On January 10, 2026, Christoph Sperzel will present the sermonette, titled, “I Have Called You,” and Norbert Link will present the sermon, titled, “End-Time Prophecies in the Book of Amos.”

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.

Earlier this year in the UK, there was an employment tribunal which was brought by a nurse who had worked for the NHS (National Health Service) for 30 years. She had refused to share a women’s changing room with a transgender colleague at Victoria Hospital, in Kirkcaldy, Scotland, and because of this, she had been suspended from work at the beginning of 2024.

The nurse claimed her experiences amounted to harassment. She took legal action against the health board and the transgender doctor, citing the Equality Act 2010.

Scotland’s first minister John Swinney said the tribunal ruling in “this complex case” was important and that his government would look at the “general issues to be learned”.

Mr Swinney told BBC News: “It is important to take time to consider the judgment, that is the role of NHS Fife to do so, and of course the Scottish government will consider any issues that arise out of the judgement for the taking forward of public policy in this area.”

In short, it was about access to a single sex space, and who has the right to occupy it.

The problem was that a man self-identified as a woman.

However, the Supreme Court of the UK had handed down its ruling on the definition of sex in the equality law – stating it meant biological sex.

It was only a complex case because the Bible was not used as a source of wisdom; but then again, it rarely is.   We have covered the transgender issue in our Q&A’s and other material previously.

It is easy to see that ignoring and thumbing their nose at the Creator and His Way, mere man who thinks he knows so much, can by his supposed intellect and understanding come to astoundingly stupid situations and outcomes.

After the ruling in her favor, the nurse said that “I am beyond relieved and delighted that the tribunal has found that my employer Fife Health Board harassed me after I complained about having to share a female-only changing room with a male colleague.”

Allowing people, even children, to identify as to what they are, doesn’t change the fact that they are still what they were born as.   You can call a pig a dog but it is still a pig!

Wikipedia writes: “Gender self-identification or gender self-determination is the concept that a person’s legal sex or gender is determined by their gender identity, without medical or judicial requirements. 

“It is a major goal of the transgender rights movement. Advocates argue that medical requirements for gender recognition are intrusive and humiliating forms of gatekeeping that can pressure transgender individuals into undergoing unwanted medical procedures. They also claim that self-identification simplifies the process of transgender people living without prejudice and discrimination.”

There was the case where Katharine Birbalsingh, the headteacher of Michaela Community School, was telling the Daily Telegraph that she knew of a school where a pupil identified as “a gay male hologram” and a private school where “a bunch of girls identify as cats.”

This is the sort of idiocy that can happen when godless educationalists take over.

The number of hours that the nurse’s case took over a period of time, the number of people involved and the cost of it all, showed the sheer stupidity of man.  The young male doctor was allowed to self-identify as a woman even though he was, biologically, a man.

Had God’s Way prevailed in the first place, no one would have been allowed to self-identify as anything other than what they were born as.   There are only two biological sexes, not umpteen definitions that have come out of the depraved mind of man.   And all the waste of time and money on this tribunal would have been unnecessary.

But will people listen to the Way that God has set before us?  It appears that matters have become so bad that God is going to have to reverse all of these, and so many other wrongs, by getting the attention of mankind through the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.   And even throughout these horrors, there will still be some who will blaspheme God (see Revelation 16:9, 11, 21).

Better times are ahead when Jesus Christ will have returned and set up the Kingdom of God on earth, and only His own righteous Way will prevail for the good and welfare for everyone.

We should continually pray, as we are instructed, for God’s Kingdom to come!

We begin with America’s invasion and occupation of Venezuelan and the capture ofVenezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores. We point out that many legal experts consider America’s action as illegal. We address the ensuing chaos in Venezuela and; in light of Trump’s additional threats, the reactions of many voices around the world fearing further military actions by the Trump Administration against other countries.

Please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Today Venezuela! Who Will Be Next Tomorrow?” 

We also speak on lasting and enduring authoritarians established in Germany by Angela Merkel; Germany’s agenda for 2026, also regarding the build-up of Germany’s armed forces; a comparison between Russia’s and Europe’s military capabilities; Chinese aggression and New York City’s new mayor, Zohran Mamdani.

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

USA Attacks and Occupies Venezuela

The New York Post wrote on January 3: 

“President Trump told the nation Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro [and his wife Cilia Flores were] captured ‘in the dead of night’ and that the US would now take over running the South American country… The 63-year-old, who has held power in the country since 2013, was taken by the US military after President Trump ordered airstrikes on several military bases across the Venezuelan capital of Caracas 

“… the American raid on Caracas to capture President Nicolás Maduro and his wife produced initial reactions of shock, outrage and skepticism from international leaders, many of them troubled by an exercise of American gunboat diplomacy… Allies of Mr. Maduro like Cuba and Russia predictably condemned the American intervention, despite Russia’s own invasion of sovereign Ukraine nearly four years ago… 

“President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil… condemned the U.S. action and said it ‘recalls the worst moments of interference in the politics’ of the region… President Gustavo Petro of Colombia wrote on X that he ‘rejects the aggression against the sovereignty of Venezuela and of Latin America.’ … Iran, which has also been threatened in the last few days by Mr. Trump, issued a statement on Saturday condemning the U.S. attack and accusing the United States of violating the United Nations Charter… 

“The Venezuela intervention in the name of countering drug smuggling recalled to many the invasion of Panama in 1989. Back then, American forces captured Manuel Antonio Noriega, the ruler of Panama, and brought him to the United States to face charges of drug trafficking. He was convicted and sentenced to 40 years in prison, ultimately serving 17 years after a reduction in his sentence for good behavior. He died in Panamanian custody in 2017…. 

“But perhaps the most interesting criticism of Mr. Trump came from Jordan Bardella, the likely presidential candidate of France’s far right National Rally party, which has received support from Mr. Trump and Vice President JD Vance… ‘The forcible overthrow of a government from the outside cannot constitute an acceptable response…’ In the face of such intervention, he added, France must ‘rearm our nation, to strengthen our industrial and military capabilities,’ in order to ‘make its independent voice heard on the international stage, one that respects sovereignties.’” 

Trump’s actions will lead to the establishment of a strong military in Europe. 

Illegal Action? 

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 4: 

“The Trump administration’s unilateral action to extract Maduro from his country… reportedly involved the use of 150 aircraft to strike locations in northern Venezuela, including the capital Caracas. Some reports suggest 40 people have died as a result of the US strikes… 

“The US led the establishment of the United Nations and, in 1945, signed its foundational document, the UN Charter, which underpins many principles of international law, including territorial integrity. Scholars have pointed to Article 2(4) of that charter to suggest the US’ actions violated international law. That article forbids the ‘threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence’ of another country. 

“‘This was a use of force,’ said Marko Milanovic, Director of Global Law at the University of Reading in the UK. ‘If you send 150 airplanes into another state, if you start bombing its air defenses, if you kidnap its president, if you kill dozens of people, that is a use of force in the sense of Article 2, paragraph 4.’ 

“There are exceptions, the most notable being authorization by the UN Security Council to proceed with military action against another country. However, this approval wasn’t sought prior to Maduro’s seizure. 

