Update 1011

On February 26, 2022, Paul Niehoff will present the sermonette, titled, “Envy–A Deadly Cancer,” and Rene Messier will present the sermon, titled, “God’s Wrath.”

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.

Are we fully aware of the times we are living in today? Since the days of Noah, there have never been such times. End-time prophecies have never been fulfilled so quickly: The Roman Empire rising from the abyss one last time; pagan governments collapsing. It is all now only a matter of time.

We will experience worldwide droughts, as described in Joel 1:4:

“What the chewing locust left, the swarming locust has eaten; What the swarming locust left, the crawling locust has eaten; And what the crawling locust left, the consuming locust has eaten.”  Joel 1:15 adds, “Alas for the day! For the day of the LORD is at hand; It shall come as destruction from the Almighty.”

There has seemingly never been a time when Christians have been so dependent on being in close contact with God. Perhaps never has there been a time when we were so much in need of faith, to deal with the trials that we now know are ahead of us. And there may never have been a time when it seems so hard to pray. And why is this the case?

This is the time as described in Revelation 12:12: “Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”

The devil is loose. And he has a multitude of demons serving him – invisible spirit beings with great power.

One professing Christian turns against another. Churches get into quarrels, feuds, and rejections. They confess with their mouths and deny the Truth. And when Satan fails in driving people away from the Truth, he puts impressions of failure into their minds, designed to discourage them and make them give up.

The devil has many charms and tricks. He will cause most people to completely reject God’s Truth.

He will also try to mislead the children of God into accepting a corruption of God, instead of the true Original. On our website, we have posted an Editorial by Dave Harris on this topic (Update 58), which is entitled: “The True Original.”

Our foundation is the Word of God – the Sword of the Spirit – which is our only offensive weapon.

Paul tells us in Romans 8:1: “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”

If we may stumble, trip, and fall on our Christian path, it must not mean that we should stay down. Let us not be discouraged by this. We must get up again and keep going.

In Hebrews 4:14-16, we read: “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Therefore, let us come boldly before the throne of mercy, to obtain complete forgiveness.

If we have done an injustice to somebody, let us make amends for what we have done, as good as we can. What we cannot compensate for, God will take care of.

Let us repent and be encouraged by mercy, and we shall not feel lost.

Ephesians 6:10,18 tells us: “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might…. praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints…”

Let us be strong “in the Lord.” We are fighting against evil spirits “in heavenly places.” We need the whole armor of God to stand strong (Ephesians 6:11).

Let us examine our thoughts more closely. Let us resist the devil. Let us remove all evil thoughts from our minds by focusing our attention and thoughts on things above.

And most importantly, even though it may take a lot of strength at first, let us force ourselves to pray as we have never done before.

There is no reason to be afraid if we put on the whole armor of God, but if we don’t, we will definitely come out on the short end.

Initial translation from German: Daniel Blasinger

by Norbert Link

We begin with Putin’s declaration of war on Ukraine. While Putin created a fabricated “justification” for war, the Western allies are by no means as united in their support for Ukraine as we are told. It appears that they, and especially Germany, have been willing to “appease” Putin, while especially President Biden and the Germans have been blamed for Putin’s current invasion of Ukraine.

In this context, please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Putin’s War against Ukraine… How It Happened!” 

We also report on Canada’s police brutality in the pursuit of enforcing radical Prime Minister Trudeau’s authoritarian orders against the Freedom Convoy and other demonstrators. Trudeau has been compared with late Romanian communist dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu.

In other news, we point out United Airline’s disturbing conduct towards their unvaccinated employees, and remarkable explosions from the Sun.

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

Putin Declares War

The Sun wrote on February 23:

“VLADIMIR Putin has declared WAR on Ukraine and unleashed his terrifying arsenal with a full scale assault on the country – plunging Europe into a bloody new crisis. The tyrant declared a ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine with a dawn raid after months of amassing his forces on the border [of about 200,000 troops] and brazenly lying to the world about his plans to invade…. He chillingly warned the West that there would be ‘consequences greater than any you have faced in history’ if there are any moves to interfere with the invasion….

“Global leaders have condemned Russia and pledged to stand with Ukraine – with the world now just one false move from what could become World War 3.  Putin also [attacked] from neighbouring Belarus … Putin justified his bloody assault in a televised address – making false claims about ‘protecting’ Russians in eastern Ukraine.

“He had always been predicted to use a phoney humanitarian crisis a pretext for an invasion…. The former KGB enforcer also claimed that Russia… will move to ‘demilitarize’ and ‘de-Nazify’ [Ukraine] – bringing those who committed ‘crimes’ to justice.”

The Sun wrote on February 24:

“Ground forces have been streaming across the border into the former Soviet state from all sides after the aerial blitz in the early hours…. Fighting is raging through the country as Ukraine attempts to mount a resistance to the assault.”

The New York Post wrote on February 24:

“Terrified Ukrainians began a mass exodus Thursday as Russia declared war and started launching missiles — as chilling footage also captured a swarm of helicopters attacking an airport near the capital.”

Daily Mail wrote on February 24:

“Russian forces have seized control of Chernobyl nuclear power plant after a ‘fierce’ battle, with the condition of nuclear storage facilities ‘unknown’, sparking fears of a radiation leak that could cause fallout in Europe.”

