On March 18, 2023, Michael Link will present the sermonette, titled, “Let’s Make a Deal,” and Kalon Mitchell will present the sermon, titled, “When the Going Gets Tough-the Tough Get Going.”

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.

The Apostle Paul writes: “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12:18). One of the ways in which we can “live peaceably with all men” is to not live with resentment against others.

We bear a great responsibility before God as His emissaries of Christianity, and central to our role is that we must be willing to forgive. Here is what Jesus taught in this regard:

“‘For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses’” (Matthew 6:14-15).

We have all seen people who seethe with bitter resentment and who hold grudges sometimes for years. That kind of mental state is overpowering and dangerous, because it, like a cancer, can supplant righteous character. Oftentimes, animosity between people grows because steps are not taken to quickly resolve contentious issues. Jesus gave the following admonition for how members of the Church of God should deal with offenses, but the principle applies broadly:

“‘Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother’” (Matthew 18:15).

Where does the responsibility fall in being a forgiver? Quite obviously, in the example above, it took the part of both the offended and offender to work out the problem. That is the way The Parable of the Lost Son is represented, also, but note how willingly receptive the Father is toward the return of his now repentant son:

“And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him” (Luke 15:20).

If we are to be a godly forgiver, let’s not make it hard for others, with whom we may have problems, to approach us. Rather, we need to remember how openly God receives us when we often turn to Him asking for His forgiveness of our sins, for this is what He promises: “As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12).

Passover is ahead of us, and we are instructed to examine ourselves beforehand (1 Corinthians 11:28). One way to do so is to consider how well we are doing at being a forgiver of others. From the most minor of offenses to the greatest ones we encounter, are we able and willing to forgive?

Because of the supreme and selfless Sacrifice of Jesus Christ on our behalf, we have found and continue to find forgiveness with God.

Let’s be like God the Father and Jesus Christ—let us be a forgiver!

By Norbert Link

We speak about Donald Trump’s plans which he announced in an interview to end the Ukrainian-Russian war, which Fox News chose not to air; address Donald Trump’s and Ron DeSantis’ further statements on Ukraine; report on Poland’s military ambitions which might or might not come to pass; point out the shocking development in Germany, revealing that most Germans are now in favor of conscription; speak on the early retirement of German General Eberhard Zorn for giving an assessment of the Ukraine situation which runs counter to the government’s official narrative; and address the terrible mass shooting in Hamburg by a mentally sick and in all likelihood demonically possessed murderer. We also point out further evidence of Europe’s dictatorship.

We speak on Saudi Arabia’s desire to “normalize” ties with Israel and the USA, while at the same time, it wants to “restore” ties with Iran with the help of China. We also report on the emergence of the “Kings of the East” and the alleged “meddling” of the USA in Israeli elections.

We continue with the largest US bank failure since the Great Recession in 2008 and the worldwide panic as a consequence; warn about the dangers ofOuija boards; and address discussions about the origin of the Coronavirus and the incredible autocratic restrictions to “defeat” it; especially in California which used unconstitutional measures to suppress church services; point out further cover-ups regarding the suspicious financial dealings of the Biden family and the destruction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline; and we conclude with Democratic attempts to guarantee abortions nationwide until the time of birth of the innocent child.

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

How Trump Would End the Russian-Ukrainian War

Insider wrote on March 8:

“Fox News cut out comments by former President Donald Trump in which he said he would have considered letting Russia have parts of Ukraine as part of a peace deal between the nations. In an interview on Fox News host Sean Hannity’s radio show on Monday, which is not broadcast by Fox, Trump revealed how he would try and broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine in the wake of Russia’s invasion last year. Trump has claimed he can quickly bring an end to the war as he seeks election again in 2024. 

“In the interview, he boasted of how Russia would not have dared to launch an attack during his presidency, and added: ‘I could have negotiated. At worst, I could’ve made a deal to take over something, there are certain areas that are Russian-speaking areas, frankly, but you could’ve worked a deal.’

“The Daily Beast’s Justin Baragona reported that when Hannity played excerpts from the interview later that day on his prime time Fox News show, the part where Trump suggests he may have backed an agreement handing parts of Ukraine to Russia was edited out, with the excerpt cutting out after Trump says ‘I could’ve negotiated.’

“Fox pointed Insider to the fact that the Trump comments were part of a 22-minute radio interview on a separate platform that was edited down to a 2 minute clip as part of the usual editorial process.

“Russia annexed swaths of east Ukraine and the Crimea peninsula in 2014, two years before Trump became president, and last year launched a wider invasion aimed at toppling the Ukrainian government in Kyiv. The annexations and invasion have been condemned as illegal by the international community, and Ukraine says that the only conditions under which it would negotiate were if Russia withdrew from its territory.

“Trump last year praised Putin for being ‘smart’ in seeking to invade Ukraine, and declaring large swaths of it ‘independent’ as a prelude to illegally annexing it. Trump has long drawn criticism for his refusal to criticize Russian aggression, as well as his comments about the authoritarian president, Vladimir Putin.

“As president, he famously sided with Putin at a 2018 summit in questioning his own intelligence agencies’ assessment that Russia had meddled in the 2016 election…”

This “solution” would most certainly be rejected by Ukraine.

Trump: Only I Can Prevent World War III

Breitbart wrote on March 15:

“Former President Donald Trump told Iowans Monday night that he is the only candidate who could ‘prevent World War III’ as the war between Russia and Ukraine rages on… Trump pledged to have a deal reached between Russia and Ukraine as president-elect before his term even starts if he wins in 2024…

“He added that he believes the war would never have occurred if he were in the Oval Office. In Trump’s eyes, the Biden Administration’s disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal, which resulted in the deaths of 13 American servicemembers, showed weakness to Russian President Vladamir Putin and marked an opening for him to invade Ukraine… In his view, the Biden Administration could catapult America into a third world war… Trump emphasized that a third world war would likely be nuclear, and subsequently catastrophic on a global scale…

“Trump remains the front-runner in the Republican primary field. A Morning Consult poll released Tuesday shows Trump leading his next closest potential competitor, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), by 24 percentage points in a crowded field…”

A nuclear war between Russia and the USA is not prophesied in the Bible. But a nuclear war WILL take place, with other major actors involved.

Ron DeSantis: Helping Ukraine Not in US National Interest

Newsmax wrote on March 14:

“Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says protecting Ukraine against Russia’s invasion is not one of America’s ‘vital national interests’ in the face of more pressing issues closer to home.

“In a statement broadcast on Monday’s ‘Tucker Carlson Tonight,’ DeSantis, a potential 2024 GOP presidential candidate, countered President Joe Biden’s oft-repeated vow that the United States’ support of Kyiv is ‘unwavering’ and will continue for as long as needed. ‘While the U.S. has many vital national interests — securing our borders, addressing the crisis of readiness within our military, achieving energy security and independence, and checking the economic, cultural, and military power of the Chinese Communist Party — becoming further entangled in a territorial dispute between Ukraine and Russia is not one of them,’ DeSantis said in the statement.

“DeSantis said Biden administration’s policies ‘have driven Russia into a de facto alliance with China.’ … DeSantis said Americans ‘are also entitled to know how the billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars are being utilized in Ukraine… We cannot prioritize intervention in an escalating foreign war over the defense of our own homeland, especially as tens of thousands of Americans are dying every year from narcotics smuggled across our open border and our weapons arsenals critical for our own security are rapidly being depleted.’

“…trying to remove Russian President Vladimir Putin from power ‘would greatly increase the stakes of the conflict, making the use of nuclear weapons more likely,’ DeSantis argued… ‘History indicates that Putin’s successor, in this hypothetical, would likely be even more ruthless. The costs to achieve such a dubious outcome could become astronomical.’”

American (and European) support for Ukraine against Russia will diminish in time.

Poland’s Military Ambitions

The Telegraph wrote on March 11:

“Warsaw is embarking on its biggest re-armament drive in 50 years in response to the growing threat posed by Russia… This year it will spend 4 percent of its GDP on defence, an amount double the Nato requirement…  it has placed orders for 1,000 K2 main battle tanks from South Korea, and 250 brand new M1A2 SEPv3 Abram tanks from the US. This will turn Poland into the owner of Europe’s biggest tank force, dwarfing the UK’s fleet of 227.

“Its artillery will be bolstered by the arrival of 600 K9s, 18 HIMARS launchers with 9,000 rockets, and 288 K239 Chunmoo MRL systems from South Korea. Over 1,000 Polish-made Borsuk infantry fighting vehicles will carry Polish troops into battle, while air cover will come from 96 AH-64E Apache helicopters bought from the US, and 48 FA-50 combat aircraft now on order from South Korea… All of this will be underscored by plans to double the size of the Polish Army to 300,000, which would turn Poland into Europe’s biggest military power, in terms of manpower, west of Ukraine…

“This level of spending is not without risks. ‘I fear that all of this spending could drain the budget, if not properly managed’ said Magdalena Jakubowska, a defence expert and vice president of Res Publica-Visegrad Insight, a foundation covering Central European politics. ‘The public may not be aware that there may well have to be cuts to certain—civilian projects. We’ve had stable economic growth for the past few years, but now we are close to a recession. If we don’t boost the economy with the EU money (from a pandemic recovery fund), which we still have not got, then the situation could become critical.’

“The European Commission has denied Poland access to around £30 billion in grants and cheap loans from the EU’s post-pandemic Recovery and Resilience Facility owing to a dispute over the rule of law. The Polish government has introduced legislation that might resolve the deadlock but for the time being the money remains out of reach…

“To help Poland, last year, the US Congress approved $288.6 million (£239 million) in military financing to ‘deter and defend’ against the increased threat from Russia. The cash will help but with inflation running at around 17 per cent in Poland and economic growth slowing the defence budget could become difficult to meet.”

Regardless, Poland seems to be destined to play an important role in the future.

Shocking… Most Germans Want a Return to Conscription

The Times wrote on March 9:

“A clear majority of German voters would like to see conscription brought back, 12 years after it was effectively abolished [but see comment below by Deutsche Welle], according to a poll… Several leading politicians in Berlin have spoken out in favour of resurrecting Wehrpflicht [conscription], under which all young men were obliged to serve for at least six months in the armed forces or in a ‘civil protection’ organisation [Zivildienst] such as the ambulance or disaster relief services…

“While Olaf Scholz, the chancellor, has dismissed the idea of a return to conscription, other senior figures in his Social Democratic Party (SPD) argue that it would improve the resilience of German society and help to fix shortfalls in army recruitment. It seems that most of the electorate agree. A poll of 1,000 voters by Ipsos Mori found that 61 per cent wanted the re-establishment of military service, with only 29 per cent opposed.

“The idea was popular across the entire political spectrum and most strongly favoured by supporters of the centre-left SPD and the right-wing populist Alternative for Germany (AfD). Even a narrow majority of voters aligned with the far-left Die Linke party liked it.”

Deutsche Welle added on March 10:

“Strictly speaking, Germany did not abolish its military service rules in 2011. It put them on ice indefinitely until a time of national emergency or an attack on Germany.”

As we have predicted, Germany’s militaristic nature will be revived. Let us hope for those who want to follow God’s anti-war doctrine, that this poll is terribly wrong and in no way reliable, at least for the time being.

German General Eberhard Zorn Sent into Early Retirement

Deutsche Welle wrote on March 13:

“German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has named Major General Carsten Breuer as the new head of Germany’s armed forces… Breuer, 59, is replacing General Eberhard Zorn, 63… Breuer gained renown for leading Germany’s pandemic crisis response team from November 2021 to 2022. His ascent to the role of ‘general inspector’ of the Bundeswehr will make him the highest-ranking soldier in the country…

“Zorn was criticized after giving an interview in September in which he suggested that Ukraine would not be able to counter attacks by Russian forces… He told Focus magazine that Ukraine was mounting ‘counter-attacks, with which one can win back places or individual areas of the frontlines, but not push Russia back over a broad front.’

“German media reported that Zorn will be sent into early retirement on Thursday. The replacement of Germany’s top military official comes just months after former Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht was forced to resign and was replaced by Pistorius in January. Breuer is set to also function as a decision-maker in the defense ministry as well as serving as a military advisor to Chancellor Olaf Scholz.”

It appears, one cannot say anything in the Bundeswehr which is not in conformity with the official “narrative,” without being criticized, censured or sent into early retirement. And of course, the German mass media keeps jumping on the bandwagon. In the above quoted article, left-wing Deutsche Welle also said that Zorn’s analysis was “flawed.” But who is to say? Based on biblical prophecy, Zorn’s analysis was right on and not flawed at all. On the other hand, the German response to the Corona pandemic crisis, under Major Breuer, was most certainly terribly flawed; in fact, it was an incompetent catastrophe.

Jehovah’s Witness Hall Shooting in Hamburg

Deutsche Welle wrote on March 10:

“Police, prosecutors and state officials provided details on Friday about a rampage the night before at the Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Hall in the northern German city of Hamburg… Four men and two women aged between 33 and 60 were killed in the shooting. They were all German citizens. An unborn baby was among those pronounced dead. Eight people were wounded, four of them seriously. Of those injured, there were six women and two men, police said.

“Police identified the gunman as Philipp F., a 35-year-old German citizen… The gunman killed himself after police stormed the building… He was a former member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses… he had a weapons license and legally owned a semi-automatic pistol… The motive for Philipp F.’s rampage is not known, though any political motive has been ruled out… Police said they had an anonymous tip alleging Philipp F. was possibly suffering from a psychological disorder and should not be in possession of firearms. Based on the tip, authorities made an unannounced visit to his home and in the course of their conversation did not see a cause for concern…

“When armed police entered the building, they saw the gunman run upstairs, where he was later found dead… Police did not fire their weapons in the building… Philipp F. was found carrying two magazines with 15 bullets each, as well as 20 loaded magazines in a backpack… Authorities searched the perpetrator’s home and found hundreds of bullets. They confiscated a computer and other documents that are being evaluated…

“Grote, the regional interior minister, called it the ‘worst crime in our city’s recent history’… German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called the shooting a ‘brutal act of violence’ and said his thoughts were with the ‘victims and their families. And with the security forces who have faced a difficult operation.’

“German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said his thoughts were with the victims and their families… French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted to say, ‘Terrible news from Hamburg. I extend France’s condolences to the relatives of the victims and to all our German friends. Our thoughts are with you.’…

“Jehovah’s Witnesses, which has about 8.7 million members around the world, are part of an international church founded in the United States in the 19th century. They have roughly 170,000 members in Germany and are headquartered in Warwick, New York. The pacifist religious group’s practices include a refusal to bear arms, receive blood transfusions, salute a national flag or participate in secular government.”

Hamburg Police Failed to Intervene

The Guardian added on March 10:

“‘He is a former member of Jehovah’s Witness who left the community voluntarily about a year and a half ago but apparently not on good terms,’ said Thomas Radszuweit, Hamburg’s head of state security.

“Questions are being raised as to why he was not stopped. The suspect had a gun permit as a marksman since December 2022 and was in legal possession of a Heckler & Koch P30. But in January an anonymous letter was received suggesting he might be suffering from an undiagnosed psychological illness and that he had indicated a ‘particular anger against religious members or against the Jehovah’s Witnesses and his former employer’.

“During a subsequent unannounced visit on 7 February at his apartment in the Altona district of western Hamburg, Fusz was said to be cooperative and convinced officers that there was no cause for concern. He was merely given a verbal warning for not keeping his weapon in his safe…”

To Revise Germany’s Gun Laws?

Deutsche Welle wrote on March 11:

“A debate has erupted in Germany over the effectiveness of the country’s gun control laws after this week’s mass shooting… in the northern city of Hamburg… On Saturday, several German politicians demanded urgent reviews of restrictions on weapons ownership… At present, Germany requires only those under 25 to undergo medical or psychological assessments before being granted a gun license…

“Other politicians were keen to avoid a knee-jerk reaction, saying that current legislation is already strong enough…

“Interior Minister Nancy Faeser had already presented a draft of new gun control legislation in January, prompted by recent deadly shooting incidents in Germany.

“The perpetrator of the 2020 Hanau shooting was a schizophrenic far-right extremist who was found to have legally owned several pistols. Eleven people were killed and five others were wounded in the rampage at a shisha bar, another bar and a kiosk.

“The gunman behind the Halle shooting in October 2019 built his own firearms, some with plastic parts from a 3D printer. Two people were killed and two others injured near a synagogue…

“However, the murder weapon used in Hamburg, a semi-automatic pistol, would not fall under the ban. The alleged perpetrator was registered as a sports shooter and legally owned the weapon.”

He allegedly obtained the gun license in December of 2022, more than a year after he had left the Jehovah’s Witnesses. As you will recall, Nancy Faeser has a controversial past in regard to, among other things, her ”performance” related to the alleged but debunked coup by some older people who have been falsely accused of trying to take over the German government.

The Guardian added on March 11:

“Though Germany has some of the strictest gun laws in Europe, it has a high per capita ratio of firearms. Around a million people legally own a total of more than 5 million guns. Most of them are sport shooters, hunters or foresters, but while violence remains rare, an average of 155 people are killed by gunfire every year.”

In a climate where a majority of Germans support conscription or “mandatory slavery” (compare our Update from last week), stricter gun laws will most certainly not help.

Europe’s Insane Green Building Rules

Breitbart wrote on March 15:

“The European Parliament has passed a resolution that will see ‘insane’ green building rules forced onto individual EU member states… internal resistance to the green agenda rework was not enough from preventing it from passing a vote by the EU parliament, with 343 members voting in favour, compared to the 216 who voted against. Its passing was celebrated by hard left-Irish progressive Ciarán Cuffe, with the member of Ireland’s floundering Green Party being central in pushing the hardline rework through parliament…

“Opponents of the measure have described it as being an overly bureaucratic measure that unjustifiably takes power away from individual nation-states. ‘Increasingly rampant, gluttonous and unrestrained, the EU is encroaching on the competences of the member states,’ Markus Buchheit, an Alternative for Germany (AfD) MEP, said in a statement to Breitbart Europe describing the new rules as ‘insane’…

“The AfD are far from the only group staunchly opposed to the EU’s newly proposed building regulations, with members of other political groups in Europe also coming out to condemn the bill. Politicians from Italy in particular have seemingly shown the most resistance to the new measures…”

Apart from the ridiculous influence of left-wing fanatics, this article shows that Europe is becoming [or continues to be] a dictatorship, dismissing concerns of member states.

Saudi Arabia’s Desire to “Normalize” Ties with Israel and USA?

Israel 365 News wrote on March 10:

“Saudi Arabia says it will normalize ties with Israel if the United States provides it with security pledges and helps build out its civilian nuclear program… The two Saudi demands are viewed as ‘daunting obstacles’ to a deal…

“In terms of security guarantees, Saudi Arabia has asked before and been rejected by presidents from both parties. And U.S. and Israeli officials fear that helping Saudi Arabia with a nuclear program for nonmilitary uses could lead it to develop its own nuclear weapon and spark an arms race with Iran…

“[Saudi Arabia] has been reluctant to openly sign an agreement with Israel, fearing a backlash from other Arab states and its own population…”

It does not appear that those attempts to “normalize” ties with Israel and the USA will be successful.

Iran and Saudi Arabia Restore Ties

The Associated Press wrote on March 10:

“Iran and Saudi Arabia on Friday agreed to reestablish diplomatic relations and reopen embassies after years of tensions between the two countries, including a devastating attack on the heart of the kingdom’s oil production attributed to Tehran.

“The deal, struck in Beijing this week amid its ceremonial National People’s Congress, represents a major diplomatic victory for the Chinese as Gulf states perceive the United States slowly withdrawing from the wider Middle East. It also comes as diplomats have been trying to end a yearslong war in Yemen, a conflict in which both Iran and Saudi Arabia are deeply entrenched…”

The Guardian added on March 10:

“Iran and Saudi Arabia [are] the two great oil-producing rivals of the Middle East.. The rivalry between predominantly Shia Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia has dominated Middle East politics in recent years, spreading into Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen… The agreement has potentially wide implications for the Iran nuclear deal and the civil war in Yemen, where the two sides are locked in a proxy war, and shows the new determination of Saudi Arabia to conduct a foreign policy independent of the west…

“The deal could, however, have implications for a US-led effort to isolate Iran economically through sanctions. If there is a genuine warming of Saudi relations with Tehran, one consequence is likely to be Saudi investment inside Iran… the deal will cause concern among many Israeli politicians who have sought global isolation for its arch-enemy Iran. Naftali Bennett, the former Israeli prime minister, described the pact as a ‘serious and dangerous’ development and a ‘fatal blow to the effort to create a regional alliance’ against the Islamic Republic.”

The New York Post published on March 11 an article with the following headline: “China becomes the broker while Joe Biden is still the joker.” It continued:

“Even The New York Times, usually a mouthpiece for the Biden administration, echoed the grim assessment, saying China’s role displayed President Xi Jinping’s ‘ambition of offering an alternative to a US-led world order.’ …

“The pact immediately set off a blame game, with an unidentified member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government pointing at both the Biden White House and the previous Israeli government, according to The Times of Israel… saying,  ‘There was a feeling of American and Israeli weakness, so Saudi Arabia turned to other channels.’”

It is an undeniable fact that America’s status as the superpower in the world is diminishing.

China, Russia, Iran and Others Participate in Joint Naval Exercises

Breitbart wrote on March 15:

“Warships from China, Iran, and Russia joined together Wednesday to begin naval drills in the Gulf of Oman and near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, China’s Defense Ministry announced. AP reports other countries will also provide naval support in the ‘Security Bond-2023’ exercises, the ministry said without elaborating. Iran, Pakistan, Oman and the United Arab Emirates all have coastline along the waters lying at the mouth of the Persian Gulf…

“AP further sets out the exercises scheduled for Wednesday through Sunday come amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and China over a range of issues, including China’s refusal to criticize Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine and continuing support for the Russian economy. They follow years of other tensions between NATO countries and regional rivals…

“Regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran last week agreed to restore diplomatic relations in an agreement that was brokered by China — a major blow to U.S. efforts to maintain a united front in the Middle East against the Tehran regime…”

The Kings of the East are coming together.

USA Meddles in Israeli Elections

Israel 365 News wrote on March 9:

“Police clashed with anti-government protesters who attempted to shut down the Ayalon Highway in Tel Aviv on Thursday. As some recent reports have highlighted, some of the funding for the protests and the organizations behind them comes from foreign sources, including the US State Department. 

“One of the major organizations behind the protests is the Movement for Quality Government (MQG)… which has received over $38,000 in funding from the US State Department… MQG is primarily funded by the New Israel Fund, a US NGO that funds many anti-Israel organizations that promote a narrative portraying Israel as an apartheid state…

“MQG received grants of around $10,000 to $15,000 dollars in 2020, 2021, and 2022. In each of those years, the State Department under President Biden was listed as the group’s sole foreign donor. The grant information does not show State Department funding before 2020…

“The US Democratic party has a long history of meddling in Israeli politics and elections, most notably in opposition to Netanyahu. V15, which stands for Victory 15, was established during the 2015 elections with the stated goal of opposing Netanyahu. V15 was aided by One Voice,  an NGO that supports the creation of an ‘independent and viable Palestine’ alongside Israel, which assigned Jeremy Bird, a field director in both of President Barack Obama’s winning White House runs, with the task…

“But even before Obama, Democrat presidents worked to influence Israeli elections… former-President Bill Clinton admitted working to help Shimon Peres in his unsuccessful run against Netanyahu in 1996…”

While America is condemning Russia for meddling in America’s election, it is doing the same in other countries, such as Israel.

Money Is Not Wealth!

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on March 9:

“… governments print money to pay for wars. America was effectively born into debt during the Revolutionary War, and borrowed/printed money for every war thereafter…

“The fundamental reality is that more money does not create any new goods or services in the economy. Money is not wealth. Wealth is productive capacity; the ability to create actual goods and services. Germany and the European Central Bank can create euro stretching to the moon, but that will not produce a single missile or aircraft for the Ukrainians.

“Actual production requires the allocation of real resources and real capital. Resource allocation requires choices, whether made by political edict or in the marketplace. In both cases there are inherent opportunity costs to not allocating those resources and capital to other uses.

“Politics doesn’t magically eliminate tradeoffs. Resources are scarce even when money is not… money creation is not magic. It certainly does not create any new wealth, and in fact destroys wealth by directing resources toward inherently inefficient (nonmarket) uses…

“Progressives of all political stripes would happily put America and the West on a permanent wartime footing… Inequality, climate change, racism, transphobia, pandemics, and a host of other issues—none of which ever should have been politicized—are now tantamount to battlefields. War costs money, and magic economics wants us to believe national treasuries and central banks can foot any bill…”

Very true. See the next article.

Largest US Bank Failure Since Great Recession in 2008

CNBC wrote on March 10:

“Financial regulators have closed Silicon Valley Bank and taken control of its deposits, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. announced Friday, in what is the largest U.S. bank failure since the global financial crisis more than a decade ago…

“The FDIC’s standard insurance covers up to $250,000 per depositor, per bank, for each account ownership category…”

Breitbart added on March 10:

“The sudden implosion of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) is sending shock waves through the financial system and the technology sector. SVB plays a central role in the start-up economy of San Francisco…

“The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) said that all insured depositors will have full access to their insured deposits, but that might not be as reassuring as it sounds. Bloomberg reports that more than 93 percent of SVB deposits are uninsured.”

The Guardian wrote on March 10:

“… the troubles have raised broader fears that the recent increases in US interest rates have affected the value of other banks’ bond portfolios, which tend to fall in price when interest rates rise. The collapse of Silicon Valley pushed shares of almost all financial institutions lower on Friday.

