Update 1132

On November 9, 2024, Frank Bruno will present the sermonette, titled, “Turn the Cheek,” and Eric Rank will present the sermon, titled, “God is Angry.”

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.

By the time you read this, the presidential election in the United States will be complete. Regardless of who the winner is, I expect people within the country and around the world will respond with heightened emotion and strong rhetoric, revealing a mixture of joy and outrage. The elected president of the United States will undoubtedly set the direction for the future of the country, but it does not matter who wins.

The ultimate future of the United States will not change. Sadly, the nation rejects God and at this time shows no indication of changing. The Bible is clear that this rejection will bring about a level of discipline that must take place. Our nation is on a doomed path leading the country to destruction. The only difference between the two candidates will be the means of destruction and who gets the blame for presiding over the demise.

However, the placement of blame that the world will place on the president will be incomplete. The true blame rests with those who reject God and refuse to obey Him. As God led Israel out of Egypt, He gave them a dire warning about the consequences of disobedience. In Deuteronomy 28:15 He warns, “‘But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you…’” Moses then shares the many, many curses that the people can expect to experience, many of which we can apply in our present age. 

As Biblical prophecy unfolds, we will see further deterioration of our nation, to the point when there will be an attack, which results in captivity (compare Deuteronomy 28:47-52). To many, this is unfathomable to consider. How could the world’s most powerful nation drop to its knees and lose its once favorable influence in the world? Certainly, the leaders will have taken the country down this path, but the citizens have also pushed them in that direction so that they cannot avoid it. The Bible clearly explains why. Quite simply, the people have turned from God, and therefore He removes His blessings of prosperity, peace, and protection. What people are voting for in this election is not a president, but rather the one who will satisfy their desires, in which God is not welcome.

As Christians, our job is to reject this unrighteousness that prevails and do what we can to please God. We choose Jesus Christ as our leader, who will guide us in the path of righteousness. We can find solace in looking to Him: “He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake” (Psalm 23:3). Even though this nation, along with the rest of the world, has turned away from God and chooses leaders that do not understand true righteousness, we do not have to follow in that direction. We can and must choose a different path. The path that we follow does not lead to destruction, but to everlasting life.

by Norbert Link

Trump has won. Compare our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Trump Won.. Now What’s Next?” 

We address further events pertaining to the presidential election in the USA; European and German fears; America’s numerous wars; developments in the Middle East, especially regarding Israel and Iran; and the annual BRICS summit.

We continue with reports about Germany’s troubles; a weird story involving Tucker Carlson; and a new movie depicting power struggles within the Catholic Church.

We conclude with several articles about the dangers of COVID vaccinations; and the stupidity of the Evolution theory.

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

US Presidential Election Most Important for Israel

Israel Today wrote on October 11:

“Former President Donald Trump… declared that the upcoming U.S. presidential election will be ‘the most important day in the history of Israel.’…

“[He declared] Vice President Kamala Harris, as an existential threat to Israel… Trump blamed the Biden administration for the atrocities that occurred a year ago… [and] as  ‘one of the darkest hours in all of human history,’ adding, ‘Anti-Jewish hatred has returned even here in America’ and is ‘within the ranks of the Democrat Party in particular.’… ‘I will not allow the Jewish state to be threatened with destruction. I will not allow another Holocaust of the Jewish people,’ Trump declared.”

Israel and the Jewish people are indeed under threat all over the world, including in the USA.

The Enemy From Within

Fox News wrote on October 13:

“‘We have two enemies: We have the outside enemy, and then we have the enemy from within. And the enemy from within, in my opinion, is more dangerous than China, Russia and all these countries,’ Trump said…

“But the thing that’s tougher to handle are these lunatics that we have inside, like Adam Schiff… ‘When you look at the danger he put our country in potentially with Russia — with a phony, made-up deal that he made up with Hillary and some bad people…”

Trump subsequently stated that under Harris, the draft would be reinstated, without saying what his plans are regarding the draft.

Using the Military

The Associated Press wrote on October 13:

“Donald Trump… has pledged to recall thousands of American troops from overseas and station them at the U.S. border with Mexico. He has explored using troops for domestic policy priorities such as deportations and confronting civil unrest. He has talked of weeding out military officers who are ideologically opposed to him. Trump’s vision amounts to a potentially dramatic shift in the role of the military in U.S. society, carrying grave implications for both the country’s place in the world and the restraints that have traditionally been placed on domestic use of the military.

“He… is promising forceful action against immigrants who do not have permanent legal status…  The former president and his advisers are developing plans to shift the military’s priorities and resources, even at a time when wars are raging in Europe and the Middle East… Trump also has said he will use the National Guard and possibly the military as part of the operation to deport millions of immigrants who do not have permanent legal status… the plans would be a striking escalation of the military’s involvement in domestic policy.

“Trump’s potential actions would likely require him to invoke wartime or emergency powers, such as carrying out mass deportations under the Alien Enemies Act, a 1798 law, or quelling unrest under the Insurrection Act, an 1807 law that allows a president to deploy the military domestically and against U.S. citizens…”

The Independent wrote on October 12:

“The Alien Enemies Act of 1798 — part of the centuries-old Alien and Sedition Acts drafted during an undeclared war between the US and France — has only been invoked three times within the last 226 years. During the first and second World Wars, the US turned to the law to detain and restrict German, Austro-Hungarian and Italian immigrants, and infamously used the law for the shameful internment of Japanese Americans, now widely seen as a stain on America’s 20th century history.

“The law states that the president may order the arrests and removal of noncitzens during times of ‘declared war’ or during an ‘invasion’ or ‘predatory incursion’ by ‘any foreign nation or government.’ Only Congress can declare war, per the Constitution. But Trump and his allies [want to expand] the definition… to mean border crossings, and for drug cartels or criminal gangs to be considered a ‘foreign nation or government.’”

Media Misquotes Trump: Did Trump Cross the Line?

Express wrote on November 1:

“Trump has been slammed for saying Liz Cheney ‘should be shot at by nine guns’ in a sickening fantasy execution… Speaking to former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, Trump said the daughter of former Republican VP Dick Cheney should have ‘guns trained on her face’ due to her support for Kamala Harris…

“‘Let’s put her with a rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her,’ said Trump. ‘Let’s see how she feels about it. You know, when the guns are trained on her face.’ The audience were audibly very quiet, unaware of how to react, while Carlson stayed silent. Disgusted viewers slammed Trump for his comments…”

However, the article above, and many other mainstream “reports,” omitted pertinent facts and quoted Trump out of context. The Associated Press published these clarifying comments by Trump, in context, on November 1:

“Former President Donald Trump criticized former Rep. Liz Cheney late Thursday, calling the Republican former Wyoming congresswoman a ‘war hawk’ and suggesting she might not be as willing to send troops to fight if she had guns pointed at her…. ‘The reason she couldn’t stand me is that she always wanted to go to war with people. If it were up to her we’d be in 50 different countries… She’s a radical war hawk. Let’s put her with the rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her. OK, let’s see how she feels about it. You know, when the guns are trained on her face… You know they’re all war hawks when they’re sitting in Washington in a nice building saying… well let’s send 10,000 troops right into the mouth of the enemy,’ Trump said.”

