On January 4, 2024, Michael Link will present the sermonette, titled, “False Miracles,” and Kalon Mitchell will present the sermon, titled, “Pursuing the Presence of God.”

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.

As we read God’s Word, we find many references to living with wisdom as well as knowledge and understanding. An obvious question that arises is what is wisdom? The Oxford English Dictionary provides a very clear and appropriate definition as the first in a list of definitions. It is: “Capacity of judging rightly in matters relating to life and conduct; soundness of judgement in the choice of means and ends; sometimes, less strictly, sound sense, especially in practical affairs: opposed to folly.”

When we want to find out what God says about wisdom, the obvious, but not the only place to find out is in the book of Proverbs. In fact, the two verses after the statement of authorship reveal the purpose of the book. Proverbs 1:2-3 reads: “To know wisdom and instruction, To perceive the words of understanding, To receive the instruction of wisdom, Justice, and judgment, and equity…”

And we find where wisdom comes from in Proverbs 2:6-7: “For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly.”

We can read examples of God providing wisdom to various ones He has chosen. One was Joseph in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt (Acts 7:10). Another was Solomon who had the wisdom of God to administer justice (1 Kings 3:28). A third example was Daniel and his three friends (Daniel 1:17).

The Bible mentions two kinds of wisdom. One comes from the fear of the LORD and the other is of the world. 1 Corinthians 2:6-7 mentions these two kinds of wisdom, one of this age and the rulers of this age who are coming to nothing, and the other is of God, which is for our glory, and will last forever. We can ask God for His wisdom if we lack it, as is mentioned in James 1:5. In fact, among the gifts of the Spirit listed in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, wisdom is placed first presumably because it determines how we live and succeed in life.

Considering the rulers of this age, many times their wisdom leads them and their countries to hatred and war rather than to peace. However, God in His wisdom recommends in Romans 12:18 for us to live peaceably with all as far as it depends on us. So, we see that worldly wisdom and godly wisdom can have opposite results, one leading to death, and the other, life.

Looking back at the definition, wisdom enables us to have soundness of judgement, and to understand that for whatever action we partake of, it will result in an effect, whether good or bad.

God warns us in the book of Proverbs of things we need to avoid so as not to harm ourselves. A few examples are, with whom not to associate, and also to avoid adultery. These are not only listed in the book of Proverbs, but Exodus 23:2 instructs us not to follow a crowd to do evil, and 1 Corinthians 6:18 instructs us to flee sexual immorality. There are also many positive actions listed in the book of Proverbs, that if we fulfill them, we will receive positive results.

James 3:13-18 provides a very useful conclusion to the importance of godly wisdom compared with earthly wisdom, “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”

So, to live a righteous life, we must seek and use godly wisdom.

by Norbert Link

We begin with another horrendous example of man’s demonic cruelty against helpless animals; continue with the dissolution of the German parliament and the ongoing fight between Elon Musk and the German establishment and the “shockwaves” he has caused for endorsing the AfD party, as well as Germany’s hateful response; and we report on the assessment by the Wall Street Journal that Germany’s migration politics has failed miserably.

We also point out the ongoing incompetence of Germany’s government in regard to the disaster of Magdeburg, and report on terror attacks in New Orleans and Las Vegas. Please view in this regard our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Who Was Behind the Terror Attacks in Germany, New Orleans and Las Vegas?”

We report that, predictably, Israel’s “hostage deal” with Hamas has failed; and we speak on the death of Jimmy Carter; recommendations for Congress and the Executive; an appalling decision in Canada and the demand for Trudeau to resign.

We address the insanity of the transgender philosophy and the absolutely correct assessment by Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling; and we conclude with an alarming report about the undeniable fact that smoking will kill you, even though addicted and willfully ignorant smokers don’t want to admit the obvious, thereby contributing to their own demiseby committing suicide… slowly but surely. 

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

More Terrible Animal Experiments “to Save People’s Lives”?

Daily Mail wrote on December 27:

“Thousands of animals have been blown up, poisoned or given deadly nerve agents during top-secret tests at a military laboratory, MailOnline can reveal. More than 2,000 pigs, rabbits, monkeys, guinea pigs and mice have been killed in ‘barbaric’ experiments at the secretive Porton Down research base in Wiltshire. The figures cover the last three years and were revealed following a Freedom of Information request by MailOnline. 

“But they have sparked outrage from animal rights campaigners… the Ministry of Defence (MoD)… said the tests were part of ‘life-saving’ research to help better protect British troops, and ‘cannot be conducted without the use of laboratory animals’. But Dr Julia Baines, senior science policy manager for animal campaign group Peta, lambasted the MoD for the tests… ‘Peta calls shame on the Ministry of Defence for conducting archaic and appallingly cruel experiments on monkeys, mice, pigs, and other animals, including injecting deadly viruses into their brains and exposing them to nerve agents,’ Dr Baines said. 

“Porton Down is the UK’s top secret laboratory where scientists carry out research into [biological and] chemical weapons and deadly diseases. Under constant armed guard, the secluded base contains some of the most lethal diseases known to man – including ebola, plague and anthrax…

“The MoD refused to specify exactly how each animal was killed in the most recent figures… However, previous experiments have seen live pigs being shot and forced to inhale mustard gas, monkeys being infected with anthrax and guinea pigs being killed with nerve agent. 

“Other tests have involved pigs wearing body armour and being blown up, with scientists attempting to replicate severe battlefield trauma to test how well next-generation flak jackets can protect soldiers from injury… In all, figures show 64 guinea pigs, 97 marmosets, 83 pigs, three rabbits and 1,797 mice were killed in experiments at Porton Down between 2021 and 2023.

“An MoD spokeswoman told MailOnline: ‘The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory conducts experiments ethically, in line with legislation… [It] develops new vaccines, therapies and treatments that can save people’s lives.’”

With that line, everything is justified, and it‘s all in the context of WAR! We heard it before. Ridiculous governmental corona restrictions were enacted “to save people’s lives,” it was claimed.

Steinmeier’s Wisdom… But Who Cares?

The Guardian wrote on December 27:

“Germany’s president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, has dissolved parliament and called a snap election on 23 February after Olaf Scholz’s fractious three-way coalition collapsed three years into its mandate. The national vote will come seven months ahead of schedule amid a rocky stretch of unusual political turmoil for the EU’s top economic power…

“Steinmeier – whose office is largely ceremonial – warned… against allowing ‘hatred and violence’ to erode German society… Steinmeier warned… of ‘outside influence’ in the campaign, specifically citing recent ‘open and blatant’ attempts to sway the vote on the social media channel X, used by its owner, Elon Musk, last week to endorse the anti-immigration, anti-Islam … AfD party.  

“… All the mainstream parties have pledged not to work with the far right after the election. Because the CDU/CSU is unlikely to win an absolute majority, it is expected to form a coalition with a party to its left. Most likely at this point is a tie-up with the Social Democrats (SPD), who are polling at about 16%.

“The timing could hardly be worse for Germany’s political gridlock, with a new government not expected to be in place until the late spring, as the incoming US president Donald Trump threatens biting tariffs against the all-important car industry and Russia makes gains in Ukraine despite Berlin’s billions of euros in military assistance to Kyiv.  The current parliament will remain in place until the new one is elected…”

Steinmeier’s time to step down is long overdue. And Germany is presently stumbling from one debacle to the next.

Musk Does It Again…

Reuters wrote on December 28:

“U.S. billionaire Elon Musk backed Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD) in a guest opinion piece for Germany’s Welt am Sonntag newspaper published online on Saturday… In the commentary… Musk expanded on his post on social media platform X last week claiming that ‘only the AfD can save Germany.’

“Shortly after the piece was published online, the editor of the opinion section, Eva Marie Kogel, wrote on X that she had submitted her resignation, with a link to the commentary. ‘Democracy and journalism thrive on freedom of expression. This includes dealing with polarising positions and classifying them journalistically,’ the newspaper’s editor-in-chief designate Jan Philipp Burgard and Ulf Poschardt, who takes over as publisher on Jan. 1, told Reuters. They said discussion about Musk’s piece, which had around 340 comments several hours after it was published, was ‘very revealing.’

“Underneath Musk’s commentary, the newspaper published a response by Burgard. ‘Musk’s diagnosis is correct, but his therapeutic approach, that only the AfD can save Germany, is fatally false,’ he wrote, referencing the AfD’s desire to leave the European Union and seek rapprochement with Russia as well as appease China. The AfD backing from Musk, who also defended his right to weigh in on German politics due to his ‘significant investments,’ comes as Germans are set to vote on Feb. 23 after a coalition government led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz collapsed.”

Musk (Trump) vs. Germany’s Political “Establishment”

MSN wrote on December 30:

“Musk, who is set to serve Donald Trump’s new administration as an outside adviser, endorsed the AfD as Germany’s last hope in a guest opinion piece for the Welt am Sonntag newspaper… The [German] government spokesperson said Musk’s endorsement of the AfD was ‘a recommendation to vote for a party that is being monitored (by domestic intelligence) on suspicion of being right-wing extremist and which has already been recognised as partly right-wing extremist’.

“German politicians have excoriated Musk for his endorsement of the AfD, with the co-leader of Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD) comparing him to Russian President Vladimir Putin. ‘Both want to influence our elections and specifically support the AfD’s enemies of democracy. They want Germany to be weakened and plunged into chaos,’ Lars Klingbeil told the Funke news group on Monday…”

This is of course utter nonsense, but it shows the growing animosity between Germany and the USA.

Spahn Attacks Musk

Deutsche Welle added on December 28:

“In the editorial, [Musk] said the far-right party was the ‘last spark of hope’ for the country. ‘The portrayal of the AfD as right-wing extremist is clearly false, considering that Alice Weidel, the party’s leader, has a same-sex partner from Sri Lanka! Does that sound like Hitler to you? Please!’ Musk said in the piece…

“Musk went on to claim that the AfD adopts strong positions on issues relating to economic recovery, energy supply and migration control. ‘The AfD, even though it is described as far-right, represents a political realism that resonates with many Germans who feel that their concerns are ignored by the establishment. It addresses the problems of the moment — without the political correctness that often obscures the truth,’ the tech billionaire continued.

“Musk also said the AfD was ‘committed to a controlled immigration policy that gives priority to integration and the preservation of German culture and security. This is not about xenophobia, but about ensuring that Germany does not lose its identity in the pursuit of globalization.’…

“Musk’s backing of the AfD has sent shockwaves through Berlin, with some lawmakers this week accusing the SpaceX chief of interfering in German politics…”

Member of the German Bundestag Jens Spahn (CDU) placed the following comments to Musk’s statement on X:

“Elon Musk says, look beyond the labels of the AfD. Now, let’s do it then: The AfD wants to leave NATO, reactivate Nord Stream 2, and is anti-US, pro-Putin and pro-Russia. Is that what the USA wants? A Germany that turns towards Russia and away from the USA? The AfD wants to leave the Eurozone, our by far largest trading partner. We conduct ~40% of our trade within Eurozone. Without the Euro and the EU, the German economy would completely collapse. Incidentally, the AfD was against the construction of the Tesla factory in Grünheide. If it were up to the AfD, there would be no investment from Elon Musk in Germany at all. Perhaps he should remember that as well. And by the way, no one needs the AfD for less regulation, a stop to illegal mass migration and against ideological energy policies. Other parties also stand for that. But without far-right extremists, conspiracy theorists, and antisemites in their ranks.”

Friedrich Merz, head of the CDU, not wanting to be undone by Spahn who wants to become popular again, responded as well one day later. He told the Funke media group: “I cannot recall, in the history of Western democracies, that there has been a comparable case of interference in the electoral campaign of a friendly country” (See Deutsche Welle, December 29).

AfD’s election program (which is ever-changing) is not without controversy, to be sure. But the party is sometimes criticized for the wrong reasons, while criticism is not noticeable where it should be raised. Note the next article.

AfD’s New Election Program

MSN wrote on December 29:

“After a survey, the AfD wants to change its electoral concept and now demand a reinstatement of compulsory military service… Party leader Tino Chrupalla and the Federal Program Commission had deleted the classic AfD demand for a reinstatement of compulsory military service from the election program. In view of the fear of an expansion of the war in Ukraine, which the AfD is relying on in the election campaign, especially in the East, conscription is not a ‘winning issue’. Top candidate and party leader Alice Weidel sees it differently – and apparently so did a majority of the AfD base in a survey. As a result, the Federal Program Commission is now requesting that compulsory military service be included in the election program.

“The base also rejected a dusty family picture. In the draft election program, the family generally stood for security, trust, mutual care, protection and support. The family model of AfD top candidate Weidel, who lives with her wife and children, would have been included for the first time. But two motions for the party conference now demand that, according to the AfD program, a family should consist of ‘father, mother and children’. The responsible federal specialist committee also refers to the mood among the party base.

“Another point of contention is abortion. The radical opponents in the party had prevailed in the draft program. “Abortion must remain the absolute exception, for example if there is a criminological or medical indication,” it now says.”

We would agree with the definition of family. However, abortion should never occur, and mandatory military service is absolutely wrong. But it will come, as it is prophesied to happen.

Musk Responds

Deutsche Welle reported on December 31:

[“Musk wrote about President Steinmeier in response to his attack on Musk:} ‘Steinmeier is an anti-democratic tyrant!’ Musk wrote in English. ‘Shame on him.’..’

“The spokesman for the leader of the AfD, Alice Weidel, said concrete plans were underway for an online meeting between her and Musk. That came after Musk himself suggested a meeting between the two via X’s Spaces chat feature. ‘Wait until Alice and I do an X Spaces conversation. They will lose their minds,’ he posted. 

“Germany’s Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck on Tuesday hit out at Musk… ‘Elon Musk is equipped with billions and unbridled communication power,’ Habeck wrote on X. ‘His call for the AfD is systematic: He wants to weaken Europe. Power must be limited: no business model must destroy our democracy. Europe must now use its power consistently.’”

Other German political leaders said that Musk’s attack on Steinmeier is an attack on all Germans; and that it must be clarified whether Trump is sharing Musk’s statements.

The animosity between Germany and the USA is becoming more and more dangerous.

Germany’s Migration Policy Has Failed

Bild Online wrote on December 30:

“The failure of Germany’s migration policy is making headlines around the world. ‘Germany Opened Its Doors to Migrants. Now It’s Struggling to Cope,’ is the headline of the renowned US newspaper ‘Wall Street Journal.’ Germany has become a case study for problems that arise when migration exceeds a society’s ability to adapt.

“The Americans ruthlessly list how large the influx of refugees and migrants was (especially from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan). And what illegal immigration means for the German social system and internal security.

“Since 2015, Germany has taken in 2.4 million asylum seekers – twice the population of Munich, according to the newspaper.

“Germany has even overtaken the immigration country USA in terms of the proportion of migrants. In 2021, 18.8 percent of the population in Germany were foreigners, in the United States 15.3 percent…

“Job integration is often not successful: The unemployment rate for non-citizens was 14.7 percent last year, compared to 5 percent for citizens.

“In the USA, asylum seekers do not normally receive any money from the state, but are allowed to work quickly. In Germany, things are different: here they can only work after being officially recognized as refugees, which can take months or even years. Instead, they are entitled to benefits that can amount to hundreds or thousands of euros per month. The cost to the federal budget alone: ​​29.7 billion euros last year.

“More than half of all welfare recipients now have a migrant background: More than 60 percent of people in Germany who rely on state benefits were born abroad or belong to the second generation of migrants.

“Migrants are also massively overrepresented in crime statistics: Non-citizens, who make up 15 percent of the population, were responsible for 41 percent of all crimes in 2023, according to police statistics…

“The reception of Ukrainians in Germany has failed from a purely economic perspective – unlike in other countries. Only 18 percent of the more than one million Ukrainian refugees work and earn enough not to claim benefits. In Great Britain, the figure is 65 percent, in Poland 61 percent.”

It is only because the AfD in particular has long been pointing out these grievances that other parties are now also admitting to them in order not to lose even more votes.

Magdeburg—No One Knows Anything… Or Doesn’t Want to Know Anything!

Bild Online wrote on December 30:

“Magdeburg attack: Much is already known – but NOTHING is clear!… According to BILD information, there were warnings on July 30, November 28, 2023, and September 2, 2024. The BND [Bundesnachrichtendienst, i.e., Federal Intelligence Service ]received these and passed them on. But the BND had to reveal the exact content of these warnings to the MPs in a room in the basement of the Bundestag building that was specially secured against eavesdropping.

“In the Interior Committee, which was meeting in private, there was a scandal right at the start: [Federal Interior Minister Nancy] Faeser was unable to present a chronology of reports and investigations by the federal police and secret services that had been promised to the Bundestag factions a week ago…

“Green Party expert Konstantin von Notz (53) explained that it could not be ‘that this time, as with the Love Parade disaster and the Berlin Christmas market attack, no one takes political responsibility.’

“According to BILD information, there are a total of 80 police cases involving him [the mass murderer] as a perpetrator or complainant. In addition, there are six reports from foreign security services that are supposed to deal with the Twitter threats made by their nationals…”

It is high time that Faeser resigned.

Terror Attack in New Orleans

The Sun wrote on January 1, 2025:

“At least [15] people were killed [with another 30 injured] when the city’s famed Bourbon Street became a bloodbath after the gunman ploughed his white pick-up into revellers before opening fire. He was then gunned down by cops and killed.

“The FBI have named the suspect as 42-year-old Shamsud Din Jabbar – a US citizen from Texas. Jabbar is a US Army veteran and was wearing full body armour and armed with an assault rifle for the attack. They do not believe he was solely responsible for the attack…

“The FBI said an ISIS flag was found attached to a white pipe sticking up from the hitch of the rented Ford pickup. Pipe bombs were found inside the car and concealed within coolers and were wired for remote detonation, a state police intelligence bulletin obtained by AP said…

“Police superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said the gunman drove the pick-up truck down Bourbon Street ‘at a very fast pace’ and was ‘intentional’ ‘trying to run over as many people as he possibly could’.