We will set forth below the chronology of the events, leading to the biggest war in Europe since World War 2.  

The Signs of War

The Daily Mail wrote on February 18:

“A top U.S. diplomat in Europe [Ambassador Michael Carpenter] says Russia’s troop buildup around Ukraine has ballooned to up to 190,000 – up from just 100,000 just a few weeks ago… ‘This is the most significant military mobilization in Europe since the Second World War,’ he said…

“Ukrainian and Russian forces reported a second day of shelling in the Donbas region – amid a feared pretext for war that Russia might use to justify an invasion. Putin on Tuesday said at a press conference that, ‘In our view what is now happening in Donbas is genocide,’ without providing evidence. Russia’s Investigative Committee claimed Wednesday it had uncovered hundreds of mass graves of Russian-speaking civilians there…”

Deutsche Welle reported on February 20:

“Germany and Austria told their citizens to leave Ukraine [“urgently”]. German air carrier Lufthansa canceled flights to the capital, Kyiv, and to Odessa…”

Biden Says He Is Convinced

Fox News wrote on February 18:

“President Biden said Friday that he is ‘convinced’ Russian President Vladimir Putin has made the decision to invade Ukraine, telling reporters that he believes Russia will ‘target the capital city of Kyiv.’… The mayor of Kyiv… pleaded with the U.S. and Germany telling them, ‘We can’t defend our country’ from Russia… [saying] Kyiv needs ‘defensive weapons’ to protect itself… The German foreign minister… did not falter in the government’s previous decision not to provide Ukraine with defensive aid…”

Axios wrote on February 18:

“U.S. officials are now certain that Russia is planning not just a small invasion to take territory in eastern Ukraine, but a large-scale attack that could topple the Ukrainian government and cause massive devastation across the country.”

Thomson/Reuters wrote on February 20:

“CBS News reported [on Sunday] that U.S. intelligence agencies have confirmed that Russian commanders have received orders to proceed with an invasion of Ukraine, with commanders on the ground making specific plans for how they would maneuver in their sectors of the battlefield…

“The intelligence indicates that ‘they’re doing everything that American commanders would do once they got the order to proceed…’”

BBC News wrote on February 20:

“Evidence suggests Russia is planning ‘the biggest war in Europe since 1945’, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said… Mr Johnson warned that any conflict could be ‘bloody and protracted’… People needed to not only consider the potential loss of life of Ukrainians, but also of ‘young Russians’, he added…

“The ongoing tensions in eastern Europe have given Mr Johnson, who’s faced a myriad of problems at home, a chance to show leadership on the world stage… “

Preparing Russians for War

The Guardian wrote on February 18:

“The omens of impending war we were warned about now seem to be lining up like the horsemen of the apocalypse.

“The field hospitals have been set near the border, blood banks have reportedly been brought in. On the information war front, a dossier of alleged Ukraine war crimes circulated at the UN security council, and a video popped up purporting to show an attempted Ukrainian attack on chlorine tanks in the Donbas.

“Now the rebel leaders in the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts have ordered the evacuation of women and children to Russia (and the elderly, about 700.000 people), claiming – with no evidence whatsoever – that a Ukrainian attack is imminent. Right on cue, a car bomb went off in Donetsk, injuring no one, but providing a fireball for the cameras.

“All of this is more or less what US and UK briefers have told journalists to expect in the run-up to a Russian invasion… The most alarming development of the day is the evacuation from Luhansk and Donetsk, creating a sudden refugee crisis in neighbouring Rostov in Russia….”

The Daily Mail wrote on February 18:

“Putin sent his emergencies minister to the Rostov region bordering Ukraine to help organize the evacuation. He ordered the government to give 10,000 rubles (about $130) to each evacuee. That´s equivalent to about half the average monthly salary in the area.”

Act Now

Fox News wrote on February 18:

“Ukraine President Zelenskyy acknowledged, likely for the first time, that a full-scale Russian invasion may soon occur…”

Daily Mail added February 19:

“Ukraine’s president has called on the West to stop their ‘appeasement’ of Russia and warned sanctions will not work on Moscow once the bombing starts… The [present] conference [in Munich] had echoes of the 1938 summit in Munich in which leaders agreed a policy of appeasement against Adolf Hitler’s Germany in an effort to prevent an imminent war.

“Zelensky said today: ‘Ukraine has received security guarantees for abandoning the world’s third-largest nuclear arsenal. We have no weapons. And no security … Zelensky also said he wants a ‘clear’ timeframe for when Ukraine can join the NATO alliance.”

The Jerusalem Post wrote on February 19:

“Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky said that Ukraine would defend its land with or without the support of partners…”

Nein from Germany

CNBC wrote on February 19:

“German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Saturday rejected calls from Ukraine’s president to sanction Russia now… Scholz would not clarify what sanctions Russia might be hit with if it were to invade Ukraine. Rather, he said that Moscow ought to know ‘approximately’ and not ‘exactly’ the repercussions it would face. This contrasts with other Western leaders who have made specific remarks about how Russia could be hurt economically, most notably through energy sanctions.”

