Update 1001

On December 18, 2021, Eric Rank will present the sermonette, titled, “Fruition,” and Dave Harris will present the sermon, titled, “Jacob’s Trouble.”

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.

Many of us will remember learning the 23^rd Psalm as a child or young adult. It consists of six verses so it is quite easy to remember and many articles, or even books, have been written about it. There are even a number of hymns written using its words, some are sung in many different churches, and we even have two versions in our own Hymnal.

The theme of the Psalm is obviously about how a shepherd looks after his sheep, and from that point of view, is most inspiring and encouraging, especially as it applies to us. But it also lists many of the attributes of God in just five of its verses. All of these attributes are mentioned in other Scriptures so we can see consistency in God’s Word.

The very first thing we read in verse 1 is that “The LORD is my Shepherd.” This is not newly revealed in the Bible here but is first mentioned in Genesis 49:24. There we read, speaking of Joseph that “… the arms of his hands were made strong By the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob (From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel).” This attribute is continued through the Bible, and we read again of it in John 10:11: “I am the good Shepherd. The good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep.”

Continuing on in Psalm 23:1, “I shall not want.” In other words, God will provide. This attribute is first mentioned in Genesis 22:14 after God had provided a ram as a sacrifice in place of Isaac. “And Abraham called the name of the place, The-LORD-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, ‘In the Mount of the LORD it shall be provided.’”

Considering Psalm 23:2, “He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.” This is a very peaceful situation. In fact, that is another attribute of God. In Judges 6:23-24 we read, “Then the LORD said to him, ‘Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die.’ So Gideon built an altar there to the LORD, and called it The-LORD-Is-Peace. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.”

Following on in Psalm 23:3, it begins with, “He restores my soul…” This shows us that God is our healer. This is first mentioned in Exodus 15:26 where God said: “If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you.”

The second part of Psalm 23:3 states, “He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.” This is mentioned in Jeremiah 23:6 where we read, “In His days [the days of the Branch of righteousness] Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell safely. Now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

Going on to Psalm 23:4, we read, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” David acknowledged that the LORD was with him; that He was present. In Ezekiel 48:35, last part, we read: “…and the name of the city from that day shall be: THE LORD IS THERE.”

In Psalm 23:5, we find that, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” In Exodus 17:15, we read, “And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-LORD-Is-My-Banner.” This signifies that the LORD protects us from enemies—a banner being a symbol of authority and power, like a national flag.

In the second part of Psalm 23:5, we read: “You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.” In the last part of Exodus 31:13, we read that when you keep God’s Sabbath, “… you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you.” It was a practice for kings and others, e.g. Aaron or David, to be sanctified by anointing them with oil to show that they were appointed to their office.

But, of course, this is not the end of Psalm 23. It finishes up in verse 6 with, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.” The prophet Ezekiel echoes this in Ezekiel 37:25: “Then they [the children of Israel] shall dwell in the land I have given to Jacob My servant, where you fathers dwelt; and they shall dwell there, they, their children, and their children’s children, forever; and My servant David shall be their prince forever.”

When we read this very short Psalm, it shows us God’s loving attitude and concern, not just to David, but also toward us. It also shows us some of God’s attributes that we can rely upon. It finishes up with a promise of eternal life for David, and other Scriptures show that this promise also extends to us. So, this Psalm is very encouraging, well worth meditating on and singing praise to God.

by Norbert Link

We begin with America’s troublesome domestic situation, from unparalleled rising inflation in recent times; the unprecedented rise of the government’s debt; increasing violence; the left-wing frenzy in the Smollett case, led by no others than Biden and Harris; CNN Anderson Cooper’s arrogance; NBC Brian Williams’ sober warning; the proposed costly Build Back Better Act; shocking revelations in Wisconsin’s presidential election in 2020; holding former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows in contempt; Elon Musk new person of the year; to Fauci’s doomsday clock which is mirrored by Fauci’s clone, Germany’s new health minister Karl Lauterbach; and California’s new measures regarding Corona and White House press secretary Jen Psaki’s appalling comments.

We continue with developments pertaining to America’s foreign partners, allies and enemies, starting with bad signs for Europe’s “democracies”; the persecution of the unvaccinated and of European Christians; a remarkable new statue at the UN’s headquarters in New York City; the dangerous situation between Russia and Ukraine and America’s cluelessness in the matter; Ukraine’s hope for European intervention while tensions escalate; Germany’s new weak and indecisive Chancellor Olaf Scholz; and Europe’s incredibly ridiculous proposals for a “new” language under the auspices of Ursula von der Leyen.

We address new challenges from China over Taiwan, and we conclude with the fairy tale about Santa Claus without a good ending.  Please view in this context our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Why do we lie to our children?” 

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

Inflation at all Time High since 1982

The Associated Press wrote on December 10:

“Prices for U.S. consumers jumped 6.8% in November compared with a year earlier as surging costs for food, energy, housing and other items left Americans enduring their highest annual inflation rate since 1982.

“It is the sixth straight month that inflation has been above 5%.”

Fox News added on December 10:

“Consumer prices surged at the fastest pace in nearly four decades in November as Americans paid more for practically everything from groceries to cars to gasoline… Price increases were widespread: Energy prices jumped 3.5% in November and are up 33.3% year over year. Gasoline is a stunning 58.1% higher than it was a year ago. Food prices have also climbed 6.1% higher over the year, while used car and truck prices – a major component of the inflation increase – are up 31%.”

No spin of the Biden Administration that we are on the road of economic recovery can change the facts.

US Debt Limit now at 31.4 Trillion Dollars

Newsmax wrote on December 15:

“The U.S. Congress on Tuesday approved raising the federal government’s debt limit by $2.5 trillion, to about $31.4 trillion, sending the bill to President Joe Biden to sign and avert an unprecedented default… A deal last week between Democrat Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and his Republican counterpart, Mitch McConnell, set the stage for Tuesday’s vote, bypassing normal Senate rules requiring at least 60 of the chamber’s 100 members to agree to advance most legislation. The Senate passed the bill earlier on Tuesday in a partisan 50-49 vote.

