assigned to Hunter Biden. And this despite the fact that he has a long drug history and was also in the White House at the time. In addition, according to ex-US President Donald Trump, the surveillance recordings should show the culprit.

“Hunter Biden, who has not only admitted a past addiction to crack but has repeatedly recorded himself smoking, snuffing and otherwise ingesting the substance on dozens of occasions, was also on the White House grounds Friday before he went to Camp David with his father for the second weekend in a row.

“And as expected, there will probably be no further investigations. Silence is the motto. Because the Biden administration has absolutely no need for another drug scandal involving Hunter Biden – and that even in the White House.”

Caught in a Lie

Breitbart added on July 7:

“… that claim [that the Biden family was not present when cocaine was deposited and found in the White House] is contradicted by contemporaneous reporting by the White House pool, which said that the Biden family had, in fact, been in the White House, including Hunter, on Friday until leaving for Camp David that evening.

“The pool report supplied by Eugene Daniels of POLITICO on Friday, June 30, stated: ‘Poolers saw Jill Biden, Baby Beau and Hunter Biden climb into presidential SUV. President Biden followed a few minutes later. Motorcade rolling to Fort McNair as of 6:34p.’

“Moreover, there is photographic evidence to back up the pool report. The Associated Press published [a] photo on Friday, June 30, showing both Joe and Hunter Biden leaving Fort McNair for Camp David.”

Fox News added on July 7:

“According to the Friday, June 30 pool report, Biden gave remarks in the Roosevelt Room that afternoon, and didn’t depart the White House for Camp David until 6:34 p.m., along with First Lady Jill Biden, Hunter Biden, and Hunter’s son Beau Biden.”

How long can the White House continue their lies to protect Hunter Biden and, more importantly, Joe Biden? On July 13, the Secret Service announced that the investigation had ended and that no culprit had been found!

US Cluster Bombs for Ukraine

Deutsche Welle wrote on July 7:

“Washington will supply Ukraine with cluster munitions as part of a military aid package worth $800 million to help fight off the Russian invasion…

“German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock rejected supplying such weapons to Ukraine on Friday. Speaking in Vienna, Baerbock said the government stood by the Oslo Convention, which is considered a milestone in the fight against the controversial explosives. An international ban on them came into force in 2010. [On the other hand, according to Die Welt, dated July 7, Steffen Hebestreit, spokesman for the German government, expressed “understanding” for the American position.]

“To date, 110 countries have joined the Convention on Cluster Munitions, and a further 13 nations have signed but not ratified the Convention — so they are not yet obliged to implement it. Signatories commit to neither produce, stockpile nor use the weapons.

“However, the world’s largest countries ―including Russia, the US, China, India and Pakistan ― and also Ukraine have not signed…

“Despite the Convention’s adoption, the proportion of cluster munitions victims has increased significantly, especially in recent years, due to escalated use of the bombs…

“According to Human Rights Watch, Russian troops have ‘extensively used cluster munitions in Ukraine, killing many civilians and causing other serious civilian harm.’ Ukrainian forces had also used them, causing ‘numerous deaths and serious injuries to civilians,’ the international non-governmental organization said.

“Handing such munitions over to Kyiv would ‘inevitably cause long-term suffering for civilians and undermine the international opprobrium of their use,’ the group continued…

“Cluster munitions are dropped as bombs from airplanes or fired as rockets from howitzers, artillery guns and rocket launchers. They contain hundreds of smaller submunitions, known as ‘bomblets’, that then fall indiscriminately over wide areas that range in size from a few soccer fields to several hectares of land. Cluster bombs not only kill soldiers, but civilians, including many children.

“Such munitions have been in use since World War Two and were deployed extensively in the Vietnam War, for example. During that conflict, the US dropped some 260 million of them on neighboring Laos, making it the country with the world’s highest level of cluster munition contamination.

“According to Humanity & Inclusion, a France-based charity organization also known as Handicap International, only about 40% of the smaller bomblets contained in a cluster bomb detonate upon impact. The undetonated ones can still pose a deadly threat decades after they are deployed: The munitions remain ready to explode and can maim or kill a person at any time. They work in a similarly disastrous way to landmines, sometimes rendering affected areas uninhabitable. Some areas of Laos, for example, remain completely contaminated decades after the end of the war.

“Civilian populations are especially affected by the use of cluster munitions… [According to a report from 2022,] 97% of victims were civilians and 66% of those injured or killed are children…

“Ahead of the announcement on the US aid package, the executive director of the US Arms Control Association spoke out against the transfer of such weapons. Sending them ‘would be escalatory, counterproductive, and only further increase the dangers to civilians caught in combat zones and those who will, someday, return to their cities, towns, and farms,’ Daryl Kimball said.”

This is just such a crazy world of war-hungry irresponsible governmental officials, without any consideration for the life, well-being and welfare of civilians and children.