Biden is Marching us into War

Newsmax wrote on February 18:

 “Former Ambassador to Germany Ric Grenell told Newsmax Friday that the administration of President Joe Biden and the national media are ‘marching us into war’ in Ukraine… Grenell said that the United States should be pressuring Germany, which has the largest European economy, a budget surplus, and has not paid its annual dues to NATO, to use its influence to pressure Russia into standing down against Ukraine…

“‘Joe Biden said that there is a war coming for sure, a bloody war, he said. If you believed that a bloody war was around the corner, wouldn’t you put sanctions on the pipeline that’s funding this war?’ He said the U.S. should place sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which is ready to open and bring natural gas from Russia to Germany and Europe, before a ‘bloody war’ starts with Russia and Ukraine… He said the U.S. could also push to preemptively take Russia off the international banking system as a diplomatic means of getting it to stand down.”

Biden at Fault

Newsmax wrote on February 20:

“Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, on Sunday blamed President Joe Biden’s ‘weakness’ for leaving Europe on the verge of war with Russia. In a fiery interview on ‘Fox News Sunday,’ Cruz drew a straight line between the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan last year to an imminent threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine… ‘Joe Biden’s surrender and disastrous retreat from Afghanistan is the worst military catastrophe for the United States in decades… and as a result, as I said back in August, the chances of Russia invading Ukraine had just risen tenfold. The chances of China invading Taiwan had just risen tenfold. We are seeing the first of those two shoes dropping today.’

“According to Cruz, Ukraine had protection against invasion by Russia as long as its natural gas pipelines went through Ukraine. Russia’s building of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline to Germany changed all that, he said… ‘That pipeline was dead for over a year until Joe Biden became president and Putin began building that pipeline again on Jan. 24, 2021, 4 days after Biden was sworn into office … because he knew what was going to happen, which was that Joe Biden formally waived sanctions on Russia, on Putin, and gave the green light to build Nord Stream 2.’”

There can be no doubt that Putin became emboldened by Biden’s (and Scholz’s) behavior. And no sanctions were imposed until Putin had invaded eastern Ukraine.

“Senile Old Men Hold World Peace in their Hands”

Dan Wootton wrote on February 24 for MailOnLine:

“Not only has the insane megalomaniac Putin declared war on Ukraine and launched an invasion of a sovereign country in Europe by a major power for the first time in 80 years, he has also threatened the world with nuclear war… With depressing predictability, appeasing Putin failed spectacularly – and Europe and the world is now in great peril.

“… the leaders of the west and the east, who hold our very future in their shaky hands, are both senile old men….

“There’s the likely dementia-plagued US President… Joe Biden, who, at 79, barely managed to stutter and stumble his way through a scripted address about the crisis two nights ago. How are we meant to believe Biden can rally the western world behind a once-in-a-generation effort to stop a modern-day Hitler plunging Europe into a prolonged war, when his disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal was proof the US has lost moral authority on the international stage?

“Then there’s the war criminal Putin himself who is a decade younger than Biden but has been described by the jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny as a ‘senile drunk grandfather’, which could even be funny if he wasn’t in charge of the nuclear codes and threatening to use them…

“Of course, both the EU and the UK have made grave mistakes in our dealings with Putin for many years. We turned a blind eye to the criminal intervention in Crimea; we forgot the Salisbury poisonings far too quickly; we haven’t done enough to help the opposition leader Navalny who could be killed in jail at any moment; not to mention the brave local journalists who have been murdered by Russian state operatives far too regularly… Besides, we’ve been hysterically distracted by a fast-weakening coronavirus with a 99 per cent plus survival rate for the past two years.

“Russia and China have laughed at us as we became obsessed with woke issues like the Black Lives Matter movement, the march to Net Zero and the use of gender pronouns.”

Russia’s Murder List

The Washington Post wrote on February 20:

“The United States has informed the United Nations it has credible information showing that Moscow is compiling lists of Ukrainians ‘to be killed or sent to camps following a military occupation,’ according to a letter to the U.N. human rights chief obtained by The Washington Post on Sunday night.

“The letter alleges that Moscow’s post-invasion planning would involve torture, forced disappearances and ‘widespread human suffering.’…”

The true hallmarks of an ungodly dictatorship.

Recognition Condemned

Deutsche Welle wrote on February 21:

“[Putin’s] recognition of Donetsk and Luhansk [in Eastern Ukraine]  as ‘independent’ has been met with widespread condemnation from the West… German Chancellor Olaf Scholz [had] warned Moscow against the action [one hour prior to Russia’s official announcement], saying it would be ‘a unilateral breach’ of the 2015 peace deal for the conflict in eastern Ukraine.”

Of course, Putin did not listen to Scholz.

Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine has begun

The Sun wrote on February 22:

“Hours after tanks and 10,000 troops moved into pro-Russia breakaway enclaves, the Kremlin said further territory held by Ukrainian forces should belong to the two self-declared republics…

“In a further chilling development today, Russia’s parliament voted to allow Vladimir Putin to use armed forces abroad. And Vladimir Putin said he is in favour of ‘demilitarisation’ in Ukraine…

“The much feared Russian advance began in the early hours, soon after Putin announced he recognised Luhansk and Donetsk as independent states in a bombastic TV address…. And in a blatant threat to Ukraine’s existence, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia did not recognise its democratic neighbour’s right to sovereignty….”