She said: “This is not just an act of terrorism. This is evil.”…

“Jabbar had only converted to Islam within the last year and was ‘being all crazy’ the new husband of his ex-wife said.”

Explosion in Front of Trump Hotel in Las Vegas

Breitbart wrote on January 1, 2025:

“The Tesla Cybertruck explosion in front of the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas has led to one death and seven injuries, officials said. The driver of the electric vehicle parked in the valet area outside of the hotel’s lobby before it burst into flames and exploded with ‘fireworks-style mortars onboard’ on New Year’s Day around 8:40 a.m. local time…  The driver is the only known death, and seven people nearby sustained minor wounds…

“It is unclear… if the fire was purposeful — but authorities said they are investigating the incident as a possible act of terror…”

The New York Post added on January 1:

“Investigators did… determine that the Tesla truck was rented through the Turo app, the same one used to rent the pickup truck used in the New Orleans attack, law enforcement sources told The Post… Police also confirmed that the Cybertruck was filled with fireworks-style mortars…”

Please view in this regard our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Who Was Behind the Terror Attacks in Germany, New Orleans and Las Vegas?”

No Hostage Deal with Hamas

The Jerusalem Post wrote on December 28:

“A ceasefire and hostage deal had not been reached yet because Hamas ‘does not want there to be a deal,’… Netanyahu said in the weekly government meeting on Sunday…

“The message conveyed to ministers was that ‘the negotiations for the hostage deal were stuck,’ with Hamas ‘constantly trying to change direction in the talks.’ The ministers were also told that Hamas returned to demanding an end to the war as conditional for any deal.”

Breitbart wrote on January 1, 2025:

“The Iranian-backed terror group Hamas has decided to call President-elect Donald Trump’s bluff and abandon negotiations toward a hostage deal, waiting instead to see if it can get a better deal when he takes office January 20. Trump said at Mar-a-Lago on New Year’s Eve, ‘They better let the hostages come back soon,’ reiterating a threat that there would be ‘ALL HELL TO PAY’ if Hamas did not free its remaining 100 Israeli hostages by his Inauguration.

“But Hamas has decided that it would rather take its chances — and evidently believes that Trump will not do anything…

“The sticking points are the precise number of living hostages to be released in the first phase of a deal; the identities of Palestinian terrorists to be released from Israeli prisoners; and whether a deal would bring the war to an end.

Hamas is determined to survive and to return to power in the Middle East. It fired two short-range rockets at Israel at midnight on New Year’s Eve — a weaker barrage than it used to greet 2024, but a sign that it is still committed to war.”

Jimmy Carter Died

The New York Post wrote on December 29:

“Jimmy Carter, the Georgia peanut farmer who became the 39th president of the United States during a time of gas shortages, Cold War drama and the Iran hostage crisis, died Sunday. He was 100. Carter was the longest-living president in U.S. history…

“Carter was sworn in on Jan. 20, 1977, after defeating Republican Gerald Ford, whose campaign was burdened by the political baggage he carried from his decision to pardon disgraced President Richard Nixon following the Watergate scandal. He served only one tumultuous four-year term before being swept aside by Ronald Reagan — but in that time he racked up triumphs such as the historic Camp David peace accords, in which Israel and Egypt officially recognized each other’s governments… But there were also fiascoes…

“Carter’s presidency was marred by events both within and out of his control. In 1979, a pair of international crises erupted — the Russian invasion of Afghanistan, which led Carter to cancel US participation in the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics; and the storming of the US Embassy in Tehran following which 52 Americans were held captive for 444 days.

“A failed rescue effort by the US military in April 1980 led to the deaths of eight American service members, and crippled Carter’s credibility on national security ahead of that year’s presidential election.

“Carter was also buffeted by economic forces, as the OPEC-induced fuel crisis of the early 1970s helped lead to paralyzing ‘stagflation,’ a brutal cocktail of persistently high inflation combined with high unemployment and stagnant demand…

“The Republican [Ronald Reagan] would hand Carter one of the most crushing election losses ever, winning 44 of the 50 states, while the Democrat took the other six plus the District of Columbia.

“After leaving the White House, Carter turned his attention to humanitarian and charitable endeavors, notably his decades-long commitment to the Habitat for Humanity program, which developed housing for the poor, and the Carter Presidential Center to promote human rights.

“Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002…”

Breitbart added on December 27:

“He endured more than four decades of being described as a failed president. However, many of his ideas were revived under President Joe Biden, whose policies today arguably mirror those of the Carter administration.”

Many used to consider Carter as the weakest and most ineffective president in modern history… until Biden showed up.

New Year’s Resolution for Congress and the Executive

Ron Paul wrote on December 30 in the Ron Paul Institute:

“Next month the 119th US Congress will be sworn in, with Republican majorities in both Houses. With every opinion poll we see how the US public holds Congress in contempt. How about doing something about it? What about returning to the Constitution? That means no more 1,500 page omnibus spending bills which hide countless unconstitutional surveillance, censorship, and police state measures behind convoluted legislative language…

“Americans are rightly furious that President Biden has sent as much as $200 billion to fund Ukraine’s futile war with Russia, but where did Biden get that money? From Congress… Every US foreign policy fiasco of the 21st century could have been prevented had Congress only had the courage to say ‘no’ when the President and the military-industrial complex demanded money for a new overseas conflict.

“Next, the Executive Branch. On January 20th we will begin the second Trump Administration. Trump appealed to war-weary American voters by promising no new wars and an end to the current conflicts we are involved in overseas. A good place to start would be an announcement on day one that US troops would be removed from Syria. We learned only last week that the Biden Administration had been lying to us about the number of troops in Syria, but the real question is why do we have troops there at all? Trump rightly said it is not our war, so why not just march home?

“Likewise, Ukraine. As a parting ‘gift’ to the American people, President Biden just announced another six billion to Ukraine. Most of that money – like the billions before – will end up in the hands of the US military-industrial complex, with a few billion stolen by the corrupt Ukraine government. Even the US mainstream media admits that Ukraine has lost the war. So why are we draining the US treasury and draining the population of Ukraine for a lost cause? President Trump: end the funding and end the war.”

Another Scandalous Decision in Canada

Rebel News wrote on December 23:

“Pastor Derek Reimer of Mission 7 Ministries in Calgary appeared in court for sentencing November 27, 2024, after being found guilty in August of criminal harassment… The criminal harassment charges stem from a conversation Reimer had with Saddletowne Public Library service delivery manager Shannon Slater.

“Reimer approached the library manager to ask why the library was hosting events where adults dressed in drag read books to children, often encouraging the children’s exploration of sexual identity and promoting non-traditional values. Slater declined to engage in the conversation and asked Reimer to leave, which he did without hesitation. During the brief exchange, Reimer mentioned that he would likely return to protest.

Reimer published this brief interaction on social media, urging others to voice their disapproval towards this manager for allowing such events to occur. Slater argued that this should fall within the scope of criminal harassment…

“Today, December 23, Justice Molle delivered Reimer’s sentence, which includes the following: A $500 fine… 12 months conditional sentence, or, in other words, house arrest… 2 years probation. Some of the terms include:… Must write a letter of apology to Shannon Slater… Must complete an anger management course and provide proof of counselling… 100 hours of community service work… Prohibited from entertaining friends at his personal home… Must remain in the province of Alberta unless granted approval. Reimer is permitted to participate in religious services outside of his home upon approval by his supervisor.”

Can one believe such an outrageous decision?

Trudeau Must Resign as Prime Minister

National Post wrote on December 24:

“69 per cent of Canadians now think Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should resign… 72 per cent of respondents said they were dissatisfied with the Trudeau government…

“Following the sudden resignation from cabinet of Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland last week, more than a third of the 153 Liberals in caucus are now resolved to pursue Trudeau’s immediate resignation… Trudeau isn’t even all that popular among Liberal diehards.”

Maybe Trudeau should accept Trump’s offer and become governor of the 51^st state of the USA?

“No Child Is Born in the Wrong Body!”

Breitbart wrote on December 30:

“Harry Potter creator and women’s rights activist J.K. Rowling has told her fans on social media that there is no such thing as a transgender kid and that no child is born in the ‘wrong body.’… [She wrote:] ‘There are only adults…, prepared to sacrifice the health of minors to bolster [their] belief in an ideology that will end up wreaking more harm than lobotomies and false memory syndrome combined.’

“In another post, Rowling blamed some of society’s problems on a type of cultural contamination where social media convinces children that they are transgender… saying, ‘Kids are watching TikTok videos of surgeons selling the idea that bodies can be modified like Lego. Schools affirm kids’ trans identities behind parents’ backs. A certain kids’ charity in the UK sent out breast binders to pubescent girls without parental consent… Many parents are struggling to protect kids from a Zeitgeist telling them that anxieties about puberty, sexuality and growing up can be fixed by lifelong reliance on Big Pharma and by doctors who make Frankenstein look ethical,’ she added.

“Rowling went on to say that parents are facing strong headwinds as schools and the Internet continue to push transgenderism on kids outside the home. She also blasted the entire scheme of transgenderism for pushing a false nirvana. She noted that transgender medical intervention ‘causes infertility, the loss of the ability to orgasm and a lifetime’s reliance on powerful hormones your body wasn’t designed to cope with,’ she wrote.

“Rowling has been a staunch voice in opposition to transgender ‘women’ in sports and recently pointed out that men claiming to be transgender female athletes have stolen hundreds of medals and championships from female athletes… Adding more credence to her position, the British national health system has announced a ban on puberty blockers and other transgender procedures for minors.”

Smoking DOES Kill You!

The Guardian wrote on December 29:

“Smokers are being urged to kick the habit for 2025 after a fresh assessment of the harms of cigarettes found they shorten life expectancy even more than doctors thought. Researchers at University College London found that on average a single cigarette takes about 20 minutes off a person’s life, meaning that a typical pack of 20 cigarettes can shorten a person’s life by nearly seven hours.

“According to the analysis, if a smoker on 10 cigarettes a day quits on 1 January, they could prevent the loss of a full day of life by 8 January. They could boost their life expectancy by a week if they quit until 5 February and a whole month if they stop until 5 August. By the end of the year, they could have avoided losing 50 days of life, the assessment found. ‘People generally know that smoking is harmful but tend to underestimate just how much,’ said Dr Sarah Jackson, a principal research fellow at UCL’s alcohol and tobacco research group. ‘On average, smokers who don’t quit lose around a decade of life. That’s 10 years of precious time, life moments, and milestones with loved ones.’

“Smoking is one of the world’s leading preventable causes of disease and death, killing up to two-thirds of long-term users. It causes about 80,000 deaths a year in the UK and a quarter of all cancer deaths in England…

“‘Some people might think they don’t mind missing out on a few years of life, given that old age is often marked by chronic illness or disability. But smoking doesn’t cut short the unhealthy period at the end of life,’ Jackson told the Guardian. ‘It primarily eats into the relatively healthy years in midlife, bringing forward the onset of ill-health. This means a 60-year-old smoker will typically have the health profile of a 70-year-old non-smoker.’

“Although some smokers live long lives, others develop smoking-related diseases and even die from them in their 40s. The variation is driven by differences in smoking habits such as the type of cigarette used, the number of puffs taken and how deeply smokers inhale. People also differ in how susceptible they are to the toxic substances in cigarette smoke.

“The authors stress that smokers must quit completely to get the full benefits to health and life expectancy. Previous work has shown there is no safe level of smoking: the risk of heart disease and stroke is only about 50% lower for people who smoke one cigarette a day compared with those who smoke 20 a day. ‘Stopping smoking at every age is beneficial, but the sooner smokers get off this escalator of death the longer and healthier they can expect their lives to be,’ they write.”

Smoking is sin. It is egoistic and thoroughly carnal and shows a complete disregard and lack of love for oneself and others. It is a form of slow suicide… another sin.

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.

Many think that we will go to heaven when we die, and that biblical references to “heavenly places” support this assumption. But this is a false conclusion.

Just to reiterate what we have explained so many times: David, a man after God’s own heart, did not ascend into the heavens, nor is he in heaven (Acts 2:29, 34); Elijah and Enoch are not in God’s third heaven either, as Christ said in John 3:13 that no one has ascended to God’s heaven (in fact, the Luther Bible 1912 says that no one ascends to heaven except for Jesus Christ who came down from heaven).

The concept of “heavenly places” does not teach something differently. Actually, as we will explain, the words “heavenly places” are not even in the Greek. The word “places” has been added. In the Greek, the word for “heavenly,” “epouranios,” is used several times in the New Testament. According to Strong’s, this word (Number 2032) means “above the sky:-celestial (in) heaven (-ly), high.”

The Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary says:

“… in heavenly places—a phrase five times found in this Epistle (of Paul to the Ephesians), and not elsewhere.”

In these five passages, the Greek word for “heavenlies” is used as a noun.

Let us note these five places in detail. We will see that the translator added the word “places” after the word “heavenly.” This does not necessarily reflect the best choice. Literally, the rendering would be, “heavenlies.”

Ephesians 1:3:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ…”

We are being blessed in heaven by God, both by the Father and Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 1:20:

“… which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places…”

Christ is in fact seated in the heavenly realm with God the Father.

Ephesians 2:6 (where it is sometimes, in other Bible renditions, translated “in high (places)”:

 “… and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus…”

We will address the meaning of this passage later in this Q&A.

Ephesians 3:10:

 “… to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places…”

Here, the principalities and powers in the “heavenlies” seem to refer to God’s holy angels; it could perhaps also include the demonic world, when considering the next passage, quoted below.

Ephesians 6:12:

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

The Pulpit Commentary writes:

“When it is said (in Ephesians 2:6} that ‘we have been seated with Christ in heavenly places,’ the allusion is to the spiritual experience of his people… where their hearts are full of heavenly thoughts and feelings; the statement now before us is that, even in such places, amid their most fervent experiences…, they are subject to the attacks of the spirits of wickedness.”

Got Questions gives a good summary of the foregoing five passages in Ephesians, and in particular to Ephesians 6:12:

“The phrase ‘heavenly places’ or ‘heavenly realms’ is used several times in the book of Ephesians (1:3, 20; 2:6; 3:10; 6:12). This phrase is translated from the Greek word epouranios, meaning ‘the sphere of spiritual activities.’ ‘Heavenly realms’ can refer to both angelic and demonic activity. Ephesians 1:20 says that God ‘raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms.’ But Ephesians 6:12 speaks of evil forces in the same realm: ‘Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against . . . the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.’…

“… there is fierce warfare taking place at all times. Satan and his demons are actively working to thwart the plans of God and destroy whatever they can… If a mighty angel on a mission from God could be detained by demonic forces, then demons must have great power… God does not leave His children defenseless against this evil army.  In ourselves, we are no match for Satan’s devices. We need [God’s] spiritual armor to fight spiritual battles… There are forces unknown to us that may interfere with God’s desire to aid us, and we must continue to persevere in prayer until the answer comes…

“When we live our earthly lives in recognition of the unseen battles that rage all around us, we will be more careful about what we say and do… We will be faithful to utilize our weapons of prayer and the armor of God, knowing that the real battles are fought and won in the heavenly realms.”

In addition, similar or related Greek words are also used and should be understood correctly.

According to Young’s, the words “ta epourania,” (as used as adjectives), defined or rendered as heavenly things, are used as follows:

John 3:12:

“If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?”

Hebrews 8:4-5:

“For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law; who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, ‘See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.’”

Hebrews 9:23:

“Therefore it was necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.”

These passages tell us that there are indeed things in heaven—heavenly things—just as God’s Throne, God’s Temple, God’s Tabernacle, heavenly books, a heavenly mountain, and so much more.

Furthermore, the Greek word “epouranios” is also used as follows, but not as a noun, and is normally rendered as “heavenly”:

Matthew 18:35:

“So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”

The word “epouranios”, for “heavenly,” is also used twice in 1 Corinthians 15:40 (where it is inconsistently translated as “celestial”).

“There are also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.”

In 1 Corinthians 15:48 and the following passages, the word “epouranios” is translated consistently as “heavenly”:

“As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly.”

1 Corinthians 15:49:

“And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.”

2 Timothy 4:18:

“And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!”

Hebrews 3:1:

“Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus…”

Hebrews 6:4-6:

“For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.”

Hebrews 11:16:

“But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.”

In this regard, we need to realize that God will send His heavenly city down to a new earth (Revelation 3:12). But it exists already in heaven. Note also the next passage.

Hebrews 12:22-24:

“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.”

We see that in all these passages, the word “heavenly” does refer to something or someone in God’s third heaven (2 Corinthians 12:3), including spiritual gifts and blessings bestowed on us from heaven. But this does not mean, and nowhere is it stated in these passages, that we will go to heaven when we die. Rather, His heavenly kingdom (2 Timothy 4:18)—our heavenly country (Hebrews 11:16)—will be restored on earth, and some of the heavenly things will come down later to a new earth. The heavenly Man, Jesus Christ, will also come to this earth, and we will be like Him, seeing Him as He is. We will indeed bear His image. We will reign and rule with and under Him on the earth—not in heaven (Revelation 5:10).

We see that in all these passages, the word “heavenly” does refer to something or someone in God’s third heaven, including spiritual gifts and blessings bestowed on us from heaven. But this does not mean, and nowhere it is stated in these passages, that we will go to heaven when we die. Rather, His heavenly kingdom—our heavenly country—will be restored on earth, and some of the heavenly things will come down later to a new earth. The heavenly Man, Jesus Christ, will also come to this earth, and we will be like Him, seeing Him as He is. We will indeed bear His image. We will reign and rule with and under Him on the earth—not in heaven (Revelation 5:10).