“Another is self-defence, though given the US’ outsized military strength relative to Venezuela, it is again unclear how this argument would hold up. Even labelling fentanyl as a WMD, branding Maduro a narco-terrorist and charging him with conspiracy against the US is unlikely to be accepted by any international standard as a rationale for self-defence. ‘Self-defense requires the existence of an armed attack,’ Milanovic told DW. ‘Simply allowing the exports of drugs from one country to another is not an armed attack and has never been treated as an armed attack.’ 

“Using the US military to attack a foreign country… would also require congressional approval. That approval was not secured. 

“At a press conference led by Trump, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio appeared to cast the operation as one of law enforcement, rather than a war declaration, saying ‘… at its core, this was an arrest of two indicted fugitives of American justice and the Department of War supported the Department of Justice in that job.’ Jeremy Paul, an expert on constitutional law at Northeastern University in the US, said Rubio’s argument was ‘plausible,’ but subsequent statements by the president about the US ‘running’ Venezuela and its oil fields ‘completely undermined’ that rationale…. ‘It’s totally inconsistent.’” 

It was stated that long legal battles will ensue in the USA pertaining to the trials of Maduro and his wife, probably ending up before the US Supreme Court. 

VP Defies Trump 

The New York Post wrote on January 3: 

“Venezuela’s vice president [Delcy Rodtríguez] declared that Nicolás Maduro is the ‘only president of Venezuela’ in a defiant speech that appeared to throw cold water on President Trump’s claims she was cooperating with his administration… The VP made her remarks flanked by high ranking generals and government officials in a televised address to the nation after convening an emergency meeting. She demanded the immediate release of Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores…” 

The New York Post wrote on January 4: 

“Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodtriguez, [who was sworn in by Venezuela’s Supreme Court on Saturday for 90 days] is not the country’s legitimate leader, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said. Rubio… suggested the US will not support her staying in power. He called for elections to determine the next leader of the beleaguered South American country.” 

Alarabiya wrote on January 4: 

“President Donald Trump threatened Sunday that Venezuela’s interim leader Delcy Rodriguez will pay a ‘very big price’ [‘probably bigger than Maduro’] if she doesn’t cooperate with the United States… 

“Venezuela’s military on Sunday recognized Rodriguez as the country’s acting leader…” 

A long battle appears to lie ahead. Note the next article. 

Chaos in Venezuela 

The Daily Mail wrote on January 4: 

“Venezuela was plunged into chaos on Saturday as armed supporters of captured Nicolas Maduro flooded the streets, sparking riots, shuttering transport networks and forcing terrified residents to barricade themselves inside their homes… The unrest followed a large-scale US strike on Caracas, which targeted Fuerte Tiuna – Venezuela’s largest military complex… Dramatic aerial images showed entire buildings obliterated, with scorched land and plumes of smoke hanging over the city… 

“As armed supporters continue to roam the streets and food supplies dwindle, many Venezuelans fear the country is once again sliding into a dark and uncertain chapter, even with Maduro now behind bars.” 

The chaos is continuing. Fears of civil war manifest themselves. Wars, violence and occupations never solve anything. 

Miller: We Are in Charge! 

Politico wrote on January 5: 

“White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller says the U.S. is in charge of Venezuela. ‘… we have the United States military stationed outside the country. We set the terms and conditions,’ Miller said. ‘We have a complete embargo on all of their oil and their ability to do commerce. So for them to do commerce, they need our permission.’” 

“It’s the Oil…” 

Fox News wrote on January 6: 

“President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that the interim authorities in Venezuela will be turning over between 30 million and 50 million barrels of ‘high-quality,’ sanctioned oil to the U.S… Trump said the oil will be sold at market price, and he will control the proceeds to ensure it is ‘used to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States!’” 

ABC News wrote on January 6: 

“The Trump administration has told Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodriguez that the regime must meet the White House’s demands before being allowed to pump more oil… First, the country must kick out China, Russia, Iran, and Cuba and sever economic ties… Second, Venezuela must agree to partner exclusively with the U.S. on oil production and favor America when selling heavy crude oil…” 

ABC News wrote on January 7: 

“The U.S. on Wednesday seized… [off the coast of Europe] the Russian-flagged Marinera oil tanker… The U.S. on Wednesday also seized another tanker in the Caribbean… The Russian Ministry of Transport condemned the seizure of the oil tanker in the North Atlantic…” 

War Secretary Pete Hegseth said that the blockade of Venezuelan oil is in full effect and that no ship is safe anywhere in the world. 

Strategically Mad 

The Independent wrote on January 3: 

“What no one in the White House can see is that this invasion, this apparent political decapitation, this violation of international law, is strategically mad. Outside the White House and Magaland, the only cheering will be in the Kremlin and in Beijing. In Nato there will be horror…. 

“[Trump] said he would attack Venezuela’s mainland, and he has. His claim to be knocking over a narco-terrorist state that has exported vast quantities of opiates to the US, and killed hundreds of thousands of its citizens, is nonsense. Opiates get into the US from Mexico, not Venezuela. 

“As a premise for regime change and invasion, it is as false as the claims that Saddam Hussein was making a nuclear weapon. The invasion of that nation set off decades of pain and murder, terror and mayhem, and gave birth to Isis. It also tore at the fabric of Western democracies… 

“Now, Trump has attacked a neighbour without any international support. He has aped the behaviour of his great hero and friend, Vladimir Putin… mere anarchy is loosed upon the world…” 

America’s Past Failed Attempts 

National Post wrote on January 4, 2026 

“The United States has a really bad record when it comes to regime change. Time and again, it’s sought to oust foreign leaders and replace them with more favoured replacements…

“It was a disaster in Vietnam, at a horrendous cost in life. Cuba, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, … defeat, disappointment, debacle… Just four years ago, the Biden administration orchestrated the most recent example, before Saturday’s dramatic events in Venezuela. The hasty and chaotic retreat from Afghanistan damaged Biden’s image so badly he never really recovered… 

“There’s no dispute that Maduro has been a calamity for his country. By all the evidence, he’s been as grasping and pitiless a despot as you could find this side of Moscow. He’s been in power since 2013, holding onto office through a mix of corruption, violence and fixed elections, driving the economy into the ground, impoverishing millions and prompting a veritable stampede of desperate Venezuelans fleeing the country. No one outside his small circle of avaricious cronies is likely to miss him much. His support from Russia, China and Iran drew mainly from his ability to irritate the U.S… 

“If U.S. strategists have a well thought-out plan for supporting and advancing the shattered country Maduro leaves behind, they haven’t mentioned it beyond Trump’s assertion that ‘we’re going to run the country.’… There is no guarantee the Maduro establishment will disappear with him…. 

“Iraq remains host to 2,000 U.S. troops and an array of hostile armed militias loyal to Iran, with an insecure government caught between the two, struggling to avoid an explosion. More than a decade after its “liberation,” Libya is a divided country, riven by civil war, with competing warlords and rival governments at opposite ends of the country. Afghanistan, meanwhile, is back in the hands of the Taliban, 20 years and thousands of deaths after Washington and its allies set out to evict them…” 

“Emperor Trump’s Imperial Ambitions Should Send a Shiver Down the Spine of America’s Neighbors” 

On January 5, the Daily Mail published the following article by Andrew Neil: 

“… when Trump says, ‘We are going to run the country [Venezuela] now’, there is not only cause for concern but reason to fear for the worst… He has put no time limit on how long he plans to be Venezuela’s imperator… Venezuela faces the prospect of moving from being a domestic dictatorship to a US colony.