“Silicon Valley Bank’s failure arrived with incredible speed, with some industry analysts on Friday suggesting it was a good company and still probably a wise investment…”

The New York Post added on March 10:

“The sudden collapse of a little-known, California-based tech lender fueled market chaos on Friday and sparked fears of a wider contagion that some experts worry could upend the US banking sector…  The bank’s rapid descent into insolvency sparked a sharp selloff in US stocks – with the nation’s four largest banks losing a combined $52 billion in market capitalization.”

Tip of the Iceberg?

Business Insider wrote on March 11:

“The bank’s collapse was a byproduct of the Federal Reserve’s hiking of interest rates by 1,700% in less than a year. Once risk-free Treasurys started generating more attractive returns than what SVB was offering, people started withdrawing their money, and the bank needed a quick way to pay them. They were ultimately forced to sell their loan portfolio at a huge loss.

“The chaotic episode showed that the Fed’s aggressive interest rate hiking regime could upend institutions that were once thought to be relatively stable…

“There are already two recent high-profile examples not specific to the banking system, but still indicative of the pressure being caused by higher rates.

“The first has been the collapse of the cryptocurrency market. Since the Fed started raising interest rates in March 2021, bitcoin — formerly a highly touted inflation hedge — has plunged more than 65%… There’s also been the double-digit decline in high-growth tech stocks over the same period.

“The big questions now become what rate-sensitive areas will be next to feel the pain…”

The Daily Mail wrote on March 12:

“Chancellor Jeremy Hunt today warned of a ‘serious risk’ to top British firms following the shock failure of a major US bank…”

Finbold wrote on March 11:

“The United States financial system has been rattled by the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SBV) and Silvergate Bank within 48 hours as economic uncertainty prevails. Therefore, some financial sector players project that the situation will likely worsen in the coming days. In particular, [bestselling author] Robert Kiyosaki has warned that a third lender will likely follow suit. He stressed that the situation would positively impact precious metals in a tweet on March 10.

“… economist and crypto-skeptic Peter Schiff has stated that the U.S. banking system is on the verge of experiencing a ‘much bigger collapse’ compared to the 2008 crisis. On March 10, Schiff cautioned that mass withdrawals would trigger failures.”

US Government Gives Guarantees to Depositors

The Associated Press wrote on March 13:

“The U.S. government took extraordinary steps Sunday to stop a potential banking crisis after the historic failure of Silicon Valley Bank, assuring all depositors at the failed institution that they could access all their money quickly, even as another major bank was shut down.

“The announcement came amid fears that the factors that caused the Santa Clara, Californian-based bank to fail could spread. Regulators had worked all weekend to try to find a buyer for the bank, which was the second-largest bank failure in history. Those efforts appeared to have failed Sunday.

“In a sign of how fast the financial bleeding was occurring, regulators announced that New York-based Signature Bank had also failed and was being seized on Sunday. At more than $110 billion in assets, Signature Bank is the third-largest bank failure in U.S. history.”

Before that announcement by the US government, it was stated that it would NOT bail out the bank. Now, the obvious switch in position is explained by saying the government does not bail out the bank, but just the depositors. In reality, it is of course a bailout.

Worldwide Panic Sets In

The Associated Press reported on March 15:

“Stocks are back to falling on Wall Street Wednesday as worries worsen about the strength of banks on both sides of the Atlantic…

“Credit Suisse has been fighting troubles for years… Its shares in Switzerland sank more than 28% following reports that its top shareholder won’t pump more money into its investment.

“Wall Street’s harsh spotlight has intensified across the banking industry recently on worries about what may crack next following the second- and third-largest bank failures in U.S. history last week. Stocks of U.S. banks tumbled again Wednesday after enjoying a brief, one-day respite on Tuesday.

“The heaviest losses were focused on smaller and mid-size banks, which are seen as more at risk of having customers try to pull their money out en masse…  Much of the damage is seen as the result of the Federal Reserve’s fastest barrage of hikes to interest rates in decades. The Fed has pulled its key overnight rate to a range of 4.50% to 4.75%, up from virtually zero at the start of last year, in hopes of driving down painfully high inflation. Higher rates can tame inflation by slowing the economy, but they raise the risk of a recession later on. They also hurt prices for stocks, bonds and other investments. That latter factor was one of the issues hurting Silicon Valley Bank, which collapsed Friday, because high rates forced down the value of its bond investments.

“The U.S. government announced a plan late Sunday to protect depositors at Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, which regulators shut on Sunday, in hopes of shoring up confidence in the banking industry. But markets have since swung from fear to calm and back again. Some of this week’s wildest action has been in the bond market, where traders are rushing to guess what all the chaos will mean for future Fed action…

“In Europe, indexes tumbled on weakness from banks…”

Trump Blames Biden for the Bank Failure, Predicts Great Depression

Newsweek wrote on March 12:

“On Sunday, Trump posted about the collapse of SVB on his social media platform, Truth Social, blaming the situation on the economic policies of President Joe Biden, adding that further financial calamities are on the horizon. ‘With what is happening to our economy, and with the proposals being made on the LARGEST AND DUMBEST TAX INCREASE IN THE HISTORY OF THE USA, TIMES FIVE, JOE BIDEN WILL GO DOWN AS THE HERBERT HOOVER OF THE MODRRN [sic] AGE… WE WILL HAVE A GREAT DEPRESSION FAR BIGGER AND MORE POWERFUL THAN THAT OF 1929. AS PROOF, THE BANKS ARE ALREADY STARTING TO COLLAPSE!!!”

“Trump’s communications team also issued a statement to Fox News Digital a few hours after his post to Truth Social, reiterating the claim that the collapse was caused by Democratic policies. ‘Out-of-control Democrats and the Biden administration have pathetically continued to try to blame President Trump for their failures with desperate lies, such as the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) spy balloons, the train derailment in East Palestine, and now the collapse of SVB,’ Trump spokesman Steven Chueng told the outlet.”

Democrats have blamed Trump for the collapse, due to a bill Trump signed into law in 2018 that cut regulations and mandatory oversight from the Federal Reserve for mid-level and regional banks with assets over $250 billion (up from the previous limit of $50 billion in assets).

The Danger of Ouija Boards

Fox News wrote on March 9:

“Twenty-eight schoolgirls were hospitalized with anxiety attacks after allegedly playing with Ouija boards at their school in Colombia… The girls reportedly suffered signs of fainting, anxiety and other symptoms at the Galeras Educational Institution in Galeras…

“Ouija boards, created in the U.S. in 1886, are often referred to as spirit or talking boards. They are believed to be a way for the living to communicate with the dead…

“In November 2022, 11 teenagers were found collapsed after using a Ouija board at another school in Colombia…”  

Clearly, the use of Ouija Boards can lead to communication with demons.

“What You Can’t Say on YouTube”

The Atlantic wrote on March 10:

“YouTube’s list of content guidelines manages to be both exhaustive and nebulous… YouTube operates a three-strike policy for infractions: The first strike is a warning; the second prevents creators from making new posts for a week; and the third (if received within 90 days of the second) gets the channel banned… YouTube uses artificial intelligence to enforce its guidelines. Bots scan auto-generated transcripts and flag individual words and phrases as problematic…

“In January, Florida’s Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, announced that Rumble was now his ‘video-sharing service of choice’ for press conferences because he had been ‘silenced’ by Google over his YouTube claims about the coronavirus pandemic…”

“Corona” is definitely a word that YouTube does not like, but there are many more restrictions on YouTube. For instance, the mere suggestion that the 2020 election might perhaps have been rigged will incur the anger of YouTube censorship.

US Government as “Obstructionist” as China?

The New York Post wrote on March 11:

“‘We complain that the Chinese government is opaque and obstructionist — and that’s true,’ Sen. Ran Paul told The Post. ‘But we’re getting the same sort of difficulties from our government.’

“Since COVID-19 emerged in early 2020, Paul has spearheaded a battle to hold America’s public health apparatus to account. The Kentucky senator has taken center stage, fighting lockdown policies, demanding schools to be reopened and grilling officials on the senate floor. He’s also clashed repeatedly and passionately with recently-retired National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director Dr. Anthony Fauci.

“A few questions have been central to their standoff: Did COVID-19 leak from a lab in Wuhan? And did Fauci and the American medical establishment help fund dangerous gain-of-function research that caused the pandemic?

“Despite years-long resistance  that the lab-leak theory was a dangerous and even racist conspiracy theory, more and more institutions are now coming out in favor of it. Late last month, the Department of Energy joined the FBI in deeming a lab leak the likely origin of COVID-19. For Paul, the conclusion is vindicating… But he’s also frustrated. The senator said he knew the classified conclusion of the Energy Department’s investigation for about a month before it was leaked to the press in late February. ‘Because it’s classified, then I can’t do my due diligence of oversight,’ he explained. ‘I can’t announce it to the public. And so we end up relying on all the leaks to the media, which are illegal.’

“Paul said too much crucial information still remains under lock and key, leaving the American people in the dark about COVID-19’s origins. ‘The over-classification problem is stymying the investigation,’ he added. ‘Our government has reams of classified material that all point towards the COVID virus originating in the lab in Wuhan.’…

“He told The Post he’s sent 28 letters to eight different governmental agencies to demand more information about NIH and HHS grants that may have funded gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology — but to no avail. ‘I’ve gotten virtually zero information,’ Paul said. ‘They’re not willing to tell someone who represents the state who they gave the money to.’

“Newly released emails from the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic show that Fauci ordered, edited and approved a February 2020 paper published in the Nature Medicine journal, which deemed the lab-leak theory null and was touted as definitive evidence that COVID-19 jumped naturally to humans from an animal. Paul said the emails reveal that Dr. Fauci created ‘an orchestrated consensus’ to cover his own tracks and to tarnish his opponents… ‘and that you’re a conspiracy theorist if you argue that this virus might have come from a lab,’ Paul said.

“Now, his next battle with Fauci is getting to the bottom of whether [he] receives royalties from vaccine manufacturers… a 1980s law protects public health officials like Fauci from having to [divulge their income sources]…

“According to the senator, getting to the bottom of the pandemic’s origins is crucial for preventing another disaster… ‘And we need to look at this type of research both in our country and around the world.’

“Looking back, Paul added, public health officials destroyed the public’s trust in them… ‘I think what’s happened now is people have seen that [Fauci] was a doctor who was trying to cover his tracks. He is a public health official who had funded dangerous research in China that in all likelihood led to the pandemic.’… As of 2022, only 29% of Americans have a great deal of confidence in medical scientists to act in the public’s interest. ‘I think it’s government dishonesty that has led to most of the distrust,’ the senator said… ‘I think it will be more difficult for them the next time they try this, because the evidence is pretty much in. None of the things they did to slow down the spread of the disease worked,’ Paul said. ‘In the end, everybody got COVID whether they stood on stickers six feet apart from each other or not.’…

“‘People need to resist,’ he said. ‘When the government tells you you can’t go to church, your government says you can’t go to the gym, your government says you can’t go to a restaurant or you can’t go to a hotel — we need to resist that.’”

Amen! You MUST obey God rather than man.

The Cover-Up of Suspicious Activities by the Biden Family

Professor Jonathan Turley wrote on his website on March 14:

“For years, members of Congress have asked for access to suspicious activity reports (SARs) related to the Biden family’s foreign business deals. Those efforts were cut off by the Biden Administration and the Democratically controlled houses of Congress. Even after the GOP took over the House, however, the Treasury Department continued to refuse to turn over the SARs. While the GOP had to threaten hearings with Treasury officials, the department has finally relented. It now appears that time is up for Hunter Biden on the SARs fight and it could finally answer a number of questions over the alleged influence peddling of the Biden family. It may also put pressure on the Delaware US Attorney David Weiss, who is looking into possible criminal conduct by Hunter Biden.

“I previously wrote about how few people in Washington are eager to expose the influence peddling by the Biden family… even by the corrupt standards of this city, the Bidens took influence peddling to an unprecedented level in raking in millions from foreign interests, including some with alleged ties to foreign intelligence.

“The least eager group to see these transactions may be the media, which not only buried the Hunter Biden story but has shown remarkable disinterest in these allegations… Imagine what the media would have done with even one of these deals with foreign political or influence figures if a Trump child was the recipient. The genius of the Biden influence peddling operation was to make the media an early and active participant. They became invested in the denial over two years of belittling or dismissing the story…

“It is not clear what these SARs will reveal, but the effort to prevent any congressional investigation is striking…”

This collaborated cover-up by the government and the media is not the only one, to be sure. Note the next article.

The Destruction of the Nord Stream 2 Pipeline

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on March 15:

“History has dealt a tough hand to the administration of US President Joe Biden, who openly confessed his intent to ‘bring an end’ to the Nord Stream pipeline system which delivered Russian natural gas to Europe through four pipelines (Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2, consisting of two pipelines each).

“Since then, the Biden White House was compelled to deny the president’s stated intent after an explosive report by Pulitzer-Prize winning investigative journalist Seymour Hersh detailed damning information which, if true (and there is no reason to suspect it’s not) casts the responsibility for a series of underwater explosions that took place on Sept. 26, 2022, on Biden himself.

“Hersh’s report was ignored by the mainstream media in the United States, with neither The New York Times, for whom Seymour Hersh wrote on national security issues for many years, nor The Washington Post even hinting that the greatest living investigative journalist had broken a blockbuster story.

“Enter the ‘Andromeda’— a Bavaria C50 15-meter (49-foot) yacht based out of the German Baltic port city of Rostock… The boat was ‘a yacht rented from a company based in Poland, apparently owned by two Ukrainians.’ According to the story, ‘the secret operation at sea was carried out by a team of six people.’ According to the German reporting, the team — five men, consisting of a ship captain, two primary divers, two supporting divers and a female doctor — used the Andromeda to transport the team, along with the explosives used to destroy the pipelines, to the scene of the crime. The boat was returned to Rostock in ‘an uncleaned condition,’ allowing German law enforcement officials, who carried out a search of the vessel between Jan. 8-11, to detect ‘traces of explosives’ on a table in the ship’s cabin.

“The same day the German reporting on the new Nord Stream attack narrative broke, The New York Times ran a first-page story… [quoting Biden saying that he denied any involvement]…  The problem with both the German reporting and that of The New York Times… is that the Andromeda narrative doesn’t hold water.

“Take, for instance,… the tale… that has four allegedly Ukraine-affiliated divers defy physiology by conducting dives that would require the use of a decompression chamber for them to survive an ascent of 240 feet (the depth of the Nord Stream pipelines that were destroyed)… decompression takes approximately one day per 100 feet of seawater plus a day. This means that the team of divers would have required three days of decompression per dive. But to decompress, one needs a decompression chamber. For a dive involving two divers, the Andromeda would have to have been outfitted with either a two-person Class A decompression chamber, or two single-person Class B chambers, as well as the number of large oxygen bottles needed to operate these chambers over time… Simply put — no decompression chamber, no dive, no story.

“… The charge would have to be prepared by qualified explosives experts and ideally tested prior to being employed operationally to validate the design and functionality of the device. These are not tasks undertaken by a small ad hoc team of Ukrainian underwater saboteurs, but rather state-sponsored actors with access to military grade explosives and testing facilities…

“The German government’s crude effort to manufacture an alternative narrative regarding who attacked the Nord Stream pipeline fails the smell test…  Moreover, the fact that the US intelligence community was quick to leak information about the German investigation to The New York Times appears to be de facto evidence of US complicity in this cover up. And the reason for this cover up is quite clear: the Germans and Americans both fear the reporting being done by Hersh.”

There is much speculation about the identity of the perpetrators who destroyed the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. But whatever the truth, it seems to be certain that a massive cover-up is taking place.

Shameful California Conduct Towards Churches

LifeSiteNews reported on March 10:

“Members of a Christian church in California’s Santa Clara County were hit with hefty fines and surveilled via stakeouts, cell phone monitoring, and other measures ‘reminiscent of totalitarian regimes’ after their church defied the county’s draconian COVID-19 lockdown rules in 2020, according to a March 5 report by independent journalist David Zweig.

“San Jose’s Calvary Christian Fellowship, headed by pastor Mike McClure, openly defied the Silicon Valley county’s harsh lockdown rules in May 2020 after initially complying with them, Zweig reported. ‘After two months of isolation, many congregants were teetering toward despair,’ Zweig said, noting that the church’s decision to buck the county’s mandate to lock down provided congregants with much-needed ‘mental, spiritual, and physical’ assistance.

“The Christian community’s defiance of the COVID mandates soon made it a thorn in the county’s side. Santa Clara reportedly began slamming the church with fine after fine for such violations as failure to social distance, to wear masks, and even failure to comply with the county’s rules against singing.

“Zweig said the county ended up ‘levying more than $2 million in fines against Calvary’ and implementing a ‘multi-faceted surveillance program of the church and its members,’ a ‘spy operation’ that ‘included stakeouts, forced in-person monitoring of prayer groups and other intimate activities, and tracking the cellular mobility data of churchgoers.’…

“According to court filings, officers took meticulous note of the churchgoers’ ordinary behavior that ran afoul of the county’s new COVID mandates. Enforcers of the county’s rules reported the number of cars in the parking lot, whether or not masks were being worn, and even instances of hugging… When officers were granted access to the church by a court order later in the year, they began entering the church and writing up detailed notes on the behavior and compliance of churchgoers attending mom’s groups, baptisms, Bible studies, and Sunday services…

“Officials even employed cell phone monitoring technology to track the violators…

“The report noted that the county dropped its gathering-violations complaint against Calvary after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2021 that California’s ban on church assemblies during the pandemic was unconstitutional. However, it’s still seeking $2.78 million from Calvary for its mask violations in a court case expected to conclude in the upcoming months.”

Let us remind our readers that these horrific UNCONSTITUTIONAL measures against that church were not taken in an authoritarian country such as Russia or China, but in California. This is shameful and appallingly disgusting indeed.

Democrats Want to Legalize Abortion Nationwide Up to Birth

LifeNews reported on March 9:

“A group of U.S. Senate Democrats reintroduced legislation Wednesday that would force every state to legalize the killing of unborn babies for basically any reason up to birth… ‘Abortion is health care. Period,’ said U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisconsin, one of the lead sponsors… Other lead sponsors include retiring U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, and Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut. Joe Biden previously has expressed support for the legislation as well.

“Democrat leaders and many mainstream news outlets have portrayed the bill as an effort to simply ‘codify the right to an abortion’ in response to the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade. But pro-life leaders warn it would go beyond Roe and get rid of almost all laws that protect unborn babies.

“Blumenthal [described] the life-saving Dobbs v. Jackson ruling as a ‘death sentence’ for women because, in some states, elective abortions are now banned…

“However, pro-life leaders say the bill really would force taxpayers to fund abortions, end bans on late-term abortions on viable unborn babies, eliminate parental consent for minors and informed consent requirements for every woman seeking an abortion, and force doctors and nurses to lose their jobs and Catholic hospitals potentially to lose public funds unless they perform elective abortions.

“Numerous past attempts to pass the bill have failed in Congress, and polls consistently show that a strong majority of Americans oppose such extreme pro-abortion legislation… 69 percent of Americans want abortions banned or limited. Additionally, 60 percent oppose using tax dollars to pay for abortions…  25 polls that show public support for pro-life laws.”

What is WRONG with these people who advocate the murder of innocent children???

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.

The question refers to Proverbs 23:23 which reads: “Buy the truth, and do not sell it, Also wisdom and instruction and understanding.”

Before we review and answer the question, it is important to clarify our teaching and understanding about faith and works.

Over the years, the true Church of God has been falsely accused of teaching that works are necessary for salvation; not, that it is a free gift from God.   This is a case of either misunderstanding or deliberately avoiding that which we have made clear over many decades.  Let us make this again abundantly clear NOW!

The Word of God dogmatically states that salvation cannot be earned through works.    We read in Ephesians 2:8-9: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” 

We read in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” The footnote of the New King James Bible states, “free gift.”

In Acts 2:38-40, we read: “Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.’ And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, ‘Be saved from this perverse generation.’”

In short, we believe that salvation and eternal life are NOT earned in this life – they are free gifts of God. However, our reward is dependent on our works. In the Kingdom of God, when we have eternal life, we will be rewarded according to how we lived and how well we did with what God had entrusted us.

In the Parable of the Ten Minas (or pounds) in Luke 19:11-27, we read about a man of noble birth (verse 12) who went to a distant country to become appointed king and then to return.   This was obviously a parable that Jesus gave about Himself and His followers.  They were given ten minas to put this money to work in His absence (verse 13).   The first two “traded” with the money but the third one didn’t (verses 16-24) which clearly shows that we have to be about our Father’s business and the reward will be to those who do that, and those that don’t, who should have known better, will lose out.  (See also the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25).

Faith and works are thoroughly covered in James 2:14-26 showing that both are necessary.

In our booklet “The Meaning of God’s Fall Holy Days,” we read on page 43 the following: “Verses 11 and 12 (of Revelation) describe the SECOND resurrection—the resurrection of those who will live again AFTER the thousand years are finished—the time which Paul called ‘the end’: ‘Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, STANDING before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.”  

Let us all be about our Father’s business (as was Jesus at the age of 12 as we read in Luke 2:41-50), living the life to which we have been called, keeping God’s Commandments and being obedient to Him and His Way so that we will receive the GIFT of eternal life and be rewarded with these words of Jesus when the Day comes: “Well done, good and faithful servant” (compare Matthew 25:21). He tells us in Revelation 22:12: “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.”

Having set the record straight as above, let us now answer the question that was asked.

The phrase “to buy the truth” is an interesting one.   The Berean Bible Society has these interesting comments to make:

“Every true Christian should understand that the truth costs. If you don’t think so, make it your own, value it, defend it, stand for it, and see if it doesn’t cost. Before you are through it may cost you far more than you had thought — hours of ease and pleasure, friends and money. Yes, the truth costs. Salvation is gloriously free but the truth costs — that is, if you want it for yourself. Many who know the truth won’t buy it. They won’t pay what it costs to say: ‘This is what I believe. This is my conviction.’ The truth isn’t worth that much to them.” 

How true this is.   How many people have asked for a minister to visit them only to find that the price they would have to pay is far too much for them?   The keeping of the weekly and annual Sabbaths are very often an obstacle that many are not prepared to come to terms with.   There may be other stumbling blocks that would seem difficult to overcome.   We see such a situation in Matthew 19:16-22:

^“Now behold, one came and said to Him, ‘Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?’ So He said to him, ‘Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.’ He said to Him, ‘Which ones?’ Jesus said, ‘“You shall not murder,” “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “Honor your father and your mother,” and, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”’

“The young man said to Him, ‘All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?’ Jesus said to him, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.’ But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.”

In this particular case, it wasn’t the Sabbath that was a stumbling block but his “great possessions.”  In our Q&A: “Did Christ really offer the rich ruler a ministerial position? (compare Luke 18:18-23),” we conclude by stating the following:

“Returning to Christ’s statement to the rich ruler to follow Him, it appears that He was indeed willing to call him into the ministry, but sadly, the ruler loved money more than God and he rejected this unique opportunity to follow Christ as a minister and to perhaps later become even one of His apostles. In refusing to accept his ministerial calling, Christ pointed out that it will be very difficult for a rich person to even enter the kingdom of God (Luke 18:25-26; Mark 10:23-25).”

The Sabbath, the annual Holy Days, wealth and other things have stopped many from following God.   Anything that comes before God is breaking the first Commandment which simply says: “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3).

But in Proverbs 23:23, God’s Word urges us: “Buy the truth!” Not, “Buy it if you can get it at a bargain; if the price is not too great.” No, “Buy the truth!” Buy it at any price. It is worth far more than anything you can give in exchange for it. And when you have bought it: “sell it not.” How many, alas, have bought the truth only to sell out again! 

Isaiah 55:1 is instructive. In the New King James Bible, the headline is given: “An Invitation to Abundant Life.”  The passage reads:

“Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price.”

“Buy” can mean “to acquire.”   One commentator stated that “In the original Hebrew, the word translated as ‘buy’ here means ‘to get something, often through one’s efforts or as compensation’ which is pretty much the same as acquire.

Also, we read in Revelation 22:17: “And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.” (Compare also John 4:10).

However, certain “things” cannot be purchased with money or otherwise. We may recall in Acts 8:18-20 that Simon the Sorcerer offered money for a gift that he coveted:

^“And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, saying, ‘Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.’ But Peter said to him, ‘Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money!’”

Some may think that if something is free that it doesn’t cost anything—or that just anybody can obtain it. Both buy and acquire indicate that a person has to make an effort, or give up something in order to get or acquire something that he considers valuable.   And when God calls us, we have to give up the world and its ways.

As we have already pointed out, the gift of Jesus Christ is not available to be purchased and cannot be bought by anyone. Jesus came to offer Himself for the sins of the world and is God’s free gift that can never be purchased. There is no way that we can “buy” or earn our way into His presence, into His Family.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Commentary says this about the Truth: “Procure it at any cost: part with it on no consideration.” 

The Pulpit Commentary has this to say about Proverbs 23:23: “Buy the truth, and sell it not (comp. Proverbs 4:5, 7; Proverbs 16:16). Consider truth as a thing of the highest value, and spare no pains, cost, or sacrifice to obtain it, and, when gotten, keep it safe; do not barter it for earthly profit or the pleasures of sense; do not be reasoned out of it, or laughed out of it; ‘sell it not,’ do not part with it for any consideration.”

Matthew Henry’s Commentary’s contribution reads as follows:

“The gracious Saviour who purchased pardon and peace for his people, with all the affection of a tender parent, counsels us to hear and be wise, and is ready to guide our hearts in his way. Here we have an earnest call to young people, to attend to the advice of their godly parents. If the heart be guided, the steps will be guided. Buy the truth, and sell it not; be willing to part with anything for it. Do not part with it for pleasures, honours, riches, or anything in this world. The heart is what the great God requires. We must not think to divide the heart between God and the world; he will have all or none.”

