The Update

On August 29, 2026, Eric Rank will give the first split sermon, titled, “Foundation of Values”and Daniel Blasinger will give the second split sermon, titled, “Laodicea 2.0.”

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 our Q&A on 8^th July 2022, entitled “What is the Definition of a Woman?,” we discussed this matter after a female nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court couldn’t define what a woman is during her confirmation hearings.   In short, we showed that it was as simple as an adult female.  Even the UK Prime Minister had a problem with the simple definition, no doubt brought about by political correctness rather than ignorance.

Another example is that of marriage. God says quite simply: “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”   They were told to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 2:24). Therefore, a family is a man and a woman and their children. End of story you would think, but not in a more “enlightened” society. 

I was reminded of all of this nonsense recently when I read a report about two female lesbian English cricketers. They both had represented their country at the international level with great success, had “married” a few years ago and had a son in 2025.  The one who had recently retired from cricket had the baby and her “wife” was still a full-time professional cricketer. As she was the wife, the one who had the baby was the “husband.“  However, a husband is always a man in God’s eyes and we know that a man cannot give birth in a normal union of husband and wife. Also, there have to be three people in such a “marriage” of two lesbians as a sperm donor is always required. The simple definition of husband and wife in a marriage goes out the window when perverted lifestyles are adopted.

For those of us who believe in God should not have the problems that non-believers have in terms of definitions.   

But for non-believers, they have to make up their own definitions because they refuse to allow God and His Way into their lives.   

We have quoted this before, but it is worth mentioning again. In November 2009, Desert News in Salt Lake City, USA, stated that “America’s struggles to define marriage are all over the map.   It’s more than just differences from California to Connecticut and from Idaho to Iowa — it’s also how those definitions continue to be refined across the country.  Marriage definitions have been crafted or confirmed in courts, legislatures and voting booths. And in some cases, those definitions have been reversed in a matter of months.  With the exception of the Defense of Marriage Act passed a dozen years ago by the United States Congress, the definition of marriage — either the traditional union of a man and a woman or the more recent allowance of uniting same-sex couples — is an issue left for each state to answer for itself.”   

Of course, since this was written, matters have progressed at an alarming rate in the wrong direction.

Since that time, there have been many other people who have tried to define marriage simply because they won’t accept the biblical definition, thinking that they know better. But they don’t! 

And so, man will make up the definitions himself, and unless they are in conformity with the Word of God, they will always be wrong.

In short, God simplifies, but man complicates and is so often wrong when he does.  God is never wrong.

Having come up with their own definitions, what are the fruits of these definitions when implemented in reality? We only have to look at society today to see what a mess it all is. If only man would accept that God knows best and accept His definitions, much heartache, anguish and trouble would be saved. In short, it reminds me of the song “I Did It My Way”. But we should do it God’s Way, and the results would be much better and longer-lasting. However, man who has no intention of going God’s Way at this time, will do so in the Millennium when the “knowledge of the LORD” shall be as “the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:9; compare Habakkuk 2:14). Then they will all realize that God had, quite simply, the best definitions because they all worked!

By Norbert Link

We begin with frightening developments and occurrences in Germany, especially regarding AfD’s convoluted plans and Germany’s most dangerous school; and we continue with Putin’s sinister scheme against NATO. Please view in this regard our StandingWatch program, titled, “Will Putin Attack NATO?” We also speak on Ukraine’s attacks on Russia with alleged British weapons and support and Russia’s response in pulling its ambassador out of Britain.

We address National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s terrible demands; the position of Israel pertaining to a Palestinian state; and Israel’s volatile and deteriorating relationship with Turkey.

Focusing on the United States, we address America’s unprecedented horrendous national debt; Trump’s attempt to court North Korea about which South Korea is extremity unhappy; the US Pentagon’s firing of the Stars and Stripes Editor in Chief; the beginning of a new trade war between Canada and the USA; the Supreme Court’s controversial decision to give green light for Trump’s ballroom; and a thought-provoking article about the downfall of the United States.

We conclude with another example of Catholic idolatry and blasphemy.

Please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “America’s Foolish Trade War With Canada.”

Is the Gestapo of a Police State Coming?

tkp wrote on August 16:

“On Wednesday, the German cabinet passed a 700-page legislative package that massively expands the powers of the domestic intelligence agency (Office for the Protection of the Constitution) and the Federal Intelligence Service (BND)… Artificial intelligence is to analyze vast amounts of data—including footage from public and private video surveillance. Data retention periods are being extended, and controversial methods such as online searches, surveillance of private homes, and the creation of movement profiles are being expanded…

“The Society for Civil Rights (GFF) considers large parts of the package to be unconstitutional… The strict separation between the police and intelligence agencies was enforced by the Allies after World War II to prevent a recurrence of the Gestapo… The article argues that the abolition of this separation is directly linked to Germany’s return to an imperialist war policy: hundreds of billions of euros in additional military spending, the reintroduction of conscription, and the creation of a society ‘ready for war’ require a police state…

“There is reportedly no serious opposition among the parties in the Bundestag… WSWS author Peter Schwarz views the legislative package… as the deliberate preparation for a police state intended to suppress growing domestic opposition to rearmament and social cutbacks—with the tacit or open support of all parties in the Bundestag.”