“After Harris’ campaign and other Trump critics on social media pounced on the quote, Trump’s campaign responded that he ‘was talking about how Liz Cheney wants to send America’s sons and daughters to fight in wars despite never being in a war herself.’”

What Trump was saying, when read in context, should be obvious, but the sensational media was quick in misquoting Trump in order to show their support of Harris and Cheney. It is also interesting that the Bible says that ultimately the USA will not fight in war against their enemies attacking them on US soil.

Ignorant and Delusional Europeans

Deutsche Welle wrote on October 30, 2024:

“If Europeans were to elect the next US president on November 5, the result would be crystal clear.  In Western Europe, 69% would vote for the Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, in Eastern Europe 46% would… Trump would only receive the support of 16% of voters in Western Europe and 36% in Eastern Europe…  Harris has the highest ratings in Denmark (85%) and Finland (82%) while Donald Trump has the most fans in Europe in Serbia (59%) and Hungary (49%)…

“The vast majority of EU heads of government back Harris. ‘I know her well, she would certainly be a good president,’ German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in a television interview. Harris wants to ‘stick to what is important to us,’ Scholz added, referring to trans-Atlantic cooperation. What would Europe’s reaction to a Harris victory be?… A collective sigh of relief, absolutely…

“EU diplomats from the 27 member states and the EU Commission in Brussels have been in confidential working groups for weeks already, discussing how to deal with the US election outcomes, whatever they may be. The main aim is to make economic and security policy as ‘Trump-proof’ as possible… For example, should Trump impose punitive tariffs on goods from Europe after taking office, the aim is to be able to retaliate immediately. ‘We are not prepared to give up our interests without a fight. We have significantly expanded our toolbox’” Bernd Lange, a German politician and chair of the Committee on International Trade in the European Parliament, told DW. ‘I am sure that after the election we will use this toolbox to combat things that are already wrong, such as illegal tariffs on steel or subsidies from the Inflation Adjustment Act.’ Lange said he expects US trade policy to become more challenging for the EU, no matter who wins these elections…

“German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has a similar prediction for foreign and security policy. At a press conference during a visit to London at the end of October, Pistorius said: ‘One way or another, in future, the US is very likely to do less in Europe. And for us that means we must do more.’”

On October 30, MSN quoted Trump as saying: “I’ll tell you what, the European Union sounds so nice, so lovely, right? All the nice European little countries that get together… They don’t take our cars. They don’t take our farm products. They sell millions and millions of cars in the United States. No, no, no, they are going to have to pay a big price,’ Trump stated during a rally in Pennsylvania.”

Germany’s Fears

Deutsche Welle added the following on October 31:

“There is no doubt that the German government favors Harris… In early October, two-thirds of German voters… said they would like to see Kamala Harris become president, while only 12% were in favor of Donald Trump. (In another poll, 78% were for Harris, and only 8% for Trump)…

“Trump… wants to bring about a quick end to the [Russia-Ukraine] war, which would presumably mean that Ukraine would be forced to give up large parts of the territories occupied by Russia… Trump… has repeatedly questioned the very purpose of NATO itself... Trump has announced that if he wins the election, he will impose a 60% tariff on US imports from China and a 20% tariff on imports from the rest of the world. This would make German products significantly more expensive in the US. The automotive and pharmaceutical industries would be hit particularly hard…

“If Trump wins the election,… the US will likely turn away from climate action and withdraw from international climate agreements. This would make it even more difficult for the German government, which is particularly committed to climate protection, to push through internationally binding rules to limit CO2 emissions. During this year’s election campaign, Trump has specifically attacked Germany’s energy policy, claiming that after a failed phase-out of fossil fuels, Germany had begun building one coal-fired power plant every week — which has absolutely no basis in truth.”

J.D. Vance has recently explained that the USA will not leave NATO under Trump. But we will see.

The German Expectation

On October 13, the conservative Bild newspaper published the following commentary by Franz Josef Wagner about Trump, which reflected the general attitude of a broad section of the uninformed German population:

“There are three weeks until November 5. In three weeks we will know who is President of the United States. There is no time to barricade yourself. ‘Run for your life’ was the motto of Hurricane Milton, which ultimately ran out of steam.

“Is Hurricane Trump running out of steam? I’m afraid not. He is the greatest liar of all time and the greatest political entertainer of all time. He reminds me of Joker, that evil clown who made you stop laughing in your throat. He accuses immigrant Haitians of eating Americans’ cats and dogs. ‘Your kittens,’ says Trump. He tells of babies who are aborted and killed after birth. He tells all this with his clown face. It has been proven that he lies five times in every other sentence. 22,000 lies were counted.

“Why does Trump still have half of America behind him? He is the narrator of evil and he is the savior from evil. The survey results are close. There are only three weeks left. You get frightened. Are we prepared? Where are our sandbags when Hurricane Trump comes?

This propagandistic portrayal, which one might expect from radical left-wing media outlets, is frightening.

Trump: Germans Don’t Love Me!

DPA wrote on November 3:

“Former U.S. president Donald Trump spoke about his difficult relationship with Germany during an election campaign appearance on Sunday. ‘They didn’t love me, and I have heritage there,’ said the Republican presidential candidate during a stop in Lititz, Pennsylvania. Trump’s paternal ancestors hail from Kallstadt in the south-western German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. He noted that the Germans had loved his predecessor in the White House, president Democrat Barack Obama. ‘You know why? Because they ate our lunch,’ said the Republican presidential candidate for the election on Tuesday, referring to his notion that Germany has allegedly been successful at the expense of the United States.

“Trump then spoke about then-German Chancellor Angela Merkel: ‘They didn’t love me because I said you gotta pay. You gotta pay. I said to Angela. Angela, you haven’t paid.’ Trump was presumably referring to Germany’s defence spending in view of its NATO obligations.

“Mimicking a German accent, the Republican said that ‘Angela’ had told him that ‘[Germany] will start [paying] by 2035.’ ‘They think we are stupid people,’ he added.”