Biblestudytools.com gives a comprehensive and lengthy view of how important buying the truth is:

“‘buying’ it supposes a person to have some knowledge of it, of the excellency, usefulness, and importance of it; and shows that he sets a value upon it, and has a high esteem for it: it is to be understood of his using all means and taking great pains to acquire it; such as reading the word, meditating upon it, attending on the public ministry, and fervent and frequent prayer for it, and a greater degree of knowledge of it; yea, it signifies a person’s parting with everything for it that is required; as with his former errors he has been brought up in, or has imbibed; with his good name and reputation, being willing to be accounted a fool or a madman, and an enthusiast, or anything for the sake of it; and even with life itself, when called for; and such a man will strive and contend for it, stand fast in it, and hold it fast, and not let it go, which is meant by ‘selling’ it; truth is not to be sold upon any account, or for anything whatever; it is not to be slighted and neglected; it should not be parted with neither for the riches, and honours, and pleasures of this life, nor for the sake of a good name among men, nor for the sake of peace, nor for the avoiding of persecution; it should be abode by, and not departed from, though the greater number is against it, and they the riots, the wise, and learned; and though it may be traduced as novel, irrational, and licentious, and be attended with affliction, that is, buy these also, and sell them no.”

It then goes on to show that buying it does not have to be a financial transaction: “it is to be prized above everything; it is the principal thing, and should be got; all means should be used to obtain it; it may be bought without money; it should be asked of God, who gives it liberally, and, being had, should be held fast:”

We know that we cannot buy the Truth, the Holy Spirit, or salvation.   They are not for sale; they are free gifts from God.  The NET Bible translation is: “Acquire truth and do not sell it–wisdom, and discipline, and understanding.” 

The passage in Proverbs 23:23 and many other Scriptures also explain why we do not charge for our literature. Please read the following Q&A in its entirety. https://www.eternalgod.org/why-do-you-not-charge-for-your-literature-and-your-other-services/

Proverbs 23:23 is a vital piece of understanding for the true Christian: “Buy (acquire) the truth, and do not sell it, Also wisdom and instruction and understanding.”   And we can do nothing less! 

Lead Writer: Brian Gale (United Kingdom)

compiled by Dave Harris

Our website, www.eternalgod.org, has been updated! Earlier this past week, Eric Rank, our Tech Team Leader, culminated months’-long plans to refresh many programming needs in order that our software is updated to industry standards. The results present our webpages more clearly and with better accessibility.

“Durch Leid zum Erfolg,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath in Germany by Dmitrij Niemann, is now posted. Title in English: “Through Suffering to Success.”

“Accomplish Small Things,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath by Kalon Mitchell, is now posted. Here is a summary:

In the world, the goal for humans it seems, is to accomplish as much as is possible. There are some humans who seem to be able to do it all, accomplishing great milestones and leaving amazing legacies. How do we stack up as Christians? What can we accomplish in this lifetime? Does it matter what we accomplish? What does God think?

“Are You Prepared?,” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Michael Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Will you be ready when Christ returns?  Are you strong enough and are you prepared when the moment arises when we need to “evacuate” in the end time?  What do we need to do now to be prepared?

Spring Holy Days: Passover—April 5, 2023 (observed the evening before); Feast of Unleavened Bread—April 6-12, 2023; Pentecost—May 28, 2023.

2023 Ministerial Conference: April 27-28 and April 30, 2023

On March 11, 2023, Kalon Mitchell will present the sermonette, titled, “Accomplish Small Things,” and Michael Link will present the sermon, titled, “Are You Prepared?”

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.

Most of us at some point in life have suffered an injury or an illness that left us feeling compromised and vulnerable. Possessing a sense of independence is important to being a productive and positive person.  It is this independence that is the essence of who we are and how we perceive ourselves. When we are dependent, we are still the same person whom God created, but we may think differently of ourselves. There is nothing inherently negative in the need to depend on others, and humility is a valuable lesson. There are however degrees of dependence and being in control of one’s mobility and decision-making which is important to our well-being.

When we have a surgical procedure, we are most often anesthetized to the point of absolute vulnerability. We are dependent on the surgeon and the team to breathe for us and monitor our heartbeat and respiration. Although we are unable to take care of our own basic needs, we are not alone. Similarly, Christians living with Alzheimer’s may not be aware of their surroundings, and they may no longer perceive God in the way they did prior to their illness. Nonetheless, God is still present with them, and is aware of the challenges that they face.

There is clarity on this point in Psalm 139:8 in which we read: “If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.” God is with us and imbues His children with talents and abilities, and while our physical state can impact those skills, we may still be aware and present. People who are in a coma are treated by their caregivers with the belief that the person can still hear and will have memories if he or she eventually awaken from this state.

The ability to heal the brain and body is strongly dependent on a person’s connection with God and to those around them. In 1 Samuel 2, and in verse 6, we read: “The Lord kills and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and brings up.” Even when we are seemingly so dependent on medicines and machines, we are still solely dependent on God for our life and recovery. God is aware of all that we face. Even as we lie still and perhaps unconscious, He is in control.

For the baptized member of God’s Family, we know that God’s Holy Spirit of power is with and in us as an extra measure of strength even as we undergo various trials, including illness and surgery. We pray for sick brethren for healing and God’s mighty intervention.  We are in God’s care, and we are subject to His Will.

The first use of anesthesia for surgery was back in 1846. Despite progress in the use of such medicines, much about the brain’s activity while under anesthesia is still a mystery. We know that our brain does not turn off under anesthesia, but the connectivity between parts of the brain is heavily impacted. A study with the Harvard Medical School illustrated that under anesthesia the brain quiets, and the segments no longer communicate with each other. In such a state, a person cannot be conscious or functional. Christians in that state however are still connected with God, even if they are incapable of prayer at that moment. Family, friends, and the brethren pray for the person and God is fully aware that His son or daughter is undergoing a trial. The lack of consciousness does not mean that the person is alone.

In Romans 8, and in verses 26, and 27, we learn how Jesus Christ, through His Spirit, assists us when we are vulnerable: “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” In those moments when we are ill, or in an altered state of consciousness such as in a coma, or under anesthesia, when we are physically at our weakest, God is there, and Christ, through the Holy Spirit, intercedes for us. We long for the future Kingdom of God when we can be with Him and His Son. In the meantime, we are subject to the limitations of our mortal existence.

Our relationship with God however is not altered by illness or consciousness. We may feel lost and alone, but we are not. In Jeremiah 32, and verse 40, we see the explicit promise that God has made with His people: “And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me.” God will not leave us, and He intends that we never leave His care. It can be difficult to remember this when we lie in a hospital bed, or are confined to our homes or even within our minds. We may lose hope, but need to remember that we can ask for God’s intervention and pray for one another.

It may help us to remember that even Jesus Christ agonized that the Father had forsaken Him (compare Matthew 27:46). He did suffer unspeakable pain for us as He accepted the sins of mankind. God however had not abandoned Jesus, except for that brief moment on the cross, and He resides for eternity with the Father. Likewise, we are not hopeless; we have God’s promise and the Sacrifice of His Son to rely on. We may lament our physical reality in this lifetime, but we can trust that God hears our prayers, and He will do what is best for us.

by Norbert Link

We speak about the revelation by Fox News Moderator Tucker Carlson regarding events which happened on January 6, 2021, report on Chancellor Scholz’s short and secret meeting with President Biden in Washington; Germany’s unpreparedness for a war with Russia; the West’s missing or failing strategy regarding Ukraine; the rise of powerful China; the strong partnership between Russia and India; and the performance of Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov at the G20 summit with astonishing reactions from the audience.

We continue with the “evil nature” of conscription; Donald Trump’s provocative statements at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC); thoughts on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s possible Democratic primary challenge to President Biden; and an opinion piece by Newt Gingrich on the “biggest scandal in American history.”

We speak on the new Brexit deal which might have been window dressing to appease the British people; the significance of the “consecrated” anointing oil for the coronation of King Charles and his wife Camilla; Hungary’s plans to establish an embassy in Jerusalem; and Israel’s “short window” for a strike on Iran’s nuclear weapon program. In this regard, please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Short Window for Israel to Strike Iran.”

We continue with depressing reports on the advancement of the “Woke” culture in the Lutheran Church; the Church of England; throughout Europe and at Disneyland; and we conclude with some good news for California’s taxpayers.

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

Have We Been Lied To?

Breitbart wrote the following in several articles, dated March 6 and 7:

‘Democrats knew that Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick had not been murdered during the [Capitol] riot, but lied to the public about his death, according to Fox News’ Tucker Carlson, based on newly-released video.

“Carlson obtained nearly 41,000 hours of previously unreleased raw footage of the Capitol riot that had been suppressed by Democrats but were provided by Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) three weeks ago… the Democrat-run January 6 Committee had released only what it wanted the public to see — even deceptively editing some footage — to support claims of an ‘insurrection.’

“Carlson said that the full footage… proved the opposite: that while some people were violent, the vast majority of those in the Capitol were not and may have believed that they were protesting legally, given the apparent cooperation of some Capitol Police.

“In the case of Brian Sicknick [a Trump voter], whom the media falsely claimed had been killed by being struck with a fire extinguisher during the riot (a story later retracted by the New York Times), the January 6 Committee continued to claim he had been killed by rioters even after his death was determined to be from natural causes.

“Carlson showed footage in which an officer, whom he said was Sicknick, continued to perform his duties ‘vigorously’ even after being confronted by the mob outside the Capitol. Carlson added that the January 6 Committee’s investigators had reviewed that footage, since it had an electronic bookmark, but continued to mislead the public about the cause of Sicknick’s death to further their claim of a ‘deadly insurrection.’…

“In the case of Chansley, whose buffalo-horned costume became the iconic image of the Capitol riot, Carlson showed Capitol Police guiding him through hallways and even opening locked doors to the Senate chamber. Chansley, who served in the U.S. Navy, would later say in a jailhouse interview that he regretted not knowing that he was breaking the law, trusting that because police officers were helping him, his actions were condoned…. Chansley… was sentenced to 41 months in prison…

“Former President Donald Trump reacted to Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson releasing new and unseen footage from the Capitol Hill riot that unfolded on January 6, 2021… ‘The Unselect Committee was a giant SCAM, and has now unequivocally been stamped as CRIMINAL FABRICATORS OF THIS MOST IMPORTANT DAY,’ Trump posted on his Truth Social account… ‘A whole new, and completely opposite, picture has now been indelibly painted. The Unselect Committee LIED, and should be prosecuted for their actions…’”

The New York Post wrote on March 7:

“In a statement, the Capitol Police suggest that one of the officers with Chansley was trying to ‘de-escalate’ the situation because he was outnumbered. But that does not explain why Chansley, who was unarmed, was able to walk past seven more officers without being apprehended. ‘Not one of them even tried to slow him down,’ says Carlson.

“He ‘understood that the Capitol Police were his allies. … If he was in the act of committing such a grave crime, why didn’t the officers standing right next to him place him under arrest?’”

Carlson has been condemned, of course, by Democrats, members of the January 6 Committee, and even some Republicans for his airing formerly undisclosed and purposefully withheld footage.

Flimsy Concern

Newsmax wrote on March 7:

“Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., told MSNBC that Carlson is posing a ‘serious security risk’ by reporting on the tapes and said they weren’t previously released because they lay out ‘evacuation routes, it lays out where the vice president went, it lays out where the senior members of Congress were evacuated, and so on.’

“Carlson’s team, though, noted that the select committee investigating Jan. 6 has already aired the footage of the evacuation routes taken by then-Vice President Mike Pence and Rep. Josh Hawley, R-Mo.”

Tucker Carlson Responds

On March 8, Breitbart published the transcript of Tucker Carlson’s show, which was aired on March 7, responding to his critics, as follows:

“‘Chuck Schumer called for the censorship of that video — any information, and he did not dispute that it was accurate — that damages the storyline his party constructed and used must be squelched…

“Because that video contradicted lies told by the Democratic Party — Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger — Chuck Schumer demanded that our bosses pull this show off the air…  What you’re seeing is hysteria, the overstatement, the crazed hyperbole, the red-in-the-face anger. What is that? Well, it’s not outrage, of course. It’s fear. It’s panic.

“Those videos, which we did not retouch, which we brought to you after running everyone by the Capitol Police to make certain that we didn’t imperil anybody…, those videos touch a nerve because they’re a threat to the lies that Chuck Schumer has been telling for the last 26 months, and not just Chuck Schumer.

“We should also tell you that Chuck Schumer, the Senate majority leader, was joined in this outrage by the Senate minority leader and that would be a Republican, Mitch McConnell, and they were joined by a cascade of other Republicans — Thom Tillis from North Carolina, Mitt Romney from Utah — all sharing the same outrage…’”

How Democrats Attack Reporters

 The New York Post wrote on March 9:

“‘Twitter Files’ reporters Matt Taibbi and  Michael Schellenberger held firm Thursday against an onslaught of attacks from Democrats who referred to them as ‘so-called journalists’ and demanded they give up their sources during a tense House subcommittee hearing. ‘The Republicans have brought in two of [Twitter CEO] Elon Musk’s public scribes to release cherry-picked, out-of-context emails and screenshots designed to promote his chosen narrative — Elon Musk’s chosen narrative — that is now being parroted by the Republicans,’ said Delegate Stacey Plaskett (D-USVI), the ranking member of the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government.

“Plaskett — who could be described as a ‘so-called congresswoman’ since she cannot vote on the House floor — then dismissed Taibbi, 53, a veteran Rolling Stone journalist, and Shellenberger, 51, an author of award-winning books, as ‘so-called journalists’ whose reporting contained no bombshell revelations… She claimed ‘all the so-called “Twitter Files” really showed was a discussion on content moderation’ and that Taibbi and Shellenberger were only chosen by Republicans to ‘help them out politically.’

“‘Ranking member Plaskett, I’m not a so-called journalist,’ Taibbi shot back. ‘I’ve won the National Magazine Award, the I.F. Stone Award for Independent Journalism, and I’ve written 10 books, including four New York Times bestsellers.’…

“Other Democrats showed a similar disdain for Taibbi’s guarding of his sources during the Thursday hearing [such as Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas)]… ‘I can’t give it to you, unfortunately, because this is a question of sourcing, and I don’t give out — I’m a journalist; I don’t reveal my sources,’ Taibbi said. [When Garcia kept pressuring him,]  Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) jumped in. ‘What he has said is he is not going to reveal his source,’ Jordan said, ‘and the fact that the Democrats are pressuring him to do so is such a violation of the First Amendment.’

„Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) also sought to discredit Taibbi’s reporting by citing the mere fact that he agreed to testify before the GOP-controlled committee. ‘Being a Republican witness today certainly casts a cloud over your objectivity,’ she said…”

It should be noted that Taibbi is a Democrat, but he also said that “the values of the current Democratic Party increasingly feel alien to me.” Thursday’s exchange would most certainly not have reconciled his values with those of the Democrats on the House Subcommittee. Their conduct was not only shameful… it should be seen as extremely dangerous.

Olaf Scholz Goes to Washington

Bild Online reported on March 3 that Olaf Scholz traveled to Washington to meet for just two hours with President Biden, in secret, to discuss their analysis of the Ukraine situation. They refused to answer any questions from journalists. With these two leaders meeting and speaking behind closed doors, the result can only be catastrophic. Further, the praised “friendship” and “collaboration” between the USA and Germany is anything else but real.

Deutsche Welle wrote on March 3:

“Ahead of the meeting, the German chancellor called on China to ‘use your influence in Moscow to press for the withdrawal of Russian troops,’ and not to ‘supply weapons to the aggressor Russia’… Such a move could… provoke friction between Germany and the US due to their differing stances on Beijing. China is Germany’s biggest trading partner, and the possibility being floated by the US of imposing sanctions on China if it decides to send weapons may cause problems for Berlin…

“The low-key meeting between the two leaders also follows revelations from Jake Sullivan, Biden’s national security adviser, that the US only agreed to send Abrams tanks to Ukraine because Germany had made it a condition for sending its own Leopard 2 tanks…  [The American narrative is that the USA “had to agree to ship US Abrams tanks in order to persuade Scholz to act, a characterization that Berlin disputes,” compare the Guardian, dated March 3. ntv claimed on March 3 that Biden only sent Abrams tanks because otherwise, Scholz would not have sent Leopard tanks ].

“Scholz also likely brought up the issue of US subsidies for green technologies — part of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) — which has sparked anger among US allies in Europe who say it puts their companies at a disadvantage while they face the brunt of the effects of Russia’s invasion… ‘Washington is still looking to Berlin as the lead military power in Europe…’ said [Sudha David-Wilp, head of the Berlin bureau of the German Marshall Fund think tank].”

Right now, under Scholz, Berlin is certainly not the lead military power in Europe.

Bundeswehr in Trouble

Breitbart wrote on February 3:

“Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius admitted this week that the German military is incapable of defending the nation if needed. Pistorius, who assumed the role of the commander-in-chief of the Bundeswehr last month, said that the German armed forces as they are currently constituted would not be able to defend their homeland or protect NATO allies in Europe should they be forced into a direct war with a power such as Russia…

“Responding to the comments from Pistorius, the former chairman of the Bundestag Foreign Affairs Committee, Norbert Röttgen, said: “What Pistorius says is the bitter truth. It is courageous and good that the Minister of Defence does not gloss over them, but pronounces them clearly. But he also describes his task: to change that, to get the political support of his own party.”

Chancellor Scholz recently said that the Bundeswehr is strong, and that no one needs to fear. As we pointed out at that time, Scholz’s comments were illusionary and quite irresponsible.  

Germany Unprepared for War

TRT World wrote on March 2:

“In October 2022, Business Insider… reported that Germany only has ammunition for two days of the war, while such details of military readiness are mired in secrecy… The shambolic state of the Bundeswehr’s affairs has long been known in military circles… the war in Ukraine has shone a disturbing light on the German military’s critical unpreparedness…

“Scholz’s three way coalition is creaking with ever expanding fault lines. His foreign minister’s slip suggesting Germany was at war with Russia didn’t go down well with some parts of the Germany population where the anti-Ukraine war narrative is fast catching pace.

“Another problem plaguing the German military is the shortage of men of fighting age, the Bundeswehr stands at around 183,000 strong for a population of over 84 million. There are fresh calls for mandatory conscription to be brought back… Also, since mandatory conscription was cancelled in 2011, Germany’s young have preferred other professional avenues.

“That’s something the defence minister recently lamented, saying ‘back in the day, there was a conscript at every second kitchen table, which meant there was always a connection to civic society at large.’ Fear of war with Russia is a major talking point in German living rooms now…”

What Strategy to Adopt for Ukraine?

Politico wrote on March 3, prior to Scholz’s visit in Washington:

“Last week, President Joe Biden traveled to Kyiv as an act of defiance meant to mark the one-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine. This week, back in Washington, grimmer realities are setting in.

“Biden will host German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the White House on Friday in what will be, on the surface, another display of Western unity with Ukraine as it repels Russia’s punishing invasion. But the show of solidarity comes against a backdrop of growing strain as the trans-Atlantic alliance works to remain in lockstep while grappling with the fact that the war has no end in sight…

“‘There’s no one strong leader that’s really holding the Europeans together…’ said Rachel Rizzo, senior fellow at Atlantic Council’s Europe Center. ‘And without the emergence of Germany as a strong leading actor, we are going to start to see more fissures within the alliance.’

“Part of Biden’s task is managing the emerging divide in Europe over how to end the war. Some voices on the continent are urging peace talks now, to limit the human and economic toll. Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron have urged Zelenskyy to consider negotiations with Putin to bring the fighting to a close. And Macron last month said that it ‘has never been the position of France’ to ‘crush Russia,’ suggesting that it would be acceptable for Putin to remain in power and Russia to retain its military power if the fighting stopped.

“Others in Europe hold a decidedly different view… The Bucharest Nine, or B9, has most acutely felt Putin’s threat and has suggested that the only way to prevent an eventual Russian invasion of their own countries is to cripple Moscow for good. That has placed Biden in a delicate spot: a president who has sent an enormous military stockpile to Kyiv along with pledges to stand with Ukraine ‘for as long as it takes,’ with disagreements over what offramps to take and amid growing Republican resistance for open-ended U.S. involvement in the conflict.

“‘We still need a strategy. Where are we going to be a year from now? I don’t think that Biden or anyone on his team has articulated that,’ said Brett Bruen, a former State Department official in the Obama administration. ‘We’re past days of dancing around the sensitivities of one country or one political leader. We have got to either give Ukraine what it is going to take to win or we need to rethink the game plan.’…

“Kyiv, too, has not always been on the same page with the rest of the alliance. Zelenskyy has vowed not to negotiate until Russia has abandoned all of the Ukrainian territory it has seized — a declaration that includes Crimea, which Moscow forcibly annexed in 2014. But U.S. officials have sent signals to Kyiv that trying to retake Crimea would be difficult — and perhaps a mistake, potentially crossing a red line for Putin that would trigger an escalation…

“Most intelligence analysts on both sides of the Atlantic believe the war, as currently fought, could stretch for years… that would end up draining each nation’s military and economy…”

There seems to be no real strategy as to how to deal with this situation… at least, so it appears on the surface.

China Possesses Largest Navy Force in the World

Express wrote on March 4:

“Rebekah Koffler, a former Defense Intelligence Agency officer, [said] that China’s battleships now outnumber those of the US and it doesn’t intend to close the gap as it sets its sights on taking Taiwan. The military analyst said:

“‘The balance of power when it comes to the US versus China’s Naval forces is rapidly shifting in China’s favour, especially when it comes to China’s ability to project power in its perceived sphere of influence in the Indo-Pacific… China already possesses the largest navy force in the world, having between 340-360 battle force ships (depending on how you count). Comparatively, the US has 285 deployable battle force ships and this number is projected to grow to 297. China has been modernising its navy since the 1990s and has outbuilt everyone, including the US Navy, and UK Royal Navy.’ And Beijing does not intend to lose its lead: it’s expected to be 400 ship-strong by 2025…

“She continued: ‘China is preparing to fight and win the battle over Taiwan, including facing off with the US Navy… Koffler cited a new classified report that indicates the US Navy is projecting the need for 373 battle force ships to meet future war-fighting demands. However, it is not clear to Koffler how the US can achieve this goal, let alone match China’s target. Other military experts have sounded the alarm over the US’ increasing naval disadvantage…”

US influence in the world is shrinking on every level.

Russia and India—a Strong Partnership

Deutsche Welle wrote on March 4:

“Russia, an enemy? Not in India, where Russia has long been viewed as a valued political and economic partner. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year, the relationship has even picked up additional pace. India has declined to join the West’s sanctions on Moscow, and the country is now importing more crude oil from Russia than ever before. This was one of the driving factors behind the recent official visit to India of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz [which obviously was not successful if the goal was to encourage India to distance itself from Russia] …

“Russia has become India’s fourth-largest source of imports in the past year. From April to December 2022, imports totalled $32.8 billion (€30.08 billion), up from $6.58 billion in the same period of 2021…

“‘I would like to clarify we do not ask our companies to buy Russian oil,’ Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar told parliament in December. ‘We ask our companies to buy oil [that] is the best option that they can get. Now, it depends on what the market throws up.’

“As part of global sanctions on Russia, a new price cap has been put on Russian crude oil that came into force on February 5, 2023. For India, the third biggest consumer of oil in the world, this reduction… brings multiple benefits for the government. Because India imports more than 80% of its crude oil, the cap means it can lower energy costs. Furthermore, by turning to Russian oil, India can decrease its dependence on the Middle East, which used to be the source of some 60% of the country’s oil imports.

“The economic and political relationship between Russia and India, which are both nuclear powers, is not only based on their mutual interest regarding oil. It also goes back to their long-standing cooperation during the Cold War era. The Soviet Union supplied weapons to India for decades and trained Indian forces in how to use them. India obtained three fifths of its arms from the USSR between 1955 and 1991…  military cooperation between India and Russia remains significant…

“By contrast, there [is] a cooler relationship with the United States, which delivered arms to India’s enemy Pakistan…  Germany… ranked sixth [of India’s trading partners] in 2012, but slide down to 11th position in 2021.”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov Ridiculed and Applauded

Express wrote on March 4:

“Vladimir Putin’s closest aid in the Kremlin has provoked laughter at a meeting of world leaders in India as he claimed the war in Ukraine was ‘launched against us’. Speaking at a G20 summit, foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, who has been in his post since 2004, peddled the now-parodied Russian line that the West was ‘using Ukrainian people’ to stage a war. The international meeting is one of the few that Russia has not been removed from – last year, the G8 became the G7 as Western allies conspired to degrade Putin’s influence on the global economy. But while his line on the war was received with mocking laughter, Lavrov’s comments on Western foreign policy were applauded.

“The 72-year-old said Russia ‘would not anymore rely on any partners in the West’, referring to sanctions slapped on Putin’s economy and energy supplies since their invasion of Ukraine. ‘The war, which we are trying to stop, which was launched against us using Ukrainian people, of course, influenced the policy of Russia, including energy policy,’ he said to a chorus of laughs and groans…

“Referring to the explosions that caused damage to the Nord Stream pipeline in the Baltic Sea in September 2022, he added: ‘We would not allow them to blow the pipelines again.’ But when asked about the ‘double standards’ of Western interventions in sovereign countries, the audience were welcoming, affording the minister a round of applause. [He referred specifically to US interventions in Iraq, Afghanistan, Yugoslavia, Libya and Syria.]