These are dangerous developments, but they are prophesied to occur.

Calls For Spahn’s Complete Departure

Bild Online wrote on August 21:

“Pressure is mounting on Jens Spahn in his political home region: following his resignation as leader of the Union parliamentary group and his decision to step down as district chairman, some CDU officials are now openly demanding that he also relinquish his seat in the Bundestag.

‘Accusations of double standards have been raised; at the grassroots level, there is talk of anger, outrage, and party members leaving.’”

But observers feel that Spahn’s future is anything but certain.

Jewish Community Compares AfD to NSDAP

t-online reported on August 22:

“Shortly before several elections in East Germany, Reinhard Schramm, chairman of the Jewish community in Thuringia, has issued a warning regarding the AfD. Drawing a comparison with the NSDAP highlights parallels in the rise of both parties, Schramm wrote in a guest commentary for the Thüringische Landeszeitung newspaper. By downplaying Nazi crimes and attacking Germany’s culture of remembrance, the AfD is facilitating its own gradual ascent to power, Schramm argued. Eyewitnesses to Nazi terror are watching ‘with fear the development of today’s increasingly right-wing extremist AfD.’

“Charlotte Knobloch, a Holocaust survivor and former president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, had previously drawn this comparison in Stern magazine. ‘The NSDAP, too, started small and tested the limits of what was possible,’ she said. That is exactly what is happening with the AfD. ‘In many areas, I no longer see any difference between it and the NSDAP before it came to power.’ She noted that she had witnessed many terrible parties—the NPD, the Republicans, the DVU—but none had been as dangerous as the AfD.”

NSDAP stands for Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, which translates from German as the National Socialist German Workers’ Party. It was the official name of the Nazi Party, led by Adolf Hitler, which ruled Germany as a fascist dictatorship from 1933 to 1945.The similarities between the rise of the NSDAP and the AfD are obvious.

The AfD’s Short-Sighted Plans

t-online wrote on August 23:

“AfD leader Alice Weidel … predicted that the CDU would ‘never win another federal election’… In opinion polls, the AfD is leading the CDU and CSU by up to eight percentage points nationwide. The situation was exactly the reverse for the 2025 federal election. In states like Saxony-Anhalt, where elections are taking place in September, the gap between the AfD and the Union is even wider…

“The AfD politician reaffirmed her party’s intention—should it take power—to withdraw from the euro and from the Schengen Agreement, which provides for the principle of border-control-free movement across internal borders…”

On closer inspection, these are all plans that run counter to prophecy. The AfD would not succeed with them… at least not in the long run. Yet the AfD’s views and plans are constantly changing… much like the proverbial chameleon. Whether a charismatic political and military leader (a male) will arise out of the AfD or from somewhere else will remain to be seen.

The Most Dangerous School in Germany

Daily Mail wrote on August 23:

“A German school whose student body is made up almost entirely of migrants has been dubbed ‘the most dangerous in the country’. Karolina-Burger-Realschule, a secondary in the south-western state of Rhineland-Palatinate, has been at the centre of a national frenzy over the country’s relationship with migrants. 

“Around 90 per cent of the roughly 760 pupils there are migrants, while roughly 40 per cent of the residents in the town it is based in, Ludwigshafen, are also non-German… The school regularly sees brutal fights between students, wanton destruction of property and violent threats against teachers… The ongoing chaos is so bad that parents are desperate to pull their children out… Teachers at Karolina-Burger have been calling in sick to avoid the chaos. German newspaper Der Spiegel reported that a third of the school’s 53 teachers called in sick last week.”

And why is nothing done about this?