“… it was especially chilling to hear Trump so easily dismiss the hugely respected Maria Corina Machado, Venezuela’s main opposition leader, a centre-Right democratic heroine and last year’s winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. He claimed that she lacked the ‘support’ or ‘respect’ of the people, which is palpable nonsense… Clearly – and absurdly – it still rankles that she won the Nobel Peace Prize, not him. It is beyond pathetic…

“Venezuela’s regime has not changed. Maduro has gone but the government is still in the hands of his vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, a hardline socialist surrounded by Maduro’s nastiest enforcers… Just how Trump thinks he can wrestle power from her without a massive deployment of US boots on the ground – for which he has no mandate, not even from his own MAGA base, which abhors foreign interventions – is just one of many mysteries now surrounding Trump’s approach to Venezuela, a country of 28million people that is twice the size of California…”

Newsmax added on January 4: 

“President Donald Trump insisted Sunday the United States is ‘in charge’ of Venezuela… Asked whether the operation was about oil or regime change, Trump replied: ‘It’s about peace on earth.’… Trump said elections in Venezuela would have to wait… Venezuela’s interim leader Delcy Rodriguez said she was ready to work together… The Trump administration says it is willing to work with the remainder of Maduro’s government as long as Washington’s goals, particularly opening access to US investment in Venezuela’s enormous crude oil reserves, are met…” 

Threatening NATO 

Donald Trump wrote the following on January 7 on his Truth Social website: 

“Remember, for all of those big NATO fans, they were at 2% GDP, and most weren’t paying their bills, UNTIL I CAME ALONG… Remember, also, I single-handedly ENDED 8 WARS, and Norway, a NATO Member, foolishly chose not to give me the Noble Peace Prize… RUSSIA AND CHINA HAVE ZERO FEAR OF NATO WITHOUT THE UNITED STATES, AND I DOUBT NATO WOULD BE THERE FOR US IF WE REALLY NEEDED THEM… We will always be there for NATO, even if they won’t be there for us…” 

This does not sound very reassuring… 

Threatening Cuba 

The Hill wrote on January 3:

“Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday warned Cuba’s leaders that ‘I’d be concerned’ following the United States’ capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro…  The secretary accused Cuba of being ‘run by incompetent, senile men…’ He claimed Maduro’s guards and Venezuela’s ‘whole spy agency’ were ‘full of Cubans,’ and that ‘this poor island took over Venezuela.’” 

Threatening Mexico and Colombia 

The Daily Beast wrote on January 3: 

“President Donald Trump has hinted that the surprise abduction of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro may not be his last operation in Latin America. Trump, 79, suggested on Fox & Friends Saturday that action could be taken against Mexico… which he said is run by drug cartels—a similar allegation he made against Maduro and Venezuela. ‘Something’s going to have to be done with Mexico,’ he said. 

“Trump then issued an even more explicit threat to Colombia, which borders Venezuela to the west, and its president, Gustavo Petro, during a Mar-a-Lago news conference. ‘I stick by my first statement. He’s making cocaine,’ Trump said of Petro. ‘They’re sending it into the United States, so he does have to watch his a–.’ 

“Claudia Sheinbaum, the president of Mexico… immediately condemned Trump’s attack on Venezuela…” 

Focus wrote on January 3: 

“Spain and a number of Latin American states [Spain, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Uruguay] have [in a joint statement] condemned the US operation to arrest the authoritarian head of state Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela…” 

German and European Reactions 

Die Welt wrote on January 3: 

“The German government expressed concern regarding the US military intervention… The chairwoman of the EU Parliament’s Defense Committee, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP), condemned the attack… 

“The attack was also ‘a warning from Trump to Denmark and Greenland as well’: He was showing what he was prepared to do if he didn’t get what he wanted voluntarily… The SPD foreign policy expert Adis Ahmetovic sharply criticized the US attack on Venezuela…” 

The Huffington Post wrote on January 3: 

“RODERICH KIESEWETTER, PROMINENT MP FROM GERMANY’S CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC UNION: ‘With President Trump, the U.S. are abandoning the rules-based order that has shaped us since 1945.’ ‘The coup in Venezuela marks a return to the old U.S. doctrine from before 1940: a mindset of thinking in terms of spheres of influence, where the law of force rules, not international law. Trump is destroying what was left of any trust in the U.S.’ 

“BRITAIN’S REFORM UK PARTY LEADER NIGEL FARAGE: ‘The American actions in Venezuela overnight are unorthodox and contrary to international law – but if they make China and Russia think twice, it may be a good thing.’ 

“ITALIAN OPPOSITION PARTY LEADER AND FORMER PRIME MINISTER GIUSEPPE CONTE: ‘The American aggression against Venezuela has no legal basis. We are facing a blatant violation of international law, which certifies the dominance of the strongest and best equipped militarily… I hope that the entire international community will make its voice heard and that everyone will understand that if rules only apply to enemies and not to friends, no one can feel safe anymore.’” 

Merz Too Timid 

Deutschlandfunk reported on January 4: 

“After the Chancellor and CDU leader [Friedrich] Merz spoke of a complex legal assessment that would require time, Vice-Chancellor Klingbeil of the SPD declared that the fact that Maduro had led an authoritarian regime could not justify disregarding international law. This also applied to the actions of the USA. 

“Direct criticism of Merz’s statement came from the Greens.  Parliamentary group leader Dröge expressed her incomprehension that the Chancellor had not clearly described the US operation as a violation of international law.  Avoiding the issue in this situation would be a fatal strategy.” 

Bild Online wrote on January 4: 

“CDU/CSU parliamentary group leader Jens Spahn expressed a similarly reserved view of the US strike against Venezuela as Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU).” 

Merz and Spahn act again as proverbial chameleons. But they won’t be able to continue doing this for much longer, as the anger in Germany against America gets stronger and stronger. Note the next commentary.

Don’t Dismiss Trump’s Threats 

Bild Online published the following commentary by Paul Ronzheimer and Filipp Platov on January 4: 

“Europe urgently needs to understand the messages emanating from this historic day… Whether in Iran or Venezuela: Donald Trump is making it clear that he is prepared to use his military when it comes to American interests… Trump won’t even consult us [Europeans] before taking action… 

“It must be clear: If the Americans… want to strengthen the ‘resistance’ against the EU in order to politically transform our continent, then it would be naive to dismiss this as an empty threat… If Europe does not learn to defend and assert its own interests, it risks becoming a sphere of influence for foreign powers.” 

This Will End Badly 

ntv wrote on January 3: 

“…the goal was not only Maduro’s arrest, but also control of the country and its oil…  After the disaster the US caused in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan, there was generally a consensus in the West that it’s best to stay away from regime-change wars. Now the most erratic US president in living memory is trying his hand at it. In his boundless vanity, Trump apparently thinks he will succeed where others have failed. This will end badly.” 