“The Democrat-led House of Representatives approved the bill in a 221-209 vote.”

CNS News reported on December 15:

“With that limit lifted, the federal debt will take a jump upward, then keep steadily climbing, constantly increasing the burden on future taxpayers….

“Among those lending money to the federal government so it can continue to run its massive annual deficits are foreign governments and foreign interests. According to the Treasury Department, entities in Japan owned $1.299 trillion in U.S. government debt as of the end of September. Entities in mainland China owned $1.047 trillion. Entities in the United Kingdom owned $566.5 billion; entities in Luxembourg owned $311.8 billion; entities in Ireland owned $309.6 billion; and entities in Switzerland own $296.5 billion…

“In fiscal 2021, according to the Monthly Treasury Statement, interest payments on Treasury securities hit $562.38 billion. That was more than three times as much as the fiscal 2021 cost of the Department of State ($35.814 billion), the Department of Justice ($39.261 billion) and the Department of Homeland Security ($91.069 billion) combined ($166.144 billion).

“Will the federal government ever again balance its budget? The obvious bet is: No.”

Foreigners become the head, and the borrower is servant to the lender…

Violent America

ABC News wrote on December 8:

“At least 12 major U.S. cities have broken annual homicide records in 2021… Philadelphia, a city of roughly 1.5 million people, has had more homicides this year (521 as of Dec. 6) than the nation’s two largest cities, New York (443 as of Dec. 5) and Los Angeles (352 as of Nov. 27). That’s an increase of 13% from 2020, a year that nearly broke the 1990 record.

“Chicago, the nation’s third-largest city, leads the nation with 739 homicides as of the end of November, up 3% from 2020…

“Other major cities that have surpassed yearly homicide records are St. Paul, Minnesota; Portland, Oregon; Tucson, Arizona; Toledo, Ohio; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Austin, Texas; Rochester, New York; and Albuquerque, New Mexico, which broke its record back in August.

“… the nation saw a 30% increase in murder in 2020, the largest single-year jump since the bureau began recording crime statistics 60 years ago…”

America’s Crazy Windstorms

Gizmodo wrote on December 15:

“Dust Bowl-like conditions have spread across the Plains, with dust storms, ferocious fires, and staggering storms that are exceptional for this time of year…. Less than a week after a freak tornado outbreak  [in six states, especially in Kentucky], meteorologists are again gawking in awe and horror at the scenes unfolding on their radar screens and across the Midwest and Plains.

“A powerful windstorm unleashed by the clash of record heat and a vigorous storm system dropping out of the Mountain West has unleashed chaos for a huge swath of the United States. Raging winds have whipped up to 107 mph (172 kmh) in Colorado, fires have lit up the Texas Panhandle, and monster plumes of dust have turned night into day from Nebraska to Kansas.

“As if that wasn’t enough, a line of thunderstorms is now screaming into the region with shocking speed and ferocity—and could be poised to unleash a handful of tornadoes in locations usually covered in snow at this time of year. Dealing with one of these hazards alone would be shocking for this time of year, but seeing the weather map painted in broad brush strokes with some of the most extreme warnings that the National Weather Service issues is a nightmare…

“The conditions that gave rise to the Dust Bowl of the 1930s have become twice as likely thanks to carbon pollution from burning fossil fuels… In addition to satellites showing dust, smoke is also visible in the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles. Wildfires have rapidly spread in the region…”

How Biden and Harris, and other Lefties, Led Frenzy in Jussie Smollett’s False Claims

Fox News wrote on December 10 in three different articles [which were compiled below in just one publication]:

“It is shameful, but predictable, that Smollett’s false accusations were accepted as gospel by prominent politicians and others without ever waiting for the facts to unfold…

“In 2019, top Democrats, celebrities, and liberal news outlets, including CNN, all uncritically peddled the false narrative that [‘Empire’ actor] Jussie Smollett [who is gay] was attacked by two MAGA hat-wearing Trump supporters at 2 AM during the polar vortex in Chicago… Even when his story began raising scrutiny, CNN’s left-wing media guru Brian Stelter defended the media’s coverage of the disgraced actor at the time….

“Smollett was found guilty on five [out of six] charges of staging a hate crime [by hiring two Nigerian brothers to fake the attack against him] and lying to police on Thursday…

“What happened today to Jussie Smollett must never be tolerated in this country,” President Biden tweeted in January 2019 when he was mulling a presidential run, ‘We must stand up and demand that we no longer give this hate safe harbor; that homophobia and racism have no place on our streets or in our hearts. We are with you, Jussie.’

“Vice President Kamala Harris also believed Smollett’s story and posted about it on Twitter calling the alleged attack an attempted ‘modern day lynching.’ New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, a Democrat who ran for president, also referred to the alleged attack as an attempted ‘modern day lynching.’…

“Biden Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg took Smollett’s side as well and used the incident to push for hate crime legislation… Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California called the alleged attack ‘vile’ and ‘tragic.’… Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and many other prominent Democrats also chimed in with support for Smollett..

“It says something about the quality of leadership in the White House when neither the president nor vice president have the common decency to apologize for their role in blindly supporting a phony hate crime….”

Shameful indeed, but this narrative was used eagerly by the left in their support of the “hate crime-racial oppression” agenda.

CNN Anderson Cooper’s Arrogance

Breitbart wrote on December 9:

“CNN anchor Anderson Cooper said Thursday on his show ‘Anderson Cooper 360’ that those who choose not to get vaccinated against COVID-19 are arrogantly shirking their responsibilities to society, which he finds ‘infuriating.’”

What about the arrogance of many proponents of mandatory vaccinations towards the unvaccinated? Comments published by Breitbart were telling:

“No tyranny can survive without a complicit media… Notice no anger toward the drug companies who made these big promises?… The drug companies support the media by pumping big $ into ads… a full third of those fully vaccinated are getting sick. It’s coming to light the original vaccine only lasts 4-5mos…”

Brian Williams Retires with a Sober Warning

Real Clear Politics wrote on December 10:

“Longtime NBC News broadcaster Brian Williams issued a strange warning Thursday as he retired from his 11 p.m. MSNBC show.