European Reactions

Breitbart wrote on November 6:

“Donald Trump may have turned the U.S. red, but in Europe the airwaves and front pages turned blue as the very tribally left-wing legacy media vented their disappointment at the American people not voting as wanted. German broadsheet newspaper Die Zeit said it for many in the European media on Wednesday morning with their reaction to the re-election of President-elect Trump, stating in their headline simply: ‘F…’The colourful article comparing election night coverage to staring into a nuclear bomb’s mushroom cloud lamented ‘America doesn’t care at all’ about European feelings… the article’s author rhetorically asked whether this was to be the end of America…

“Top-selling Spanish left-wing newspaper El Pais called the election a victory of a ‘convicted felon’ and [the] editorial by the paper’s editor-in-chief claimed a ‘victory of disinformation’… France’s Liberation stated: ‘It would be tempting to decree that 50% of Americans are morons, but that would be flippant… all these people adhere to the priorities defined by Trump (violent economic protectionism, geopolitical isolationism, mass expulsions of migrants)’. Of Trump himself they claimed: ‘…convicted felon, misogynist, racist, egocentric, liar and probably disturbed. Either the voters did not take these accusations seriously, or they were perfectly aware of them but they do not care.’…”

Future of Criminal and Civil Cases Against Trump

Breitbart wrote on November 6:

“Corrupt Special Counsel Jack Smith, the Keystone Cop who has serially failed to throw Donald Trump in prison or undermine his reelection chances, will not wait for incoming President-elect Trump to fire him (as Trump has understandably promised to do). Instead, since a special counsel cannot prosecute a sitting president, Smith will leave the Department of Justice before Trump is sworn in as the 47th president. The (phony) cases against Trump will also be dropped.

“Trump has faced four criminal cases — two at the federal level, and two at the state level. One federal case, the ‘documents’ case, was dismissed in federal court in Florida in July after Judge Aileen Cannon agreed with the defense that Smith’s appointment as Special Counsel was constitutionally invalid. (Smith is currently appealing her ruling.) The other case, the ‘January 6^th’ case, is still pending in the District of Columbia, where Smith had to refile it after Supreme Court rulings on presidential immunity and the relevant law. As of Wednesday, the Department of Justice is dropping both cases…

“At the state level, there are two cases — one in New York, and one in Georgia. In New York, Trump is set to be sentenced on November 26th on 34 felony counts of business fraud. It is unclear what his sentence will be, or whether it would be suspended; his conviction is almost certain to be overturned on appeal. As president, he would probably have the power to pardon himself for federal crimes; it is an open constitutional question as to whether he could pardon himself for state crimes. In Georgia, Trump’s prosecution has been delayed until next year, thanks in part to ethical questions over the conduct of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis (who won reelection on Tuesday). There are motions by the defense to dismiss the entire case.

“Trump also faces civil cases. Two of the more prominent case are both in New York: one is his civil fraud case, and the other is his sexual misconduct case. The fraud case is currently on appeal in New York, and the state’s appellate judges have shown skepticism thus far about the massive fine that New York Attorney General managed to slap on Trump for allegedly inflating his wealth in loan applications. The latter case, involving suddenly-remembered allegations by writer E. Jean Carroll, is also being appealed; Trump was found civilly (not criminally) liable for ‘sexual abuse’ (though not for rape) and also for defamation…

“Trump’s stunning and historic victory Tuesday night was, at least in part, a rebuke of this obscene and fascist lawfare persecution…”

NBC News added on November 6:

“Justice Department officials have been evaluating how to wind down the two federal criminal cases against President-elect Donald Trump before he takes office to comply with long-standing department policy that a sitting president can’t be prosecuted,”

Muhammad Ali and the American Propaganda

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on October 8:

“After Muhammad Ali… announced that he would not comply with the U.S. government’s draft notice, which almost certainly would have meant that he would have been sent to Vietnam to kill Vietcong, Ali stated, ‘I ain’t got no quarrel with them Vietcong.’… Not surprisingly, they went after him with a vengeance, trying not only to destroy his reputation and career but also to have him jailed for the next several years of his life. But Ali had a good point. The Vietcong had never attacked him, the United States, or the American people. Why should he go thousands of miles away to kill them?

“The answer is: Because the Pentagon, the CIA, and the NSA had designated the Vietcong to be official enemies of the United States. Therefore, since they are the ones with the power to do that, American citizens were expected to make the Vietcong their own enemy…

“Conscription is not voluntary. Conscription is force. They were seizing Americans and forcing them to travel thousands of miles away to kill or be killed. How in the world can conscription be reconciled with freedom? It can’t be. Conscription is one of the gravest violations of freedom one could ever find… But few Americans understood the contradiction. They considered being forced to fight, die, and kill for freedom to be normal. U.S. officials and many American citizens, especially right-wingers, condemned Ali, as well as blacks who came to his defense, for their lack of ‘patriotism.’ Again, it was a reflection of the power of government indoctrination and propaganda.”

The comments regarding conscription are well-taken. Conscription is a form of modern slavery. The article continues to try to draw a connection between the government-sponsored American war propaganda and the assassinations of John F Kennedy and Martin Luther King.

America Dragged Into Numerous Wars

Ron Paul wrote in his weekly column on October 21:

“When you take on the role of the world’s policeman, don’t be surprised when countries who cannot fight their own wars call ‘911.’ That is exactly what is happening to the United States on two fronts and it is bankrupting our country, depleting the military that should serve our own national interest, and threatening to drag the US into World War III.

“Last week… Vladimir Zelensky publicly presented his ‘Victory Plan.’ It was delusional: immediate NATO Membership for Ukraine, NATO strikes against incoming Russian missiles, and permission to use Western long-range missiles for strikes deep into Russia including Moscow and St. Petersburg… Ukraine is on the verge of losing its war with Russia and is desperate to draw the United States military into the fight… they are calling on us to step in and fight the country with the most nuclear weapons on earth — Russia – in a battle that could not be more unrelated to our actual interests…

“Likewise with Israel. Tel Aviv has, in response to the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, launched a war to annihilate Palestinians from Gaza, invade and occupy southern Lebanon, degrade the military of Iraq and Syria, and take on Iran. But the Israeli military has nowhere near the capacity to fight so many wars on so many fronts, so it has increasingly demanded US involvement in the conflicts.