“Reaction to his comments reflected a growing cause for concern among Kyiv’s backers that countries around the world are opting out of condemning Russia’s invasion… Lavrov highlighted a divide among the G20. Western resolve to support Ukraine may appear to be unabating, at least for now, but countries such as South Africa, which holds strong ties to the US-led West, have improved relations with Russia despite the war.

“It comes as US secretary of state Antony Blinken and Lavrov talked briefly on Thursday at the meeting in the highest-level in-person talks between the two countries since Russia’s invasion. US officials said Blinken and Lavrov chatted for roughly 10 minutes on the sidelines of the G-20 conference…”

These are interesting developments. As we have said from the outset, based on biblical prophecy, Russia and Ukraine will ultimately unite and become enemies of the West.

“The Evil Nature” of Conscription

The Ron Paul Institute republished on March 2 the following article by the Future of Freedom Foundation:

“What caught my attention… was this sentence in Jenkins’ piece [in the Wall Street Journal]: ‘Mr. Putin is the one abducting their sons and sending them home three weeks later in body bags.’ Abducting? One doesn’t often see conservatives using that word to describe conscription. One usually expects to see conservatives using the word ‘draft’ or the word ‘serve’ to describe conscription. I found another article in the Journal that Jenkins wrote a few years ago in which he stated the following, ‘Even in World War II, more than 60% of American participants were drafted.’

“Yes, he used the word ‘drafted.’ No mention of the word ‘abducted.’ But then again, this is the US government, not the Russian government, to which he is referring… Actually though, Jenkins gets it right with his word ‘abduct.’ That’s what conscription is all about — in both Russia and the United States. Another word that could be used is ‘slavery.’ The best term is the one used in the Thirteenth Amendment — ‘involuntary servitude.’… So, after calling for volunteers, the government finds that it still needs soldiers to fight. When no one else will volunteer, that’s when the government commands citizens to report to military installations to ‘serve’ their country by being forced to travel to some foreign land to kill or be killed. If the person refuses, the government sends armed agents to forcibly seize him and take him away to jail. If he still refuses to ‘serve,’ he is tried, convicted, and sentenced to a long term in a federal penitentiary…

“When people said no, like Mohammad Ali, US officials went after them with a vengeance for their cowardice and lack of patriotism, just like Putin is doing to those who resist his draft in Russia…  the Russian invasion of Ukraine has caused conservatives to confront the evil nature of conscription, even if they are only referring to Russia.”

God calls “conscription” a curse.

Trump on the Warpath

Breitbart wrote on March 4:

“Former President Donald Trump boldly proclaimed that the Republican Party is ‘never going back to the party of Paul Ryan, Karl Rove, and Jeb Bush’ during his Saturday speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). Trump listed numerous ‘villains and scoundrels’ from whom he hopes to liberate the United States, including globalists, communists, and the fake news media.

“Trump told the CPAC crowd:

“‘With you at my side, we will demolish the deep state. We will expel the war mongers. They are people that don’t get it, although in some cases they get it, they get it for their wallets… We will evict Joe Biden from the White House… We’re not going back to people that want to destroy our great social security system. Even some in our own party… want to raise the minimum age of social security to 70, 75, or even 80,’ Trump said, seemingly referencing former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who spoke at CPAC on Friday about the need for the next GOP president to reform entitlement programs. ‘In some cases, [they] are out to cut Medicare to a level that it will no longer be recognizable… We are never going back to a party that wants to give unlimited money to fight foreign wars. That are endless wars, that are stupid wars.’…

“Trump received 62 percent support in the poll completed by more than 2,000 CPAC attendees, bringing him 40 points higher than the second-place candidate… Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) came in second place, receiving 20 percent support in the straw poll… Michigan businessman Perry Johnson, who tried to run for governor of his state, came in third place with five percent support. Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy, the only two declared candidates featured in the poll, received three and one percent support, respectively. Other names in the poll included Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who all received one percent support…

“In the vice presidential candidate straw poll, former Arizona Republican gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake received the most support at 20 percent, while DeSantis was second place at 14 percent.”

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for President?

Jackman Radio Podcast published the following article on or about March 4:

“Robert F. Kennedy, Jr…. gave one of the most inspiring, passionate and courageous speeches I’ve ever seen. I actually choked up a little when he spoke about the more than 2 million Americans who lined the railroad tracks to say goodbye to his father [Robert F. Kennedy] as his train made its way to Arlington National Cemetery. 1968 wasn’t so long ago.

“Kennedy spoke truthfully about America’s militarism, corporate greed, Orwell style censorship and the grip that Pharma has on ‘media’ and shaping narratives, especially over the last three years. He is seriously considering a Democratic primary challenge to President Biden… Kennedy is somewhat of a throwback to what Democrats used to be like… His track record of standing against environmental polluters and corporate malfeasance while elevating the voices of the downtrodden and marginalized truly speaks for itself.

“In 2023 it has become a matter of controversy to simply state truth, facts, logic and reason. It’s no surprise other members of his family and the… media brand him as being crazy, fringe and outside the mainstream. It’s because he’s hitting a real nerve with the power elite. They loathe him for speaking truthfully about the disgusting reality that big pharma owns the very ‘media’ that’s supposed to hold it accountable. Along with the murky defense contractors who… never saw a war they didn’t love nor couldn’t profit from.

“The American people are fed up with the lies, corruption, deceit and cowardice that is now synonymous with holding elected office. RFK Jr. is just one man, but he is a man with a powerful message, movement and pedigree behind him. 1968 wasn’t so long ago. Perhaps it is time for a Kennedy to make a heroic run for The White House to bring back the ideals, passion and dedication to justice that his father and uncle before him evoked…”

Wikipedia promotes the typical mainstream narrative in writing: “Robert Francis Kennedy Jr. is an American environmental lawyer and author known for promoting anti-vaccine propaganda and conspiracy theories. Kennedy is a son of U.S. senator Robert F. Kennedy and a nephew of President John F. Kennedy.” However, what he stands for and promotes is much more than just “propaganda” and the subject of “conspiracy theories.”

“The Biggest Scandal in American History”

Fox News published on March 5 the following opinion piece by Newt Gingrich, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995-1999 and a candidate for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination:

“We are living through the largest, deadliest scandal in American history, but the elite media refuses to connect the dots and analyze it. COVID-19, a disease no one disputes came from Wuhan, China, has killed more than 1.1 million Americans and more than 38 million people worldwide. It has left millions of others with chronic health problems… Many children are suffering from depression and other mental health challenges from the forced isolation and lack of social contact.

“Now, it is becoming more clear that much of this pain was avoidable – and the result of powerful government employees protecting themselves… President Donald Trump called it ‘the Chinese Virus’ and was intensely attacked. Somehow the word ‘Chinese’ was deemed racist…

“We now know this censorship and speech silencing was part of a systematic effort of senior scientists to mislead the American people… This scandal of many of our best professional researchers lying to the American people is compounded by the absolute failure of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention…

“Driven by the economic impact of the Chinese virus, the American government spent trillions of dollars propping up the economy, sparking inflation, massively increasing the national debt, and permitting hundreds of billions in theft and corruption.  Finally, there has been no serious effort to hold the Chinese Communist dictatorship accountable for the damage it has done around the world… The Chinese Communists have continuously focused on stopping us from understanding the origins of the pandemic…

“This scandal is so large, and covers so many areas, it will be a major factor in politics and government for the next decade. It will go down in history as a turning point in our lives and the life of our country. We just need to decide what direction we turn: toward clarity and accountability, or toward lies and chaos.”

God asks this great nation to “turn”—to repent of its evil ways of lies and deceit and choose the way of righteousness and truth.

New Brexit Deal Just Window-Dressing?

Breitbart wrote on March 6:

“The Brexit deal on Northern Ireland negotiated by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was merely designed to placate the British public and will still leave the European Court of Justice with ultimate authority over the British province, the EU’s top negotiator on the matter revealed in a leaked recording.

“Confirming fears expressed by Brexiteers and British Unionists in Northern Ireland, European Commission Vice President for Interinstitutional Relations and Foresight Maroš Šefčovič was reportedly recorded stating that the deal struck by Prime Minister Sunak was intended to win favourable headlines in the British press rather than actually regain sovereignty over Northern Ireland — an integral part of the United Kingdom that has been forced to abide by EU customs diktats and onerous regulations under the Protocol agreed to by former prime minister Boris Johnson.

“The recording of the Slovakian eurocrat speaking to other politicians in Brussels, obtained by The Telegraph, documented Šefčovič saying: ‘Be under no impression that there will be a diminishing of the role of the European Court of Justice… We’ve been very clear from the beginning until the end, the role of the ECJ as the sole and final arbiter of EU law stays in place.’

“The ‘Windsor Framework’ agreed to by Sunak and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen set out a process dubbed the ‘Stormont Break’ in which legislators in the devolved (local) parliament in Northern Ireland can supposedly override EU regulations, including on rules imposed upon British trade. However, Šefčovič said that this concession was more window dressing than anything else, insisting that the final ruling on any such dispute would be in the hands of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) and therefore Northern Ireland would still be under the effective rule of the EU rather than ‘taking back control’ of its own sovereignty as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak suggested..”

King Charles Coronation Oil Consecrated in Jerusalem

The Guardian wrote on March 3:

“Oil has been created using olives from two groves on Mount of Olives, and a formula dating back centuries.

“The fragrant chrism oil that will be used to anoint King Charles during his coronation in May was made sacred in Jerusalem on Friday. A ceremony took place in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where the holy oil was consecrated by the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilos III, and the Anglican archbishop in Jerusalem, Hosam Naoum.”

The Sun added on March 3:

“Chrism oil… will be placed by the Archbishop of Canterbury on King Charles’s breast, head and hand… The ritual has been held at Westminster Abbey for 1,000 years…

“The Archbishop of Canterbury said: ‘Since beginning the planning for the coronation, my desire has been for a new coronation oil to be produced using olive oil from the Mount of Olives. This demonstrates the deep historic link between the coronation, the Bible and the Holy Land. From ancient kings through to the present day, monarchs have been anointed with oil from this sacred place…’”

Israel 365 News added on March 5:

“British Israelism, also called Anglo-Israelism, is the belief begun in the 16th century that the people of Great Britain are the ‘direct descendants” of the Ten Lost Tribes of ancient Israel. Some adherents further claim that the British royal family is of lineal descent from the house of King David via a daughter of Zedekiah, the last king of Judah.

“According to this legend, the prophet Jeremiah, and his scribe, Baruch, escaped with ‘the king’s daughters’ (Jer. 41:10; 43:6) to Egypt. They later traveled to Ireland, where one of the surviving Judahite princesses, Tea Tephi, married a local High King of Ireland.

“From this fabled union the Davidic throne was supposedly preserved, having been transferred to Ireland, then Scotland, and later England, whence the British monarchs are alleged to have descended.

“The Stone of Scone, which has been used in the coronations of Scottish, English and British monarchs for centuries, is traditionally claimed to be the pillow stone on which the biblical patriarch, Jacob, slept, and the stone used in David’s coronation. The central tenets of British Israelism have been refuted by archaeological, ethnological, genetic, and linguistic research.”

The article falsely alleges that these claims have been “refuted.” This is absolutely incorrect and quite deceitful. Nothing was “refuted,” but the facts remain, as we have explained in our literature, that King Charles IS Jewish and a descendant of King David; that Jeremiah DID arrive in Ireland with the two king’s daughters; that the throne WAS transferred three times, as prophesied in the Bible, and is now in Britain; and that monarchs WERE crowned on the Stone of Scone which might very well be the stone on which Jacob slept.

Note our two-part series on the “Stone of Destiny.” https://www.eternalgod.org/what-do-we-know-of-the-stone-of-destiny-part-1/ and https://www.eternalgod.org/what-do-we-know-of-the-stone-of-destiny-part-2/

Therefore, the use of “holy oil” consecrated in Jerusalem for King Charles’ coronation is quite telling.

Hungary Plans to Establish Embassy in Jerusalem

The Algemeiner wrote on March 3:

“Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban would back his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu by moving its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem next month, Israeli media reported Friday. If the plan goes through, Hungary would be the first European Union member state to establish an embassy in Jerusalem, which Israel claims as its capital but is not acknowledged by most nations and whose legal status is in question…

“Only a small number of other nations have followed the United States in moving its embassies in Israel to Jerusalem under the administration of former president Donald Trump in 2018.

“Jerusalem was proclaimed to be Israel’s capital city by a law passed by the Israeli parliament in 1980. Unless discussions between Israel and the Palestinians, who want east Jerusalem to serve as the capital of a future Palestinian state, are concluded, the United Nations will consider east Jerusalem occupied and its status disputed.”

The attitude of most European countries and the UN towards Israel is, in reality, deeply antagonistic.

Short Window for Israel to Strike Iran

Stars and Stripes wrote on March 3:

“Iran is seeking sophisticated new air-defense systems from Russia [called S-400s] that Israeli officials believe will narrow the window for a potential strike on Tehran’s nuclear program… Russia hasn’t said publicly if it will supply the weapons, but Moscow and Tehran have drawn closer since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. It would take less than two years for the S-400s to be operational.

“‘The longer you wait, the harder that becomes,’ Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said of a strike on Iran at a security conference in Tel Aviv last week. ‘We’ve waited very long. I can tell you that I will do everything in my power to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.’…

“Israel bombed nuclear sites in Iraq in 1981 and Syria in 2007. An open military conflict with Iran could trigger an unparalleled regional conflagration affecting global oil supplies. Russia has offered Iran ‘unprecedented defense cooperation, including on missiles, electronics and air defense’ and may provide Tehran with fighter jets, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Feb. 24…

“Concern has grown over Iran’s nuclear work since international monitors detected uranium enriched to 84% purity — just below the 90% needed for weapons. By the end of 2023, Iran will have enough uranium enriched to 60% to produce 10 bombs, according to a senior Israeli official and a former senior U.S. official.

“Israel continues to hope the U.S. will take the lead on any possible strike and while the Biden administration hasn’t ruled out military action, it prefers diplomacy. Iran accuses Israel of assassinating its nuclear scientists, most recently as in late 2020, as well as hacking and other nuclear sabotage. Israel doesn’t publicly own up to them but they are widely acknowledged by officials both in the U.S. and in Israel…

“In December, the U.S. said Russia was deepening military backing for Iran in return for Iranian supplies of drones for Moscow’s war on Ukraine. The next month, an Iranian lawmaker said Tehran expects a delivery of Su-35 fighter jets from Russia by mid-March…

“The S-400s, which can hit aerial targets at a range of up to 150 miles, would create a ‘red zone for high-altitude aircraft,’ said Jeremy Binnie, Middle East defense expert at Janes, the UK-based defense intelligence firm…”

It appears that Israel WILL strike Iran, with or without American help and support. But this time, not everything may go as well as hoped for by Israel.

Outside the Law?

Thomson/Reuters wrote on March 5:

“Israel rebuffed as ‘unworthy’ on Sunday comments by the U.N. nuclear watchdog chief that any Israeli or U.S. attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities would be illegal…

“‘Rafael Grossi is a worthy person who made an unworthy remark,’ Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his cabinet in televised remarks on Sunday. ‘Outside what law? Is it permissible for Iran, which openly calls for our destruction, to organize the tools of slaughter for our destruction? Are we forbidden from defending ourselves? We are obviously permitted to do this.’”

Trans Bishop Sues Lutheran Church for Harassment and Discrimination

Breitbart wrote on March 3:

“The far-left Associated Press reports that… Megan Rohrer, who was ‘elected as the first openly transgender bishop of one of the largest Christian denominations in the country in May 2021,’ is suing the [church] and claiming ‘he’ was forced out ‘after enduring several months of discrimination and harassment.’

“I’m confused… ‘Megan’ is a ‘he?’ From what I’ve been able to piece together, ‘Megan’ is a biological woman who identifies as a man. So why hold on to the name ‘Megan?’…

“So in May of 2021 [he or she] was then using those ludicrous ‘they’ and ‘them’ pronouns… [and was] first transgender person to be ordained in the ELCA in 2006 and the first to serve as a pastor when called to Grace Lutheran in 2014… So this [church] accepted and promoted her knowing what she was. So, it’s not like she won a promotion to bishop and said, ‘Hey, I’m a guy now, and I dare you to fire me’…

“She is seeking money, naturally… However, [he or she] has been accused of racism after she ‘fired the pastor of a predominantly Latino, immigrant congregation in Stanton, California, on the Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, for which the community had planned elaborate festivities.’ However, her lawsuit says she was a scapegoat for the firing, and the [church] then ‘publicly shamed [her] as a racist.’

“The firing of this pastor at that Latino congregation caused some serious fallout. The church made a public apology to the congregation, but ‘the congregation lost the denomination’s financial backing and was forced to vacate their building and worship in the parking lot.’

“… I have no tolerance for people who damn souls by tricking those souls into believing they are right with God when they are decidedly not. And that’s exactly what this [church] and this Megan lady are doing. Accepting sinners in the church is Christianity. Accepting sin is demonic. My heart breaks for those who don’t know any better, for those who this [church] has fooled — at the cost of their own souls — into believing they are saved. This is naked evil, the worst kind.

“The rules to avoid [the lake of fire] are not negotiable and come from above, not from man or woman or [the LGBTQ+ community].”

To deceive others by leading them into sin or by advocating or even tolerating sin is a grievous violation of Christ’s words who said it would be better for such a person to be thrown into the ocean where it is the deepest.

Drag Night at Historic London Church

Breitbart wrote on March 5:

“The 17th-century St James’s Church, Piccadilly in London, which claims to have demonstrated a ‘pioneering welcome of LGBTQAI+ communities and other marginalised people and groups’, will for the first time in its 340-year history put on a ‘drag night’ dubbed PREACH! within the church.

The Church of England parish church said that it would be hosting at least two performances of PREACH! — with one on Saturday, March 4th, and the second on June 3^rd… ‘St James’s will welcome drag icons from around the world to perform beneath its ornate gold ceiling, showcasing some of the biggest names in the art of drag, as well as fresh talent,’ the church said. Despite claiming that it is ‘committed to the safeguarding of children, young people and adults’ St James’s did not say the drag show [was] age-restricted, indicating that children would be allowed into the show…

“What exactly drag has to do with Christianity or indeed why the church would host such an event was not explained…

“The performance is just the latest instance of the leftward lurch of the Church of England, the established church of its homeland. Under the de facto leadership of Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, the CoE has frequently inserted itself in political issues of the day, often advocating a leftist agenda…

“Welby has also weighed into modern woke gender theory, previously declaring that God is ‘gender neutral’ despite the Bible very clearly describing God in general and Jesus Christ in particular in unequivocally masculine terms. To back up Welby’s assertion, however, the Church announced last month that it would be embarking upon a project ‘to develop more inclusive language’… with phrases like ‘Our Father’ potentially being on the chopping block to conform with modern politically correct sensibilities. Just days later, the Church voted in favour of offering ‘God’s blessings’ to same-sex marriages….”

Shame on Welby and the Church of England.

Europe to Approve LGBT Doctrine?

IFN (International Family News) wrote on March 4:

“On January 23, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) issued a landmark ruling on LGBTQI propaganda aimed at minors: Lithuania was condemned for restricting the distribution of an LGBTQI children’s book…

“The Lithuanian state concluded that the stories in question ‘encourage a conception of marriage and family foundation different from that enshrined in the Constitution and Civil Code of the Republic of Lithuania.’ As a result, the country has recommended that copies be marked with a warning advising against reading to children under 14…

“The Court decided that this law does not pursue a legitimate purpose… the judges argued that the effects of restricting the publication of this LGBT book for minors would be incompatible ‘with the notion of equality, pluralism and tolerance that are inseparable from a democratic society.’

“This is yet another ruling that substantiates the ‘conflicts of interest’ of abortion and LGBTI lobbies and large foundations linked mainly to Geroge Soros and the Court’s judges, fears repeatedly denounced and revealed by several research studies… over 70 percent [of Lithuanians] are absolutely opposed to any form of recognition of LGBTI unions and ‘gender’ ideology.”

More Woke Insanity at Disneyland

Fox Business wrote on March 4:

“Disneyland has removed the phrase ‘zip-a-dee-doo-dah’ from the music of its in-park parades due to racial sensitivity concerns… Disney made the change due to the phrase’s origin in the 1946 film ‘Song of the South’…

“Multiple park attractions and events referencing ‘Song of the South’ have been closed or altered by Disney in recent years as the company continues to distance itself from the film… Walt Disney World permanently shut down Splash Mountain in January because it features characters and music from the movie…”

Crazy! If Walt Disney knew, he would turn in his grave in disgust with those now running his enterprise into the ground.

No Tax Returns to Be Filed by Most Californians Until October 16

The LA Times wrote on March 4:

“Good news for most Californians who owe taxes to the federal or state government: The deadline for filing your return and paying what you owe has been pushed back to October.

“The relief is available to anyone living or working in the 44 counties covered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s emergency declaration. That includes Los Angeles, Ventura and San Diego counties. FEMA’s action came in response to the severe winter storms that caused floods, landslides and mudslides between Dec. 27 and Jan. 31.

“State and federal authorities had previously delayed the deadline to May 15. Last week, though, the Internal Revenue Service pushed it back  again, to Oct. 16. Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Thursday that the state is doing the same.

“The relief will be offered automatically to anyone whose address on file at the IRS is in a disaster area — no need to ask for help or alert the agency that you’ll be filing late. If the IRS sends you a penalty notice anyway because you missed a deadline that should have been waived, the agency advises you to call the number on the notice to have the penalty erased…

“Granted, if you are due a refund, you want to file as soon as you can. Otherwise, you’re giving the government an interest-free loan…

“As with the IRS, if you receive a late filing notice after taking advantage of the new deadline, the governor’s office said, you should call the phone number on the notice and ask that the penalty be waived.”

Ultimately, though, the government will get our tax money to be used for many ungodly purposes.

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.

Where did this phrase come from as it cannot be found in the Bible in those words? The catholic.com website gives this answer: “It’s from St. Augustine. His Letter 211 (c. 424) contains the phrase Cum dilectione hominum et odio vitiorum, which translates roughly to ‘With love for mankind and hatred of sins.’ The phrase has become more famous as ‘love the sinner but hate the sin’ or ‘hate the sin and not the sinner’ (the latter form appearing in Mohandas Gandhi’s 1929 autobiography).”

There are those who see themselves as Christians but can’t accept the phrase, “Love the sinner but hate the sin.”   One such newspaper writer wrote: “There is no condemnation for those who are in Jesus.  To look at my gay Christian brother and say ‘God loves the sinner’ is to set myself against Jesus and bring condemnation again to those he’s already redeemed.  So I’m done.  I’m done with ‘Love the sinner but hate the sin.’ I’m done with speaking as if I’m different, better than you.  We are children of the Creator, redeemed by Jesus.  We are brothers and sisters.   And today, that’s enough.”

This is a complete misunderstanding of the phrase.   True Christians are not to take a superior attitude to anyone else but they do have to accept that sin is that which we must avoid and overcome.   After all, in Matthew 6:12 which is part of the model prayer, we read that we are to pray to “forgive us our debts (sins) as we forgive our debtors (sins).”  The antipathy displayed in the previous paragraph may be because it is erroneously believed that all you have to do is give your heart to the Lord and that you can still live and practice that which you did previously without having to change anything.

It seems that acceptance of any lifestyle is a must in today’s perverse and perverted society and it appears that many of those who espouse Christianity can fall into that trap.   We can’t say anything about how wrong many sexual sins are because, in so many minds, any lifestyle is acceptable and all you have to do is “believe in the Lord,” but the Bible makes it very plain that that is simply just not so!

One minister, a homosexual, wrote the following:

“As an openly-gay Christian theologian and minister, I believe that the slogan of ‘Love the sinner, hate the sin,’ no matter how well-intentioned, is theologically unsound. Not only is this an unbiblical concept, but it is also not workable in practice. In fact, when it comes to LGBT sexualities and gender identities, I contend that this slogan is actually a modern-day version of gnosticism, which was condemned as heretical by early Church theologians such as Irenaeus in the second century.”   It would seem that we are becoming more and more interested in the idea of acceptance of any lifestyles, and without any boundaries.

We address these gender designations referred to in the paragraph above, in our booklet “God’s Teachings on Sexual Relationships,” showing how ungodly they are. The Bible is very clear on these matters and the true Church of God today is not afraid to relate the full Truth from Scripture.   It appears that many today are becoming more and more interested in the idea of acceptance by others irrespective of their lifestyle and different sexual proclivities.   Nevertheless, Christians are to still love the person (we were all sinners before we became converted, and even now, we still sin from time to time), but they must hate the sin as God hates sin which separates us from God (compare Isaiah 59:2).

We can see from what has already been quoted above that on the one hand, there are those who feel that such a phrase deflects the individual’s responsibility and accountability for their sins, and on the other hand, there are those who accept the individual irrespective of their sins complete with wrong lifestyles if that should be necessary.

This phrase is also used when explaining that a person’s lifestyle is not compatible with the standards that God sets out in His Word.   For example, in society today, the word “homophobic” is used for anyone who doesn’t agree with such behaviour.  The Bible confirms that such behaviour is not in accordance with God’s required standard for people.  In our booklet “God’s Teachings on Sexual Relationships,”  we state the following on page 95:

“Before covering the controversial issue of homosexuality, we feel it is necessary to state our position, as anyone who opposes this behavior is commonly thought to be a homophobe or homophobic. This term is casually used against anyone who has the audacity to question the morality of such behavior, especially when asserting it to be sin, which homosexual lobbyists often refer to as hate speech.