“‘I’m not a liberal or a conservative. I’m an institutionalist. I believe in this place. And in my love of my country… But the darkness on the edge of town has spread to the main roads and highways and neighborhoods. It is now at the local bar, and the bowling alley, the school board, and the grocery store. And it must be acknowledged and answered for. Grown men and women who swore an oath to our Constitution, elected by their constituents, possessing the kinds of college degrees I could only dream of, have decided to join the mob and become something they are not while hoping we somehow forget who they were.

“‘They’ve decided to burn it all down with us inside. That should scare you to no end as much as it scares an aging volunteer fireman… The reality is though, I will wake up tomorrow in the America of the year 2021, a nation unrecognizable to those who came before us and fought to protect it, which is what you must do now…”

But his warning will fall on deaf ears…

Build Back Better Will Cost Almost 5 Trillion Dollars

Breitbart wrote on December 10:

“Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) told reporters on Friday that the true cost of President Biden’s $1.9 trillion reconciliation package is far more costly and debt-ridden than previously disclosed by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).

“Upon request from Graham, the CBO issued a report Friday that revealed the reconciliation package would increase the deficit by $3 trillion over a ten-year period and cost $4.9 trillion in scope. The CBO’s original scoring claimed the deficit would only increase $0.2 trillion over ten years…

“Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO), the ranking member of the House Budget Committee, said in a statement on Friday that the $4.9 trillion Build Back Better Act will ‘bankrupt the economy’ while Americans continue to suffer from soaring inflation.”

Wisconsin 2020 Election Rigged?

Life Site News reported on December 9:

“Tens or even hundreds of thousands of people likely cast illegal votes in Wisconsin’s 2020 election, according to newly-released findings from a months-long investigation by a conservative legal group. Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty (WILL) published the results of a 10-month probe of last year’s elections in the battleground state, reporting that the number of unlawful ballots in Wisconsin all but certainly surpassed Joe Biden’s victory margin of under 21,000 votes. ‘It is almost certain that in Wisconsin’s 2020 election the number of votes that did not comply with existing legal requirements exceeded Joe Biden’s margin of victory,’ the group said…

“It seems clear that voters abandoned the rules for voting indefinitely confined, drop boxes were used, at least one ballot harvesting event was conducted without statutory authorization, absentee balloting in nursing homes was conducted contrary to law, ballots were cured without authorization, and voter rolls were not accurately maintained as required by state and federal law… WILL said that while it did not find evidence of widespread, intentional fraud, the possibility ‘cannot be excluded.’

“While the fact that something ‘could have’ happened is not evidence that it did, failure to follow the required procedures raises the possibility of fraud and undercuts confidence in the results… It is unclear whether, had these ballots been disqualified, the results of the election would have changed. ‘It is not possible to know who these legally questionable votes were cast for,’ according to the WILL report. ‘Given the location of the votes it may be more likely than not that, depending on which ballots were thought to be unlawfully cast, that Trump would have wound up the winner’ due to Wisconsin’s ‘drawdown’ method, the group concluded.”

But the left-wing mass media does not want to hear about that.

Meadows Held in Contempt

NBC News wrote on December 15:

“The House voted Tuesday night to refer former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows to the Justice Department for a potential criminal charge over his refusal to answer questions about the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol [claiming executive privilege]. Lawmakers passed the measure largely along party lines in a 222-208 vote. Two Republicans voted with Democrats: Reps. Liz Cheney, of Wyoming, and Adam Kinzinger, of Illinois…

“Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio… accused Democrats of ‘destroying executive privilege’ by seeking to force ‘the closest of close’ presidential advisers [i.e. Trump] to testify…’

“A contempt referral is not the first to stem from the Jan. 6 investigation. The House previously voted to refer former Trump adviser Steve Bannon to the Justice Department for contempt charges after he defied the committee’s subpoenas. The Justice Department acted on the recommendation… Bannon has been charged with two counts of contempt and could face up to a year in prison and a $100,000 fine if he is convicted. He has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to stand trial in July.”

Trump’s claim of executive privilege is being adjudicated. To hold Meadows and Bannon in contempt is premature at best. Meadows rightly pointed out that this is another attempt by Democrats and two Rino’s to get to Trump.

Elon Musk “Person of the Year”

The Brownstone Institute published the following article by Jeffrey Tucker on or about December 15:

“It’s a good call for Time Magazine: it made Elon Musk the person of the year… Musk is arguably the most prominent opponent of lockdowns and vaccine mandates in the US. In his official interview, he refused to take back his last-year denunciation of stay-at-home orders as ‘fascist.’

“He stepped it up even further concerning vaccine mandates. ‘I am against forcing people to be vaccinated, not something we should do in America… ‘I believe we’ve got to watch out for the erosion of freedom in America.’…

“For some reason, people have a hard time understanding how someone could be for the right to accept the vaccine but also be against imposing it by force. And yet that position is clearly the most reasonable one, the one consistent with freedom, and good public health…

“Only a few weeks ago, he told the Wall Street Journal that the whole of the Democrats’ and Biden’s $1.9 trillion spending bill on infrastructure should be scrapped… There is nothing worth anything in it… What’s surprising is that someone so rich, so influential, so decisive to our present economic lives, would actually say openly what everyone knows… Musk… is now beyond being controlled or contrite at this point. In that way he is a very dangerous man, in the best possible way we can use that term. He had better watch his back.

“Today, the White House spokesman routinely says that no edicts against rights and freedom are ‘off the table.’ Anything is possible. Anything can happen. They will decide. No one says a word; the craven press believes this is just normal. It’s not. It’s dangerous…

“[Musk] began to realize that the governing elites in this country are incredibly inept and unwilling to take responsibility for their actions. He noted the completely undemocratic methods and the unscientific rationale that were deployed to bring about lockdowns. For that reason, he has been smeared and put down as a promoter of misinformation. Anyone who has paid attention for the last two years knows exactly what that means: he is telling truths he is not supposed to tell…”

Fauci and Lauterbach—the great Dividers

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on December 9:

“As Biden’s vaccine mandates continue to be smacked down by courts, as the Senate has held a bipartisan vote rejecting mandates, as even Democrats are…  ‘souring’ on vaccine mandates, Fauci was asked in a MSNBC interview whether it might be time to back down a bit. Not at all! – was Fauci’s response. If people won’t take the shots they must be forced to take the shots, he replied.”