Biden’s Complicated History on Cluster Bombs

Breitbart wrote on July 7:

“The Washington Post recalled Biden’s ‘complicated history’ — i.e. flip-flopping — on the issue of cluster bombs… The Post noted that Biden offered stern criticism of then-Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin…

“The Post recalled: ‘Amid reports that Israel had used cluster bombs in its invasion of Lebanon, some Democrats went so far as to push for cutting off aid to Israel. According to a contemporary UPI report, Biden said that if those reports were accurate, then Israel was clearly in violation. He said the United States should respond by “cutting off the ability to get access to that kind of weaponry in the future.”… Democrats also expressed such concerns during what the New York Times labeled “a highly emotional confrontation” on Capitol Hill with Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin in June 1982…’

“During the Second Lebanon War in 2006, when Israel was again accused of using cluster bombs (this time against Hezbollah guerillas), then-Sen. Biden (D-DE) opposed a bill that would ban the use of cluster munitions in populated areas. His position would appear to have changed, but he continued to express skepticism of cluster bombs. In 2022, the Post noted, Biden’s ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, delivered a speech in which she declared that cluster bombs have ‘no place on the battlefield.’ The administration had to walk that back.”

A Difficult Decision

The Huffington Post wrote on July 7:

“[Biden said he] ultimately took the Defense Department’s recommendation to provide the munitions and discussed the matter with allies and with lawmakers on the Hill. He said ‘the Ukrainians are running out of ammunition’ and the cluster bombs will provide a temporary fix to help stop Russian tanks. The move was met with divided reactions from Congress, as some Democrats criticized the plan while some Republicans backed it…

“Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., called the decision ‘unnecessary and a terrible mistake.’…  Meanwhile, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas, backed the move, saying Ukraine needs access to weapons Russia already is using…

“Providing the cluster bombs will also ease the pressure on limited U.S. ammunition stockpiles. The U.S. has been taking massive amounts of 155 mm rounds from Pentagon stocks and sending them to Ukraine, creating concerns about eating into American stores…

“The last large-scale American use of cluster bombs was during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, according to the Pentagon. But U.S. forces considered them a key weapon during the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, according to Human Rights Watch. In the first three years of that conflict, it is estimated the U.S.-led coalition dropped more than 1,500 cluster bombs in Afghanistan.”

Democrats Oppose Biden’s Decision

Breitbart wrote on July 7:

“Democrats across the spectrum oppose President Joe Biden’s decision to provide Ukraine cluster bombs…

“Democrat presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said, ‘Cluster bombs are munitions so horrific for civilians that more than a hundred nations have signed an international treaty banning them. Now the Biden administration is preparing to send them to Ukraine.’

“House Democrats swiftly came out against Biden’s [decision] to provide cluster bombs. Nineteen House progressives said in a joint statement:

“‘… The White House’s announcement runs counter to Congress’s restrictions on the transfer of these weapons and severely undermines our moral leadership. It underscores the work still ahead to press the U.S. to join the international community in banning the use of cluster munitions.’…

“Then-White House press secretary Jen Psaki said last year that alleged Russian use of cluster bombs would ‘potentially be a war crime.’”

So, would this make Joe Biden a potential war criminal as well?

The New York Post wrote on July 8:

“Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Saturday slammed President Biden for his plan to send indiscriminately lethal cluster bombs to Ukraine— suggesting that the choice ran afoul of Biden’s own ethics… ‘Stop the ceaseless escalation! It is time for peace… What happened to his conscience?’…”

Trump: Don’t Send Cluster Bombs, End the War

Breitbart wrote on July 11:

“‘Joe Biden should not be dragging us further toward World War III,’ former President Donald Trump said in a statement released Tuesday, calling to ‘immediately end the bloodshed in Ukraine’ and for a return ‘to a focus on America’s vital interest.’

“Trump warned: ‘He should be trying to END the war and stop the horrific death and destruction being caused by an incompetent administration. These unexploded cluster munitions will be killing and maiming innocent Ukrainian men, women, and children for decades to come, long after the war—we pray—has ended… If, as Biden inadvertently admitted, the reason for sending cluster bombs now is that the United States is ‘running out of ammunition’ (a great breach of classified information), that only further emphasizes the urgency of immediately deescalating this bloody, dangerous, and out of control conflict. It certainly means we should not be sending Ukraine our last stockpiles at a time when our own arsenals, according… Joe Biden, are so perilously diminished.

“There could be no more vivid proof that Joe Biden’s policy of endless war in Ukraine has tremendously weakened the United States than the humiliating admission that the USA is now out of ammo, something our enemies are undoubtedly salivating over. This ‘admitted’ weakness is an invitation to enemies all over the world. Joe Biden is needlessly and dangerously leading us into World War III, which would be a nightmare beyond imagination—obliteration’…

“These statements come as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky admits fear of Trump returning to the White House. ‘President Biden is the president during a full-scale war and he has been more helpful to us than President Trump,’ Zelensky stated in part, telling the Wall Street Journal, ‘In a situation like this, when there is support, you are afraid of changes.’”

NATO in Disunity

The Associated Press wrote on July 9:

“As the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues with no end in sight, NATO’s much-celebrated unity faces fresh strains when leaders gather for their annual summit this week in Vilnius, Lithuania. The world’s biggest security alliance is struggling to reach an agreement on admitting Sweden as its 32nd member. Military spending by member nations still lags behind longstanding goals. And an inability to compromise over who should serve as NATO’s next leader forced an extension of the current secretary general’s term for an extra year.

