On December 13, 2025, Dave Harris will present the sermonette, titled, “Into the Future,” and Eric Rank will present the sermon, titled, “Maintaining Balance.”

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

Recently, on November 28, a Q&A written by Mr. Norbert Link was published on our website, eternalgod.org. The second question, “What do we read in general about true thankfulness to God for His physical blessings, even in difficult times, and how can Thanksgiving Day contribute to this attitude of thankfulness?” led me to the following reflection: “What do we really know about genuine gratitude for God – precisely for the peace He wants to give us, especially in difficult times?”

Currently, we are all living in a deeply stressful and depressing time, in which political decisions often show that citizens are being restricted by ongoing new regulations. At the same time, people around the world are feeling increasingly disappointed by a lack of transparency, dubious priorities and enormous spending on ideological projects. In addition, international decisions are leading to people being drawn into conflicts that are causing a high number of human casualties.

We are also seeing a significant change in society, with some people feeling that politicians are supporting certain social groups whose activities are having a major impact on public debate. One example is Antifa, a term used to describe anti-fascist radical left-wing groups that regularly call for demonstrations against right-wing extremism or authoritarian political developments.

There is also discussion about the role of political peace initiatives that show how military buildup, nuclear deterrence, or a return to mandatory military service are being promoted. For many, the idea of trying to create peace through military strength is frightening—like trying to dry up a river by pouring more water into it.

In my personal circle, I see every day how deep peoples’ dissatisfaction has become. You can not only feel it, but you can also hear it almost daily in every sentence that alternates between worry and exhaustion.

Many people carry fears within them that are reinforced by discussions and negative headlines in the media. There are fears of a new, second pandemic due to a mysterious “disease X,” as well as fears of a major blackout, a widespread power failure that could paralyze entire cities, as recently happened in Spain. Added to this is the uncertainty surrounding digitalization, surveillance, and changes to the monetary system. Issues such as the “surveilled citizen,” a digital euro, or a possible “social credit system” are suddenly much more prominent.

There are also concerns about geopolitical tensions and the grim scenarios that are circulating, from an allegedly imminent war with Russia in 2029 to global changes that are being discussed under slogans such as “Great Reset.”

Then there are many other events that we can glean from our weekly Current Events. We could mention the recent civil war-like riots on November 29, 2025, in Giessen, Germany, where many left-wingers violently demonstrated against a new AfD youth organization.

Moreover, we may have our own personal burdens and the struggles of everyday life, which demand a lot from us and keep us constantly on the move.

When we consider all these impressions that are reaching us now – what we see, hear, and in some cases experience ourselves – a quiet, oppressive feeling may remain, because the problems addressed here are very real and by no means trivial—and they are indeed a legitimate cause for concern. Do all these developments affect our inner peace and quality of life, which we strive for?

All these scenarios, as terrible as they are, must not rob us of our inner peace and the quality of life we long for. Rather, we see them as signs of the times and therefore know that Christ will return to earth very soon and judge all injustice!

Especially now, in such difficult times, we should have genuine gratitude toward God, especially for the peace He wants to give us.

Isaiah 26:3-4 tells us: “You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. Trust in the LORD forever, For in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength.”

David wrote in Psalm 29:11: “The LORD will give strength to His people; The LORD will bless His people with peace.”

Christ said: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).

Christ also gives us courage, for His peace will sustain us even in the midst of difficult times, saying, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Paul also reminds us again and again how important it is to be thankful for this peace that Christ gives us: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

He concludes the 12th chapter of the letter to the Hebrews with these words: “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:28-29).

If we always trust in God, He will give us His peace, which provides us with peace of mind, tranquility, strength, and courage, even in difficult times. Gratitude opens our hearts to His peace, and so God’s Word reminds us repeatedly of what will truly endure: His peace, which is stronger than anything that can shake us.

Initial Translation: Daniel Blasinger

We begin with escalating disagreements and strongly worded accusations between the USA and the EU. Please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “The War Between America and Europe Has Begun.” 

We continue with troublesome events in Germany and Europe’s frightening rearmament. We also point out problems and blatant differences between European and American viewpoints in regard to Ukraine.

We speak on America’s highly controversial and possibly illegal attacks on boats and the extermination of their occupants on the high seas and contradictory “explanations” and “justifications” by the Trump Administration; and the US Supreme Court’s published intention to finally rule on the birthright citizenship question.

We address the “shameless” and embarrassing performance of FIFA boss Gianni Infantino in relation to Donald Trump; and we conclude with the warning that the United Kingdom is heading to “a very dark place.”  Throughout this section, we have underlined pertinent statements in the quoted articles, for the convenience and quick overview of the reader.    

U.S. Gives Europe Three-Year Ultimatum 

Espreso wrote on December 5: 

“The Pentagon has informed European diplomats that the United States expects NATO’s European members to take control of the alliance’s conventional defense operations by 2027… The ultimatum marks a significant departure from decades of American military leadership in the transatlantic partnership. 

“During meetings with European delegations, Defense Department officials indicated that recent European efforts to strengthen military capabilities following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine have fallen short of expectations. Pentagon representatives warned that failure to meet the deadline could result in the United States withdrawing from certain NATO coordination mechanisms… 

“The European Union has already established its own target of achieving independent defense readiness by 2030, acknowledging substantial gaps in air defense, drone technology, cyber warfare, and ammunition production. Defense analysts consider even that more extended deadline highly ambitious…” 

Is the USA inadvertently and foolishly creating a Frankenstein monster? 

Trump Warns Europe of Losing National Identity 

The Guardian wrote on December 5: 

“[A new American strategy] document, with a signed introduction by Trump, says Europe is in economic decline but its ‘real problems are even deeper’, including ‘activities of the EU that undermine political liberty and sovereignty, migration policies that are transforming the continent, censorship of free speech and suppression of political opposition … and loss of national identities’… 

“The 33-page exposition…  appears to espouse the… ‘great replacement’ conspiracy theory [which claims ethnic white European populations are deliberately being replaced by non-white peoples], saying several countries risk becoming ‘majority non-European’ and Europe faces ‘the real and stark prospect of civilisational erasure’… 

“The policy document, released by the White House late on Thursday, underscores the Trump administration’s clear alignment with Europe’s far-right nationalist parties, whose policies centre on attacking supposed EU overreach and excessive non-EU migration… With far-right parties either in government, supporting rightwing coalitions or leading in the polls in several EU member states, the document says the ‘growing influence of patriotic European parties … gives cause for great optimism’.” 

Europe is not amused. Note the next article. 

“Mind Your Own Business” 

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 5: 

“German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (CDU)… said Berlin did not need external lectures on freedom of expression or the organization of democratic societies… 

“Jürgen Hardt, the foreign policy spokesman of Germany’s ruling conservative CDU/CSU alliance was also critical of the US strategy. ‘The assessment of the US president on Europe, it’s very much single colored, maybe due to information he got from the wrong sides like right [wing] radical parties in Europe, or sometimes it sounds like [Russian President Vladimir] Putin talking about Europe,’ Hardt told DW. 

“Hardt expressed concerns about the US strategy, suggesting Trump ‘wants to engage actively in politics in European Union member states.’ ‘We did not [engage] in the US, and we expect that the US is not doing so in German democracies,’ he said… 

“The European Commission strongly rejected the accusations against the EU that the US strategy made.” 

Trump to Divide Europe?

The Daily Mail wrote on December 11:

“A US defense website claims to have seen a leaked document unveiling a dramatic US proposal to prise four countries away from the European Union…  The secret file, reported by Defense One, supposedly claims Trump intends to pull Austria, Italy, Hungary and Poland away from the EU and closer in to Washington’s circle of influence – a move that would rip through the continent’s political landscape…

“The White House has since come out swinging, vehemently denying the claims as the leak triggered widespread alarm among European media outlets and spiralled across social platforms…

“But Defense One upped the stakes hours later, publishing extracts from what it described as a ‘fuller version’ of the strategy that reportedly circulated behind closed doors before the White House unveiled the public edition. According to the outlet, the more expansive draft explicitly listed Poland, Austria, Italy and Hungary as countries the US should ‘work more with… with the goal of pulling them away from the [European Union].’..

“The reaction to the strategy from Europe was instant and furious…”

 Austria responded by condemning Trump’s planned strategy. It is clear that they accept the leaked document as genuine.

The US No Longer on Europe’s Side 

Bild Online wrote on December 8: 

“The new US ‘National Security Strategy’ is changing the world – and times will change even more rapidly for Europe and Germany than before. Experts are concerned and making dramatic predictions… 

“A top foreign policy expert is now outlining the painful consequences for Germany. ‘The new US foreign policy stance is a second turning point,’ said Norbert Röttgen, deputy chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group. ‘For the first time since the end of World War II, the US is no longer on the side of the Europeans. It is no longer on the side of Ukraine, a country against which a brutal war of annihilation is being waged in violation of international law.'” 

Europeans See a Hostile U.S. 

The Washington Post wrote on December 9: 

“Relations between the U.S. and Europe hit a low point as President Donald Trump’s security strategy slams Europe but largely ignores threats from Russia and China… 

“A new U.S. national security strategy berating Europe has triggered a wave of acrimony across the Atlantic, enraging and dismaying European officials who say the document has turned the Trump administration’s vitriol against European democracies into formal policy. 

“President Donald Trump’s push to halt the war in Ukraine on terms favorable to Russia, as well as the European Union’s announcement Friday of a roughly $140 million fine against X for violating the bloc’s digital rules, have fueled the fire, pushing transatlantic relations to their lowest point since Trump returned to the White House in January. 

“Elon Musk, the owner of X, is calling for abolishing the E.U., and Trump supporters are railing against the 27-nation bloc… Tensions erupted after the U.S. strategy painted the E.U. as a bigger threat than Russia or China… The document lays bare the depth of the rift in the 80-year-old Western alliance, European officials and analysts say, and serves as proof that European nations should strive for greater military independence. 

“From the start of Trump’s term, the president’s inner circle has bashed Europe… European Council President António Costa… urged Europe to understand that ‘post-World War II alliances have changed’ and to get ready to ‘protect ourselves not only against our adversaries, but also against the allies who challenge us.’… 

“Former E.U. commissioner Thierry Breton [stated] that the ‘very shocking’ document puts it ‘in black and white’ that the White House sees European institutions ‘as an enemy’ it wants to ‘destabilize.’… 

“This is certainly not the first transatlantic rift. During George W. Bush’s administration, there was a bitter split over the U.S. invasion of Iraq, and Trump’s first term was also divisive. But polling this year suggests growing alienation, with more and more Europeans viewing ties with America negatively or even as adversarial… Trump once said the E.U… was formed to ‘screw’ the United States… 

“But not everyone was displeased by the U.S. vision for Europe. The Alternative for Germany (AfD)… cheered the security strategy as ‘a foreign policy reality check for Europe, and especially for Germany.’ Hungary’s… prime minister, Viktor Orban… praised Musk ‘for holding the line’ against what he called an ‘attack on X’…  As Europeans fumed, Moscow welcomed aspects of the new U.S. strategy… 

“Some, however, criticized E.U. and national leaders for not hitting back harder. The E.U.’s former top diplomat, Josep Borrell, on Tuesday called the U.S. strategy ‘a declaration of political war’… Borrell called on European leaders to ‘stop pretending that Trump is not our adversary, hiding behind a fearful and complacent silence, and instead assert the EU’s sovereignty.’” 

Trump’s Interview with Politico 

Politico wrote on December 12: 

“President Donald Trump denounced Europe as a ‘decaying’ group of nations led by ‘weak’ people in an interview with POLITICO, belittling the traditional U.S. allies for failing to control migration and end the Russia-Ukraine war… The broadside attack against European political leadership represents the president’s most virulent denunciation to date of these Western democracies, threatening a decisive rupture with countries like France and Germany that already have deeply strained relations with the Trump administration… 

“In recent days, European capitals have shuddered with dismay at the release of Trump’s new National Security Strategy, a highly provocative manifesto that cast the Trump administration in opposition to the mainstream European political establishment… In the interview, Trump amplified that worldview.” 

Trump also said this in the interview:

“… if it keeps going the way it’s going, Europe will not be … in my opinion, uh, many of those countries will not be viable countries any longer. Their immigration policy is a disaster. What they’re doing with immigration is a disaster…. Europe, they’re coming in from all parts of the world. Not just the Middle East, they’re coming in from the Congo, tremendous numbers of people coming from the Congo. And even worse, they’re coming from prisons of the Congo and many other countries.” 

When asked whether the USA and Europe will remain allies, he answered: 

“You know, it depends. They’ll change their ideology, obviously, because the people coming in have a totally different ideology. But uh, it’s uh … it’s gonna make them much weaker. They’ll be a much … they’ll be much weaker, and they’ll be much different… When they allow millions of people to pour into their countries, many of these people are committing tremendous crimes…  I get reports that you will never see. And I think it’s horrible what’s happening to Europe. I think it’s endangering Europe as we know it.” 

“Europe—You Are on Your Own!” 

On December 10, The Daily Mail published the following article by Andrew Neil:

“Donald Trump to Europe: ‘You’re on your own, losers. Bye!’ That’s the blunt message at the heart of his administration’s new National Security Strategy… 

“Now, in a lot of what Trump has to say about Europe, he’s not wrong. Europe is indeed cursed with a weak and feckless leadership… Even so, the implications of Trump’s new strategy document are chilling… It would be hard to think of a more dramatic rupture between America and the governing elites of Europe’s most important countries, including Germany, France and even Britain. If Trump truly means what his strategy paper says, it’s hard to see Nato in its current guise surviving for long… 

“His Ukraine peace plan is going nowhere. I suspect he’ll simply throw his toys out of the pram and give up, abandoning Europe at a time when it is ill-equipped to stand on its own two feet… even as Putin, encouraged by Trump’s indifference, grows more emboldened on Europe’s eastern borders.” 

EU’s Fine of Musk Attack on America? 

Fox Business wrote on December 6: 

“Elon Musk and Trump administration officials delivered blistering criticism of the European Union after its executive branch issued a $140 million fine against Musk’s social media platform, X. ‘The EU should be abolished and sovereignty returned to individual countries, so that governments can better represent their people,’ Musk wrote on X on Saturday.. 

“The European Commission said Friday it was fining X for ‘non-compliance with transparency obligations’ under the Digital Services Act (DSA), adding that it was specifically ‘holding X accountable’ for what the EU deems ‘deceptive’ design of X’s ‘blue checkmark,’ a ‘lack of transparency of its advertising repository,’ and ‘failure to provide access to public data for researchers.’ …

“On Friday, in response to an X post from Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, calling the fine an ‘abomination’ and saying that President Donald Trump should impose sanctions ‘until this travesty is reversed,’ Musk replied, ‘The “EU” imposed this crazy fine not just on X, but also on me personally, which is even more insane! Therefore, it would seem appropriate to apply our response not just to the EU, but also to the individuals who took this action against me,’ Musk wrote… 

“Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on X that the fine ‘isn’t just an attack on X, it’s an attack on all American tech platforms and the American people by foreign governments.’.. 

“Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on X, ‘The Digital Services Act is designed to stifle free speech and American tech companies…’ 

“‘Foreign bureaucrats have zero right to tell Americans what they can and can’t say,’ added Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo….” 

At the same time, the Trump Administration tries to tell Europeans what they can and can’t say (note the articles above). 

Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau posted on X: 

“What’s even worse is that the US is in a MILITARY ALLIANCE with the very countries attacking us via the EU. As noted earlier this year, this contradiction cannot continue. The nations of Europe cannot look to the US for their own security at the same time they affirmatively undermine the security of the US itself through the (unelected, undemocratic, and unrepresentative) EU. This fine is just the tip of the iceberg. As I mentioned to every European leader I just met at the NATO Ministerial Meeting in Brussels, the EU’s support of the Communist and anti-American regime in Cuba is another striking example of the EU affirmatively undermining US security while the vast majority of its member states look to the US for their own security via NATO… the time for games is over.”

This is tough language, showing that the “friendship” between the USA and the EU is declining fast. 

EU Censors US? 

On December 8, 2025, Zerohedge published the following article by Tyler Durden: 

“Elon Musk is not taking the outrageous fine from Brussels bureaucrats lying down, lashing out at EU officialdom for taking on Nazi characteristics and oppressing their own citizens’ best interests… Musk also re-shared a post about Irish teacher Enoch Burke, who was jailed for refusing to use transgender pronouns, and later replied to another user, ‘So many politicians in Europe who are traitors to their own people.’ And Musk highlighted the fact that Meta has a verification program similar to X’s, yet the EU hasn’t onerously fined the more censorship-prone Meta… 

“The EU has virtually declared war on free speech and is targeting American companies… Not surprisingly, X was the chosen target – a company blamed by many in the EU and the U.S. for rolling back free-speech protections. In essence, it’s punishment for not bending the knee to the EU’s iron-fisted control over online content… This isn’t a one-off slap; it’s the culmination of years of threats and harassment… Further, Musk brings receipts showing the European Union sent him a formal letter demanding that he censor Donald Trump during the 2024 US presidential election… 

“At the heart of it all is the EU’s obsession with controlling information flows… These moves expose the hypocrisy: the EU claims to champion democracy but builds an Orwellian apparatus that monitors, scans, and punishes speech. It’s not about safety—it’s about power. This latest EU assault on X has infuriated US Vice President JD Vance, who yesterday, as rumors of the impending penalty circulated, took to X and posted: ‘The EU should be supporting free speech not attacking American companies over garbage.’…  German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius called Vance’s opinions ‘unacceptable,’ proving Vance’s point about normalized authoritarianism… 

“With Trump back in the White House and Vance as a key ally, expect pushback: America won’t stand idly by as allies erode the very freedoms that define the West. The $140 million hit on X isn’t just a fine—it’s a declaration of war on uncensored dialogue. Musk’s platform remains one of the last major outposts where ideas flow freely, unhampered by globalist filters. As the EU tightens its grip, the message is clear: comply or be crushed… This is just the first salvo in a war that some of us have warned is coming.” 

Voluntary Military Service in Germany – For Now! 

BBC wrote on December 5: 

“Germany’s parliament, the Bundestag, has voted to introduce voluntary military service… It marks a significant shift in Germany’s approach to its military and follows Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s push to create Europe’s strongest conventional army. 

“The change means that all 18-year-olds in Germany will be sent a questionnaire from January 2026 asking if they are interested and willing to join the armed forces. The form will be mandatory for men and voluntary for women. 

“Students at schools across Germany have said they will join strikes in as many as 90 cities on Friday to protest against the move… Many young Germans either oppose the new law or are sceptical. ‘We don’t want to spend half a year of our lives locked up in barracks, being trained in drill and obedience and learning to kill,’ the organisers of the protests wrote in a statement posted on social media. ‘War offers no prospects for the future and destroys our livelihoods.’ In Hamburg alone, about 1,500 people were expected to join the protests, and school head teachers warned parents not to take their children out of school for the day. 

“The government says military service will be voluntary for as long as possible, but from July 2027, all 18-year-old men will have to take a medical exam to assess their fitness for possible military service… While the plan is for voluntary service, if the security situation worsens or if too few volunteers came forward, a form of compulsory military service could be considered by the Bundestag…” 

Many young people see the writing on the wall. Politicians don’t care and move full steam ahead. Note the next article.

Young Germans Opposed to Conscription 

Sky News reported on December 6: 

“Across the country, students gathered to demonstrate against what they fear will be a return to conscription. In Berlin, they held signs saying, ‘You can’t have our lives if we don’t eat your lies’… 

“While most demonstrators were in their late teens or twenties, some parents also turned out with their younger children. One mother held a placard declaring: ‘You can’t have my son’… ‘None of us want to die for a country that doesn’t really care about us,’ [a student] tells me… [Another demonstrator said:] ‘I don’t think it’s right to send children or anyone against their will into the military, because war is just wrong…’ 

“‘From my friends no one wants to volunteer because we don’t want to fight for a problem that’s not really ours. We didn’t start the problems, they [the government] did,’ says [another student.]” 