Newsmax wrote on December 10:

“Fauci says families should ‘ask,’ and ‘maybe require’ that guests be vaccinated if they come over for holiday celebrations…”

Fauci’s clone or alter ego, Germany’s new Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, blows into the same horn. According to an article in Bild Online, dated December 10, [“Unvaccinated are hit now very hard” – “Ungeimpfte trifft es jetzt ganz hart”], he said in a discussion televised by ZDF:

https://www.bild.de/politik/talk-kritik/talk-kritk/omikron-debatte-im-zdf-lauterbach-ungeimpfte-trifft-es-ganz-hart-78500232.bild.html

“I will continue to say that one is perhaps only protected well with three vaccinations [“Ich werde immer wieder erklären, dass man nur mit drei Impfungen wahrscheinlich gut geschützt ist”.]… [Those who are not vaccinated] are not protected at all [“Die sind gar nicht geschützt!”].” He also stated that the vaccines can only be preserved for nine months. [“Der Impfstoff ist neun Monate lagerbar, tiefgekühlt”], and that Delta and Omicron can only be fought with the two pillars of booster shots and mandatory vaccination.” [“Delta und Omikron wirklich effektiv zu bekämpfen [ist] nur möglich mit den zwei Säulen Boosterimpfung und Impfpflicht.“]

Nothing was said that those who have had corona ARE protected because of natural immunity.

Wochenblick ran a lengthy article on December 10, stating that “Lauterbach continues to lie.” [“Lauterbach lügt weiter.”] 

California Joins the Corona Hysteria

NBC7 wrote on December 13:

“… the state announced Monday that beginning Wednesday, mask-wearing will become mandatory in all indoor public settings across California regardless of vaccination status. The mask mandate… will remain in place until Jan. 15.

“The state will also toughen the restriction for unvaccinated people who attend indoor ‘mega-events’ of 1,000 people or more, requiring them to receive a negative COVID-19 test within one day of the event if it’s a rapid antigen test or within two days for a PCR test… State officials will also recommend, but not require, that people who travel to California or return to the state after traveling be tested for COVID-19 within three to five days.”

Nothing else was to be expected from left-wing Governor Newsom.  

Is WH Press Secretary Jean Psaki for Real?

Fox News wrote on December 10:

“White House press secretary Jen Psaki suggested Friday that it is OK for kids to eat their lunches outside in cold temperatures in an effort to maintain safety amid the COVID 19 pandemic.

“Asked whether the White House wanted school children to ‘get back to a more normal school experience,’ Psaki insisted schools are having children practice social distancing measures, mask up, and eat their snacks and lunch in frigid outdoor temperatures in an effort to ‘keep their kids safe and keep students safe.’

“Psaki said she believes the ‘vast majority of parents appreciate’ such measures being taken by school systems to limit the spread of the coronavirus among elementary-aged school children.”

This is appalling. We would say that the vast majority of parents who have not been brainwashed by the left-wing propaganda, do NOT appreciate such measures being taken by autocratic school systems which endanger the health of our children much more than COVID could ever do.

Confusion regarding Mandatory Vaccinations

 Fisher Phillips wrote on December 16:

 “Serving up yet another curveball for healthcare employers, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals effectively reactivated the [Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services] CMS vaccination mandate across nearly half of the country with a surprise decision on Wednesday afternoon…

“… It is… possible that the vaccine mandate may have received only a brief reprieve. The Fifth Circuit stopped short of approving the mandate, ruling only that the Louisiana judge had exceeded his authority in enjoining the vaccine mandate nationwide.

“In states such as Florida and Tennessee – where the CMS mandate is reinstated and new state laws or executive orders have all but gutted employer vaccine mandates – a clear conflict exists between state and federal law on this issue. Although the CMS mandate clearly states its intention to supersede any contrary state or local law, it remains to be seen as to how long it remains in place, if at all.”

Bad Signs for Europe’s “Democracies”

The Local wrote on December 10:

“As the German parliament votes through a vaccine mandate for medical and care workers, the new Health Minister has clarified that people who avoid compulsory Covid jabs will face fines… ‘The imposition of fines is unavoidable,’ Lauterbach said… If someone doesn’t pay, the fines will have to be increased considerably, he said… [He] also spoke out in favour of a vaccine mandate for teachers and nursery school employees…

“From March 15th, 2022, employees in clinics, doctors’ surgeries and care homes will have to show proof that they are fully vaccinated – or present a doctor’s note explaining why they are unable to get their jabs…

“The step towards compulsory jabs for certain sections of the population follows similar moves by France, Italy, Britain and Greece. Neighbouring Austria plans to bring in a general vaccine mandate by next February, with fines of around €3,000 for people who still refuse to get their Covid jabs.

“Germany’s new Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said he is in favour of compulsory jabs [for] the general public…”

It does not look as if many of the European nations will ever return to a free democracy. Rather, the build-up to an authoritarian and dictatorial society is steadily and swiftly increasing.

The Propaganda against the Unvaccinated

The medical Journal, the Lancet, published an article by Guenther Kampf, “a prominent German researcher,” on November 20, which was referenced by the Ron Paul Institute on December 14:

“In the USA and Germany, high-level officials have used the term pandemic of the unvaccinated, suggesting that people who have been vaccinated are not relevant in the epidemiology of COVID-19. Officials’ use of this phrase might have encouraged one scientist to claim that ‘the unvaccinated threaten the vaccinated for COVID-19.’ But this view is far too simple.

“There is increasing evidence that vaccinated individuals continue to have a relevant role in transmission. In Massachusetts, USA, a total of 469 new COVID-19 cases were detected during various events in July, 2021, and 346 (74%) of these cases were in people who were fully or partly vaccinated, 274 (79%) of whom were symptomatic. Cycle threshold values were similarly low between people who were fully vaccinated (median 22·8) and people who were unvaccinated, not fully vaccinated, or whose vaccination status was unknown (median 21·5), indicating a high viral load even among people who were fully vaccinated.