Canada Beware! 

On January 3, Focus published the following comments from US expert Josef Braml: 

“The Monroe Doctrine, formulated in the 19th century to keep European colonial powers at bay, essentially means today that the US claims dominance over the so-called Western Hemisphere.  Originally, this primarily referred to South America. However, Trump has updated and adapted the doctrine. And I’m not sure if he still only means South America. So, if you live in Canada or Greenland, you should definitely start giving this some thought… 

“During the so-called peace negotiations regarding Ukraine, it was clear that both Putin and Trump wanted to divide up business interests over the heads of the Ukrainians and the Europeans… America has become a threat to world peace, and incidentally, also to Europe, if you consider Greenland.” 

Threatening Greenland 

CBS News wrote on January 4: 

“Denmark on Sunday made its displeasure known after the wife of one of President Trump’s most influential aides posted a social media picture of Greenland painted in the colors of the United States flag. Katie Miller — wife of Mr. Trump’s deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller – put the contentiously altered image of the Danish autonomous territory on her X feed late Saturday, hours after the U.S. military operation against Venezuela. Her post had a single word above it: ‘SOON.’… 

“Mr. Trump has repeatedly made clear that he wants Greenland to become an annexed part of the United States… Stephen Miller is widely seen as the architect of much of Mr. Trump’s policies, guiding the president on his hardline immigration policies and domestic agenda…. (Stephen Miller is perceived as one of the most dangerous and radical politicians in the Trump Administration.) 

“In Greenland’s case, Mr. Trump has claimed that making the Danish territory part of the United States would serve U.S. national security interests, given its strategic location in the Arctic. Greenland is also rich in key critical minerals used in high-tech sectors. Katie Miller was deputy press secretary under Mr. Trump at the Department of Homeland Security during his first term.” 

On Sunday, Trump repeated his threat, saying, “We need Greenland, definitely.”

Trump Wants Greenland 

t-online reported on January 5: 

“Trump wants Greenland – and is putting Denmark and the inhabitants of the Arctic island on high alert.  For the Greenlanders, one thing is clear: ‘We have to prepare for the worst.’…  For Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, there is no doubt that Trump is serious… ‘if the USA attacks another NATO country, then everything stops.’ Trump had not ruled out the use of military force in Greenland in the past.” 

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 5: 

“Trump has framed his interest as a matter of national security, claiming Greenland is ‘surrounded by Russian and Chinese ships.’ That assertion is false… Greenland does, however, possess vast untapped natural resources, including oil and critical minerals — a similarity it shares with Venezuela…   

“European leaders could make clear what is at stake: the collapse of NATO, the closure of US bases in Europe, and potential sanctions on US companies operating in the EU… The case of Venezuela underscores just how unpredictable the US president can be. As 2026 gets underway, European leaders are bracing for a difficult year…” 

The Telegraph wrote on January 5: “If we can’t defend Greenland, Europe is truly finished.” 

Miller Questions Denmark’s Territorial Claim

Daily Mail wrote on January 5: 

“Stephen Miller stunned US allies and rattled NATO on Monday night after flatly declaring that Greenland ‘should be part of the United States’ – and insisting that no country would dare fight Washington over the Arctic territory’s future… Instead, he challenged Denmark’s sovereignty over the island. 

“‘What is the basis of their territorial claim?’ Miller asked. [He also said: “The real question is by what right does Denmark assert control over Greenland?”] ‘What is their basis of having Greenland as a colony of Denmark?’” 

Shoot First, Ask Questions Later 

The Telegraph wrote on January 7: 

“[The] Danish defence ministry confirms 1952 rule of engagement requiring soldiers to attack invading forces, following [the] threat from [the] US… Danish soldiers will be required to shoot first and ask questions later if the United States invades Greenland, under the army’s rules of engagement…” 

Rubio backpedaled and said the USA is going to buy Greenland. But Greenland has already said, they are not for sale. Further, the White House said again that military action is always an option. 

On January 4, Bild Online published a list of countries and areas which have been threatened by Trump, including: Mexico, Cuba, Colombia, Greenland and Iran. They could have added Europe (Germany), Canada and Panama (for now). 

Trump Declares the World Open Season 

t-online wrote on January 5: 

“Under Donald Trump… what was considered unthinkable for decades is changing. A US president is openly abandoning the international order… Trump offered no justifications for his actions… For him, alliances do not entail any strategic obligations.  In his view, they are, in most cases, bad deals. He considers institutions… a burdensome constraint on America. Trump violates norms and radically questions them. 

“…Trump is exerting pressure to eliminate regulations in the European Union that are burdensome for US companies… He relies solely on selective withdrawal from international institutions and on the aggressive exercise of American power. 

“…This development presents other states, particularly the Europeans, with a crucial challenge… They must jointly develop their own economic and military strength in order to defend themselves. Otherwise, they will be left with nothing but moralizing commentary, which amounts to surrender.” 

Steve Bannon’s Stunning Attack on Trump in Light of Trump’s Iranian Threats 

Mediaite wrote on January 2: 

“MAGA media personality and former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon compared President Donald Trump to Hillary Clinton in a scathing attack on his old boss on Friday. During a discussion about Trump’s threat to use the U.S. military to come to the defense of Iranian civilians protesting against the brutal Islamist regime in charge of their country, Bannon expressed his strong disapproval. ‘Aren’t people teasing right now that Samantha Powers [sic] and Hillary Clinton must somehow have gotten invited to the Mar-a-Lago New Year’s Eve celebration because the president coming out today saying, “Hey, we’re locked and loaded [towards Iran],” isn’t that straight from the Samantha Powers and Hillary Clinton playbook?’ asked Bannon. 

“At another point during Friday’s edition of his show, War Room, Bannon argued:… ‘Let the Persian people take care of this. You can’t intrude on this thing. The more you intrude, the more the Mullahs are gonna dig in and say, “This is the great Satan that’s doing this,” and you’re gonna have a bigger and longer mess than you can have. You’ve got the opportunity right now for the people in Persia to overthrow these demons, right? Let them get on with it. The Persians have been around a long time. They know how to do it, they did it in ’79.’ 

“Trump’s threat… read, ‘If Iran [shoots] and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go.’” 

Trump did not explain HOW he would come to their rescue. But if Venezuela is a guide… Interestingly, Bannon supported Trump’s strike on Venezuela. 

Angela Merkel Established Lasting Authoritarianism in Germany Because of Corona 

Apollo News published the following commentary by Max Roland on December 10: 

“Baden-Württemberg’s Minister-President Kretschmann is awarding Merkel a [medal of merit] for her actions during the Corona period.  One couldn’t mock accountability any better… 

“Bavaria and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania have already bestowed honors on the former Chancellor – now Baden-Württemberg has followed suit. On Tuesday, Minister-President Winfried Kretschmann awarded Merkel the Staufer Medal, an award given by the Minister-President for ‘services to Baden-Württemberg.’ 