The word “epouranios” is also used in Philippians 2:9-10 (where it is translated “in heaven”):

“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,”

The Berean Study Bible makes the following comments in this regard:

“‘In heaven’ refers to the celestial beings, angels, and the heavenly realm, acknowledging Christ’s authority over the spiritual domain.”

Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible adds:

“… and things under the earth; or ‘in the abyss’, as the Ethiopic version renders it; meaning either the devils in the bottomless pit; or rather the dead bodies of men in the grave, which shall come forth and stand before the judgment seat of Christ…”

In concentrating on the passage in Ephesians 2:6, we will recall that it states that we are sitting together in the heavenly places or in the “heavenlies” in or with Jesus Christ. This obviously does not mean that we are quite literally sitting in heaven, as we are clearly on this earth. But it is something we need to visualize, spiritually speaking. We should, in our mind, think of God’s throne in heaven, with all the angels around Him and all the heavenly things which are mentioned in the Bible. That is, when we pray, we are coming in the presence of God in heaven and His beautiful heavenly realm (Hebrews 4:16).

But it should not be limited to just the moment when we pray. Rather, we should be aware and keep in mind, at all times, that:

We are no longer part of this world (Ephesians 2:1-3; Galatians 1:3-4; 1 Peter 2:11-12).

We are no longer under Satan’s rule and dominion (James 4:7; Luke 10:19; Acts 26:18; Hebrews 2:14-15. Ultimately, this is what we have been promised: Romans 16:20.).

We belong to God’s Family and His Kingdom (Colossians 1:13-14). We are tasting the powers of the world to come (Hebrews 6:5). We seek the things which are above where Christ is (Colossians 3:1).

Our hope is laid up for us in heaven (Colossians 1:5).

Our reward is in heaven (Matthew 5:12), which Christ will bring with Him when He comes (Revelation 22:12).

Our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20).

Our inheritance is in heaven (1 Peter 1:4).

And there is so much more. Having all of this continuously in mind, we are sitting indeed in the heavenlies in and with Christ Jesus.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

compiled by Dave Harris

“Who Was Behind the Terror Attacks in Germany, New Orleans and Las Vegas?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist  Norbert Link. Here is the summary:

WAS THERE a connection between these three attacks? Do the FACTS support such a conclusion? And if so, WHO was behind it? The answer may perhaps surprise you.

“Wer steckte hinter den Terroranschlägen in Magdeburg, New Orleans und Las Vegas?” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This German program covers the same topic as described above.

“Verdammt die Bibel Tierquälerei?” is the title of this Sabbath’s new German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Does the Bible Condemn Animal Cruelty?”

“Treten Sie ein für die Wahrheit,” last Sabbath’s first split sermon in Germany was presented by Dmitrij Niemann. Title in English: “Stand Up For the Truth.”

“Kollektives und Individuelles Wachstum in Gottes Kirche,” last Sabbath’s second split sermon in Germany was presented by Andreas Rätz. Title in English: “Collective and Individual Growth in God’s Church.”

“Breaking Up Our Fallow Ground,” last Sabbath’s sermonette presented by Eric Rank, is now posted. Here is the summary:

Our opportunity to increase our spiritual profitability lies dormant beneath our fallow ground. In the aspects of our lives where we can and should be changing, it can be difficult to get to work. If we can draw our focus on making improvements outside of our comfort zone, we can produce abundant fruit that we otherwise would not be able to do.

“Individuals of the End Time,” last Sabbath’s sermon presented by Dave Harris, is now posted. Here is the Summary:

There are individuals found in end-time prophecies of the Bible who have been identified long before their actual appearance. Entities, both spiritual and physical, will soon emerge in the affairs of this world. We must be watching and ready!

On December 28, 2024, Eric Rank will present the sermonette, titled, “Breaking Up Our Fallow Ground,” and Dave Harris will present the sermon, titled, “Individuals of the End Time.”

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.

God tells us in Isaiah 43:18-19 (New International Version) to “forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” This shows us that we should not dwell or linger over or spend time thinking about the past (except for the purpose of not repeating past mistakes) because God is always working something new for us, and providing for us the path which affects our future. 

God has predestined us, called us before time began for a specific purpose (Romans 8:28-30).  Even though this refers to the past, it still alludes to what is present and what will come in the future. We may have been shown the Truth through someone else, for instance through family members, and through them we were able to receive the knowledge we need to inherit eternal life. 

Someway or somehow, we became knowledgeable of the Truth, and God granted us this gift for us to use.  Because we have this understanding now, we shouldn’t be ashamed of what we know NOW (2 Timothy 1:8-9).

Yes, we are to learn from past mistakes so we can be successful in the future, just as Paul explained in Philippians 3:14-16, pressing on toward the goal and the prize of obtaining eternal life.  We are to go forward with our understanding, not drift backward.  The Bible teaches us many examples from the past of those who went through difficulties that we can learn from for our benefit as explained in 1 Corinthians 10:1-13. Many of those who were confronted with challenges and trials will be in the Kingdom. They were not perfect, and yet, they overcame their imperfections.

Insofar as our future is concerned, what we do NOW is vital, as we have pointed out countless times. We are to watch what is going on in the world and warn the world about what is coming! (Matthew 24:42, 14).  We have to be prepared, vigilant, focused, and look to God for help in fighting our battles (Ephesians 6:10-18), and also use the Holy Spirit that God has given us at our baptism which will help us to continue and to grow in wisdom and understanding so that we can inherit eternal life (John 6:63).

We are not to base our lives on physicality alone, but we have to live “by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).  We need to focus on what the Bible says and must not be fooled by Satan’s tactics which may have been used by some people with whom we have associated with throughout the years. Satan is using the same tactics presently and will also use them in the future.  What does Satan do? How did he tempt Christ? How does he tempt us? He questions the Truth and appeals to human nature.  He then quotes Scripture, but out of context, to twist the meaning which adds to confusion and questioning.  He uses people today to do the same thing.  

This is where we need to remain focused and diligent, continuously asking God to open our understanding so we can comprehend His Word (John 8:31-32).  Only He can call us and the ONLY way we can understand is when God opens our minds.  This is what separates us from the people of the world who don’t understand what we understand.  

This also determines our future for we need God’s Spirit to be successful. David understood this as well. He needed to trust in God insofar as his future was concerned (Psalms 51:10-11).  More often than not, the future is based on trust, and putting trust and confidence into something now hoping that it will come to fruition in the future.  We trust that God will protect and provide for us now, and also in the future. 

In the meantime, God has appointed certain specific people to do a job, to teach, and to spread the word on what is coming (Ephesians 4:11-16). We are all working together for something better.  We have our individual talents, and we all have a certain part to do in the Church.  This unified effort will bring about success. The end is something we all look forward to because ALL things will be made new, and if we overcome, then we will inherit ALL things (Revelations 21:1-7).

We can see how the past, present, and future all work together. The Bible shares with us experiences that even the most faithful had to go through, and their experience can also be for our admonition. The Bible shows us how we are to apply the Word of God in our present lives by obeying Him so we can then experience what the future indeed has in store for us.

by Norbert Link

We begin with a scandalous cover-up regarding Biden’s physical and mental fitness; continue with articles on mysterious drones and a controversial bill to avoid a governmental shutdown in the USA, and the terrible waste of our money through the government. Please view in this regard our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Scandal! How Our Government Wastes Our Money!” 

We report on numerous threats and actions by Donald Trump and Elon Musk. We also speak on a terror attack in Magdeburg, Germany.

We continue with Switzerland’s disastrous decision to deny parents’ rights; Israel’s fight with Turkey over Syria and Poland’s abominable announcement to arrest Netanyahu if he were to attend the Auschwitz memorial; as well as its mandatory weapons training programs for children.

We give an example of the despicable cruelty of man towards animals; and address the ancient Yule festival and sunrise celebrations which all sound like Christmas observances.

We conclude with an article about illusionist Uri Geller’s comments on Christ’s and his powers.  

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

Concerns About Biden’s Fitness From Day One

The National News Desk (TNND) wrote on December 19:

“Concerns within the White House over President Joe Biden’s physical and mental fitness began early in his term in the Oval Office, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday. Biden, 82, faced accusations throughout this year of being unfit to continue serving in the White House. The scrutiny peaked following his performance in a June presidential debate with President-elect Donald Trump, during which Biden appeared forgetful and confused while speaking in rambling fragments.

“Biden and members of his administration repeatedly rejected suggestions he could not continue running for reelection, despite some of the suggestions coming from other Democrats… The Wall Street Journal on Thursday interviewed nearly 50 individuals familiar with ‘operations’ to conceal… the president’s mental and physical state. Advisers of Biden reportedly realized during the first few months of his term that the ‘bruising presidential schedule’ would need to be adjusted for the president, citing his fatigue and making mistakes…

“Once concerns arose early on, Biden advisers instructed top lawmakers and allies to keep exchanges with the president ‘short and focused,’ according to the Wall Street Journal. Staffers reportedly also ensured most of Biden’s meetings were held later in the day due to the president not being ‘at his best’ first thing in the morning, with the option to scrap meetings entirely if he was having an ‘off day.’

“The guidelines for interactions with Biden even impacted Cabinet members, according to the Wall Street Journal. Biden has reportedly held just nine full Cabinet meetings throughout his term, compared to former President Barack Obama holding 19 during his first term and Trump convening 25 during his.

“At least one Cabinet member stopped asking for calls with Biden ‘because it was clear that such requests wouldn’t be welcome,’ a source told the Wall Street Journal. Cabinet members with particularly infrequent access to Biden reportedly included Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. Donors also noticed how staffers worked to mask signs of Biden’s ‘decline,’ the Wall Street Journal reported…

“Harris during her brief presidential campaign fielded accusations of covering up Biden’s mental fitness. During an August interview with CNN, Harris told anchor Dana Bash she had no ‘regrets’ about what she told Americans about the president’s ability to serve…”

A Scandalous Cover-Up

Fox News wrote on December 20:

“CNN’s Scott Jennings criticized the White House for hiding President Biden’s health and age issues from the public in a segment on Thursday. ‘This is the biggest scandal in America,’ Jennings said on CNN. ‘And the level and volume of people who dedicated themselves to lying to everyone at home about this man’s condition for four-straight years up through this summer is breathtaking… It‘s a scandal of epic proportions and it’s a fair question to ask — who is running the country?… Who has been running the country?’

“Jennings argued that Biden’s staffers lied about his health and age concerns for the entirety of his presidency. ‘If you‘re worried about Donald Trump’s having influence — for the last four years, apparently, this president, duly elected, this president was not capable of fulfilling the duties of the office. And his staff and the White House lied about it and kept it from the American people,’ Jennings said…”

Biden did not run the Presidency during these four years, for numerous reasons. For one, it is very doubtful that he was even legitimately elected as President, given major concerns that the election in 2020 was rigged. And unless we forget, there are still major and unresolved concerns and unanswered questions (despite the fact that Trump buckled in this regard) whether Obama was born in America (Hawaii)… if he was not, his presidency would have been illegitimate as well.

“Shoot the Drones!”

The Ron Paul Institute published the following article by Judge Andrew P. Napolitano on December 19:

“The skies over New Jersey have been littered with strange flying objects during the past two weeks; and the feds are either hiding the truth from terrified folks on the ground or scratching their collective heads along with the rest of us. Since early December, there have been between 3,000 and 5,000 reports of large drones — some about the size of a pickup truck. They have three or four arms, at the ends of which are very bright lights.

“The drone I saw over the northwest tip of the state appeared to come toward me and then stood perfectly still. Then — in a heartbeat — it was gone… The New Jersey State Police dispatched a helicopter — manned by two troopers — to pursue this beast but not to interfere with it. As their helicopter approached, the drone fled from them and seemed to disappear.

“New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy — who had no use for the Bill of Rights during the pandemic four years ago — sees no threat to public safety or public peace. The White House — which must know the origin and nature of these things — also professes ignorance. President-elect Donald Trump… opined that if this happens on his watch, he’d order the drones shot down. Don’t expect that from President Joe Biden. Remember the two weeks during which we all watched a huge Chinese ‘weather’ balloon make its way from Alaska to South Carolina, only to have it shot down over the Atlantic? That was a manifestation of the Biden attitude about strange and terrifying flying objects…

“Will I shoot down the next drone that flies over my home when the state claims it cannot do so and the feds tell me to mind my own business? If I did, I’d be responsible for the natural and probable consequences of such an act, including personal injury and property damage to those on the ground. The better way to address this is for the states to chase and capture these devices, in defiance of an incompetent federal government. If they won’t, I might just take my chances with a New Jersey jury.”

Please view our StandingWatch program, titled, “The DRONES! No Danger? Are You Kidding?” 

Controversial Bill Passed to Avoid Governmental Shutdown

Fox News wrote on December 21:

“The White House has announced that President Biden signed a stopgap funding bill into law on Saturday, extending government funding into March [through March 14, 2025] and avoiding a shutdown. The bill includes $100 billion in disaster aid and a one-year farm bill. The Senate worked into early Saturday morning to pass the bill 85-11, just after the deadline following a chaotic week on Capitol Hill.”

The substantially same bill had been rejected twice before by the House.

Fox News reported on December 21:

“An original agreement on a short-term spending bill was released earlier in the week… But soon after its release, billionaire Elon Musk and other conservative critics publicly blasted the measure, ultimately resulting in it being condemned by President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance… Meanwhile, as of Thursday, the U.S national debt was at $36,167,604,149,955.61 and was continuing to climb rapidly…

“House Republicans emerged on Thursday with a new proposal. The revised measure would have extended current funding levels for three months and included a debt limit suspension for two years, per the request of Trump… But the bill failed on the House floor Thursday night as Democrats united against it and a significant group of Republicans opted to oppose it as well…

“The third measure, which ultimately passed the House and Senate, was similar to the one that failed the night prior…. However, the final stopgap bill did not include a suspension of the debt ceiling, which Trump had requested himself. The House passed the short-term spending bill with 366 yes votes, surpassing the necessary two-thirds…  34 Republicans [voted] against the legislation and zero Democrats [voted] against it. One Democrat… voted present… Among those who voted against the bill was Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., who told Fox News Digital, ‘I don’t know why we’re giving Joe Biden $100 billion to play with in 30 days’…”

It does not appear that anyone voting for this bill had the best interests of the American people in mind. Neither did Trump who wanted a suspension of the debt ceiling. Ridiculous!

How Our Government Wastes Our Money!!!

Newsmax wrote on December 24:

“Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., released his annual ‘Festivus’ report on Tuesday where he cited more than $1 trillion in government waste for 2024. Paul’s yearly accounting of frivolous government spending is a scathing editorial of… absurd federal projects…

“Paul noted that the national debt increased $2 trillion in 2024 to a current figure of $36 trillion and is on pace to increase at least $2 trillion every year for the next decade… ‘That’s over $1 trillion in government waste, including things like ice-skating drag queens, a $12 million Las Vegas pickleball complex, $4,840,082 on Ukrainian influencers, and more! No matter how much money the government has wasted, politicians keep demanding even more.’..

“While hundreds of millions was listed in misused COVID PPP funds, some of the more ludicrous government programs called out include The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) spending $419,470 to determine if lonely rats seek cocaine more than happy rats, $3 million on ‘girl-centered climate action’ in Brazil, $288,563 to create safe spaces for bird watching groups, and $123,066 to teach youths in Kyrgyzstan how to ‘go viral.’”

Fox News added on December 23:

“The 2024 Festivus Waste Report found that the Biden-Harris administration spent over $1 trillion this year, including giving a $10,000 grant to ‘Beards on Ice’ — an ice skating drag show on climate change put on by the Bearded Ladies Cabaret, a self-described ‘queer cabaret arts organization.’ Additionally, the Agency for International Development (USAID) spent $20 million on a Sesame Street spin-off show in Iraq, titled ‘Ahlan Simsim,’ in an effort to promote ‘inclusion’ and ‘mutual respect.’

“About $1.5 million was spent experimenting how different species, such as young female kittens, respond to motion sickness.  According to the report, researchers would strap kittens to a table, where they are spun around in several directions and have holes drilled into their skulls to keep them in place — ‘and it’s all being done with your money,’ Paul writes in the report. ‘More than one and a half million dollars of it.’…

“‘As the average American taxpayers struggle to pay rent, their hard-earned dollars are ironically funneled into more real estate,’ the report read, referring to the Biden struggles spending $10 billion on maintaining and furnishing buildings that were almost entirely empty. The Department of Energy (DOE) gave automakers $15.5 billion to push the industry into the electric vehicle (EV) sector while another $388,000 was given to ‘Magic in the United States,’ a podcast discussing how magical beliefs and practices have evolved in the U.S. The senator also mentioned the Biden administration giving $2.1 million to fund Paraguay’s border…”

Trump Threatens EU With Tariffs

AFP wrote on December 20:

“President-elect Donald Trump on Friday threatened the European Union with tariffs if the bloc does not reduce its ‘tremendous’ trade gap with Washington through oil and gas purchases. ‘I told the European Union that they must make up their tremendous deficit with the United States by the large scale purchase of our oil and gas,’ Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform in the early hours of Friday. ‘Otherwise, it is TARIFFS all the way!!!’

“According to U.S. figures, goods imports from the EU were $553.3 billion in 2022, while its exports to the bloc were $350.8 billion. This puts the U.S. goods trade deficit with the EU at $202.5 billion that year… Trump… has made sweeping threats of slapping tariffs on US trading partners — including Canada, Mexico and China — which could send reverberations across the global economy… Trump had threatened a 25% import tariff, while vowing at least 10% against China…

“Earlier this month, the European Union concluded a massive trade deal with four South American countries — Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay — that aims to create a 700-million-customer free-trade area. Von der Leyen had said the agreement would build trade bridges as ‘strong winds are blowing in the opposite direction, towards isolation and fragmentation’ — comments largely seen as a nod to Trump’s threats to hike tariffs…”

Trump is making more and more enemies, especially in Europe.. and Europe WILL respond, when the time comes.