“This argument is invalid, as people on both sides of the argument must be allowed to agree or disagree about homosexuality in a free and fair society. To assert that homosexual behavior is a sin is simply stating a biblical fact, and Christians who live by the Word of God are simply stating what God’s Word clearly reveals. There should be no hate for the individual concerned, just sadness at their way of life.”

One of the problems associated with the phrase “love the sinner, hate the sin” is that it may be felt that hating the sin can spill over into also meaning hate towards the individual.   In some cases that may be true but it must not reflect the behaviour of a true Christian.   We see, in the UK, that saying that homosexuality is wrong can be taken as a hate crime which it is not, but a fact taken from the Word of God.   God’s teaching on the matter is subordinated to UK law which means that God’s Word must take second place.   That is a very dangerous approach that society takes and does so at its own very great risk.  We should love the sinner because we all sin, but hate the sin(s), and God’s Way must be paramount in a Christian’s life irrespective of any human-made laws which may conflict with God’s Word.

If we don’t hate the sin (whatever it is) and we take a more “accepting” attitude towards it, such as “live and let live,” then we are in grave danger of becoming indifferent to that which could well keep us out of the Kingdom of God.   God hates sin and we must also do likewise.

The Bible can so often be misrepresented so as to reflect what someone would like it to say, rather than what it actually says.

So, what is the biblical truth of the matter?   It is, quite simply, to look at how sin and love are defined in the pages of the Bible.

1 John 3:4 states about sin in the Authorized Version: “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” The New King James Bible says: “Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.”

In Scripture, we read about how sin separates us from God (please see our new free booklet, “God the Father Is the Highest”), and here are just a few of those many verses:

In Isaiah 59:2, we read: “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.”

Romans 6:16 states: “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?”

Romans 6:23 reads:  “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

As one writer observed: “God is the source of all life, and He will extend that life eternally to all who believe.  Sin is a barrier to our reception of life, and that is one reason why God hates it.” Of course, we hasten to add that the concept of “believe” or “faith” must be understood correctly. The Bible requires “obedient” faith—faith which is obedient to God and His Law (see Romans 1:5; 16:26).

In Matthew 5:43-48, the sub-heading in the New King James Bible is “Love Your Enemies.” We read:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.  For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?   And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?  Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”

We should realise that we, too, were sinners before our conversion, and we still sin from time to time, but we have been called out of this world by God and are, therefore, set apart by our calling.   We must hate it when we ourselves sin, and we must ask God for forgiveness.   Those who sin willfully—knowing better but refusing to repent and change—do so to their own hurt by not making it into the Kingdom of God.

There are so many verses about love that could be quoted, but the following gives a flavour of what love is.

Leviticus 19:18 says: “You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.”

Leviticus 19:33-34 reads: “And if a stranger dwells with you in your land, you shall not mistreat him.  The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.”

Matthew 19:19 says this in respect of commandments to keep: “‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Matthew 22:36-40 relates the conversation between a Pharisee and Jesus, when the Pharisee came to ask Jesus the following: “‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?’ Jesus said to him, ‘“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.”  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like it: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.’”

John 13:34-35 states: “ A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” Please note in this context that the semicolon added in the first part of the above-quoted phrase is terribly wrong. Instead, the phrase should read: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”

While the above is about, primarily, love for brethren in the Church, we should certainly have love for those outside the Church.   Mr. Herbert W Armstrong, the late Pastor-General of the now defunct Worldwide Church of God, used to define love as “an outgoing concern for the good and welfare of others.”   That love does not end if the other person has a lifestyle and way of life that is incompatible with the true Christian Way of Life.   We should want the very best for them and hope and pray that they will turn, one day, from their chosen lifestyle to God’s Way of Life.

James 2:8 says: “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you do well…”

Also, the “love chapter” of 1 Corinthians 13 is one that makes great reading.

In God’s second appearance to Solomon, He said: “…if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14). While that applied to ancient Israel thousands of years ago, the same principle holds good today.

At the same time, note that God requires repentance. He does not forgive a sinner if he or she refuses to repent. But this does not negate His love for him or her, as we will continue to explain below.

Two references in the book of Romans show that loving the sinner and hating the sin is what we are to do, naysayers notwithstanding.   Regarding naysayers, one writer put it this way: “The counter-narrative that they come up with – in the face of the best air-tight case – can boggle the brightest of minds!”  These two references from the Word of God are an air-tight case, and are as follows:

Romans 13:9 says: “For the commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ ‘You shall not covet,’ and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Romans 12:9, with a sub-heading in the New King James Bible, “Behave Like a Christian,” reads as follows: “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.”  The problem in society today is that evil has, in many cases, become normal.

Loving the sinner does not mean, however, that we love or approve of his lifestyle. This includes, not even giving the appearance of accepting or not rejecting his lifestyle. It also does not mean that we “forgive” an unrepentant sinner for his sinful conduct towards us. For a detailed explanation, please see our Q&A, titled, “You teach that God does not forgive us our sins if we refuse to repent. Does this mean that God does not require us to forgive those that sin against us if they refuse to repent?” https://www.eternalgod.org/question-and-answer-221/

In that Q&A, we stated:

“We should always have a forgiving attitude and a willingness to immediately forgive upon repentance, as this can be the start of any reconciliation process. We must never develop and harbor grudges against another person (Leviticus 19:18). We must hate the sin, but we must never hate the sinner. If we begin to hate the sinner, and develop resentment against the sinner, then we may find ourselves in a position where we might not be able to forgive the sinner, when he or she does repent and/or when his or her repentance comes to our attention.

“Further, harboring grudges against someone is not spiritually or physically healthy for ourselves. It can deprive us of the inner peace and joy of God which we are supposed to have (compare John 14:27; 15:11; 16:24; Colossians 3:15). God is always willing and ready to forgive, and so must we. It has been correctly said that we must do everything we can to establish peace (Matthew 5:9; Romans 12:18; 14:19; Hebrews 12:14; 1 Peter 3:11); and to help a person to repent, realizing at the same time that repentance is a gift from God (Romans 2:4).”

Later in the Q&A, we wrote:

“Although God does not forgive a sinner without his repentance, He still loves him. In fact, we read that God loved the WORLD (when they were all unrepentant sinners) so much that He gave His only-begotten Son so that everyone who BELIEVES in Him (having come to repentance and having accepted the Sacrifice of Christ for payment of his or her sins) does not have to perish, but can have everlasting life (John 3:16). Although God does not forgive SIN without repentance, He still LOVES the sinner.”

We strongly recommend that you read that Q&A in its entirety, as it discusses many more aspects regarding love, repentance and forgiveness.

In conclusion, the answer to our question in this Q&A is simple.   We are to love our fellow man as the second great commandment is to love our neighbour as ourselves (compare Matthew 22:39), but we are to hate sin committed by others (and ourselves).   God hates sin, as we read in Psalm 5:4: “For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, Nor shall evil dwell with You,” and we are to become perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect.

It may not be easy at times but it is something that we must do – that is to love the sinner but hate the sin!

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

compiled by Dave Harris

“Short Window for Israel to Strike Iran,” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary: 

Many in Israel feel that it is “now or never” to strike Tehran’s nuclear program, with or without American support. At the same time, concerns grow especially in Britain that Iran might soon attack the UK and Western allies. But the UK is actually facing a much bigger threat from another power.

“Wurden wir belogen?” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Have We’ve Been Lied to?” (It deals with Tucker Carlson’s programs about January 6, 2021) 

A new Member Letter (March 2023) has been written by Elder Paul Niehoff. In his letter, Mr. Niehoff writes about how important it is to love the Truth in order to avoid deception. This letter will be posted to our webpage, and copies will be sent to our subscribers.

Our new booklet, “God the Father Is the Highest,” has been received from our printer. This booklet is posted, and copies have now been sent to our subscribers.

A Tech Team Meeting was conducted via Google Meets on Sunday, March  5, 2023. Hosted by Eric Rank, responses and effectiveness for our booklets ad campaign were reviewed along with Feast plans and other details.

“Ist Matthäus 28,19 eine Fälschung?” is the title of this Sabbath’s German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Is Matthew 28:19 a Forgery?”

“Lasst euch mit Gott versöhnen,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath in Germany by Marc Voeller, is now posted. Title in English: “Be Reconciled to God.”

“Our Daily Unleavened Bread,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath by Brian Gale, is now posted. Here is a summary:

It is obvious that we eat unleavened bread during the Days of Unleavened Bread festival each year. But do we eat unleavened bread each day of the seven days? Unless there is a very compelling reason or an emergency, we should eat this on a daily basis, as this message shows.

“How Can You Be More Successful?” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Are you successful in life—or are you failing? Are you on your way to true success—or, are you about to give up? We were not created to be a failure. We were meant to be truly successful. But true success does not happen by accident, circumstance or coincidence. True success must be achieved. There are certain principles—one might say, laws—which we must apply and follow in order to become truly successful. What are seven physical and spiritual laws of success?

Spring Holy Days: Passover—April 5, 2023 (observed the evening before); Feast of Unleavened Bread—April 6-12, 2023; Pentecost—May 28, 2023.

2023 Ministerial Conference: April 21-24

On March 4, 2023, Brain Gale will present the sermonette, titled, “Our Daily Unleavened Bread,” and Norbert Link will present the sermon, titled, “How Can You Be More Successful?”

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.

Recently, one of the email chains I get was talking about change. The email was about how to make change last. In the email, the writer was quoting a friend of his who is a very successful New York Times Best-Selling self-help author. The quote from this author went like this: “I don’t believe most people actually ever change all that much. That may be strange to hear coming from someone who has dedicated their life to helping people change, but I don’t think most people actually change.”

How true this is. So many people in this world want change. And yet, they can often attempt to make a change and then end up reverting back to where they were before.

The author of this email goes on to state the following:

“It’s not because they can’t. It’s because they don’t know what they don’t know. This ‘knowing’ deficit falls into 2 categories…

“1. Most people don’t know what’s actually possible for them.

“Most people have a hard time being able to imagine what’s actually possible for their life experience. They feel ‘good enough,’ and can’t imagine what feeling ‘great’ even is – or that it’s possible for them. They come to accept the malaise. The potential for life remains perpetually on hold as they fall into the norm that Thoreau once accurately described… ‘The mass of men live lives of quiet desperation.’

“2. Most people don’t understand how change actually works

“We think that the way we find greater peace, meaning, freedom, joy and purpose is by focusing on making external changes and quick fixes. The real transformation comes from fixing the foundation. You won’t live differently until you see the world and yourself differently. Sure you can muscle through a diet for a couple of months, but unless your internal operating system changes (your beliefs and sources of meaning) at some point you’re going to find yourself right back at the starting line. This is how it is for everything. External transformation starts with internal transformation.

“Lasting change is an inside-out job.”

As we view this from a Christian perspective, how true this really becomes. When we are called by God and we start to understand the Truth, we are expected to change. Yet, how deeply do we integrate Christian changes into our lives? When we start to make great changes in our lives, we feel invigorated and have a sense of relief. We are zealous and on fire. But as time starts to take its toll in a Christians life, and things start to creep back in or trials and tests happen, that “malaise” can start to set in. The future that we once looked forward to can grow dim and seem increasingly out of reach. The hope for the future, for the Kingdom of God—that which helps to propel us forward—can become dull.

In order to do these things properly, we must allow Christ to be our rock—our true foundation. How do we do this? How do we make sure that we are changing as Christians? We need to be overwriting our carnal operating system. The old person needs to go and needs to be replaced—but with what?

Christ plainly tells us that we must build our foundation—who we are inside (and this takes continual effort, dedication, perseverance, care, watchfulness, searching and changing throughout our lifetime) in order to make it through this life.

In Matthew 7:24-29, we read: “‘Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:  and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.’ And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.”

What actions is Christ talking about? What changes are God and Christ looking for within us? Will those things–if we put them into practice in our lives, (because it takes action)–allow us to be able to stand on the rock as we go through life’s trials (rain, floods, winds)?  The answers are in the previous verses, in chapters 5-7. Notice the headings in the New King James Bible:

• The Beatitudes
• Believers Are Salt and Light
• Christ Fulfills the Law
• Murder Begins in the Heart
• Adultery in the Heart
• Marriage Is Sacred and Binding
• Jesus Forbids Oaths
• Go the Second Mile
• Love Your Enemies
• Do Good to Please God
• The Model Prayer
• Fasting to Be Seen Only by God
• Lay Up Treasures in Heaven
• The Lamp of the Body
• You Cannot Serve God and Riches
• Do Not Worry
• Do Not Judge
• Keep Asking, Seeking, Knocking
• The Narrow Way
• You Will Know Them by Their Fruits
• I Never Knew You
• Build on the Rock

There is a TON of content in these three chapters, things that we can all take action on. If we want to change as Christians, we have to be willing to do the internal work that it takes. Oftentimes, we can get stuck in the knowing—and yet not actually digging in and dealing with the things that matter in this life.

In preparation for the Passover, Paul warns us all to really think about who we are on the inside—the person who cannot be hidden from God. In 1 Corinthians 11:27-32, he gives us good insight: “Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.  But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.”

To examine ourselves and to take action on those things that are wrong is the ticket. We all fall short in some areas. That is why we are admonished to examine—to seek them out. God is willing and fast to forgive our sins when we see a sin and repent of it. When we are in this mindset of seeking out how to build better on the rock—how to fortify and make ourselves stronger—we will be making good changes in our lives.

by Norbert Link

We report on the war in Ukraine; Germany’s attempts to create better relationships with India; the fear of a Russian attack on Poland; the “end of the American Empire”; America’s “endless wars”; corruption in Ukraine; the “most dangerous time in history”; the ongoing battle between Fox and Donald Trump; and the ill-preparedness of the German Army.

Please view in this regard our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Prophecies for Russia, Ukraine, Germany, the USA and NATO!”

We continue with the erroneous concept that peace can be achieved through war; and the suggestion that NATO should and will be disbanded.

We speak on new controversies between Israel and the EU; continuing earthquakes in the Middle East; fake news regarding the Ohio  train derailment and serious health issues by locals; as well as the devastating pollution of fish in Michigan and throughout the USA.

We speak on a new “Brexit Deal”; address the Woke nonsense; the future of “Queen Consort” Camilla; the “uselessness” of masks in the fight against Covid; the still-disputed origin of Covid and the censorship of the mass media in this regard; the requirement of testing; and some funny and not so funny remarks of Actor Woody Harrelson regarding vaccine mandates and Big Pharma.

We report on changes in Medicaid; the double tax for Social Security recipients; the pope’s correct assessment that the Devil divides; and new “discoveries” about the creation of the universe; and we conclude with giant hornets in Germany.

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

Six Countries in Support of Russia

Fox News reported on February 23:

“Six countries sided with Russia during a United Nations General Assembly resolution on Thursday, in which 141 countries voted to end hostilities in Ukraine and for Russia to withdraw its forces. Belarus, North Korea, Syria, Eritrea, Mali and Nicaragua all joined Russia in opposing the declaration…

“The six countries opposing the resolution have developed close military ties with Russia… Countries who abstained during Thursday’s vote included South Africa, China and India.”

Chancellor Scholz is visiting India to win the country over to the Western position. See next article.

Scholz’ Prophecy about India

Bild Online wrote on February 25:

“Germany has little time left, the chancellor thinks. In a few years India will have overtaken us in terms of economic performance. And then, according to the Chancellor’s prophecy, the Indian nation will remember exactly how the Germans behaved when they were even stronger.

“That’s why Olaf Scholz [who is visiting India] wants to use the remaining time to show what will soon be the largest country in the world: We have learned, we take you seriously, no colonial arrogance, but a relationship on an equal footing…

“Despite the brutal attack on Ukraine, India maintains good relations with Russia. In the votes in the United Nations, the Modi government did not condemn the war of aggression, but abstained. Delhi thinks the West’s sanctions against Moscow are wrong.

“India is currently negotiating the purchase of six submarines for almost five billion euros. A business that the German company ThyssenKrupp would like to land. That’s why the Thyssen-Krupp boss Martina Merz (59) was part of the business delegation. The deal should be pushed forward behind closed doors. However, a deal will still take some time, especially since India insists that the submarines should be built in their own country…”

It is very likely that India will be part of the “kings of the East” who will ultimately engage in war with Europe.

The End of the American Empire

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on February 23:

“… if the Polish, Lithuanian, Estonian, Latvian, Dutch, German and Spanish leaders, for example, thought Russia would really be rolling in the tanks after finishing off Ukraine, they would be spending… a lot more than 2.42%, 2.36%, 2.34%, 2.10%, 1.65%, 1.44% and 1.01% of GDP on defense, respectively.

“The fact is, the combined defense budgets of the above seven European nations amount to just $115 billion or 1.60% of their collective GDP. That’s a lot more than Russia spends, of course, but barely 50 days worth of Pentagon extravagance…

“Well, no, fortunately there will be no world war, but only because the impending Russian offensive is set to finish off the Ukrainian army before Washington can effectively respond… In turn, that will mean the end of the American Empire because after Washington’s ignominious retreats from Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan, the world, like the children in the fable, will be jeering the Naked Empire and its utterly senile leader….”

Are we seeing soon the end of the American Empire? The Bible does prophesy the inevitable fall of the USA prior to Christ’s return.

Attack on Poland’s Border?

Daily Beast wrote on February 24:

“… former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev… on Friday insisted that ‘victory will be achieved’ for Russia. ‘We all want it to happen as soon as possible. And that day will come,’ Medvedev, who is now deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, wrote on his Telegram account.

“Alarmingly, Medvedev argued that a deal will eventually have to be negotiated to end the bloodshed, but that such an agreement won’t have ‘fundamental agreements on real borders… To push back the borders that threaten our country as far as possible, even if they are the borders of Poland.’

“Any attack on Poland’s borders would put Russia into direct conflict with NATO. In Poland this week, Joe Biden vowed to ‘defend literally every inch of NATO.’”

IF Poland were to be attacked in any way, it is still doubtful that NATO would respond militarily, with “boots on the ground.” Poland is very well aware of this. It has been the victim of Russian and German aggression several times in the past.

America’s Endless Wars…

 The Rutherford Institute wrote on February 22:

“To hear President Biden talk about the Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, you might imagine that Putin is the only dictator bent on expanding his military empire through the use of occupation, aggression and oppression. Yet the United States is no better, having spent much of the past half-century policing the globe, occupying other countries, and waging endless wars.

“What most Americans fail to recognize is that these ongoing wars have little to do with keeping the country safe and everything to do with propping up a military industrial complex that has its sights set on world domination. War has become a huge money-making venture, and the U.S. government, with its vast military empire, is one of its best buyers and sellers…

“Incredibly, America’s military forces aren’t being deployed abroad to protect our freedoms here at home. Rather, they’re being used to guard oil fields, build foreign infrastructure and protect the financial interests of the corporate elite… This is how the military industrial complex, aided and abetted by the likes of Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and others, continues to get rich at taxpayer expense… War spending is bankrupting America…”

Indeed, it may very well bankrupt America.

Corruption in Ukraine

Breitbart wrote on February 24:

“Led by chairman James Comer (R-KY), oversight Republicans sent a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Administrator Samantha Power voicing concern about granting over $113 billion in aid to Ukraine as issues remain surrounding Ukrainian corruption. These claims came one day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky fired several top Ukrainian officials amid a corruption scandal.

“Ukrainian government officials allegedly engaged in bribery, used government vehicles for personal use, and purchased inflated food supplies for Ukrainian forces. In response, President Zelensky named a new Minister of Defense…

“A recent report from Transparency International found that Ukraine ranked as the second most corrupt country in Europe, losing only to Russia, which ranked first.”

In a related article, Breitbart wrote on February 24:

“Ukraine is not misusing the tens of billions of dollars in direct financial assistance it is receiving courtesy of U.S. taxpayers according to a top Biden administration official. Samantha Power, the administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), gave the public affirmation during a CNN live town hall on Thursday evening. Her assurances came just hours ahead of the White House revealing it would give another $2 billion in military aid to Ukraine as its war with Russia officially hits the one-year mark, bringing the total amount of American military assistance to over $30 billion in one year.

“The former Obama administration official further claimed Ukraine has made progress in working to root out corruption while officials are continually checking to ensure U.S. taxpayer dollars are used properly… The U.S. has given more than $100 billion in military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine since the start of the war one year ago even as doubts have been expressed over the potential for corruption.”

Time will tell, and might have an influence on further American and European help.

The Most Dangerous Time in History

Newsmax wrote on February 25:

“As Russia’s so-called ‘special military operation’ enters its second year of full-blown war in Ukraine, former President Donald Trump takes President Joe Biden to task for leading the U.S. ‘into oblivion’ and potentially World War III. ‘This is the most dangerous time in the history of our country,’ Trump wrote Saturday morning…

“‘World War III is looming, like never before, in the very dark and murky background. ‘Leadership’ is solely responsible for this unprecedented danger to the USA, and likewise, the world…’

“Trump’s remarks come as China has become more publicly present on the Russia-Ukraine War, including Xi Jinping potentially meeting with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy and back-and-forth with the Biden administration and China on supplying weapons to the front lines…

“When pressed on whether China would be ‘crossing a line’ if Beijing were to provide weapons to Russia, Biden said the United States ‘would respond.’”

Certainly, he would not respond by sending American troops to Ukraine.

Trump vs. Fox

Mediaite wrote on March 1:

“Trump posted on social media Wednesday morning that there is ‘MASSIVE amounts of proof’ that the election was ‘Rigged & Stolen’ before taunting [Fox News and Fox Corporation chairman Rupert] Murdoch and Fox News as ‘MAGA Hating Globalist RINOS’ and telling them that they ‘should get out of the News Business as soon as possible.’

“‘They are aiding & abetting the DESTRUCTION OF AMERICA with FAKE NEWS,’ he added… Trump wrote: ‘Certain BRAVE & PATRIOTIC FoxNews Hosts, who he scorns and ridicules, got it right. He got it wrong. THEY SHOULD BE ADMIRED & PRAISED, NOT REBUKED & FORSAKEN!!!’”

This battle won’t end any time soon.

Scholz: We Have a Strong Army

Bild Online published on February 23 an interview with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, where he said the following:

“No one need to fear. We are protected by a strong Bundeswehr and strong allies… Defense Minister Guttenberg suspended conscription twelve years ago. The Bundeswehr was converted into a professional army. Therefore, the return to conscription makes no sense. Linked to this is the question of compulsory service…

“As a member of the Bundestag, I have sent the Bundeswehr on many missions – it would be illogical if I were still critical of military service today…

“At the end of the war there will be peace negotiations, as President Selensky always says… For me, the [Russian] tanks are part of a memorial [in Berlin] that rightly honors the use of Soviet troops in the fight against the Nazis.”

The Bundeswehr is in terrible shape, as we have been reporting in our Current Events. To say that it is strong is illusional. Note the next article.

German Army Ill-Prepared

Deutsche Welle wrote on February 26:

“Germany would have to spend more money on its armed forces if it wants it fully equipped, army chief Lieutenant General Alfons Mais said on Sunday… Mais, caused a stir last year when he criticized what he described as years of neglect in the operational readiness of the Bundeswehr…

“His sentiments were echoed in a separate interview the head of the independent Armed Forces Association… Colonel Andre Wüstner, did with Bild am Sonntag. He told the mass-market weekly paper there has been ‘no noticeable improvement’ for soldiers…

“He warned that none of the military hardware supplied to Ukraine had been replaced and that means the operational readiness of parts of the military, such as [its] artillery, ‘continues to decline.’

“Opposition leader Friedrich Merz of the Christian Democratic Union… said it was unacceptable that ‘practically no orders’ had yet been placed, particularly for ammunition.”

Under a new German leadership, all of this will change.

Peace Through War?

Bild Online published the following editorial on February 25:

“Between February 23rd and 24th there is a rift in history. The night Russia launched a murderous war of aggression. Brute force against civilization…

“Then the West flexed its muscles! The US and Britain stood by, first and boldly. France, Germany and others came (too) late. But now everyone is delivering arms, helping Ukraine… Can arms really bring peace? Yes, in this case it is like that….”

But Jesus said: Whoever takes the sword will perish by the sword…

The German Left Against NATO

dpa wrote on February 25:

“Even in view of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, Left Party leader Janine Wissler is maintaining her party’s call for the dissolution of NATO.

“‘Our criticism of NATO is not obsolete because Russia is waging a war that violates international law,’ Wissler told the newspapers of the Funke media group. ‘We want to replace NATO with a collective security system. That applies unchanged. Stable international security can only be guaranteed when all important states are integrated into a common security system.’

“‘NATO is anything but a guarantor of security and stability in this world,’ Wissler criticized. She accused the alliance itself of having waged wars in violation of international law – ‘in Afghanistan or in the Balkans’. And the eastward expansion of NATO is part of ‘the prehistory of the Ukraine war’. When asked whether she blamed NATO for the Ukraine war, the Left Chairwoman denied. ‘I think the eastward expansion of NATO was a mistake. But it is no justification for invading Ukraine and bombing cities.’

‘Wissler called for a special program to take in Russian deserters in Germany. ‘I call on Russian soldiers to refuse armed service,’ she said. ‘We are committed to having Russian deserters accepted in Germany – in a special program that goes beyond the asylum procedure.’’

NATO might very well fall apart. Note the next article.

NATO Will Fall Apart

Uncut News wrote on February 24:

“If Ukraine joins NATO, Russia could be attacked directly. Russia will not allow that, said retired [American] Colonel Douglas Macgregor… The Russians had no choice but to fight to the end, he added.