Europe Is Arming Fast 

Patreon wrote on December 5: 

“Europe is undergoing one of its most consequential military transformations in decades, led by a Germany that is quietly but decisively reshaping the continent’s defence architecture. Berlin has unveiled a sweeping €377 billion, 39-page procurement blueprint designed to forge what officials now openly call ‘the strongest conventional army in Europe.’ This unprecedented rearmament push, spanning land, air, sea, cyber and space, marks a fundamental departure from Germany’s post-Cold War posture — and signals the emergence of a nation preparing for confrontation in the absence of any direct, imminent threat. 

“Politically, the shift has been accelerated by conservative leader Friedrich Merz, who has argued that the Bundeswehr must be given ‘all the financial resources it needs.’ Behind that message lies a reordering of national priorities: cuts to social spending paired with record-scale defence investments. With Germany carving military spending out of its constitutional debt brake, Berlin now has the ability to sustain vast, multi-year procurement programmes. More than 320 new weapons projects are planned for the next budget cycle alone, with nearly half ready to be awarded to contractors — overwhelmingly German firms. Rheinmetall leads the pack, poised to receive more than €88 billion, followed by missile-maker Diehl Defence. 

“Germany’s ambitions extend far beyond terrestrial borders. More than €14 billion is earmarked for new satellite capabilities, including a €9.5 billion low-Earth-orbit constellation, forming the backbone of a €35 billion push into military space systems.

“But Germany is not alone. Poland has emerged as a central European military power, with its defence budget tripling in a decade and reaching 4.12 percent of GDP in 2024 — the highest in NATO… these developments signal a new European chapter defined by rearmament, industrial revival and rising geopolitical tensions — with profound implications for citizens, budgets and the continent’s long-term stability.” 

“Stop Relying on Washington” 

Politico wrote on December 4: 

“It’s time for Europeans to stop trailing behind Donald Trump and instead draw up their own peace plan for Ukraine, Defense Commissioner [and former Lithuanian prime minister] Andrius Kubilius told POLITICO. 

“The EU ‘needs to be independent or at least be ready to be strong in geopolitical developments, including to have our plans on how peace in Ukraine can be brought and to discuss them with our transatlantic partners,’ Kubilius said.” 

He also said that Europe needs to stop relying on US-led proposals. 

Finland Not Ready to Give NATO-Style Guarantees to Ukraine

Helsinki Times wrote on December 2: 

“Finland will not offer NATO-style security guarantees to Ukraine, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said on Tuesday. Speaking at a joint press conference with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson in Espoo, Orpo confirmed that Finland is prepared to assist in developing Ukraine’s security structures [through logistical and organizational support], but not to provide commitments comparable to NATO’s Article 5… 

“Orpo emphasised that only major powers such as the United States or larger European countries could realistically commit to security guarantees… Kristersson… said he would not comment directly on the guarantee issue but stated that Ukraine’s strongest protection is its own armed forces. He said European support should focus on helping Ukraine maintain a capable military.” 

Belgium Opposed to Freezing Russian Assets 

The Press United wrote on December 3: 

“Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever has launched a new attack on the EU’s plan to use frozen Russian assets for a loan to Ukraine, describing it as ‘a complete illusion’ to think that Kiev could defeat Moscow and force it to pay reparations. 

“Under the proposal, the bloc would leverage about €140 billion ($162 billion) in immobilized Russian sovereign assets – most of them held at Brussels-based clearing house Euroclear – to guarantee a so-called ‘reparations loan’ for Ukraine. Belgium has vehemently protested the plan… 

“Russia, meanwhile, has branded such ideas ‘theft’ and warned of far-reaching legal and retaliatory steps if its reserves are stolen… 

“The Belgian leader further warned that Moscow would not ‘calmly accept’ confiscation, pointing to the risk that Russia could seize Western-owned factories and some €16 billion ($18.6 billion) held by Euroclear in Russia. He added that Belarus or China could follow suit by targeting Western assets on their soil.” 

Russian Money for Ukraine to the US? 

Handelsblatt wrote on December 4: 

“A new dispute is brewing between the EU and the US: It concerns the use of the €210 billion of the Russian central bank’s assets frozen in Europe. The EU wants to access these assets to support Ukraine. But Washington has its own plans.

“In an interview with Handelsblatt, the US ambassador to the EU, Andrew Puzder, said he expects the assets to be used according to American wishes. From the US perspective, the seized billions are part of the bargaining chips for peace talks with Moscow… 

“In a guest article published Wednesday in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) reaffirmed that Europe cannot ‘leave the decision to other, non-European states regarding what happens to the financial resources of an aggressor that have been legally frozen within the jurisdiction of our rule of law and in our own currency.’”

Tagesschau added on December 5: 

“Merz rejects US demands to transfer a large portion of the funds to the United States. ‘This money must flow to Ukraine and help Ukraine.’ The US government is also aware of this position [according to Merz].” 

There are now many areas where the USA and the EU disagree fundamentally.

Zelensky Rejects Trump’s “Peace Plan” 

MSN wrote on December 8: 

“Ukraine will not surrender territory, President Volodymyr Zelensky declared Monday, rejecting a central Russian demand that President Donald Trump had incorporated into his latest proposal to end the Kremlin’s war. ‘Under our laws, under international law — and under moral law — we have no right to give anything away,’ Zelensky said, after meeting with top European leaders to discuss Trump’s plan Monday. ‘That is what we are fighting for.’ The unequivocal declaration that Ukraine will not surrender land could mark the collapse of Trump’s plan, which critics condemned as fulfilling a wish list of Russian President Vladimir Putin… 

“Zelensky said Ukraine will not surrender its territory in the eastern Donbas region — not to hasten peace talks, not to satisfy Washington’s push for compromise and not under pressure from Moscow’s continuing military onslaught… Trump over the weekend again cast Kyiv as the obstacle to the American-championed proposal, accusing Zelensky of slow-walking the plan, even as Moscow has shown little, if any, willingness to compromise on its maximalist demands. 

“Trump’s continuing pressure, including his stern tone toward Ukraine and apparent openness to granting Putin’s territorial claims, has unnerved European capitals… Even before Zelensky’s outright rejection of ceding land, Ukraine and its European supporters voiced deep apprehension about Trump’s initiative, which some said originally was so favorable to Russia that they believed it had been drafted by the Kremlin…” 

Merz and Spahn At Odds

Bild Online wrote on December 5: 

“Distrust reigns between the CDU/CSU and the SPD. Many MPs no longer trust their coalition partner… 

“Furthermore, Merz and his parliamentary group leader Jens Spahn have even more opponents within their own ranks as of today. Many MPs resent the way they were pressured before the vote [on the pension issue]…

When Merz falls, will Spahn survive? 

Merz for a Two-State Solution 

ntv wrote on December 7: 

“A meeting between the Chancellor and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is planned. At the meeting, Merz says he wants to promote the implementation of the two-state solution, i.e. the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel. 

“He also wants to call on Israel to provide better humanitarian care for the people in the Gaza Strip. The Chancellor also wants to raise the tense situation in the West Bank…” 

It was only a matter of time before Merz, who proclaimed strong support for Israel, would stab Israel in the back. 

China’s New Warrior Robots 

Interesting Engineering wrote on December 3: 

“China has showcased its new type of military robot during a recent event. The robot is reportedly capable of matching every move of soldiers using artificial intelligence… The new combat robot is claimed to be an effort of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to develop autonomous combat systems for modern warfare. The Asian giant previously showcased gun-toting robotic dogs… 

“The report revealed that the new robotic system works by having a human operator wear a motion-sensing suit; whatever moves the person makes — punches, defensive maneuvers, or other actions — the robot replicates almost instantly.”

The Bible speaks about 200 million “horsemen” from the Far East invading Europe. Warrior robots seem to play a big part in this number. 

“Listen to the People, President Trump — They Really DO Feel Economic Pain” 

The conservative and Trump-friendly New York Post Editorial Board wrote on December 8: 

“President Donald Trump… needs to be careful: Slamming Democrats’ talk of ‘affordability’ as a ‘con job’… make it seem he doesn’t think people are suffering… [He] must admit the frustration is painfully real: Three-quarters of Americans view the economy negatively, a Fox News survey found last month. That’s up from the 70% who felt that way at the end of Joe Biden’s presidency. 

“Nearly half say Trump’s policies have hurt the economy, vs. just 15% who say they’ve helped… when voters feel pain, they don’t take well to being told they’re just wrong… prices… are still rising, with inflation stuck about 3%; wage growth is also slow, particularly for lower-income workers. 

“Trump’s tariffs are partly to blame; for example, new cars, whose prices are significantly affected by import fees, now average a mind-blowing $50,000, per Kelley Blue Book… voters elected him to fix things — and so far they haven’t seen great progress…. 

“Ending wars is great, but pretty distant from the kitchen table. With the midterm elections just 11 months off, Trump can’t afford to ignore [the economy].”

But Trump Is Not Listening!!! 

ABC News wrote on December 9: 

“In a speech the White House billed as President Donald Trump’s kickoff event for a tour around the country focused on his economic agenda ahead of next year’s midterm elections, Trump passed off any blame for high costs onto his predecessor almost a year into his second term. 

“Speaking for nearly an hour and 40 minutes, Trump strayed from the issue of affordability, launching into derogatory language to call out his political opponents, and prompting his supporters into a ‘Send her back’ chant about Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar.” 

“Kill Them All” 

The Ron Paul Institute published on December 4 the following article by Judge Andrew P. Napolitano: 

“When Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth posted a meme of Franklin the Turtle, the amiable child’s cartoon character, in a helicopter using a military weapon to kill people in a small boat below him, and captioned it ‘For your Christmas wish list,’ it understandably caused an uproar. Should the secretary of defense be mocking the people his troops have killed? Should he engage a child’s cartoon character to produce this mockery? Should anyone in his right mind, who professes to understand Christianity, suggest that this killing should be on a child’s Christmas wish list? Should he be killing nonviolent boatpeople?… 

“President Donald Trump has ordered the Department of Defense to annihilate persons in speedboats in the Caribbean Sea, 1,500 miles from the United States and elsewhere. The true targets of these killings are not the boats but the persons in the boats. We know this because the president has stated so, and because in a particularly gruesome event, two survivors of an initial attack on Sept. 2, 2025, who were clinging to the broken remains of their boat hoping to be rescued, were hit with a second attack, which obliterated them… 

“These killings constitute murder under federal law and under international law, and persons who use the force of government to commit murder may themselves be prosecuted for it in US courts, courts of the countries from which their victims came, and in international courts. These killings constitute murder because none of the 81 dead boatpeople was engaged in any violence at the times of their deaths… If the police see a nonviolent person distributing dangerous drugs in an American city, can they summarily kill that person? Of course not… 

“The Washington Post reported that seven sources — seven — informed its reporters that when military personnel saw two boat survivors floating at sea, they asked the chain of command what to do. Under the law, the military had a duty to rescue the folks they tried and failed to murder.

“These seven persons have corroborated that Hegseth verbally ordered that the two survivors be killed — an order he denies having given, but which the White House has confirmed, laughably calling it ‘self-defense.’ That’s when Hegseth posted his macabre, revolting, anti-Christian suggestion of murder for Christmas.” 

On December 4, Newsmax wrote: 

“A Navy admiral told lawmakers Thursday that there was no ‘kill them all’ order… Adm. Frank ‘Mitch’ Bradley ‘was very clear that he was given no such order, to give no quarter or to kill them all…’ said Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark..” 

Both accounts cannot be correct. It is clear that someone is lying. 

Still Justified? 

The Guardian reported on December 5 

“The US admiral who directed an attack on suspected drug smugglers in the Caribbean on 2 September told lawmakers this week that the small boat destroyed by the US military is a series of strikes was moving narcotics to a larger vessel bound for the South American nation of Suriname, not the United States… Suriname is a transit country for South American cocaine [not fentanyl], the majority of which is likely destined for Europe…” 

CNN added on December 6: 

“Bradley argued there was still a possibility the drug shipment could have ultimately made its way from Suriname to the US…, telling lawmakers that justified striking the smaller boat even if it wasn’t directly heading to US shores at the time it was hit…. The new detail adds yet another wrinkle to the Trump administration’s argument that striking the boat multiple times, and killing survivors, was necessary in order to protect the US from an imminent threat… 

“The US military ultimately struck the boat four times—the first time splitting the boat in half and leaving two survivors clinging to a capsized portion…  The second, third and fourth strikes killed them and sunk the vessel. The survivors were also waving at something in the air… although it’s unclear whether they might have been surrendering or asking the US aircraft they had spotted for help.”

Whether legal or not, according to man’s laws, all these actions are sinful and ungodly according to God’s standards. 

Minister of War Pete Hegseth—How the Times Have Changed 

CNN Politics wrote on December 8: 

“In 2016, as then-presidential candidate Donald Trump vowed that US troops would carry out even his most extreme battlefield orders as commander in chief — some of which former military leaders said would be illegal — Pete Hegseth warned that service members had a duty to refuse unlawful orders from a potential President Trump… 

“As a Fox News contributor and former Army National Guard officer, Hegseth was frequently asked to weigh in on Trump’s national security proposals, and in the 2016 appearances he echoed that consensus view: that service members could face criminal consequences for carrying out illegal commands, that the military’s ethos requires refusing such orders, and that military members may have to refuse Trump.” 

What happened? It’s a rhetorical question, of course.

Crazy: Tourists to Provide Social Media History… and More! 

The Sun wrote on December 10: 

“TOURISTS entering America will have their social media histories checked at border control, if the latest Trump administration mandate is enforced.

“The proposed social media screening would apply to all tourists… entering the US, regardless of whether they need a visa or not… 

“Currently,… tourists [on the visa waiver program] do not require a visa to visit the US and instead can complete Electronic System for Travel Authorizations (ESTA).

“The Federal Register notice states it would be mandatory for all foreign tourists to provide data from their social media from the past five years, including email addresses and phone numbers. Names, addresses, numbers and birthdays of family members would also be included in the compulsory information passed to the country’s border force.” 

The New York Times added on December 10: 

“In a document filed on Tuesday in the Federal Register, C.B.P. (Customs and Border Protection) said it plans to require applicants to provide a long list of personal data including social media, email addresses from the last decade, and the names, birth dates, places of residence and birthplaces of parents, spouses, siblings and children.” 

This is totally insane and blatantly illegal 

Insane—Trump’s New Requirements for Tourists

Daily Mail wrote on December 11:

“Overseas travellers… could soon be required to make every post they’ve made on social media in the last five years open to scrutiny, with any hint of anti-American sentiment likely to land them in hot water with border officials.  

“The controversial plan follows other recent proposals, including asking tourists to pay a $15,000 bond to guarantee they won’t overstay their 90-day tourist visas.   

“People entering the US will also be asked to provide email addresses [for the last ten years], phone numbers and information on their family members in order to achieve safe passage…

“Peter Greenberg, aka The Travel Detective, [said] that the US faces losing huge tourist revenue if the plans go ahead. The News Travel Editor at CBS said: ‘They’re proposing up to a $15,000 bond to guarantee that when a visit is over, they don’t extend their visa and they come home. How many people can afford that? Adding to that [the bond] is the new proposal that tourists may have to provide five years of social media history that needs to be inspected. Add those things together and you’ll understand already why there’s been a huge drop in inbound travel to the United States this summer, resulting in lost revenue that can never be recouped.’ 

“To avoid unnecessary waits and checks at the airport, ticking all the admin boxes before you get on the plane will make going through the US border less painful. A spokesperson for ABTA, the UK’s trade organisation for tour operators and travel agents, told the Daily Mail that fans who are determined to make it to the World Cup next summer should apply for… ESTA, now, before booking travel and tickets… ‘If you are unable to get an ESTA you will need to go in person to apply for a visa, which can take some time.’”

If you thought Trump’s crazy immigration policy could not get any crazier, here you go… and, of course, it will contribute to the destruction of the USA.

Birthright Citizenship 

NBC News wrote on December 5: 

“… the Supreme Court on Friday agreed to decide the lawfulness of President Donald Trump’s contentious plan to roll back automatic birthright citizenship for nearly anyone born in the United States… 

“Birthright citizenship has long been understood to be required under the Constitution’s 14th Amendment, which states: ‘All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States.’ The language was included in the constitutional amendment enacted after the Civil War to ensure that Black former slaves and their children were recognized as citizens. 

“Legal scholars of all ideological stripes have generally assumed the phrase to be self-explanatory, with the only exceptions being people born to foreign diplomats, invading hostile forces and members of some Native American tribes. But Trump, as part of his immigration crackdown, has sought to unravel that historical understanding, embracing a hitherto fringe theory pushed by anti-immigration activists.”

This time, the Supreme Court is supposed to rule on the merits, unlike last time, when it just ruled evasively on jurisdictional issues [For example, can courts issue nationwide injunctions?]. A decision by the Supreme Court is expected in June. Let us hope that they make the only correct decision in line with the Constitution—to uphold birthright citizenship. 

No More Dual Citizenship? 

It gets crazier and crazier. A bill was introduced by Ohio Republican Senator Bernie Morenoa to ban dual citizenship. That would even apply to Melania and Barron Trump who hold citizenship in the United States and Slovenia. Unfortunately, Germany wants to follow Trump in this respect. 

Bild Online wrote on December 8: 

“A tough legislative initiative in the USA: Dual citizenship is threatened with extinction! If Republican Senator Bernie Moreno has his way, US dual citizens will soon have to relinquish their second passport… Millions of people in the USA would be affected. 

“Leading politicians from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) now see the planned US model as a blueprint for Germany and want to bring about the end of dual citizenship here as well… BUT: Parts of the ‘plans being discussed in the USA,’ such as the ‘retroactive abolition’ of the already permitted dual passport, would probably be ‘neither constitutionally nor politically feasible’ in Germany.”

Trump’s Gaza “Peace Plan” Falling Apart? 

The Algemeiner wrote on December 8: 

“As the United States pushes for the second phase of President Donald Trump’s Gaza ceasefire to begin, Israel is warning that Qatar and Turkey are trying to shield Hamas from disarmament as the Palestinian terrorist group seeks to reassert control over the war-torn enclave. 

“Qatar and Turkey have proposed alternatives to a central provision of Trump’s peace plan… Rather than requiring Hamas to disarm, Qatari and Turkish officials have pushed for the Islamist group either to hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority or place them in secure storage under international oversight. As part of this plan, Qatar and Turkey are reportedly advocating a two-year grace period during which Hamas could legally retain its weapons. 

“However, Israeli officials have rejected these options as unacceptable, arguing they would allow the terrorist group to maintain its influence in Gaza, which Hamas has ruled for nearly two decades. Israel has made clear it will allow Hamas just a few months to give up its weapons, warning it will act unilaterally if the group is not disarmed promptly.

“Turkey and Qatar [have been] longtime backers of Hamas… Israeli officials have repeatedly rejected any Turkish or Qatari involvement in post-war Gaza… 

“Qatar and Turkey are now insisting that Israel must withdraw from Gaza before Hamas can disarm — a demand Jerusalem vehemently opposes, warning it would give the terrorist group time to reassert full control over its half of Gaza and remove any incentive to disarm later on… 

“Since the ceasefire took effect two months ago, Hamas has targeted Palestinians who it labeled as ‘lawbreakers and collaborators with Israel,’ sparking widespread clashes and violence as the group moves to seize weapons and eliminate any opposition. Social media videos widely circulated online show Hamas members brutally beating Palestinians and carrying out public executions of alleged collaborators and rival militia members.” 

This “peace plan,” for which Trump got a “peace prize” from the corrupt FIFA [see below], was doomed to failure from the outset. How one can have Turkey and Qatar participate in the process of establishing peace with terrorists is beyond sanity. Also, one of the wars which Trump allegedly ended, is still ongoing. 

As Reuters reported on December 10: “Thailand and Cambodia traded accusations of targeting civilians in artillery and rocket attacks on Wednesday, as U.S. President Donald Trump said he would try to intervene to stop the fighting and salvage a ceasefire he brokered earlier this year.” The Thai Prime Minister allegedly wrote online that he will no longer negotiate with Trump and will no longer take orders from him. 