“In the USA, a total of 10 262 COVID-19 cases were reported in vaccinated people by April 30, 2021, of whom 2725 (26·6%) were asymptomatic, 995 (9·7%) were hospitalised, and 160 (1·6%) died. In Germany, 55·4% of symptomatic COVID-19 cases in patients aged 60 years or older were in fully vaccinated individuals, and this proportion is increasing each week…

“People who are vaccinated… are still a relevant part of the pandemic. It is therefore wrong and dangerous to speak of a pandemic of the unvaccinated. Historically, both the USA and Germany have engendered negative experiences by stigmatising parts of the population for their skin colour or religion. I call on high-level officials and scientists to stop the inappropriate stigmatisation of unvaccinated people, who include our patients, colleagues, and other fellow citizens, and to put extra effort into bringing society together.”

AMEN!

Governmental Persecution of Christians in Europe

Christian Today wrote on December 9:

“A new report [by OIDAC] has identified the UK as one of the most challenging places for Christians in Europe amid a startling rise in anti-Christian hate crime across the continent…. It reveals a 70 per cent increase in anti-Christian hate crimes in Europe between 2019 and 2020, with the UK, Germany, France, Spain and Sweden forming the top five countries where Christians face the ‘most severe challenges’ for their faith… The hate crimes include… physical attacks on Christians, and restrictions on religious freedom, freedom of expression and parental rights…. It warned of ‘a strong and sometimes even extreme opposition to Christian morals derived from core beliefs’, and the increasing criminalisation of opinion.

“OIDAC director Madeleine Enzlberger said the 60-page report revealed a ‘worrisome phenomenon’… When Christians are forced to choose between their moral values and their professions; Christian students and speakers get silenced on campuses; when parental rights are trampled on by overreaching governmental interference or asylum claims of Christian refugees are arbitrarily denied; we often find that the main source of this intolerance and discrimination against Christians is due to a simple ignorance towards the problem or an explicit anti-Christian bias,’ she said.”

We should note that Germany is mentioned as one of the five top countries guilty of Christian persecution by the government.

The UN and the Lion with Wings

On December 9, Israel 365 wrote the following:

“A statue with Biblical implications has been erected recently outside the United Nations headquarters in New York City. The statue, entitled the ‘guardian for international peace and security, is situated on the Visitor’s Plaza outside UN Headquarters. According to the UN, the ‘guardian’ is a ‘fusion of jaguar and eagle.’ It was donated by the Government of Oaxaca, Mexico.

“Many have noticed an eerie similarity to Daniel’s dream in the Bible… His dream featured four beasts – a lion with wings, a bear with fangs, a four-winged leopard. The fourth beast had ten horns… The lion with wings represents Babylon. The bear represented Persia. The four-winged leopard represented Greece and the final most treacherous of them all represented Rome…”

In Daniel 7, four world-ruling empires are described and compared with wild beasts—the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Greco-Macedonian and Roman Empires. The first beast, the Babylonian Empire, is described as “a lion, and had eagle’s wings” (Daniel 7:4). Although the Babylonian Empire was replaced by the Medo-Persian Empire and ultimately absorbed by the ancient Roman Empire, it would experience a revival in these last days… in the form of a revived Roman Empire in Europe. The modern Chaldeans will lead that revival into an all-encompassing war. It is interesting that the UN headquarters would erect such a statue, claiming peace and security, but signifying dictatorial war-mongering world domination.

No War with Russia

An Editorial by Pat Buchanan of December 9, published by buchanan.org, states the following:

“A U.S. war with Russia over Ukraine would be a disaster for all three nations. Nor could the U.S. indefinitely guarantee the independence of a country 5,000 miles away that shares not only a lengthy border with Mother Russia but also a history, language, religion, ethnicity and culture…

“Forced to choose between accepting Russia’s demand that NATO stay out of Ukraine and Russia going in, the U.S. is not going to war.”

See our new StandingWatch program, titled, “War between Russia, America and Europe over Ukraine?”

America’s Cluelessness regarding Russia and Ukraine

Here are some comics which were published in the Week (December 10, 2021) on the Russia-Ukraine developments https://theweek.com/cartoons . Even though satirical, they DO point out the current danger of the situation and Biden’s cluelessness as to how to deal with it. .

Ukraine Hopes for Europeans to Intervene

The Telegraph wrote on December 9:

“Vladimir Putin will be emboldened to invade Ukraine if European Union countries don’t sign up to a package of sanctions to deter Russia, Ukraine’s country’s foreign minister has warned. Dmytro Kuleba told the Telegraph that Mr Putin’s goal was to ‘destroy Ukraine’ and that he would be more tempted to resort to military actions if Western allies do not quickly find agreement on punitive measures… The Kremlin has denied planning an attack, but has simultaneously signalled that it will go to war unless the West and Ukraine concede a list of demands…

“Meanwhile, Joe Biden… promised ‘additional military capabilities’ would be deployed in the region – although he ruled out sending forces to Ukraine.”

Tensions Escalate

Express wrote on December 13:

“President Putin has sent the notorious Buk-M1 medium-range surface to air missiles to the frontline of the conflict. The Buk became infamous in 2014 after a missile fired from a territory controlled by Russian proxies in eastern Ukraine shot down a Malaysian airline, killing all 298 people aboard.

“The news of Mr Putin sending in this deadly weapon does not bode well for peace talks between Russia, the US and Ukraine… Even if he does not launch a full-scale invasion, experts suggest Mr Putin may be leaving his troops and the Buk near the frontline as leverage for negotiations. However, Russian and western analysts also agree that this military buildup is a dire warning about a series of future crises over Ukraine…

“With over 175,000 personnel now ready in the region, the US has warned allies the Russian leader may be planning a renewed invasion for real this time. In the past few days alone, Mr Putin has likened Ukraine’s policy in the Donbas, the border region where Russia has led a slow-burning separatist war since 2014, to ‘genocide’ – words Kyiv fears may be a pretext to invade.