Scholz Temporarily Suspends Nord Stream 2 Pipeline

Reuters reported on February 22:

“Germany on Tuesday halted the Nord Stream 2 Baltic Sea gas pipeline project, designed to double the flow of Russian gas direct to Germany… Europe’s most divisive energy project, worth $11 billion, was finished in September, but has stood idle pending certification by Germany…

“The pipeline had been set to ease the pressure on European consumers facing record energy prices… Dmitry Medvedev, Russia’s former president and now deputy chairman of its Security Council, tried to rub salt in that wound. ‘Welcome to the new world where Europeans will soon have to pay 2,000 euros per thousand cubic metres!’ he tweeted – suggesting prices were set to double…. “Germany gets half its gas from Russia…

“Economy Minister Robert Habeck… told journalists… that prices were indeed likely to rise further in the short term….”

Scholz acted far too late, and even this “sanction” is meaningless, as is it only “temporary”; as the pipeline was not yet in operation; and as Germany is importing up to 60% [not just 50%, as the article claimed] of gas from Russia at this point.

Migration Crisis Looming

Aljazeera wrote on February 22:

“The threat of a large-scale Russian invasion looms over Ukraine to the north, south and, especially, the east. On its western border, the countries of Central Europe are eyeing a potential migrant crisis.

“The Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia all say they are preparing for the possibility that war will send Ukrainians flooding their way. Some estimate that as many as five million people could flee the country in the worst-case scenario.”

Russia and Belarus

The New York Times wrote on or about on February 19:

“The strongman leader of Belarus… Mr. Lukashenko was sitting meekly in Moscow with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, no longer the swaggering supreme commander but more an obedient pupil seeking instruction and help from his master. ‘I absolutely agree with him,’ Mr. Lukashenko said later of Mr. Putin’s assessment that the West was to blame for the crisis enveloping Ukraine…. Lukashenko described Russia and Belarus as not only neighbors and allies, but in many ways, a single nation bound by a determination to keep former Soviet lands from drifting into the orbit of the West…

“Belarus has no nuclear weapons of its own, but Mr. Lukashenko said this week that, if his country were threatened by the West, he would ‘deploy not only nuclear weapons, but super-nuclear and up-and-coming ones to protect our territory.’ These would presumably all be from Russia.”

The New York Times wrote on February 20 that “Russian Troops will extend Drills in Belarus.” Deutsche Welle added that “Belarusian officials said the drills would continue due to ‘an increase in military activity’ near the borders of Russia and Belarus and the ‘escalating situation’ in the rebel-controlled Donbas region in Ukraine.”

This was so predictable. Putin’s claim that Russian troops would be withdrawn after the drills and military “exercises” was an obvious lie from the very beginning. Putin is a former KGB spy—a person trained to engage in lies and deception.

Merkel’s Fatal Mistake

Bild Online wrote on February 22 the following editorial, entitled: “Merkel’s Fatal Mistake”:

“Putin is more dangerous than ever – and Germany bears a great deal of responsibility for this. Years ago, the Kremlin chief declared that he considered the fall of the Soviet Union to be the ‘greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the century’… Instead of taking the dictator seriously, the federal government let him get away with every crime. Even after the MH17 plane was shot down with 300 fatalities.

“These mistakes by former Chancellor Angela Merkel and her then Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier are now taking their revenge. With the Russian invasion of Ukraine, one thing is clear: our continent – ​​and Germany too – is at greater risk than it has been for at least 30 years. Because Putin may only see Ukraine as an intermediate step….”

Biden’s “Sanctions”

The New York Post wrote on February 24:

“President Biden condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as being ‘without justification or necessity’ Thursday as he announced new sanctions and export restrictions against Moscow — but reiterated that no troops would be sent to Ukrainian soil, declined to sanction Russian President Vladimir Putin personally and admitted that America’s European allies were opposed to kicking Russia out of (SWIFT), a key global banking system.”

This was predictable.

Putin’s “Spiritual Destiny”?

Unheard wrote on February 24:

“Putin regards his spiritual destiny as the rebuilding of Christendom, based in Moscow… to do this he needs Kyev back… In 2019, the Ukrainian arm of the family of Orthodox churches declared its independence from the Russian Orthodox Church… The Russian Orthodox Church furiously rejected this claim to independence, stating that Ukraine belonged irrevocably to its ‘canonical territory’… compliance of the Russian Orthodox church with the political goal of a greater Russia has been shameful. Officially, at least, they make a big deal out of the claim that they stay out of politics. But that has never been true…”

Francis Declines to Criticize Russia

Newsmax added on February 24:

“While Pope Francis has been pleading for peace in Ukraine for weeks now, he has been reluctant to criticize Russia directly, Ukrainian Catholic Church officials said… The Holy See… is… seeking to continue its armistice with the Russian Orthodox Church, from which it has been separated since the Great Schism of 1054. In 2016, Francis and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill of Moscow made history in Cuba when the leaders of the Catholic and Russian Orthodox Church met for the first time ever and proclaimed, ‘We are brothers.’”