Trump Attacks Panama Canal Toll, Threatens With Return of Ownership

Fox Business News wrote on December 21:

“President-elect Trump unleashed a tirade against Panama Canal tolls Saturday, claiming the U.S. is being ripped off by high prices… The Panama Canal’s tolls can range from three to six figures depending on how large a vessel is and how much cargo it carries, with the largest ships being charged as much as $500,000. ‘The Panama Canal is considered a VITAL National Asset for the United States, due to its critical role to America’s Economy and National Security,’ Trump wrote in his post. ‘A secure Panama Canal is crucial for U.S. Commerce, and rapid deployment of the Navy, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and drastically cuts shipping times to U.S. ports.’

“The incoming president criticized former President Carter, who Trump said ‘foolishly gave it away, for One Dollar.’ In 1977, Carter signed the Panama Canal Treaty, which phased out U.S. control of the canal by 1999. Carter also signed the Neutrality Treaty, which ensured that the tolls would be equal for all nations. Trump implied that the U.S. should be given preferential treatment in his post… ‘The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous, especially knowing the extraordinary generosity that has been bestowed to Panama by the U.S. This complete “rip-off” of our Country will immediately stop.’

“Trump also floated the idea of demanding the canal’s ownership be returned to the United States if American ships are not given fair treatment. ‘[The Panama Canal] was not given for the benefit of others, but merely as a token of cooperation with us and Panama,’ Trump concluded. ‘If the principles, both moral and legal, of this magnanimous gesture of giving are not followed, then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us, in full, and without question.’”

Giving away the Panama Canal was indeed a foolish move, humanly speaking, but it was prophesied in the Bible, as America is to lose ALL its “sea gates.”

Trump Dreams of Empire Extension

MSN wrote on December 24:

“Trump has been in a strikingly imperial mood since his election victory. He has floated with acquiring Greenland, reclaiming the Panama Canal, annexing Canada, and potentially invading Mexico…

“Greenland’s prime minister, Múte Egede, hit back at Trump on Monday: ‘Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be for sale. We must not lose our long struggle for freedom.’ A day earlier, Trump had labeled taking ‘ownership’ of the world’s largest island ‘an absolute necessity’ [for national security and freedom]. People involved in Trump’s transition have been discussing how an acquisition or custodianship of Greenland [which is currently controlled by Denmark] would work… The island’s attractions include its natural resources and its location, as the U.S., Russia and other powers scramble for footholds in the Arctic…

“Panama President José Raúl Mulino declared in an on-camera address Sunday that Panama would not hand over a single square meter of the canal, to which Trump replied on Truth Social: ‘We’ll see about that!’ Trump followed up with a picture of an American flag flying over the canal, captioned: ‘Welcome to the United States Canal!’…

“Trump previously told Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that his country could avoid tariffs if it became America’s 51st state — a message he has repeatedly re-upped through memes and jokes… Trump’s allies have also been discussing a potential ‘soft invasion’ of Mexico… That could involve targeting cartels through cross-border special forces operations or drone strikes.”

Trump Appoints Brian Burch as Ambassador to the Holy See

Yahoo! News wrote on December 21:

“President-elect Donald Trump on Friday nominated Brian Burch, a right-wing Catholic who has often criticized Pope Francis, as his ambassador to the Holy See. Trump announced Burch, a father of nine and president of the non-profit CatholicVote.org (which he described as ‘one of the largest Catholic advocacy groups in the Country’) as his nominee in a Truth Social post, which was followed by a message selling ‘God Bless the USA’ Bibles…

“Burch… may not have a lot of love for Pope Francis specifically. He strongly opposed the pontiff’s decision to allow the blessing of same-sex couples…  He has also alleged church leaders might have collaborated with the FBI on plans ‘to infiltrate “Latin mass” communities,’ amid reports last year that the agency had warned of ‘radical traditionalist’ Catholics as part of investigations into far-right activism.

“… theology professor and director of the Catholic Theological Union’s Bernardin Center in Chicago Steven Millies described Burch as ‘an agitator, mostly, the opposite of a diplomat… His appointment signals what we already know; a difficult time lies ahead for U.S.-Vatican relations.’”

The relationship between the USA and the Vatican will drastically deteriorate.

Musk Wades Into Election Campaigns

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 20:

“Elon Musk… opined on his platform X (formerly Twitter) on Friday morning that ‘Only the AfD can save Germany.’ Alica Weidel, who is running for chancellor as co-leader of the AfD, [a lesbian married to a woman from Sri Lanka] responded to Musk an hour later, saying: ‘Yes! You are perfectly right! Please also have a look into my interview on President Trump, how socialist Merkel ruined our country, how the Soviet European Union destroys the countries [sic] economic backbone and malfunctioning Germany!’

“The AfD is currently polling at around 19% ahead of the German federal election in February, second only to the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) at around 33%. But all the other parties currently in the German parliament have ruled out forming a coalition with them…

“Asked about Musk’s comments, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said: ‘Freedom of expression also applies to multi-billionaires, but it also means that you’re allowed to say things which aren’t correct, and aren’t good political advice.’

“Other German lawmakers from across the political spectrum criticized both Musk’s post and Weidel’s response, slamming ‘interference’ and insisting that no other party will form a government with ‘fascists bought by billionaires.’… Anton Hofreiter from the Green Party  called the AfD ‘traitors bought by billionaires’ and ‘a band of fascists who have not only been bought by… Putin but are now being supported by a multi-billionaire-turned-right-wing-extremist.’…

“It’s not the first time that Musk has addressed the AfD. At the start of June, he posted: ‘They keep saying “far right,” but the policies of AfD that I’ve read about don’t sound extremist…’

“Musk has also expressed support for the United Kingdom’s far-right ‘Reform UK’ and its populist leader Nigel Farage. This week, Farage told the BBC that his party is in ‘open negotiations’ with Musk regarding a potential donation, which The Times has reported could be as high as £78m ($100m, €96m), by far the biggest political donation in British political history…  In Germany, state security services have warned that the upcoming federal election could be targeted by disinformation campaigns not only from Russia, but also from the United States.

“Meanwhile, the leader of Germany’s neoliberal Free Democratic Party (FDP) Chrisitan Lindner, sparked controversy this month when he appeared to praise the political views and activities of Musk and right-wing populist Argentinian President Javier Milei… On Friday, replying to Musk on X, he… cautioned against supporting the AfD.”

After Musk’s “endorsement” of the AfD, “Alice Weidel has surged to the top of the polls of preferred chancellors in the upcoming February elections… [She] surged by three points over the previous week to 24 points, surpassing the leader of the centrist neo-liberal Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Friedrich Merz, who fell by one point to 20 per cent since the previous week.

“Meanwhile, Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the current candidate for the leftist Social Democrat Party (SPD) languishes in third place, falling one point from last week to 15 per cent support. Scholz is followed by his Economic Minister Robert Habeck, the chancellor candidate for the Greens, at 14 per cent…. Although the attack [see below] happened under the watch of Chancellor Scholz, the suspected attacker was reportedly granted asylum in 2016, under the CDU government of Angela Merkel” (Breitbart, December 22).

Reuters wrote on December 20:

“Musk… on Friday called on German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to resign in response to a deadly attack at a German Christmas market [in Magdeburg]. ‘Scholz should resign immediately,’ Musk posted on X, adding: ‘Incompetent fool.’”

On Saturday, he wrote in regard to the news (see below) that Saudi Arabia had warned Germany about the attacker:

“Yeah, he was obviously a lunatic who should never have been allowed to enter Germany and should have been extradited when Saudi Arabia made the request. Suicidal empathy by the German government.

“Wow, this is insane. Whoever refused to extradite a murderer deserves to be punished severely!”

Musk is seen as Trump’s strongest and most influential [unelected] adviser. Some call him already “President Musk.” And as Trump becomes more and more unpopular in Europe and especially in Germany (if that is possible), so Musk is even trumping him in that regard.

Note the following articles.

Terrorist Attack in Magdeburg, East Germany

The Daily Mail wrote on December 20:

“… a Saudi doctor [a specialist in psychiatrist and psychotherapy] who drove through a massive crowd at a German Christmas market [in Magdeburg], killing at least two and injuring nearly 70 people, was arrested. [He had lived and worked in the neighboring city of Bernburg, about 25 miles south of Magdeburg.]  

“While official figures say that two people, including a toddler, have died, local media have put the death toll at 11…

“Bild reported that the [rented] car was driven ‘at least 400m (1,300ft) across the Christmas market’… at least 15 people were ‘severely’ injured…” 

Those figures were clearly underreported and totally unrealistic.

ABC News reported on December 21:

“At least five people are now known to have been killed in the vehicle-ramming attack on a Christmas market in the German city of Magdeburg on Friday, the Minister President of Saxony-Anhalt Reiner Haseloff told journalists on Saturday. Haseloff said that at least 200 more people were injured… At least 40 of those injured were so seriously hurt that their lives are still thought to be in danger, according to Chancellor Olaf Scholz.”

Who Is the Terrorist?

Breitbart wrote on December 20:

“The suspected attacker… was granted asylum [an indefinite residence permit] in Germany in 2016 after fleeing from his native Saudi Arabia for fear of persecution over his atheism, Welt reports. [He arrived in Germany in 2006 and lived in Germany since then.] The suspect has been identified as having established a website to help other atheist asylum seekers flee to Germany. In an interview in 2019, he reportedly claimed to be the ‘most aggressive critic of Islam in history’.

“Der Spiegel reports that Taleb A. had expressed sympathies towards the anti-mass migration Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, as well as figures such as Elon Musk, Alex Jones, and Tommy Robinson. However, the news outlet noted that Taleb A. identified as a ‘leftist’. [Breitbart added on December 21: “While much media attention in the wake of the attack has focussed on statements Taleb made in support of the populist right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party over its critiques of Islamic immigration, he apparently considered himself to be a leftist. ‘Taleb A. said in the interview that he was not a right-winger and described himself as a leftist,’ Der Spiegel reports… He appears to have been particularly angered over the acceptance rate of ‘Syrian jihadists’ compared to ex-Muslims from Saudi Arabia.]”

“Welt reported that posts apparently made on social media by the suspected attacker criticised Germany for trying to ‘Islamize Europe’ while also accusing Berlin of ‘hunting Saudi asylum seekers inside and outside Germany to destroy their lives.’ There are growing suggestions that the attacker may have suffered from some form of mental illness, with posts accusing the German state of the ‘killing of Socrates’, as well as personally persecuting him…

“However, despite reportedly not being on police radar as a potential extremist, several posts attributed to the suspect seemingly showed violent intent, including: ‘I assure you that 100 percent revenge will come soon. Even if it costs me my life,’ and ‘Germany will pay the price. A huge price.’..

“The attack appears to be similar to the 2016 terrorist attack on a Christmas market in Berlin when a man hijacked a truck and used it to plow down people attending the market. In total, 13 people died, as a result of the attack and dozens were left injured. The attacker, a failed asylum seeker from Tunisia named Anis Amri, fled to Italy and was shot and killed by police in Milan days later.”

The Sun wrote on December 21:

“Four months before the attack, he wrote online in Arabic: ‘I assure you: if Germany wants war, we will have it. If Germany wants to kill us, we will slaughter them, die.’ He wrote: ‘Is there a path to justice without slaughtering German citizens indiscriminately?’”

Breitbart added on December 21:

“The German news magazine [“Der Spiegel”] also reported that Berlin security agencies received three warnings from Saudi Arabia about the suspect… However, officials allegedly dismissed the statements and reportedly did not consider him to be a threat as a potential extremist.”

Daily Mail added this on December 21:

“In 2013 he was sentenced by a German court for ‘disturbing the public peace by threatening to commit crimes’, according to Der Spiegel. Three years later, he applied for asylum in Germany and his application was approved within four months…  German officials said… that the attacker drove into the market through a rescue entrance, where they were no barricades.”

This will have a massive influence on Germany’s upcoming elections. Undoubtedly, each party will use this to further their own goals and to attack the other side.

How Is Something Like That Possible?

On December 21, Bild Online published the following comment from Bild boss Robert Schneider:

“A doctor from Saudi Arabia, who has lived in Germany for many years and appears as a fanatical anti-Islamist, carried out this murderous attack under the influence of drugs like something out of the textbook of Islamic terrorism… Much of the terrible bloody act is inexplicable. And yet urgent questions arose the day after the shooting. Saudi authorities have repeatedly warned German authorities about Taleb A…. Why did our police and secret services do nothing even though they had the Saudi on their radar, even though he was said to have been convicted of threatening criminal offenses in 2013?

“Why did someone like that even get asylum with us in 2016? And why were the tips from Saudi Arabia apparently ignored? And how can it be that in Germany, at the same time, the judiciary is meticulously tracking down and prosecuting citizens who make insulting or even satirical comments about politicians – up to and including house searches? So ‘imbecile professional’ (Habeck case) is persecuted and ‘Kill Merkel’ (Taleb on X) is not!”

Bild Online then wrote on December 23:

“Three days after the murderous attack in Magdeburg!… High representatives of the state such as the Chancellor, Federal President, ministers and state leaders were there and gave moving speeches. Then the politicians left again. But questions remain!…

“Why was the police van missing at the entrance to the Christmas market? A larger police car was supposed to be parked across there, but was missing. Only because of this safety glitch was the death driver able to drive through the 5 meter gap and murder several people. They would still be alive if the police car had been there!… Who is responsible for the security plan for the Magdeburg Christmas market?…

“For terror expert Peter Neumann (King’s College London), one thing is clear: ‘The concept has failed. This didn’t even close the obvious gap – making an identical attack like the Berlin shooting at Breitscheidplatz in 2016 impossible – … I’m stunned that the city of Magdeburg continued to defend its security concept even after the attack.’

“Why was the assassin Taleb Al-Abdulmohsen allowed to work as a doctor? Patients called him ‘Dr. Google’ because he didn’t even know what a thrombosis was! He was obviously neither mentally nor professionally suitable for this and yet he worked as a doctor – how is that possible?…

“Why were there indications from Saudi Arabia ignored that Taleb Al-Abdulmohsen is a dangerous man? Some ex-Muslims are also said to have warned authorities about his attack fantasies and were not listened to. Why?… If the security authorities had followed up on the tips, it might have become clear: This man had no place in Germany!”

Shiite Mass Murderer?

Report 24 asked similar questions on December 21, and then reported other shocking findings:

“While the German media is busy with highly questionable reports that he was an Islam-hating convert, Arabic-speaking citizen journalists brought to light his connections with the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood and the terrorist group ‘Islamic State’ (IS)… The actual name of the murderous psychiatrist is, according to Arabic sources, ‘Talib Al-Abdul Mohsen’. It is a Shia surname. Shiites are the minority in Saudi Arabia; most Saudis are Sunnis. Both are different branches of Islam that repeatedly fight each other with deadly violence. Taleb confessed to Wahhabism in 2016 – which hardly fits with the theory of turning away from Islam…

“Taleb A. further supported the Islamist groups that recently brought Syria under their control… It is gratifying how many details from the mass murderer’s life are coming to light through the work of citizen journalists. Fortunately, Elon Musk’s X doesn’t cooperate as submissively as Zuckerberg’s Facebook and makes this research possible. The German authorities apparently want to cover up as much about this case as possible…”

Europe Leaderless

Haaretz wrote on December 19:

“The continent may be on the verge of another defining moment in its postwar history depending on how it reconciles U.S. President-elect Donald Trump – a huge NATO critic – with Europe’s endemic political weakness…

“Europe’s largest and strongest countries are undergoing political turmoil and instability. The European Union is weak on foreign and defense policy… Today, Europe is leaderless…”

A powerful European leader will arise, when it is least expected.

Switzerland’s Crazy Decisions

LifeSiteNews wrote on December 20:

“Switzerland’s highest court has decided parents separated from their daughter for refusing to endorse her gender ‘transition’ must enable their child’s legal ‘sex change’ or face the possibility of criminal charges…

“The child’s father reacted to the ruling: ‘… That we could face criminal charges for simply trying to care for our daughter shows how deeply embedded transgender ideology is in Swiss institutions and the real harms it causes…’

“This is the latest juncture in a case that has already received worldwide attention…  X-owner Elon Musk commented on it saying: ‘This is insane. This suicidal mind virus is spreading throughout Western Civilization.’

“The daughter’s parents were separated from their child by court order over a year and a half ago, after they objected to their child’s so-called gender ‘transition.’ They were concerned their daughter was being pushed to make hasty and irreversible decisions when she first said she identified as the opposite sex following mental health struggles at the age of 13… The parents refused ‘puberty blockers’ for their child and told her school to not ‘socially transition’ her, and instead arranged private mental health care. But the school ‘socially transitioned’ the daughter anyway and liaised with the state child welfare agency, Service de Protection des Mineurs (SPMI) and a transgender-activist organization. Eventually, the daughter was separated from her parents and legal authority over her medical care was transferred from the parents to SPMI.

“The daughter has lived in a government shelter since April 2023 and the parents’ access to her is regulated by the state. The parents tried and failed to recover legal authority over their daughter’s medical care through an appeal, and a court order was issued for them to hand over her identity documents (under the threat of criminal charges) to enable a legal ‘sex change’…”

Such crazy occurrences are not limited to Switzerland, but would include the rest of Europe AND the USA—especially, when incompetent and parent-opposing state child welfare agencies get involved. This is SATAN’S abominable world with its governments and laws in which we live. THANK GOD, hopefully not much longer!