“… Kretschmann has a very special justification for this: Merkel’s actions during the Corona period. In his laudatory speech, Kretschmann praised the CDU politician for ‘her decisive, prudent, and effective leadership as Federal Chancellor during this crisis.’  According to the Green Party politician, Merkel’s effective actions prevented significantly higher numbers [of cases/deaths]. He particularly praised her ‘consistently clear and coherent argumentation.’ 

“She didn’t deserve a medal for this, but rather the opposite.  She certainly didn’t do anyone a service with her policies – neither Baden-Württemberg nor Germany as a whole. On the contrary: Corona was the birth of the authoritarian state, and Merkel was its midwife. 

“Merkel turned the executive branch into an established instrument of power: Since the founding of the Federal Republic, no chancellor has governed the country as autocratically as Merkel did during the Corona pandemic. Parliament was sidelined, power was not democratically controlled, but centralized in the Chancellery – within the framework of an executive committee… Now one might say that it was all an exceptional situation – but the way politics was conducted during this exceptional situation cannot be excused by any pandemic in the world. 

“This is also evident in how often the last remaining boundaries of the law and the Basic Law were actually crossed. Merkel’s curfews? Illegal and unconstitutional. Blanket restrictions on the freedom of demonstration and assembly? Unconstitutional. Even the general mask mandates, lacking evidence, did not stand up in court. All of this was characteristic of Merkel, and apparently, none of it mattered. The end justified the means – that was Corona… 

“Winfried Kretschmann was right at the forefront of this policy, the empowerment of those who violated fundamental rights and disregarded the constitution – for him, the measures couldn’t be harsh enough. Evidence and proportionality? At best, secondary considerations. Merkel thought the same way, and she acted accordingly… 

“Measures soon became an end in themselves.  No one really questioned the purpose of a curfew between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.: it simply had to be implemented… And the right to demonstrate? That, too, was simply overridden; protests were sometimes prevented with brutal force. 

“Whether the total exclusion of the unvaccinated was truly justifiable or not, or whether it was a fundamental transgression for a liberal-democratic state – no one considered that either, because ‘the unvaccinated’ were to blame themselves, as Merkel also conveyed…” 

“Being German means seeing something through completely and ruthlessly for its own sake, even at the risk of significant losses – in this respect, Angela Merkel was very German. The damage her coronavirus policies have caused has not even begun to be acknowledged, let alone addressed. Those responsible saw and still see it, at best, as collateral damage. After all, the goal was to ‘save lives.’ 

“How many lives were saved – and how many were ruined? The fact that this question is no longer even being asked is Merkel’s achievement:… The politics of the strong hand, which keeps the country firmly under control. And woe to anyone who doesn’t toe the line. 

“Merkel’s coronavirus policy has established authoritarianism as a political blueprint in the Federal Republic of Germany.  Instead of a critical review, she receives awards?… This sends a fatal signal for an overreaching, authoritarian state and all the corresponding tendencies that we are still experiencing after the pandemic. It sends a fatal signal to a society that has not yet overcome the divisions of the coronavirus era – divisions largely caused by Merkel – and will never do so as a result.” 

Merkel’s appalling example was supported by the likes of Jens Spahn, and in the USA, by the likes of Joe Biden, Gavin Newsom and Anthony Fauci. There has not been any accounting in this regard either. So again, the guilty remain free, and may be preparing for another coup.   

Germany’s Agenda for 2026 

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 1, 2026: 

“At the beginning of 2026, young people in Germany aged 18 and over will receive mail from the government. Men must then complete the enclosed questionnaire, while women can do so voluntarily. The questions will focus on personal details, educational qualifications and other competences, as well as willingness to perform military service. Participation in a medical examination to assess their overall health and fitness will be mandatory. 

“The government is counting on finding enough volunteers to increase the number of Bundeswehr soldiers from approximately 184,000 now to between 255,000 and 270,000 over the next decade, and to increase the number of reservists to 200,000. If all this does not work on a voluntary basis, the government will move to reinstate conscription, which has been suspended since 2011… 

“The… AfD… is already the strongest opposition party in the Bundestag. With several regional elections scheduled for 2026, it’s expected to do well. In [some] eastern German states…,  the AfD is currently polling around 40%… if the AfD becomes the strongest party by a wide margin in [some] states, will the promise made by the conservative CDU to never cooperate with the AfD hold true? Both elections are not until September, but they will dominate the debates about how to deal with the AfD until then. State elections in [some] western states… will kick off an exciting election year in March… 

“The issue of migration will continue to be high on the agenda in 2026… Germany is now pursuing a tough policy toward irregular immigrants… so-called ‘return centers’ are now planned again in countries outside the European Union, even though previous attempts… have not been successful…” 

Some hot potatoes. And Germany does not look good in regard to any of them. It should be noted that the AfD is for compulsory military service, as a sign of “patriotism.”

“The German Armed Forces Must Become Europe’s Strongest Army” 

ntv reported on January 3: 

“The CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag wants to transform the German Armed Forces into the strongest conventional army in Europe… [They] envision equipping the Bundeswehr with, among other things, cruise missiles, long-range drones, and small, inexpensive guided missiles.  The development of its own hypersonic missiles is also planned. The goal, they say, is to build ‘a European arsenal of long-range conventional precision weapons’ that ‘can strike the enemy deep in their territory’… 

“Based on the experiences of the war in Ukraine, the German armed forces should become ‘a true drone army.’  They should be equipped with at least 100,000 drones, whose effectiveness should be enhanced through the use of artificial intelligence and ‘space-based capabilities’… To protect Germany, an air defense system similar to the Israeli ‘Iron Dome’ missile defense system is planned, with at least 2,000 interceptor missiles. 

“According to the plans, the Baltic Sea is to be made ‘completely transparent’ through real-time monitoring. Specifically, ‘cost-effective unmanned underwater drones’ are to ‘patrol large areas’ for this purpose.” 

…and they don’t know what they are talking about… 

How Would a European Army Fare Against Russia? 

Le Figaro wrote on January 1, 2026: 

“After Ukraine, could Russia decide to attack Europe? Vladimir Putin recently reiterated that he had no intention of doing so. However, the 2025 National Strategic Review, an official document that guides French defense policy, states in black and white that ‘by 2030, the main threat to France and Europeans is the risk of open warfare against the heart of Europe.’ 

“In the meantime, Europe intends to accelerate its rearmament and strengthen its defense industry. In the event of a confrontation, how would its combined military forces fare against Russia’s? Such is the question addressed by experts at the French Institute of International Relations (Ifri) in a study entitled ‘Europe-Russia: Assessment of the Balance of Power.’… Ifri aggregated the personnel and equipment of all European NATO member countries, i.e., 23 EU states and seven other European countries, excluding Turkey… 

“In terms of a land confrontation, Russia has the advantage in numbers. Its ground forces are estimated at around 950,000 soldiers, compared to 750,000 for the European countries of NATO… 

“In terms of aerospace,… Europe has a clear superiority over Russia, both quantitatively and qualitatively… At sea, Europe has an ‘indisputable qualitative advantage’ thanks to its hundred or so large surface vessels — three times more than the Russian navy… Moscow’s great strength lies in its submarines, a ‘serious threat’ given Europe’s ‘limited’ anti-submarine capabilities… 

“Another area of confrontation is space. Here, the balance of power is ‘more nuanced,’ notes Ifri. Russia inherited a large fleet of military satellites from the USSR, exceeding that of Europe (100 to 60)… But Europe has enjoyed a satellite navigation system that is… ‘certainly superior’ to the Russian GLONASS system… 

“Russia, a ‘nuclear superpower,’ has approximately 1,700 strategic nuclear warheads deployed and approximately 2,600 in reserve, according to the authors of the study. This ‘plethora’ of weapons is intended, in Russia’s view, to ensure its ‘escalation superiority.’ In response to this, most European countries benefit from the United States’ so-called ‘extended’ nuclear deterrence, which takes the form of nuclear sharing agreements and the stationing of around 100 B61-12 tactical nuclear bombs. 