“Perhaps most thorny are questions over how Ukraine should be eased into the alliance. Some maintain admitting Ukraine to NATO would be the fulfillment of a promise made years ago and a necessary step to deter Russian aggression in Eastern Europe. Others are fearful it would be seen as a provocation that could spiral into an even wider conflict… the challenges come at a moment when President Joe Biden and his counterparts are heavily invested in demonstrating harmony among members…

“Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni — one of Western Europe’s staunchest backers of Ukraine in the war — reiterated her country’s condemnation of the Russian aggression but called for the ‘universal application of the principles’ of the international convention banning the production, transfer, and stockpiling of cluster munitions…

“Also in the spotlight in Vilnius will be Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the main obstacle blocking Sweden’s attempts to join NATO alongside its neighbor Finland…

“Turkey and the U.S. are also at an impasse over the sale of F-16 fighter jets. Erdogan wants the upgraded planes, but Biden says that Sweden’s NATO membership has to be dealt with first… Hungarian Prime Minister Vitkor Orban is also delaying his country’s approval of Sweden’s membership. In response, Sen. Jim Risch, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is blocking a $735 million U.S. arms sale to Hungary…

“More disagreements loom over NATO’s updated plans for countering any invasion that Russia might launch on allied territory. It’s the biggest revision since the Cold War…”

Regarding NATO’s updated plans, as mentioned above, note the next article.

How NATO Wants to Defend

The New York Times wrote on July 9:

“Supporting Ukraine and clarifying its relationship with the alliance will be a dominant theme at an upcoming summit. But NATO’s efforts to strengthen its own defenses along its eastern flank will also be key… NATO’s main task is to defend its 31 members… NATO secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, insisted that NATO was a purely defensive alliance, but with a sharper sense of the threat it faced…

“At the moment, the total number of troops for the eight battle groups along the eastern flank is only 10,232…  The leaders at Vilnius are expected to approve plans on how to scale up to 4,000 to 5,000 troops — a brigade — in each of those eight countries, with clearly defined tasks and pre-positioned equipment.

“Separately, since the Russian invasion began, around 40,000 troops drawn from member nations were put on standby under NATO command, but officials admit that the forces it can quickly send to battle are currently nowhere near that level. Under its new plans, NATO aims, at least, to have up to 300,000 troops ready to move to its eastern flank within 30 days, though officials call that number ‘aspirational.’

“The main point, Mr. Stoltenberg said, is that the new regional plans detail what each country must do to help defend its assigned territory, and with what equipment. Those troops will exercise regularly with allies on the territory they are assigned to defend…

“NATO is coming to understand the sophistication and the vulnerability of its modern equipment. A modern Leopard 2A6 tank, the best of those provided to Ukraine, has excellent speed and armor and runs on most any fuel. But it needs two hours of complicated maintenance for every hour on the battlefield…

“It will also take convincing the leaders and voters of larger allies farther away from Russia that their own security is at risk, and that they are going to have to pay the considerable price of a more militarized Europe for decades to come. And that means being truly prepared to come to the aid of smaller countries bordering Russia, like Lithuania, while rebuilding their weak militaries and learning to rely less on the United States.

“For Lithuania, a country of 2.7 million people that borders Russia and Belarus, getting Germany to commit to permanently stationing a brigade inside its borders became a domestic political issue… Germany’s defense minister, Boris Pistorius, promised to station a brigade of 4,000 troops in the country — once Lithuania constructed the necessary infrastructure, including housing, schools and warehouses for ammunition and vehicles… Mr. Pistorius said, ‘Germany, of course, is willing and will be able to take responsibility now for the new eastern flank.’…

“NATO supports Germany’s decision for a brigade in Lithuania… But… most allies would continue to plan for rapid deployment of more forces in a crisis rather than stationing them permanently at the front, partly because of expense and partly out of caution — a war could start with troops in the wrong place, and massed troops could be exposed to a first attack.

“Despite all of the reassurances, the Balts feel vulnerable, given their size and their neighbor. And they feel that their past warnings about the imperial intentions of President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia were played down by larger, more distant allies, like Germany…”

Germany’s dubious role and its declared goals in all of this should not be overlooked.

Erdogan Gives Green Light for Sweden…

The Associated Press wrote on July 10:

“Sweden’s membership of NATO took a big step forward on Monday after Turkey agreed to remove one of the last major roadblocks in return for help in reviving Turkey’s own chances of joining the European Union… President Recep Tayyip Erdogan committed to put the Nordic country’s accession protocol before Parliament ‘as soon as possible,’ the head of NATO said…

“There was no comment from Erdogan on the move, which many saw as linked in part to Turkey’s demands on other issues, particularly Erdogan’s desire for support for European Union membership from European leaders and for F-16 fighter jets from the United States…

“Biden welcomed the agreement and said he will work with Turkey ‘on enhancing defense and deterrence in the Euro-Atlantic area. I look forward to welcoming Prime Minister Kristersson and Sweden as our 32nd NATO Ally.’ Biden’s reference to enhancing Turkey’s defense capability was a nod to Biden’s commitment to help Turkey acquire new F-16s…

“The Biden administration has backed Turkey’s desire to buy 40 new F-16s as well as modernization kits from the U.S…

“In exchange for Turkey’s help with NATO, Sweden has agreed to help unblock Turkey’s progress towards joining the European Union, which has been on hold since 2018… Earlier Monday, Erdogan had warned that he would block Sweden’s attempt to become the 32nd NATO ally unless European members of the military organization ‘pave the way’ for Turkey to join the world’s biggest trading bloc.