Putin’s Sinister Scheme

The Telegraph wrote on August 23:

“Russia has launched a fresh wave of attacks on European armaments factories under the guise of plausible deniability… The Kremlin is recruiting local gang members to sabotage defence manufacturers to test Nato’s resolve. The attacks appear carefully calculated to fall just short of triggering Article 5…

“This week, Latvia detained three of its own nationals on suspicion of an arson attack against a drone manufacturer in neighbouring Estonia. A building belonging to Milrem Robotics, a Tallinn-based firm that supplies weapons to Ukraine, was set ablaze on Aug 1…

“Since Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 there has been a steady stream of unexplained attacks across Europe. As well as the Estonian arson incident, there have been explosions at major arms manufacturers in Italy and Bulgaria this month alone. Earlier this year, a fire almost destroyed a Czech plant making drones and thermal optics for Ukraine…

“On August 10, a major explosion ripped through a plant belonging to EMCO, one of Bulgaria’s largest private arms manufacturers, which produces 155mm artillery ammunition for Ukraine… Three days later a similar blast rocked a munitions factory operated by KNDS Ammo Italy in Colleferro on the outskirts of Rome…

“Russia’s GRU military intelligence agency, known for its attacks on foreign soil using highly trained agents… cultivate sources within criminal gangs to act as intermediaries in the targeted country using online messaging apps such as Telegram. These middlemen then dish out tasks to local recruits, who are paid in cryptocurrency and often never know they are working for Russia…

“Italy and Germany… are often unwilling [to] blame Moscow over fears of an escalation… With each attack that goes unpunished, the Russians are gathering their own useful intelligence on just how far they can push Nato’s boundaries… With Putin preparing Russia to use force against Nato ‘within five years’, according to Mr Rutte, Western officials see this hybrid attack as a potential precursor…”

It sounds like being taken from Putin’s well-known playbook. And a Russian attack on NATO within the next five years sounds overly optimistic. Such an attack could happen much earlier.

Moscow Pulls Ambassador Out of Britain

Daily Mail wrote on August 21:

“More than 300 workers were urgently evacuated today at a Russian Amazon logistics hub as it was hit in a Ukrainian drone attack. It was the second Ozon online marketplace struck in two days as Vladimir Putin admitted Kyiv was damaging his economy with its latest onslaught…

“Meanwhile, Moscow has pulled its ambassador out of Britain after Putin claimed the concerted strikes on so-called ‘Russian Amazon’ Ozon and Wildberries facilities were helped on by ‘Western handlers’ like the UK…  diplomatic relations have effectively been downgraded between the two countries and fears have arisen of a total breakdown of communications between Moscow and London.

“Relations between the UK and Russia took a dive last week after it emerged that British drones had been used by Ukraine to strike targets deep in the Russian mainland, prompting the embassy to threaten ‘consequences’.”

Poland Braces For War With Russia

Fox News wrote on August 19:

“Polish Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk said his country is actively preparing for the possibility of conflict… A European diplomat… backed Tomczyk and said Poland sees a pattern of escalating Russian pressure on multiple fronts… The diplomat pointed to what they described as Russian disinformation campaigns, cyberattacks, sabotage efforts and repeated tests of Poland’s air defenses, as well as increasingly frequent nuclear rhetoric from Russian officials and propagandists.

“‘Altogether, it shows quite clearly that if Russia or Belarus saw any chance to attack Poland to destroy an obstacle to restoring the Soviet or Tsarist Russian empire in Eastern Europe, they would do it without hesitation,’ the diplomat said…. ‘But they — at least the imperialists who are the foundation of the Putin administration — would like to turn Poland, the Baltics and, of course, Ukraine back into their colonial part of Europe.’”

This assessment is right… once Russia gets the chance.

Ben-Gvir’s Ongoing Inhuman Demands

Israel 365 News wrote on August 20:

“National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir announced this week the start of construction on a dedicated execution facility for Palestinians sentenced to death under Israel’s new death penalty law, days after his comments calling for Israel to kill ‘30 to 40’ Gazans nightly drew condemnation from Germany… The facility will include a dedicated wing for prisoners sentenced to death, with gallows at its center, and observation booths allowing victims and their families to witness executions…

“Referring to a woman who had brought Braslavski food during his captivity, Ben-Gvir said she ‘needs a bullet in the head..’… German Chancellor Friedrich Merz ‘strongly condemns the inhumane remarks made by Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’ a German government spokesperson said Wednesday.”

The remarks are indeed a terrible testimony to man’s cruelty.

No Palestinian State

Washington Jewish Week wrote on August 20:

“In a meeting on Monday with Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law who advises the president on Middle East subjects, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made very clear, and in no uncertain terms, that he is against a Palestinian state…

“The discussions come as implementation of Trump’s 20-point plan remains stalled over the issue of Hamas’s disarmament. The Jewish state has maintained that the terror group must disarm fully before Israeli forces withdraw and large-scale reconstruction can begin…”

Kushner has not been a successful negotiator.