“The US has shared intelligence to convince even the most sceptical European allies that Mr Putin may be prepared to make good on Russia’s quasi-imperial ambitions early next year but has yet to conclude precisely when or if he may give the order to invade. Officials and analysts in Washington and Europe, and even people close to the Kremlin in Moscow, admit Putin’s true intentions with Ukraine remain a mystery.”

Russian-Chinese Cooperation

The New York Ledger wrote on December 15:

“Russian President Vladimir Putin sought to present a united front with Xi Jinping as the Kremlin said the Chinese leader supported Moscow’s demand for security guarantees that would limit western influence in its backyard. In remarks shown by Russian state television at the start of their 90-minute video call on Wednesday, Putin told his ‘dear friend’ Xi that ‘a new model of co-operation between our countries has formed on principles such as non-interference in internal affairs and respecting each other’s interests’…

“‘Certain international forces are interfering in the internal affairs of China and Russia, and trampling on international law and recognised norms of international relations,’ Xi added. ‘China and Russia should carry out more joint actions to safeguard the security interests of both parties.’”

While Russia is reportedly planning an invasion of Ukraine, China is reportedly planning an invasion of Taiwan.

Scholz NOT the new European Leader

Politico wrote on December 9:

“The power shift in Berlin this week sparked hopes around Europe and across the Atlantic that the new chancellor’s government would unfreeze Germany’s stance on everything from pipelines to Poland, reversing Angela Merkel’s why-can’t-we-all-be-friends approach to the world. Instead, they’re likely to get more of the same.

“For Germany’s international partners, that shouldn’t be reassuring. With serious tensions on Europe’s eastern flank, not to mention challenges the EU faces on its southern doorstep and its dealings with China and even the U.S., a divided Continent could use some leadership from its most populous country. It’s unlikely to get any…

“Germany’s new coalition promises to be a difficult partner for Washington…

“Germany’s future engagement with the world isn’t clear. It doesn’t suggest, however, that Germany… is eager to play a central role… If [Scholz] fails to act quickly, his international standing will melt long before summer.’

It should have been clear from the outset that Scholz and his left-wing coalition spell disaster for Germany.

France and Hungary United?

The Times wrote on December 14:

“President Macron smoothed over differences yesterday with Viktor Orban, the man he has defined as his European adversary, and won Hungarian support for French goals for EU defence, nuclear power and agriculture.

“The Hungarian prime minister… struck a relatively friendly note with the French leader, who was visiting Budapest to push his plans for an ambitious French turn in the rotating six-month presidency of the European Council. Four months from an election in which he hopes to win a second term, Macron is treating the usually routine EU role as a moment for France to shine on the global stage. ‘Hungary’s relation towards President Macron is that of respect,’ Orban said.”

Europe Is Losing It

Israel 365 wrote on December 8:

“After widespread criticism (including from the Pope) the European Union retracted a manual for communications that claims to promote religious and gender ‘inclusion’ but which many believe is anti-religion.

“The 32-page internal document called the ‘Union of Equality’ was released last month as an initiative of Ursula Gertrud von der Leyen, President of the European Commission to ensure that ‘everyone is valued and recognized’. The manual for EU officials was intended as a guide for how they should communicate in press briefings and social media. It recommended that EU representatives ‘update your language’…

“It also suggested using the phrase ‘first name’ rather than ‘Christian name’ and using names ‘Malika and Julio’ instead of ‘Mary and John’ to describe an ‘international couple’…

“The manual also instructed to avoid gender-referencing words such as ‘Man-made’ and ‘ladies and gentlemen,’ which should be replaced with more neutral phrases like… ‘dear colleagues.’ Words such as ‘chairman’ should be replaced by ‘chairperson’, and ‘policeman’ or ‘policewoman’ substituted for ‘police officer’, the guide said. It also recommended the word ‘stewardess’ be avoided in preference of ‘flight attendant’, and ‘principal’ be used instead of ‘headmaster’ or ‘headmistress’.

“Pope Francis reacted strongly to the EU statement, comparing it to other anti-religious ideologies. In a statement on Monday, the pontiff said, ‘In history many, many dictatorships have tried to do it. Think of Napoleon: from there… Think of the Nazi dictatorship, the communist one… it is a fashion of a watered-down secularism, distilled water… But this is something that throughout hasn’t worked… This could end up dividing the countries and [causing] the European Union to fail. The European Union must respect each country as it is structured within, the variety of countries, and not want to make them uniform.’

“‘[Nazism] ended up annihilating democratic life, indeed life itself with the death of the people, in becoming a bloody dictatorship,’ Pope Francis said… ‘This happens when there is a superpower that dictates economic, cultural, and social behavior to the other countries…’”

Now China

The Washington Free Beacon wrote on December 9:

“China’s military ‘will heavily attack U.S. troops who come to Taiwan’s rescue’ if a war between China and Taiwan breaks out, a possibility that is increasingly likely as the Communist regime readies its war machine on Taiwan’s borders.

“China’s latest threat to escalate tensions with Taiwan comes on the heels of remarks by National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, who said the United States is prepared to counter an attempt by China to forcefully seize Taiwan and bring it back into the Communist country’s orbit. The long-simmering standoff comes as the Biden administration confronts Russian attempts to invade Ukraine… China has been threatening to take Taiwan since the Biden administration took office.”

Biden’s troubles only mount, while he seems incapable of dealing with them.

You Must Not Tell the Truth

The Associated Press wrote on December 10:

“A Roman Catholic diocese in Sicily publicly apologized to outraged parents after its bishop told a group of children that Santa Claus doesn’t exist… The diocesan communications director, the Rev. Alessandro Paolino, said Stagliano was trying to underline the true meaning of Christmas and the story of St. Nicholas…  Italian news reports quoted Stagliano as saying during a recent religious festival that Santa doesn’t exist and that his red costume was created by the Coca-Cola company for publicity.