“Turkey first applied to join what is now the EU in 1987, but its membership talks have been at a standstill since 2018 due to democratic backsliding during Erdogan’s presidency, concerns about the rule of law and rights abuses, as well as disputes with EU-member Cyprus.

“Of the 31 NATO member countries, 22 are also members of the EU, like Sweden.”

“Erdogan Is Not a Good Person”

Bild Online published on July 11 the following editorial by Franz Josef Wagner:

“The people in his prisons know better. He is a terrible ruler. In Vilnius everyone shook hands with him. They shook hands with a prison guard. Suddenly people are talking benevolently about him… Erdogan is a friend of Putin. Turkey still gets cheap gas from Russia. What kind of two-faced man is Erdogan?…

“Sweden should become a NATO member, Erdogan agreed. He gets his F-16 fighter jets from the USA. The Swedes pass new terror laws. What a great statesman. What a double face. In the Turkish prisons, journalists, lawyers and members of the opposition think every minute about the oppressor Erdogan… Erdogan is not a good person.”

Zelenskiy Failed to Secure NATO Membership

The Guardian wrote on July 11:

“Volodymyr Zelenskiy has failed in a last-ditch effort to secure an invitation for Ukraine to join Nato after leaders of the 31 countries signed off on a declaration that did not give a firm timetable or clear conditions for its eventual membership.

“The frustrated Ukrainian president had accused Joe Biden and other leaders present at a summit in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, of showing disrespect and complained that there was ‘no readiness’ to invite his country to join. But the dramatic lunchtime intervention on Tuesday had no impact on the final summit communique, issued a few hours later. It said that while ‘Ukraine’s future is in Nato’, the alliance would only ‘extend an invitation to Ukraine’ when Kyiv had completed certain ‘democratic and security sector reforms’.

“Zelenskiy said, in a statement issued after the communique: ‘Today I embarked on a trip here with faith in decisions, with faith in partners, with faith in a strong Nato. In a Nato that does not hesitate, does not waste time and does not look back at any aggressor … And I would like this faith to become confidence.’”

Many of the member states also said that Ukraine cannot become a member of NATO until after Ukraine has won the war against Russia.

Disagreements Between USA and United Kingdom

Deutsche Welle wrote on July 8:

“US President Joe Biden’s upcoming European trip, where he will be popping in to see UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, will no doubt reinforce the optics of the ‘special relationship’ between the two countries. At the same time, it will also conceal the underlying fact that London needs Washington far more than vice versa.

“Sunak was, of course, polite and diplomatic when signing the ‘Atlantic Declaration’ with Biden in June, a watered-down version of a full-fledged free trade deal with the United States. But the unilateral recalibration of UK-US ties wasn’t hard to miss. 

“Sunak said a free trade agreement was no longer ‘a priority’ for either side, and his officials said the declaration marked a ‘less sentimental and more pragmatic’ approach to the UK-US ‘special relationship.’ 

“For many, it was a watershed moment — the moment when Brexit’s dreams of unfettered UK global trade came crashing down to earth. For others, it was simply a reminder that the UK outside the European Union is weaker and less attractive to the US.  For Brexiteers in the UK, a free trade deal with the US was one of several promises made before and after the 2016 referendum that have failed to come to fruition. A potential deal with Washington was widely seen as partly compensating for the loss of free access to the EU, the UK’s largest trading partner.

“While the UK struggled to get former US President Donald Trump to walk the talk on his promise of a ‘massive’ trade deal during his time in the White House, it hasn’t been any easier with Biden at the helm. Protectionist pro-American trade policies remain the order of the day. Biden’s irritation with London’s inability to solve its ‘Irish question’ after Brexit has also played a role.

“US businesses are losing confidence in the UK as a place to invest in as a result of Brexit, rising corporate taxes and a year of political turmoil in London…”

The Government of The Netherlands Collapses

Euronews reported on July 9:

“Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte visited the king to turn in the resignation of his four-party coalition. The government collapsed Friday because of irreconcilable differences within the coalition about how to rein in migration, a divisive issue that has split nations across Europe.

“The resignation of Prime Minister Mark Rutte, the longest-serving premier of the nation, means the country will face a general election later this year. Rutte and his government will remain in office in a caretaker capacity until a new ruling coalition is chosen… The decision underscored ideological divisions that existed from the day the coalition was sworn in just over 18 months ago between parties that do not support a strict crackdown on migration…

“Just over 21,500 people from outside Europe sought asylum in the Netherlands in 2022… The numbers have put a strain on housing that already was in short supply in the densely populated country.

“Rutte’s government worked for a law that could compel municipalities to provide accommodations for newly arrived asylum-seekers, but the legislation has yet to pass through both houses of parliament.

“The prime minister also promoted the European Union’s efforts to slow migration to the 27-nation bloc…”

Will the events in The Netherlands find a repetition in Germany? Note the next two articles.

Dissatisfaction With German Government

Die Welt wrote on July 9:

“The week-long dispute [within the German government] has caused approval ratings for the coalition’s policy to continue to fall… the Social Democrats [come] to 19 percent, as in the previous week. The Greens lose a point [and reach]13 percent.