Israel vs. Turkey Over Syria

Israel Today wrote on December 19:

“Turkey’s recent posture [towards Israel], particularly in the aftermath of the Hamas-led massacre on Oct. 7, 2023, has been increasingly antagonistic… Turkey, although a NATO member, has facilitated activities that undermine Israel’s security and… publicly supports groups with terrorist affiliations. For example, in July, Israel thwarted a Hamas attack orchestrated from within Turkey and Turkey now hosts the Hamas leaders who were forced out of Qatar.

“Erdoğan has frequently called on Israel to refrain from military actions in Lebanon and Syria. Yet, Turkey itself appears ready to launch a military operation in Syria targeting Kurdish groups..  in July [Erdogan] went so far as to threaten an invasion of Israel… Despite this, NATO has shown little resistance to Turkey’s behavior…”

Turkey is prophesied to become Israel’s arch-enemy.

Netanyahu Will Not Attend Auschwitz Memorial

Israel 365 News wrote on December 22:

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not attend the ceremony commemorating the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz Nazi concentration camp due to concerns that the Polish government’s pledge [expressed on Friday by Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Wladyslaw Bartoszewski] that it will adhere to the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Netanyahu over possible war crimes in Israel’s war against the Hamas terrorist organization.

“The major event is planned for International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27 and is expected to be attended by dozens of leaders and heads of state, including Britain’s King Charles…

“Polish sources told Rzeczpospolita that Warsaw was enforcing the warrants due to its wish to see Russian President Vladimir Putin stand before the court. The court issued a warrant for Putin in 2022 over the kidnapping of Ukrainian children from occupied Ukraine. The report also said President Isaac Herzog does not plan to attend.”

This is SO stupid. Shame on Poland—especially in light of its Nazi past.

Mandatory Weapons Training for Children in Poland

International Business Times (IBT) wrote on December 24:

“Poland has introduced mandatory firearm and basic first aid training for schoolchildren as fears of Russian aggression loom over the country. The Education for Safety program, which targets students aged 14 to 16, teaches theoretical and practical gun-handling skills using laser-based weapons for safety… Students learn how to assemble and disassemble firearms, improve shooting accuracy, and respond to warfare-related threats.

“The lessons, conducted for one hour per week in school gymnasiums, also include topics on state security, survival techniques, and tactical rescue…

“The mandatory lessons reflect Poland’s broader effort to prepare its population for potential conflict… The government plans to implement the program across all 18,000 schools nationwide…”

A terrible development of indoctrination and glorification of guns.

Our Cruel World

The Sun wrote on December 20:

“[Thailand’s only gorilla] Bua Noi has lived behind bars in [Bangkok] Thailand for most of her life… The gorilla has been caged up for [for more than three decades] in the widely criticised Pata Zoo which is located on the sixth and seventh floor above a [desolate and decaying city center shopping mall]. This allows passers-by and shoppers to gaze in at the unloved mammal who is unable to ever leave… A damming report back in 2019 detailed how Bua had been pulling out her hair and anxiously rolling around in her isolated cage. Footage also shows the lonely gorilla looking visibly depressed and staring through the bars of her old cage.

“All of this has made Bua one of the most well-known living gorillas with her being at the centre of dozens of campaigns aimed at getting her free. These calls have come mainly from international campaign groups but even celebrities such as Cher. PETA have spent over 12 years trying to relocate Bua but their pleas have fallen on deaf ears…  the owner of Bua has constantly ignored calls to give her a better quality of life and says he will only release her if he is paid £700,000… Even the environment minister of Thailand, Varawut Silpa-archa, has made it clear he wishes to see her moved to a sanctuary…

“Bua was first shipped off to the shopping centre from Germany when she was just a one-year-old. She has been trapped in her cramped and dirty cage ever since… Pata Zoo is not only home to the sombre gorilla but also more than 200 other animal species including tigers, bears and pythons. Many of the animals live in similar conditions to Bua [i.e., in dirty sand dingy cages] and spend their days wallowing about in pity. A chilling report by International Animal Rescue has even claimed that some animals were left to die in their cages.

“PETA has strongly condemned the zoo for years… labelling it ‘one of the worst zoos in the world’ [and the ‘saddest place on earth’].”

It was also reported that “Bua Noi’s owners were offered a free service from professional gorilla experts who could help relocate her to any modern zoo. The offer fell on deaf ears as Bua Noi stays in a cage 24/7” (mustsharenews, dated August 19, 2015).

How is something like this even allowed? The owner should be dispossessed of the animals and the zoo closed, with the animals transferred to a better environment. God IS holding such cruel and heartless people responsible for their evil doing!

The Ancient Yule Festival

NPR wrote on December 20:

“In Southwestern Wisconsin, preparation is underway for Circle Sanctuary’s 50th annual Yule festival. For the pagan members the church serves, it marks winter solstice, the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. On Sunday night, High Priestess Selena Fox gathered spiritual leaders on Zoom to light candles and honor the full moon… She invited those watching to call to mind joy from sacred seasonal plants: evergreen trees, holly, ivy and mistletoe.

“On Saturday, she and several dozen others will gather around a bonfire at the sanctuary’s nature preserve and throw a decorated Yule log into the fire, symbolizing the returning sun. Fox is a Wiccan priestess, but Circle Sanctuary is inclusive of a range of pagan traditions, focusing on a spiritual connection with nature. Amid the depths of winter, Fox said Yule is a celebratory occasion to plant seeds of hope for the coming spring…

“Paganism is growing in the U.S, particularly among young people… [It] reflects Americans’ movement away from organized religion and toward less-hierarchical spiritual practices… Many pagans, including Wiccans, practice magic and call themselves witches… [It may include] a reenactment of the Wild Hunt, a story about guiding souls who’ve died during the year into the afterlife.”

Of course, Christmas [as well as New Year’s observances] is nothing else but a slightly modified (“Christianized”) version of those ancient pagan Yule Festival celebrations.

Winter Solstice Sunrise Celebrations

BBC News reported on December 21, 2024:

“The winter solstice sunrise was greeted by thousands of people at Stonehenge, with a focus on ‘renewal, rebirth and good vibes’…

“In nearby Avebury, which is home to another ancient stone circle, two men wearing cloaks could be seen blowing horns as people gathered to watch the sunrise over the fields. Near the stone circle there is a group of beech trees which people tie ribbons to. This is a pagan tradition known as ‘wishing trees’, done as prayers to the tree spirits or in the memory of loved ones.

“In Somerset, Glastonbury Tor also saw crowds of people climbing the hill earlier this morning to mark the sun rising… It is regarded by some as a spiritual site just like Stonehenge. At the top of the hill, a fire was lit and songs were sung by people gathered there.”

Uri Geller’s Powers

Yahoo! News wrote on December 21:

“Uri Geller believes aliens gave Jesus the power to perform miracles. The 78-year-old illusionist is convinced that ‘humans are not alone in the universe’ and that ‘some sort of extraterrestrial intelligence is watching us’… 

“Uri… questioned whether Jesus’ ‘miraculous powers’ were a ‘gift from God’ or whether they were actually ‘a gift from extraterrestrials’… ‘I am by no means comparing myself to Jesus but I believe my powers were a gift from extraterrestrials – and that those of Christ could have been too.’”

Geller has become famous for appearing on TV to seemingly alter the shape of spoons and other utensils. If real, his powers might have come from forces other than God. Christ, however, was clearly given power from God the Father.

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.

To answer this question comprehensively, one must look at the historical events, as it is important to understand why we are referring to a third temple, and what this temple of God is all about.

Who built the first temple and why? What happened to this temple and what became of it? And finally, why should the third temple be a requirement for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ?

We can predict one thing with certainty: YES, this third temple is a requirement for Jesus Christ to even initiate His Second Coming! All of this is prophesied in the Bible, the Word of God; including the fact that there MUST be a third temple!

Some believe that the prophecy for the third temple is not about a physical temple made of stones, but only about a spiritual, inward temple. They link this to Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, where he says, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.” (Compare also 2 Corinthians 6:16; 1 Corinthians 6:19.)

Paul is saying here that our body, “spiritually speaking,” is a temple of God, in which God the Father and Jesus Christ dwell through the Holy Spirit, which WE should not defile, for example, by smoking, excessive drinking, gluttony, fornication or adultery, and so on.

But that does not mean that there will be no physical temple in the end time – BEFORE the Second Coming of Christ.

Let us first ask ourselves: Why did the God of the Old Testament – Jesus Christ – want a temple, initially a tabernacle, to be built? Who was to build it?

We find the answer to this question in Exodus 25:1-9:

“Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ‘Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring Me an offering. From everyone who gives it willingly with his heart you shall take My offering. And this is the offering which you shall take from them: gold, silver, and bronze; blue, purple, and scarlet thread, fine linen, and goats’ hair; ram skins dyed red, badger skins, and acacia wood; oil for the light, and spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense; onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod and in the breastplate. And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it.’” (See also Exodus 40:34-35; 1 Kings 8:10-11).

Christ is the King of kings. He wanted to dwell with His people. He wanted to be close to them and care for them. Of course, we know that God does not actually dwell in a physical temple (see Acts 7:48). But this was a symbolic visual confirmation that He would be close to His people.

Unfortunately, in the time of Samuel, there was a rebellion by the Israelites, because they did not want to accept the invisible God of the Old Testament as their king, preferring a human being as their ruler, which of course only led to suffering and pain (see 1 Samuel 8:1-22).

And so God decided that Saul should be anointed king (compare 1 Samuel 9:15-27; 10:1). According to the biblical account, Saul died because of his many sins, and God had David, the shepherd, the son of Jesse, anointed to be king. David, however, became a man of war and had much blood on his hands. Nevertheless, he was a man after God’s own heart because he was faithful to God and always repented with all his heart and with humility.

We read in 2 Samuel 5:4-10: “David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah. And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land… David took the stronghold of Zion (that is, the City of David)… Then David dwelt in the stronghold, and called it the City of David. And David built all around from the Millo and inward. So David went on and became great, and the LORD God of hosts was with him.“

In 2 Samuel 7:1-16, we read that it was David’s desire to build a house or temple for God, but this was denied him because he was a man of war. Instead, his son Solomon was to build the house for God.

In 1 Chronicles 21:18-30; 22:1-19, however, God allows David to identify the site for the temple and the altar of sacrifice, after which David handed over the construction of the temple to his son Solomon, as it was God’s will. David then passed the design of the temple to his son Solomon with all its provisions and regulations (compare 1 Chronicles 28:11-21).

In 2 Chronicles 3, Solomon began the construction of the temple, which was around 970 BC. In 1 Kings 6:37-38 we read: “In the fourth year the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid, in the month of Ziv (today April/May). And in the eleventh year (about 7 ½ years later), in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished (about 962 BC) in all its details and according to all its plans. So he was seven years in building it.”

This first Temple, also called “Solomon’s Temple”, was then destroyed and burnt down by King Nebuchadnezzar II in about 587/586 BC. We read in 2 Kings 25:8-10: “And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month (which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. He burned the house of the LORD and the king’s house; all the houses of Jerusalem, that is, all the houses of the great, he burned with fire. And all the army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard broke down the walls of Jerusalem all around.” On this subject, also read Ezra 5:12; 2 Kings 24:10-14; 2 Chronicles 36:17-19.

At this point, the people of Judah had already been deported to various regions of the Babylonian Empire. This captivity, which was to last for 70 years, had already been prophesied by the prophet Jeremiah. He was preaching to the people of Judah for 23 years that this would happen, but they did not want to hear it (see Jeremiah 25:1-11; 29:10, and 2 Chronicles 36:20-21).

After these 70 years of captivity, they returned from Babylon to Jerusalem and Judah. The whole community numbered 42,360 people in total, not including their servants, who numbered 7,337, and there were 200 singers (see Ezra 2:1-70).

Then, in about 515 BC, about 7 months after the return from Babylon, King Cyrus gave the order to rebuild the temple and to bring back all the articles of the house of God (compare Ezra 1:1-11). After an interruption, King Darius again confirmed the order to build the temple (Ezra 6:1-5).

This was the second temple that was built or rebuilt, which was not always easy, as there were some obstacles. It is also interesting that Isaiah, about 150 years before Cyrus, predicted exactly this situation; namely, that Cyrus would rebuild the temple (Isaiah 44:24-28; 45:1-3).

In our free booklet “The Fall and Rise of the Jewish People”, you can learn more about the fulfillment of these prophecies, and how they relate to the modern State of Israel.

This second temple was then renovated several times and greatly expanded and redesigned under Herod the Great. It became known as the Herodian Temple, but it was still the second temple.

When Jerusalem was conquered by the Roman troops in 70 AD, it was again looted, set on fire and destroyed. This was no coincidence, because Christ had twice predicted during His lifetime as a human being here on earth, that the temple would be destroyed again.

In Luke 21:5-6, we read: “Then, as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and donations, He said, ‘These things which you see—the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down.’”

According to the biblical account, Christ was saddened for the people of Jerusalem because they did not believe in Him and the gospel, the good news, and He wept over them. He also said the following in Luke 19:41-44: “Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, ‘If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.’”

This is exactly what happened in 70 AD through the Romans.

The German Website of the Wikipedia-Encyclopedia states the following: “On August 30, the Romans conquered the upper and lower city with Herod’s palace. Smaller groups of Jewish fighters escaped through hidden tunnels. On September 7, 70, the city was completely in Roman hands. According to Flavius Josephus, approximately 1.1 million people lost their lives during the conquest, the majority of whom were Jews. The temple was destroyed – probably accidentally – and has not been rebuilt to this day. Only the Western Wall remains.”

What is at issue now is that this destroyed second temple must in fact be rebuilt before Jesus Christ can return!

So why a third temple before the return of Jesus Christ? Couldn’t Christ just decide not to have the third temple built and come back to earth without it?

NO, because otherwise God’s end-time prophecy could not be fulfilled! For it is prophesied that there MUST be a third temple. The Bible gives us numerous impressive prophecies that describe or mention the third temple before Christ’s return.

Matthew 24:15 refers to the “abomination of desolation” in the temple. The New International Version puts it like this: “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel – let the reader understand…”

Daniel 11:31 reads: “And forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation.”

Although Antiochus Epiphanes fulfilled this prophecy in his time, this was only a forerunner, because it is an end-time prophecy. It is a prophecy for the third temple. The sacrificing of animals, which according to the Bible is to be taken away, is being prepared in Jerusalem at this present time and will soon reach its climax!

We also read about what must happen in the third temple before the Second Coming of Christ.

In 2 Thessalonians, chapter 2, the German Luther Bible 1984 begins with the heading “The Adversary’s Appearance Before the Coming of Christ.”

Verses 3-4 state: “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” This man will claim to be God.

Verses 9-10 continue as follows:

“The coming of the lawless one (the adversary; the man of wickedness or also the man of lawlessness) is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.”

This is a clear prophecy that there must be a third temple!

Who is the one who will sit in the third temple and claim to be God?

Revelation 13:11-14 states: “Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs…”

The first beast is an end-time political and military leader of German or Austrian descent. The second beast refers to a religious leader who is also called the false prophet. In 2 Thessalonians, he is called the transgressor, the lawless one, the adversary, the man of sin or the man of lawlessness, depending on the translation. He will be someone who will arise from the Catholic Church, perhaps even directly from the Vatican in Rome.

But he will meet his temporary end and lose his life, since he is only human, not God!

Revelation 19:20 says: “Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.”

In Ezekiel 28:8-9, we also read the following about the false prophet in the Authorized Version:

“They shall bring thee down to the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain in the midst of the seas. Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I am God? but thou shalt be a man, and no God, in the hand of him that slayeth thee.”

There are many more Bible passages that point to the false prophet in this coming age, before the Second Coming of Christ. This man will sit in the rebuilt third temple and will claim to be God. The construction of this third temple is imminent.

If you want to know and understand more about it, please order our free booklet “The Fall and Rise of the Jewish People.”

Lead Writer: Thilo Hanstein (Germany)

Initial translation from the German: Daniel Blasinger

compiled by Dave Harris

“Scandal! How Our Government Wastes Our Money!” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is the summary:

First, we experienced a chaotic week on Capitol Hill with ridiculous proposals, resulting in a stopgap funding bill to avoid a shutdown. Then, we were informed about the unbelievable waste of American taxpayers’ money in 2024 for useless and godless projects while the US national debt is steadily climbing. This program lists some examples of “frivolous government spending” while many, also in light of heavy taxes, are struggling to make ends meet.  

“Terror in Magdeburg und Deutschlands Zukunft,” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Terror in Magdeburg and Germany’s Future.”

A new Member Letter (December 2024) is now posted, and copies have been sent to those on our mailing list (available on request). Dave Harris writes about the prophesied persecution for Christians which lies ahead and for our need to watch and be ready.

“Middle Eastern and African Nations in Bible Prophecy,” has been translated into German (“Die Nationen des Nahen Ostens und Afrikas in der biblischen Prophezeiung”) and sent to graphic designer Shelly Bruno in preparation for printing.

“Totensonntag ein Gedenken im Sinne Gottes?” last Sabbath’s German sermonette presented by Jens Herrmann, is now posted. Title in English: “Sunday of the Dead – A Commemoration in the Spirit of God?”

“The Foundation of Faith,” last Sabbath’s sermonette presented by Dave Harris, is now posted. Here is the summary:

The Bible describes people as having little faith in God and even great faith in God. WHY is that so? What is the variable?

“Understanding and Overcoming Shame,” last Sabbath’s sermon presented by Eric Rank, is now posted. Here is the summary:

Shame describes an emotional state of feeling bad about one’s self. It’s uncomfortable, unpleasant, and can incur lasting damage if left unattended. How are we supposed to understand feelings of shame and the purpose that God intends for those feelings to have? What can we do to move beyond feelings of shame so that we can grow in the way that God expects?