“‘First of all, on behalf of the bishop, I express my sorrow for this declaration which has created disappointment in the little ones…’ Paolino wrote on the diocesan Facebook page. ‘We certainly must not demolish the imagination of children, but draw good examples from it that are positive for life,’ he continued…

“While several welcomed the bishop’s attempt to focus on the Catholic meaning of Christmas, others faulted Stagliano for interfering with family traditions and celebrations, and crushing the spirits of children…”

So, one is willing to continue to LIE to their children and attack those who are daring to tell the truth.

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.

It is interesting when reviewing this question that many writers will agree that there are pagan connections to Christmas but conclude that it is still acceptable to keep the festival.

There was a special report on the BBC News website some years ago entitled “Whose Christmas is it anyway?,” which stated the following:

“Apparently, the season of good cheer did not start out as exclusively a Christian festival. According to Pagans, the early Christian church hijacked December 25 to celebrate the birth of Jesus because they saw that everyone was already having a good time and decided to take advantage of it.

“Historical debate has been raging for a long time over the exact date of the birth of Jesus Christ, with estimates ranging from sometime in September to much later in February.

“But the most important date in the festive season for Pagans is the winter solstice which always takes place around December 21. Called Yule, it is one of the traditional Celtic fire festivals and marks the return of the light after the longest night of the year.

“The Pagan Federation, an umbrella group for Pagan organisations, describes Paganism as a spiritual nature-venerating belief system rooted in the ancient nature religions of the world.”

In spite of so many understanding the roots of this worldly festival, there are still those, who with limpet-like qualities, cling tenaciously to the fact that “we know all of this, but it is fine to keep this end-of-year celebration”.

Let us look at several examples, although we could quote many more.  Because we believe that the examples shown are in gross error we have, for once, deliberately not put the source for the examples shown. Although they have been taken from websites that have published this information, the reasons they give are fairly generic, and to publish specific names when others have the same kind of reasoning could be seen as a personal attack on their set of beliefs.

EXAMPLE 1:

One commentator wrote on 25^th December 2020, the following in a long article, amongst many other similar assertions:

“This year of all years — with a clarity denied us in happier times — it is possible to recognise in Christmas its fundamentally Christian character. The light shining in the darkness proclaimed by the festival is a very theological light, one that promises redemption from the miseries of a fallen world. In a time of pandemic, when the festive season is haunted by the shadows of sickness and bereavement, of loneliness and disappointment, of poverty and dread, the power of this theology, one that has fuelled the celebration of Christmas for century after century, becomes easier, perhaps, to recognise than in a time of prosperity. The similarities shared by the feast day of Christ’s birth with other celebrations that, over the course of history, have been held in the dead of winter should not delude us into denying a truth so evident as to verge on the tautologous: Christmas is a thoroughly Christian festival.”

You have to wonder about the depth of deception that has been foisted on a deceived world by authors who can cleverly use words to show exactly the opposite of what is meant in the Word of God.

In his book “4000 Years of Christmas,” Earl W. Count writes: “‘The [Roman Catholic] Church finally succeeded in taking the merriment, the greenery, the lights, and the gifts from Saturn [a Roman sun god patterned after the Persian sun god Mithras] and giving them to the Babe of Bethlehem.’”  Mr Count is one of many authors who write extensively about the pagan roots of this end-of-year festival.

When considering the relevant Scriptures and some external sources, we can, indeed, find out the approximate time of Christ’s birth, but it is impossible to find out the exact date. It is all to do with King David who had divided the priests into several “courses” or divisions — that is, each group or “course” of priests was to serve God for a specific period of time. Luke 1:5-9 shows that Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, was of the course of Abijah (which courses are listed in 1 Chronicles 24) and that he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course or division. Each course lasted eight days — from Sabbath to Sabbath.  By studying this, it becomes clear that John was born in the spring and Jesus was born six months later – around late September or early October. It is clear that Jesus was born in the autumn — not on December 25.   For a full exposition of this important matter, please study this Q&A:

Therefore, to associate the light shining in the darkness—Jesus Christ—with Christmas is absolutely ridiculous. Christ was not born anywhere near Christmas. If we want to associate a “light” with Christmas, it would be Satan, who pretends to be an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14), and whom Christ saw fall from heaven like lightning (Luke 10:18).

EXAMPLE 2:

After questioning all of the trappings of this festive season, another writer asks a number of questions and then comes up with a conclusion.   To start with, the question is asked: “So can Christians have Christmas things?” and states the following:

“Since the pagan origins of Christmas have long passed and Christians no longer have any association with paganism and certain Christmas decorations, my personal view is that some decorations may or may not be harmless.

“Others, however, perhaps should be avoided. Is your tree the centerpiece of your house and does it distract from worship of God? Do you spend too much time decorating the tree instead of praying and having a Bible study with your family all while playing ‘O Christmas Tree’ pagan tree-worship songs? In this case, I believe you should not have the tree.

“The problem with avoiding holidays entirely could be you are the oddball. But if that’s what God wants, then it’s ok to be the oddball. After all, Halloween should definitely be avoided by Christians. But Christmas? I don’t know. At least, I’m not prepared myself to get rid of Christmas just yet. Maybe this will change, but for now I don’t feel convicted to eliminate and avoid Christmas entirely; just to avoid some things like mistletoe and ungodly things and ungodly songs.

“But you should pray and decide for yourself whether Christmas decorations are good for you and your family. Ask God to impress on your heart what He wants you to do, and surely God will show you.

“All that said, have a merry Christmas and a happy holiday full of joy and the love of Christ! And be sure to use this time as an opportunity to show the love of Christ to others one way or another!”

That seems to be fairly typical of the approach of many where accepting wrong practices is questioned but still going ahead with the celebrations.   In fact, this writer wishes everyone “a merry Christmas and a happy holiday,” even though he also says: “After all, Halloween should definitely be avoided by Christians. But Christmas? I don’t know. At least, I’m not prepared myself to get rid of Christmas just yet.”   There is no conviction in his argument, and Romans 14:23 states: “But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.”