United Airlines’ “Disturbing” Conduct towards Unvaccinated Employees

Breitbart wrote on February 18:

“A federal appeals court on Thursday ordered further review of United Airlines’ coronavirus vaccine mandate, calling it ‘coercive’ and reversing a lower court ruling. A three-judge panel in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled 2-1 to return the issue to District Judge Mark Pittman, who previously rejected employees’ request for a preliminary junction…  Oldham, a President Donald Trump appointee, and Elrod, a George W. Bush appointee, wrote [the] opinion… The Fifth Circuit… is widely considered the most conservative appeals court…

“United Airlines is estimated to have placed around 2,000 employees who were granted religious or medical exemptions on unpaid leave for foregoing vaccination… Those employees have also been stripped of their health benefits and many are the subject of a non-compete clause…

“Ronald Reagan appointee Jerry Smith penned the dissent, accusing his colleagues of ‘play[ing] CEO of a multinational corporation.’”

Canada’s Police Brutality

Breitbart wrote on February 20:

“The Canadian authorities have made dozens more arrests in the capital city of Ottawa as they move to crush the anti-vaccine mandate Freedom Convoy. ‘[W]e have arrested 47 people — that brings the total so far to 170,’ said Steve Bell, the Interim Chief of Police for the City of Ottawa…

“Pictures from the Canadian capital show police in military-style garb and armed with rifles as they move against the Freedom Convoy, supporting other police in more traditional riot gear armed with batons and crude wooden clubs… ‘I commend them for their actions yesterday and throughout the day today,’ he declared, heedless of footage showing mounting officers knocking down and appearing to trample an elderly woman with a mobility walker which went viral on social media… suggesting that there is little hesitance among officers about enforcing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s emergency powers clampdown on protestors… in remarks likely to raise eyebrows among those who believe the Canadian state’s use of emergency powers to disperse a protest sometimes literally at gunpoint is indicative to a slide towards authoritarianism in the Covid era.

“Members of the press gave the police chief some mild pushback on his claim that his men have acted with restraint, with one asking ‘with respect, sir, can you explain what appears to be excessive force by police officers when a protestor is arrested; there is multiple videos on social media showing police delivering blows with their knees and their fists while the protestors are down — is this necessary?’

“Bell claimed he had not ‘specifically seen the videos you’re talking about’, despite their having gone viral and Canadians and others from across the globe having flagged them with Ottawa Police’s highly active social media accounts….

“Bell offered little incentive for the remaining members of the Freedom Convoy to go quietly, telling members of the press who asked if he would attempt to take punitive actions against protestors who followed police instructions to abandon their demonstration that they would still be hunted down. ‘If you were involved in this protest we will actively look to identify you and follow up with financial sanctions and criminal charges, absolutely,’ the police chief warned… , leaving little doubt that members of the Freedom Convoy will be made an example of regardless of whether or not they departed peacefully.”

It appears that left-wing dictator Justin Trudeau—an admirer of Fidel Castro and communist China—has found the “right man” for his job in Steve Bell, while police officers under hiis command “dutifully” carry out his controversial orders.

The Associated Press added on February 19:

“… convoy organiser B.J. Dichter alleged on Friday that police were in fact ‘boxing in’ protestors and ‘not allowing people to leave in peace,’ accusing them of deliberately ‘escalating’ the situation in order to guarantee mass arrests.”

LifeSiteNews wrote on February 19:

“Rebel News director Ezra Levant tweeted this morning with video evidence that a female reporter from the conservative news outlet on the ground in Ottawa was ‘assaulted by Trudeau’s police.’ Video evidence shows Alexa Lavoie wailing in pain after she reports being beaten by police clubs and shot in the leg with a tear gas canister at point-blank range. The firing of the canister at close range was caught by photographers.

“Levant reports, ‘Alexa says she was specifically targeted by a cop who saw her camera. She says he came up to her and beat her and pushed her down. She says he tried to knock the phone out of her hands, to stop her from filming.’”These are the methods of dictatorial powers.

Trudeau like Ceaușescu

Breitbart published the following article on February 20:

“Cristian Terhes, a Romanian MEP, has denounced the ‘tyrannical actions’ of Prime Minister Trudeau in regards to his actions against the ongoing Freedom Convoy protest. The European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group member went on to say that what Trudeau was doing was ‘reminiscent’ of Communist China, and that the Canadian leader should be ‘isolated’ by the international community over his actions… Terhes also [compared] the Canadian to Romania’s communist-era dictator, Nicolae Ceaușescu. ‘What made us strong over the history — and I’m talking about the Western world — were the values,’ the MEP said…, before slamming the Canadian PM for acting ‘exactly like a tyrant — like a dictator — like Ceaușescu in Romania.’… Ceaușescu was ultimately executed by firing squad alongside his wife on Christmas Day 1989 after a revolution removed him from power.

“The new leader of the Conservative Party of Canada opposition, Candice Bergen, called out the far-left New Democratic Party (NDP) and its leader, Jagmeet Singh, over its support for Trudeau’s crackdown on protesters… ‘What I know is, when history looks back on this, Conservatives will have stood up with Canadians, millions of Canadians – vaccinated Canadians, Canadians who are blue-collar workers, Canadians who are white-collar workers – Canadians who have had enough of a Prime Minister who has divided, wedged, stigmatized, and traumatized them,’ Bergen claimed. ‘And the party that will have stood with that Prime Minister is that member [Singh] and his NDP colleagues, and it’s shameful,’ Bergen concluded.”