“This bulwark is complemented by the arsenal of the two independent nuclear powers in Europe, France and the United Kingdom, which have ‘several hundred strategic warheads each.’ However, ‘if the credibility of the United States’ extended deterrence were to be seriously undermined or prove to be failing, Europe would suffer […] from a strategic imbalance with Russia,’ warns Ifri.” 

But Europe will first attack the USA and the UK, before fighting a war with Russia. 

Chinese Dictatorship and Aggression 

Breitbart wrote on January 2: 

“Xi Jinping proclaimed that the Chinese… and the nation of Taiwan ‘share a bond of blood and kinship,’ insisting that China’s colonization of Taiwan was ‘unstoppable’ in an address to mark the new year… Xi also emphasized the importance of Beijing imposing itself on Hong Kong… ‘We Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Strait share a bond of blood and kinship. The reunification of our motherland… is unstoppable!’ Xi declared. Xi also celebrated his government’s destructive policies towards the indigenous people of Tibet and East Turkistan… 

“Xi has spearheaded an ongoing campaign of genocide against the indigenous Turkic people of East Turkistan, in particular the local Uyghur population, fueled by mass forced sterilization, the imprisoning of millions in concentration camps, and state-sponsored slavery. In Tibet, Xi has effectively outlawed Tibetan ethnic identity, including banning Tibetan Buddhism… Tibetans have also, on a slightly smaller scale, been forced into labor camps…” 

China’s goals are blatantly obvious. 

Mamdani New York Mayor 

Breitbart wrote on January 1: 

“Socialist Zohran Mamdani became mayor of New York City just after midnight Thursday, taking the oath of office as he placed his hand on the Islamic Quran in a private ceremony. In doing so Mamdani, a Democrat, was confirmed as the first Muslim leader of America’s biggest city. 

“The strictly invitation-only gathering [was] overseen by New York Attorney General Letitia James… AP further reports the immigrant from Uganda will be sworn in again, in much grander style, in a public ceremony at City Hall… by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, one of the mayor’s confessed political heroes.” 

What a gathering of controversial left-wing politicians! 

Mamdani Revokes Orders Protecting Israel 

Fox News added on January 2: 

“Israel tore into New York City Mayor… Mamdani after he revoked a pair of executive orders signed by former Mayor Eric Adams that supported the Jewish state [and which were created to fight Antisemitism.].  

“‘On his very first day as New York City mayor, Mamdani shows his true face: He scraps the IHRA definition of antisemitism and lifts restrictions on boycotting Israel,’ Israel’s Foreign Ministry wrote in a post on X. ‘This isn’t leadership. It’s antisemitic gasoline on an open fire.’…

“Mamdani has repeatedly described Israel as an apartheid state, accused it of committing genocide in Gaza, and said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should be arrested..” 

Whatever happened to the “friendly” meeting between Trump and Mamdani at the White House? What a joke that was! Mamdani said he called Trump to voice his strong disagreement with America’s invasion of Venezuela. 

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer: 

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

In the first part of this series, we discussed the time of the birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ, and the birth of the New Testament Church in 31 AD. In the early days of the Church, it flourished tremendously, but very soon, persecution set in.  

After Christ’s death, Pilate remained governor for another six years. He did not hinder the Church in Jerusalem. The Church grew to 25,000 members—a tenth of the total population of Jerusalem. Persecution of the Church initially came exclusively from the Jews.

Acts 4:18-21 reports of the persecution of the apostles through the religious leaders of Jerusalem:

“And they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, ‘Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.’ So when they had further threatened them, they let them go…”

But it would not stay only with threats. Acts 5:14-18 reads:

“And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed. Then the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with indignation, and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison…”

An angel of the Lord freed them from prison, and they continued to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. They were arrested again and brought before the High Priest. Compare verses 27-29, 33, 40-42:

“And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, saying, ‘Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!’ But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: ‘We ought to obey God rather than men’… When they heard this, they were furious and plotted to kill them… when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.”

Under Roman law, the religious rulers were permitted to act in this way regarding the apostles, as they administered the law. However, they needed the approval of the Roman governor to carry out the death penalty. But in their wrath, the High Priest and the council members did not obey the Roman law in this respect, when they killed Stephen, the first Christian martyr. Note Acts 7:54-60:

“When they heard these things [which Stephen told them], they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, ‘Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!’ Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not charge them with this sin.’ And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”

This was illegal, just as the “arrest” and “trial” of Christ had been illegal.

Saul, who would become the apostle Paul, was a Roman citizen. He was born in a Roman city and was the only Roman apostle. Christ chose him to preach the gospel to the Roman world, and he (not Peter) would found the Church in Rome. He grew up in Tarsus, amidst the Greek culture. He studied under Gamaliel (Acts 22:3).

About Saul, we read in Acts 8:1:

“Now Saul was consenting to his [Stephen’s] death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.”

This persecution came from the Jews. The Romans did not see the Church as a threat. On the contrary, Tertullian (around 200 AD) referred to a report from Pilate to Emperor Tiberius about the Christians. According to this report, Tiberius tried to obtain the Senate’s approval to declare Jesus divine and make Him a Roman god, but the Senate refused to do this.

In 36 AD, a new governor arrived in Jerusalem, who also appointed a new High Priest.

Around 37 AD, Caligula became the new emperor. He wanted to be worshipped as a god and had statues built of himself. This led to a Jewish rebellion, but before it escalated, Caligula died in 41 AD.

Around 38 AD, the situation of the Church is described in Acts 9:31, as follows:

“Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.”

Under the former High Priest Caiaphas, the Church had not grown significantly in membership; this now changed under the new High Priest.

Acts 11:26 gives us an interesting detail:

“… And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.”

Now the Roman world gave the people of this movement the name Christians. The Jews called them only Nazarenes—derisively: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”

In 41 AD, Claudius became the new emperor. He reinstated Herod Agrippa I, whom Caligula had deposed, as king of the Jews. Herod Agrippa I was the grandson of Herod the Great and the father of Agrippa II.

In 43 AD, the following development occurred, as described in Acts 12:1-3:

“Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread.”

Peter’s arrest occurred under Herod Agrippa I during the “Days of Unleavened Bread.” This reference shows that God’s annual Holy Days were still observed, long after Christ’s death.

An angel of the Lord freed Peter from prison, and Herod became very angry that he could not find him.