“Macgregor believes that there are few Europeans who want to fight in this war or who are waiting for conscription to be introduced. ‘Russia will fight to the bitter end, to the Polish border,’ predicts the colonel. ‘And if we keep fighting from Poland, Poland will become part of the war.’ ‘It’s a catastrophe for NATO,’ he stressed. ‘NATO will not survive this and will fall apart. This is already happening behind the scenes. And Germany is right in the middle. The Germans, like most other Europeans, are absolutely not waiting for a war with Russia.’

“Previously, Macgregor said that sending tanks to Ukraine makes absolutely no sense. ‘First you have to transport them over a distance of many hundreds of kilometers. Then, when they arrive at the front, they have to be serviced, you need spare parts and the parts have to be repaired in Poland or Germany…’”

NATO is already falling apart behind the scenes?

Israel Bars EU Parliament Member From Entering the Country

JTA wrote on February 22:

“A member of the European Parliament was turned around at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv on Tuesday and sent back to her native Spain after attempting to enter Israel on a diplomatic mission to the Palestinian Authority.

“Israeli officials cited the fact that the politician Ana Miranda, who represents the Galicia region, participated in a 2015 flotilla that attempted to break Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip. Israeli law prohibits supporters of the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement from entering the country, and U.S. Reps. Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar were barred from visiting in 2019…

“Miranda, a member of the Greens/European Free Alliance group, was part of a delegation of eight EU lawmakers. Some had planned to visit Israel, while others planned to visit the West Bank… ‘Respect for all elected MEPs and the European Parliament is essential for good EU-Israel relations,’ Nabila Massrali, the European Commission’s spokesperson for foreign affairs, told Politico. ‘This decision is deeply disappointing.’”

The Algemeiner added on February 24:

“Ana Miranda… was detained for six hours at Ben-Gurion International Airport and then returned on the first flight back to Madrid.

“… emails obtained from Miranda dated Feb. 2 and Feb. 14. between the European External Action Service (the E.U.’s diplomatic service) in Israel and the Foreign Ministry show that Miranda was initially given permission to enter the country. The emails show that the Foreign Ministry did deny a different proposed member of the delegation, MEP Manu Pineda, the president of the European Parliament’s Delegation for relations with Palestine, entry to Israel. However, they did not mention Miranda…

“The refusal of entry to Miranda has brought a wave of condemnation from representatives of the European Union and Spain. Roberta Metsola, president of the European Parliament, wrote on Twitter that she was ‘deeply disappointed’ by the incident and ‘will be contacting Israel’s authorities to clarify what happened.’ Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares condemned Miranda’s deportation and said that Madrid would ‘request explanations from the Israeli authorities.’”

It looks like, Israel botched up this one.

Earthquakes Continue to Strike the Middle East

Israel 365 News wrote on February 24:

“Last month an earthquake on the border of Syria and Turkey killed over [50,000 people, according to Deutsche Welle of February 25]. Since that catastrophic event, almost 8,000 aftershocks have shaken the region, many felt in Israel…

“A 4.5 magnitude earthquake centered off the coast of Lebanon was felt in Israel on Wednesday morning marking the second time this week that Israel was shaken… This follows a 6.4-magnitude earthquake that hit the Turkey-Syrian border region on Monday. That earthquake was also felt in Israel…

“7,930 aftershocks have shaken the region since the first devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake on February 6. More than 600,000 apartments and 150,000 commercial premises had suffered at least moderate damage… Many of the aftershocks were felt in Israel.”

Deutsche Welle reported on February 25:

“A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck Central Turkey [in the province of Nidge] on Saturday… Nidge is some 350 kilometers (217 miles) west of the Turkish-Syrian border region that was struck by two major earthquakes on February 6… Meanwhile, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu said his city, which sits close to a major fault line, needs an urgent urbanization program worth ‘around $30 billion to $40 billion’ to prepare for an anticipated major quake.”

Deutsche Welle reported on February 27:

“Southeastern Turkey was hit by yet another deadly earthquake on Monday… It’s the fourth major earthquake to hit the region in three weeks…”

Israel Today wrote on February 23:

“… experts agree that it is only a matter of time before a strong earthquake shakes the area [of Israel]. They also agree that we are not prepared well enough… Today there are about 800,000 housing units that are in danger [of collapsing]… in case of earthquakes or missile attacks…”

Earthquakes will continue to strike the Middle East.

Fake Claim of Trump’s Responsibility in Ohio Train Derailment

The Washington Free Beacon wrote on February 23:

“The Biden administration claims the derailment would have never occurred had the Trump administration not scrapped rules that would have required new electric braking technology on trains carrying large quantities of hazardous materials. But the Biden administration has thus far failed to reinstate those rules, which would not have applied to the derailed train, anyway…

“National Transportation Safety Board chairwoman Jennifer Homendy, who was appointed by Biden and unanimously confirmed by the Senate, said the rule wouldn’t have applied to the Norfolk Southern train that derailed in East Palestine on Feb. 3.

“‘PLEASE STOP SPREADING MISINFORMATION,’ Homendy pleaded in a Feb. 16 tweet thread. ‘Some are saying the ECP (electronically controlled pneumatic) brake rule, if implemented, would’ve prevented this derailment. FALSE—here’s why,’ Homendy wrote. ‘The ECP braking rule would’ve applied ONLY to HIGH HAZARD FLAMMABLE TRAINS. The train that derailed in East Palestine was a MIXED FREIGHT TRAIN containing only 3 placarded Class 3 flammable liquids cars.’ ‘This means even if the rule had gone into effect, this train wouldn’t have had ECP brakes,’ she concluded….”

The Washington Free Beacon gave the Biden Administration “four Clintons” for their claim. The New York Times recently reported as well that the derailment had nothing to do with Trump’s scrapping electronic braking regulations.

Locals Face Serious Health Issues

The New York Post wrote on February 25:

“Locals are frustrated and furious over what they say has been a lack of real information and help from both local officials and the Biden Administration… Many of them are facing health issues from the chemical fire as well as the psychic toll of their town becoming, in the words of a scientist visiting the area Thursday, the new ‘Love Canal’—a reference to the Niagara Falls, NY, neighborhood that became a hotbed issue in 1978 because people were getting sick from living above a contaminated waste dump…

“Evacuation orders were lifted on February 8, but many locals say they got unexplained rashes and sore throats when they returned home… An independent analysis by Texas A&M University of Environmental Protection Agency data, released Friday, found nine air pollutants at levels that could raise long-term health concerns in and around East Palestine, apparently contradicting statements by state and federal regulators that the air there is safe…

“A class action suit… alleges that Norfolk Southern went rogue when it decided to blow up five train cars containing deadly vinyl chloride three days after the derailment, effectively poisoning the town and nearby region. About 1.1 million pounds of toxic vinyl chloride were spilled and later burned, sending thick, black plumes of smoke into the air and contaminating soil and water sources, the suit claims…. ‘Norfolk Southern discharged more vinyl chloride into a small area in eastern Ohio in a day than the entire industries combined of America discharge in a year.’”

This conduct was truly irresponsible and totally incompetent.

All Michigan Fish Polluted

The Guardian wrote on February 24:

“All fish caught in Michigan rivers and tested for toxic PFAS contained the chemicals – and at levels that present a health risk for anyone eating them… PFAS are a class of about 12,000 compounds used to make products resistant to water, stains and heat. They are known as ‘forever chemicals’ because they do not naturally break down, and they have been linked to cancer, high cholesterol, liver and kidney disease, fetal complications and other serious health problems in humans.

“The chemicals are thought to be polluting drinking water for more than 200 million people, and the study is the second this year to suggest widespread contamination of freshwater US fish…”

Frightening!

A New Brexit Deal Reached?

BBC News reported on February 27:

“A new Brexit deal… was reached and announced by the UK and EU, concerning trade arrangements in Northern Ireland. The Windsor Framework will effectively replace the Northern Ireland Protocol which led to major disagreements between the UK and EU.

“PM Rishi Sunak says the deal ‘permanently removes any sense of a border in the Irish Sea.’ Sir Keir Starmer says Labour will back the deal, which he says will improve the UK’s international standing. [Belfast’s] Democratic Unionist Party [DUP] leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson says the deal secures ‘significant progress’ but concerns remain. Earlier, Sunak and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen hailed a ‘decisive breakthrough’ at a joint news conference. Sunak said the NI Assembly would be able to stop some EU laws on goods applying by using what he called a ‘Stormont Brake.’ But Von der Leyen stressed this was an ‘emergency mechanism’ and the European Court of Justice would have the final say on single market issues.”

Deutsche Welle added on February 27:

“Both sides insist the agreement marks a ‘new chapter’ in EU-UK relations — but in Belfast, the jury’s still out… Great Britain encompasses England, Scotland and Wales. The United Kingdom comprises Great Britain and Northern Ireland…

“Brussels’ red line remains intact: Von der Leyen said the EU’s top court would have the ‘final say’ on EU laws applying in Northern Ireland. Observers believe that this will prove unpopular with some in Belfast who want an end to EU jurisdiction…  the story doesn’t end here with a neat happy ending…

“All eyes are now on Belfast to see what the… DUP makes of the deal… If the deadlock doesn’t end, critics will likely cast the new deal as a failure.

“Sunak said the UK parliament would vote on the proposals but gave no date, stressing that ‘time and care’ would be needed as parties digest the deal. EU ratification will also be needed…”

We will have to wait and see.

Dahl’s Original Books to Be Released After Backlash

Newsmax wrote on February 24:

“Publisher Puffin UK announced Friday it would release the original versions of Roald Dahl’s children’s books to keep the ‘classic texts in print’ following a wave of criticism over their re-editing for a modern audience…

“The criticism came amid a growing trend for publishers to employ so-called ‘sensitivity readers’ who work alongside editors to identify references to gender, race, weight, violence or mental health that might offend readers…

“Queen Consort Camilla even appeared to weigh in, telling members of her online book club to ‘please remain true to your calling, unimpeded by those who may wish to curb the freedom of your expression or impose limits on your imagination.’…

“Laura Hackett, deputy literary editor of The Sunday Times newspaper, called the changes ‘botched surgery’…”

But this Woke nonsense will not stop…

Camilla—Queen Consort or Queen?

The New York Post wrote on February 25:

“Queen Consort Camilla is reportedly getting a title change that appears to go against the wishes of her late mother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth II. The change in title will likely come after the May coronation of King Charles III, the Daily Mail reported Saturday, citing unnamed sources… ‘And when, in the fullness of time, my son Charles becomes King, I know you will give him and his wife Camilla the same support that you have given me; and it is my sincere wish that, when the time comes, Camilla will be known as Queen Consort as she continues her own loyal service,’ the queen wrote…

“‘There’s a view in the Palace that Queen Consort is cumbersome and it might be simpler for Camilla to be known just as the Queen when the time is right,’ a source told the Daily Mail. Charles and Camilla will be crowned together on May 6 at Westminster Abbey…”

Masks Totally Useless at Stopping Covid

Life Site News wrote on February 23:

“An opinion piece was published in The New York Times on Tuesday called ‘The Mask Mandates Did Nothing. Will Any Lessons Be Learned?’ giving yet another example of how even the Left is waking up to the nonsense of the COVID restrictions…

“It only took three years for the mainstream media to admit what was known by ‘conspiracy theorists’ in March 2020. This sort of statement would have gotten you banned from YouTube until about 15 minutes ago, but apparently, it is now permitted at the Times.”

The censorship by the mass media has been appalling.

Origin of Covid—Still Disputed

Breitbart wrote on February 26:

“The coronavirus pandemic most likely began with a laboratory leak,  a U.S. Energy Department classified intelligence report now before the White House and key Congress members sets out. The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday the Energy Department’s revised assessment of the pandemic’s origins is based on fresh intelligence noted in an update to a 2021 document by Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines’s office.

“The WSJ further states while the investigation is ongoing, more authorities are coming to the lab leak hypothesis however there is as yet no unanimous decision: ‘The new report highlights how different parts of the intelligence community have arrived at disparate judgments about the pandemic’s origin. The Energy Department now joins the Federal Bureau of Investigation in saying the virus likely spread via a mishap at a Chinese laboratory.

“‘Four other agencies, along with a national intelligence panel, still judge that it was likely the result of a natural transmission [via a bat], and two are undecided.’

“The report goes on to say the Energy Department made its judgment with ‘low confidence,’ according to people who have read the classified report, however it does align with previous speculation about the exact origin of the virus…”

Of course, China is in no way helping with the investigation.

Origin of Covid and Appalling Media Censorship

Breitbart wrote on March 1:

“During an interview with the Fox News Channel released on Tuesday, FBI Director Christopher Wray [stated] that the agency has, ‘for quite some time now, assessed that the origins of the pandemic are most likely a potential lab incident in Wuhan.’”

Whether the lab theory will be proven to be right or not, the following article shows the real problem with how this entire matter was mishandled by the mass media, “academics” and the Biden Administration.

Law Professor Jonathan Turley wrote on February 28:

“… the most alarming aspect was the censorship, not the science… For years, the media and government allied to treat anyone raising a lab theory as one of three possibilities: conspiracy theorist or racists or racist conspiracy theorists. Academics joined this chorus in marginalizing anyone raising the theory…  As late as May 2021,  the New York Times’ Science and Health reporter Apoorva Mandavilli was calling any mention of the lab theory as ‘racist.’…

“We were also supposed to forget about massive payments from the Chinese government to American universities and grants of some of these writers to both Chinese interests or even the specific Wuhan lab. No reference to the lab theory was to be tolerated...  President Joe Biden accused Trump of fanning racism in his criticism of the Chinese government over the pandemic and his Administration reportedly shutdown the State Department investigation into the possible lab origins of the virus…

“None of this has diminished demands for more censorship. Even after Twitter admitted that it wrongly blocked The New York Post story before the 2020 election, Democratic senators responded by warning the company not to cut back on censorship and even demanded more censorship…

“By suppressing alternative scientific and policy views, the public was denied a full debate over mask efficacy, vaccine side effects, COVID origins and other important issues… Censorship does not, as President Biden claims, save lives. It is more likely to cost lives… It does not foster the truth any more than it fosters free speech. Whatever the origin of COVID-19 may be in China, the origins of our censorship scandal is closer to home.”

Censorship in the USA by the media and the government has reached appalling dimensions. It reminds us of the praxis of totalitarian and autocratic countries. People who questioned the official “narrative” by the mass media, the government and certain “academics” became the victims of bitter and accusatory enemies. No wonder God is terribly upset with America.

Testing for Covid?

The New York Post wrote on March 1:

“Megyn Kelly had little sympathy for her onetime colleague Savannah Guthrie, who had to leave her co-hosting duties on NBC’s ‘Today’ show on Tuesday after testing positive for COVID-19 during the morning broadcast. ‘This is reportedly Savannah’s third bout of COVID and I guarantee you she’s had all the vaccines and the boosters because you won’t be able to go into 30 Rock without them,’ Kelly… said… ‘All of it is such a perfect indication of how the left — and especially the left in New York — continues to live.’

“Kelly seemed bewildered at the fact that there are still people who test for COVID-19. ‘I mean, at this point, seriously? … ‘Is anyone still even testing for COVID?’ she said. ‘It’s amazing to me. These guys are leftists and it’s amazing to me to see how the leftists still live under the grip of COVID …’ She added: ‘I don’t test for COVID anymore. Who’s testing for COVID still?’”

Disneyland still “recommends” to be tested before entering the park, and the audience of “America’s Got Talent” is still “required” to be tested. Foreign tourists wanting to visit the USA still have to be vaccinated, let alone tested. Even assuming, without in any way agreeing or admitting that this requirement was meaningful at one time, it is most certainly not today, but it seems like the Biden Administration and many of their supporters are frozen in time and living in the past.  

Actor Woody Harrelson, Vaccine Mandates and Big Pharma

Breitbart wrote on February 26:

“Actor Woody Harrelson has come under fire for making a joke about coronavirus vaccine mandates during his monologue as host of Saturday Night Live, in which he compared pharmaceutical companies to drug cartels. Harrelson, taking on SNL duties this week for the fifth time in his career, told a parable about the ‘craziest script’ he has ever read.

“‘So the movie goes like this,’ Harrelson said. ‘The biggest drug cartels in the world get together and buy up all the media and all the politicians and force all the people in the world to stay locked in their homes. And people can only come out if they take the cartel’s drugs and keep taking them over and over,’ [he] added. ‘I threw the script away. I mean, who was going to believe that crazy idea?…’

“Harrelson was quickly attacked on social media and by various entertainment news outlets… Others, however, applauded Harrelson for publicly accusing the media of ‘being owned by the Big Pharma Drug Cartel.’…

“This is not the first time the… star has shared his distrust in big pharma. ‘Think of the billions of dollars that have gone to big pharma,’ Harrelson said in a previous interview with Bill Maher. ‘The last people I would trust with my health is big pharma and big government, because neither one of those strike me as caring entities… They’re all about profit,’ he added.”

Funny… or is it?

Changes in Medicaid

The Associated Press wrote on February 26:

“If you get health care coverage through Medicaid, you might be at risk of losing that coverage over the next year. Roughly 84 million people are covered by the government-sponsored program, which has grown by 20 million people since January 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. But as states begin checking everyone’s eligibility for Medicaid for the first time in three years, as many as 14 million people could lose access to that health care coverage…

“At the beginning of the pandemic, the federal government prohibited states from kicking people off Medicaid, even if they were no longer eligible. Before the pandemic, people would regularly lose their Medicaid coverage if they started making too much money to qualify for the program, gained health care coverage through their employer or moved into a new state.…

“Over the next year, states will be required to start checking the eligibility again of every person who is on Medicaid. People will have to fill out forms to verify their personal information, including address, income and household size… some states are moving faster than others to check eligibility. Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oklahoma and West Virginia are among the states that will begin removing ineligible Medicaid recipients as early as April. Other states will start taking that step in May, June or July…

“States will mail a renewal form to your home. The federal government also requires states to contact you in another way -– by phone, text message or email –- to remind you to fill out the form… You will have at least 30 days to fill out the form. If you do not fill out the form, states will be able to remove you from Medicaid…

“Many people who will no longer qualify for Medicaid coverage can turn to the Affordable Care Act’s marketplace for coverage, where they’ll find health care coverage options that may cost less than $10 a month. But the coverage available on the marketplace will still be vastly different from what’s offered through Medicaid. Out-of-pocket expenses and co-pays are often higher. Also, people will need to check if the insurance plans offered through the marketplace will still cover their doctors.

“A special enrollment period will open for people who are unenrolled from Medicaid that will start on March 31 and last through July 31, 2024. People who lose Medicaid coverage will have up to 60 days to enroll after losing coverage…

“More than half of U.S. children receive health care coverage through Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Even if you receive a notice that you’re no longer eligible for Medicaid, it’s likely that your child still qualifies for the program or for health care coverage through CHIP, which covers children whose families make too much money qualify for Medicaid but don’t earn enough to afford private health insurance. Between 80% and 90% percent of children will still be eligible for those programs… ‘When a parent receives a message that they aren’t eligible anymore, they often assume their child is no longer eligible either,’ said Joan Alker, the center’s executive director. ‘It’s more common to find that the parent is no longer eligible for Medicaid, but the child still is.’”

These figures are astounding. More than half of U.S. children are covered through Medicaid or the CHIP?

Paying Double Tax on Social Security

Newsmax wrote on February 27, 2023:

“More than half of Social Security recipients pay, or soon will, taxes on their benefits, and that number will only increase… ‘Every year, millions of seniors become eligible for either Social Security or tier I railroad retirement benefits,’ Bob Carlstrom, Association of Mature American Citizens founder and president, said. ‘After working for decades, paying taxes on their hard-earned income to fund these federal programs, some seniors are forced to pay income tax on the benefits they receive from the federal government,’ he added.

“Before 1984, seniors’ Social Security was exempt from federal taxation, but a law that year changed the rules, making any individual who has an income of up to $34,000 eligible to pay taxes on up to 50% of their benefits. And those making over $34,000 have to pay taxes of up to 85% of their benefits. For married couples, a Social Security benefits tax of up to 85% hits automatically when a joint return shows $44,000 or more in income… most beneficiaries are now paying a significant amount of retirement income in the form of taxes.

“Critics of the law say retirees are paying a double tax, and thresholds for income were established in 1984, updated in 1993, but never indexed for inflation. ‘Taxing benefits which were created from already taxed funds is nonsensical and curtails retirement benefits seniors have been promised. Seniors deserve to reap the full benefits of their hard work from career-long contributions to Social Security and the Railroad Retirement Plan,’ Carlstrom said…

“In 2022, Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., introduced the ‘You Earned It, You Keep It Act,’ which would eliminate federal taxes on Social Security. And Republicans led by Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., have introduced a similar bill… the ‘Senior Citizens Tax Elimination Act,’ which assists middle-class seniors by eliminating the unjust double-tax on Social Security benefits.

“With Republicans now holding the House majority, Massie ‘is likely to reintroduce the legislation in the 118th Congress,’ spokesman John Kennedy told Newsmax. The bill, originally introduced in 2003 by Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, has been reintroduced by Massie in each Congress since he took office in 2012. ‘Although seniors have already paid tax on their Social Security contributions via the payroll tax, they are still required to list these benefits as taxable income on their tax returns,’ Rep. Massie said…  The Republican bill — which died in the last Congress — had 28 co-sponsors, all Republican…

“At least a dozen states also tax Social Security income, but four states are considering eliminating such levies: Kansas, Minnesota, Kansas, and Utah.”

The Bible says that a government imposing heavy taxes on the people ruins and destroys a country.

The Devil Divides

Breitbart wrote on February 26:

“Pope Francis… reminded pilgrims that ‘devil’ means ‘one who divides,’ and that Satan always seeks to separate people from God. Recalling Jesus’ temptations in the desert, the pope noted that the devil tries ‘to divide Jesus from the Father… ‘attachment to material things, distrust and the thirst for power are three widespread and dangerous temptations, which the devil uses to divide us from the Father…’

“The pope went on to stress that Jesus defeats these temptations by ‘avoiding discussion with the devil and answering with the Word of God.’… Jesus ‘never enters into dialogue with the devil, he does not negotiate with him, but he repels his insinuations with the beneficent Words of the Scripture,’ he stated… ‘We defeat the devil by countering him in faith with the divine Word.’”

These statements are correct. We must resist the devil—not trying to talk to him or to demons – and Satan will flee from us, when we submit to God.

Another Nail Into the Coffin of the Evolution Fairy Tale

 The Associated Press wrote on February 22:

“Astronomers have discovered what appear to be massive galaxies dating back to within 600 million years of the Big Bang, suggesting the early universe may have had a stellar fast-track that produced these ‘monsters.’ While the new James Webb Space Telescope has spotted even older galaxies, dating to within a mere 300 million years of the beginning of the universe, it’s the size and maturity of these six apparent mega-galaxies that stun scientists…

“Lead researcher Ivo Labbe of Australia’s Swinburne University of Technology and his team expected to find little baby galaxies this close to the dawn of the universe — not these whoppers. ‘While most galaxies in this era are still small and only gradually growing larger over time,’ he said in an email, ‘there are a few monsters that fast-track to maturity. Why this is the case or how this would work is unknown.’ Each of the six objects looks to weigh billions of times more than our sun. In one of them, the total weight of all its stars may be as much as 100 billion times greater than our sun… Yet these galaxies are believed to be extremely compact, squeezing in as many stars as our own Milky Way, but in a relatively tiny slice of space…

“The Pennsylvania State University’s Joel Leja, who took part in the study, calls them ‘universe breakers.’ ‘The revelation that massive galaxy formation began extremely early in the history of the universe upends what many of us had thought was settled science,’ Leja said in a statement. “It turns out we found something so unexpected it actually creates problems for science. It calls the whole picture of early galaxy formation into question.’…

“Scientists hope to eventually observe the first stars and galaxies formed following the creation of the universe 13.8 billion years ago…”

Even though much of what is presented in the article is nonsense, it is interesting that they talk about the “creation of the universe.” A creation presupposes and necessitates a Creator!

Giant Hornets in Germany

MSN wrote on February 24:

“Currently, beekeepers in Germany are complaining about large losses of entire bee colonies. This is said to be due to a special species of hornet that has spread rapidly across Germany in recent years. It is the Asian giant hornet that honey bee colonies are now suffering from. Along with pears, apples and grapes, wasps, bumblebees, wild bees and honey bees are part of the diet of the invasive species. The ‘Vespa velutina’, which is actually based in China, probably came to Europe via transport routes…

“Each spring, the hornets build a primary nest on trees at about eye level. But that’s not all: They set up a second nest a little higher on the same tree, which is about the size of a football. Such a nest can accommodate up to 5000 Vespa velutina, with several hundred queens.

“According to the chairman of the Rhineland-Palatinate Beekeepers’ Association, Thomas Hock, the insect is able to fly like a dragonfly and thus besiege the entrance holes of beehives. He adds: ‘It can be so massive that bees can no longer leave the hive.’…

“The sting of a single hornet is painful, but still harmless… But a hornet rarely comes alone: ​​If several animals sting a person at the same time, it can be fatal…”

Even one sting can be fatal for those who are allergic to stings from bees, wasps and hornets. God said He would use hornets to defeat His enemies…

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

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

In our Update #756, dated October 7, 2016, the Q&A was entitled, “What Does the Bible Say About the Transgender Debate?” In over 6 years since that Q&A was first published, there has been, inevitably, more “progress” on this distressing situation.

We have recently published a 3-part series, entitled “Discrimination is a big issue today. How do you view this?” https://www.eternalgod.org/discrimination-is-a-big-issue-today-how-do-you-view-this-part-1/; https://www.eternalgod.org/discrimination-is-a-big-issue-today-how-do-you-view-this-part-2/ ; and https://www.eternalgod.org/discrimination-is-a-big-issue-today-how-do-you-view-this-part-3/ .