“Already the US has provided some $23 billion in additional military aid to Israel and has employed US military assets in the region to shoot down missiles and provide increased weapons and intelligence… US and Israeli leaders understand that they will be considered legitimate targets for any additional Iranian missile attack, but as soon as American troops start getting killed in Israel there will be a massive push for further US involvement. Imagine the mainstream media war propaganda if such a terrible thing happens…”

The Ron Paul Institute published on October 24 the following article by Judge Napolitano:

“Under the Constitution, only Congress can declare war on a nation or group. The last time it did so was to initiate American involvement in World War II. But Congress has given away limited authority to presidents and permitted them to fight undeclared wars, such as the War Powers Resolution of 1973 and President George W. Bush’s disastrous and criminal invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.”

The West Rejects Zelensky’s’ Victory Plan

Rezon Media reported on November 1:

“The New York Times… reported that the classified part of Volodymyr Zelensky’s plan contained a proposal to supply Ukraine with Tomahawk cruise missiles. According to the newspaper, American officials consider this an ‘absolutely impossible request’. Zelensky failed to convince Washington to make a decision to strike deep into Russian territory with Western weapons, the publication notes… Zelensky indicated this condition in his ‘victory plan’…

“Even after receiving training in the West, Ukrainian servicemen find it difficult to adapt to NATO’s combat tactics. This was stated by an instructor from the British army to The Daily Telegraph… Since 2022, in the United Kingdom, as part of Operation Interflex, over 45 thousand recruits of the Ukrainian Armed Forces have completed training courses.”

Assassination Attempt on Netanyahu

Newsmax wrote on October 22:

“The drone attack launched by Hezbollah from Lebanon on Oct. 19 targeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s private residence in Caesarea scored a direct hit on the home… ‘Iran tried to eliminate the prime minister of Israel. It will not escape responsibility,’ a senior Israeli government official told Ynet.

“According to reports, the assault included three drones, one of which scored a direct hit on a bedroom window at the Caesarea residence. Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, were not home at the time.”

Not unlike Trump who has survived numerous assassination attempts, Netanyahu likewise escaped unharmed. It appears they still have to play a role in the fulfillment of biblical prophecy.

Israel Strikes Iran

The Jerusalem Post wrote on October 27:

“The Israel Air Force struck a dozen targets in Iran that were used to produce solid fuel for long-range ballistic missiles as part of its retaliatory military action against the Islamic Republic, severely harming Tehran’s ability to replenish its inventory, it was reported on Saturday night. The targets struck were sophisticated equipment that Iran could not produce on its own and had to be purchased from China, Walla reported. The targets were a critical component of Iran’s ballistic missile program, Walla cited three anonymous Israeli sources as saying.

“An American researcher said an Israeli airstrike on Saturday hit a building that was part of Iran’s defunct nuclear weapons development program, and he and another researcher said facilities used to mix solid fuel for missiles also were struck… Israel also hit Khojir, according to Eveleth, a sprawling missile production site near Tehran…

“Overall, more than 100 Israeli aircraft participated in the attack on Iranian targets, stating that their mission was to hit the most advanced anti-aircraft systems of the Islamic Republic and develop air superiority there for any possible upcoming IAF operations – in such a way that Israeli fighter jets would be able to fly even at a relatively low altitude in the skies of Tehran itself in the future…”

Even though it was reported that Israel, following American pressure, did not attack Iran’s oil fields and nuclear reactors, the article seems to raise some doubts in that regard.

Did Israel Not Go Far Enough?

On October 31, The New York Post published the following article by John Bolton, who was national security adviser to President Donald Trump, 2018-19, and US ambassador to the United Nations, 2005-06.

“Israel lost a perfect opportunity to cripple Iran’s nuclear-weapons program during its strike against Iran this week. The targets actually selected, air defense and missile-production facilities, were entirely legitimate. Undoubtedly, both Iran’s defensive and offensive capabilities suffered significant damage. But it was not enough.

“Under enormous Biden administration pressure, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government did not strike Iran’s gravest threat: the existential danger of nuclear holocaust against Israel. And the mullahs’ nuclear aspirations — including the threat of Tehran transferring nuclear devices to international terrorist groups — also pose grave dangers to the United States, Gulf Arab countries and many others. Yet that threat remains in place… This mistake should weigh heavily on the consciences of President Biden and his advisers.

“Donald Trump’s stance is murky. To those who think Trump will support Israel as he did in his first term, I say simply: think again.  Trump’s dislike of Netanyahu is palpable, and… the importance of US electoral politics to Trump will be much less than before. Trump came within an eyelash of meeting with Javad Zarif, Iran’s former foreign minister, in 2019. He could easily do so in a second term, always in search of a deal, any deal he believes makes him look good…

“In any event, the decision is ultimately Israel’s. Having failed to act against Iran’s nuclear-weapons activities before Nov. 5, it must decide whether to act thereafter…”

We should also not forget that according to prophecy, Israel will receive a wound—some kind of a military defeat—prior to the Great Tribulation.

Iran Prepares Counter Attack

The New York Post wrote on October 31:

“Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has instructed his forces to prepare a direct attack against Israel after deeming the Jewish nation’s retaliatory strike last week too big to ignore, according to a new report. While Khamenei attempted to downplay to the public the extent of Israel’s attack on Tehran’s military facilities, privately, he greenlit plans for a counterattack in a meeting with his Supreme National Security Council… The ayatollah allegedly made his decision on Monday after reviewing the damage report from his military officials, which detailed the strikes across Tehran’s missile production plants and defense systems.

“Khamenei told his generals that the attack, which also killed four Iranian soldiers, could not go unanswered, saying a lack of response would mean admitting defeat to Israel… ‘Iran’s response to the Zionist aggression is definite,’ said Gen. Ali Fadavi, the Iran Revolutionary Guards Corps deputy commander, according to Iranian media. ‘We have never left an aggression unanswered in 40 years. We are capable of destroying all that the Zionists possess with one operation,’ he added.

“Israel carried out a four-hour operation last Friday consisting of 100 jets, spy planes and refueling aircraft to conduct its largest ever strike on Iran, bombing military facilities tied to the Islamic Republic’s own ballistic missile barrages against the Jewish state.

“The tit-for-tat cycle has raised fears that an all-out war is inevitable in the Middle East between Israel and Iran and its terror proxies…”

The Jerusalem Post added on October 31: “Israeli intelligence suggests Iran is preparing to attack Israel from Iraqi territory in the coming days…”

Iran Threatens With Nuclear Weapons

The New York Post wrote on November 2:

“Iran claimed it could build a nuclear weapon as its supreme leader on Saturday threatened the US and Israel with a ‘tooth-breaking response’ to Israel’s strike on Iranian military targets… ‘If an existential threat arises, Iran will modify its nuclear doctrine, we have the capability to build weapons and have no issue in this regard,’ Kharrazi [a top adviser to supreme leader Khamenei] told Lebanese media…”

Fox News added on November 2:

“Benjamin Netanyahu signaled on Thursday that Iran’s nuclear program could be Jerusalem’s next target amid Tehran’s promises of violence… Reports this week suggested that Iran could be waiting until after the U.S. presidential election next week, though other reports have said Tehran’s retaliatory strike could come at any time.”