“The FDP remains stable at seven percent. This brings the [governmental] traffic light parties together to 39 percent – less than ever before…

“The Union [CDU] can gain a point and is at 27 percent. The AfD remains at 20 percent, the left at 5 percent. The other parties can unite nine percent of the votes. According to the survey, 70 percent of citizens are dissatisfied with the work of the traffic light government – a new negative record…”

Steinmeier Warns Against AfD

Die Welt wrote on July 9:

“Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has expressed concern about the high poll numbers of the AfD and at the same time warned against pure protest elections…

“The AfD is currently around 20 percent in the nationwide polls – and thus ahead of the Chancellor Party SPD. In Brandenburg, Thuringia and Saxony, where new state parliaments will be elected in just over a year, the AfD is currently the strongest party in the current polls… ‘Yes, the polls are worrying,’ said Steinmeier. ‘But they must not lead us to automatically classify every critical question as populism and right-wing extremism.’

“[He said that] when larger parts of the electorate turn away from the ruling parties and the main opposition party does not win, this raises questions…

“According to Steinmeier, Germany should not block the US-announced delivery of cluster munitions to Ukraine. It is true that this type of ammunition is still banned by the federal government and that Germany is against deliveries, he said. However, ‘in the current situation, Germany cannot stab the USA in the back…’

“With regard to the discussions about arms deliveries to Kiev, the Federal President emphasized that if the country [Ukraine] stops defending itself ‘or if we ensure that they are no longer able to defend themselves, it will be the end of Ukraine.’”

“Our Father” Problematic, Archbishop Says

The Guardian wrote on July 7:

“The archbishop of York has suggested that opening words of the Lord’s Prayer, recited by Christians all over the world for 2,000 years, may be ‘problematic’ because of their patriarchal association. In his opening address to a meeting of the Church of England’s ruling body, the General Synod, Stephen Cottrell dwelt on the words ‘Our Father’, the start of the prayer based on Matthew 6:9–13 and Luke 11:2–4 in the New Testament. ‘I know the word “father” is problematic for those whose experience of earthly fathers has been destructive and abusive, and for all of us who have laboured rather too much from an oppressively patriarchal grip on life,’ he said.

“His comment… will divide members of the C of E, a body whose differences on issues of sexuality, identity and equality have been highly visible for years.

“After Cottrell’s speech, Canon Dr Chris Sugden, chair of the conservative Anglican Mainstream group, pointed out that in the Bible Jesus urged people to pray to ‘our father’. He said: ‘Is the archbishop of York saying Jesus was wrong, or that Jesus was not pastorally aware? It seems to be emblematic of the approach of some church leaders to take their cues from culture rather than scripture.’

“Rev Christina Rees, who campaigned for female bishops, said… ‘The big question is, do we really believe that God believes that male human beings bear his image more fully and accurately than women? The answer is absolutely not.’

“In February, the C o E said it would consider whether to stop referring to God as ‘he,’ after priests asked to be allowed to use gender-neutral terms instead…  saying ‘Christians have recognised since ancient times that God is neither male nor female, yet the variety of ways of addressing and describing God found in scripture has not always been reflected in our worship’…

“One of the most divisive issues within the C of E, same-sex marriage, led to a decision earlier this year to allow clergy to offer services of blessings to gay and lesbian couples who have undergone a civil wedding…”

Breitbart added on July 8:

“The woke Church of England’s latest assault on the tenets of the Christian religion is apparently the Lord’s Prayer… The comments from Cottrell, the second-highest ranking bishop in the Church, come amid a broader push to adopt progressive beliefs from the CoE leadership…

“The issue of the gender of God has also become an increasingly contested debate within the Church of England, with Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, previously declaring that God is ‘gender neutral.’ Welby has often used his position as the principal leader of the Church to push for left-wing issues, notably surrounding illegal immigration and climate change.

“Earlier this year, it was reported that the CoE was planning on establishing a project ‘on gendered language’ in reference to God later, with some suggesting  that phrases like ‘Our Father’ could be replaced by supposedly neutral terms or feminine alternatives in order to combat alleged sexism within the faith.”

The Bible clearly reveals that the God Family consists of God THE FATHER and Jesus Christ THE SON. If the Church of England wants to believe that the Highest in the Godhead is NOT our Father, would they also be teaching that Jesus was not a Male, when here on earth, or that He changed somehow into a “neuter” when He was resurrected? Please read our free booklet, “God the Father Is the Highest”

New Cardinals in the Catholic Church

Thomson/Reuters wrote on July 9:

“Pope Francis (86) on Sunday announced that he would elevate 21 churchmen to the high rank of cardinal, again putting his mark on the group that will one day choose his successor after his death or resignation. The ceremony to install them… will be held on Sept. 30…

“Eighteen of the churchmen are under 80 and will be able to enter an eventual conclave to choose the next pope. The other three, who are over 80 and too old to vote in a conclave, were named to thank them for their long service to the Church. All cardinals, regardless of their age, are allowed to take part in pre-conclave meetings known as General Congregations, giving them a say in the type of person they think their younger brother cardinals should choose.