Trump’s peace deals collapse one after another. 

The FIFA Gala Turns Into a Bizarre Pandering to Donald Trump 

ntv wrote on December 5: 

“In a bizarre show, ostensibly billed as the World Cup draw for next year’s biggest football tournament of all time, the smitten and self-abasing FIFA boss Gianni Infantino unknowingly gifted the sport to the US president. Trump was canonized that evening. As the peace angel he fancies himself… 

“And Trump was then allowed to participate in his own canonization: He spoke of it as ‘one of the greatest honors of my life.’ He thus elevated the award above the Nobel Peace Prize, which he so desired and which he deserved according to Infantino’s world… 

“Trump praises his relationship with the Canadian Prime Minister. What a joke! Just a few months ago, he wanted to annex Canada as the 51st state… 

“Infantino, of course, personally presents the gigantic trophy! What a sycophantic scene… The man who deployed the National Guard in his own country…” 

Infantino, as the FIFA president, has been controversial for years (according to Die Welt). FIFA—the international federation of football associations—has been embroiled in numerous scandals, not least because of bribery and corruption. Furthermore, many of the controversial rules established by FIFA have long been under attack. FIFA can certainly spoil the enjoyment of the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. But this is always the case when politics gets involved. 

An Act of Cronyism 

Die Welt wrote on December 5:

 “‘A clumsy attempt at pandering by FIFA,’ said ZDF commentator Oliver Schmidt… ‘Has an act of cronyism ever been so blatant, ever so public?’”

An Absolute Spectacle of Horror 

t-online wrote on December 5: 

“This draw will be remembered – unfortunately for all the wrong reasons. This gala in Washington, D.C., was one of the most absurd events in recent sports history. The way football and politics became intertwined, the way FIFA President Gianni Infantino fawned over and flattered US President Donald Trump – it was an absolute spectacle of horror. 

“FIFA has done a lot to lose credibility in recent years. But with this draw, it has outdone itself in a negative way… When Infantino presented Trump with the FIFA Peace Prize, it was clear: things couldn’t get any crazier – or more unpleasant…” 

A Bizarre Ceremony

Express wrote on December 5: 

“Football fans have reacted with fury as Donald Trump plays a major role at the World Cup 2026 draw in Washington. The US president was awarded a peace prize and allowed to take part in the draw, sparking frustration from viewers on social media platform X… 

“One person wrote: ‘…  There was global condemnation & constant crying at Qatar having the World Cup. What we are witnessing with USA & Trump is so comfortably worse & a bigger disgrace for the sport & the globe, but of course, no one will care because it’s the West. Hypocrites…’” 

Shameless 

The Daily Mail wrote on December 5: 

“In a display of sycophancy so cringe-inducing it almost veered beyond satire, Mr Infantino presented President Trump with the award in recognition of his ‘extraordinary actions to promote peace and unity throughout the world’… 

“Yesterday’s draw for the World Cup group stage at the Kennedy Centre in Washington DC often fell flat with a seemingly perplexed crowd and Mr Infantino’s shameless courting of the President…” 

Australian Youth Banned From Social Media 

NBC News wrote on December 9: 

“More than 1 million social media accounts held by users under 16 are set to be deactivated in Australia on Wednesday in a divisive world-first ban that has inflamed a culture war and is being closely watched in the United States and elsewhere. Social media companies will have to take ‘reasonable steps’ to ensure that under-16s in Australia cannot set up accounts on their platforms and that existing accounts are deactivated or removed… 

“Social media companies will be responsible for enforcing the ban, paying fines of up to 49.5 Australian dollars (about $32 million) for serious or repeated breaches. Children and parents will not be punished for any infringements. 

“Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, X, Snapchat and Reddit are all set to be age-restricted under the law… All of the platforms have said they will comply…” 

Heading to a Very Dark Place

The Daily Mail published on or about December 6 the following article by Stephen Glover:

“In all sorts of areas this increasingly despised Government is showing a lofty dismissiveness for the rights and concerns of those whom they claim to serve. Tradition is ignored, and established liberties set aside, in the cause of greater efficiency… Look at Labour’s new plans to extend facial recognition technology, which could be deployed in every city, town and village. Under a new consultation launched on Thursday, police could be given access to Britain’s passport database to identify lawbreakers… But do we really want our every movement outside our homes to be monitored by the authorities? Who knows to what uses information garnered in this way might be put by a future government that was positively malign? Even the Home Office admits that live recognition cameras ‘interfere’ with human rights… 

“I feel the same about digital identity cards, which will soon be mandatory for anyone taking a new job. Sir Keir Starmer has told us that they will be useful in preventing illegal immigrants from working. I’ve no doubt we will all have them in the end. Again, greater efficiency is the justification for imposing new restrictions. Most of us would be much happier if Labour found a way of deterring illegal immigrants from coming here in the first place rather than foisting ID cards on us… 

“What makes this Government’s high-handed coercion especially galling is that many of its senior ministers are very far from being morally upright and, in some cases, are fortunate not to have been led away in handcuffs… But then it is precisely because they are not upright that they find it so easy to bully us and tell us what to do, even if that involves stripping us of freedoms which many of us had taken for granted. 

“Nowhere is this more apparent than in the crackdown over free speech. A slew of new laws has made it more difficult for people to speak their minds. The logging of ‘non-crime hate incidents’ – deemed by the police to demonstrate hostility in action or speech – has soared in recent years… more than a third of Britons feel that they have to self-censor their views on race or ethnicity, while 32 per cent said they felt they could not speak freely about immigration or religious extremism. Some 41 per cent hold back their views on transgender issues… 

“With a Government that holds so many of the people in contempt, and a people that comprehensively loathes its Government, we could be heading to a very dark place.” 

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.

First of all, let us review this passage of Scripture and see what it says and get a rounded view of what the context is.   The Cambridge Dictionary explains what context means, as follows: “… the text or speech that comes immediately before and after a particular phrase or piece of text and helps to explain its meaning.”

Context is a vital piece of biblical understanding, eliminating the use of a particular word or passage of Scripture which, on its own, may give a misunderstanding of what is meant. 

Acts 2:44-45 reads as follows:

“Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.”

This was written at a time following the birth of the New Testament Church after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.   We read in Acts 2:41-42: “Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.”

These were amazing, exciting and dangerous times.   It was a one-off demonstration of a tidal wave of conversions but the Bible makes no further explanations of any long-term continuance of this manner of living.   For a while, they integrated and pooled their resources for their mutual safety and protection but scripture is silent on such an arrangement becoming the norm.

Let us get some definitions, firstly about socialism.

Wikipedia explains that “Socialism is a political, social and economic philosophy encompassing a range of economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production, and democratic control, such as workers’ self-management of enterprises. It includes the political theories and movements associated with such systems.  Social ownership can be public, collective, cooperative, or of equite. While no single definition encapsulates the many types of socialism, social ownership is the one common element.” 

thebalance.com states that “socialism is an economic system where citizens share ownership of the various factors of production.  That ownership is acquired through a democratically elected government, a cooperative, or a public corporation in which everyone owns shares.”

We can see from these brief and general explanations that socialism varies greatly from capitalism where thebalance.com states that “Capitalism is an economic system where private entities own the factors of production. The four factors are entrepreneurship, capital goods, natural resources, and labor.  The owners of capital goods, natural resources, and entrepreneurship exercise control through companies. Individuals own their labor.”

Barnes Notes on the Bible makes these comments about Acts 2:44-45:

“All that believed – That is, that believed that Jesus was the Messiah; for that was the distinguishing point by which they were known from others.

“Were together – Were united; were joined in the same thing. It does not mean that they lived in the same house, but they were united in the same community, or engaged in the same thing. They were doubtless often together in the same place for prayer and praise. One of the best means for strengthening the faith of young converts is for them often to meet together for prayer, conversation, and praise.

“Had all things common – That is, all their property or possessions. See Acts 4:32-37; Acts 5:1-10. The apostles, in the time of the Saviour, evidently had all their property in common stock, and Judas was made their treasurer. They regarded themselves as one family, having common needs, and there was no use or propriety in their possessing extensive property by themselves [This seems to be wrong. We know, for example. that Jesus owned a house and maybe more than just one.] . Yet even then it is probable that some of them retained an interest in their property which was not supposed to be necessary to be devoted to the common use. It is evident that John thus possessed property which he retained, John 19:27. And it is clear that the Saviour did not command them to give up their property into a common stock, nor did the apostles enjoin it: Acts 5:4: ‘While it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold was it not in thine own power?’ It was, therefore, perfectly voluntary, and was as evidently adapted to the special circumstances of the early converts. 

“Many of them came from abroad. They were from Parthia, and Media, and Arabia, and Rome, and Africa, etc. It is probable, also, that they now remained longer in Jerusalem than they had at first proposed; and it is not at all improbable that they would be denied now the usual hospitalities of the Jews, and excluded from their customary kindness, because they had embraced Jesus of Nazareth, who had been just put to death. In these circumstances, it was natural and proper that they should share their property while they remained together.”

The reference to Acts 5:4 above is about Peter’s censure of Ananias behaviour where he exposed his deceit, not the retention of property. It is clear that Peter does not condemn private ownership of property both before and after the sale.  The problem was the sin of lying by stating that Ananias and Sapphira had held back part of the proceeds for themselves while giving the impression that they were giving their all.   Such sinful behaviour cost them their lives.

The Pulpit Commentary makes some other interesting observations:

“Had all things common. Just as the Transfiguration gave a passing glimpse of the state of glory, so here we have a specimen of what Christian love and unity in its perfection, and unchecked by contact with the world without, would, and perhaps someday will, produce. But even at Jerusalem this bright vision of a paradise on earth was soon troubled by the earthly dissensions recorded in Acts 6; and the Christian community received a timely lesson that things good in themselves are not always practicable in an evil world…..”

Another aspect of this situation is spelled out well by the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges:

“were together, and had all things common: With the words of the angels still in their ears (Acts 1:11): ‘This same Jesus shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven,’ the disciples were no doubt full of the thought that the return of Jesus was not far distant. Such an opinion spreading among the new disciples would make them ready to resign their worldly goods, and to devote all things to the use of their brethren. For so the spreading of a knowledge of Christ could be made the chief work of the whole body of believers.”

The faithful disciples realised after a short while that Jesus would not return during their lifetime and, down through the last 2,000 years, His return has been anticipated. In the meantime, we continue to look for the return of Jesus and the signs are now that it is close to fulfilment.

Biblehub.com observes: “Luke describes the spontaneous outcome of the Spirit’s outpouring at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-41). Verse 42 lists four core devotions—apostolic teaching, fellowship (κοινωνία), breaking of bread, and prayers—while verses 44-47 detail practical outworkings of that fellowship: meeting daily, eating together, praising God, and meeting material needs. Nothing in the context hints at governmental coercion or an imposed economic system; rather, Luke is chronicling the joyous generosity of a newborn community amazed by the risen Christ (v. 36).”

It is interesting that thebalance.com comments as follows: “Socialists assume that the basic nature of people is cooperative. They believe that this basic nature hasn’t yet emerged in full because capitalism or feudalism has forced people to be competitive. Socialists argue that the economic system must support this basic human nature before these qualities can emerge.”

Put, quite simply, man has been competitive by nature for the last 6,000 years and that is not going to change during this age of man.  Socialism, as explained above, is doomed to failure as are all other types of human government.  It will take the return of Jesus Christ to this earth to set up a theocratic government that will have everyone’s best interests at heart. 

Coming back to the original question: “Is Acts 2:44-45 a biblical example of socialism?”   The answer is “No.”  Acts 2:44-45 describes a temporary solution to a problem that arose after the extraordinary events on the day of Pentecost and no other examples of this exist in the New Testament.   

Lead Writer: Brian Gale (United Kingdom) 

compiled by Dave Harris

“The War Between America and Europe Has Begun,” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is the summary:

Really? How can we say this? Well, when you listen to this program until the end, you will know what we mean. And you will agree with us. We are addressing the new American National Security Strategy; Europe’s $140 million fine against Elon Musk and his platform X, and President Trump’s interview with Politico. The condemnatory accusations on both sides of the Atlantic are telling and unparalleled since the end of World War II.

“Der Krieg zwischen den USA und Europa hat begonnen!” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This German program covers the same topics as described above.

A Tech Team Meeting was conducted on December 7, 2025. Hosted by Eric Rank, results of our booklet ad campaigns were presented with participants discussing possible improvements. New equipment needs were addressed along with adjustments to our email automation.

Our short promotional video, “The Fall and Rise of the Jewish People,” presented by Michael Link, has received over one million views.

“What is the Origin of Christmas?” is the latest short video that has been posted on YouTube.

“The Work of God,” our newest booklet, has been sent to the printer and is posted on our website.

“Ist der Weihnachtsmann christlich?” last Sabbath’s German sermonette by Dominik Kaltenegger, is now posted. Title in English: “Is Santa Claus Christian?”

“Do the Opposite,” last Sabbath’s first split sermon presented by Michael Link, is now posted. Here is the summary:

Because of ignorance and uncertainty, thinking that “the law” has been done away with, we have what we have today: people doing as they please, keeping holidays which are not from God, abusing their bodies in ways which are shameful in God’s eyes, giving in to sin and deceit, and forsaking God’s specific commands on how to live a Godly life. What does the Bible actually say when it comes to “the law” and in what way are we to do the opposite from what the world in general justifies in their own eyes?

“An Ode to 40,” last Sabbath’s second split sermon presented by Kalon Mitchell, is now posted. Here is the summary:

As I turn 40, I want to reflect on seeing God’s hand in my life while also connecting this personal milestone to the Bible’s repeated use of the number 40 as a symbol of testing, judgment, purification, and new beginnings—from Noah’s flood and Moses’ fasts to Israel’s wandering, Elijah’s journey, and Christ’s temptations and post-resurrection ministry. These “forty” periods always lead to renewal, covenant, and deeper relationship with God. Listeners of any age should view their own trials as God-given opportunities for spiritual growth, transformation, and preparation for His Kingdom.

On December 6, 2025, Michael Link will present the first split sermon, titled, “Do the Opposite,” and Kalon Mitchell will present the second split sermon, titled, “An Ode To 40.”

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.

Some of us like to do jigsaw puzzles as a form of relaxation. They come in different sizes, the average adult ones being around one thousand pieces. On the outside of the box is usually a picture of how the finished puzzle should look.

So my wife Tine and I sometimes do these puzzles and diligently seek out all the pieces and analyze where each piece goes, comparing it with the overall picture.

But just imagine if there was no overall picture available. It would not be impossible to put the puzzle together, but it would be much more difficult.

Now consider if the pieces of two puzzles were mixed, with no picture, or even more than two. It would become nearly impossible to complete the task. Then, if some pieces that did not belong to any of the puzzles were also thrown in for good measure, at this point or previously, many would give up.

So you say, what does this have to do with the Church?

Well, this was the position Mr. Armstrong found himself in when God first called him—when he started to come into an understanding of the Truth.

He started off as biblically illiterate in his thirties, till his wife challenged him on the Sabbath question. This made him mad because he was sure the Bible teaches Sunday observance. All the churches teach it, so it must be right and the Bible must teach it.

He was so upset with his wife that he considered divorce. He could not accept such a crackpot idea.

But he accepted the challenge and studied for six months, and the more he studied, the more he realized he was wrong and his wife was right. That’s really tough for a man.

This is something like the analogy I described earlier, with all these puzzles mixed together with no overall picture and with some false pieces included. In fact, at that time, most of the pieces were false. So it was humanly impossible for Mr. Armstrong to do what he did—to gradually get the overall big picture from all the bits available, true and false. He did not have a picture to go by. He had to have God’s help and guidance.

We would not be able to see the big picture if God had not inspired Mr. Armstrong to find out what the big picture was. And all of us individually needed God’s help to see it, because before we were called and our minds opened, none of this made sense to us.

How many of us tried to teach our relatives or friends God’s Truth? They thought we were strange—even crackpots, like Mr. Armstrong thought his wife was.

Let’s turn to Isaiah 28, verses 9 and 10. “‘Whom will He teach knowledge? And whom will He make to understand the message?…’” This shows us that God has to enable us to understand His message. Continuing: “‘…Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts? For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line. Here a little, there a little.’”

This is gradually putting the jigsaw puzzle together, bit by bit till finally, a picture starts to emerge.

Once Mr. Armstrong proved the Truth of the Sabbath, he began to search for other pieces of the puzzle. He checked out the Seventh-day-Adventists and the Seventh-day-Baptists, then he began to realize that the Church of God (Seventh Day) had more of the Truth than the other groups. So he associated with them for a time. They had a lot of the pieces of the puzzle, but as Mr. Armstrong continued to study, he also began to learn from other sources. He found still more pieces of the puzzle.

He was not a trained scholar; he didn’t have much formal education. He could not read the Greek or Hebrew texts of the Bible, but he did find a lot of pieces of the puzzle by reading books other men had written. These other men had certain pieces of the puzzle, a piece here and a piece there, but they were unable to put the whole puzzle together.

So he was collecting all the pieces, and he had to pick out which pieces fitted the true picture.

One of the books he read was by Alexander Hislop, “The Two Babylons”, and that book makes it plain where professing Christianity got a lot of its practices and beliefs. Hislop knew who the great harlot church was, and yet he was a minister in one of the daughter churches. He was a minister in a Presbyterian Sunday-keeping church, and he remained in that position. Mr. Armstrong received many pieces from his book.

Another man was J. H. Allen. He wrote the book “Judah’s Sceptre and Joseph’s Birthright.” This book is similar to “The United States and Britain in Prophecy,” written by Mr. Armstrong. Mr. Allen was a Methodist minister. He had discovered some very important pieces of the puzzle, but he never saw the big picture. Like so many others who had a part of the Truth, he kept trying to fit the pieces into the wrong picture.

There was another man, E. W. Bullinger, and he compiled the “Companion Bible”, which has many valuable notes and appendices in it—some being true and some false. Mr. Armstrong got a lot of information from his work—for example, the events of the six days before Christ’s sacrifice. Mr. Bullinger understood that the crucifixion was on a Wednesday, and many more details. He was an Anglican minister and even though he recognized that the resurrection was not on Sunday, he remained a minister in a Sunday-keeping church. He understood that Christ was born in the autumn, but continued to observe Christmas.

So these three men all had important pieces of the puzzle, but like so many others, whom Mr. Armstrong also learnt from, they kept trying to make the pieces fit into a different picture where they wouldn’t fit. So they didn’t let the Truth that they had change their practices.

When Mr. Armstrong came across a piece of the puzzle, he began to practice it and publish it. It changed his whole life. Looking at Isaiah 28:10-12: “‘For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little.’ For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people, To whom He said, ‘This is the rest with which You may cause the weary to rest,’ And, ‘This is the refreshing’; Yet they would not hear.”

When we look up the word “hear” in Strong’s concordance, it means to hear intelligently; it implies to give attention to, obey, etc. It also means to proclaim and publish. Mr. Armstrong did all these things. When he learned new aspects of the Truth, he practiced it, he preached it and published it. That’s why God continued to guide him to discover more and more of the pieces and putting the pieces together until he began to see the big picture. He then made it clear to the rest of us so that we can see that big picture today.

Continuing on in verse 13: “But the word of the LORD was to them, ‘Precept upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little…’” Now Isaiah is talking about those who would not hear: “…That they might go and fall backward, and be broken, And snared, and caught.” So to those who would not hear, the Truth becomes a trap and a snare. It did not benefit them. They had pieces of the puzzle, but they could not put them together because they did not hear, act or publish them.

So let’s make sure we are among those who hear, and obey what we hear. Then we can see the big picture and understand where the pieces fit, and which pieces are not a part of the big picture.

by Norbert Link

We are beginning with the ongoing controversy regarding Trump’s peace plan for Ukraine and Russia, and while it has now been watered down considerably, there is no chance that Russia will accept it. Europe is still upset, however, that “totally unacceptable” plans were designed without Europe’s knowledge and involvement, and a major split between America and Europe is being considered. This comes as Germany is being re-militarized and suggestions are made that Germany should take over NATO, while defense talks between Europe and Britain are breaking down.