On December 21, 2024, Dave Harris will present the sermonette, titled, “The Foundation of Faith,” and Eric Rank will present the sermon, titled, “Understanding and Overcoming Shame.”

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.

It’s still only a matter of a few weeks since we were keeping the annual Feast of Tabernacles as instructed by God, where we heard many messages about the greatness of God and the wonderful future just ahead of us.   We will also have enjoyed fellowship with people of like-mind and the cares and concerns of life in general will have been put to one side in order to enjoy this annual celebration which is unlike anything else we experience in our normal activities.  As we returned home, we were soon back into our everyday routines and again fighting against Satan and his society.

In his Editorial dated 14th July 2023 entitled “Get Mad!” Mr. Norbert Link wrote the following:

“In order to fulfill our responsibility effectively and convincingly, we must ourselves 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).”

And so, after each Feast, it is back to having to live in a godless system and doing everything we can to get behind the Work that the Church is doing in anticipation of the return of Jesus Christ.

Mr Link writes about “the horrible sinful conduct of our [National] leaders and the people” and it is interesting to see that three consecutive UK Prime Ministers oversaw changes that the nation now accepts as the norm, but changes that God totally condemns in His Word.

Tony Blair (1997-2007) followed by Gordon Brown (2007-2010) and then David Cameron (2010-2016) all pursued, over a period of 19 years as leaders of the UK, the promotion of homosexuality and, it appears, were proud of their achievements in this regard.

The gov.uk website on the History of the UK Government states as follows: “Why is history important? Governments are remembered for their leaders and the course they set for their country.”   Quite so, and what these three leaders achieved has helped to set us on the path of destruction that now lies before us.   The promotion of perversion is something that people seem to be so proud of!  But not God!

This UK government website has this to say about Tony Blair:

“Major Acts – Civil Partnership Act 2004: allowed legal recognition of civil partnership relationship between two people of the same sex.”

The same website has this to say aboutDavid Cameron: 

“Major acts – Fixed Term Parliaments Act 2010 Academies Act 2010 Education Act 2011 Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 Succession to the Crown Act 2013.”

In 2009, The Christian Institute reported that “Gordon Brown is in negotiations with France and Spain in an attempt to get British civil partnerships legal recognition in EU member states. These negotiations form part of Gordon Brown’s campaign for ‘gay rights’ recognition across Europe.  During an interview with a gay lifestyle magazine, Mr Brown said: “I’m fighting to get all the countries in Europe to recognise civil partnerships carried out in Britain.’”

Since David Cameron left the Prime Ministerial office in 2016, there have been 5 Prime Ministers, none of whom have shown the slightest interest in rectifying this God-defying legislation probably because it has become so ingrained in society that to do so would signal their immediate political demise.

Recently, in November 2024, two well-known female professional footballers who are engaged, announced that they were expecting a baby. While this news received much support from well-wishers across the game, it also prompted what one fans’ group called “hateful comments” on social media.  Chelsea Pride, an LGBTQ+ supporters’ group, condemned the comments in a statement posted on social media platform X. “Homophobia has no place in football, at Chelsea, or in our society,” it said.  Another headline said that it was “another reminder of how far society has to go,” meaning that full acceptance of this practice was not yet achieved.

It appears that there were “homophobic” comments on social media. Exactly what they were are not explained but it could be that saying such behaviour is unacceptable and that homosexuality is wrong is counted today as homophobic. We are told that we do not only have to accept such behaviour but approve of it and, whenever possible, promote it.

This societal acceptance and promotion of sin has become accepted conformity and part of the grievance industry.   And I am hopping mad about it!

A question to always ask is what have been the fruits of this behaviour.   We now have, in the UK, the most sinful sexual conduct ever seen in this once great nation.   We have (supposedly) over 70 different sexual designations and the weirdest conduct ever seen.   

But there’s even more outrageous and ridiculous behaviour.  In June 2023, the Daily Mail reported that “Britain’s strictest headteacher has said children allowed to self-identify as animals, moons and holograms should be moved to another school by their parents.” This was already seen as saying too much. It was demanded that the headteacher had to allow such self-identification of children at any school.

And so, if children want, they are now allowed to self-identify as whatever comes into their minds.   What on earth are their parents doing to allow this gross stupidity?  It has got to the stage that if our ten-year-old pet chihuahua wanted to self-identify as a human being, it is hardly likely that any criticism would be made of it, such is the state of play in our educational system and society today!   (I jest, but only just!) 

Isaiah 3:4-5 is an excellent commentary which will be ignored by most people: “I will give children to be their princes, And babes shall rule over them. The people will be oppressed, Every one by another and every one by his neighbor; The child will be insolent toward the elder, And the base toward the honorable.”

And finally, in this Editorial, I get very upset indeed when I hear blasphemy on a daily basis, taking the Name of God, of both the Father and of Jesus Christ, in vain by so many in society today, from the very young to the oldest, not seeming to care one jot about what they are saying.   Am I mad about that?   Absolutely!

I have just mentioned these areas briefly where I am mad and outraged about what is going on.   And there’s more, but space does not permit me to expand further.  I hope that it shows in this Editorial that we should get mad at what is going on in this Satan-inspired society!

by Norbert Link

We begin with reporting on mysterious drones hovering over parts of the United States and Germany. Please view our new StandingWatch program, titled,  “The DRONES! No Danger? Are You Kidding?”

We continue with crumbling, failing and collapsing governments in France, Canada, Germany, Romania, South Korea, and Syria.

We continue with Israel’s attacks on Syria and deliberations to attack Iran.

We address Trump’s highly controversial idea to end birthright citizenship and his popular idea to end daylight saving time.

We conclude with an article stating that tattoos are not well-received in Germany.

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

The DRONES… Don’t Trust Biden Administration’s “Assurances”

The Editorial Board of the New York Post wrote on December 13:

“Gaslighting as usual, the White House is telling Americans freaked out by the drones hovering ominously over parts of New York and New Jersey [as well as Pennsylvania and Maryland]: Everything’s fine! Just trust us! Since the first known spotting Nov. 18, at least 3,000 sightings have followed in New Jersey alone, and it’s spread to Staten Island and The Bronx…

“Pushed by local leaders to address exactly what… has been happening in US airspace for nearly a month, National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby had the nerve to brush off concerns. ‘Many of the reported sightings are actually manned aircraft that are being operated lawfully,’ he insisted, and there’s no evidence the UFOs pose a threat. Which might be reassuring if he hadn’t just indicated that the White House has no clue where the drones are coming from…

“Americans aren’t stupid; most people can tell the difference between an airplane or helicopter and the type of eerie, floating objects that have been reported. And the Biden crew has absolutely blown its credibility on this front: Earlier this year, the White House stayed hush-hush about a Chinese spy balloon that it knew was taking a tour of American military bases. They fully planned to keep it a secret forever, only to be foiled when civilians spotted the craft…

“If the US government actually has no idea what the drones are or who’s operating them, that’s a scandalous national-security failure… People are scared: Car-sized objects that could be armed or equipped with surveillance gear are literally hanging over their heads…”

Kirby stated on Fox News on December 16 that the drones were mainly unmanned aircraft, but perfectly legal, posing no threats whatsoever to America’s security.  

Breitbart wrote on December 13:

“President-elect Donald Trump joined the conversation on the ongoing sightings of mysterious unidentified drones and called for the government to ‘shoot them down.’ In a post on Truth Social, Trump questioned if the drone sightings could be ‘happening without’ the government’s knowledge and added that the government should provide the public with answers. ‘Mystery Drone sightings all over the Country,’ Trump wrote in his post. ‘Can this really be happening without our government’s knowledge. I don’t think so! Let the public know, and now. Otherwise, shoot them down!!! DJT.’”

Subsequently, Trump said that the government knows, that Biden knows, but that they are hiding their knowledge. He also stated that he does not believe that the drones are coming from foreign entities. This seems to be a rather odd conclusion in light of the evidence. Note the next articles.

Drones Over US Air Base in Germany

Reuters wrote on December 13:

“Unidentified drones have been sighted over sensitive industry locations and the U.S. air base at Ramstein in Germany in recent weeks, the Spiegel news magazine reported on Friday, citing a confidential report by German security authorities.

“The report flagged numerous drone sightings made in the evening hours of Dec. 3 and 4 over the air base, according to Spiegel.”

What’s Going on With the Drones?

Report 24 wrote on December 13:

“Recent videos show such drones potentially firing weapons and releasing unknown substances. A warning has now been issued to emergency services to stay away from crashed drones for health reasons…

“Specifically, in the last few days, images have emerged of a drone firing at some unknown target with an unknown weapon. Tracers streaked across the sky. Another drone is said to have sprayed a substance into the air about which nothing is known…

“Now the FBI and New Jersey State Police have released a fact sheet to address first responders called to drone crash sites. Key recommendations include avoiding physical contact with the drone and establishing a 100 meter wide isolation and evacuation zone in all directions…

“First responders are instructed to wear full personal protective equipment (PPE) with self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) when securing the perimeter and are warned not to re-enter the once established isolation zone.

“In addition, responders are instructed to notify local law enforcement and the FBI, as well as request assistance from hazardous materials response teams and bomb disposal squads to assess the situation… Use of radiation monitors is also advised, and attention should be paid to possible electronic interference in the area. The incidents should be classified as criminal offenses and reported, using established protocols to prevent violence and terror….”

This does not sound like harmless drones which pose no threats to American security. It has been suggested that the drones could be searching for radioactive material which went missing in early December.

Drone Sightings Aren’t Just in Northeast

USA Today wrote on December 18:

“The boom in drone sightings ignited a month ago in New Jersey that quickly spread across the Northeast has swept across the nation, and military bases are front and center amid the chaos and controversy. Last week a drone incursion over Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio forced the closure of its airspace for several hours. In Utah, drones were recently spotted near Hill Air Force Base…

“In California, residents of Venice Beach reported seeing unexplained drones Sunday, and Rep. Paul Ruiz, D-California, expressed concern this week over recent sightings in the Coachella Valley. Camp Pendleton, 40 miles north of San Diego, saw at least six drone  incursion over its airspace last week alone, a spokesperson for the Marine base told ‘The War Zone’ on Tuesday…

“President Joe Biden dismissed conspiracy theories… ‘So far no sense of danger’… Biden’s comment reaffirmed a joint statement issued this week by the Department of Homeland Security, FBI, FAA and the Pentagon saying that − based on preliminary investigations − the sightings appear to include legal commercial, hobbyist and law enforcement drones, as well as airplanes, helicopters and ‘stars mistakenly reported as drones.’ No threat of national security or public safety had been determined from more than 5,000 reported sightings, the statement said…

“The House Intelligence Committee received a closed-door briefing on drones Tuesday with representatives from Justice, Defense and Homeland Security departments…”

WHY a closed-door briefing?

Targeting Military Sites

In a related article, USA Today wrote on December 18:

“There have been hundreds, perhaps thousands, of drone incursions at remote military installations, drawing little public attention. But they have disrupted sensitive operations… In the vast, sparsely populated areas that are home to many military installations, the response is often too little, and way too late… the Pentagon had been too passive in the face [of] the growing threat.

“Spy drones could collect sensitive information on U.S. military activities that could tip off adversaries to future deployments… For example, aerial surveillance could show the movement of ammunition from arsenals to port as the Pentagon prepared for war. A drone could also provide real-time video of the rapid response of Special Forces soldiers out of Fort Liberty… F-22 fighters, the most sophisticated warplanes in the Air Force fleet, may have been the target of mysterious waves of drones that soared over Langley Air Force Base in Virginia last year…

“… sites of drone incursions include White Sands Missile Range,… the Army’s only land range for testing long-distance missiles, explosives and artillery…

“Drones have already taken lives at U.S. military bases abroad. In January, a drone attacked Tower 22, a U.S. base in Jordan, killing three American soldiers [and] wounding more than 40. A one-way drone, which is programmed with a target and doesn’t need direction in mid-air, was used in the attack.

“The current drone mania also echoes the Chinese spy balloon incident that riveted the country in 2023.  The Pentagon monitored the balloon, bristling with spyware, as it passed over sensitive military sites on its transit across the country…”

It has been suggested that at least those drones that are over US military sites are adversarial and most likely are coming from the People’s Republic of China.

France’s New Prime Minister… For How Long?

AFP wrote on December 13:

“President Emmanuel Macron on Friday named centrist Francois Bayrou as prime minister, handing him the daunting task of hauling France out of months of political crisis. Bayrou, 73, the leader of the MoDem group, which is allied to Macron’s party, was appointed nine days after parliament ousted Michel Barnier’s government in a historic no-confidence vote following a standoff over an austerity budget…

“Bayrou is the sixth prime minister of Macron’s mandate, with his predecessor, Barnier, being France’s shortest-serving premier, having lasted only three months. Bayrou also is Macron’s fourth prime minister this year. The newly appointed premier faces the immediate challenge of forming a cabinet that can survive a no-confidence vote in a divided parliament and thrashing out a 2025 budget in a bid to limit economic turmoil…

“Several sources told AFP that the morning meeting between Macron and Bayrou had been a stormy affair, with the president initially leaning toward naming his loyal Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu as premier. Losing his temper, Bayrou threatened to break the alliance with Macron, who decided it would be best to turn to Bayrou in the name of unity, the sources said… Mujtaba Rahman, Europe director at risk analysis firm Eurasia Group, said: ‘In the long history of the Fifth Republic [founded in 1958], this may have been the first time that a prime minister chose himself.’”

This does not appear to describe a stable government which could survive its challenges for long. But France is only one of quite a few unstable governments which are ready to collapse or which have already collapsed.

Canadian Government Crumbles

Daily Mail wrote on December 16:

“Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is on the brink of resigning as his liberal government crumbles around him… Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland… quit on Monday after clashing with Trudeau on issues including how to handle possible U.S. tariffs, dealing a huge blow to an already unpopular government…

“The resignation by Freeland, 56, who also served as deputy prime minister, is one of the biggest crises Trudeau has faced since taking power in November 2015.  It also leaves him without a key ally when he is on track to lose the next election to the official opposition Conservatives….

“Trudeau can be toppled if the opposition parties unite against him on a vote of no confidence, though that cannot happen until late January at the earliest… Polls show the Liberals are set to be crushed in an election that must be held by late October 2025.”

Trudeau’s time to step down has long passed.

Trudeau Governor of 51^st State?

Newsmax wrote on December 18:

“President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday questioned why the U.S. provides Canada with subsidies and suggested it should become a U.S. state. ‘No one can answer why we subsidize Canada to the tune of over $100,000,000 a year? Makes no sense!…  Many Canadians want Canada to become the 51st State. They would save massively on taxes and military protection. I think it is a great idea,’ he added. ‘51st State!!!’

“Trump has needled Canada and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over the last few days following the shock resignation of Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland. ‘The Great State of Canada is stunned as the Finance Minister resigns, or was fired, from her position by Governor Justin Trudeau,’ Trump wrote Monday…”

Could Canada Become the 51^st State of the USA?

National Post wrote on December 12:

“… if either Canada as a whole, or some portions of it, would want to join the United States they would have to go through Section 41 of the Constitution Act of 1982. Which means that consent would have to be given for the departure from Canada of a particular jurisdiction by the Senate, and the House, and the legislatures of all 10 provinces… Once that decision is taken, either by all 10 provinces or by some but not others, then there must be admission into the United States. And that is a completely separate process. That is based on Article IV, section 3, clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution, which essentially says that by a simple vote of the U.S. Congress, new territories can be incorporated into the U.S. and can become states. The most recent example of that occurred with Hawaii which became a state on August 21, 1959, pursuant to a statewide referendum in Hawaii and then federal legislation.

“The second possibility is by purchase. A lot of the American states were purchased, for example, in the Louisiana Purchase, and that’s how states on the western side of the Mississippi became first territories and eventually states… If you recall during his first term, President Trump talked about simply buying Greenland…

“The third option:… Outright invasion. In upstate New York, close to Ottawa, they have the 10th Mountain Division, which are elite troops of the U.S. Army. It wouldn’t… take much for them to drive up to Ottawa and say you’re now part of us… The United States has historically added a new state that had formerly been an independent country: That’s how we annexed Texas in 1845.

“The constitutional provision authorizing the addition of new states is found at Article IV, section 3, clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution: ‘New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union; but no new State shall be formed or erected within the Jurisdiction of any other State; nor any State be formed by the Junction of two or more States, or Parts of States, without the Consent of the Legislatures of the States concerned as well as of the Congress.’…

“The Congress then passes an enabling act authorizing the admission of the new states on some statutorily specified set of conditions. For Utah’s admission, Congress insisted that the Utah Constitution outlaw polygamy, for instance. Then the population of the proposed state generally votes in a referendum to approve or reject the conditional admission…

“At the time of our Revolution against the British Empire, the Continental Congress actually invited Canada to join the Union as a state — and, when they did not rise up against the British, we Americans invaded…”

The article concludes that all of this is absolutely absurd. But even though it was perhaps meant as a joke by Trump, stranger things have happened.

German Government Collapses

DNYUZ rote on December 16:

“Chancellor Olaf Scholz lost a confidence vote in the German Parliament on Monday, a defeat that effectively ended the increasingly unpopular government he has led since 2021 and set the stage for elections early next year [planned for February 23].

“The collapse of the government just nine months before elections had been scheduled was an extraordinary moment for Germany. This will be only the fourth snap election in the 75 years since the modern state was founded, and it reflected a new era of more fractious and unstable politics in a country long known for durable coalitions built on plodding consensus. The confidence vote, in the same month that the French government fell, deepens a crisis of leadership in Europe at a time of mounting economic and security challenges. The war in Ukraine has reached a pivotal moment. President-elect Donald J. Trump is set to take office in the United States. And now, Europe’s largest economy is in the hands of a caretaker government.