“The new cardinals come from countries including the United States, Italy, Argentina, South Africa, Spain, Colombia, South Sudan, Hong Kong, Poland, Malaysia, Tanzania, and Portugal. Three of the new cardinals were recently named as heads of major Vatican departments, including Argentine Archbishop Victor Manuel Fernandez, head of the Vatican’s doctrinal department.

“Another significant appointment was that of Bishop Stephen Chow Sau-Yan of Hong Kong. Chow is one of the major links to the Catholic Church in communist China, where the Vatican is trying to improve conditions for Catholics.”

It will be extremely interesting to see who the next pope will be.

Jews Condemn Baker For Not Producing LGBTQ Symbols

JTA wrote on July 6:

“The request for rainbow-frosted cupcakes came from a repeat customer — a local [conservative] synagogue that had relied on the West Orange Bake Shop to make kosher desserts for its special events. But this year, bakery co-owner Yitzy Mittel decided to decline the order. He couldn’t bring himself to produce the Pride-themed goods.

“Mittel, an Orthodox Jew, had made a similar cake for an order the year before. But the experience unnerved him, he told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, because his understanding of Jewish law holds that LGBTQ symbols are ‘antithetical to what we stand for.’ The symbols are ‘a celebration of something which is against Torah,’ he said. ‘I didn’t want to be making that cake.’…

“In the weeks since that decision, Mittel has gotten validation from the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled last week that a Colorado web designer had the right to refuse to build a wedding site for a same-sex couple. The ruling expands on a 2018 decision, in which the court ruled a Colorado baker had the constructional right, on religious grounds, to refuse to create a wedding cake for a gay couple.

“But the local Jewish community is still reeling. Multiple rabbis have accused the baker of bigotry, and some local Jews are boycotting his shop. The area’s Jewish federation privately said it would stop buying from Mittel before publicly walking back its position. And Eshel, an advocacy group for LGBTQ Orthodox Jews and their families, announced an ‘ally training’ in West Orange this coming Sunday in response to the incident…

“The firestorm comes at a time of widespread advocacy by political conservatives against LGBTQ inclusion and rights. Pride events across the country have faced pushback this year.

“Some of that has taken place in Jewish communities. In another New Jersey town 30 miles away, Orthodox rabbis successfully petitioned their mayor to remove the Pride flags that were flying in front of a synagogue on a central street. The mayor later apologized and put the flags back up.

“But what happened in West Orange offers a particularly potent example of how culture wars can play out in — and divide — Jewish communities, in part because of the symbolism of a kosher bakery citing what it says are Jewish values to justify declining the order of a local synagogue. ‘While I know this has happened in other parts of the country I hadn’t expected it here,’ wrote Dan Cohen, senior rabbi of the Reform Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel in nearby South Orange… ‘Then I learned that the bakery in question is a kosher bakery, and as a result, the bias was coming from within our Jewish community.’”

The real scandal is that a Jewish conservative (!) synagogue orders “Pride” cupcakes, and parts of the Jewish community support such a move and condemn the Jewish baker to refuse to produce cupcakes with symbols which were clearly designed to honor the LGBTQ movement (which is condemned by God).

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.

In this final installment of this series, we look at four more descriptions of Jesus and conclude with some more general information which includes seven interesting descriptions in Revelation 2 and 3.

• A Ransom For Many

Perhaps the most famous verse in the Bible gives testimony to the fact that Jesus gave His life as a ransom for many: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

This is reinforced in 1 Peter 1:18-19: “…knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”

And we read in Ephesians 1:7 further confirmation of this: “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.”

We read further in 1 Timothy 2:5-6: “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time…”

There are many other references to this in the Bible which are worth reviewing.

It is true that Christ gave Himself a “ransom for all,” potentially, but that is not to say that all would accept His Sacrifice. That is why we read in John 3:16 that only those who “believe” in Him would not perish. Also, Christ said in Matthew 20:28 that He gave His life a ransom for many. The ransom is for those who will repent and accept His Sacrifice. Christ did not give His life as a ransom for those who would reject His Sacrifice.

For a full explanation of this vital matter, please read our Q&A on “Unconditional Love (Part 3)”.

• The Rock

We read in Matthew 16:18 one of the most famous verses in the Bible: “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”

In our Q&A entitled: “Could you explain the extent of the power that Christ gave in Matthew 16:19, to ‘bind and loose’?” we stated the following:

“The word ‘Peter,’ i.e., ‘petros’ in Greek, means ‘a little stone.’ The ‘rock,’ on which Christ would build His church, is ‘petra’ in Greek, meaning a solid rock. Christ was not saying here that Christ would build the church on ‘Peter,’ but on THE ROCK — Christ Himself. It is CHRIST who is identified as ‘THE ROCK’ in passages such as 1 Corinthians 10:4. Peter, as well as the other apostles, in addition to the prophets, are part of the foundation, but Christ is the CHIEF cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20). The Church is built on Christ, who is the LIVING Head of the Church (Ephesians 4:15). That is why the ‘gates of Hades’ or ‘Death’ cannot overcome or defeat it. Christ, as the LIVING Head of the Church — as the foundation of the Church — has overcome death, having the ‘key of Hades and of Death’ (Revelation 1:18). Paul explains that no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is laid, which is Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11).”