Annual BRICS Summit

Deutsche Welle wrote on October 25:

“Russian leader Putin welcomed representatives of more than 36 countries to Kazan this week [at the] annual BRICS summit…  UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres flew to Russia where he met Putin for the first time in more than two years…

“One major focus of the summit was… increased economic cooperation between BRICS members, including alternatives to Western-dominated financial systems…”

BRICS seems to be used as an instrument to bring together some prophesied important Far Eastern alliances.

Fundamental Shift for German Military

The Sun wrote on October 22:

“GERMAN military aircraft will use British bases in a historic deal — 80 years after the Blitz. The PS Poseidon spy planes, ­operated by the Deutsche Marine and possibly armed with British torpedoes, will fly out of RAF Lossiemouth under the Trinity House Agreement

“… the accord [has been called] ‘a fundamental shift in the UK’s relations with Germany.’ It will lead to German tank-maker Rheinmetall opening a factory in Britain.”

The Rise of Björn Höcke (AfD)

Deutsche Welle wrote on October 26:

“Björn Höcke… the state chairman of the AfD branch in Germany’s eastern state of Thuringia, has… flirted with presenting himself as the supposed savior of the country… Höcke is alluding to a far-right propaganda video that depicts him as the 12th-century Holy Roman Emperor Barbarossa. According to an old legend, Barbarossa, who is known for making peace across the Germanic kingdoms and beyond, is not dead but only sleeping and will wake up again to unite his loyal followers…

“At the beginning of September, the AfD in Thuringia became the first far-right party since World war II to win the most votes in a German state election. Höcke was widely celebrated by his supporters in the wake of the victory…”

Germany Deserves Better Than This Government!

Bild Online published the following comment from Bild boss Robert Schneider on October 29th:

“The German economy is wounded, Volkswagen is already bleeding! While tens of thousands of VW employees are threatened with layoffs, wage cuts and factory closures are pending at Germany’s largest car manufacturer, the traffic light government is today committing a level of madness to our economy that is astonishing.

“First, Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner gathers top representatives of the German economy for a crisis talk. A few hours later, Chancellor Olaf Scholz speaks to representatives of major industry and unions about ways out of the recession. By the way, Economics Minister Robert Habeck is not at both economic summits! How are the shocked VW employees supposed to understand this ego trip by the traffic light men?

“The fact that the red-green-yellow coalition can no longer even agree on a joint conversation with business and trade unions is an admission of capitulation and another proof of the failure of the traffic light…

“Germany as a business location suffers from high taxes, levies, bureaucratic burdens, a shortage of skilled workers and energy prices… But the traffic light lacks the courage and strength to govern, and not only in economic and financial policy:

“The migration crisis is not even remotely resolved and the consequences are affecting the entire country. The housing market is broken, many Germans are worried that they will no longer be able to pay their rent or even find an apartment. Internal security (crime) and external security (Bundeswehr) are in a worrying state… In the Middle East war, Germany is verbally and officially on Israel’s side… but at the same time the government blocked the supply of spare parts for the Israeli army for months. And in the Ukraine war, it is not known whether it is currently more important for the Chancellor not to irritate Putin too much or to help Ukraine achieve lasting military successes.

“I think: Germany deserves better than this government!”

It is clear that the German government is perhaps the worst since the end of the Second World War. But the big question is whether Germany deserves a better government. We think: Germany deserves exactly this government.

German Government History

Deutsche Welle reported on November 6:

“Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz has dismissed finance minister Christian Lindner on Wednesday, after a breakdown in talks among the coalition government that was composed of Scholz’s social democrats (SPD), the Greens and Lindner’s liberal party FDP.”

Bild Online wrote that the government coalition is history. Die Welt announced that there will be no new elections at this time, but that Scholz will ask in January for a vote of confidence.

Reuters wrote on November 7:

 “German opposition parties and business groups on Thursday urged Chancellor Olaf Scholz to trigger a new election quickly to minimise political uncertainty after his rocky three-way coalition collapsed. The coalition fell apart on Wednesday when years of tensions culminated in a row over how to plug a multi-billion-euro hole in the budget and revive Europe’s largest economy, headed for its second year of contraction. The break-up creates a leadership vacuum at the heart of the European Union just as it seeks a united response to Tuesday’s election of Donald Trump as U.S. president on issues ranging from possible new U.S. trade tariffs to Russia’s war in Ukraine and the future of the U.S.-led NATO alliance…

“The last straw was [Finance Minister Lindner’s] opposition to Scholz’s plan to ease debt limits in order to increase support for Ukraine in the 2025 budget by 3 billion euros ($3.25 billion). Lindner’s dismissal led to the FDP quitting the coalition, leaving Scholz’s SPD and the Greens running a minority government…

“The crisis comes at a critical juncture for Germany, with a flatlining economy, ageing infrastructure and an unprepared military. It is likely to deal another blow to consumption and investment in coming months even as Trump’s return threatens to dampen exports…”

Tucker Carlson Attacked by Demon?

Mediaite wrote on October 31:

“Tucker Carlson said that he was ‘physically mauled’ by a demon a year and a half ago that left him bleeding and with still-visible scars on his body from ‘claw marks’… ‘I got attacked while I was asleep with my wife and four dogs and mauled, physically mauled… by a demon… Or by something unseen that left claw marks on my sides… I was totally confused, I woke up, and I couldn’t breathe, and I thought I was going to suffocate. And I walked around outside and then I walked in and my wife and dogs had not woken up. And they’re very light sleepers. And then I had these terrible pains on my rib cage and on my shoulder, and I was just in my boxer shorts and I went and flipped on the light in the bathroom, and I had four claw marks on either side underneath my arms and on my left shoulder. And they’re bleeding… And I sleep on my side, so I wasn’t clawing myself. I don’t have long nails and they didn’t fit my hands anyway…

“Carlson went on to say that he consulted his assistant, an evangelical Christian, because he had ‘never heard of anything like that happening before,’ and that she told him, ‘That happens, people are attacked in their bed by demons…’”

Demons are real. But to be clear, demons do NOT have the power to attack or influence us while we are asleep. Note our Q&A in this regard. https://www.eternalgod.org/can-satan-influence-us-whilst-we-are-asleep/

“Conclave”… Too Close to Francis’ Home?