How Canada became a Dictatorship

National Post wrote on February 22:

“Last Monday, the rhetoric turned to action when Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act… [The law requires] the threat or use of ‘serious violence,’ yet the vast majority of protesters have been entirely peaceful… Indeed, the government has made little attempt to justify the need for emergency powers beyond Trudeau’s frequent bemoaning of the truckers’ alleged ‘hateful rhetoric.’…

“Trudeau escalated things further by issuing a directive requiring financial institutions — including banks, credit unions, co-ops, loan companies, trusts, and even cryptocurrency wallets  — to stop ‘providing any financial or related services’ to anyone associated with the protests (a ‘designated person’). This has resulted, according to the CBC, in ‘frozen accounts, stranded money and cancelled credit cards.’

“Banks, according to this new order, have a ‘duty to determine’ if one of their customers is a ‘designated person.’ A ‘designated person’ can refer to anyone who ‘directly or indirectly’ participates in the protest, including donors who ‘provide property to facilitate’ the protests through crowdfunding sites. In other words, a designated person can just as easily be a grandmother who donated $25 to support the truckers as one of the organizers of the convoy…

“Already, a low-level government official in Ontario was fired after her $100 donation came to light. A gelato shop was forced to close when it received threats after its owner was revealed to have donated to the protest. On Wednesday, Justice Minister David Lametti went on Canadian television to say the quiet part aloud, namely that anyone contributing to ‘a pro-Trump movement’ should be ‘worried’ about their bank accounts and other financial assets being frozen… The fear of being ensnared in the dragnet will surely have a chilling effect on the commercial prospects of those suspected of ‘unacceptable views,’ creating a caste of untouchables whom no one will dare to transact with or help.

“B.J. Dichter, one of the protest organizers who has had all of his bank accounts and credit cards frozen, expressed the sense of desperation: ‘It feels like being banished from the medieval village left to die.’”

Trudeau “Revokes” Use of Emergencies Act… for now

CBS wrote on February 213:

“Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is revoking the use of the Emergencies Act… MPs in the House of Commons voted to affirm use of the act on Monday. The Senate was in the midst of debating the act on Wednesday but withdrew the motion shortly after Trudeau made his announcement… An inquiry into the government’s decision to invoke the act and subsequent police actions will begin within 60 days…

“‘Today’s announcement is proof that the prime minister was wrong when he invoked the Emergencies Act,’ said Conservative interim leader Candice Bergen in a media statement. ‘Nothing has changed between Monday and today other than a flood of concerns from Canadian citizens, bad press, and international ridicule.’… ‘Even though the orders are no longer in force, Canadians are left with the precedent that the government’s actions have set,’ the CCLA said in a statement.”

The Senate had not voted “officially”, but might have told him NO, so they just might have given him a chance to save face by informing the public. Trudeau is still the same. He showed his true colors and will act as a dictator whenever he sees fit. He already declared that “the threat [from the Truckers] continues,” but that it is no longer “acute.”

And Now—People’s Convoy in the USA

Newsmax wrote on February 22:

“‘People’s Convoy’ co-organizers say their chain of trucks driving from coast-to-coast starting Wednesday [in Adelanto, Calif and arriving March 5 in the Washington, D.C., Beltway area] will be peaceful and will kick off with prayer — and they aren’t worried how the media tries to spin it, since their actions will be obvious to everyone watching…

“The convoy is inspired by the similar movement in Canada that shut down parts of the Canadian capital as well as bridges linking Canada and the United States… the convoy [in the USA] intends to ‘hold the line’ until all the federal mandates are lifted, ‘from healthcare to pilots to military.’

“The group also wants to see accountability in the form of congressional hearings on the origins of the COVID-19 virus and the federal response to it….”

The group also wants the state of emergency ended which Biden continued without any justification about the same time when Trudeau illegally invoked emergency powers.

Our Sun Has Been Erupting…

The Sun wrote on February 18:

“On Tuesday, our star [the sun] fired off two enormous explosions from its far side in what has already been a heavy month of solar activity. A magnificent coronal mass ejection (CME) was recorded by Nasa’s STEREO-A spacecraft in the early hours of February 15.

“CMEs are giant eruptions that send plasma hurtling through space – and the Sun has undergone several of them throughout the month. If they hit Earth, the plumes of material can trigger geomagnetic storms that knock out satellites and disrupt power grids.

“Fortunately, this week’s CME was fired from the side of the Sun that faces away from our planet and so poses no threat…. Based on its size, it’s possible that the eruption was an X-class flare: The most powerful category possible…

“In the past, larger solar flares have wreaked havoc on our planet. In 1989, a strong solar eruption shot so many electrically charged particles at Earth that the Canadian Province of Quebec lost power for nine hours… One such flare led to a solar storm on January 29 that knocked 40 SpaceX satellites out of action.

“The sun is currently at the start of a new 11-year solar cycle, which usually sees eruptions and flares grow more intense and extreme. These events are expected to peak around 2025…”

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.