Turkey Crossed a Red Line

The Jerusalem Post wrote on August 20:

“Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter told The Jerusalem Post that Israel had received clear intelligence indicating that Turkey intended to significantly expand its military presence in Syria, a move Jerusalem viewed as crossing a red line… His comments came following Israel’s strike in Syria and subsequent criticism from both the Syrian and Turkish governments…

“‘It is clear to us that the Syrians do not want a confrontation with us,’ he said. ‘That is why we are telling the Turks not to create conflicts. There is more than one indication that the move planned by Turkey was imposed on the Syrians.’ … Leiter said the apparent disconnect was also evident in conflicting Turkish and Syrian statements following the strike. ‘While Syrian Foreign Minister Shaibani acknowledged that there had been a Turkish delegation in Syria several days before the strike, the Turks denied it.’”

PBS wrote on August 21:

“The Israeli military bombed an airbase in Syria, far from the Israeli border, sparking condemnation… from… the Trump administration. U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack accused Israel of an ‘unnecessary escalation that does not advance regional stability.’”

Turkey Issues Another Arrest Warrant Against Netanyahu

The Times of Israel wrote on August 21:

“Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government on Friday issued another arrest warrant for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, amid spiking the two countries over an Israeli strike in Syria… Turkey’s Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said on X that his ministry had asked the interior ministry to issue Interpol red notice alerts for Netanyahu… A red notice is a request to police forces worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition…

“The Israeli statement reiterated past accusations by Jerusalem against Erdogan, calling him ‘an antisemitic dictator who has massacred Kurds, harbors Hamas terrorists, occupies half of Cyprus, and jails record numbers of journalists and politicians who oppose him.’..

“The Turkish announcement was the latest sign of the collapse of Israeli-Turkish relations since the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attack and subsequent Gaza war. Turkey has hosted Hamas leaders, and Erdogan has praised the terror group and castigated Israel, ending trade and direct flights between the countries.”

To our knowledge, there is no arrest warrant for the antisemitic warmonger and mass murderer Erdogan.

Unprecedented National Debt

ABC News wrote on August 20:

“The United States’ gross national debt surpassed $40 trillion this week for the first time, meaning the nation’s financial hole has doubled in size in less than a decade…

“It’s been more than 20 years since the federal government’s last budget surplus, which occurred in 2001. Every year since then, the U.S. has spent more money than it has brought in, deepening the nation’s debt…”

Such irresponsible and incompetent corrupt conduct!

Trump Courts North Korea, While South Korea Fears for the Worst

npr wrote on August 21:

“President Trump posted on social media on Monday that he had ordered the drills [with South Korea] shortened because he thinks they are costly and send a hostile message to North Korea. He later said that he had reached out to Kim for a meeting and received a positive response. [Kim Jong Un’s sister] Kim Yo Jong, however, dismissed what appeared to be Trump’s latest overture. 

“Trump’s curtailing of the military drills has fueled South Korea’s unease about the future of the alliance with the U.S… South Koreans have been shocked by this week’s events, which have heightened their fears of being sidelined during a Trump-Kim summit. They fear that in order to seal a deal with Kim, Trump could withdraw U.S. troops from South Korea and lift economic sanctions on the North, while leaving their nuclear arms in place…

“But for Trump, Seoul has fallen short on his demands. In the same social media post on Monday, Trump also complained that South Korea had declined his request to join the U.S. in its operations against Iran.”

South Korea has every reason to be concerned about Trump’s conduct.

Pentagon Fires Stars and Stripes Editor-in-Chief and Others

Deutsche Welle wrote on August 22:

“The US Pentagon has sacked the editor, publisher and a reporter of military newspaper Stars and Stripes after they publicly objected to potential editorial interference, they said on Friday. The newspaper, which has been publishing since World War II, is partially funded by the Defense Department but has remained editorially independent. ‘According to the notice, I am being fired ‌for stating in ⁠a CBS ⁠interview that hypothetical censorship of news for service members would constitute a personal red line,’ Stars and Stripes Editor-in-Chief Erik Slavin said in a statement on Friday. Slavin received a notice of separation for insubordination, as did Publisher Max Lederer and Middle East reporter Lara Korte…

“In an email announcing his retirement, Lederer had said it was clear that the Pentagon had a new vision for the newspaper which differed from his own… Meanwhile, Korte said on social media she was being fired for insubordination ‘after I told a CBS reporter that I work for Stars and Stripes – not the Pentagon, not any administration, and not any policy maker… It’s a shame for the institution and service members, who swore to defend the Constitution and deserve the right to a free and independent press,’ she wrote…

“US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has been extremely critical of the media since taking office in 2025. Among the measures he took was drastically restricting press access to the Pentagon…   National Press Club President Mark Schoeff Jr. said, Slavin’s firing was ‘another brazen attempt by the Pentagon to dictate coverage of the military. Firing a newspaper editor after he publicly defended his newsroom’s editorial independence is deeply troubling, and it should concern every journalist and every member of the US military who depends on independent reporting…’”

In light of prior attempts to even deceive Trump about the state of affairs in the military, Hegseth’s conduct is clear. He does not want anyone reporting on his misrepresentations and lies, which do not reflect reality.