The Associated Press wrote on October 27:

“With Pope Francis a few weeks away from his 88th birthday, the plotting for his successor is well underway at the Vatican. How timely, then, that just across town in Rome, ‘Conclave,’ a thriller filled with back-stabbing, manipulative cardinals, quick to toss morality out of the window as they promote their candidate, is a top draw at the Rome Film Festival. This might be a little too close to home — literally and figuratively — for Pope Francis…

“The conclave is the centuries-old tradition in which, on the death of a pope, cardinals gather in the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican to participate in rounds of voting until they elect a new pontiff. Conclave comes from the Latin ‘cum clave,’ meaning ‘with a key,’ to indicate the Cardinals are locked in until they have chosen the new leader for the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics.

“Francis is not immortal. Discussions on who could be his successor have already begun, but it remains to be seen if the next real conclave will be as thrilling as the film…”

And it will also be interesting to see who will emerge as the next pope… an equally left-liberal pope with extremist anti-Catholic views, or, as a reaction, a conservative candidate who will be more fully in line with Catholic traditionalism.

Dangers of Corona Vaccination

Report 24 wrote on October 28:

“Pfizer/BioNTech has quietly updated the product information on the Corona vaccine and added the following regarding heart damage: ‘There is an increased risk of myocarditis and pericarditis after vaccination with Comirnaty. These diseases can develop within a few days after vaccination and mainly occur within 14 days. They were seen more frequently after the second vaccination and more frequently in younger men. Available data shows that most cases recover. In some cases, intensive care was required and fatal cases were observed.’

“‘The mechanism of action of this new mRNA technology can lead to the destruction of many cells in all organs by the immune system. This damage is particularly dramatic in organs that have little or no ability to regenerate, such as the brain and heart. That’s why we always warned against the corona vaccination… Now that large parts of the population have already been vaccinated and the many complications are obvious, these risks, which have been expected since the beginning and have been known for a long time, are secretly included in the specialist information,’ explains Dr. Christian Fiala. In this way, the manufacturer is trying to avoid liability, at least for future vaccinations. Because the patient himself is liable for all risks listed in the specialist information…

“The fact that the change took place in 2023 makes the matter even more explosive. Because the denial of side effects and the trivialization of inflammation of the heart have continued since then – as has the promotion of the vaccination…”

Children Endangered Through Covid Vaccines?

On October 30, Dr. Paul Alexander wrote the following:

“[A] UK study confirmed the global stable data that no healthy child in US or elsewhere, none, got severely ill or died from this thing called ‘COVID’; in fact severe outcomes ONLY after MALONE et al. mRNA… Bottom line, NO COVID mRNA vaccine was needed in any child, NONE! And is NOT needed! Parents be warned! The mRNA gene-based vaccine should have never been rolled out to children, as much as it should not have been given to pregnant women who were excluded from the registrational legacy trials by Pfizer, Moderna etc…

“Furthermore, the study found that Covid shots offered the children very little protection from the virus, with many becoming infected after just 14 to 15 weeks of receiving an injection.’ ‘The researchers were investigating the safety and effectiveness of Pfizer’s vaccine in fully vaccinated, partially vaccinated, and unvaccinated children and teenagers. However, they discovered that cases of myocarditis and pericarditis only emerged in the vaccinated group.’..

“Myocarditis and pericarditis are both forms of inflammation in the heart. Pericarditis is a condition where the sac around the heart becomes inflamed, while myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle. Both disorders restrict the heart’s ability to pump blood around the body and can cause clots, strokes, heart attacks, cardiac arrest, and ultimately sudden death.”

Kennedy to Reorganize Department of Health?

Breitbart wrote on October 31:

“Former President Donald Trump has asked Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead a reorganization of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in a new administration…

“Kennedy told Breitbart News: ‘President Trump has asked me… to root out … the corruption, and the conflicts of interest; and to restore the traditions of gold-standard, empirically-based, evidence-based science and medicine, and to end the chronic disease epidemic. And he’s told me that he wants to see measurable results in the decline of chronic disease within two years. And I’ve promised him that we can to that.”

That would not be a bad idea, also in light of the next article. Kennedy has been very outspoken about the danger of Covid vaccinations.

The Propaganda and Threats of the WHO

LifeSiteNews wrote on October 31:

“The public health establishment needs to be even more ‘aggressive’ against vaccine critics than it already is, the leader of the embattled World Health Organization (WHO) declared in recent remarks… WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus decried that ‘more than 14 million children in 2022 did not receive a single dose of vaccine,’ and while work with international organizations like UNICEF hopes to reduce that number, a ‘serious challenge’ remains. ‘I think we need to strategize to really push back, because vaccines work, vaccines effect adults, and we have science, evidence on our side,’ Tedros said. ‘I think it’s time to be more aggressive in pushing back on anti-vaxxers. They used COVID as an opportunity and all the havoc they are creating.’
“… Tedros gives little consideration to … the significant risks to the COVID shots… [including] higher risks of myocarditis following the first, second and third doses of mRNA-based COVID shots, as well as signs of increased risk of… pericarditis, Guillain-Barré syndrome, and cerebral venous sinus thrombosis… and other potential safety signals… [and] statistically significant increases… in cancer deaths after third doses of mRNA-based COVID-19 jabs…”

The Evolution Theory—Such a Dumb Monkey Tale!

BBC News reported on November 1:

“Two Australian mathematicians have called into question an old adage, that if given an infinite amount of time, a monkey pressing keys on a typewriter would eventually write the complete works of William Shakespeare… However, a new peer-reviewed study led by Sydney-based researchers Stephen Woodcock and Jay Falletta has found that the time it would take for a typing monkey to replicate Shakespeare’s plays, sonnets and poems would be longer than the lifespan of our universe…

“As well as looking at the abilities of a single monkey, the study also did a series of calculations based on the current global population of chimpanzees, which is roughly 200,000. The results indicated that even if every chimp in the world was enlisted and able to type at a pace of one key per second until the end of the universe, they wouldn’t even come close to typing out the Bard’s works. There would be a 5% chance that a single chimp would successfully type the word ‘bananas’ in its own lifetime. And the probability of one chimp constructing a random sentence – such as ‘I chimp, therefore I am’ – comes in at one in 10 million billion billion, the research indicates…”

What is also being overlooked in all of this is the fact that an unbreachable spiritual gap exists between men and monkeys. Monkeys can never even remotely achieve what man does. This, of course, completely debunks the ridiculous evolution idea. Please read our free booklet, “The Theory of Evolution—A Fairy Tale for Adults?” 

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.

As members of the Church of God, we trust God because He is the great Creator and the source of all power.   He is the greatest being in the universe and knows all that is going on in our lives and what we need.   Human beings are fallible and make mistakes.   God does not.