Acts 12:21-23 informs us of subsequent events:

“So on a set day Herod [Agrippa I], arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. And the people kept shouting, ‘The voice of a god and not of a man!’ Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died.”

Depending on the circumstances, God may act very swiftly and decisively against proud rulers who defy Him.

The death of Herod Agrippa I occurred in 44 AD. After his death, there was no further persecution of Christians for 15 years.

In Acts 18:1-2, another event should be noted. We read:

“After these things Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome); and he came to them.”

A Jewish revolt had taken place, and the Jews had been ordered to leave Rome. This also applied to Aquila and Priscilla, not because they were Christians, but because they were Jews.

In 50 AD, Paul wrote and sent the First Letter to the Thessalonians from Corinth. Paul’s Second Letter to the Thessalonians followed in 51 AD.

In 53 AD, Paul wrote the Epistle to the Galatians in Antioch. Antioch became a second headquarters from which Paul initially operated. Later, Ephesus became the second headquarters, where John and (allegedly) Philip died.

Peter met with Paul between 50 and 56 AD (compare Paul’s meeting with Peter in Jerusalem and his subsequent meeting with Peter in Antioch and the ensuing controversy between them, as described in Galatians 2).

Around 54 AD, Nero, 16 years old, became Roman emperor. When Paul was in Rome in 62 AD, Nero was just 22 years old.

Around 55 AD, Paul was persecuted in Ephesus, but protected by the city clerk (Acts 19). The city clerk was an official within the local Roman leadership, being subordinate to the proconsul.

In 57 AD, Paul was again persecuted by the Jews. Acts 21:27-29 reports:

“Now when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, crying out, ‘Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against the people, the law, and this place; and furthermore he also brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.’ (For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.) And all the city was disturbed; and the people ran together, seized Paul, and dragged him out of the temple; and immediately the doors were shut. Now as they were seeking to kill him, news came to the commander of the garrison that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. He immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down to them. And when they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul….”

The Jews arrested Paul in Jerusalem because he allegedly brought a Gentile into the Temple. A sign outside the Temple stated that Gentiles were forbidden entry to the Temple on pain of death. However, the governor Claudius Lysias (Acts 23:26) came to his aid. Still, Paul was arrested and subsequently brought, as prisoner, to the governor Felix.

In his defense before Felix and the High Priest Ananias, Paul managed to transform the accusations before Governor Felix into a religious dispute.

Acts 24:17-22 quotes Paul as follows:

“‘Now after many years I came to bring alms and offerings to my nation, in the midst of which some Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with a mob nor with tumult. They ought to have been here before you to object if they had anything against me. Or else let those who are here themselves say if they found any wrongdoing in me while I stood before the council, unless it is for this one statement which I cried out, standing among them, “Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged by you this day.”’ But when Felix heard these things, having more accurate knowledge of the Way, he adjourned the proceedings and said, ‘When Lysias the commander comes down, I will make a decision on your case.’’

Paul stayed in prison for two years (Acts 24:27) and additional “some days”, as Acts 25:13-14 reports:

“And after some days King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to greet Festus (who had succeeded Felix). When they had been there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king…”

This was Agrippa II, the son of the deceased Agrippa I. Paul gave his defense before him and governor Festus, and the results are stated in Acts 26:24-28:

“Now as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, ‘Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!’ But he said, ‘I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and reason. For the king, before whom I also speak freely, knows these things; for I am convinced that none of these things escapes his attention, since this thing was not done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe.’ Then Agrippa said to Paul, ‘You almost persuade me to become a Christian.’… When he had said these things, the king stood up, as well as the governor and Bernice and those who sat with them; and when they had gone aside, they talked among themselves, saying, ‘This man is doing nothing deserving of death or chains.’ Then Agrippa said to Festus, ‘This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.’”

Agrippa used the name the Romans used for Christians.  They were therefore known as Christians at that time. (Peter later also spoke of Christians, compare 1 Peter 4:16).

And so, Paul was being transferred as a prisoner to Rome. He arrived there after a long and difficult journey and was imprisoned from 60 AD to 62 AD (compare Acts 28:30-31). There, around 60 AD, he wrote the Letters to the Colossians, the Ephesians, the Philippians (perhaps around 62 AD?), and to Philemon. After two years of imprisonment, he was set free again.

(To be continued)

 Lead Writer: Norbert Link

compiled by Dave Harris

“Today Venezuela! Who Will Be Next Tomorrow?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is the summary:

On December 30, 2025, we published a StandingWatch program, titled, “Trump’s Destruction of the Old World Order in 2026.” In it, I mentioned what we can expect of Trump in 2026. I referred especially to Venezuela. A few days later, on Saturday, January 3, the biblical Sabbath, Trump invaded the country. Why did he do it; what are his plans, and which countries might he invade next? Because Venezuela is just the beginning.

“Heute Venezuela! Wer ist morgen dran?” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This German program covers the same topics as described above.

“Endzeitprophezeiungen im Buch Amos,” is the title of this Sabbath’s German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “End-Time Prophecies in the Book of Amos.”

“Satans Kinder und seine Diener,” last Sabbath’s first split sermon presented by Tahir Coban, is now posted. Title in English: “Satan’s Children and His Servants.”

“Die göttliche Regierung und das Vorbild Abrahams,” last Sabbath’s second split sermon presented by Jens Herrmann, is now posted. Title in English: “The Divine Government and the Example of Abraham.”

“Pillars of Confidence,” last Sabbath’s sermonette presented by Dave Harris, is now posted. Here is the summary:

Are we building confidence which will never fail? That opportunity is available to Christians, and it depends on our relationship with God!

“John the Baptist,” last Sabbath’s sermon presented by Eric Rank, is now posted. Here is the summary:

John the Baptist fulfilled prophecy through the work of his ministry. What did he do? Why was he an important figure relative to Jesus Christ’s ministry and the growth of the New Testament Church? What can we learn about his life that can give us a deeper understanding of Jesus Christ’s teachings and our Christian conversion?

On January 3, 2026, Dave Harris will present, “Pillars of Confidence,” and Eric Rank will present the sermon, titled, “John the Baptist.”

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.

Having managed cities in my past, I have a unique perspective as to the problems commonly experienced. We’ve all seen examples of once-great cities that have declined. Cities such as New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Paris, and London were never godly, but they were admired for their outward beauty. I recall that during the early 2000s, New York City reduced the overall crime rate dramatically. This was celebrated as a major achievement, despite the ongoing presence of evil.

Several years ago, I attended a conference in Portland, Oregon. The city enjoys a pleasant setting along the banks of the Willamette River. The main gathering spot in the city, Pioneer Square, was a striking blend of green spaces, historic architecture, and commerce. Shops of all kinds lined the perimeter of the Square. Many of those shops have since closed due to factors such as the pandemic, violent crime, homelessness, street camping and the residue it leaves behind, not to mention rioting and retail theft. My point is that the most admired cities suffer degrees of chaos and confusion, as opposed to cities of God.