Focusing on America, we report on the perception that President Trump has gone too far in regard to his attacks on lawmakers who told the Truth regarding illegal orders; quote articles wondering about Trump’s cognitive abilities, and speak about the despicable attack on two National Guard members by an Afghan suspect, which prompted Trump to announce additional immigration restrictions.

We report on America’s controversial destruction of boats and their occupants in the Caribbean; and the fear that an American invasion of Venezuela and a Chinese invasion of Taiwan are imminent.

We conclude with a remarkable and historical event on the Temple Mount.

Please view our new message, “America in Decline and Free Fall?—Comments on News and Prophecy, November 29, 2025.” 

Please also view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Trump and Putin vs. EU and Ukraine?”

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

USA Willing to Give Occupied Regions to Russia? 

The Telegraph wrote on November 28: 

“The United States is poised to recognise Russia’s control over Crimea and other occupied Ukrainian territories to secure a deal to end the war… Donald Trump has sent his peace envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner to make the direct offer to Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

The plan to recognise territory, which breaks US diplomatic convention, is likely to go ahead despite concerns among Ukraine’s European allies.

One well-placed source said: ‘It’s increasingly clear the Americans don’t care about the European position. They say the Europeans can do whatever they want.’… 

“Washington’s apparent offer of recognition has caused concern amongst its European allies, who have repeatedly ruled out backing a peace deal that condones borders being redrawn by force… Until now, the US and Europe have refused to recognise Russia’s control over Crimea, the peninsula that Putin illegally annexed in 2014… 

“In recent days, leaked phone calls showed how Mr Trump’s lead negotiator, Mr Witkoff, was found to have coached Russian officials on how to court the White House… Open source intelligence experts have suggested a European agency could have disclosed this information to expose the blossoming relationship between the presidential aide and the Kremlin…” 

Risk of Major Split 

The Daily Mail added on November 28: 

“The move would mark the most dramatic shift in US policy toward the conflict since Russia seized Crimea in 2014, and risks a major split with European governments that have repeatedly rejected any peace plans involving territorial concessions… 

“European concern has intensified further after leaked recordings revealed Witkoff coaching Russian officials on appealing to the Trump administration. In those calls, he referred to Ukraine needing to give up Donetsk, prompting questions about whether US envoys had already signalled willingness to support Russian demands…”

Europeans would view such an “agreement” with Russia as an American betrayal. No good would come out of it, and the result would be increased anti-American sentiments. 

Preemptive Strikes on Russia? 

The Sun wrote on December 1: 

“RUSSIA has accused Europe of gearing up for ‘major war’ after a top Nato chief claimed the defence pact could launch ‘pre-emptive strikes’ on Vladimir Putin. Moscow hit back at the suggestion, blaming the West for ‘moving towards escalation’… 

“Speculating on Nato’s ability to hit Russia first, [Admiral Giuseppe Cavo] Dragone, [chair of Nato’s Military Committee] said: ‘We are studying everything […] On cyber, we are kind of reactive. Being more aggressive or being proactive instead of reactive is something that we are thinking about.’

“Dragone added that revenge cyber-attacks would be the simplest option, because many Nato member nations hold the capabilities to launch them. Retaliation for physical sabotage or drone incursions would be more complex – but not out of the question. The admiral said that a ‘pre-emptive strike’ could, under certain circumstances, be classified as a defensive action… 

“Nato has already been urged to abandon its reactive stance by several member states – particularly those in eastern Europe which bear the brunt of Russia‘s aggression.” 

Ultimately, this is exactly what will happen, according to biblical prophecy. 

Putin: “If Europe Wants War…” 

Newsmax wrote on December 2:

“Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that Russia did not want a war with European powers but that if Europe did want a war, then Russia was ready right now to fight. Putin said that European powers were making demands on a possible peace settlement for Ukraine that Moscow considers absolutely unacceptable. Putin accused Ukraine’s European allies Tuesday of sabotaging U.S.-led efforts to end the war that have gained momentum in recent weeks… thus ‘blocking the entire peace process,’ only to blame Russia for it. ‘That’s their goal,’ Putin said. 

“… European leaders, who fear Russia’s future territorial ambitions and are trying to figure out how they can fund Ukraine’s fight beyond this year, are trying to make their voices heard after being largely sidelined by Washington…” 

Europe Plans “Nuclear Option”? 

Express wrote on December 1: 

“Trump has fuelled fears among European politicians that the White House is preparing to sacrifice the continent’s security in exchange for US economic gain. 

“European states are considering adopting the ‘nuclear option’ of sinking the US economy, if Donald Trump sells out Ukraine and endangers security on the continent… European leaders remain suspicious that Trump is rushing towards a geopolitical deal with Vladimir Putin while paying little heed to the security concerns of NATO allies. 

“The Wall Street Journal reports a European intelligence service has circulated internal assessments about ‘commercial and economic plans’ the Trump team has been exploring with Russia behind closed doors… Sources told the WSJ that European leaders are considering adopting extreme countermeasures in retaliation, designed to unleash economic chaos in the US. 

“The alleged plan involves dumping trillions in US government debt owned by European states. A rapid sell off would likely cause a crash in the value of the US dollar, create a liquidity crisis across the banking system and cause a huge spike in borrowing costs. It would also lock the American financial sector into a paralysis more severe than the 2008 crisis. 

“A leading European economist [described]… the plan as a potential financial whiplash that could hit the US harder than any external shock in modern history. The political consequences would likely be disastrous for Trump and the Republicans as the midterm elections approach next year. 

“The EU and the UK are among the largest holders of US Treasury securities (US debt), which gives them significant potential economic leverage.

As of December 2024, the United Kingdom holds an estimated $722.7 billion in US debt. The European Union member countries collectively hold an estimated $1.62 trillion. Combined, this is approximately $2.34 trillion, making the EU/UK bloc one of the single largest foreign holders of US debt.” 

This would cause an incurable permanent rift between the two power blocs. 

EU Tells Trump: You Can’t Pardon Putin For War Crimes 

Politico wrote on December 1: 

“Donald Trump’s drive to secure peace in Ukraine must not let Vladimir Putin off the hook for war crimes committed by Russian forces, a top EU official has warned, effectively setting a new red line for a deal… Michael McGrath, the European commissioner for justice and democracy, said negotiators must ensure the push for a ceasefire does not result in Russia escaping prosecution. 

“His comments reflect concerns widely held in European capitals that the original American blueprint for a deal included the promise of a ‘full amnesty for actions committed during the war,’ alongside plans to reintegrate Russia into the world economy. The Trump team’s push to rehabilitate the Kremlin chief comes despite international condemnation of Russia for alleged crimes including the abduction of 20,000 Ukrainian children and attacks targeting civilians…. 

“Ukrainian authorities say they have opened investigations into more than 178,000 alleged Russian crimes since the start of the war… The EU and others have worked to set up a new special tribunal for the crime of aggression with the aim of bringing Russian leaders to justice for the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022… In March 2023, judges at the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin…” 

The different positions between the USA and the EU become more and more obvious. 

Germany to Take Over NATO? 

Newsweek wrote on November 30: 

“Comments by President Donald Trump’s envoy to NATO suggesting that Germany take over the American role of the alliance’s European commander signal Washington’s disengagement from European security affairs…

“[U.S. ambassador to NATO, Matthew] Whitaker’s comments follow rumors the U.S. wants to step back from the role and suggest the Trump administration would like to see Germany replace the U.S. as Europe’s main security guarantor.”

Europe to Hit Back? 

Politico wrote on November 27: 

“Russia’s drones and agents are unleashing attacks across NATO countries and Europe is now doing what would have seemed outlandish just a few years ago: planning how to hit back… 

“After Russian war drones were shot down over Poland, NATO said it would boost the alliance’s drone and air defenses on its eastern flank — a call mirrored by the EU. Even that is enraging Moscow.

“Europeans ‘should be afraid and tremble like dumb animals in a herd being driven to the slaughter,’ said [deputy Kremlin Security Council head Dmitry] Medvedev in early October. ‘They should soil themselves with fear, sensing their near and agonizing end.’… 

“So far, countries like Germany and Romania are strengthening rules that would allow authorities to shoot down drones flying over airports and militarily sensitive objects.” 

Too early yet, but ultimately, Europe will be destroyed by Russia and its Far Eastern allies. 

“Germany Raised Its Citizens to Hate War. Now It Wants Us to Enlist in the Army – But We Say No” 

On November 28, the Guardian published the following opinion by Mithu Sanyal, author, academic and broadcaster based in Düsseldorf: 

“After we lost the second world war – or, as we prefer to say, after we were liberated by the allies – we swore ‘never again’: never again to war, and never again to Auschwitz. Admittedly, Germany rearmed in 1955, but just as ‘citizens in uniform’… For most of my life, the German army didn’t venture beyond our borders. Then came reunification in 1990, and during the first sitting of the all-German Bundestag, the then chancellor, Helmut Kohl, announced that we had to step up internationally: in 1994, the law was changed accordingly to allow the Bundeswehr to be deployed ‘out of area’ again. 

“Nonetheless, Germans remained squeamish about the idea that our soldiers might actually do what they have been trained for… That all changed in 1999. I always try to convey to people outside Germany the seismic shift that occurred that year, when our then foreign minister Joschka Fischer declared we had to let go of ‘never again to war’, in order to honour ‘never again to Auschwitz’ – because Serbia was planning what Fischer called a ‘new Auschwitz’ in Kosovo. Invoking the Holocaust was the only way to get the German public to accept our participation in international wars again. 

“So now we’re bringing back conscription – only we call it voluntary conscription… Even Germany’s Protestant church has been re-evaluating its stance on war and the atom bomb this month… with the following conclusion: in these troubled times, ‘Christian pacifism is ethically not justifiable.’  [What blasphemy!] 

“It is scary how fast this is moving – and some of the details are mind-boggling… A few months ago a prominent German feminist pointed out it was against equal rights that our sons had to go into the army… she went on to ask for conscription for our daughters as well… 

“If we enter the Ukrainian war with manpower…, Patrick Sensburg, president of the Bundeswehr Reservists Association, warned that 1,000 soldiers would die or be seriously maimed every day… One of his main concerns was how to replace 1,000 dead human beings each day. The solution: conscription… 

“Likewise, Chancellor Merz knows he is helping to reconstitute the national mood and set a new agenda when he says: ‘We are not at war. But we are no longer at peace.’ So does nearly every politician and… nearly every journalist in Germany. They are participating in what propaganda researchers call cognitive warfare… 

“I agree the war in Ukraine is a crime – so why aren’t we doing everything in our power to end it?…  a country that isn’t doing everything to prevent wars has lost the right to ask its citizens to participate in them. 

“Most Germans under 30 are against conscription– and it’s only Germans that are too old to go to war that are in favor…” 

Very important and CORRECT article. Yes, Germans are being induced by the political establishment and the mass media to love to go to war again… slowly but surely. 

Defense Talks Between Britain and EU Break Down

Vocal Media wrote on November 28: 

“For months, the United Kingdom and the European Union have tried to build a new foundation for defence cooperation. Both sides hoped that, even after Brexit, they could still work together on issues that affect the entire continent—security, technology, and military readiness. But this hope took a serious hit when Britain officially announced that talks to join the EU Defence Fund (EDF) had broken down… 

“Billions of euros are set aside for this fund, and companies from member states can apply for major contracts. If Britain had joined the EDF, its defence industries could have benefited from these opportunities… However, joining the EDF as a non-EU country is complicated. Unlike NATO, the EDF is tightly controlled by the EU, and it requires strict adherence to the bloc’s regulations, data-sharing rules, and research guidelines. This is where the talks began to fall apart… 

“The most important disagreement was about control and decision-making. The EU wanted Britain to follow its rules without giving the U.K. much influence over how the fund operates… 

‘Another conflict involved technology sharing. EU leaders were cautious about allowing a non-member state access to sensitive military research. They worried that sharing information widely—even with a trusted partner—could weaken security or give other countries an advantage.

“The third major issue was political trust, which still hasn’t fully recovered after Brexit…

“In the end, neither side was willing to compromise enough to reach an agreement. As a result, the talks officially collapsed… many analysts believe the U.K. has lost a valuable chance to shape Europe’s defence future… the breakdown marks a disappointing moment in post-Brexit security efforts…” 

“Britain Quits EU Rearmament Deal After £5.7 Billion Demand from France” 

Express wrote on November 29:

“The programme is set to provide up to €150 billion (£130 billion) in long-term loans to member states for defence spending and large-scale investments.

“SAFE [“Security Action for Europe”] is based on EU loans, and French President Emmanuel Macron insisted that the UK must make high contributions to participate in the scheme. A source claimed that the UK was not prepared to pay significantly into the programme and offered a figure lower than £1 billion…

“It is reported that 19 of the 27 EU countries have applied for SAFE loans so far… The money is expected to be issued early next year, with Poland set to receive the highest share with €43.7 billion. Meanwhile, Romania will receive €16.6 billion, with Hungary and France each given €16.2 billion.”

SAFE and EDF refer to multiple different programs and entities, but they are generally not the same program. The acronyms have distinct meanings in different contexts.  

The European Defence Fund (EDF) is an EU initiative to fund cooperative defense research and capability development, which builds on earlier initiatives. The Security Action for Europe (SAFE) is an EU financial instrument providing support to Member States for urgent defense investments. 

Costco Sues Trump Over Tariffs

CNBC wrote on December 1:

“Costco sued the Trump administration [on Friday] to get a full refund of new tariffs it paid so far this year, and to block those import duties from continuing to be collected from the retail warehouse club giant as a Supreme Court case plays out… Costco said that it risks losing the money it has already paid to satisfy the tariffs even if the Supreme Court eventually upholds earlier lower court rulings that found President Donald Trump did not have the legal power to impose those duties.

“The company noted a looming Dec. 15 deadline that could prevent the tariffs that it has already paid on an estimated basis from being refunded… Dozens of other companies have filed similar lawsuits to protect their right to potential refunds in case the Supreme Court rules against the [tariffs]… 

“The Trump administration has warned of the potential fallout of having to refund hundreds of millions of dollars in tariffs if the Supreme Court upholds the lower court rulings that Trump did not have authority… to unilaterally impose those duties.’

Trump Is Going Way Too Far

On November 28, the Ron Paul Institute published the following article by Eric Margolis:

“President Donald Trump threatens to hang military officers who have the audacity to tell their troops not to obey unlawful orders. Trump called them ‘traitors’ and suggested they be locked up. The president just crossed the Rubicon… after these threats, he has gone way too far. Americans should be alarmed.

“I enlisted in the US Army in 1969 to become an infantry officer and served in Vietnam… In basic and advanced infantry training at Fort Dix, New Jersey, we were educated in the military code of conduct… The most important single lesson that I vividly recall was the order to refuse any orders seen as illegal – that is, in violation of US law and the Geneva Conventions. This command did not come out of the blue. It was promulgated as a result of the Nuremberg Trials after World War II in which much of the senior German elite was found guilty of war crimes, and many sentenced to death.

“Most of the German officials and soldiers being tried for assorted war crimes claimed they were simply following orders from senior commanders… The Nuremberg Trials were in many ways legalized revenge on a defeated enemy. Particularly so when the victorious allies included the US Air force and RAF who had killed millions of civilians in Europe and Japan, and the Soviets who had killed millions more innocent civilians. 

“Nuremberg was a gigantic kangaroo court, and legalized revenge killings. But the one good thing that came out of it was the rejection of the ‘I was only following orders’ defense. All wars are a crime, but this new statute slightly reduced some of the horrors and murder involved. 

“President Trump now wants to sweep this protection away because he feels his regal authority powers have been challenged. This is a violation of our constitution and laws… It’s too bad Donald Trump managed to evade military service… or he would have a better understanding of this important issue and the legal and customary restraints imposed on his noble office.” 

But what about those under him, supporting him, who served in the military? They undoubtedly should know better. 

Trump’s Mental Decline? 

Mediaite published on November 28 the following opinion by Michael Luciano: 

“President Donald Trump’s spiral into a vicious – and malicious – mental decline continued apace on Thanksgiving, capping off an especially erratic month in which he somehow managed to be even less ‘presidential’ than before. 

“Trump, 79, has displayed increasingly antisocial behavior. This month, he called a reporter ‘piggy’ to her face. Last week, he claimed that six Democratic lawmakers who urged soldiers to ‘refuse illegal orders’ had committed sedition… [He] reposted a post stating, ‘HANG THEM.’ On Wednesday, the president ranted about ‘Somalians’ after an Afghan national… was arrested in connection with the shooting of two West Virginia National Guard members in Washington, D.C., one of whom has died. 

“… he erupted at another female reporter… Trump told the reporter, ‘You’re a stupid person.’

“… Trump took to Truth Social, where he railed against Somalis again and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D), whom he called ‘seriously retarded’ and claimed that the country’s foreign-born population is composed mostly of people who ‘are on welfare, from failed nations, or from prisons, mental institutions, gangs, or drug cartels.’ The president also baselessly claimed that Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), an immigrant who is one of a notable contingent of Somalis in Minnesota, ‘probably’ entered the U.S. illegally and married her brother: ‘… her place of origin is a decadent, backward, and crime ridden nation, which is essentially not even a country for lack of Government, Military, Police, schools, etc…’ 

“Trump’s… actions of late… are well beyond the pale. And this is to say nothing of his actual policies, which have had disastrous and deadly consequences for millions of people in the U.S. and abroad.” 

However, according to India Today, dated November 28, “There is… no proof that Omar, the first Somali-American in Congress, ever married a relative or committed immigration fraud. Trump… also did not elaborate on his bizarre claims… A report in the UK’s Daily Mail claimed that Omar confided to her friends that Elmi was actually her biological brother and the marriage was a scam for immigration purposes.” 

The Huffington Post wrote on November 28:

“Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) hit back pointedly at Donald Trump on Thursday, responding to the president’s latest online attack of him with a four-word challenge: ‘Release the MRI results.’…  Walz’s response referenced the recent presidential medical mystery of Trump’s MRI scan in October that neither he nor the White House have fully explained.” 

Trump’s MRI Not About His Brain 

Daily Mail wrote on December 1:

“The White House has provided details of Donald Trump’s MRI scan carried out last month amid mounting speculation about the president’s health… after it was revealed in July that he had been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency… Trump’s cognitive health has also been called into question… 

“However, Trump’s scans were focused on the president’s heart and abdomen [not his brain], the White House confirmed on Monday…. Trump’s scan revealed no abnormalities and confirmed that he is in ‘excellent health.’ MRI scans are a standard preventative procedure for men his age, the doctor said.”

 As we pointed out in last week’s Current Events, there is great concern, shared by some of Trump’s relatives, that he might be suffering from increasing dementia. 

Attack on Two National Guard Members 

MSN wrote on November 28:

“The man suspected of shooting two National Guard members near the White House this week — one of them fatally — is an Afghan national who came to the United States in September 2021 because of his work with the U.S. government, including the CIA…. [He] was among tens of thousands of Afghan nationals who came to the U.S. as part of Operation Allies Welcome, a Biden-era program, following the chaotic U.S. military withdrawal…  [He] was granted asylum this April [under the Trump administration]… 

“CIA Director John Ratcliffe said [the suspect] had been a member of a partner force in Kandahar, a province in southern Afghanistan that saw significant fighting during the war. [He] was part of one of the CIA’s ‘Zero Units’ that were involved in combat missions to seize or kill suspected terrorists… The Zero Units, also known as National Strike Units, were involved in dangerous and often deadly night raids and other missions to kill or capture members of the Taliban, al-Qaeda, the Islamic State and other terrorist groups. The CIA and U.S. military provided intelligence and logistical support to the squads. 

“The CIA has never publicly acknowledged its work with the Zero Units, which have been shadowed by allegations of human rights violations, including a 2019 Human Rights Watch report that found they had conducted summary executions and other abuses. [The suspect] and other Afghan paramilitary members would have undergone extensive vetting before joining the Zero Units and were supposed to be monitored closely once in service, people familiar with the matter said.