One of the most famous passages where the word “meek” is used is found in the Beatitudes in the book of Matthew. In this section of Scripture, His so-called Sermon on the Mount, Christ is starting to define what it means to be a Christian, and even, in part, what it will be like when we are in the Kingdom of God.

Christ’s sermon describes qualities to give us a picture of the character of the true people of God—those who are and will be a part of His Family and have the full blessings of the Kingdom to look forward to.

We are told in the Beatitudes that meekness is a requirement. In Matthew. 5:5 we read: “Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.”  It refers to those who will be in the Kingdom of God, ruling this earth. But what exactly does the Bible mean by meekness?

Miriam Webster’s Dictionary defines being meek as:

“1: enduring injury with patience and without resentment;

“2: deficient in spirit and courage;

“3: not violent or strong.”

According to this definition, while meekness in some respects has good attributes such as patience and humility and non-violent conduct, there are also some connotations that are not so good.  But as we will see, that definition of meekness is unbiblical and wrong. It describes the world’s view which calls the attitude of meekness weakness. But the Bible does not describe meekness as “weak” or “deficient in spirit and courage.”

Notice Revelation 21:7-8: “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” Interestingly, this is the exact opposite of what the worldly definition of meekness conveys.

The Greek word for cowardly in Revelation 21:7 here is “delios.” According to Strong’s #1169, it means “Cowardly, timid, fearful. From deos; timid, i.e. faithless.” We can see that those who are cowardly won’t be in God’s Kingdom, so this then is not what it means to be meek. Obviously, meek doesn’t mean to be cowardly, a pushover.

Are we to be people that are easy to push around and over? Should we be cowering in a corner and hiding? Just keeping our heads low for the sake of not getting noticed—for the sake of keeping the peace while injustice happens?

Christ uses a similar same Greek word to “delios” in Mark 4:40-41, where we read, “But He said to them, ‘Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?’ And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, ‘Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!’”

When the word “fearful” is used, it is translated from a different Greek word “delios,” but it is related. The word is “phobos,” and Strong’s has this to say: “… it means panic flight, fear, the causing of fear, terror. It is commonly used in Scripture sometimes positively (in relation to God) but more often negatively meaning to be withdrawing from the Lord (His will). Phóbos meant withdrawal, fleeing because of feeling inadequate (without sufficient resources), remove oneself and hence to avoid because of dread (fright).”

In Mark 4:40-41, Christ was asking His disciples, in effect: “Why are you fearful, why are you allowing fear to drive you, allowing fear to be gripping you? Why are you not instead faithful?” The disciples exuded this “phobos” or “delios”  fear, wanting to possibly even flee away from Christ because of His power over the weather. They were wanting to withdraw—to remove themselves from danger and perhaps even from someone (Christ) whose actions they could not understand.

Christ was not impressed with their fear; He wanted them to exercise more faith! Biblical godly meekness is NOT meaning for us to be fearful.

Using Strong’s Concordance and looking at the word meek, as used in the Bible, under #4236, we find some interesting qualities: “… praotés: meekness. HELPS Word-studies notes that this word can mean the following: 4236 praótēs– properly, temperate, displaying the right blend of force and reserve (gentleness), (‘strength in gentleness’) avoids unnecessary harshness, yet without compromising or being too slow to use necessary force. And from HELPS Word-studies the root word: Cognate: 4235 práos – meek, i.e. the necessary balance of exercising power and avoiding harshness.”

The word for praótēs (“meekness”) is part of the fruit (product) of God’s Holy Spirit, as we read in Galatians 5:23: “… gentleness (or “meekness,” compare margin of the New King James Bible), self-control. Against such there is no law.” It is never something which can be humanly accomplished. It takes the active use of God’s Holy Spirit through our actions and reactions to learn how to properly display this right type of meekness. This also shows that the worldly definition of “meekness,” i.e., “deficient in spirit,” is terribly wrong. In fact, we are told to “be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18).

Notice some biblical examples of godly meekness:

In Matthew 21:5, we read that Christ came “lowly” or with meekness (compare Authorized Version). We know Christ was also powerful and spoke boldly and with great strength. Yet His demeanor was not one of a physical warrior, but it was a perfect blend of strength with gentleness.

In Matthew 11:29, we read that Christ was “gentle” or “meek” (see Margin of New King James Bible). We are told that we are to learn to take on Christ, His ways and His attributes, and one of which is godly meekness.

1 Peter 3:4 tells women that they should have a gentle and quiet spirit. The Authorized Version says “meek spirit.” The Greek word for “gentle” here is “praeos” and the word for “quiet” is “hésuchios,” meaning tranquil. HELPS Word-studies says that this word in the Greek is an “adjective derived from hēsyxos, ‘quiet, stillness’) – properly, quiet (still), i.e. steady (settled) due to a divinely-inspired inner calmness. It describes being ‘appropriately tranquil’ by not misusing (or overusing) words that would stir up needless friction (destructive commotion).”