Trade War Between USA and Canada Has Begun

The New York Post wrote on August 22:

“A hefty new tariff on a wide range of products from Canada took effect early Saturday after last-minute negotiations to avert the duties collapsed…. The 50% tariff will apply to some $20 billion worth of Canadian products, including wine, hockey sticks, and cement. 

“Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney vowed swift retaliation after negotiations failed. ‘Canada will match those tariffs dollar for dollar to protect our workers and businesses,’ he said in a statement… ‘We have recognised from the beginning that America has changed, and that we will not return to our old relationship… Our government understood, before many, that America is altering all its trade relationships. Putting tariffs on its closest allies and charging for access to its vast market.’

“The prime minister blamed ‘last-minute changes in the US proposed terms’ that he described as ‘unfair, uneconomic, and called into question the reliability of any deal’ for the breakdown in talks.”

CTV News added on August 21:

“The Trump administration on Sunday warned that Canada would be ‘foolish’ to think it could win a trade war with the United States… Prime Minister Carney delivered his own address on the trade dispute in which he said Canada is at economic ‘war’ with the U.S… Carney was asked: ‘Why does it feel like, today, Mark Carney is going to war, trade war?’ ‘You’re at war when you get attacked. We got attacked,’ he responded… Carney said retaliatory tariffs, in response to Trump’s new levies, will come into force on Sept. 8…

“Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew says he fully supports Prime Minister Mark Carney and the federal government’s decision to walk away from trade talks with the United States. Speaking Saturday afternoon, Kinew commended the prime minister for standing up for Canadians and that all premiers are united with Carney. ‘History will not be kind to Donald Trump. So we should never appease him and we should fight back, which is what Canada is doing today,’ said Kinew. ‘We can fight back against Donald Trump by buying from Canadian businesses, by supporting Canadian workers and most importantly, by living up to our Canadian values.’…

“B.C. Premier David Eby says a request from U.S. negotiators would have effectively reduced Canada to America’s 51st state. ‘The suggestion that Canada would not trade with other countries or reduce our trade with other countries because the Americans tell us to would reduce us to the economic equivalent of the 51st state,’ said Eby…”

What an incredible demand!

The Hill added on August 22:

“The prime minister has said these new policies are in ‘direct violation’ of the free trade agreement between the U.S., Mexico and Canada…. Canada and the U.S. have historically enjoyed a close relationship, but the Trump administration’s aggressive efforts to broker new trade agreements that favor the U.S. have placed these ties to the test. Trump has repeatedly suggested that the U.S. cede its northern neighbor as a ‘51st state’ and addressed Carney as the ‘future governor of Canada.’”

Trump repeatedly asked for a trade war with Canada. Now he has it, and he might very well lose this war as well.

Trade War Escalates

The New York Post wrote on August 25:

“President Trump floated the possibility of rebranding Lake Ontario as ‘Lake America,’ in a shot across the bow against Canada’s most populous province — whose premier threatened to cut off electricity and minerals to the US. ‘The United States is giving serious consideration to changing the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America in that we don’t expect to [be] doing much business with Ontario any longer,’ Trump declared on Truth Social Tuesday…

“One of the issues Carney claimed contributed to the breakdown in talks at the 11th hour last week was purported demands that Canada make changes, demanding Quebec use English instead of French. Trump denied that on Monday. ‘I would never interfere with Canadians speaking French!; Trump insisted on Truth Social. ‘In fact, I have never even thought of doing such a stupid thing. This lie was made up by a weak and ineffective Prime Minister in an attempt to gain political support, which he has totally lost, from the people of Quebec. I love French Canadians!’”

We wonder who is lying. For further information on this developing situation, please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “America’s Foolish Trade War With Canada.”

Trump Allowed to Continue Ballroom Construction

NPR wrote on August 21:

“The Supreme Court ruled Friday that President Trump can — for now— move forward with construction of his ballroom on the site of the former East Wing of the White House without needing approval from Congress…. In a brief order, signed by Chief Justice John Roberts, the court stayed the lower court ruling to pause construction.

“In its brief filed earlier this week, the [National Trust for Historic Preservation] asserted that if the Supreme Court allowed construction to continue at this time, the court was effectively ending the case. ‘Rather than obtain permission from Congress, Petitioners have instead decided to try to outrun judicial review’ by accelerating construction. ‘It is clear that in Petitioners’ view, if the Court grants their stay application, this case is over—despite every court to have reviewed their project having found it to be patently unlawful, and no matter the fact that this Court has not reviewed those decisions on the merits,’ the brief states.  

“56% of Americans did not approve of Trump’s decision to tear down the East Wing and build the ballroom.”