“U.S. officials have said the Zero Units were effective fighters and that they played a critical role in assisting with the chaotic American evacuation from Afghanistan in late August 2021, probably saving U.S. lives.” 

CIA’s Zero Units 

The New York Times added on November 28: 

“Zero Units, which were formally part of the Afghan intelligence service but operated outside the usual chain of command, were largely recruited, trained, equipped and overseen by the C.I.A., according to Human Rights Watch. These units specialized in night raids and clandestine missions; Taliban officials and human rights groups described them as ‘death squads.’

“Human Rights Watch said it had documented several instances in which the units were responsible for ‘extrajudicial executions and enforced disappearances, indiscriminate airstrikes, attacks on medical facilities, and other violations of international humanitarian law.’

“A childhood friend, who asked to be identified only as Muhammad because he feared Taliban reprisals, said that [the suspect] had suffered from mental health issues and was disturbed by the casualties his unit had caused.”

Trump said about the suspect that he had turned “nuts.” And Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said that authorities believe the suspect might have been radicalized after he arrived in the United States.

npr wrote on November 27:

“Those people came on two-year grants of parole, then later had to apply for other ways to stay in the country permanently, like asylum, and go through rigorous screening. 

“Roughly 200,000 Afghan immigrants and refugees came to the U.S. after the fall of Kabul to the Taliban in August 2021. Some of them have since received green cards or even U.S. citizenship, but many have more tenuous legal status, such as humanitarian parole.” 

The Blame Game Continues 

New York Post wrote on November 27: 

“An enraged Attorney General Pam Bondi blasted ‘progressive left idiots’ for fueling hatred towards National Guard troops — as she vowed to probe whether they encouraged the Thanksgiving eve shooting ambush. 

“Bondi tore into the scores of liberal lawmakers and media commentators who have criticized President Trump’s decision to deploy federal troops to Washington, DC, suggesting the ‘disgusting’ and ‘despicable’ rhetoric is to blame for any ensuing violence.” 

In the case of the suspect, such “rhetoric” was hardly the motive, from everything we know so far. Bondi seems to try to gloss over her unpopularity, by “seizing the moment.” 

Trump’s Announcement of Further Immigration Restrictions 

ABC News wrote on November 28: 

“President Donald Trump said he will ‘permanently pause migration’ from some countries following the shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., earlier this week… Trump did not specify which countries the pause would affect, saying it would apply to ‘Third World Countries.’… 

‘He said the U.S. would ‘terminate all of the millions of Biden illegal admissions… and remove anyone who is not a net asset to the United States, or is incapable of loving our Country, end all Federal benefits and subsidies to noncitizens of our Country, denaturalize migrants who undermine domestic tranquility, and deport any Foreign National who is a public charge, security risk, or non-compatible with Western Civilization.’” 

If this is meant to be taken seriously, these would be extremely dangerous and troublesome announcements by an irate and out-of-touch President. If attempted to be carried out, a flood of lawsuits would be the consequence, and the world would turn even more hostile toward America. Pretty soon, Trump would have been successful in making America void and empty… no more foreign-born non-citizens; no more birthright citizenship; denaturalization of everyone who dares to disagree with Trump’s view of compatibility with Western Civilization; and so on. 

Immigration Applications on Hold 

The New York Post wrote on December 3: 

“The Trump administration formally halted immigration applications from 19 countries deemed to be a high risk for producing terrorists and other national security threats — hours after a source told The Post that list could grow to 30 nations or more…   

 “US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)… also announced a hold on ‘all pending asylum applications, regardless of the alien’s country of nationality.’”

Killings of Alleged “Drug Smugglers” to Be Investigated 

The Washington Post wrote on November 29: 

“The head of the Republican-led Senate Armed Services Committee has pledged ‘vigorous oversight’ after a Washington Post report that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gave spoken order to kill crew members during the first U.S. strike against suspected drug smugglers in the Caribbean earlier this year. 

“A live drone feed showed two survivors from the original crew of 11 clinging to the wreckage of their boat following the initial missile attack on Sept. 2, The Post reported on Friday afternoon. The Special Operations commander overseeing the operation then ordered a second strike to comply with Hegseth’s directive, according to two people with direct knowledge of the operation, killing both survivors. Those people, along with five others in the original report, spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the matter’s sensitivity. 

“Late Friday, Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi), the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Sen. Jack Reed (D-Rhode Island), the committee’s ranking Democrat, issued a statement saying that the committee ‘is aware of recent news reports — and the Department of Defense’s initial response — regarding alleged follow-on strikes on suspected narcotics vessels.’ The committee, they said, ‘has directed inquiries to the Department, and we will be conducting vigorous oversight to determine the facts related to these circumstances.’ 

“Following the publication of The Post’s report, Hegseth wrote on X that ‘these highly effective strikes are designed to be “lethal, kinetic strikes,’” adding: ‘Every trafficker we kill is affiliated with a Designated Terrorist Organization.’ ‘Our current operations in the Caribbean are lawful under both U.S. and international law, with all actions in compliance with the law of armed conflict — and approved by the best military and civilian lawyers, up and down the chain of command,’ he said… 

“In some closed-door briefings to lawmakers, the Pentagon has declined to bring lawyers who could help explain the legal rationale behind the strikes. There has been extensive frustration among some members of Congress — including some Republicans — at the lack of detail provided to Capitol Hill, ranging from the intelligence to support the strikes to the identities of the people killed. 

“Last month, Wicker and Reed made public two letters they previously sent to the Pentagon, requesting the orders, recordings and legal rationale related to the strikes. The Defense Department, they wrote in the rare public warning, had surpassed the time required by law to provide some of the materials. That information would have included Hegseth’s order to kill everyone in the first strike and the video of the attack… some current and former U.S. officials and law-of-war experts have said that the Pentagon’s lethal campaign — which has killed more than 80 people to date — is unlawful and may expose those most directly involved to future prosecution… 

“The Joint Special Operations Command had said in briefing materials provided to the White House that the purpose of the ‘double-tap’ strike was to sink the boat to avoid any navigation hazard to other vessels, according to one person who saw the report. Lawmakers received a similar explanation in two closed-door briefings, according to two congressional aides. ‘The idea that wreckage from one small boat in a vast ocean is a hazard to marine traffic is patently absurd, and killing survivors is blatantly illegal,’ Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Massachusetts) wrote… ‘Mark my words: It may take some time, but Americans will be prosecuted for this, either as a war crime or outright murder.’” 

Some even question whether these attacks on boats take place, calling it “fake news.” How ignorant can one be! 

Second Strike in “Self-Defense”?

The Independent wrote on December 1:

“The White House has confirmed that the admiral overseeing U.S. military operations against alleged drug-carrying boats had issued the order for a second strike that killed two survivors, an attack that has intensified legal scrutiny into the Trump administration’s lethal campaign… 

“Asked to clarify whether [Defense Secretary Pete] Hegseth had ordered the second strike on the boat, [White House press secretary Karoline] Leavitt told reporters that [Admiral Frank] Bradley — not Hegseth — gave the order and stressed that the veteran naval officer was ‘well within his authority and the law’ when he did. ‘He directed the engagement to ensure the boat was destroyed and the threat from narco terrorists was eliminated,’ she said… The strike on September 2, the first among more than a dozen attacks that have killed more than 80 people in recent months, ‘was conducted in self-defense to protect Americans’ and ‘vital United States interests,’ she said… When two survivors emerged from the wreckage, Bradley issued an order to comply with Hegseth’s alleged instructions to ‘kill everybody’… 

“According to the Pentagon’s own Law of War Manual, people who are ‘wounded, sick, or shipwrecked’ on the high seas are supposed to be ‘respected and protected in all circumstances’ by U.S. forces, even during hostilities. The Defense Department’s manual specifically states that ‘making them the object of attack is strictly prohibited.’” 

Acting in self-defense? This is the most ridiculous “justification” anyone could come up with. 

“Hegseth Throws Admiral Under the Bus” 

Mediaite wrote on December 1: 

“Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth made clear that he believes Admiral Frank ‘Mitch’ Bradley is the man responsible for a U.S. attack on the survivors of a boat bombing in the Caribbean. 

“On Sept. 2, the U.S. bombed an alleged drug boat off the coast of Trinidad. According to The Washington Post, Hegseth ordered everyone aboard killed, according to sources familiar with the situation. After the first strike, which was conducted by the Navy, two survivors remained, clinging to the wreckage. Heeding Hegseth’s directive, the Post said Bradly deemed the survivors valid targets and ordered that Hegseth’s directive be carried out. The Navy conducted a second strike and killed the survivors… 

“On Monday night, Hegseth tweeted ‘support’ of Bradley while also making sure to say that the admiral was responsible for ‘combat decisions’… Fox News Chief Political Analyst Brit Hume… wrote: ‘How to point the finger at someone while pretending to support him.’… Hume said on Fox News that the story could be ‘a big problem’ for the Trump administration. 

“Over on CNN, Ryan Goodman, former general counsel for the Department of Defense, stated that if Hegseth ordered everyone on the boat killed, the secretary is ultimately responsible for the second strike, regardless of Bradley’s involvement…” 

He certainly would be. 

It was also pointed out that during his time in office, President Barack Obama significantly expanded the use of drone strikes for targeted killings against suspected terrorists, particularly in Pakistan, Yemen, and the Horn of Africa. 

How can something like this be possibly justified? 

Prosecuting Hegseth? 

Mediaite wrote on December 2: 

“Newsmax’s senior judicial analyst, Judge Andrew Napolitano, argued on Tuesday that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth should be prosecuted for a war crime over his order to kill everyone aboard an alleged drug smuggling boat in early September… 

“‘Well, I wish the White House would reveal to us the laws on which the president is relying. He says he has an opinion from the Justice Department, but neither the Justice Department nor the White House will offer it for public scrutiny… The killing is out of hand. And this last one, in which Pete Hegseth first denied that he gave the order, and then the White House said he did give the order, and then the White House said it was in self-defense. Self-defense! You got two people in the ocean clinging to a burning boat to stay alive, and they’re gonna be killed for self-defense? That doesn’t make any sense. 

“‘… the law of armed conflict says survivors have to be rescued. They can’t be killed. That’s very clear. It’s in the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and it’s in federal law…  narco terrorist is not a legal term. It’s a political term and using that political term does not justify [killing them]… only if they’re engaged in violence can the military kill them…’ 

“When asked whether they act violently ‘if they’re coming here with drugs that could kill Americans,’ Napolitano replied, ‘Well, they’re fifteen hundred miles from the United States on a speed boat with a fifty-mile distance. It’s inconceivable it could reach the United States.’” 

ABC News added on December 3: 

“The family of a Colombian fisherman who died in a U.S. military boat strike in September has filed a formal complaint with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights alleging the U.S. government illegally killed him… While the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights can investigate the complaint and issue findings, any ruling it makes would not be legally binding on the U.S…. 

“The filing comes after [far-left] Colombian President Gustavo Petro accused the U.S. government of committing murder… ‘Fisherman Alejandro Carranza had no ties to the drug trade and his daily activity was fishing… The Colombian boat was adrift and displaying the distress signal due to having an outboard motor…’” 

No Evidence 

Breitbart wrote on December 2: 

“During an interview aired on Tuesday’s broadcast of Bloomberg’s ‘Balance of Power,’ Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) stated that there isn’t any evidence of fentanyl coming from Venezuela… ‘All these people [are] going off saying, oh, fentanyl’s killing people, I know people who died of fentanyl. I have a great deal of sympathy. I know a family that lost two sons to fentanyl. I have sympathy for that. There’s no evidence there’s any fentanyl on this boat. There’s no evidence that any fentanyl comes from Venezuela, zero.’ 

“He continued, ‘There is fentanyl coming up [from] Mexico, but since we’re blowing these boats up, maybe we’re taking our eye off the border in Mexico. So, the whole thing is a pretense and a prelude to war in Venezuela, and I hope it doesn’t happen.’” 

He also said this in regard to pardoning former President of Honduras Juan Orlando Hernández: 

“‘if they label you a narcoterrorist, they can kill you without trial, but if they say you’re not a narcoterrorist, you can be given a pardon, even though you have been convicted, even though he’s gloated over all the people he’s loaded with drugs, including some who have probably and inevitably have died in our country… you get into the lunacy of, well, Orlando Hernández is not a narcoterrorist, but these guys, who we don’t know their name, and we’ve presented no proof, they’re narcoterrorists.’” 

Pardoning Drug Smuggler, While Attacking “Drug Smugglers” 

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on December 1: 

“Trump’s South America policy is getting more ridiculous by the day. Yesterday he announced a pardon for the former president of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernández, who is serving a 45-year sentence for partnering with drug traffickers who had allegedly shipped 400 tons of cocaine to the United States… 

“While pardoning a convicted drug smuggler on one day Trump uses the next one to threatening Venezuela for alleged drug smuggling for which there is no evidence… All Trump assertions about Venezuela, its alleged ‘terrorist gangs’ and drug smuggling are completely bogus. This is not at all about drugs but about stealing the huge oil reserve Venezuela has: ‘[Oil] is at the heart of the matter,’ Colombian President Gustavo Petro told CNN in an interview published Wednesday… ‘He’s not thinking about the democratization of Venezuela, let alone the narco-trafficking,’ added the South American president, who last month was sanctioned by the Trump administration… 

“Meanwhile the U.S. military continues to strike random fisherman [sic] near Venezuela… with drones and missiles… Some current and former U.S. officials and law-of-war experts have said that the Pentagon’s lethal campaign — which has killed more than 80 people to date — is unlawful and may expose those most directly involved to future prosecution. Hegseth had overruled the most senior military lawyer of the U.S. Southern Command who had called the strikes illegal… 

“Eleven people in a boat is by the way a sure sign that these were not drug smuggler [sic]… The boat in question, a go-fast vessel with four motors, is common in the region and would typically be manned by a small crew — perhaps one mechanic, a driver or two, and another person focused on security… More people on board means less room for drugs to sell…’” 

US Attack on Venezuela Imminent? 

The Telegraph wrote on November 29: 

“Donald Trump has told all airlines to consider the skies above and surrounding Venezuela closed, as the threat of US air strikes intensifies. The US president declared Venezuelan airspace ‘closed in its entirety’ in an early-morning post on social media, two days after suggesting he would launch military strikes on the country [“very soon”] to stop drug traffickers. 

“The US does not have the authority to close another country’s airspace, but the threat is likely to panic airlines, cause travel uncertainty in Venezuela, and worry Nicolas Maduro, its leader, whom the Trump administration has labelled a ‘narco-terrorist’…. 

“Despite the president’s declaration, US authorities have not banned American aircraft from entering Venezuelan airspace and flights were still going ahead as of Saturday morning… Since September, the Trump administration has been massing the most significant US military force in the southern Caribbean region for generations, while conducting deadly strikes on suspected drug-smuggling vessels in international waters…”

China To Invade Taiwan? 

The Daily Mail published on November 29 an article by Ian Williams, author of “The Rise And Fall Of The Chinese Economy”: 

“If China attacked its neighbour, [Taiwan] the threat to the global economy and to the bruised Western alliance would make Russia’s long war in Ukraine look like a picnic. And although it is half a world away, the UK could be drawn more directly to a conflict in Taiwan than to the muddy fields of the Donbas. 

“Taiwan is a vital cog in the global high-tech economy. It produces more than 90 per cent of the world’s most advanced semi-conductors. One Taiwanese company, Hon Hai Precision Industry Co, also known as Foxconn, is the world’s biggest electronics manufacturer, including of most Apple products. Bloomberg Economics has estimated that a war over the island would cost the global economy around $10trillion (£7.56trillion) – about 10 per cent of the world’s GDP.

“For years, America has been supporting Taiwan’s defences and bolstering regional alliances to deter Chinese aggression. Now, not only has Donald Trump ushered in a new era of unpredictability, but his counterpart Xi Jinping is growing increasingly impatient, stepping up his military intimidation of the democratic, self-ruled island, which China claims as its own.

“Xi sees taking Taiwan as a key part of his mission to restore national greatness, an eerily similar mission to that of his ‘good friend’ Vladimir Putin, which drives the Russian dictator’s aggression on Ukraine. Xi is closely watching the West’s faltering resolve in Ukraine. If Putin is rewarded with territory for his aggression, that will factor into Beijing’s calculations.

“This is why a phone call between Xi and Trump this week attracted so much attention and raised questions about America’s commitment both to the defence of Taiwan and to its regional alliances. The Americans say the call came from Xi, while Beijing claims Trump initiated it. The US President says ‘many topics’ were discussed, while China insists the focus was Taiwan… According to Chinese reports, Xi reminded Trump that the US and China had jointly fought ‘fascism and militarism’ during the Second World War. The message was clear: if Trump wants better relations with Beijing, he should… allow China to have its way with Taiwan.

“No doubt Xi will also have watched Trump’s attempts to wash his hands of Ukraine by foisting on Kyiv a peace plan that largely gives Moscow what it wants. Xi must be calculating that this transactional American President could similarly be persuaded to abandon Taiwan as part of a mutually beneficial trade deal…

“Xi will have noted the way Putin has been able to play Trump like a fiddle, and there should be no surprise that the Chinese leader wants to join that orchestra.” 

Levites Sing Psalms on the Temple Mount 

Israel 365 News wrote on November 28: 

“The silence that has hung over the Temple Mount for nearly two thousand years was broken Thursday morning when three Levites ascended Judaism’s holiest site and sang the daily psalm. The moment marks an unprecedented restoration of an ancient Temple service that ceased with the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE… 

“The Bible assigns the Levites a specific role in Temple worship. In the book of Chronicles, King David organizes the Levitical singers: ‘David and the commanders of the army set apart for the service the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, who prophesied with lyres, harps, and cymbals’ (1 Chronicles 25:1). This wasn’t merely ceremonial music. The Sages teach that Levitical song was an essential component of the Temple service itself, so integral that sacrifices offered without it were considered incomplete…

“The Levites performed various functions in the Temple including guarding and serving all the musical needs.  

“Jewish communities are scrupulous about perpetuating the status of the Levites, which is passed from father to son. Only Jewish men whose fathers were Levites are considered eligible. Comprising about 4% of the total Jewish population, they are recognized for conspicuous honors in religious services and their status as Levites is inscribed on their gravestones…” 

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.

Would God use unrighteous persons or entities to fulfill His purpose? Actually, as we will see, God used, is using and will use unrighteous personalities and nations to fulfill His Will.

God used Joseph’s brothers to sell him into slavery. At that time, Joseph’s brothers were not righteous at all. But when they repented of their evil conduct, Joseph explained to them what God’s purpose for them had been, and how God worked it all out. We read in Genesis 45:4-8:

“And Joseph said to his brothers, ‘Please come near to me.’ So they came near. Then he said: ‘I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.”

After their father Jacob had died, the brothers became again concerned that Joseph would deal harshly with them. So, Joseph comforted them, as we read in Genesis 50:19-20:

“Joseph said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.’”

At last, Joseph’s brothers repented. But even if they had not, God still would have used them to fulfill that aspect of His plan to keep many people alive through Joseph.

When we review the events in Egypt at the time of Moses, we see that God used Pharaoh to fulfill His plan, but Pharaoh was unrighteous and never repented. In fact, God raised Pharaoh and brought him to power so that God’s plan could be fulfilled.

We read God’s words in Exodus 9:16: “But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” This is repeated and confirmed in Romans 9:17.

When Israel sinned against God after Joshua’s death, God used unrighteous adversaries on numerous occasions to trouble Israel. We read in Judges 2:14: “And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel. So He delivered them into the hands of plunderers who despoiled them; and He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies.”

Judges 3:8 adds: “Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and He sold them into the hand of Cushan-Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia; and the children of Israel served Cushan-Rishathaim eight years.” Also note Judges 4:2: “So the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor.”