The argument, as expressed above, that the pagan origins of Christmas have long passed and that Christians who keep Christmas have no association with paganism is blatantly false. In our booklet “Don’t Keep Christmas,” we read on pages 19-20 these observations under the heading “Counter Arguments of the Carnal Mind”:

“Some may respond by saying, ‘So what? Why not keep Christmas anyway? Even though Christmas is a pagan festival and its customs are pagan in origin, I do it to honor Christ. And even though the Bible doesn’t command us to keep it, doesn’t God give us the freedom to celebrate the birthday of His Son whenever we want? And further, if we don’t like the “paganism” associated with Christmas, why not just keep Christmas solely to honor Christ, while leaving all the pagan customs behind?’

“Yes, we humans can come up with all kinds of reasons to hang on to our traditions and beliefs.  We somehow want to justify our actions rather than coming to terms with the truth of the matter, and it quickly becomes evident how strongly our beliefs entrench our customs.  We don’t give up easily, even when shown to be wrong.

“For example, we know that Christmas has become totally commercialized, and it is being kept alive by commercialism. As U.S. News & World Report points out in its December 23, 1996 article, on page 64: ‘To turn Christmas into a purely religious celebration now might cheer those who want to “take back Christmas.”… But such an observance “would lack the cultural resonance and impact of a holiday deeply rooted in the marketplace.” If Christmas came to that… “we probably wouldn’t keep it as a society.”’

“And, while Christmas is widely touted as a time of ‘peace on earth and good will toward men,’ it is a well-known fact that Christmas is the time of year in the Western world when more crimes are committed than at any other time.  It is a time when alcoholism runs rampant.  It is a time when commerce reaches its peak of illogical and irresponsible conduct and behavior, and people incur credit card debts that they can never repay, only to fulfill their ‘obligation’ to give gifts to others.  Parents lie to their children, telling them that Santa Claus will come through the chimney to bring Christmas presents, and that if they don’t behave, Santa Claus won’t bring them presents at all.”

We know what the world says about Christmas, but what does God have to say about this celebration? Although the word “Christmas” is never used in the Bible, are there guidelines and principles on how to look at this issue?

One author explained the pagan origin of Christmas and its ongoing pagan “relevance,” as follows:

“It may sound silly to some people but not everyone believes Christmas is a Christian holiday. After all, we hear ‘Keep Christ in Christmas’ every year. It’s said to be all about the birth of Jesus. But not everyone believes this.

“Why? Because the Christmas tree, the toys given to children, Santa Clause, and his 8 tiny reindeer… had nothing to do with Jesus originally. Neither does the Easter bunny, for that matter. No, Christmas was originally a pagan celebration…

“Romans had a holiday known as Saturnalia, it was a time of lawlessness between December 17-25. During this holiday no one would be punished or brought to court for anything they did. This meant you could pretty much do anything you wanted.

“During this time each community would select a sacrifice. A person that they would force to indulge in every kind of pleasure they could and then on December 25th they would kill them. This was thought to be a method of destroying evil…

“If you have ever been to New Orleans LA. or Mobile AL. then you know about something called Mardi Gras. It’s a time of Parades where people dress in costumes and throw beads, toys, and Moon-pies. It’s called a family event in Mobile. But this is actually about as pagan as it gets.

“The holiday is actually all about gods and goddesses, parties of excessive drinking, and sexual pleasures. I know because I lived in Mobile, AL. most of my life.

“So what do the churches in the area do about this? Wait for it…THEY GO OUT AND THROW BEADS!!! What?! Why would they be celebrating such a thing?

“It’s because they want to be ‘relevant’ to the culture and use it as a method of ‘evangelism.’ While they are throwing beads and Moon-pies to people they are also trying to preach the gospel. So what you get is a mix of pagan and Christian influences.

“This is EXACTLY how Saturnalia became Christmas. People of the time tried to ‘evangelize’ the pagans by telling them they could still celebrate this holiday. The only problem is it didn’t have anything to do with Christ. So they began to say December 25th was the birthday of Jesus. And Christmas was born. A mix of pagan and Christian influences.”

In the next instalment, we will continue to address the fact that Christmas is pagan to the core, and that we are NOT to mix pagan customs with the worship of God, which further hammers home that the keeping of this festival should not be kept by those who are followers of Christ.

(To be continued)

Lead Writer: Brian Gale (United Kingdom)

compiled by Dave Harris

“Why Do We Lie to Our Children?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary: 

Are our children growing up with the truth or with lies? This program will examine many lies which parents tell their children, not realizing the great harm they are causing. We expose the lies of Christmas and Easter; evolution; sexual conduct; war and coronavirus restrictions; and we explain that while God cannot lie, it is Satan, the author of lies, whom we must resist.

“Warum belügen wir unsere Kinder?” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Why Do We Lie to Our Children?” 

Our Ministerial Conference for 2022 will take place on Friday, April 29; Sunday, May 1 and Monday, May 2. The Conference will again be conducted using SKYPE.

“Die Hoffnungsimpfung,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath in Germany by Andreas Raetz, is now posted. Title in English: “The Vaccination of Hope.”

“America’s Disastrous Downfall under Biden—Comments on News and Prophecy, December 11, 2021,” the first message presented last Sabbath by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

For over 20 years, we have told our audience what the future will bring, based on biblical prophecy. We have warned about ongoing worldwide dictatorships with autocratic governmental restrictions and mandates. In this report, we address the inevitable downfall of the USA under the failing Biden Administration, including inflation, unemployment, staggering costs of trillions of dollars for Biden’s proposed projects; and, following the Afghanistan debacle,  threats from China and Russia, which do not take the US President seriously. We address concerns about Joe Biden’s mental health and his repetition of his fabricated and at times slanderous stories;  and his unconstitutional vaccination mandates which are supported by Anthony Fauci, but which are smacked down by federal courts.

“Our Duty to Fulfill,” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Michael Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

We are in the beginning stages of self-destruction. The future for the world is heading towards a terrible time, as predicted in the book of Isaiah and Habakkuk.   Through man’s selfish desires they look to their own resources and reasoning, instead of looking to God and keeping His commandments.  There is hope however and God tells us how we can be saved, how we are to continue the work until Christ returns, so we can inherit everlasting life.