And so, as one outlet wrote, Roberts dances with Trump in the new ballroom.

Our Shattered Empire

The Ron Paul Institute published the following article on August 20, which originally appeared on August 19 in the American Conservative:

“Almost daily we witness some spectacle illustrating the appalling corruption of our country’s leadership. The recent release of Anthony Fauci’s diary entries confirms long-held suspicions about the Covid-19 narrative, which we now know even Fauci himself did not fully believe. Think of the millions of lives ruined and harmed by that corruption… What else are our leaders still hiding about the worldwide disaster caused by Covid-related deceptions and manipulations? There has not yet been any meaningful examination of our medical profession, which largely acted as cowards during the pandemic, adhering to the bogus official narrative at the expense of the welfare of their patients.

“Our leadership has not even begun to scratch the surface of the horrors created by the many secret—and potentially illegal—biolabsscattered around the globe, supported by funds often hidden from voters under the guise of ‘national security.’ The Fauci crowd appears to have been deeply involved in that dark world…

“The current wars have exposed the shortcomings of our nearly trillion-dollar military and its multi-billion-dollar weapons systems… After years of being told we possess the ‘most powerful military’ in history, Americans are beginning to realize it is a fantasy…

“Our government classifies and redacts documents as a matter of course. Think of the billions of pages we are still not allowed to see… Many significant, history-changing events remain shrouded in secrecy. How is it that information is still being withheld about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy?… Most Americans suspect the official government narrative was false, yet officials continue to withhold information that might shed light on that crime. The same is true for the assassinations of Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr., our government’s willful abandonment of US prisoners of war in Vietnam, the September 11 attacks, and the late, disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein…

“Our political leadership’s frenzied efforts to hide the Epstein files make it look as though the ‘national security’ excuse is merely a convenient tool to obscure malfeasance, rape, blackmail, bribery, and plain old corruption…

“We watch with horror the chaos, death, and destruction currently being wreaked on the world—and on our own country—by our ‘exceptional nation.’… All this from a president who campaigned on an America First policy, an end to forever wars, and the promotion of peace. It looks like we were fooled again. Presidential candidate after presidential candidate promises peace, and we get war after war. The system is subverted by corruption…

“The American people, especially the younger generation, are beginning to recognize the corruption at the top of our country and the magnitude of the war lies…  Ours is not an ‘exceptional nation.’ It is not the ‘shining city on a hill.’… Not anymore. It is a declining empire with a declining military—one unable to protect its allies, yet still seeking to bully and harm any country that angers its corrupt elites.

“Our military defenses are so ineffective that Iran—a country one-fourth our size, with an economy smaller than our bloated military budget—can practically name its next round of targets knowing our mighty military can do little to stop them…”

This article shows clearly that if and when America is attacked by an outside military power, it will NOT be able to defend itself successfully.

Roman Catholic Idolatry

Daily Mail wrote on August 21:

“A 1,700-year-old skull was returned to a gold bust in an ancient Catholic ritual that saw one of the Vatican’s most powerful cardinals bow and kiss the relic. The remains belonged to Saint Agatha, a third-century Christian martyr and the patron saint of Catania, Sicily…. The ceremony commemorated the 900th anniversary of Saint Agatha’s relics being returned to Catania from Constantinople in 1126…

“Many non-Catholics deemed the ritual ‘idolatry’.. .Catholics view relics as tangible links to figures from the early Church and reminders of the courage they displayed. Believers may also pray beside them, asking the saint to intercede with God on their behalf.”

Just one of many examples of idolatry and blasphemy in the Catholic Church which run rampant.

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 the contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing to worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.

There are a number of stark reminders in the Bible of those who ignored God’s specific instructions when they were given to certain individuals and the consequences were very serious.  All of these should be handy lessons for those of us who have been called in this age that disobedience to God consistently results in serious consequences, ranging from immediate personal struggles and broken relationships to spiritual separation and ultimate judgment.

Obedience is often viewed today as a “bad” or outdated concept in modern society. It can often be equated with forced submission, authoritarianism, and a lack of free will. Obedience can be viewed negatively because it may limit freedom or be used manipulatively, plus the fact that so many don’t like any restrictions in their lives.

However, there are many areas where obedience is vital.   Without a base level of obedience to laws and authority, chaos could ensue.  It is essential for social order and safety, such as following road traffic rules to ensure safety, to maintain social order, and across multiple other facets of life.

Obedience to honour the true God is for Christians of paramount importance and must supersede man’s requirements if there is any conflict.  It is required as per biblical instruction for man’s own well-being. We must always obey God rather than man in any situation and under any circumstances. 

As God the Father created all things through Jesus Christ (compare Colossians 1:16-17), He knows better than any man, however great they may be, what is best for His creation and, therefore, He has our best interests at heart.   Obedience to God and His Way of Life is essential for the best results possible.