In 1 Corinthians 10:4, we read that The Rock, Christ, was the God of the Old Testament: “… and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.”

Christ’s statement to Peter was never understood by the apostles to imply that Christ would build His church on “the rock” Peter. In our above-quoted Q&A, we continue to state:

“Unger’s Bible Handbook agrees, as follows: ‘Thou art Peter [petros, a stone] and upon this rock [petra, great ledge of rock] I will build my church’ (cf. 1 Pet 2:4-6, where the apostle made it clear he was never to be thought of as ‘the rock.’”

“The Broadman Bible Commentary points out:

“In the Greek text, two forms appear in ‘you are Peter’ [Petros], and ‘on this rock’ [petra]… The masculine form, Petros [and]… the feminine form, petra… If [Peter] is the rock, it is strange that the impersonal ‘this rock’ follows the personal ‘you are.’… Although Peter and all the apostles (Eph. 2:20; Rev. 21:14) were in some sense the foundation upon which the church was built, the New Testament never allows this in an absolute sense. Jesus Himself is ‘the rock’ upon which the church is built… there could be a church without Peter, none without Christ. Peter is neither the head nor the foundation of the church. Jesus founded it; it stands or falls with him; and he is yet its living Lord and head.”

The Geneva Study Bible adds: “… in Greek… the different word endings distinguish between Peter, who is a piece of the building, and Christ the Petra, that is, the rock and foundation…”

When Jesus spoke to Peter, we can imagine the following exchange: Christ pointed at Peter, saying; “You are a little stone,” but then He pointed at Himself, continuing: “… and on this Rock (Jesus) I will build My church.”

• Bridegroom

In John 3:28-30, we read what John the Baptist said about Christ: “You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him.’  He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.”

In Revelation 19:7-9, we see the fulfilment of John’s words: “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.”  And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, ‘Write: “Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!”’ And he said to me, ‘These are the true sayings of God.’”

The Bible teaches about the second coming of Christ, and when He does return, He is to marry the Church.

Marriage today between a man and a woman (please review Ephesians 5:22-23) is an example of the marriage of Jesus Christ to the Church. Those of us in the true Church of God constitute the Bride of Christ, when we will, later, be joined in marriage to Him for all eternity.

We explain the bride’s marriage to the bridegroom, Jesus Christ, in our Q&A on “spiritual analogies,” as follows:

“The New Covenant is a marriage agreement. The consummation of our marriage with Jesus Christ—the bridegroom and the Lamb—is still in the future. This is where the biblical concept of betrothal becomes important. In biblical times, the parties went through a period of ‘betrothal’ before they actually consummated the marriage. Mary was already betrothed to Joseph when she was found to be with child (Matthew 1:18). Since they had not consummated the marriage, Joseph thought that Mary was guilty of fornication. But Mary and Joseph were already called, at the time of their betrothal, husband and wife (Matthew 1:19–20, 24; compare also Deuteronomy 28:30). Betrothal was a binding agreement or contract of marriage, and it could only be severed through a divorce. With this contract, the husband had promised his wife to consummate the marriage with her, after a certain period of time.

“In the same way, we, when we became baptized, entered into a covenant with God, and into a contract of betrothal with Jesus Christ. The consummation of our marriage will occur, once Jesus Christ returns to establish His Kingdom. At that time, we will be immortal Spirit beings—born-again members of the God Family…

“Jesus Christ is the bridegroom who will marry the bride upon His return… Jesus spoke of Himself as the ‘bridegroom’ (Luke 5:34–35). When Jesus was on this earth, He taught that He would be taken away and that no ‘marriage’ would be consummated at that time. Note, as well, that Jesus gave a parable indicating that He, as the bridegroom, would return (compare Matthew 25:1–13). In this story, Jesus began His teaching with these very important words: ‘The kingdom of heaven shall be LIKENED to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom’ (Matthew 25:1)…

“The spiritual consummation of the marriage between Christ and His Church, as well as the spiritual ‘marriage supper’ celebration [compare Revelation 19:9], will be ongoing… There will of course not be any physical consummation of the marriage agreement when Christ returns to marry His bride.”

We recommend that you review the entire Q&A, as it also discusses other analogies applying to our relationship with God the Father and Jesus Christ.

• Alpha and Omega

It is probably appropriate to conclude our review of the names of Jesus in this Q&A with Him being the Alpha and the Omega. There are several references in the Book of Revelation. Let us look at Revelation 22:12-13: “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”

There are also the same references in Revelation 1:8 and 21:6. Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters in the Greek alphabet and mean the beginning and the end.  We know that Jesus as the Logos was before all things and He will be there at the end of this age setting up the eternal Kingdom of God.  With Him creation began, and in the context of Revelation 22:12-13, He will end this present evil world and will usher in the wonderful world tomorrow.  He always existed and He will also exist for all eternity. He is the FIRST in everything (under God the Father), having in all things the pre-eminence (Colossians 1:18),  and He will still exist when this physical world will have ceased to exist. It shows that He is ageless, immortal.

Barnes’ Notes on the Bible explains:

“It means that he is the beginning and the end of all things; that he was at the commencement, and will be at the close; and it is thus equivalent to saying that he has always existed, and that he will always exist… There can be no doubt that the language here would be naturally understood as implying divinity, and it could be properly applied to no one but the true God. The obvious interpretation here would be to apply this to the Lord Jesus.”