The three Scriptures quoted above, and the one in Matthew 5:5, referring to meekness, all have the Greek root word praus in them. This word is further defined by HELPS Word-studies (Strong’s) #4239, where they say: “This difficult-to-translate root (pra-) means more than ‘meek.’ Biblical meekness is not weakness but rather refers to exercising God’s strength under His control – i.e. demonstrating power without undue harshness. The English term ‘meek’ often lacks this blend – i.e. of gentleness (reserve) and strength.”

This definition helps us to understand what it means to be meek. Having the wisdom of God to show gentleness and strength is truly what it takes to be a Christian – especially during these last days. Christ very poignantly points this out in Matthew 10:16-39 where He shows that persecutions are coming – but that we have God on our side and we need to act in a godly manner. We must not have a semblance of fear in our lives; rather, we have to have confidence, faith, boldness and wisdom in how to preach, live and operate in this web of lies, trickery and craftiness that this world is masterfully weaving.

When Christ was here on the earth, He lived with proper meekness, while always having the proper reaction, holding back and being silent, when necessary, but then also speaking the right things at the right times. It is quite amazing to see how masterfully He walked through life.

He did so with power and strength. People were astonished at His teaching. And then there were times where He also hid from crowds of people who were seeking to harm Him before the proper time. The early disciples in the New Testament Church were in this same frame of mind. They were able to teach great things; to be strong in speech and yet peaceful without causing harm to others. They were turning the known world upside down with their preaching. In order to accomplish this, they had to fully believe what they were doing, and they had to be inspired by God’s Holy Spirit to do so.

What we are doing now will continue to become more and more difficult. Our faith will be tried. We are going to have to decide if we will keep proper meekness in our lives, while being strong and being gentle—strong in preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God; in obedience to God’s Law and regulations rather than man’s ungodly decrees; strong in believing that God will see us through all situations and that He will orchestrate them for His Will and for His great purpose—and at the same time, being meek and humble and gentle, fully realizing and knowing that it is GOD who gives us the strength to endure.

Notice the following Scriptures in this vein:

Luke 21:12 says: “But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name’s sake.”

Matthew 10:19 says: “But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak…”

Mark 13:11 says: “But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.”

Revelation 20:4 says: “And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.”

It is the commission and responsibility of God’s Church to continue to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and to feed the flock, no matter what. That is what we will continue to do as God opens the doors for us to go through them. Our duty is to remain close to God so that we can draw upon His strength and wisdom in everything that we will face.

How we go about doing this is of utmost importance! It truly encapsulates what it means to draw upon godly meekness which we will need to be able to gain entrance into His Kingdom.

James 3:13 says:  “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.”

1 Peter 3:15 adds: “But sanctify (set apart) the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear [or respect for God]…”

God must be part of our lives. We have to have God to help us understand, endure and come out of this world. We have to learn how to have strength and gentleness at the same time.

The apostle Paul states in 2 Corinthians 10:1-6: “Now I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—who in presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you. But I beg you that when I am present I may not be bold with that confidence by which I intend to be bold against some, who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.”

Paul uses this blend of meekness paired with boldness. We must be seeking the meekness and gentleness of Christ, since we are fighting spiritual fights with forces which the human eye cannot see, and which are directing people of this world to act against us.

Paul was also able to discern whether people were using godly meekness properly or not. He says in 1 Corinthians 4:18-21: “Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you. But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power. What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness (or meekness, compare Authorized Version)?”

As we live our lives, we have to come to know how and where meekness fits in. For believers, meekness (Strong’s #4240, praýtēs, “gentle-force”) begins with God’s inspiration and continues and develops through His direction and empowerment. It is a divinely-balanced virtue that we can and must take on. Once again, notice how Paul articulates this in Colossians 3:12: “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering…”

We need to learn how to be gentle, merciful and kind, and to suffer for righteousness sake, but we must also learn to be bold and strong, full of God’s Holy Spirit of wisdom and courage, as we continue our commission as ambassadors for God’s Way of Life.

Lead Writer: Kalon Mitchell

compiled by Dave Harris

“Putin’s War against Ukraine… How It Happened!” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:   

Putin has declared war on Ukraine and is proceeding against his neighbor with terrible force and devastation from all sides on the ground and in the air. NATO and the western nations, including the USA and Germany, have proven to be helpless and inactive. That Putin would invade Ukraine should not have come as a surprise to our leaders,  but nobody seemed to have been prepared. This program shows the chronology of events and points out what further prophetic events will unfold. 

“Kanada und Ukraine zeigen—die Diktatur der Weltherrschaft ist nahe!” is the title of this Sabbath’s new German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Canada and Ukraine Show—the Dictatorship of the World Domination Is Near.”

“Empathie,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath in Germany by Christian Mrosek, is now posted. Title in English: “Empathy.”

“Wrapped Around the Axle,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath by Eric Rank, is now posted. Here is a summary:

With all that is wrong in the world it is easy to become entangled in a negative frame of mind, in which anger feeds on itself. If we are not careful, this will lead us further away from God. By focusing on what is good and pure, being guided by the Holy Spirit that lives within us, we can overcome the human tendency to get wrapped around the axle.

“The Power of Mercy!” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Dave Harris, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Asking for mercy is seeking action from someone who holds the power to give it. Mercy is a cornerstone characteristic of God mentioned throughout the Bible, and mercy is something we not only receive but must be willing to abundantly give.