Is it compatible to say that a man can trust both in God and man?  Let us start with Psalm 118:8 where we read: “It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in man.”

The explanations given by a number of Bible Commentaries on this verse are helpful.   Let us look at a few of these:

Barnes Notes on the Bible states:

“It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man – This is stated apparently as the result of his own experience. He had found people weak and faithless; he had not so found God. Compare Psalm 40:4; Psalm 62:8-9.  Literally, ‘Good is it to trust in Yahweh more than to confide in man.’ This is the Hebrew form of comparison, and is equivalent to what is stated in our version, ‘It is better’ etc. It is better,

“(1) because man is weak – but God is almighty;

“(2) because man is selfish – but God is benevolent;

“(3) because man is often faithless and deceitful – God [is] never;

“(4) because there are emergencies, as death, in which man cannot aid us, however faithful, kind, and friendly he may be – but there are no circumstances in this life, and none in death, where God cannot assist us; and

“(5) because the ability of man to help us pertains at best only to this present life – the power of God will be commensurate with eternity.”

The Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary observes:

“Even the most powerful men are less to be trusted than God.”

Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible states:

“It is better to trust in the Lord…. This, with what follows in Psalm 118:9, is the conclusion from the above premises and experience; it is good to trust in the Lord; such enjoy peace, are in safety, shall not want any good thing, nor ever be ashamed and confounded: the Targum [explanation of “Targum” below] is:

“‘it is better to trust in the Word of the Lord;’ than to put confidence in man; it is not good to put confidence in man at all [but note the previous comments above and subsequent comments below]; it is trusting to a broken staff, to a mere shadow, which can yield no support or relief: it is best to trust in the Lord; he is able to help, as well as willing; he is faithful to his word, and unchangeable in his promises; whereas man, though he may have a will to help, oftentimes has it not in his power; and when it is in his power, and has promised it, he disappoints, being changeable or unfaithful. Wherefore trust not in man, but in the Lord; yea, cursed is the man that trusts in man; see Jeremiah 17:5.”

Regarding the Targum, Wikipedia states that “The Targum is a term for various Aramaic versions of the Hebrew Bible or parts of it, dating from the post-exilic period. They were used for oral translation and exposition in synagogues, and later became written texts with commentary and interpretation.”

King David knew from personal bitter experience what it was like to be let down by another human being when he wrote in Psalm 41:9: “Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, Who ate my bread, Has lifted up his heel against me.”  In short, the Lord is a “refuge” who is totally dependable and reliable because He is perfect, whereas human beings called by God today must be striving to improve in everything they do and are not yet perfect; thus, they will make mistakes.   The instruction doesn’t say to never trust other human beings, but rather, trusting God is better – and by a very large margin!

Matthew Poole’s Commentary states the following about Psalm 41:9: “‘Mine own familiar friend’; he means either Ahithophel, or some other perfidious counsellor or courtier, who was a type of Judas, to whom therefore it is applied, John 13:18, as David was a type of Christ in being thus betrayed.  So these words were literally fulfilled in David, and yet the Holy [Spirit] which dictated them, looked further in them, even to Christ and Judas, in whom they received a further and fuller accomplishment.”   Even King David had those who let him down with their wrong type of behaviour and didn’t behave like a trusted friend.

King David’s son and successor, Solomon, wrote in Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.”

One commentator wrote: “It is precisely because we know that God will never fail us that we can trust others. Our ultimate security is in Him, so we are free to trust others and experience the joy it brings. Trusting others is almost inseparable from loving others.”

Let us review Micah 7:5: “Do not trust in a friend; Do not put your confidence in a companion; Guard the doors of your mouth From her who lies in your bosom.” 

We read in Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible the following explanation (our emphasis underlined):

“‘Trust ye not in a friend’…. This is not said to lessen the value of friendship; or to discourage the cultivation of it with agreeable persons; or to dissuade from a confidence in a real friend; or in the least to weaken it, and damp the pleasure of true friendship, which is one of the great blessings of life; but to set forth the sad degeneracy of the then present age, that men, who pretended to be friends, were so universally false and faithless, that there was no dependence to be had on them.”

For many today, the same principle can easily apply.

Jeremiah 17:5 reads: “Thus says the LORD: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the LORD.” 

Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers states: “’

“‘Cursed be the man’… The words are vehement and abrupt, but they burst from the prophet’s lips as proclaiming the root evil that had eaten into the life of his people. Their trust in an arm of flesh had led them to Egyptian and Assyrian alliances, and these to departing from the Lord.”  

This passage looks at the emphasis on man’s ability and influence rather than the strength we can have through trusting God.  The emphasis was wrong and it also clearly shows the principle of “whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7).

There is much to learn from God’s Word about the way that we must conduct ourselves as those who have been called to “the Way” by the Father.   We ourselves are less than perfect, and we will make many mistakes and errors of judgment throughout our lives, however well-intentioned we may be.   We will let others down at times, maybe unknowingly in some circumstances, but as we have not yet achieved perfection, mistakes will be made and trust may figure amongst those problems that will arise in our lives.

It is something well worth remembering that trust goes two ways.   We cannot expect that others will be perfect in this way because we ourselves are not perfect.

When we were called into the true Church of God, we learnt so many things that were previously a mystery to us.   Did we discount all of this information initially because when we didn’t yet fully understand all that we were learning or did we trust God that what He said was totally trustworthy?   For all those now reading and understanding these words, the answer is that we did trust God; otherwise, we wouldn’t still be an active member in His Church.   Of course, it should be much easier to trust God because we see His mighty creation and know that He is supreme over all, but some may still have “reasons” why that might not apply to them. 

Hebrews 11 is known as the “faith” chapter, and in verse 1 we read: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”   This is where our trust in God is shown, and we read about the benefits of such belief in Isaiah 26:3: “You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.”

We know that we can trust God because He is perfect but man is not, but that doesn’t mean that we should not trust others as far as we are able and as far as they deserve such trust:

Christianity.com makes these excellent observations:

“If you are like me, there are a great many people you have come to trust in your life. Over the years, they have proven themselves trustworthy. People you can count on in a time of need. A great many others you have learned to never trust. They have let you down time and again — and again and again.

“The list of those who are trustworthy every time is quite likely far shorter than those who have proven unreliable and undependable.

“And it is not a restricted list: parents, siblings, friends, co-workers, bosses, teammates. Those people all make those who do prove trustworthy that much more of a treasure.

“A trusted friend is more precious than pure gold. Rarer too, perhaps. When we find that person, we tend to cling tightly.