We will now review this situation on transgenderism,  as it is a constituent part of the overall racial discrimination discussion and package.

The Daily Mail published on 23^rd January 2023 an article by psychologist Dr Max Blumberg, entitled, “13 reasons why people DON’T want to get married anymore – and why staying single makes you happier.” In this long article, he stated that “2021 was the first year that more children were born out of wedlock than in it: that marriage rates have also been steadily declining since the 1970s and claimed that marriage has little value anymore and often comes with costs.” It is against this relentless backdrop of negativity about that which God ordained (marriage between a man and a woman only) that other forms of relationship seem to blossom.

Today, in 2023, it seems that any relationship is acceptable as long as it appears to make people happy.  But quite frequently, the very opposite is the case with distress, unhappiness and mental problems, often being the result of ungodly relationships.  Transgenderism is but one of them which has caused much anxiety and anger.  This is hardly surprising as it promotes a lifestyle which God has prohibited.

Scotland’s former first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, who recently resigned her position, had been at loggerheads with the government in Westminster over her proposal to allow lowering the age at which people can change their legal gender from 18 to 16.

The website cityam.com reported the following on 23^rd January 2023:

“The Scottish government’s Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, which the Holyrood parliament passed just before Christmas, had always promised to be controversial. Essentially, the bill would make it easier to obtain a gender recognition certificate in Scotland, lowering the age at which people can change their legal gender from 18 to 16, removing the requirement of a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria and reducing the waiting time from two years to six months of living in an acquired gender.

“Last week, the Secretary for Scotland, Alister Jack, announced that he would invoke section 35 of the Scotland Act to deny the bill Royal Assent. This provision can block the passage of a legally competent bill if the UK government believes it would affect matters of reserved competence, in this case the Equality Act 2010. This is the first time that section 35 has been used, though it has been a provision of the devolution settlement for a quarter of a century.”

Why a mature woman and the rest of her party (the Scottish National Party) would want to become embroiled in such an argument is a moot point, but the outrage at it has been reported widely, and this may have been the final straw in her resignation. 

Again in January 2023, a report said that Police were investigating after a sign threatening to “decapitate TERFs” [which stands for “trans-exclusionary radical feminist”] was displayed at a demonstration in Glasgow as author JK Rowling mocked the “temporary blindness” of SNP (Scottish National Politicians) who posed near the banner. The author has previously described Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon as a “destroyer of women’s rights.”

The vast majority of protesters held signs with peaceful phrases such as “respect democracy” and “Trans rights are human rights.”  One protester tweeted: “That’s a horrific sign, and it wasn’t there when I joined the demo.” “Violent hateful language, of any kind, is unacceptable and has no place in the peaceful movement for LGBT equality and democracy.”  This shows, quite clearly, how this issue has become part of the overall discrimination package which we have looked at closely in previous Q&As.

One protester at the rally held a sign comparing the Section 35 legislation to the Section 28 legislation, which banned the “promotion” of homosexuality. Section 28 in the UK was implemented by Margaret Thatcher when she was Prime Minister (1979-91) which banned the promotion of homosexuality in schools.  Of course, in our permissive society, this was overturned and the homosexual lobby and lifestyle have gone from strength to strength since then. Such measures to prevent the young from the indoctrination of the homosexual lobby were overturned, and not for the better of society.

And this ongoing saga with the transgendered is not limited to the UK. The American Washington Examiner published an article in April of 2022 with the headline, “Even the Left is beginning to admit it has pushed transgenderism too far.” Of course, pushing it at all is simply wrong in the eyes of God. We quote from the article as follows:

“Transgender orthodoxy has moved so far past the bounds of sanity that any attempt to question its effects is quickly discouraged and punished. We are expected to shut up and accept that public schools are passing policies to keep students’ gender identity transitions from parents, that medical professionals can file to remove children from their parents’ custody if parents oppose physical and chemical transition efforts, that a young man competed on a women’s swimming team and took home a women’s championship title, and that a man who claimed to identify as a woman was allowed into a women’s prison where he impregnated two of his fellow prisoners.

“None of this is normal or even remotely defensible, and everyone, including many on the Left, know it.

“Few on the Left, however, are willing to say so out loud, in large part because their peers have made it impossible. Break from the transgender narrative in any way, and accusations of bigotry and violence will be thrown at you relentlessly. Just look at the abundant invectives hurled at Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, for example.

“Still, there are some, such as Rowling, who are beginning to admit that transgenderism has gone too far. Rowling and other liberal feminists recognize that the concept of ‘gender identity’ is a serious threat to women’s rights, especially the right to privacy and equal opportunity. Gay and lesbian activists realise that pushing effeminate boys or tomboyish girls toward transgenderism could create even more confusion and anxiety in youths who are struggling not with their actual gender but with their sexuality — two very different things.

“And healthcare professionals who are now being encouraged by the Biden administration to alter the bodies physically and chemically of gender-confused minors are starting to raise concerns about the permanence of such drastic interventions and ask whether there is any data to back them up at all.

“It is not a coincidence that the number of young adults who identify as transgender has increased more than twentyfold over the past several years as transgenderism has become more mainstream. What was once a rare mental affliction — gender dysphoria — is now being sold as a solution to any number of common emotional and social anxieties. The result has been a massive surge in transgender-identifying youths, the vast majority of whom, if given enough time, would snap out of it on their own.”

A further article appeared on the website askdrbrown.org: “The transgender revolution is oppressive, irrational, unhealthy, extreme, dangerous, unnatural and an attack on children. As the Daily Mail asked ‘Are children as young as 11 really capable of making life-changing decisions about their gender? We are playing with fire here, and there will likely be many, many casualties before we wake up.’”

The website thegospelcoalition.com contains further insights: “As much as contemporary academia says otherwise, the Bible believes in the organic unity of biological sex and gender identity. This is why male and female are (uniquely) the type of pair that can reproduce (Gen. 1:28; 2:20). It’s why homosexuality—a man lying with a man as with a woman (Lev. 18:22)—is wrong. It’s why the apostle Paul can speak of homosexual partnerships as deviating from the natural relations or natural function of male-female sexual intercourse (Rom. 1:26-27). In each instance, the argument only works if there is an assumed equivalence between the biology of sexual difference and the corresponding identities of male and female.

“If the binary of male and female is God’s idea, and if we are meant to embrace, by divine design, our biological and creational difference as men and women, then it stands to reason that the confusion of these realities would be displeasing to God. And so we see clearly in the Bible that men should not act sexually as women (Lev. 18:22; Rom. 1:18-32; 1 Cor. 6:9-10), that men should not dress like women (Deut. 22:5), and that when men and women embrace obviously other-gendered expressions of identity it is a disgrace (1 Cor. 11:14-15). We do not have an inalienable right to do whatever we want with our physical selves. We belong to God and should glorify him with our bodies (1 Cor. 6:19-20).”

Another commentator writes as follows: “However, just because something might have a biological cause does not mean embracing the effects is the right thing to do. Some people are wired with a sexuality on hyper-drive. That does not make it right for them to engage in sexual immorality. It is scientifically proven that some psychopaths/sociopaths have brains with severely weakened impulse-control mechanisms. That does not make it right for them to engage in every deviant behaviour that crosses their minds. No matter if the gender distortion has a genetic, hormonal, physiological, psychological, or spiritual cause, it can be overcome and healed through faith in Christ and continued reliance on the power of the Holy Spirit. There is hope for everyone, transsexuals, transgenders, those with gender identity disorder, and transvestites included, because of God’s forgiveness available in Jesus Christ.”

We would question that the “gender distortion” has a “genetic, hormonal or psychological cause,” as the author erroneously assumes, rather than a choice, but whatever the cause, the point is that transgenderism can be overcome.

This fits right in with 2 Peter 3:9 which reads: “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

As a final comment in this Q&A, we quote the numbers of the LGBT+ movement as Gallup reported in 2022: “The percentage of U.S. adults who self-identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or something other than heterosexual has increased to a new high of 7.1%, which is double the percentage from 2012, when Gallup first measured it.

“Gallup asks Americans whether they personally identify as straight or heterosexual, lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender as part of the demographic information it collects on all U.S. telephone surveys. Respondents can also volunteer any other sexual orientation or gender identity they prefer. In addition to the 7.1% of U.S. adults who consider themselves to be an LGBT identity, 86.3% say they are straight or heterosexual, and 6.6% do not offer an opinion.”

It is interesting to see how the 7.1% have a demonstrably higher visibility in society than the percentage would normally show. Quotas in television, film, the news media and high-profile jobs given to LGBT+ people show how skewed the system is today. The original argument was that they should be shown to reflect their position in society but it has gone way beyond that. Anyone could be forgiven for thinking that the figure was very much higher than 7.1% by the very presence of so many displaying, and even promoting, any deviance from God’s ordained way for men and women to behave.

Many now mock the Bible.  Some don’t believe what it says and others may think that it is outdated. The inhabitants of ancient Sodom and Gomorrah were evil and their end was most unpleasant as the Bible records their depravity and its results (see Genesis 19:12-29). It would surely benefit those who are currently involved in the behaviour discussed herein to review and change their lifestyle.

There is still time but it appears that they are set on doing their own thing and it will not end well for them, or for anyone who lives a lifestyle which is not compatible with Biblical instruction. We conclude today as we did in our original Q&A on transgenderism, mentioned above, by repeating the following paragraph:

“It is a sad fact that today the biblical approach is one that is scorned and disregarded which is very dangerous to do. We should have love and concern for those who are engaged in these practices, loving the sinner but hating the sin. God instructs us in His way which is always for our own good and we ignore it at our peril. Transgender practices, along with many other sexual sins, are not to be part of any true Christian’s life. Such practices will not be allowed in the Kingdom of God and that should be enough proof for anyone with an open mind and a willing heart.”

Lead Writer: Brian Gale (United Kingdom)

compiled by Dave Harris

“Prophecies for Russia, Ukraine, Germany, the USA and NATO!” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

The Bible speaks about an emerging power bloc in the Far East and another power bloc in Europe, all opposed to NATO and the USA. These developments are already happening now, behind the scenes. Some speak about the end of the “American Empire,” as well as the end of NATO. What does this all mean, and WHY is it happening?

“The Rise and Fall of Germany and Europe,” is the working title of a new booklet written by Evangelist Norbert Link. This booklet has entered the first review cycle.

“Taufe im Namen der Dreieinigkeit?” is the title of this Sabbath’s German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Baptism in the Name of the Trinity?”

“Das Geheimniss der zwei Bäume,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath in Germany by Andreas Raetz, is now posted. Title in English: “The Secrets of the Two Trees.”

“The World Needs Godly Love,” last Sabbath’s sermonette presented by Paul Niehoff, is now posted. Here is a summary:

There is a lack of true godly love in the world. The Bible explains what this love really is and how to express it.

“Prayer,” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Rene Messier, is now posted. Here is a summary:

This sermon addresses the importance of maintaining a close relationship with God through prayer. It also emphasizes the need to follow the biblical admonitions given to us in regard to prayer.

Spring Holy Days: Passover—April 5, 2023 (observed the evening before); Feast of Unleavened Bread—April 6-12, 2023; Pentecost—May 28, 2023.

On February 25, 2023, Paul Niehoff will present the sermonette, titled, “The World Needs Godly Love,” and Rene Messier will present the sermon, titled, “Prayer.”

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

This week, my son’s music teacher gave him a CD recording to help him learn some music that he plans to perform. He brought it home, not knowing exactly what to do with it. Even though CD technology doesn’t seem that old, we simply didn’t have a CD player readily available for him to play it. In fact, I had to do a little digging in the basement to find a device in our home that is capable of reading CDs so his recording would play. It made me think about how quickly the things that we use become obsolete.

Just as CDs have been superseded by streaming music services – and ironically vinyl records – we see other advancements pushing aside stalwart technologies. Electric cars now dominate automaker-marketing campaigns. Battery-powered bicycles prevail on the bike paths, leaving the human-powered pedal pushers in the dust. LED lightbulbs fill the shelves at hardware stores, replacing the tried and true, but inefficient, incandescent bulbs that haven’t changed much in the past 150 years. Even though these are current examples, it’s quite common to see the old replaced by the new.

Advancements have been a human endeavor from the beginning. However, new technologies only provide us with new ways of doing the same old things. Streaming audio services and Bluetooth earbuds serve the purpose of enabling us to listen to music. Yet, people have been able to listen to music since the first person on earth enjoyed another person singing to them. We are told by the industry that electric cars are supposed to make traveling easier, but traveling has been possible since man first sat on a horse. As Solomon reminds us, “That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which it may be said, ‘See, this is new’? It has already been in ancient times before us” (compare Ecclesiastes 1:9-10). Even in the ancient times during which Solomon lived, he could see that modern inventions are only an illusion of advancement. But, man in his pride believes that inventions that cause obsolescence are the measure of “progress”.

The attempt to make progress through the replacement of ancient things expands beyond technology and gadgets. Today we see how quickly the Truth of the Bible is jettisoned aside to usher in a more modern interpretation of so-called morality. To cite a simple example, more and more nominal Christian churches are placing a perverted spin on marriage, ignoring the clear Biblical doctrine that it is a sacred institution between a man and a woman. The desire to adapt the interpretation of the Bible to fit the norms of modern culture is no advancement. Rather, the practice of selectively applying Biblical instruction to be convenient for human desire only corrupts the perfect Truth of God. The Word of God needs no replacement because it will never be outdated.

We are fortunate to have access to God’s perfect instruction to guide and direct us every day of our lives, regardless of our circumstances. “Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him” (Proverbs 30:5). We can, and must, apply that pure Word of God in our lives if we want to fulfill our potential. There is nothing better that will come along in the future, because the Truth is enduring, perfect, and stands the test of time (compare Isaiah 40:8, 1 Peter 1:23). Technology may try to bring us more worldly convenience with each passing day, but we can be satisfied today with the perfect Truth of the Bible, knowing that it will never be obsolete.

by Norbert Link

We report on troublesome developments and statements during this year’s Munich Security Conference; the resurrection of central Europe; the emergence of Poland; Joe Biden’s trip to Ukraine and subsequent reactions; a Russian mole in Germany; discussions on military conscription throughout Europe; and the to an extent dangerous ideas of CDU’s vice president Jens Spahn.

 We continue with Israel’s defiance of America and Israel’s subsequent back-pedaling; Israel’s cowardly submission to the Arabs; and the strong words of former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo regarding Israel and the leader of the Palestinian Authority.

We report on another powerful earthquake in Turkey; and on the troublesome and somewhat dubious relationship between Donald Trump and Fox News, including his “strongest supporters,” who have allegedly made derogatory and extremely critical statements in 2020 and 2021 about Trump in private conversations.

We point out the Biden Administration’s “balloon” and “East Palestine Derailment” debacles, making America a laughing stock in the world; speaking on fake doctors having promoted Corona-related restrictions; and conclude with some more censorship due to the woke nonsense and an alleged conspiracy between the FBI and Pope Francis against orthodox Christians.

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

Europe on Edge

Politico wrote on February 18:

“U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris turned the heat up [at this year’s Munich Security Conference] on Russia… accusing [Russia] of ‘crimes against humanity’… In other words, Russian leaders could be looking at Nuremberg 2.0. That’s bound to make a few people in Moscow nervous, especially those old enough to remember what happened to Yugoslav strongman Slobodan Milošević and his entourage.

“The outlook in Asia is no less fraught. Taiwan remains on edge, as the country tries to guess China’s next move. Here too, the news from Munich wasn’t reassuring. ‘What is happening in Europe today could happen in Asia tomorrow,’ NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said.

“Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi did nothing to contradict that narrative. ‘Let me assure the audience that Taiwan is part of Chinese territory… [Taiwan] has never been a country and it will never be a country in the future.’

“For some attendees, the vibe in the crowded Bayerischer Hof hotel where the gathering takes place carried echoes of 1938. That year, the Bavarian capital hosted a conference that resulted in the infamous Munich Agreement, in which European powers ceded the Sudetenland to Germany in a misguided effort they believed could preserve peace…

“The only people smiling at this year’s security conference are the defense contractors. Arms sales are booming by all accounts. Even Germany, which in recent years perfected the art of explaining away its failure to meet its NATO defense spending commitment, promised to reverse course. Indeed, German officials appeared to be trying to outdo one another to prove just how hawkish they’ve become.

“Chancellor Olaf Scholz vowed to ‘permanently’ meet NATO’s defense spending goal for individual members of two percent of GDP. Germany’s new defense minister, Boris Pistorius, a Social Democrat like Scholz, called for even more, saying that ‘it will not be possible to fulfill the tasks that lie ahead of us with barely two percent.’

“Keep in mind that at the beginning of last year, leading Social Democrats were still calling on the U.S. to remove all of its nuclear warheads from German soil. In other words, if even the Germans have woken up to the perils of the world’s current geopolitical state, this could well be the moment to really start worrying.”

Of course, not too many take highly unpopular Kamala Harris’ words too seriously, but the question still is whether she is expressing the official position of the US Administration. If so, no way out is given to Putin, forcing him to fight to the very last man. Also, Germany’s new-found militaristic approach is indeed VERY worrisome, even though Scholz’s words, on the face of it, are as dubious as the ones by Kamala Harris, but Germany’s declared position is now totally in line with biblical prophecy.

The Resurrection of Central Europe

Visegrad Insight published on February 17 the following article with the headline: “Russian Aggression and the Resurrection of Central Europe.” The article continued:

“The leaders of Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia have taken a decisive lead in helping Ukraine… It is no surprise then that there are voices from Prague announcing a return ‘to the world map’ and to the centre of European decision-making…

“… the Presidency of the EU Council, which has just ended, has shown a very capable and consensus-seeking face of Czech foreign policy. The newly acquired healthy self-confidence, in this sense, should be seen as a desirable part and parcel of a sovereign foreign policy.”

Poland—a Strong European Force

The Telegraph wrote on February 17:

“It doesn’t seem so long ago that Poland was regarded as the problem child of the EU, a ‘dirty Remainer’ whose constitutional tribunal ruled that fundamental parts of EU law do not trump its national constitution. How different things are now, with Poland assuming the role of bastion of Western defence – a key nation in the front line of the battle against Putin’s Russia. Warsaw has consistently been at the forefront of support for Kyiv: diplomatically, military, but also morally, as it copes with the largest number of Ukrainian refugees.

“Andrzej Duda, the Polish president… has been openly critical of both leaders [Marcon and Scholz] for being willing to talk to Putin (which is like talking to Adolf Hitler, says Duda), and for their general reluctance to provide strong concrete support for Ukraine. Duda’s recent announcement that he was prepared to send German-made Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine whether Berlin agreed or not was just the latest diminution in their relationship…

“Poland will soon become an indispensable European military power in its own right. The country aims to create Europe’s largest land army: 300,000 combat troops up from its current 114,000. The Polish armed forces are being modernised at pace. The defence budget is set to reach 4 per cent of GDP from its present 2.4 per cent. Poland has roughly three times as many main battle tanks as the UK (647 to 227), and has on order hundreds of new US Abrams tanks and 1,000 K2 tanks from South Korea…”

Catholic Poland is most certainly a country to reckon with, when it comes to the unification of ten core nations or groups of nations in Europe.

Biden’s Trip to Kyiv

The Guardian wrote on February 20:

“The White House notified the Kremlin of Joe Biden’s intention to visit Kyiv hours before he departed for Ukraine… ‘We did notify the Russians that President Biden will be travelling to Kyiv,’ [national security adviser, Jake] Sullivan said. ‘We did so some hours before his departure for deconfliction purposes…’

“The US informed Moscow to avoid any misunderstanding or misjudgment between the two nuclear-armed powers…”

It was also reported that Washington “warned” Putin not to attack Kyiv while Biden was there.

Reactions to Biden’s Trip

The Associated Press wrote on February 21:

“Russian President Vladimir Putin suspended Moscow’s participation in the last remaining nuclear arms control pact with the United States, announcing the move Tuesday in a bitter speech in which he made clear he would not change his strategy in the war in Ukraine…

“U.S. President Joe Biden, speaking in Poland a day after his surprise visit to Ukraine… blasted Putin for the invasion. He pledged continued support for Ukraine despite ‘hard and bitter days ahead.’…

“China and Russia have aligned their foreign policies to oppose Washington. Beijing has refused to condemn Russia’s invasion or atrocities against civilians in Ukraine, while strongly criticizing Western economic sanctions on Moscow. Late last year, Russia and China held joint naval drills…”

Preparing for World War?

Fox News wrote on February 22:

“President Biden addressed the group of European nations known as the Bucharest Nine (B9) on Wednesday, stressing the need to stand up to Russian aggression and emphasizing the United States’ commitment to NATO allies… ‘As NATO’s eastern flank, you’re our front lines of our collective defense, and you know better than anyone what’s at stake in this conflict,’ Biden said to officials from the B9 countries of Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia…

“Biden made it perfectly clear that the U.S. will be there with them if any NATO member is attacked… ‘Article 5 is a sacred commitment the United States has made,’ Biden said. ‘We will defend literally every inch of NATO…’

“Following Biden’s remarks, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg claimed that… Putin is showing no signs of slowing down or seeking peace, but ‘is preparing for world war.’”

Orban Snuffs Biden

The Daily Mail wrote on February 22:

“Hungary’s far-right Prime Minister Viktor Orban is snubbing Wednesday’s meeting in Warsaw with President Joe Biden and other Bucharest Nine leaders.

Orban has been… chiding the European Union for prolonging the conflict and saying in October that only former U.S. President Donald Trump could negotiate a deal between the Ukrainians and Russians… arguing Biden wasn’t the man for the job because he has ‘gone too far’ in calling Russian President Vladimir Putin a ‘war criminal.’ …

“During the Wednesday afternoon meeting at the Presidential Palace, Hungary was represented by the country’s President Katalin Novák, who’s also a member of Orban’s right-wing Fidesz party.”

Russian Mole in Germany

DNYUXZ wrote on February 17:

“The coach, a 52-year-old former German soldier, worked for Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service, or B.N.D., as a director of technical reconnaissance — the unit responsible for cybersecurity and surveilling electronic communications. It contributes about half of the spy agency’s daily intelligence volume.

“As a Russian mole, he would have had access to critical information gathered since Moscow invaded Ukraine last year. He may have obtained high-level surveillance, not only from German spies, but also from Western partners, like the C.I.A.

“German intelligence has had a long and troubled history of Russian infiltration, stretching back decades. But the latest case now threatens to shake the sometimes tentative trust of Western intelligence agencies in Germany at a critical moment when Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has presented Europe with its biggest security threat since World War II…

“Some leaders are openly questioning the loyalties of their own security services… The case has also exposed other serious vulnerabilities — about Germany’s lack of vigilance over Russian espionage and its unpreparedness to mount counterintelligence operations — which allies like Washington and London had long warned about.

“For years, as German politicians pushed economic ties with Moscow — in particular, buying its gas — they closed down many intelligence units focused on Russia. Yet President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, who started his career as a K.G.B. agent in Communist East Germany, took the opposite tack: He made Germany, Europe’s biggest economy, a priority target…”

This German shortsightedness is really incredible.

Military Conscription in Europe

 Foreign Policy wrote on February 14:

 “… the war in Ukraine has reignited a debate across much of Europe about military conscription, which most NATO countries suspended in the two decades after the end of [the] Cold War. Among NATO’s 30 European member states, only Denmark, Estonia, and Greece currently require mandatory military service. But Germany’s new defense minister, Boris Pistorius,  recently said it was a ‘mistake to suspend compulsory military service’ in the Bundeswehr, Germany’s military. Other German politicians have since followed suit. The Dutch defense ministry has been studying the possible introduction of a conscription-style system, with the debate gaining increasing urgency. Mandatory military service was also an issue during Italy’s general election last year.

“While Poland debated and ultimately dismissed calls to reintroduce the draft, conscription resumed in Latvia in January—for the first time since it was suspended in 2007. Denmark, in turn, plans to expand its existing compulsory military service for men to include women as well. When one talks to force planners in select European countries, they say what is partially driving this debate is not just difficulties in meeting recruiting targets but also the realization that even the largest military powers in NATO, such as Germany or Poland, would have a tough time sustaining a casualty rate similar to what Ukraine suffered in the first few weeks of Russia’s invasion while still fielding an effective fighting force.”

And so, sadly, military conscription in Europe is all but certain to occur.

The Ideas of Jens Spahn

Merkur wrote on February 18:

“For a while, Jens Spahn was considered a possible successor to Angela Merkel. But Corona [when he worked as Germany’s controversial health minister], Armin Laschet [who upstaged him for a while as Merkel’s supposed successor] and buying a house [a heavily criticized move, using dubious sources for financing] put a spoke in his wheel. Now the still only 42-year-old has to queue at the back. The CDU parliamentary vice-president has retained a clear opinion…

[We quote his statements from an interview:]

“Olaf Scholz is clearing away the rubble of his own politics… In retrospect, we should have uncompromisingly made the strengthening of the Bundeswehr a coalition issue… Almost nothing of the 100 billion euros has been spent, not a single cartridge has yet been ordered… If Olaf Scholz had led from the start, completely different alliances would have been possible…

“There is widespread mistrust of Germany. I find that fatal. The unclear communication, all the hesitation and procrastination towards allies is just devastating….