Some of these examples that we will look at will be well-known; others not quite so.

Adam & Eve

What a story this is! 

Right at the dawn of civilisation, after God had re-created the earth, we read in Genesis 1:31:

^“Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.”

In the following chapter, we read about the Garden of Eden, an idyllic physical creation if ever there was one. Verses 8-9 describe the situation:

^“The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. And out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”

Probably most people around the world know the story of Adam and Eve.   There they were at the dawn of civilization, given the Garden of Eden to live in, and God commanded Adam what he could and couldn’t do.

God said that of every tree of the garden they could eat from except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (compare Genesis 2:16:17) but the serpent (Satan) was there to spoil the party.  Eve was encouraged and tempted to eat of the tree that God had said they should not, and Adam did likewise, even though he was not deceived, but he just followed the lead of his wife, which resulted in the first act of man’s disobedience to God taking place.

This broke the one single instruction that God had given them that they shouldn’t do, by just ignoring it, albeit through the subtlety of the serpent.   The consequences were that they were banished from the Garden of Eden, life became difficult in living off the land, women would suffer pain in childbirth, and they would eventually die.   This brought about a separation from God because they trusted the serpent more than they trusted the clear instruction from God.   Instead of relying on God’s perfect wisdom, they chose to take matters into their own hands and make their own wrong decision.

As it is with human nature, it was someone else’s fault; Adam blamed Eve (and in the final analysis, God, who had given Eve to him) and Eve blamed the serpent.  That so often happens today when people play the blame game; it is so often someone else’s fault and we see this behaviour playing out with the two original human beings.

It could be said that Eve was tempted on three levels: physical (good for food), emotional (pleasant to the eyes) and spiritual (desire for wisdom).   This is not dissimilar to what we read in 1 John 2:16:

^“For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.”

They made the choice to disobey God which was clearly an act of rebellion!

In a sermon entitled “What If Adam Hadn’t Sinned?,” given onJune 13, 1981, Mr Herbert W Armstrong said the following: 

“When Adam made that choice, he cut himself off from God! And most humans have cut themselves off from God through sin ever since. Your sins have cut you off from God. And man is on Satan’s wavelength, and ALL have sinned and been cut off from God. But when Adam made that choice and instead of taking the Holy Spirit, which he would have had from God that would have first given him knowledge of the SPIRITUAL LAW — the way of Life: love toward God and love out-going out-flowing towards neighbor … In other words, I help my neighbor. My neighbor helps me. We kind of help one another mutually. And, if we get into trouble, we go to God.”

Disobeying God’s instructions were life-changing for Adam and Eve, and disobeying God’s instructions have continued apace during the last 6,000 years.

Lot’s Wife

The story of Lot’s wife in the book of Genesis (19:1–26), when Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed, clearly illustrates the consequences of disobeying divine commands and longing for a sinful past.

The command was simple enough as we read in Genesis 19:15-17 when the two angels were trying to extricate Lot and his family out of an area that was to be razed to the ground.   They knew that the place was to be completely destroyed, leaving nothing standing:

^“When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, ‘Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city.’ And while he lingered, the men took hold of his hand, his wife’s hand, and the hands of his two daughters, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city. So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, ‘Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed.’”

However, Lot’s wife whose name is not mentioned in the Bible, ignored this instruction and looked back at where she had lived her life for a number of years. As a direct consequence of this disobedience, she was instantly transformed into a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:26).

It shows that she valued her life-style that she enjoyed, and the worldly possessions she may have had, over obedience to God.    

In Luke 17:28-32, Jesus was speaking about the end times just before His Second Coming and the action His followers at that time must take:

^“Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed. In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away. And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back. Remember Lot’s wife.”

Lot’s wife is remembered for her disobedience to God’s instructions through the two angels, and her death, upon her disobedience, was immediate!

King Uzziah

Uzziah’s father, King Amaziah and the three previous kings had all been assassinated. It was a position with not a lot of job security!  However, in 2 Chronicles 26:1-5, it appears that he started his reign well:

^“Now all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah. He built Elath and restored it to Judah, after the king rested with his fathers. Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem. And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. He sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God; and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper.”

In verse 5 above, we see twelve important words: “…and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper.”  It was conditional. Although Amaziah, his father, had initially done well, we read that he “turned away from following the LORD” (see 2 Chronicles 25:27). His son was, unfortunately, to follow suit.  In 2 Chronicles 26:16 we read the penalty for his pride.   