Having this information should be so helpful to us as we go through our tests and trials, knowing that we have a Savior who will be there for us at all times.

CONCLUSION:

Author Warren Wilcox wrote: “Have you ever realized the Bible had so much unity? Fifteen hundred years, forty different authors, three [or four] different languages, five or six different countries. And yet with all of these variations, there’s still just one theme and it all harmonizes together. The Bible is a library of sixty-six different books, long and short, written in different languages (Hebrew, Chaldean and Greek; we might add: “and to a small extent Aramaic”), written in various countries (Judea, Babylon, Asia Minor, Greece and Italy), written in various times during a period stretching over about fifteen hundred years and with an intermission of about 400 years, written by about forty different authors, people with Egyptian culture, people with Jewish culture, people with Greek and Roman culture, people with no culture.”

The unity of all of the Bible is amazing, considering how it was assembled.  Unity from the first word until the last word – a perfect piece of literature which shines through when you put all of the information together about Jesus Christ, the second member of the God Family which we have looked at in this series of Q&As.

The designations we have included in this series of Q&As are:

Creator, the Word, the I AM, Son of God, Immanuel, Redeemer, the Christ, Jesus of Nazareth or Jesus, son of Joseph, Jesus Christ (Jesus meaning “the Lord is salvation,” while Christ meaning “the anointed one”), the Son of Man, the Lamb of God, The Light of the World, The Bread of Life, King of the Jews, King of kings, Rabbi, Savior, Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, Chief Cornerstone, Apostle and High Priest, The Way, the Truth and the Life, The Good Shepherd, The Lion of Judah, Head of the Church, A Ransom for Many, The Rock, the Bridegroom and Alpha and Omega.

We have looked at just 30 descriptions and attributes, as above, of the One who became Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior. There are many others that we haven’t addressed in this series, including A Friend of Sinners, Judge, Firstborn Over All Creation, The Holy One, Lord of All, Deliverer, Mediator, the life, the Light, The Propitiation for our Sins, and many more.

In addition, there are other descriptions in Revelation 2 and 3. We will just list these which can be read at the beginning of each letter in these two chapters.  

You may wish to personally review these in greater detail which are discussed in our booklet: “Is That in the Bible? The Mysteries of the Book of Revelation,” in Chapter 1 – “Christ’s Message to the Seven Churches,” on pages 5-13.

Some of the following descriptions may also be found in other parts of the Book of Revelation.

“To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands’” (Revelation 2:1).

^“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write, ‘These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life’” (Revelation 2:8).

^“And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write, ‘These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword’” (Revelation 2:12).

“And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write, ‘These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass’” (Revelation 2:18).

“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars’” (Revelation 3:1).

“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens’” (Revelation 3:7).

“And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God’” (Revelation 3:14).

As we mentioned in part 1, one author listed more than one hundred names, titles, and metaphors of the Lord Jesus Christ, together with references from the Old Testament; another author asserts that there are some 200 names and titles of Jesus found in the Bible. Therefore, we have only scratched the surface of this subject, and it shows the importance to the lives of everyone living today, and those who have ever lived, with almost all of them not realising how their future depends on the Plan of God which Jesus came to announce.  He has been, is and will continue to be of vital importance to all that lies ahead of us. We are blessed indeed to have a loving Father and His Son who will return to this earth to set up the eternal Kingdom of God which all of God’s faithful people will be a part of.

Lead writers: Brian Gale (United Kingdom) and Norbert Link

compiled by Dave Harris

“America, Where ARE You Going???” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

Cocaine in the White House! Joe Biden’s meeting with King Charles and his conduct at NATO! His decision to provide Ukraine with terrible cluster bombs! His praise for Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan! The performance of FBI Director Chris Wray on Capitol Hill! All of this—and so much more—shows a divided country plagued by scandal after scandal! Let alone God’s strong condemnation for those who propagate beliefs which He determines to be abominable. Where IS America going? The answer should be obvious!

A new Member Letter (July 2023) has been written and posted. Rene Messier reminds us of the crucial need to not neglect fasting as we seek to draw closer to God.

“Unsere Selbstvernichtung steht bevor!” is the title of this Sabbath’s new German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Our Self-Destruction Is Imminent!”

“Die Kunst der Kommunikation,” the German sermonette from the Sabbath of July 1, by Christian Mrosek, is now posted. Title in English: “The Art of Communication.”

“Nachhaltige Ehen in der Wegwerfgesellschaft,” the German sermonette from the Sabbath of July 8, by Andreas Ratz, is now posted. Title in English: “Sustainable Marriages in the Throwaway Society.”

“Selfish or Selfless?” last Sabbath’s sermonette presented by Dave Harris, is now posted. Here is a summary:

The Bible addresses the matter of selfishness with strong warnings. The Bible also teaches us how to be unselfish—to have the selfless character of Jesus Christ.

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

In modern parlance when people talk of “living the dream”, invariably they refer to the way life is going. Whether stated in sincerity or sarcastically, this evaluation declares that life is so good that it couldn’t be better, being in pursuit of one’s dreams.  To most, living the dream is an impossibility. What guidance can we find in the Bible that motivates us to truly be “living the dream”?