“Caution! Nobody in Germany and Europe wants this war. But it’s about stopping Vladimir Putin. He clearly said that he will not stop with Ukraine. His logic is: where there are Russians, there is Russia… Angela Merkel has never had any illusions about who Vladimir Putin is. In the end, the policy of involving them was wrong – but that’s different from the SPD’s pandering…

“We should have identified the threat from Putin more clearly. One lesson is: We need deterrence again. As the old Latin proverb says: If you want peace, prepare for war…

“You can learn something from the war, but also from the pandemic: For two decades, Europe, the USA and China were on the way to a world of free trade… They have relied on each other. That stopped working well during the pandemic… We can and must become more independent in many areas…

“There are limits to what a society can achieve in terms of integration… Unfortunately, with an increasing number of people – especially young men – who have experienced displacement and violence and who are uprooted and homeless, the risk of something like this grows [violent attacks on others]. You need intensive psychological care, which we cannot provide on this scale. We finally have to talk openly about this – and draw the necessary conclusions.”

Some of his ideas seem quite dangerous. One thing is for sure: Spahn is not gone.

Israel Defies and Submits to America

JNS wrote on February 15:

“Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich vowed… to promote unrestrained construction in Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, so-called Jewish ‘settlements,’ despite opposition from the Biden administration… the US said it was ‘deeply troubled’ by the prospective move to ‘advance reportedly nearly 10,000 settlement units and to begin a process to retroactively legalize nine outposts in the West Bank that were previously illegal under Israeli law,’ according to a statement by Secretary of State  Antony Blinken…

“The State Department said its stance is in line with prior Democrat and Republican administrations that ‘strongly oppose such unilateral measures, which exacerbate tensions and undermine the prospects for a negotiated two-state solution.’’

In a subsequent article by Newsmax, dated February 20, it was stated that Israel backpedaled, at least for now, stating: “Israel will not authorize new settlements in the occupied West Bank in the coming months [beyond the nine already approved], Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said on Monday…”

Israel Bows to Arabs

Israel 365 News reported on February 20:

“The Israeli government has decided to place restrictions on visitation to the Temple Mount by non-Muslims during the Muslim month of Ramadan… including during the Jewish holiday of Passover.”

The article continued by pointing out the dissatisfaction of many orthodox Jews with the government’s decision:

“Tom Nisani, CEO of the Beyadenu association for the Temple Mount, responded to the report. ‘Cleansing the Temple Mount of Jews and taking away the right to visit our holiest site in the afternoon on the eve of Passover strikes at the heart of Judaism,’ Nisani said, emphasizing that the afternoon on the eve of Passover is when, for thousands of years, Jews arrived at the Temple in Jerusalem to perform the most important ritual of the year; sacrificing the Paschal Lamb.

“‘These restrictions on Jews will only serve to turn the Temple Mount compound into a base for Arab violence and terrorism, the destruction of antiquities, and harm to the police, as it does every year… The full responsibility for this surrender to terrorism will be in the hands of the ministers of the government and the cabinet.’

“Rabbi Yehuda Levi, Co-founder of High on the Har and Director of Outreach for Yeshivat Har Habayit, was dismayed at the report of possible restrictions… ‘The Jewish government has decided that violence and terrorism set the agenda. And that is a shame.’”

Mike Pompeo: Israel NOT an Occupying Nation

Israel 365 News wrote on February 19:

“Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo became the focus of heavy criticism last week when he said in an interview that according to the Bible, Israel is ‘the rightful homeland of the Jewish people… It is not an occupying nation,’ Pompeo said on the One Decision Podcast released on Thursday.

“Pompeo’s remarks caused consternation. The Palestine Chronicle wrote that he ‘dismissed the fact that Israel is an occupying country by claiming that the Jewish state has a biblical claim to that land’.

“Pompeo responded to the criticism on Twitter, stating simply, ‘I said it because it’s true.’

“As the foreign policy czar for President Trump, Pompeo was instrumental in advancing several pro-Israel policies such as implementing the Jerusalem Embassy Act by moving the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, enforcing the Taylor Force Act by cutting off funding to the Palestinian Authority while they paid stipends to convicted terrorists, and recognizing Israel’s annexation of the Golan Heights. The Trump administration also negotiated the Abraham accords normalizing agreements between Israel and several formerly hostile countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan…

“Ancient Rome first coined the term in 135 CE as a punishment, to obliterate the link between the Jews (in Hebrew, Y’hudim and in Latin Judaei) and the province (the Hebrew name of which was Y’hudah). ‘Palaestina’ referred to the Philistines, whose home base had been on the Mediterranean coast. In Hebrew, Philistine literally means ‘invader’, “intruder”, or, in other contexts, ‘migratory’. Historically, Palestine was a general geographic region that sometimes included southern Syria. The region referred to was a part of the Ottoman Empire for 400 years before becoming the British Mandate of Palestine from 1918-1948. It was never used to describe an independent nation or people…”

JNS added on February 17 that Pompeo “referred to Mahmoud Abbas, head of the Palestinian Authority,” as a “known terrorist who has killed lots and lots of people, including Americans and given those martyrs money for having done so…”

Turkey Again Hit By Powerful Earthquake

The New York Post wrote on February 20:

“A powerful 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck Turkey near the Syrian border late Monday… two weeks after catastrophic twin earthquakes devastated the region, leaving more than 46,000 people dead [and] millions more homeless.

“The quake — almost as forceful as the 7.8 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes that struck on Feb. 6 — brought further destruction and despair to the already ravaged Hatay province in southern Turkey. Its tremors were centered around the town of Defne, one of the worst-hit areas from the earlier quakes…”

Fox News vs. Trump

Mediaite wrote on February 16:

“On the night of Jan. 6, 2021, Fox News host Tucker Carlson referred to then-President Donald Trump as ‘a demonic force’ in a text to his producer after Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol that day. It was one of many revelations in a filing by Dominion Voting Systems, which is suing Fox News for defamation and seeking $1.6 billion in damages.

“At issue are claims Fox News hosts and guests made shortly after the 2020 presidential election. Some of them suggested or stated outright that Dominion’s machines were part of a scheme to steal the contest from Trump, who claimed the election was rigged.

“Two days after the 2020 election with the result yet to be determined, Carlson fumed via text about Fox News calling Arizona for Joe Biden. Dominion’s filing notes the network was taking heavy criticism from conservatives at the time. According to a text in the filing (page 19), the Arizona call seemed to cause consternation among the network’s biggest stars:

“‘Fox Hosts Tucker Carlson, Laura Ingraham, and Sean Hannity immediately understood the threat to them personally. Carlson wrote his producer Alex Pfeiffer on November 5: “We worked really hard to build what we have. Those [inappropriate term] are destroying our credibility. It enrages me.” He added that he had spoken with Laura and [S]ean a minute ago and they are highly upset. Carlson noted: “At this point we’re getting hurt no matter what.” Pfeiffer responded: “It’s a hard needle to thread, but I really think many on our side are being reckless demagogues right now.” Tucker replied: “Of course they are. We’re not going to follow them.” And he added: “What [Trump]’s good at is destroying things. He’s the undisputed world champion of that. He could easily destroy us if we play it wrong.”’

“Two months later, a mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building to overturn the election while Congress was inside certifying the results. The filing includes a text from Carlson to his producer later that day (page 43) in which the Fox News host calls Trump ‘a demonic force’:

“‘After January 6, trying to thread the needle between the truth and pressure from his viewers and sponsors became even more difficult. Late on January 6, Carlson texted with Pfeiffer that Trump is “a demonic force, a destroyer. But he’s not going to destroy us.” On January 26, Carlson invited his leading sponsor Mike Lindell on his show, where Lindell spouted these same conspiracies on air after previewing them for Carlson’s staff during a pre-interview.’

“On his show, Carlson has downplayed the Capitol riot and even referred to it as an ‘election justice protest.’ Elsewhere in the filing is a text where Carlson tells Sean Hannity that Fox News reporter Jacqui Heinrich should be ‘fired’ over a fact check of Trump’s election lie…

“Fox News says Dominion’s lawsuit is meritless. ‘There will be a lot of noise and confusion generated by Dominion and their opportunistic private equity owners, but the core of this case remains about freedom of the press and freedom of speech, which are fundamental rights afforded by the Constitution and protected by New York Times v. Sullivan,’ Fox News said in a statement. Fox News filed an amended counterclaim against Dominion on Thursday.”

CNN added on February 16:

“The most prominent stars and highest-ranking executives at Fox News privately ridiculed claims of election fraud in the 2020 election… In one set of messages revealed in the court filing, Carlson texted Ingraham, saying that Sidney Powell, an attorney who was representing the Trump campaign, was ‘lying’ and that he had ‘caught her’ doing so. Ingraham responded, ‘Sidney is a complete nut. No one will work with her. Ditto with Rudy [Giuliani].’

“The messages also revealed that Rupert Murdoch, the chairman of Fox Corporation,… even floated the idea of having Carlson, Hannity, and Ingraham appear together in prime time to declare Joe Biden as the rightful winner of the election…

“The legal filing also underscored how worried Fox News executives and hosts were in the immediate aftermath of the election of losing its viewership to Newsmax…

“After the election, a furious Trump attacked Fox News and encouraged his followers to switch to Newsmax… Fox News’ chief political anchor, Bret Baier, pushed for… fact checks… Hannity even said Giuliani was ‘acting like an insane person’ and Ingraham described him as ‘an idiot.’ Rupert Murdoch said it was ‘really bad’ that Giuliani was advising Trump…”

Now Doubts Again?

The Huffington Post wrote on February 18:

“Tucker Carlson expressed doubt about the 2020 presidential election results Thursday after court documents emerged showing he actually did not believe ex-President Donald Trump’s… fraud claims. On ‘Tucker Carlson Tonight’ the Fox News host opened with musings on ‘what the hell is going on in our country.’

“‘There are so many unanswered questions ― some of them lingering,’ he said. ‘How, for example, did senile hermit Joe Biden get 15 million more votes than his former boss, rock star crowd-surfer Barack Obama? Results like that would seem to defy the laws of known physics and qualify instead as a miracle. Was the 2020 election a miracle? Honestly, we don’t know and we don’t expect to get an answer to it tonight.’”

Breitbart wrote on February 21:

“Members of the now-defunct January 6 Committee howled in protest as Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) reportedly gave Fox News host Tucker Carlson access to over 40,000 hours of footage of the Capitol riot.

“The Committee, hand-picked by then Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) for their hatred of former President Donald Trump, only released selected clips — and doctored the evidence to push their narrative of an ‘insurrection.’ Critics of the committee had long argued that they should release all of the evidence.

“After Axios reported that Carlson had been given the footage, committee members reacted in outrage — mostly singing from the same songsheet: namely, accusing Carlson, a skeptic of the Ukraine war, of being ‘pro-Putin.’”

Unidentified Balloons—Shooting Sparrows With Cannons

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on February 17:

“President Biden on Thursday acknowledged that the three unidentified objects he ordered the US military to shoot down were likely harmless weather balloons. ‘The intelligence community’s current assessment is that these three objects were most likely balloons tied to private companies, recreation, or research institutions studying weather or conducting other scientific research,’ Biden said.

“Following the panic caused by the Chinese balloon that floated over the United States, US fighter jets shot down unidentified objects on February 10, 11, and 12 using heat-seeking AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles, which are worth over $400,000 apiece.

“Biden said the military was still working to collect the debris. ‘Our military and the Canadian military are seeking to recover the debris so we can learn more about these three objects,’ he said. According to a report from Aviation Week, at least one of the objects may have been a hobby balloon reported missing by a club in Illinois that launches small balloons with tracking devices that are capable of traveling the globe at high altitudes.

“The club, the Northern Illinois Bottlecap Balloon Brigade (NIBBB), said its balloon was last reported off the coast of Alaska on February 10, and tracking data projected that it would be floating over Canada’s Yukon Territory on February 11, the same day a US F-22 shot down an object in the area. The balloon they launched is known as a ‘pico balloon,’ a small silver-coated party-style balloon that carries a transmitter. A Pentagon memo described the object that was shot overt Canada as a ‘small, metallic balloon with a tethered payload below it.’

“Canadian authorities said the object that was shot down was traveling at ‘approximately 40,000 feet.’ When the NIBBB’s balloon was last reported, it was floating at 38,910 feet…”

Breitbart wrote on February 17:

“Each missile costs around $400,000. One object required two missiles after the first one missed, bringing the total cost of shooting down the three objects to more than $1,600,000. Those costs do not include operating labor and fuel costs for operating the F-22s, or other aircraft involved in the shoot-downs. Operating costs for F-22s are $85,325 an hour… The costs also do not include recovery operations, which have been ongoing for days in three different locations.

“The Biden administration was mocked on social media for spending so much money to take down what are potentially hobby balloons.

“Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) tweeted: ‘To be fair, Biden is providing powerful deterrence for any high school science clubs that might try to invade America…’ Former Michigan Rep. Peter Meijer (R-MI) mocked it as the ‘Great Balloon Panic of 2023.’”

What an utter waste of money. America continues to be the laughing stock of the world.

The Incompetent Handling of the East Palestine Derailment Travesty

The Editorial Board of the New York Post wrote on February 19:

“On Feb. 3, a massive train carrying hazardous chemicals derailed and spilled its toxic contents. The feds then set the spills afire in a controlled burn that sent an ominous black plume of smoke towering above the town, terrifying residents already shaken by the potential health risk [Fox News added on February 19: “Following the burn, black smoke tainted the community as toxins like vinyl chloride, hydrogen chloride and phosgene filled the air”]…

“The White House… turned down East Palestine’s FEMA request, implying the disaster wasn’t quite big enough. But Team Biden also somehow at the same time deemed it too big: ‘What East Palestine needs is much more expansive than what FEMA can provide,’ said an administration official. Bizarrely, the slapdown comes after Biden reportedly told Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine the feds would give ‘anything you need’ to help.

“Adding to the mixed messaging, whoever runs the ‘President Biden’ Twitter account bragged ‘our kids will breathe cleaner air’ and ‘drink safer water’ even as Ohioans gulped bottled water and suffered acrid, chemical stenches…

“In the days immediately after the Ohio disaster, [Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg] avoided the subject but found time to complain to the press that there are too many white construction workers.

“Finally shamed into saying something more than a week after the Ohio nightmare, he offered vague platitudes about the tiny town terrorized by an event that falls directly within his purview, blamed Trump (!!!) and said nothing meaningful about the efforts his department will make to prevent it from happening again.”

Residents are also still concerned about the air and water quality following the spill. And while water from the city of East Palestine has been tested and is considered safe, residents using well water have been encouraged to use bottled water. Also, Cincinnati closed its Ohio River water intake and switched to water reserves. Such absolute incompetence is very difficult to swallow.

Fake “Doctors” Promoted Lockdowns, Mask Wearing and Distancing

WND wrote on January 11, 2023:

“As Americans and citizens across the world were bombarded with messages promoting lockdowns, masks and social distancing during the COVID pandemic, it turns out some doctors endorsing those control measures did not even exist, being part of a ‘network’ of fake Twitter accounts, according to a stunning report.

“The San Francisco Standard revealed how a number of physicians in the LGBT community pushing the government narratives and blasting those who questioned official advice were actually electronic bots….

“‘…  two fake doctors, whose accounts urged extreme caution about Covid-19, were part of a network of at least four fake accounts that touted their ties to the LGBTQ+ community, vocally advocated for mask-wearing and social distancing, and dished out criticism to those they felt were not taking the pandemic seriously,’ the Standard reported.”

But the masses were dumb enough to believe it…

The Ron Paul Institute added on February 18:

“For better or worse, the era of Covid hysteria gave Americans a lot of insight into the true nature of our political class. It separated those who seek to protect the rights of their constituents and those who seek power for the sake of obtaining power, and end up dominating their constituents. Though arguably a manufactured hysteria, the Covid era forced everyone to flip over their cards.”

More Woke Nonsense and Censorships

ABC News wrote on February 19:

“Critics are accusing the British publisher of Roald Dahl’s classic children’s books of censorship after it removed colorful language from works such as ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ and ‘Matilda’ to make them more acceptable to modern readers.

“A review of new editions of Dahl’s books now available in bookstores shows that some passages relating to weight, mental health, gender and race were altered. The changes made by Puffin Books, a division of Penguin Random House, first were reported by Britain’s Daily Telegraph newspaper.

“Augustus Gloop, Charlie’s gluttonous antagonist in ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,’ which originally was published in 1964, is no longer ‘enormously fat,’ just ‘enormous’…

“The word ‘black’ was removed from the description of the terrible tractors in 1970s ‘The Fabulous Mr. Fox.’ The machines are now simply ‘murderous, brutal-looking monsters.’

“Booker Prize-winning author Salman Rushdie was among those who reacted angrily to the rewriting of Dahl’s words. Rushdie lived in hiding for years after Iran’s Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989 issued a fatwa calling for his death because of the alleged blasphemy in his novel ‘The Satanic Verses.’ He was attacked and seriously injured last year at an event in New York state.  ‘Roald Dahl was no angel but this is absurd censorship,’’ Rushdie wrote on Twitter. ‘Puffin Books and the Dahl estate should be ashamed.’…

“PEN America, a community of some 7,500 writers that advocates for freedom of expression, said it was ‘alarmed’ by reports of the changes to Dahl’s books. ‘If we start down the path of trying to correct for perceived slights instead of allowing readers to receive and react to books as written, we risk distorting the work of great authors and clouding the essential lens that literature offers on society,’ tweeted Suzanne Nossel, chief executive of PEN America.”

Another reported gender-neutral change was made by replacing “fathers and mothers” with “parents.” As this nonsense continues, it is just a matter of time before the Bible will be censored, re-written or even prohibited, as was the case for many years in the past. Some have already begun to work on gender-neutral phrases for God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. Can anybody doubt that Satan is behind this woke movement?

Systematic Persecution of Orthodox Catholics Through FBI and Pope Francis?

On February 20, Life Site published the following opinion by Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano:

“The totem of freedom of worship allows Satan worshippers to erect a blasphemous monument to Baphomet in front of the Arkansas State Capitol in Little Rock or a statue of a demon on the façade of the New York Courthouse to celebrate an abortionist Supreme Court judge; while in New Mexico the Satanic Temple inaugurates a clinic that performs ritual abortions and benefits from state recognition. Meanwhile, the Secret Service of the Biden administration has nothing better to do than profile traditional Catholics and keep an eye on the communities in which the Liturgy is celebrated in Latin, as if they represented a threat to the established order and a potential danger to the institutions of the State.

“This news should be read, in my opinion, as a logical and necessary consequence of another analogous and similar event: the idolatrous worship rendered by the leaders of the Catholic hierarchy to the demon of the Pachamama in St. Peter’s Basilica and in other Catholic churches, and the simultaneous persecution of traditional Catholics by the ecclesiastical authority with the Motu Proprio Traditionis Custodes and with its further restrictions, which are said to be imminent.

“This operation of the criminalization of dissent on the part of temporal and spiritual power is not accidental… on the one hand the deep state and on the other the deep church, both of which are corrupt and subservient to the globalist elite, with subversive purposes whose ideological bases are united by hatred of Christ, the Church, and the Holy Mass…”

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.

The reference to the extra mile can be found in Matthew 5:41, which quoted the words of Jesus as follows: “‘And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two…’” In Wikipedia, there are interesting comments about the practice that was extant in the Roman Empire:

“The idiom to go the extra mile means to do more than is required. The expression probably comes from the Bible, when Jesus declares, “Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two’ (Matthew 5:41 (NASB). The verse is reference to the practice of ‘impressment’ which, among other things, allowed a Roman soldier to conscript a Jewish native to carry his equipment for the Roman mile (million = 1,000 paces, about 1,611 yards or 1,473 meters)—no easy task considering a Roman soldier’s backpack could weigh upwards to 100 pounds (45.4 kg).”

We can see from these observations that the instruction at that time could be seen to be extremely onerous, not only regarding the seemingly “unfairness” of such a task, but also what went with it—a very heavy burden to carry for two miles and not just one. With this background and understanding of what Jesus said, we realize that it was not an easy physical thing to accomplish by any stretch of the imagination. However, Jesus was well aware of what it involved and still gave this instruction of going the extra mile and not resorting to violent resistance.

Shortly after coming into the Church and prior to being baptized, one of the writers of this Q&A had quit his government job because it conflicted with the Sabbath. He did not have permanent employment for a few months and was working at the time out of the Teamsters Union Hall in Vancouver, Canada. One day, he was sent to a company where they were unloading heavy bags of flour out of boxcars. They weighed over seventy pounds. The writer was working with a man from Alberta about his age who was about 27 at the time, and they both worked hard. They put their backs to it as the saying goes. They emptied the boxcar way sooner than the foreman had anticipated and not wanting to send them home early, he took them to a warehouse to remove wood and old pallets from the floor and pile them outside to be picked up later by the forklift driver.

It wasn’t too long before they got that job completed and they looked at one another and said, “What do we do now?” The writer suggested picking up brooms and sweeping the floor so while in the process of sweeping up, the foreman showed up, totally flabbergasted that they were not just sitting down, waiting for their next assignment. Once they finished sweeping, he almost reluctantly permitted them to go home even though it was a few hours short of the agreed-upon 8 hours for the day, but there was nothing more to do. He instructed them to come back the next day which was unusual because they were usually dispatched from the Union Hall in the morning. This shows what can be achieved when we go “the extra mile.”

Interestingly, following the instruction to go the second mile, we read about loving our enemies, which is not a natural thing to do in any age. This is found in verses 43-48, which read:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”

This instruction would include the willingness to forgive our enemies and others, upon their repentance. In Matthew 18:21-22, Jesus answers Peter who asked about forgiveness to others: “Then Peter came to Him and said, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.’”

Seven times seventy is 490, but this does not mean that we stop forgiving the offending person, once we have reached 490 times, but implies that to the extent the person repents, we don’t keep score but rather forgive ungrudgingly. Unfortunately, some cannot even get to first base on this when they carry a grudge, let alone forgiving someone seventy times seven. Some have a mental offense list that they bring forth during an argument, raising the offenses of the last ten years and just won’t let go and forgive and forget.

Stephen did not retaliate when he was being killed, and he is a great example for us today. He simply asked that those who were stoning him were not charged with this sin; in other words, he asked God to forgive them once they came to repentance. There was no sign whatsoever of any willingness to “pay them back” (compare Acts 7:59-60).

The greatest example of all, Jesus Christ, did not resort to violence and did not retaliate in any way when He was killed in the most barbaric manner imaginable. He could have called upon God to send a legion of angels for rescue and avenge the crimes committed against Him, but He knew that this was not the purpose of God’s plan. He asked God to forgive them, once they came to repentance, for they did not know what they were doing (Luke 23:34) nor understood whom they were putting to death. Stephen and Jesus both forgave and went the extra mile in the sense that they had that attitude of forgiveness at the time they were losing their own lives. For a thorough explanation of the statements by Stephen and Christ, please see our Q&A .

What about the general areas of life? Today we are not usually compelled to carry the equipment (heavy or otherwise) for another human being, even though we may offer to do so if this need became apparent, nor are we compelled to do this for a specific distance; again we could evaluate what was necessary and how much we could help.

The Collins English Dictionary gave examples from other publications, using the phrase “going the extra mile”:

“‘People who know where they are going are more willing to go the extra mile.’ CHRISTIANITY TODAY (2000).

“‘This is why 54 per cent of bosses look for employees who are willing to go the extra mile.’ THE SUN  (2014).

“‘When management puts in a great effort, those on your team are more than willing to go the extra mile.’ SUNDAY TIMES (2009).

“‘It’s about willing to go the extra mile, adding things to your game and having a work ethic.’ SUNDAY TIMES (2009).

“‘Be willing to go the extra mile to show your enthusiasm, and it won’t take long to stand out!’ SUNDAY TIMES (2011).”

Jesus gave the example of going the extra mile in His ministry and He would expect His original disciples to display this same attitude wherever possible. They had the greatest example for 3 ½ years when witnessing how Jesus manifested His words by His action.

We could give a list of situations where we could do more than is expected of us, avoiding being “unprofitable servants” (Luke 17:10), but the principle is clear at all times. Let us look for things to do for others, and when we have done whatever it is, let us see if anything further needs to be done. A little help can raise the spirit of a person, particularly since they may not see such an example very often. The onus is on us to be aware of the need of others.

Someone wrote this about the extra mile:

“As Jesus went the ‘extra mile’ for us [that] we might have forgiveness of our sins and life eternal through faith in Him, so are we called to ‘go the extra mile with Jesus’ for one another and others who don’t yet know His love and forgiveness.”

Jesus’ example of “going the extra mile” encourages us to do needed acts of selfless love and compassion toward the welfare and service of others, regardless of how “nice” or how much “like us” they may be. Whenever we “go the extra mile” in service to others, we are doing so in service to God.

We have to remember that God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, went more than the extra mile, as we read in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

That is the definitive example of the “going the extra mile” injunction!

Lead Writers: Rene Messier (Canada) and Brian Gale (United Kingdom)

compiled by Dave Harris

Spring Holy Days: Passover—April 5, 2023 (observed the evening before); Feast of Unleavened Bread—April 6-12, 2023; Pentecost—May 28, 2023.

“Die Bedeutung von Gottes Heiligen Frühjahrsfesten,” the new German booklet on the Spring Holy Days, has been posted on the Web. 

“Kämpfen wie Christen” is the title of this Sabbath’s German sermon, presented by Michael Link. Title in English: “Fight Like Christians.”

“Kriegsdienstverweigerung,” the sermonette presented in Germany last Sabbath by Robert Muhr is now posted. Title in English: “Conscientious Objection.”

“In Control?” the sermonette presented last Sabbath by Eric Rank, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Drifting in life places control over the direction we take in our lives to influences that are ungodly. To stay in control involves adopting God’s will as our own and being led by the Holy Spirit.

“The Levites: Past, Present and Future,” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Dave Harris, is now posted. Here is a summary:

God chose the Tribe of Levi for Himself to teach Israel His commandments, statutes and judgments. That obligation continues, and as prophecy shows, the covenant with Levi will once again be fulfilled.