“Mr. Scholz had little choice but to take the unusual step of calling for the confidence vote after his three-party coalition splintered in November, ending months of bitter internal squabbling and leaving him without a parliamentary majority to pass laws or a budget. But the political uncertainty could last for months. The elections are expected to be held on February 23, but even if, as expected, his party does not finish first, Mr. Scholz would remain in place as a caretaker chancellor until weeks after that. He would step down only after a new coalition forms, which will probably not happen until April or May.

“Seven parties will go into the campaign for Parliament with a realistic chance of gaining seats, and some on the political fringes — especially on the right — are poised for strong showings, according to polls…

“It is an inopportune time for Germany to be plunged into a grueling winter election campaign and a political freeze that could last until a new government takes power. ‘The timing is absolutely terrible for the E.U. — basically, these multiple crises are hitting the E.U. at the worst possible time, because the bloc’s traditional engine is busy with itself,’ Jana Puglierin, of the European Council on Foreign Relations, said, referring to Germany and France…

“… in Germany’s fractious political landscape, no single party is likely to win an outright majority, leading to potentially tricky negotiations to build a coalition more functional and durable than the one that failed…”

We feel that the new German government will fail exactly as the current one has, having no chance for survival, unless something really drastic occurs.

Merz Is Doing Everything Wrong

t-online wrote on December 12:

“Friedrich Merz has wanted to become Chancellor for at least 20 years. Now he is on the verge of fulfilling his dream – and fails… He has been waiting for this chance for decades, working for his comeback in the CDU, rallying the party behind him as much as possible, shaping it into a new one after the diffuse Merkel era, has become the Union’s candidate for chancellor and is well ahead in the polls. His life’s goal of becoming Federal Chancellor is within reach. And suddenly he slips up, stumbles, stammers. He no longer speaks like himself, but sounds like the sounding board of all those who talk to him… And Merz wants to do everything right – and yet does everything wrong…

“Work longer until retirement? It wasn’t meant that way. A real economic turnaround? Yes, yes, but not in the way the FDP demands. Taurus for Ukraine? Yes, yes, but first Ukrainian soldiers would have to be trained on this weapon in Germany for months…

“On top of that, he is already wildly handing out ministerial positions in his future cabinet to all possible coalition partners, as if he were already Chancellor – and then withdrawing them again… Given the current situation, Olaf Scholz can no longer win this election, that’s true. But Merz can still lose his.”

Germany to the Right?

Barron’s wrote on December 17:

“Germany’s conservative opposition, leading in the polls ahead of February 23 elections, on Tuesday outlined plans to shift the EU powerhouse firmly to the right on immigration, social and economic policy. Friedrich Merz, head of the Christian Democrats (CDU), is tipped to replace Social Democrat Chancellor Olaf Scholz, whose term the conservatives have slammed as ‘three lost years’ for the stuttering economy.

“A day after Scholz lost a confidence vote he had called to pave the way for the early elections, Merz charged that the chancellor had ‘lost the confidence of a majority of the population a long time ago’. Merz — long a party rival of the CDU’s more moderate ex-chancellor Angela Merkel — has steered a return to the party’s right-wing roots to try to win support of voters tempted by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.

“In their campaign programme published Tuesday, the CDU and its Bavarian allies the CSU vowed to ‘stop illegal migration’ and scale down benefits for rejected asylum seekers to a ‘bed, bread and soap’ minimum. They also pledged ‘zero tolerance’ on crime, more video surveillance in public spaces and to ‘shut down mosques where hate and anti-Semitism is being preached’.

“Much of the platform may be softened in the coalition talks that typically follow German elections, but for now the alliance vowed to reverse two decades of more centrist rule dating back to the Merkel years. They promised a ‘fundamental shift in migration policy’ and criticised Merkel’s welcome to refugees, without naming her…

“The alliance also said it would reverse the legalisation of marijuana enacted by Scholz’s three-party alliance with the Greens and the liberal FDP, which collapsed in early November. The CDU also said it opposed efforts to liberalise abortion rules [and] a new gender self-determination law…

“In contrast, the campaign of the Social Democrats (SPD), the traditional defenders of the working class, emphasises better wages, stable pensions and benefits such as free school lunches… It wants to lower taxes for 95 percent of earners and raise them for the super-rich, while also increasing the minimum wage from 12 to 15 euros per hour…

“On security, both major parties vow to keep helping Ukraine in its war with Russia, and spending two percent of GDP or more on Germany’s defence. While the CDU programme remains vague on what weapons to ship to Kyiv, the SPD insisted it opposes sending long-range missiles because ‘Germany and NATO must not themselves become parties to the war’.”

What Russia Wants…

Focus wrote on December 14:

“There is constant talk about how a war with Russia can be prevented, even though we have been at war for a long time… The Russians send contract killers who liquidate people they don’t like… They hack into our networks and infiltrate social media…

“Most Germans think that if Putin has imposed his will in Ukraine, there would be peace. But it’s no longer about Ukraine. The man in Moscow has stated in several speeches that he dreams of a great Russian empire that would reverse the downfall of the Soviet empire.

“Since the summer, people around Putin have only been talking about the ‘so-called Baltics’. And once you’re done with Lithuania and Latvia, why not reach for Poland? By the way, Dresden was also once a Russian sphere of influence.

“Soldiers… closely monitor where barracks are constructed and supply routes are established. Russia is working hard to expand its military capabilities. It has the ambition to expand the war. And there is a militarization of society that is ready to support the expansion…

“Will there be an attack?… Russia appears strong because we are so weak… This is the Russia that is preparing to defeat the West. It should be possible for Europe to counter this. However, you have to do something about it.

“I don’t know whether things would be better under Chancellor Merz… A lot depends on whom the CDU forms a coalition with when it receives the government mandate in February. In Berlin everyone is preparing for a grand coalition (with the SPD). But perhaps this should be reconsidered in the Adenauer House….”

A grand coalition between the CDU and the SPD has miserably failed in the past.

A Europe to Moscow?

Die Welt wrote on December 14:

“AfD state leader Björn Höcke wants to make the Russia-Ukraine war a focus of the federal election campaign. At the Thuringian state party conference he called for ’emancipation’ from the USA and a Europe ‘whose spine runs from Paris via Berlin to Moscow’… If CDU leader Friedrich Merz becomes Chancellor, ‘German soldiers would, in the worst case scenario, send rockets to Moscow, where Russian soldiers and Russian civilians would be killed,’ claims Höcke. ‘Whoever votes for Merz is voting for war.’…

“In his speech, Höcke takes a look at history since the Cold War. At that time the world situation was bipolar – on the one hand the Soviet Union, on the other the USA. After the fall of the Wall, the era of unipolarity entered, with the USA as the only superpower… The Americans ‘acted as a new colonial power’ – and in doing so ‘made a lot of enemies’…

“Europe must become an independent, autonomous pole in a new, multipolar world order, says Höcke. ‘We have to emancipate ourselves from the United States of America… And in the worst case, they turn Europe into a theater of war.’…

“At the end of his speech, Höcke refers to the former French President Charles de Gaulle… In 1959, De Gaulle spoke of an ‘alliance from the Atlantic to the Urals’. Helmut Kohl and Mikhail Gorbachev called this a ‘common house of Europe’ in 1989. In 2010, Vladimir Putin then called for ‘the creation of a harmonious economic community from Lisbon to Vladivostok’. Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron later took this up word for word.

“De Gaulle also dreamed of a ‘sovereign Europe without foreign hegemonic influence from outside’, Höcke continues. ‘And he dreamed of a Europe whose spine runs from Paris via Berlin to Moscow. I find this dream very attractive.’”

No one wants to enter into a coalition with the AfD. But the AfD is a force to be reckoned with.

Court Annuls Romanian Election

Atlantic Council wrote on December 16:

“It’s never a good thing when presidential elections are annulled. But that’s just what happened in NATO and European Union (EU) member Romania earlier this month…

“On November 24, Georgescu, a formally fringe mystic nationalist, earned the most votes in the first-round presidential election. Then, just before the second round runoff, the Romanian Constitutional Court announced that it was annulling the results of the first round. The court’s decision was based on declassified Romanian government assessments of foreign (Russian) election interference, including using the social media platform TikTok to promote Georgescu. US intelligence officials privately confirmed to me that the allegations are credible. Still, evidence of Russian interference in European and US elections is abundant. No country before Romania has cancelled a presidential election because of it.

“By contrast, Romania’s parliamentary elections were held without incident on December 1. The parliamentary elections produced a strong result for the three centrist governing parties—the center-right liberals, the center-left social democrats, and the Hungarian minority party—plus a fourth liberal party. These four parties are now in negotiations to form a new coalition government… The new government will then have to rerun the cancelled presidential election, likely early next year. Outgoing President Klaus Iohannis will probably remain in office until then…

“The twin shocks—Georgescu’s rise and the annulment of the presidential election—have shaken the hitherto complacent centrists in Romania. While the accusations of Russian interference (and attempted sabotage) are plausible, given that the Kremlin engages in such activities throughout the West, Georgescu’s popularity is not simply a foreign import. That a man regarded as a fringe character even by fellow nationalists could rise within a few weeks from near obscurity to a leading contender for the presidency speaks to broad social dissatisfaction with the Romanian centrist parties, which have been trading control of the government back and forth for years. 

“My Romanian interlocutors expressed embarrassment, even shame, at the court’s annulment of the election, and they agreed that it set a terrible precedent for the country and the region. They also acknowledged that the centrist parties had lost touch with Romanian society and its cultural and economic dissatisfactions that, when spelled out, sounded similar to those of unhappy right-wing voters in Germany (particularly in the former East Germany), France, and to some degree the United States. In Romania, there is a widespread sense, accurate or not, that the establishment has been focused on itself, not on the problems faced by ordinary citizens, and that traditional national values and even national sovereignty were being lost. 

“More thoughtful liberals told me that Georgescu’s rise was, in effect, a protest vote against centrist complacency, not a vote for the candidate’s weird brand of nationalism and Romanian fascist nostalgia…

“Whether Georgescu will be allowed to compete given various irregularities in his campaign… is not clear. If he is not allowed to compete, the credibility of the rerun presidential election will be questioned within and without the country. If he is allowed to compete, he could win. In that case, a nationalist president and centrist government could rapidly find themselves at loggerheads. The resultant political paralysis could hamper governance, raising social frustrations still more.

“Romania’s communist dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu was repressive and economically incompetent, even by communist standards. When Romanians overthrew his rule in swift (and violent) revolt in December 1989, it was one of the poorest countries in Soviet-dominated Europe. No longer. After a slow start, Romania’s free-market reforms kicked in. The country’s economy has quadrupled in size since 1989, and it has joined NATO and the EU. Even as the current political crisis took hold, Romania gained admission to the EU’s Schengen area, meaning free travel within the bloc. It was a big deal for Romanians, and everyone I spoke with in Bucharest regarded it as a major national achievement. 

“But success as seen from afar and in context does not seem enough to assuage Romanian voters. The political dissatisfaction common throughout Europe and the United States has hit Romania hard…”

South Korea President Yoon to Be Impeached?

The Sun wrote on December 14:

“SOUTH Korea has voted to impeach President Yoon over his controversial martial law declaration that sparked mass protests in the country. Lawmakers successfully voted on Saturday, in a second attempt, to remove Yoon from office after his spectacular martial law U-turn last week. 204 out of 300 cast their votes to remove the leader on allegations of insurrection, while 85 voted against. This meant members of his own People Power Party voted against the leader, despite the group boycotting the first vote…

“Yoon declared he would ‘not give up’ despite the vote and called for officials to maintain government stability… Yoon is now suspended from office while the Constitutional Court has 180 days to decide whether to restore the controversial leader or finalise the decision. He could become the second South Korean president to be successfully impeached, if the courts uphold parliament’s vote.”

None of that contributes to the stability of the South Korean government.

Syria Was Never a Democracy

Focus wrote on December 13:

“Annalena Baerbock [Germany’s minister of foreign affairs] wants to make Syria a democratic country… At the end there should be free elections, says Baerbock… We don’t even know whether the Syrian population wants free elections. Free elections, a pluralistic democracy, religious freedom, women’s rights – these are all a Western ideal. Other countries think and act differently… Syria was never a democracy…

“Ms Baerbock has now transferred eight million euros. To whom actually? The reconstruction of the largely destroyed country is likely to cost between 200 and 400 billion euros, which only the sheikhdoms could finance, especially Qatar…

“If you as a Federal Republic want to invest in this country, which does not know democracy but has corruption in all areas of government, then only if clear, tough and comprehensible conditions for government and social development are formulated. Well-intentioned but poorly provided help is likely to end up with the wrong people.”

And that is SO predictable!

Public Executions in Syria

Report 24 wrote on December 13:

“The West is celebrating the fall of President Assad and the rise to power of the HTS Islamists in Damascus. But in the Syrian capital they are celebrating their ‘moderate jihad’ with public executions – and with the implementation of Sharia law. One dictatorship replaces the other. Are the Syrians now going from bad to worse?

“The BBC extols ‘moderate jihad’ in Syria as thousands gather ‘excitedly’ for public executions… The Western media… is literally falling over itself in portraying al-Jolani and his HTS militias as enlightened reformers. The absurdity of the man who was radicalized by the September 11 attacks and who attacked American troops in Iraq with booby traps is now being styled as a poster boy for ‘moderate Islam’ is hard to beat.

“Meanwhile, there are countless videos circulating on social media of alleged Assad supporters being shot and tortured by the ‘moderate’ rebels… In their desperate search for ‘moderate’ forces in Syria, the Western media appears to be prepared to accept even obvious excesses of violence as an expression of the will to reform. It is a dangerous distortion of reality…”

Turkey Ready to Invade?

The Jerusalem Post wrote on December 17:

“The United States is increasingly alarmed that Turkey and its militia allies are preparing for a large-scale military incursion into Syrian territory controlled by US-backed Kurdish forces, according to an exclusive Wall Street Journal report on Tuesday… One US official, speaking to the WSJ, warned that ‘a cross-border operation could be imminent.’…

“In response to the escalating situation, Ilham Ahmed, a senior official in the Kurdish civilian administration in Syria, penned a letter to President-elect Donald Trump, urging him to pressure Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to abandon the planned operation. Ahmed’s letter… stated that Turkey aimed to seize control of Kurdish territory before Trump’s inauguration, thereby forcing the new administration to recognize Ankara’s authority in the region. ‘If Turkey proceeds with its invasion, the consequences will be catastrophic,’ Ahmed’s letter was cited as saying, noting that such an operation could displace more than 200,000 Kurdish civilians and threaten Christian communities in the area. The letter reportedly appealed to Trump’s prior assurances of support for the Kurdish forces, reminding him of his past promises that ‘the United States wouldn’t abandon the Kurds.’…

“The WSJ further noted the precarious position of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish-led group working alongside US troops to eliminate the remaining elements of the Islamic State… Last week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Turkey in an effort to de-escalate tensions. Blinken sought assurances from Erdogan to limit operations against Kurdish forces but was unable to secure any commitments…”

Syria in the Abyss

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on December 18:

“Syria has entered the abyss – the demons of al-Qa’eda, ISIS, and the most intransigent elements of the Muslim Brotherhood are circling the skies. There is chaos, looting, fear, and a terrible passion for revenge scalds the blood. Street executions are rife.

“Maybe Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) and its leader, Al-Joulani, (following Turkish instruction), thought to control things. But HTS is an umbrella label like Al-Qa’eda, ISIS and An-Nusra, and its factions have already descended into factional fighting. The Syrian ‘state’ dissolved in the middle of the night; the police and army went home, leaving weapons depots open for the Shebab to loot. The prison doors were flung (or prised) open. Some, no doubt, were political prisoners; but many were not. Some of the most vicious inmates now roam the streets….”

Israel to Attack Iran’s Nuclear Sites?

Breitbart wrote on December 12:

“Israel’s Army Radio reported Thursday that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) began preparing plans for Israel to attack Iran’s nuclear sites after destroying nearly 90% of Syria’s air defense capabilities, which had formerly protected Iran…

“Iran has been pursuing nuclear weapons for decades, but began enriching uranium rapidly after President Joe Biden took office… Israel and the U.S. have long considered a military strike on the nuclear program as a last resort.

“The U.S. has discouraged Israel from pursuing such an attack, and Israel was deterred in the past by the presence of Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, which was thought to be able to launch thousands of rockets at Israel at once. But with Israel’s stunning success against Hezbollah over the past few months, that deterrent is gone. In a recent retaliation against Iran for a massive ballistic missile attack on Israel, Israel attacked at least one nuclear facility.

“In that same attack, Israel also reportedly destroyed much of Iran’s air defense system, leaving the country without any way to prevent future attack. It also reportedly damaged Iran’s missile sites and missile production facilities.

“Israel’s leaders may believe that the need for an attack is urgent, for two reasons. First, the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump has signaled that it wants to wrap up the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Second, Iran may conclude that it has no choice but to accelerate its development of nuclear weapons, having lost most of the other deterrents it attempted to create in its ‘ring of fire’ of terrorist organizations surrounding Israel.

“Previously, Israel would not have considered a strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities without consulting the U.S. But in recent days, Israel attacked the Syrian military without waiting for the Biden administration to agree. Israel is unlikely to wait for the lame-duck White House to weigh in, and may rely on the previous statements of President-elect Trump, who said earlier this year that Israel should attack Iran’s nuclear sites in response to its missile attacks.”