God had blessed him with great power and military success. Uzziah grew arrogant, which caused his downfall. 2 Chronicles 26:16-21 gives the account of his dreadful demise:

^“But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against the LORD his God by entering the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense. So Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him were eighty priests of the LORD—valiant men. And they withstood King Uzziah, and said to him, ‘It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the LORD, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have trespassed! You shall have no honor from the LORD God.’ Then Uzziah became furious; and he had a censer in his hand to burn incense. And while he was angry with the priests, leprosy broke out on his forehead, before the priests in the house of the LORD, beside the incense altar. And Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and there, on his forehead, he was leprous; so they thrust him out of that place. Indeed he also hurried to get out, because the LORD had struck him. King Uzziah was a leper until the day of his death. He dwelt in an isolated house, because he was a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD. Then Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land.”

Instead of repenting when confronted by the priests, he became furious.  After all of his success, arrogance was the cause of his fall from grace and disobeying God’s instructions brought about his downfall.   He had reigned for 52 years.  The principle of cause and effect was shown to be still in operation… 

He made a good start and did well for a long time but we must remember that it’s not so much how we start, but how we finish.   Disobeying God’s instructions was life-changing for King Uzziah!

Gehazi

In 2 Kings 5, we read about Naaman’s leprosy being healed.   In verse 1, we read:

“Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great and honorable man in the eyes of his master, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria. He was also a mighty man of valor, but a leper.”

The story moves on and is told in 19 verses, and there is a lot that happens.   A young Israelite girl who waited on Naaman’s wife told her that Elisha, her master, would be able to heal him.   Naaman mentions this to the King of Syria who wrote a letter to the King of Israel (Jehoram) to help in this matter and he sent “ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing” (verse 5).   The king tore his clothes, fearing the worst and when Elisha heard of this he said: “Please let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.” That happened, and Naaman was told to wash in the Jordan 7 times which sent Naaman into a rage as he said: “‘Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?’ So, he turned and went away in a rage” (verse 12). However, he was persuaded to do this and was subsequently healed.   Naaman offered gifts for this healing but Elisha refused them, which showed that God’s healing cannot be bought.

Now we come to Gehazi, Elisha’s servant.  In verses 20-27 is the story of Gehazi’s greed and how it played out for him.  He was unhappy that Elisha had turned down, quite categorically, receiving any gifts from Naaman and so he saw an opportunity to acquire gifts for himself.   He ran after Naaman and told lies to extort from a willing giver, silver and garments.  What he asked for was doubled by Naaman, as he was appreciative of his healing and Gehazi hid them away when he returned.   However, Elisha asked him where he had been and Gehazi lied again by saying that he had not been anywhere, but by spiritual discernment, Elisha was aware of the deception.  Gehazi lied to both Naaman and Elisha, and in verse 27, the concluding verse in the chapter, sums up his punishment:

“Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and your descendants forever.” And he went out from his presence leprous, as white as snow.”

His disobedience was life-changing!

(To be continued)

Lead Writer: Brian Gale (United Kingdom)

Compiled by Norbert Link

“America’s Foolish Trade War With Canada” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is the summary:

America has begun a trade war with Canada which America might lose, as it has lost almost all wars or controversies in recent times.  Trump’s threats pertaining to Canada—and also to other countries—should not be ignored. And while old allies turn away from America and look for new alliances, America is becoming more and more isolated.

“Amerikas törichter Handelskrieg mit Kanada” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This German program covers the same topics as described above.

A new member letter has been written. https://www.eternalgod.org/letter-to-the-brethren-august-28-2026/ It has been posted and sent out. In his letter, Paul Niehoff contrasts the evil in this world with our future, when Christ comes back and establishes the Kingdom of God here on earth.

We are pleased to announce the wedding of Steven Hammond and Natalia Lis, which was conducted in Spain by Pastor Michael Link on Sunday, August 23, 2026. Congratulations.

The Rank family hosted a memorial service for David Harris on August 16, 2026. It was attended by friends and family. We appreciate all of the support and prayers during the last few months.

Paul Niehoff’s first split sermon has been posted, titled, “Fruit of the Spirit: Peace.” 

Here is a summary:

Peace is a subject mentioned over two hundred times in the Bible. God’s Son is even named the “Prince of Peace” in Isaiah 9:6. God gives us instructions on how to achieve peace, and the practices we should avoid that will prevent us from achieving peace.

Norbert Link’s second split sermon has been posted, titled, “Christ In Us—What Does This Mean?” 

Here is a summary:

How, and from what point in time, can Christ live within us? And what does this mean in practical terms? How can we examine ourselves to see if Christ is truly in us? This split sermon explores clear biblical statements that reveal whether Christ lives within us—or not. It also shows that one does not and cannot walk God’s Way unless Christ lives and works within that person.

Robert Macher’s German sermonette from last Sabbath has been posted. It is titled, “Der Weg zurück in die Gemeinde“ (“The Way Back to the Church”).