We also find that God used unconverted Samson to fulfill aspects of His plan. Samson would later repent, but he was not righteous at all when God used him before in certain circumstances. He wanted to marry a Philistine girl which was against God’s instructions, and so his parents tried to dissuade him from doing so. Notice, though, how the Bible describes that conversation and the reason for Samson’s inappropriate desires, in Judges 14:3-4:

“Then his father and mother said to him, ‘Is there no woman among the daughters of your brethren, or among all my people, that you must go and get a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?’ And Samson said to his father, ‘Get her for me, for she pleases me well.’ But his father and mother did not know that it was of the LORD—that He was seeking an occasion to move against the Philistines. For at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.”

Due to the betrayal of his new wife, and the conduct of the Philistines, Samson became their enemy from that time on. God, knowing Samson’s shortcomings and his carnality, used him to bring about His purpose. We read in Judges 14:19: “Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon him mightily, and he went down to Ashkelon and killed thirty of their men, took their apparel, and gave the changes of clothing to those who had explained the riddle. So his anger was aroused, and he went back up to his father’s house.”

This does not mean that God’s Spirit was poured into his heart—that he became converted at that time. It just means that God, through His Spirit, “moved” or motivated him, as it was God’s plan to punish the Philistines. Something similar happened, when Delilah betrayed Samson for money and bound him with ropes to hand him over to the Philistines. Note Judges 15:14-15:

“When he came to Lehi, the Philistines came shouting against him. Then the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him; and the ropes that were on his arms became like flax that is burned with fire, and his bonds broke loose from his hands. He found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, reached out his hand and took it, and killed a thousand men with it.”

That God uses unrighteous entities to fulfill aspects of His plan is exemplified by the fact that He used demons—evil spirits—to punish the Egyptians at the time of Moses. We read in Psalm 78:49: “He cast on them the fierceness of His anger, Wrath, indignation, and trouble, By sending angels of destruction among them.” The better translation for “angels of destruction” is “evil angels,” as the Authorized Version has it.

We also read that God used a demon to trouble King Saul, after he had rebelled against God and became unqualified to rule Israel. God even removed His Holy Spirit from him which had been given to him when he became anointed king. We read that an “evil spirit from God” plagued King Saul.

1 Samuel 16:14-16 tells us: “But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the LORD troubled him. And Saul’s servants said to him, ‘Surely, a distressing spirit from God is troubling you. Let our master now command your servants, who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp; and it shall be that he will play it with his hand when the distressing spirit from God is upon you, and you shall be well.’”

This is how David came to Saul’s court. We read in 1 Samuel 18:10-11: “And it happened on the next day that the distressing spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house. So David played music with his hand, as at other times; but there was a spear in Saul’s hand. And Saul cast the spear, for he said, ‘I will pin David to the wall!’ But David escaped his presence twice.”

Later, when the demon influenced Saul again, he tried once more to kill David. 1 Samuel 19:9-10 reads: “Now the distressing spirit from the LORD came upon Saul as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. And David was playing music with his hand. Then Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away from Saul’s presence; and he drove the spear into the wall. So David fled and escaped that night.”

Following many ordeals and trials, David occupied the office of anointed king, after Saul had died in battle. God’s plan for David was being fulfilled, but King Saul who had become unrighteous had been a necessary part of that plan.

However, David failed too, but in contrast to Saul, he repented of his sins. Still, we read that God was involved in David’s punishment for his sins. David understood this, and when he fled from his son Absalom, and someone cursed him, David said in 2 Samuel 16:10-11: “But the king said, ‘What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? So let him curse, because the LORD has said to him, “Curse David.” Who then shall say, “Why have you done so?”’ And David said to Abishai and all his servants, ‘See how my son who came from my own body seeks my life. How much more now may this Benjamite? Let him alone, and let him curse; for so the LORD has ordered him.’”

David recognized the fact that God used an unrighteous Benjamite (Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin) to curse David.

We also read that God used a lying spirit to bring about the death of evil King Ahab (1 Kings 22:19-23).

And God used Satan to deal with Job to make Job realize that even he was not without sin and that his righteousness was much inferior to God’s righteousness.

God used the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar to conquer sinful Judah. We read in Jeremiah 25:9: “‘…behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,’ says the LORD, ‘and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land, against its inhabitants, and against these nations all around, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, a hissing, and perpetual desolations.’”

God called Nebuchadnezzar His servant because he would serve God in fulfilling God’s Will, even though he himself did not understand this at all. Nebuchadnezzar was a devout worshiper of Babylonian pagan gods, such as Marduk, Nabu, Šamaš, Sin, and Ishtar, to whom he credited Babylon’s success, as can be seen from his royal inscriptions. Even though he developed an intellectual acknowledgement of the true God of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, there is no indication that he ever forsook his pagan worship and belief.

We are told that God raised up the Persian king Cyrus to fulfill part of His plan—to rebuild Jerusalem and to build the Second Temple.  We even read that God knew Cyrus by name prior to his birth (Isaiah 45:4-5; these passages in the book of Isaiah were written long before Cyrus was born). God even called him “His anointed.”

We read in Isaiah 44:28: “[God] says of Cyrus, ‘He is My shepherd, And he shall perform all My pleasure, Saying to Jerusalem, ‘You shall be built,’ And to the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid.’”

Isaiah 45:1 adds: “Thus says the LORD to His anointed, To Cyrus, whose right hand I have held—To subdue nations before him And loose the armor of kings, To open before him the double doors, So that the gates will not be shut.”

God used Cyrus to conquer Babylon and to make it possible that the Jews could return to Jerusalem and to build the Temple. He stirred up the spirit of Cyrus to make the proclamation regarding the building of the Temple (Ezra 1:1). But Cyrus was a pagan ruler who worshipped gods like Marduk and was apparently also a believer in Zoroastrianism, the state religion of the Persian Empire. There is no indication that Cyrus ever forsook his pagan religious beliefs.

Addressing our times and our immediate future, we find that God will raise up the modern Chaldeans (the final revival of the Holy Roman Empire) to conquer the modern sinful descendants of the Houses of Israel and Judah. We read in Habakkuk 1:5-6:

“Look among the nations and watch—Be utterly astounded! For I will work a work in your days Which you would not believe, though it were told you. For indeed I am raising up the Chaldeans, A bitter and hasty nation Which marches through the breadth of the earth, To possess dwelling places that are not theirs.”

The modern Chaldeans are by no means a righteous people. In fact, they are described as “wicked,” devouring Israel and Judah who are, by comparison, more righteous than the Chaldeans (Habakkuk 1:13).

We also know from the Bible that an end-time charismatic military leader will rise in Europe to lead the modern Chaldeans in their conquest of modern Israel and Judah. This individual is called the ”beast” in the Book of Revelation. Since Satan, with God’s permission, rules all kingdoms and nations, he will give his throne to the beast, both the Empire and the future leader of that Empire (Revelation 13:2). But Satan can only do what God allows. And sometimes, God intervenes directly to see to it that His plan is carried out. In regard to the beast (also called the King of Assyria, the king of the North, and King Jareb), God will use him to conquer Israel and Judah.

We read in Isaiah 10:5-7, 12:

“‘Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger And the staff in whose hand is My indignation. I will send him against an ungodly nation, And against the people of My wrath I will give him charge, To seize the spoil, to take the prey, And to tread them down like the mire of the streets. Yet he does not mean so, Nor does his heart think so; But it is in his heart to destroy, And cut off not a few nations…’ Therefore it shall come to pass, when the LORD has performed all His work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, that He will say, ‘I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his haughty looks.’”

The beast will be demonically possessed. He is wicked and evil, and he will be thrown into a lake of fire when Christ returns. The nations following him will also be dealt with by God. He will use the modern Medes (Ukrainians, Russians and others) to destroy Europe.

Isaiah 13:17-19 tells us:

“Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, Who will not regard silver; And as for gold, they will not delight in it. Also their bows will dash the young men to pieces, And they will have no pity on the fruit of the womb; Their eye will not spare children. And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, The beauty of the Chaldeans’ pride, Will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.”

Jeremiah 51:11 adds:

“Make the arrows bright! Gather the shields! The LORD has raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes. For His plan is against Babylon to destroy it, Because it is the vengeance of the LORD, The vengeance for His temple.”

But the modern Medes are not a righteous people either. As part of the Kings of the East, they will assemble with the beast’s armies to fight against the returning Jesus Christ, but they will be consumed and destroyed (Revelation 19:19; Zechariah 14:1-2, 12). However, the point still is, God will be using the unrighteous modern Assyrians under their unrighteous king and the unrighteous modern Medes to fulfill His plan.

This is not to say that everyone being used by God to fulfill His plan is unrighteous. God has been and will be using many righteous people, but when God uses them, it is not only for the purpose of carrying out a specific physical task, but also for the purpose of achieving spiritual perfection. The apostle Paul, David and Jeremiah come to mind whom God knew before they were born, to be called to salvation in this life, and who were also predestined to carry out certain tasks. This is not true for those (unrighteous) people who were not preordained to be called in this life for salvation, but who still had been chosen to fulfill a specific physical task.

But even then, God may decide, based on their conduct, that they will become disqualified from even fulfilling that physical task or from maintaining a certain physical position.  As we mentioned, King Saul became disqualified from remaining King over Israel. Samuel’s words in this regard are very revealing. We read in 1 Samuel 13:13-14, after Saul had taken it upon himself to bring sacrifices, even though this task was reserved for the priests only:

“And Samuel said to Saul, ‘You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you. For now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.”

Another example of a (at least temporary) disqualification of a king in office is Nebuchadnezzar. Because of his persecution of Daniel and his three friends and his pride in himself and his refusal to acknowledge the true God in an even intellectual way, God removed him from office for seven years, and only restored him to the office of king after his “repentance” in a physical way (we are not speaking of “spiritual” repentance necessary to obtain salvation—Nebuchadnezzar was never called in this life for spiritual salvation).

We read God’s pronouncement and punishment of Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4:16: “Let his heart be changed from that of a man, Let him be given the heart of a beast, And let seven times pass over him.” The following is added in verses 25-27:

“They shall drive you from men, your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make you eat grass like oxen. They shall wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses. And inasmuch as they gave the command to leave the stump and roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be assured to you, after you come to know that Heaven rules. Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable to you; break off your sins by being righteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your prosperity.”

But Nebuchadnezzar did not heed the warning. He did not cease from acting in pride, and so God brought about what He had proclaimed. He took away for seven times or years his “heart of man” and replaced it with “the heart of a beast,” which seems to indicate that God replaced his human spirit with an animal spirit. But at the end of the time, his understanding returned to him, and he gave praise to Daniel’s God, even though there is no indication that he became a true worshipper of God and forsook his pagan gods.

Another example is the way God reacted when Israel under Moses sinned greatly in building a golden calf. We read in Exodus 32:9-10: “And the LORD said to Moses, ‘I have seen this people, and indeed it is a stiff-necked people! Now therefore, let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them. And I will make of you a great nation.’”

Moses pleaded with God, and He relented, but He still inflicted great punishment on the people and as it turned out, the entire generation would die in the wilderness, and not one of them was allowed to enter the Promised Land except for Joshua and Caleb. The lesson to take from this episode is that God was prepared to change His plan regarding the people whom He had brought out of slavery and to begin all over again with Moses and his descendants (similar to what God had done when He wiped out all flesh in the Great Flood and began anew with Noah and his descendants).

Even though God had a physical role for some people to be used for aspects of His plan (Israel, under Moses, was supposed to become a holy nation in a physical sense; they had never been offered salvation), He might replace those people if they continually act against standards which God considers as essential.

For argument’s sake, let us assume that God has set aside a particular individual of power for the purpose of participating in the building of the Third Temple (which is necessary to be built before Christ can return), because that particular individual appears to be the most logical and qualified person for that task, but if that person continues to live and rule in a way which is not pleasing to God, while even acknowledging that his chances to “get to heaven” (as mainstream Christianity erroneously believes) are rather slim, but not doing anything about it, then God might very well decide to give that task to someone else. After all, Esau lost his birthright and the blessing which were given to Jacob instead, and Jacob’s firstborn son Reuben, due to his sinful conduct, lost his birthright, which was given to Joseph.

God’s plan will stand, no matter what man does, but those who will be given a chance to fulfill parts of God’s plan, even in physical ways, should reflect on the fact that God can give and that He can take away (Job 1:21).

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

compiled by Dave Harris

“Trump and Putin vs. EU and Ukraine?,” a  new StandingWatch program presented by Evangelist Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is the summary:

Trump’s and Putin’s original “peace plan” for ending the Russia-Ukrainian war has alarmed and angered the EU. They feel betrayed and are deeply suspicious of the underlying motives. As a result, they consider the “nuclear option,” which would have devastating consequences for America’s economy. 

“Trump und Putin gegen die EU und die Ukraine?,” a new AufPostenStehen program presented by Norbert Link, is now posted. This German program covers the same topics as described above.

A new Member Letter (December 2025) has been posted and mailed to our subscribers. Pastor Rene Messier reflects on himself and his wife, Delia, observing the Feast of Tabernacles with a small number of members who were unable to attend our overseas site.

“What Is the Work of God?,” our newest booklet written by Evangelist Norbert Link, has been forwarded to graphic designer Shelly Bruno in preparation for printing.

“The Truth About Christmas” is the latest short video that has been posted on YouTube.

“Wird Trump den Dritten Tempel bauen?” is the title of this Sabbath’s German sermon presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Will Trump Build the Third Temple?”

“Sind Sabbat-Verweigerer chancenlos mit ihren Argumenten?,” last Sabbath’s German sermonette presented by Matthias Griesinger, is now posted. Title in English: “Do Those Who Refuse to Observe the Sabbath Stand No Chance With Their Arguments?”

“America in Decline and Free Fall?—Comments on News and Prophecy, November 29, 2025,” last Sabbath’s sermonette presented by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is the summary:

The Bible tells us that America’s decline is inevitable. It is far from over! In fact, the signs indicate that the downfall, which has begun, is irreversible. At the same time, a great power in Europe is rising, which is also explained in God’s Word. In this message, many examples will be given which prove the accuracy of these prophecies.

“Do We Overlook Important Lessons in the Book of Job?,” last Sabbath’s sermon presented by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is the summary:

The Book of Job is a multifaceted book that is as relevant today as ever. How do we react when we suffer seemingly “without cause”? Do we feel that God is acting unjustly toward us? Do we become entangled in contradictions and, because of our suffering, forget important insights? How do we “comfort” and “teach” someone else who is suffering? Are we sure that our assessment of the situation also applies to that person? Are we truly helping, or are we merely “miserable comforters”? How does God give us answers? What is the true meaning of the Book of Job? And what other inspired truths does it contain for us?

On November 29, 2025, Norbert Link will present, “Comments on News and Prophecy, November29, 2025,” and the sermon, titled, “Do We Overlook Important Lessons in the Book of Job?”

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.

In our latest StandingWatch program, titled, Killing of Fishermen—Must Illegal Orders Be Obeyed?, we discussed that six Democratic lawmakers urged service members to defy illegal orders and President Trump’s reaction. He called them traitors and described their conduct as seditious behavior at the highest level, advocating their arrest and death.

Subsequently, it was reported that the FBI requested “interviews” with them. A law professor who teaches national-security law described this as “a frivolous investigation meant to suppress speech” (The Wall Street Journal, November 25). Especially, the “investigation” of Senator Mark Kelly, a retired Navy pilot and astronaut, potentially facing a military tribunal to be court-martialed, has been roundly condemned by many observers.

Also, many veterans, highly praised in the past by President Trump, strongly voiced their objection to the entire matter, saying that “calling for an investigation into a well-known principle of service is dangerous, and says more about this administration than it does about Senator Kelly” (The Independent, November 25).

Sadly, these developments only serve as one example of a situation within the USA which is deeply troublesome. The ongoing controversial actions of ICE raids, detentions and deportations of potentially everyone being in the country “illegally,” as defined by the Trump administration, including members of DACA, stand in strong contrast to original representations during the presidential campaign that only dangerous hard-core criminals would be arrested and deported.  

Some of the comments we received on the above-mentioned StandingWatch program and the German AufPostenStehen version, covering the same topic, are telling. One viewer wrote: “An excellent commentary on the current leadership of America and its inevitable downfall as prophesied in the bible. Thanks to God there is at least one Church of God not singing the praises of [Trump]… an iceberg has been hit and all that’s being done is rearranging of the deck chairs. These are dangerous times unfolding before our very eyes.”

Another viewer wrote: “Especially because the man who is [an] astronaut [Senator Mark Kelly] is a war hero [with] 39 years of service and his poor wife [was] shot in [the] head and lived, thank God. He has paid a [huge] price to be an American.”

A German-speaking viewer wrote: “This humanity is a complete madhouse. In Germany, it is a punishable offense to carry out unlawful orders. Such orders must be strictly and absolutely refused without fear of punishment. That’s what I was taught in the German armed forces.”

In fact, this last comment is very remarkable in light of Germany’s dark history, especially during the Nazi era and former East Germany. We know, of course, that terrible times lie ahead for Germany in the not-too-distant future.

In light of Trump’s questionable actions, which are clearly not in line with godly principles, and which will contribute to America’s inevitable downfall, why are we so confident that God will use him to build the Third Temple? (Compare for example our Editorial, dated October 31, 2025, titled, “When Our Critics Become Silent…”). Actually, there is no contradiction, but, in fact, biblical confirmation. We will explain this in detail in a future Q&A.

All of this sounds like bad news, but it isn’t. These events, and many more, must occur before Christ can return. But these days will be shortened and He WILL return soon to end the madness of this current civilization and to usher in the beautiful world tomorrow. This is the good news or gospel of the rule of the Kingdom of God here on earth which must be and is “preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14). And for THAT, we can be truly thankful.

by Norbert Link

We begin with the upheaval caused by Trump’s “peace plan” between Russia and Ukraine; continue with increasing and strong demands for a European army; illegal actions and false accusations by the American government; and absolutely despicable ICE conduct.

Please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Killing of Fishermen—Must Illegal Orders Be Obeyed?” 

We speak on America’s invasion of Mexico and the more than fragile relationship between Trump and New York’s Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani. We also quote an article trying to explain Trump’s irate behavior by suggesting that he is suffering from dementia.

 We address the failed attempt of the new U.S. ambassador to Poland to absolve Poland of the Holocaust; Trump’s desire to interfere in European migration policy; and Canada’s push for euthanasia.

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

Trump’s New “Peace Plan” for Ukraine 

ABC News wrote on November 21: 

“The [US] military delegation arrived Wednesday into a capital in turmoil [Kyiv], as a corruption scandal estimated by investigators to involve some $100 million forced the dismissal of two cabinet ministers… As the scandal swirled, the White House has presented Ukraine with a new 28-point peace plan drawn up in coordination with Moscow that contains conditions that are widely seen in Ukraine as effectively demanding the country’s capitulation… 

“The plan includes a number of maximalist demands that the Kremlin has long demanded and that have been previously dismissed as non-starters for Kyiv, including that Ukraine cut its armed forces by more than half and cede swaths of territory not yet occupied by Russia… Ukraine would also be forbidden from possessing long-range weapons, while Moscow would retain virtually all the territory it has occupied — and receive some form of recognition of its 2014 seizure of Crimea under the latest proposed U.S. plan… 

“Zelenskyy — whom Trump previously framed as illegitimate and in March said was without ‘the cards’ needed for peace negotiations with Russia — already appeared to be on shaky ground in recent days as the corruption scandal widened, with opposition parties and even figures within his own Servant of the People party calling for a major governmental shakeup. 

“Now he will also have to juggle that scandal along with the new U.S. peace drive. In Ukraine, some observers have suggested the Trump administration has chosen the moment deliberately, hoping a vulnerable Zelenskyy can be forced into accepting unfavorable terms…. 

“Zelenskyy has not been personally implicated in what is perhaps the country’s most serious corruption scandal of the war. The president has vowed ‘a swift and just response’ to any wrongdoing.” 

Newsmax wrote on November 19: 

“While Ukraine would view the deal as a major surrender to Russia, the White House believes Ukraine would likely lose the territory anyway [parts of eastern Ukraine they don’t occupy]… The deal would call for Russia to control the Donbas region, even though Ukraine controls 14.5% of the territory there.” 