Time wrote on December 12:

“President-elect Donald Trump, TIME’s 2024 Person of the Year, sat down for a wide-ranging interview at his Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Fla., on Nov. 25:

“‘… numbers of dead soldiers that have been killed in the last month are numbers that are staggering, both Russians and Ukrainians, and the amounts are fairly equal… It’s crazy what’s taking place. It’s crazy. I disagree very vehemently with sending missiles hundreds of miles into Russia. Why are we doing that? We’re just escalating this war and making it worse. That should not have been allowed to be done. Now they’re doing not only missiles, but they’re doing other types of weapons. And I think that’s a very big mistake, very big mistake. But the level, the number of people dying is number one, not sustainable, and I’m talking on both sides. It’s really an advantage to both sides to get this thing done…

“‘And I disagree with the whole thing, because it should have never happened…

“‘I think that the Middle East is an easier problem to handle than what’s happening with Russia and Ukraine… October 7 was a horrible thing. Everyone is forgetting conveniently about October 7, but that was a horrible day for the world, not for Israel, for the world…

“‘I want everything to end… I don’t want people from either side killed, and that includes whether it’s Russia, Ukraine, or whether it’s the Palestinians and the Israelis and all of the, you know, the different entities that we have in the Middle East. There’s so many different entities… I support whatever solution we can do to get peace. There are other ideas other than two state, but I support whatever, whatever is necessary to get not just peace, a lasting peace… I’m not saying that’s a very likely scenario, but I want a long lasting peace, a peace where we don’t have an October 7 in another three years. And there are numerous ways you can do it. You can do it two state, but there are numerous ways it can be done…

“‘[Back to the Russia-Ukraine war:] I think the most dangerous thing right now is what’s happening, where Zelensky has decided, with the approval of, I assume, the President, to start shooting missiles into Russia. I think that’s a major escalation. I think it’s a foolish decision…

“‘[When asked whether he trusts Netanyahu:] I don’t trust anybody…’”

Interesting…

Israel on the Attack

The Sun wrote on December 16:

“… a colossal explosion erupted in Syria, marking the ‘heaviest strikes’ to hit the region in over a decade – and even registering on the Richter scale. Astounding video showed a giant mushroom-cloud fireball filling the sky alongside deafening sounds – with claims that the blast was caused by an Israeli strike… the ground-shaking blast measured the same as a 3.0-magnitude earthquake on nearby seismic sensors.

“Dozens of other Israeli attacks were seen across Syria on Sunday with warplanes reportedly launching pinpoint strikes on weapons depots… The blitz raged for at least 30 minutes…

“Meanwhile, there have been reports of Israeli tanks spotted ‘less than 20 miles’ from Damascus after they entered Syria for the first time in 50 years. After Syrian rebels ousted the tyrant President Assad, Israeli forces seized the Golan Heights region and other defensive positions.”

Israel Closes Embassy in Dublin

Politico wrote on December 15:

“Israel is closing its embassy in Dublin in protest against Ireland’s decisions to recognize Palestinian statehood and to accuse the Israelis of committing genocide in the Gaza Strip. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, who confirmed the embassy closure in a statement Sunday, condemned Ireland for what he called its ‘extreme anti-Israel policies.’…

“Israel’s move follows a steady downward spiral in relations with Ireland, which has a history of expressing sympathy for the Palestinian cause… The final straw for Israel appears to have been the Irish Cabinet’s decision last week to get more involved in South Africa’s year old case accusing Israel of genocide at the International Court of Justice in The Hague…”

Israel vs. Ireland

Times of Israel wrote on December 17:

“Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar castigates comments made today by Ireland’s president, who accused Israel of breaching Lebanon’s and Syria’s sovereignty and charged, without evidence, that Jerusalem is seeking to establish settlements in Egypt. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar yesterday defended his decision to close Israel’s embassy in Ireland, saying that Dublin ‘encouraged’ antisemitism under a prime minister he accused of hating Jews… Sa’ar says: ‘Once an antisemitic liar — always an antisemitic liar’…

“Concluding his combative statement, Sa’ar brings up Ireland’s failure to join the Allies in fighting Nazi Germany in World War II. ‘Let us not forget that Ireland was at best neutral during World War II. At that time, the free world was fighting Hitler’s axis while Ireland sat on the side and did nothing.’”

Ending Birthright Citizenship?

Newsmax wrote on December 16:

“President-elect Donald Trump has identified ending birthright citizenship as a top priority for his second administration, setting him up for a showdown over the controversial issue with Democrat lawmakers and the Supreme Court. Congressional Republicans say that foreign nationals are taking advantage of the Constitution’s 14th Amendment – which grants citizenship to everyone born in the United States – to gain a permanent foothold in the country, which the framers never envisioned. They told The Hill that they believe Trump has the authority to take executive action and reinterpret the 14th Amendment’s language to exclude the children of foreign-born individuals from receiving citizenship if they are born on U.S. soil…

“Adopted in 1868 in the aftermath of the Civil War, the 14th Amendment states that ‘all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.’ While the language has traditionally been interpreted as granting citizenship to anyone born in the United States, conservatives argue that it must be reinterpreted to exclude those who visit the U.S. in order to have their children gain automatic citizenship,”

The language of the 14^th Amendment is very clear. To just “reinterpret” it via executive action should be doomed to fail. But in the USA these days, everything could be possible. For practical purposes, to try to distinguish (if that is the goal) between those who visit the U.S. “in order to have their children gain automatic citizenship” or whether they came to the USA for other reasons would possibly meet insurmountable problems.

What is also totally unclear at this point is whether Trump wants to repeal or “reinterpret” the 14^th Amendment retroactively (this would be a scandal of unheard proportions) or “just” for the future. In any event, to abolish or “reinterpret” the 14th Amendment seems to be a somewhat bone-headed un-American idea. Many other countries allow birthright citizenship as well. Others should allow it.

Collateral Arrests of Non-Criminal Migrants

Newsmax wrote on December 18:

“Although President-elect Donald Trump’s mass deportation plan will center on illegal migrants with criminal histories, border czar Tom Homan warns that other migrants undoubtedly will be subject to ‘collateral arrests.’ … migrants whose only accused crime was entering the U.S. illegally should expect deportation, especially if they are residing with someone who’s the target of an arrest warrant… [Homan said:] ‘We expect a lot of collateral arrests.’…

“While ICE under the Biden administration prioritized arresting illegal migrants with criminal convictions for serious crimes, Trump is expected to include anyone unlawfully present in the country… The border czar said Trump’s deportation plan will begin on Inauguration Day, Jan. 20…”

This was clear from the outset.

Ending Daylight Saving Time?

The New York Post wrote on December 13:

“President-elect Donald Trump announced Friday that he’ll back Republican-led efforts to eliminate daylight saving time, arguing that the twice-a-year ritual of adjusting clocks is ‘inconvenient’ and ‘very costly.’… In 2022, the Senate unanimously approved a bill that would make daylight saving time permanent. The Sunshine Protection Act was introduced by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) — Trump’s pick to lead the State Department — but never received a vote in the House…. ‘This ritual of changing time twice a year is stupid,’ the Florida Republican senator said at the time, noting that ‘locking the clock has overwhelming bipartisan and popular support.’

“75% of Americans are against seasonal time adjustments…  Arizona and Hawaii are the only states that have locked their clocks, following standard time throughout the whole year.

“The origins of daylight saving time date back to World War I, when the Standard Time Act of 1918 was passed in an effort to conserve energy for the war effort. Entrepreneurs Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy — tapped by Trump to make government more efficient — have signaled they’d support eliminating clock changes.”

This idea was gladly adopted by Hitler in World War II. It’s about time to do away with the stupid “war-originating” and “war-perpetuating” daylight saving time.

Tattoos Unpopular in Germany

ntv wrote on December 12:

“Tattoos are also very common in Germany [20% are said to have them], but many people find tattooed people less beautiful. This is the result of a new study… The models pictured completely without tattoos were consistently rated as the most beautiful, while those with extreme tattoos scored the lowest… the model photos with facial tattoos received the worst rating…

“Not everyone is happy with their tattoos in the long term; some people want to get rid of them. In a 2019 survey… 6.8 percent of tattooed people said they regretted their tattoos. Since 2021, only doctors in Germany have been allowed to remove tattoos with a laser. More extensive treatments can cost several thousand euros, which those affected have to pay for themselves.

“The less tattooed you are, the more beautiful you appear to others – this is how the results of the study can be summarized according to the head of the study…”

Amen to that… apart from the fact that the Bible prohibits tattoos.
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.

We have published a booklet which deals with the origin and practices of the holiday known as Christmas (“Don’t Keep Christmas”). Secular history also fully documents the many aspects of worship associated with Christmas observance, and one of the most widespread traditions involves that of Christmas trees.

The use of an evergreen tree for religious observance was founded in pagan worship practices. Its origin far predates Christianity. From history.com, “History of Christmas Trees,” we find these comments:

“Long before the advent of Christianity, plants and trees that remained green all year had a special meaning for people in the winter. Just as people today decorate their homes during the festive season with pine, spruce, and fir trees, many ancient peoples hung evergreen boughs over their doors and windows. In many countries it was believed that evergreens would keep away witches, ghosts, evil spirits, and illness…

“Germany is credited with starting the Christmas tree tradition—as we now know it—by the 16th century when sources record devout Christians bringing decorated trees into their homes. Some built Christmas pyramids of wood and decorated them with evergreens and candles if wood was scarce…

“Most 19th-century Americans found Christmas trees an oddity. The first records of Christmas trees being cut for display comes from the 1820s in Pennsylvania’s German community, although trees may have been a tradition there even earlier. As early as 1747, Moravian Germans in Pennsylvania had a community tree in the form of a wooden pyramid decorated with candles. But, as late as the 1840s, Christmas trees were seen as pagan symbols and not accepted by most Americans…

“It is not surprising that, like many other festive Christmas customs, the tree was adopted so late in America. New England’s first Puritan leaders viewed Christmas celebrations as unholy. The [pilgrims’] second governor, William Bradford, wrote that he tried hard to stamp out ‘pagan mockery’ of the observance, penalizing any frivolity…

“In 1659, the General Court of Massachusetts enacted a law making any observance of December 25 a penal offense; people were fined for hanging decorations. That stern solemnity continued until the influx of German and Irish immigrants in the 19th century undermined the Puritan legacy.”

In our booklet, “Don’t Keep Christmas,” we say on pages 23-24:

“Let’s also notice [Jeremiah] 10:2-5: ‘Thus says the Lord: ‘Do not learn the way [Note in the Lamsa Bible: “Religion”] of the Gentiles; do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven, for the Gentiles are dismayed at them. For the customs of the peoples are futile; for one cuts a tree from the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the ax. They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with nails and hammers so that it will not topple. They are upright, like a palm tree, and they cannot speak; they must be carried, because they cannot go themselves. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, nor can they do any good.’

“Here we find a description of the Christmas tree. Some have said, however, that [Jeremiah] 10 only talks about a wooden idol that was carved out of a tree, but that it does not refer to decorating a Christmas tree per se. Remember, though, that the pagans believed that their gods ‑ Attis, Osiris, Dionysus ‑ lived as tree spirits in pine trees. They believed that their gods actually changed into those trees, and they carried these sacred trees to a certain place of worship, decorated them, and adored them as deities.”

Most of the world’s claimants to Christianity now fully embrace the many aspects of “keeping Christmas”—including bringing an evergreen tree or its symbolic equivalent into their homes and businesses in the time leading up to December 25th.

Even governments celebrate the selection and decoration of Christmas trees with great public ceremonies, such as tree lighting and gift-giving. Perhaps no other country has so fully adopted this practice as the United States. Now, many non-Christian people embrace Christmas—especially, its frivolity and commercialism.

Catholicism, representing the largest number of adherents to modern Christianity, is the source for the term Christmas, literally meaning, “mass on Christ’s day” (compare britannnica.com).

The Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal organization founded by an American Catholic priest in 1882, is very active in perpetuating Christmas observance internationally. Note the mission statement concerning their program, “Keep Christ in Christmas”:

“Promote the true spirit of Christmas in homes, schools, parishes and communities. Councils will evangelize society through their faithful acts, celebrations and a variety of activities.

“The Knights of Columbus offers multiple activities that promote Christmas and the season of Advent in their proper context: Journey to the Inn, Spread the Light of Christ, Crèche or Advent Wreath Blessing, and the Christmas Poster Contest. These programs are centered on the example of the Holy Family and the Nativity of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

“The Keep Christ in Christmas (KCIC) Program brings all KCIC activities together under one umbrella. It encourages councils to prompt their neighbors to shift from a preoccupation with materialism to the light of Christ and the spirit of giving. KCIC activities include whatever efforts best suit the parish and community of a particular council and do not need to originate from the Supreme Council.”

Countless other organizations, both secular and religious, actively support the many aspects of Christmas observance. However, ask someone WHY they observe Christmas or WHY they have a Christmas tree, and the answer centers on emotional aspects such as family time, the “spirit of giving,” or many other self-professed reasons.

Exactly how Jesus Christ fits into all of this, what the relevance of a fir tree is, or whether the commemoration of December 25^th finds support in the Word of God concerning what Christians believe and practice, does not pass the test of what is TRUTH!

In fact, God condemns this kind of false worship, and every aspect of Christmas observance is founded on deceptive lies! We have already noted the explicit warning from God in Jeremiah, chapter 10, concerning the use of a tree as idol worship. Note what God states about man-made religious practices:

“‘I hate, I despise your feast days, And I do not savor your sacred assemblies. Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them, Nor will I regard your fattened peace offerings. Take away from Me the noise of your songs, For I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments. But let justice run down like water, And righteousness like a mighty stream’” (Amos 5:21-24).

One must seriously consider whether the observance of Christmas and the use of all the associated paraphernalia, such as a Christmas tree, as well as the common decoration of houses and Christmas-related “things” or “kitsch” in front yards is something God hates and despises! We realize, of course, that we cannot escape what is going on around us. We can hardly enter a building this time of year where there is no Christmas tree (or, in many cases, a cross for that matter), or, when we enter a shop, never-ending silly Christmas songs (“Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer”) are being played. What we are addressing here is our individual participation in those activities, including decorating or assisting in decorating a Christmas tree.

Do you call yourself a Christian? You can test yourself for proof by comparing your religious practices with what God commands. For instance, do you keep God’s commandment to observe the Sabbath day (Exodus 20:8-11), the seventh day of the week (Genesis 2:2-3), or do you observe Sunday, the first day of the week? Do you keep God’s commanded Holy Days (Leviticus 23), or do you participate in New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Easter and Halloween? Do you falsely worship God through the idolatry of passed-down customs and practices, such as Christmas and the placing of a tree to adorn your home, or do you obey the commandment of God to not do these demonic inspired activities?

Christmas celebrations completely smother society in much of the world. Media, whether in print, in movies, or over the Internet, endlessly promotes “Christmas time.” “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year” suddenly becomes the accepted form of greeting as December 25^th draws near. But this activity does not bring people closer to God the Father or His Son, Jesus Christ! Rather, this kind of blind worship is forbidden by God:

“And God spoke all these words, saying:‘I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments’” (Exodus 20:1-6).

God very specifically reveals HOW TO WORSHIP HIM. Celebrating Christmas with figurines representing Jesus and His family are an absolute abomination in God’s eyes! Yet, people have become so emotionally transfixed with all things pertaining to Christmas that most would not even consider rejecting the traditions of this holiday and instead investigate the Bible (and history) for the Truth!

The set up and use of Christmas trees in one’s home or business to pay tribute to Jesus Christ is false worship, and it is condemned by God. Then there’s the maddening flurry of purchasing and gift-giving, the drinking parties, the emotional Christmas family gatherings, the seasonal music, including the singing of Christmas carols—everything associated with Christmas observance is wrong in God’s eyes, and it is indeed sin!

As this world struggles to “Keep Christ in Christmas,” will you believe what the Bible reveals, that Christ has NEVER been in Christmas! Will you reject the worthless customs and traditions of Christmas and ask God to reveal His Truth to you? It can be found in the true good news Jesus Christ brought—the gospel of the Kingdom of God!

Lead Writer: Dave Harris

compiled by Dave Harris

“The DRONES! No Danger? Are You Kidding?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is the summary:

The many sightings of drones hovering over America and its military bases are no laughing matter, nor are these drones harmless. We are told that they don’t pose a danger to national security, but those assurances don’t ring true. Nor are opinions that they do not come from a foreign “enemy.” Reviewing the available evidence, what conclusions CAN we come to in regard to these drones? And what does this all mean?

“Die DROHNEN! Keine Gefahr? Sie scherzen wohl!” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This German program covers the same topics as described above.

We have posted our first Bible Story short video in German, “Die Schöpfung” (The Creation), on our German YouTube and Aufpostenstehen Website. Created by our members Evelyn Gerz and Andreas Rätz through AI technology, it is the start of a series. We plan to do the same in English shortly. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2iE4AgYjKU 

“Memorial for Margaret Adair,” was conducted on Sunday, December 15, 2024, and this service is now posted. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AI81HalPidw

“Leben Sie mit Christus in himmlischen Regionen?” is the title of this Sabbath’s new German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Do You Live with Christ in Heavenly Places?”

“Es gibt ein Zu Spät,” last Sabbath’s German sermonette presented by Johann Schell, is now posted. Title in English: “There Is Such a Thing as Too Late.”

“Wir WERDEN gross sein!” last Sabbath’s German sermon presented by Michael Link, is now posted. Title in English: “We Will Be Great!”

“What Does God Require of Us?” is the title of last Sabbath’s first split sermon, presented by Paul Niehoff. Here is the summary:

God has a number of requirements for us to live by, which are stated in many places throughout the Bible. However, there is one verse that summarizes what these requirements are, and that is found in the book of Micah.

“A Sinless Human Life,” is the title of last Sabbath’s second split-sermon, presented by Frank Bruno. Here is the summary:

In this Split Sermon we will consider various scriptures that help us in our study of the sinless human life of Jesus Christ. We understand that Jesus lived a fully human life, yet did so without sinning. This enabled Him to take on the sins of the world and offer salvation for true Christians who believe in Him and obey the commandments of the Father.