“Trusting in people is not a bad thing — in fact, such a friend is to be appreciated and is truly valuable in a time of need.

“When that trusted friend also happens to be your spouse, it is a timeless treasure to be cherished.  Such healthy, trusting relationships can and will bear much fruit in our lives.

“Friends who trust can talk to each other; lean on each other; bear one another’s burdens — and be counted on to keep each other’s secrets.

“But… if we are honest, we also know that friends — human beings — can, and will, let us down. Whether intentionally or unintentionally.   We are all broken beings and all subject to mistakes. We know, too, the damage it can cause — both to the relationship, as well as our lives and the lives of others.”

In our Christian Way of Life, we are given the tools to do what we know is right, but it might not be that easy to ascertain and to act correctly when decisions have to be made. 

For example, we read in Proverbs 26:4-5:

“Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Lest you also be like him. Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own eyes.”  

We don’t just sit back expecting that God Himself will sort these things out for us, but He will certainly give us the wisdom to make such right decisions.   Likewise, He will also give us the guidance, if we request this from Him, in whether to trust other fallible human beings or not.

We must remember that when immorality defiled the Church in the early days of apostolic Christianity, the apostle Paul wrote, as recorded in 1 Corinthians 5:9-10:

“I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world.”   Even in the early Church, there were some considerable problems.

There is a saying that no man is an island, and this was originally written by John Donne and is about the connection between all of humankind and the need for each other.

litcharts.com observes:

“Donne essentially argues that people need each other and are better together than they are in isolation, because every individual is one piece of the greater whole that is humanity itself. The paragraph isn’t actually a poem but a famous excerpt from Donne’s Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions. Written in 1623 when Donne was in the grips of a serious illness, the Devotions examine what it means to be a human being and the relationship between humanity and God.   An island is a piece of land surrounded on all sides by water; it’s entirely cut off from the mainland. In saying that nobody is an island, then, Donne is saying that nobody exists entirely cut off on all sides from the metaphorical mainland of humanity. In other words, nobody is completely isolated and alone.”

On the website biblestudytools.com, we read:

“Trusting people is not a bad idea, in fact, trusting people, certain people is wise and essential. The Bible makes clear from the Book of Genesis that God does not desire for any of us to be alone. God made Eve for Adam, and for each of us God desires companionship in some form.

“When we put trust in people, we can reap the fruits of a healthy relationship. A trusting couple experiences peace and calm in their relationship as a result. When questionable things occur, communication is had and all issues get resolved. Friends who trust will talk, share secrets, and bear one another’s burdens. Children who trust adults are more likely to share and seek support.

“However, people, unlike God, can damage trust, whether accidentally or intentionally. If we are accustomed to running to people every time we need help, and not God, we will find ourselves disappointed. Sometimes people don’t want to hear our problems, sometimes they are unavailable. There are times we put our trust in people only to receive bad advice, be lied to, or for someone to divulge our secrets. Not everyone engages in this, but trusting people can potentially have this result. That’s the risk we take when building a relationship.

“That is not the case with God. He is a trustworthy refuge, a permanent one, a person to run to and a place to reside. Humans cannot offer that for us and that is why we need to keep our focus on God. He is for us what people never can be, and for that, He will always remain trustworthy.”

There are many verses that talk about human relationships and the need for inter-acting with others.  When we trust others, it can lead to healthy relationships and partnerships which is the state of having shared interests or efforts.  But, most critical of all is our relationship with God which is of paramount importance and He is the One whom we can always trust.

God NEVER lets us down and unlike human beings, He doesn’t gossip. He always keeps His word, is totally reliable and is there for us at all times.   On the other hand, human beings live in a world which is under the sway of Satan the devil (compare 2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:2) which can prove troublesome for true Christians unless we are anchored to the great God.  

Trust, primarily and essentially in God, is vital to our spiritual well-being and trust within our human relationships is necessary for setting the very best example we can, particularly, but not exclusively, within the true Church of God.   We should strive always to be trustworthy and not let others down, and take note of the apostle Paul’s admonition as we read in Ephesians 4:1-2: “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to have a walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love.”

We must always trust God in all things as He knows what is best for all of us, and we can ask Him to give us insight and wisdom about whom we can trust and, in the final analysis, trust God with the outcomes.   And we ourselves must work on being trustworthy to others at all times.

Lead Writer: Brian Gale (United Kingdom)

compiled by Dave Harris

“Trump Won… Now What’s Next?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is the summary:

We were told it would be a close race. But Trump won decisively, and many are stunned and shocked. His victory has been termed “a comeback for the ages” and “history’s greatest comeback.” Four years ago, many felt that Trump would win in 2020. A letter from us explained the situation and pointed at the next election in 2024, also suggesting that Trump might have a prophetic role to fulfill, especially in relationship to Israel and Europe. What we said then is more relevant now than ever before. Do you know what is coming next? Are you prepared for an astonishing and bumpy ride?

“Trump hat gewonnen.. was jetzt?” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This covers the same topics as described above.

“Who is Jesus Christ?—His Many Descriptions in the Bible,” our newest booklet, written by Brian Gale and Norbert Link, has been sent to the printer, and it is posted.

A Tech Team Meeting was conducted on November 3, 2024. Hosted by Eric Rank, a review of Feast activities and reports for ongoing booklet ads were discussed.

“Ist Neugierde Sünde?” is the title of this Sabbath’s German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Is Curiosity Sin?”

Recent sermons given in both the United States and Germany during the Fall festival season are posted on our websites.

“Wurdig,” last Sabbath’s first split-sermon, presented in Germany by Mike Richter, is now posted. Title in English: “Worthy.”

“Das Ende der Welt, wie wir sie kennen, ist nur der Anfang,” last Sabbath’s second split-sermon, presented in Germany by Daniel Blasinger, is now posted. Title in English: “The End Of The World As We Know It Is Just The Beginning.”

“Our Atmosphere,” last Sabbath’s sermonette presented by Michael Link, is now posted. Here is the summary:

We can survive physically through God’s perfect creation of the earth within the atmosphere mankind lives in. The atmosphere at this year’s Feast of Tabernacles was everything that this current world is not. It was positive with joy, peace, and spiritual food to prepare us for what the future holds. The atmosphere of this world is deteriorating more and more and we must remain vigilant spiritually as we fight against the god of this world. How can we succeed?

“Why Are You Called Today?” last Sabbath’s sermon presented by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is the summary:

If you can understand biblical Truth today, then God has called you and given you the opportunity to attain eternal salvation. Did God make a mistake? Don’t you know what to do with your calling… what God requires of you? If God has a plan for you, what is that plan? Are you expecting too much from God… or too little?