Zelenskyy Reacts 

BBC wrote on November 21:

 “Addressing the nation on Friday, Zelensky said Ukraine ‘might face a very difficult choice: either losing dignity, or risk losing a key partner’, [USA] adding that ‘today is one of the most difficult moments in our history’… 

“Ukraine is critically dependent on deliveries of US-made advanced weaponry, including air defence systems to repel deadly Russian air assaults, as well as intelligence provided by Washington…. 

“In his 10-minute address in front of the presidential office in Kyiv, Zelensky warned that Ukraine would face ‘a lot of pressure… to weaken us, to divide us’, adding that ‘the enemy is not sleeping’… 

“Trump warned that Ukraine would lose more territory to Russia ‘in a short amount of time’.” 

Witkoff to See a Psychiatrist? 

Welt Online wrote on November 21: 

“European diplomats and government officials are reacting angrily to new details of the US peace plan intended to end the war in Ukraine… One EU government representative resorted to crude language to express his dismay. A leading EU politician said: ‘Witkoff needs to see a psychiatrist.’… 

“The Europeans assured Zelenskyy that they remain committed to a ‘just’ peace, according to a statement released after the talks. ‘They agreed that any agreement affecting European states, the European Union, or NATO requires the approval of European partners or a consensus among the allies,’ the statement said.” 

Farage Objects 

Express wrote on November 22: 

“Reform UK leader Mr Farage has now taken to X to make his feelings clear on the Ukraine peace plan from Mr Trump…  He wrote: ‘Ukraine being asked to halve the size of its Army is unacceptable…’ 

“Mr Farage’s remarks come as a rare public rebuke of the US President. They represent a significant strengthening of his support for Ukraine, against attempts by the Labour Party to cast him as sympathetic to Russia’s leader Vladimir Putin.” 

Trump Causes Earthquake 

t-online wrote on November 22: 

“US President Donald Trump has effectively derailed the G20 summit [in South Africa] – despite the US’s non-participation… Trump’s Ukraine plan has sent shockwaves through the G20. Europeans met in Johannesburg on Saturday morning to coordinate a common approach to the US plan. They consider the development alarming. Europe was not involved in the negotiations with Russia, and Trump acted behind their backs. 

“European diplomats agree: Neither Ukraine nor the Europeans can actually approve Trump’s plan. They see it as a declaration of surrender that fulfills all of Russia’s war aims. Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin could use it to launch another attack in a few years to seize the rest of a then-disarmed Ukraine. In a statement issued early Saturday afternoon, several European states, along with Canada and Japan, rejected the plan in its current form… 

“Despite the clear rejection of Trump’s plan by all of Ukraine’s supporters, there is still considerable agitation in South Africa. This is because the central goal of both Ukraine and the Europeans is apparently to avoid completely alienating Trump. They are suppressing their anger at the US president, hoping that he will ultimately remain involved in the war in Ukraine in some way. Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin, however, will likely reject any alternative plan proposed by the Europeans. Why should Moscow accept something that, in all likelihood, is worse for Putin than the US offer? 

“To prevent the worst, the Europeans are, as usual, doing what a British television reporter in Johannesburg described on Saturday as ‘Trump-pleasing.’ This involves examining Trump’s plans very seriously, even though it is clear that the consequences for the West, excluding the US, would be catastrophic…” 

“That’s why Chancellor Friedrich Merz was surprisingly clear in a press statement during the G20 summit… If Trump doesn’t adjust his plan, he’ll be on his own from Thursday onward – or on Putin’s side. Whether the Europeans are prepared for the consequences of a break with the Americans, Merz left open on Saturday. 

“One thing is certain: the strategy of keeping the US president at the table at all costs is reaching its limits. Merz and the Europeans are increasingly frustrated. Trump wants peace at any price – he doesn’t care how sustainable and beneficial this peace is for Europe… 

“But the headaches of many Western states extend far beyond the Ukraine issue. Early on at the G20 summit in Johannesburg, it was clear: Trump is one of the greatest dangers of our time – also because political assurances from Washington can hardly be relied upon anymore…”
The inevitable separation between Europe and the USA is clearly on the horizon. 

“A Disaster for Europe”

Bild Online published the following commentary by Roman Elchinger on November 21: 

“The US peace plan for Ukraine reads as if it were conceived by Putin himself. If it is truly meant seriously, it would amount to a declaration of surrender for Kyiv and be a disaster for Europe… Such a ‘peace’ would be practically an invitation to the next war for Putin. There are plenty of parallels in history – from the ‘Munich Agreement,’ which was intended to appease Hitler, to Putin’s virtually inconsequential invasion of Crimea. 

“But the truth is also this: We can’t complain about the EU being ignored. Those who are so militarily weak that their security depends on Trump’s USA simply don’t have a seat at the table when the new world order is being discussed. The lesson after almost four years of war in Ukraine is therefore not new, but unfortunately all the more urgent: Europe must become a military power – preferably with its own Army.” 

A European NATO Because of America’s Unreliability? 

Compact wrote on November 23: 

“A prominent Christian Democrat [CSU politician Manfred Weber, chairman of the influential EPP group in the European Parliament] is calling for the EU to be transformed into a military alliance because the US… can no longer be relied upon… 

“Weber said: ‘[We] must… expand the EU into a European NATO. We can no longer rely on the US without reservation.'”

Tagesschau wrote on November 23: 

“The Europeans are now trying, with difficulty, to get back into the game… They have to offer something, for example, regarding security guarantees for Ukraine. It’s about reliability – and that’s difficult to achieve in dealings with Trump.”

Trump Backpedals on Peace Plan 

The Wall Street Journal wrote on November 22: 

“President Trump said Saturday he could be open to changes in the administration’s 28-point plan for ending the war in Ukraine after Kyiv, European governments and even some Republican lawmakers denounced it as far too heavily weighted in Moscow’s favor… He didn’t specify what changes were possible in the plan.” 

He also apparently went back on his earlier insistence that the plan must be accepted by Thanksgiving. But he also repeated his earlier accusation that the war started because of Biden’s and Zelensky’s weak leadership.

Trump Accuses Zelensky and Europe 

CNN wrote on November 23: 

“President Donald Trump slammed Ukraine’s leaders today (Sunday) for what he described as a lack of gratitude… ‘UKRAINE ‘LEADERSHIP’ HAS EXPRESSED ZERO GRATITUDE FOR OUR EFFORTS, AND EUROPE CONTINUES TO BUY OIL FROM RUSSIA,’ Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. 

“The comment harkens back to Vice President JD Vance’s remarks in the Oval Office earlier this year, when he berated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a tense meeting and asked, ‘Have you said thank you once?’” 

These accusations are clearly false. 

Europe’s “Alternative” 

The Telegraph wrote on November 23: 

“A rival European plan to end the war in Ukraine… differs sharply from the contentious 28-point proposal put forward by the Trump administration… Among the key differences in the European plan is a requirement for ‘no restriction’ to be placed on the size of the Ukrainian armed forces. 

“Unlike the Trump plan, the European plan does not ban Ukraine from joining Nato, with the final decision subject to ‘consensus within the alliance’. This has long been a point of contention and is likely to anger Russia, which blames Nato for the outbreak of war and fears the alliance’s expansion on its borders. 

“The European plan also states that Kyiv would ‘not be forced to be neutral’ and would be free to invite ‘friendly forces’ to operate on its soil should it so wish… 

“The European proposals call for an immediate, unconditional ceasefire, effectively freezing the current front lines. The ceasefire would be monitored by the US and Europe. Ukraine would receive ‘robust, legally-binding security guarantees, including from the US, to prevent future aggression’ by Russia, Europe’s plan adds… 

“Under the European plan, Ukraine would be ‘fully reconstructed and compensated financially, including through Russian sovereign assets that will remain frozen until Russia compensates damage to Ukraine’.” 

Russia will never agree to this European plan. Nor to a revised Trump plan, as discussed below. 

New Plan to Be Rejected by Moscow 

The New York Post wrote on November 25: 

“Russia is set to reject the new 19-point cease-fire deal drafted by the US and Ukraine but may use disinformation tactics to keep President Trump engaged in continued talks… The White House has said it is working to secure a deal after Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff developed a previous controversial 28-point version of the plan that heavily favored Moscow.  That plan included input from Kyiv, the Trump administration has insisted. [That allegation is ridiculous.] 

“The proposal, roundly criticized by both sides of the US political aisle and international community because it was so one-sided, was then narrowed down to a 19-point plan acceptable to Ukraine after talks between top Washington and Kyiv officials happened Sunday… Russia won’t agree to the 19-point version, as they already weren’t completely satisfied with the broader previous plan… The new 19-point deal vastly differs from the original, eliminating the cap on Ukraine’s active forces and leaving the door open for the country to join NATO.” 

The Daily Mail added on November 25 that Trump is in a “desperate scramble to salvage [the] Ukraine peace deal,” continuing: 

“Trump has dispatched his trusted special envoy to Moscow for crunch talks with Vladimir Putin amid fears his Ukraine peace plan is unraveling… 

“The [new] deal no longer includes amnesty guarantees for atrocities committed during the war. Kyiv has agreed to cap its army at 800,000 men. That initial plan had permanently ruled out NATO membership for Ukraine, limited its army to 600,000, proposed handing the rest of Donbas to Russia – albeit as a demilitarized zone – and mandated that Kyiv hold elections within 100 days. All those clauses are reported to have since been amended or shelved for now.” 

Is the Ukraine War Useful for Germany? 

Nius wrote on November 24: 

“‘What good is the most elaborate debt brake when the Russians are at the door?’ [CDU/CSU parliamentary group leader Jens] Spahn asked in an interview with the FAZ… , adding: ‘To put it bluntly, we Europeans only have two options: We can learn to defend ourselves or we can all learn Russian.’… 

“The Ukraine war has become incredibly useful for the CDU/CSU. It serves as a catch-all justification for everything – from debt to energy to pensions. It has already been used by the second federal government in a row to sacrifice principles. ‘Unfortunately, we now have to break everything because we promised you that you wouldn’t be stabbed anymore,’ is the simplified message. A policy that no longer protects, but only negotiates – at the expense of those who elect it.” 

Bild Online wrote: “Merz’ Christmas Tree is already burning.” 

Spying on American Citizens 

The Associated Press wrote on November 20: 

“The U.S. Border Patrol is monitoring millions of American drivers nationwide in a secretive program to identify and detain people whose travel patterns it deems suspicious… 

“The predictive intelligence program has resulted in people being stopped, searched and in some cases arrested. A network of cameras scans and records vehicle license plate information, and an algorithm flags vehicles deemed suspicious based on where they came from, where they were going and which route they took. Federal agents in turn may then flag local law enforcement. 

“Suddenly, drivers find themselves pulled over — often for reasons cited such as speeding, failure to signal, the wrong window tint or even a dangling air freshener blocking the view. They are then aggressively questioned and searched, with no inkling that the roads they drove put them on law enforcement’s radar… 

“Today, predictive surveillance is embedded into America’s roadways. Mass surveillance techniques are also used in a range of other countries, from authoritarian governments such as China to, increasingly, democracies in the U.K. and Europe in the name of national security and public safety.” 

Big Brother keeps watching and acting… 

“Trump’s Lawyers Without Integrity” 

The Ron Paul Institute published on November 20 an article by Jacob George Hornberger, an American attorney, author, and politician who was a Libertarian candidate for president in 2000 and 2020: 

“Many years ago, when I was practicing law in Texas, I learned that there were, generally speaking, two types of lawyers when it came to being asked for a legal opinion by a client who wished to pursue a certain course of action. 

“The first type of lawyer would carefully research the issue and give his honest, independent-minded opinion as to the legality of the proposed action, even if it wasn’t what the client wanted to hear. That type of lawyer had integrity and would not compromise his legal judgment, even if it angered — and risked the loss of — his client. 

“The second type of lawyer would instead come up with whatever legal reasoning was necessary to please the client, stretching case law and legal analysis in such a way as to justify what the client wanted to do. This type of lawyer had no integrity. His task, as he saw it, was to provide legal cover for his client in case things went the wrong way. 

“When it comes to President Trump’s and the Pentagon’s extra-judicial drug-war killings in the Caribbean, there is little or no doubt that the Office of Legal Counsel in the U.S. Department of Justice falls into the second category. Asked to provide a legal opinion as to the legality of such killings, the office has come up with a memorandum containing inane legal justifications, in an obvious effort to provide legal cover for the people involved in the extrajudicial killings. In fact, the still-secret memo expressly assures U.S. military personnel that they will not face future criminal prosecution for their involvement in the killings. 

“The memo states that the high number of deaths from drug use among American drug consumers constitutes an ‘armed attack’ against the United States… Are Latin American drug dealers entering the United States, kidnapping regular American citizens, physically holding them down, and then injecting drugs into their noses, mouths, or other parts of their bodies?… All of the evidence is that American consumers of drugs are voluntarily buying and ingesting mind-altering substances knowing full well that this isn’t a risk-free endeavor. 

“Another part of the memo claims that the boats that are suspected of carrying drugs are generating revenue for groups that are supposedly in armed conflict with the United States… I don’t see any Latin American cartels landing on American shores and killing American citizens. Indeed, I haven’t seen those boats firing at American Naval vessels or at American B-52s. All I’ve seen is massacres of defenseless private individuals in the face of overwhelming U.S. military power. 

“One of the other justifications on which Trump and the Pentagon are relying is their claim that these boat people are ‘terrorists.’ Apparently that governmental accusation means that they are subject to being exterminated without arrest, indictment, prosecution, conviction, and sentence — that is, without any due process of law for what amounts to an accusation of a criminal-law violation, whether it is drug-war-related or terrorist-related…

“Make no mistake about it: These drug-war killings are the equivalent of legalized murder. They are morally illegitimate, legally illegitimate, and constitutionally illegitimate, no matter the inane legal opinion issued by the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel in an obvious effort to provide cover for the people involved in these killings.” 

Illegal Actions by the Government 

The Ron Paul Institute published on November 20 the following article by Judge Andrew P. Napolitano: 

“America today would terrify the Founding Fathers. Armed troops roam the streets of major cities, masked government agents arrest people without probable cause and disrupt the public speech that the president hates and fears, and the president kills foreigners on the high seas whom he says might commit crimes should their small speedboats miraculously make it 1,500 miles to the United States… 

“The killings at sea will soon reach a federal court as the families of innocent murdered fishermen, and some survivors of botched killings, have signaled to the media their intention to bring actions against the government… Secondly, in September, Trump directed federal agents to disrupt speech that is anti-Christian, anti-capitalism or un-American, and to use their own judgment as to which speech to disrupt… 

“Thirdly, last spring the Department of Homeland Security began arresting Americans and foreigners on suspicion of unlawful presence in the United States. They do this without arrest warrants based on probable cause of crime, and they wear masks so as to startle victims and retard identification in subsequent court proceedings. 

“… there’s a new phenomenon in law called ‘The Kavanaugh Stop.’ This is derived from a bizarre concurring Supreme Court opinion recently written by Justice Brett Kavanaugh in which he argued that race, ethnicity and presence at a car wash are permissible characteristics upon which the government may stop and demand to see papers. And if the feds stop you, he opined, it’s no big deal. Just show them your papers; prove your citizenship. In Justice Kavanaugh’s strange new world, East Germany has been reborn here. That’s just what the Founders feared most.” 

Despicable ICE Conduct 

NBC San Diego wrote on November 21: 

“Two people say U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested their spouses Thursday morning during their green card interviews at San Diego’s U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office, detailing the incidents they say shocked and stunned them. 

“One was a German man and the other a woman from the U.K., taken into custody while holding her nearly 6-month-old son. 

“The couples don’t know each other but said both people arrested came through legal pathways and have no criminal records. They said their spouses did overstay their visas but were advised by their attorneys that it is traditionally forgiven while in the green card process. [This is absolutely correct; this has always been the case.] These kinds of arrests began Nov. 12, multiple immigration attorneys say, many adding they had never seen anything like this before.   

“Both couples said they had just completed their interviews, the final step in the months-long green card process, when ICE agents walked into the room. ‘Three men with masks and bulletproof vests and guns came in and told us they were going to arrest Tom,’ said Audrey Hestmark. She said her husband Tom Bilger came into the U.S. from Germany on a visa and that they applied for his green card after they got married last year… 

“‘We see the ICE agents come around, and they say that they’re arresting Katie,’ said Stephen Paul. He said his wife originally planned to return to the U.K. last fall to wait there for her entry, but they decided to apply for her green card from here in the U.S. when she learned she was pregnant. He said they knew it would be a high-risk pregnancy and wanted to stay in the U.S. for medical care and family support, and that his attorney advised them this was permissible under immigration law because they were married… [This was absolutely correct legal advice.] 

“‘We were completely shocked, and I feel like we were tricked,’ Hestmark said. ‘We went through every possible legal and appropriate channel. We followed the advice of our lawyer. We were told that our case was straight forward’ [which it was]. ‘She said that she was scared. She was anxious, missed her baby. She just wants to come home,’ Paul said. ‘She said the agents themselves were in the detention down in the basement of the federal building, saying, “What are we doing here? These aren’t the sort of people we’re supposed to be arresting.”’ 

“‘… We were told that it would only be happening to criminals,’ [Hestmark] continued. ‘We’re just normal people, and it’s happening to us.’” 

These despicable episodes—by no means isolated incidents—describe the hallmark of a totalitarian country. And there are no signs that it will get better… only worse. 

Terrifying Footage of ICE Misconduct 

The Mirror wrote on November 18: 

“During a recent edition of World News Tonight, host David Muir, 52, aired unsettling footage of ICE raids in Charlotte, North Carolina… Muir turned the report over to his correspondent Faith Abubey, who was on the ground in Charlotte. She described the scene as one of ‘growing fear and outrage,’ noting that ICE has already detained at least 130 people in the city. Among the footage was a dramatic moment including a woman screaming at a border patrol agent, ‘I’m a U.S. citizen!’ 

“… The broadcast struck a nerve with viewers. On Instagram, one person posted, ‘Oh God help us all.’ Another wrote, ‘Stop this madness.’… A Charlotte local said, ‘It’s heartbreaking to see what’s happening in my city. They aren’t going after criminals; they are stopping workers in a Chick-fil-A parking lot blowing leaves and coming into yards…approaching people simply putting up Christmas lights!!!!’

“A… passionate viewer wrote, ‘…The videos being posted are HORRIFIC. Please don’t tell me ICE is removing violent criminals when they are raiding schools, churches, and the neighborhood grocery store.’… Community organizations report that immigrant-owned businesses shut down over the weekend, residents stayed home, and detentions reportedly happened even near churches and schools.” 

“This crackdown is not isolated to Charlotte. Cities like Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and others have also seen similar operations under Trump’s enforcement agenda…” 

And Now Attack on DACA 

The New York Post wrote on November 26: 

“The mother of White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s nephew has been detained by federal immigration officials in Massachusetts [facing deportation to Brazil]… Bruna Caroline Ferreira… shares an 11-year-old son with Leavitt’s older brother, Michael… Ferreira… came to the United States with her family as a child… 

“Ferreira’s lawyer, Todd Pomerleau, contested her arrest, saying she ‘maintained her legal status’ under the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. ‘She’s in the process of actually getting her green card and she was abruptly arrested and taken from her young child right before Thanksgiving,’ Pomerleau said… ‘Bruna has no criminal record whatsoever,’ he said… ‘There’s no charges out there. She’s not a criminal illegal alien.’.. 

“A relative of Ferreira [Ferreira’s sister] set up a GoFundMe for her saying she was brought to the US as a child in 1998 and followed all protocols. ‘Since then, she has done everything in her power to build a stable, honest life here. She has maintained her legal status through DACA, followed every requirement, and has always strived to do the right thing,’ the fundraiser said.” 

The Daily Beast added: 

“A DHS spokesperson told the Daily Beast that Ferreira was ‘a criminal illegal alien from Brazil’ … ‘She has a previous arrest for battery. She entered the U.S. on a B2 tourist visa that required her to depart the U.S. by June 6, 1999,’ the spokesperson said. ‘Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, all individuals unlawfully present in the United States are subject to deportation.’… 

“WBUR could not find details of battery charges against Bruna Ferreira in Massachusetts’ online court records.” 

There may be more going on behind the scenes. Karoline Leavitt’s brother Michael and his finance Ferreira split, and Michael subsequently married someone else. Karoline Leavitt and Ferreira seem to have no contact. The allegation that Ferrera was charged with battery remains unproven. The attack on DACA is more than troublesome. 

Trump Attacks Democrats Over “Illegal” Orders 

The New York Post wrote on November 20: 

“President Trump lashed out Thursday at six Democratic lawmakers who released a video on social media this week urging service members to defy ‘illegal orders’ by the administration. ‘It’s called SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL,’ Trump thundered on Truth Social Thursday morning. ‘Each one of these traitors to our Country should be ARRESTED AND PUT ON TRIAL. Their words cannot be allowed to stand – We won’t have a Country anymore!!! An example MUST BE SET.’… 

“The 60-second video, titled ‘Don’t Give Up The Ship,’ featured Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, Reps. Chris Deluzio and Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, Rep. Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire, and Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado… 

“‘Right now, the threats to our Constitution aren’t just coming from abroad, but from right here at home. Our laws are clear,’ they said. ‘You can refuse illegal orders … you must refuse illegal orders. No one has to carry out orders that violate the law or our Constitution.’ 

“‘This is really bad, and Dangerous to our Country,’ Trump added in a second Truth Social blast Thursday. ‘Their words cannot be allowed to stand. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???’ ‘SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!’ a third post read. 

“All six Democrats come from military or national security backgrounds. Crow is an Army veteran who won a Bronze Star for his actions during the Iraq War. Deluzio and Kelly served in the Navy and Houlahan served in the Air Force, while Goodlander spent 11 years as an intelligence officer in the Navy Reserve. Slotkin is a former CIA analyst who also worked in the State Department and Pentagon during the Obama administration. 

“‘No threat, intimidation, or call for violence will deter us,’ the sextet fired back at Trump in a joint statement. ‘What’s most telling is that the President considers it punishable by death for us to restate the law,’ they went on… ‘We will continue to lead and will not be intimidated.’” 

Trump’s Ongoing False Accusations 

The Independent wrote on November 23: 

“Donald Trump issued another pair of calls for Democrats who spoke out against illegal orders to the military to be jailed late Saturday evening as he battles a sinking public image and unprecedented resistance within his own party on the Hill… 

“The president was clearly irked by the refusal of congressional Republicans to join him, and used one Truth Social post to insist that America’s legal scholars were on his side – without naming any… legal scholars generally agree that the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution’s Bill of Rights generally protects a wide range of speech and expression against the government… Nothing in the video message released by Democrats would fall outside of those protections, except in the opinions of Trump’s closest loyalists. 

“In fact, a number of constitutional law experts have already spoken about how the video does not call for any use of force to resist the president or his actions; merely telling officers to refuse orders they believe are illegal falls far short of that standard… More telling, however, is the fact that even Trump’s allies in Congress aren’t backing him up…” 

FBI Tries to Intimidate Lawmakers 

The Wall Street Journal wrote on November 25: 

“A group of Democratic lawmakers said the Federal Bureau of Investigation had requested interviews with them after they appeared in a video that… called on troops to disobey unlawful orders… ‘President Trump is using the FBI as a tool to intimidate and harass Members of Congress,’ the lawmakers said in a joint statement. ‘We will not be bullied.’.. 

“Roger Williams University School of Law professor Peter Margulies said he thought the FBI probe was a frivolous investigation meant to suppress speech. Margulies, who teaches national-security law, said the Democrats were exercising their constitutional power to conduct oversight of the military. ‘Trump is really trying to put the force of the presidency and the Justice Department behind attempts to intimidate Congress,’ he said.  

“The Pentagon on Monday said it is probing allegations of misconduct [facing a military tribunal to be court-martialed] against Sen. Mark Kelly (D., Ariz.), [a retired Navy pilot and astronaut] for his comments in the video.” 

The Independent wrote on November 25: 

“Jacob Thomas, an Air Force veteran… said he was ‘appalled’ by the Pentagon’s announcement of the Kelly investigation. ‘This sham probe, spurred by baseless allegations from the Trump administration, is nothing more than an attempt to silence dissent and intimidate those who remind our troops of their duty to uphold the Constitution over unlawful orders,’ he said in a statement. ‘Senator Kelly’s call to refuse illegal directives is not misconduct, it’s patriotism. We must stand against this abuse of power and protect the integrity of our military institutions.’ 

“Veterans for American Ideals said ‘calling for an investigation into a well-known principle of service is dangerous, and says more about this administration than it does about Senator Kelly. Investigations and threats thereof into those continuing to stand by their principles of service are clearly an attempt to intimidate and silence veterans,’ the group said in a statement to The Independent, ‘the very people who have served honorably and want to ensure our military servicemembers continue to have the opportunity to reflect the honor and integrity that is instilled in us.’”

This is incredible! Please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Fishermen—Must Illegal Orders Be Obeyed?” Please note the Editorial in this edition. 

US Troops Invade Mexico 

Daily Mail wrote on November 20: 

“American troops have pulled up on a Mexican beach in a dramatic escalation of tensions after Donald Trump threatened to bomb the country. US ‘contractors’ arrived by boat on Monday at Playa Bagdad, driving signs into the sand near where the Rio Grande empties into the Gulf of Mexico. Alarmed witnesses quickly alerted officials and heavily armed Mexican security personnel rushed to the scene on trucks mounted with machine guns in a terrifying standoff.… The Pentagon, in a deeply embarrassing statement, admitted that its troops were mistaken when they landed on the beach.  

“The Mexican personnel watched as the Americans drove six signs into the ground, which said: ‘Warning: restricted area.’ Written in English and Spanish, they claimed that the beach was the property of the US Department of Defense and had been declared restricted by ‘the commander’. They also said unauthorized access or photography was not allowed in that area and that ‘if you are found here, you may be detained and searched.’ Mexico’s foreign affairs ministry said its navy removed the signs from the sand, which it believed were on Mexican territory.” 

With this kind of stupid “mistaken” conduct, wars start. 

“The Honeymoon Is Over” 

The New York Post wrote on November 23: 

“New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani doubled down Sunday on his claim that President Trump is a ‘fascist’ and ‘despot’… ‘That’s something that I’ve said in the past. I say it today,’ Mamdani told NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’ when asked whether he still views Trump as a fascist.

“The socialist pol said he’s eager to work with Trump because they agreed that the Big Apple needs to be more affordable at their surprisingly chummy meeting Friday.” 

Is Trump still saying, then, that Mamdani is a Marxist? That “chummy” relationship won’t last anyhow. 

Trump’s growing frustration is clearly manifested by his verbal and written aggressive outbursts on so many fronts, including angrily calling a female CNN journalist a “piggy.” But maybe it’s more than just frustration. Note the next article. 

Dementia in Trump’s Family? 

The Daily Beast wrote on November 17: 

“In a searing interview on The Daily Beast Podcast, the daughter of Donald Trump’s late older brother, Fred Trump Jr., laid out the clearest case she’s ever made that the president is exhibiting the same signs she once saw in his father, Fred Trump Sr., who had Alzheimer’s ‘for a very, very long time.’ … What she sees in her 79-year-old uncle, she said, is unmistakable. 

“‘There are times I look at him and I see my grandfather,’ Mary said. ‘I see that same look of confusion. I see that he does not always seem to be oriented to time and place. His short-term memory seems to be deteriorating.’ Trump’s lifelong impulse-control problems, she added, are also ‘deteriorating as well.’… Mary described watching Fred Sr.’s decline beginning in the early 1990s—small lapses that escalated into larger ones. By the time the family began spending Easter at Mar-a-Lago to keep him out of public view, she said, he was no longer recognizing people, including her.. 

“Donald Trump’s nephew Fred C. Trump III said last year that he fears a similar path for the president. ‘Like anyone else, I’ve seen his decline. But I see it in parallel with the way my grandfather’s decline was,’ Fred, 61, told People. ‘If anyone wants to believe that dementia did not run in the Trump family, it’s just not true.’” 

Dementia can be responsible for violent and aggressive behavior. 

Absolving Poland of the Holocaust? 

JTA wrote on November 21: 

“The new U.S. ambassador to Poland, Thomas Rose, delivered a speech [in Warsaw] in which he absolves Poland, and by extension, the Polish people, of any responsibility whatsoever for the Holocaust. This is a distortion that cannot be allowed to go unchallenged or unrefuted. 

“… My parents were Polish Jews who were incarcerated in the ghettos of their respective hometowns, Będzin and Sosnowiec, and then deported to Auschwitz, also in Poland, where virtually their entire families were murdered… To be sure, as Rose correctly pointed out, ‘thousands of Poles died saving Jews.’ He neglected to mention, however, that thousands of other Poles callously betrayed their Jewish compatriots and neighbors to the Germans or murdered them outright… 

“It is true that the machinery for the implementation of the Nazi ‘Final Solution of the Jewish Question’ was established by Germans – not Poles – in German-occupied Poland at places such as Auschwitz-Birkenau, Treblinka, and Majdanek. It is also true that more than 7,000 non-Jewish Poles… risked or gave their lives to rescue or help Jews. 

“What Rose seems to overlook, however, is that these heroic and altruistic individuals made up an extremely small minority of the overall Polish population, probably around a quarter of 1%. In addition, the bravery and sacrifice of many other Christian Poles who hid or otherwise tried to save Jews were never formally recognized… Even if we assume that the real figure [of righteous Poles] is 200,000, out of 21 million Poles, that’s only 1%. What about the other 99%?… 

“At the same time, let’s not lose sight — as Rose evidently did — of the many thousands of Poles who voluntarily and often quite viciously assisted the Germans in carrying out the annihilation of Polish Jewry by enthusiastically denouncing hidden Jews or handing them over to the Gestapo. Others blackmailed such hidden Jews, thereby making a horrific situation exponentially worse. Others still profiteered callously from the removal of Jews to ghettos and their deportation to death and concentration camps… there were in fact Poles who killed tens of thousands of Jews, perhaps as many as hundreds of thousands, during the years of the Holocaust… as many as 200,000 Jews were killed in Poland during the war by Poles, not Germans… 

“Rose also seems to ignore — or may be unaware of — the thousands of members of the  Polish police, known as the ‘Blue Police’ because of the color of their uniforms, who assisted the Germans in rounding up Jews, often rousted Jews out of their hiding places, and stole Jewish property as perks of their job…  A further highlight in the litany of things Rose chose not to mention in his speech was the horrific 1941 slaughter of hundreds of Jews by Poles in the eastern Polish town of Jedwabne. And then there was the post-war 1946 pogrom in the city of Kielce in which a Polish mob killed 46 Jews who had managed to survive the Holocaust.” 

Why is it that politicians seem to be eager to distort history? 

Trump Interferes in European Migration Policy

Bild Online wrote on November 23: 

“The US government… considers Europe’s refugee policy naive and dangerous and is concerned about the global consequences. This was already known. What’s new is that Washington is now actively trying to persuade countries like Germany, Great Britain, and Sweden to adopt stricter rules and laws. US ambassadors will be tasked with this in the future. 

“The State Department… has issued a directive to US embassies and consulates. They are to monitor the migration policies of other countries and, if necessary, intervene in them, according to the statement… In the message, the department announces concrete measures: ‘US officials will urge governments to act boldly and protect citizens from the dangers of mass migration.’… Another directive goes to the embassies: US officials are to immediately review regulations in Western countries that would favor migrants at the expense of their own citizens.” 

Europe won’t be happy about this American interference. 

Push for Euthanasia 

LifeSiteNews wrote on November 17:

“Canadian doctors are warning that Health Canada’s push for euthanasia is forcing doctors to suggest assisted suicide to patients… physicians are forced to discuss euthanasia or so-called ‘medical assistance in dying’ (MAID) with vulnerable patients according to Health Canada protocol… The document mandates that doctors and nurses must tell a patient about the assisted suicide options available to them while discussing medical care. 

“… many disabled Canadians are being pressured to end their lives with euthanasia during routine medical appointments… Canadians are choosing euthanasia because of poverty and loneliness, not as a result of allegedly terminal illness. 

“In one case, an Ontario doctor revealed that a middle-aged worker, whose ankle and back injuries had left him unable to work, felt that the government’s insufficient support was ‘leaving (him) with no choice but to pursue’ euthanasia. Other cases included an obese woman who described herself as a ‘useless body taking up space,’ which one doctor argued met the requirements for assisted suicide because obesity is ‘a medical condition which is indeed grievous and irremediable.’ 

“… Currently, wait times to receive actual health care in Canada have increased to an average of 27.7 weeks, leading some Canadians to despair and opt for euthanasia instead of waiting for assistance. At the same time, sick and elderly Canadians who have refused to end their lives have reported being called ‘selfish’ by their providers. The most recent reports show that euthanasia is the sixth highest cause of death in Canada…” 

What a disgusting world we are living in.

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.

What do we know about the history of Thanksgiving Day? Is this Festival an occasion that true Christians can participate in? What do we read in general about true thankfulness to God for His physical blessings, even in difficult times, and how can Thanksgiving Day contribute to this attitude of thankfulness?

In our free booklet, “Is That In the Bible? Man’s Holidays and God’s Holy Days,” we say the following about “Thanksgiving Day”:

“The first observance of the Thanksgiving Festival in America occurred in early November or December of 1621… when the Governor of Plymouth Colony, William Bradford, appointed a three-day feast. That observance was established to show gratitude to the Almighty as that difficult year drew to an end and the harvest was plentiful. While this was not the first Thanksgiving in America (thanksgiving services were held in Virginia as early as 1607), it was America’s first Thanksgiving Festival…

“Following that first observance, the colonists continued to celebrate days of thanksgiving annually, in recognition of the blessings received of this new land. The first Thanksgiving to God… in Plymouth Colony was actually celebrated during the summer of 1623, when the colonists declared a Thanksgiving holiday after their crops were saved by much-needed rainfall.

“This day has been preserved and continued by Presidents of the United States who believed, more or less, in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and the Bible, as a source of national greatness and integrity. In 1789, America’s first President, George Washington, issued a Thanksgiving proclamation in honor of the new Constitution. He stated, ‘It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible.’

“God illustrates this principle in Deuteronomy 17:18–19. He specifically shows that it is His desire that the leaders of nations govern based upon the principles and laws of the Bible. Abraham Lincoln recognized the need for the people to stay close to God if they would continue to receive the blessings, which were being afforded them by the Almighty… On October 3, 1863, President Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday of November as Thanksgiving Day; a day set aside to give God thanks for the blessings He continued to bestow upon America…

“That proclamation was repeated for the following 75 years by every subsequent president, until 1939, when Franklin D. Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving Day up one week earlier than had been tradition, to appease merchants who wanted more time to feed the growing pre-Christmas consumer frenzy. Folding to congressional pressure two years later, Roosevelt signed a resolution returning Thanksgiving to the fourth Thursday of November, as Congress in 1941 permanently set the fourth Thursday of each November as America’s national day of Thanksgiving.

“But would God have true Christians keep this day as a national holiday, since this is not a day He established and specifically requires in Scripture?

We have examples of national holidays established by the Jews and recorded in Scripture for historical purposes—days, which were not instituted specifically by God. Thus, the fact that Thanksgiving Day was established by man, does not, in itself, make it wrong for a Christian to celebrate such a day.

“In John 10:22–23, we find Jesus attending the ‘Feast of Dedication,’ which was established by the Jews to commemorate the purification of the Temple at Jerusalem… Christ’s attendance at that annual holiday clearly illustrated that it was not wrong to attend and celebrate a national holiday established for the right purposes…

“Esther and Mordecai established the Feast of Purim to commemorate the deliverance of the Jews from Haman (Esther 9), and the Bible does not condemn them for this.

“A very significant point here is that we do not find pagan origins in the Jewish holidays of the ‘Feast of Dedication’ or the ‘Feast of Purim.’ That is true also in relation to the establishment of Thanksgiving as a national holiday. Of course, the early pilgrims celebrated their first Thanksgiving Day in 1621 together with Native Americans, but they did so to thank God—not pagan gods—for His protection and blessing…”

The celebration or observance of the Thanksgiving Festival can serve as a reminder to be thankful to God for His blessings. It is true, of course, that because of its sinful conduct, the USA is losing many of its original blessings which God had promised to Abraham due to his unwavering and uncompromising obedience. Because of the unwise political decisions of the leadership, many American consumers are suffering today from high prices for goods and services, and many cannot afford proper housing. But there is still much Americans can be thankful for, and Americans are still blessed bountifully in comparison to many nations around the world.

Especially true Christians have obtained God’s promise that God will bless them with food, clothing and shelter when they seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness first (Matthew 6:33; Luke 12:31), and David proclaimed that even in his old age, he had never seen a righteous person forsaken by God and his children begging for bread (Psalm 37:25).

In our Q&A, “Does God promise us physical blessings when we lead a righteous life?”, we showed that God gives us promises of physical blessings, when we have the right priorities and obey Him.

And so, the Bible instructs us to recognize this fact and to give thanks to God continually for His blessings—not just on Thanksgiving Day, but most certainly also during the Thanksgiving Day weekend.

1 Chronicles 16:34 tells us: “Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.”

We read in 1 Chronicles 29:12-13:

“Both riches and honor come from You, And You reign over all. In Your hand is power and might; In Your hand it is to make great And to give strength to all. Now therefore, our God, We thank You And praise Your glorious name.”

Also note Psalm 107:8-9:

“Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing [thirsty] soul, And fills the hungry soul with goodness.”

As the early pilgrims celebrated Thanksgiving Day, we too should recognize where our blessings originate, and thank God for it:

Psalm 67:6 states (RSV): “The earth has yielded its increase [or harvest]. God, our God, has blessed us.”

Ephesians 5:20 instructs us to give “thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Philippians 4:4-7 adds what we need to do in times of need:

“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 states:

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

As the Thanksgiving Festival draws to a close this year, let us not stop thanking God for His bountiful blessings, appreciating what He has given us and not covetously desiring those things which we do not have, while becoming unthankful in respect to those things which God has blessed us with.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

compiled by Dave Harris

“Killing of Fishermen—Must Illegal Orders Be Obeyed?” a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is the summary:

Six Democratic lawmakers urged service members to defy illegal orders. President Trump called them traitors and described their conduct as seditious behavior at the highest level, advocating their arrest and death. Whether or not they had the killing of fishermen on the high seas in mind, who allegedly tried to smuggle dangerous and deadly drugs into the United States, are these killings legal? And more importantly, what does God say about them?

“Tötung von Fischern—Muss man illegalen Befehlen gehorchen?” a new AufPostenStehen program presented by Norbert Link, is now posted. This German program covers the same material as described above.

“Übersehen wir wichtige Lehren im Buch Hiob?” is the title of this Sabbath’s new German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Do We Overlook Important Lessons in the Book of Job?”

“Das wahre Evangelium – Die wichtigste Botschaft unserer Zeit,” last Sabbath’s first split German sermon presented by Mark Völler, is now posted. Title in English: “The True Gospel – The Most Important Message Of Our Time.”

“Wir haben einen himmlischen Vater,” last Sabbath’s second split German sermon presented by Johann Schell, is now posted. Title in English: “We Have a Heavenly Father.”

“Is the Second Commandment Needed?” last Sabbath’s sermonette presented by Paul Niehoff, is now posted. Here is the summary:

When we read the Ten Commandments, it would appear that the first commandment would make the second commandment unnecessary. However, God knows the nature of men and their tendency toward idolatry, and therefore included the second commandment because of this tendency.

“Staying in Your Lane, Part 2,” last Sabbath’s sermon presented by Rene Messier, is now posted. Here is the summary:

This sermon provides several examples of those who stayed in their lane. We will also see how God rewarded them for their faithfulness and desire not to compromise by carrying out the instructions given to them.