Consider the future of human societies as described in Isaiah 24. Some Bible translations give the following headline: “Impending Judgement on the Earth.” Verses 7-12 specifically illustrate God’s judgement for ongoing and unrepentant human sin: “The new wine fails, the vine languishes, All the merry hearted sigh. The mirth of the tambourine ceases, The noise of the jubilant ends, The joy of the harp ceases. They shall not drink wine with a song; Strong drink is bitter to those who drink it. The city of confusion is broken down; Every house is shut up, so that none may go in. There is a cry for wine in the streets, All joy is darkened, The mirth of the land is gone. In the city desolation is left, And the gate is stricken with destruction.”

We know that God’s judgement on this world is assured, and punishment for our disobedience and lack of sincere repentance will ignore social status, politics, and influence. The moral decay of cities the world typically lauds will not be spared God’s anger. Paris, once referred to as the City of Light, more aptly describes the darkness that defines so many cities. As true Christians, we understand that God’s plan for those He calls cannot be compared to the current state of our governments, no matter how well intentioned they may be.

As a former city manager, I think of the challenges we faced in addressing a multitude of problems. The choices we considered were never easy, but we knew that they were needed to face the problems or suffer the consequences of a bankrupt city. I realize now that God was merciful with me back then when, despite my indifference to His Law, we succeeded in making necessary changes. Yet, despite temporary outward prosperity, success is an illusion if it is not of God. Today, as a repentant Christian, I face challenges in an entirely different manner, striving to place my faith and trust in God.

We contrast the devastation of our cities discussed above with the glorious promise of Isaiah 9:6-7: “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given: And the government will be upon His shoulder: And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end…”

This is the book and chapter of the Bible that fueled my conversion away from the world because it clearly pictures the future Kingdom of God, and the stunning connection with the New Testament, as mentioned in Luke 2:7-14. This is the story of our God, our Creator, and our soon-coming King and Ruler from the Throne of David in Jerusalem.

Consider an ancient city known for idolatry and opposition to God’s law—Jericho, known as the City of Palms in ancient times. It was situated near the Dead Sea and the West Bank of the Jordan River, and it thrived for a time despite its evil focus. That is until God had enough of the sinfulness and established the region as the land promised for His people. In Deuteronomy 34:1-4, we see the story beginning to unfold: “Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is across from Jericho. And the LORD showed him all the land of Gilead as far as Dan, all Naphtali and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea, the South, and the plain of the Valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, as far as Zoar. Then the LORD said to him, ‘This is the land of which I swore to give Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, “I will give it to your descendants.” I have caused you to see with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there.’”

We know what became of Sodom and Gomorrah as a result of their sinfulness, as recorded in Genesis 19. Alternatively, we read about the city of God in Psalm 48:1-3: “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised In the city of our God, In His holy mountain. Beautiful in elevation, The joy of the whole earth, Is Mount Zion on the sides of the north, The city of the great King. God is in her palaces; He is known as her refuge.”

In Psalm 125:1, we read: “Those who trust in the LORD Are like Mount Zion, Which cannot be moved, but abides forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, So the LORD surrounds His people From this time forth and forever.” Unlike trying to rebuild our cities at this time, regaining the trust of the public and enticing visitors back into a blighted urban core, true Christians can take heart by focusing instead on the coming perfect spiritual city—the New Jerusalem on the new earth. Consider Revelation 21:2-3: “Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.”

As true Christians, we have been called to obedience, but we have also been called to courage. In the past week our region experienced 100 mph winds, threats of wildfire, and the reality of extended periods without electricity and heating. Mankind’s cities, structures and systems are unbelievably fragile as we’ve all experienced. God’s Kingdom however is hopeful, bright, peaceful and eternal. Let’s focus on that!

by Norbert Link

We begin with reports on the rise of Iran and its alleged stance against the USA, Israel and even Europe; while pointing out that Europe is shifting away from the USA and Israel and moving closer and closer towards Iran. We also publish an article recommending that Israel ditch USA aid, and talks about building the Third Temple.

We report on the trade war between China and Europe and Russia’s support of China.

We continue with Donald Trump’s destruction of the old world order; false smiles at the Trump summit in Florida which did not bring any substantial results to end the Russia-Ukraine war; and the allegation that Trump wants to destroy Europe. Please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Trump’s Destruction of the Old World Order in 2026.” 

We end with an article about false predictions regarding the time of the return of Christ.

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

Iran at War With USA and Europe

Newsmax wrote on December 27:

“Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says Tehran is at war with the West and Israel. ‘In my opinion, we are in a full-fledged war with America, Israel, and Europe; they do not want our country to stand on its feet,’ he said Saturday…

“Pezeshkian said the West’s war against Iran is ‘more complicated and more difficult’ compared to the 1980-88 war with Iraq that left more than 1 million casualties on both sides. ‘In the war with Iraq, the situation was clear: they fired missiles, and I also knew where to hit. Here, they are besieging us from every aspect, they are putting us in difficulty and constraint, creating problems – in terms of livelihood, culturally, politically, and security-wise – while raising society’s expectations,’ he said… 

“The remarks came two days before a planned meeting between President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during which Iran is expected to be a key topic in the talks. Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iran that came during a 12-day air war in June killed nearly 1,100 Iranians including senior military commanders and nuclear scientists. Retaliatory missile barrages by Iran killed 28 in Israel.” 

The New York Post added on December 27: 

“Iran’s president declared they were in a ‘total war’ with the US, Israel and Europe, just as Tehran looks to rebuild its nuclear capabilities and strengthen ties with Hamas… 

“As tensions between the Middle Eastern rivals ramps up, a Tehran-backed candidate is also likely to win a major election to a leading role with Hamas… al-Hayya is considered to be close to Iran, according to those same sources who told the outlet he would have a clearly adversarial stance toward Israel — as a tenuous Gaza peace deal hangs in the balance… 

“Israeli sources claim that the Islamic Republic is repairing its air defense systems and rebuilding its ballistic missile program… Netanyahu remains skeptical of the plan to demilitarize Gaza…” 

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian was widely considered by the USA and the EU as a moderate-reformist, promising more social freedoms (like women’s hijab choice), better nuclear talks, and economic relief.

Europe Shifts Away From USA and Israel 

The Jerusalem Post wrote on December 29: 

“… the US, Israel, and Europe, the ones listed as enemies by Iran, should all be friends. But the truth is that they are not all friends… The US and Israel are certainly openly, publicly, and historically the best of friends on the international stage… It is Europe that is the problematic part of the equation…

“The Iranian President does not have a proper understanding of Europe. Europe is not merely moving further and further away from the US and Israel in terms of diplomacy, doctrine, and politics, but also because Europe is moving closer and closer towards Iran… Europe has fallen into an abyss. Europe has become a branch, an extension, of Islam – and it has a name. Today, there is a phenomenon that is referred to as European Islam… Europe is more and more rapidly, and more and more evidently, shifting away from alliances with the US and, even more so, with Israel. Because their population is shifting toward Islam. 

“The US is also shifting. The obvious example is the American political stage. What began with the election of several openly pro-Islam members of Congress blossomed into the election of New York City’s Democratic Socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani. The election of Mamdani is a classic example of not just a shift in American politics, but also of the move away from Israel… 

“The metropolitan area of Paris is estimated to be around 10–15% Muslim, with higher concentrations in certain suburbs. London is estimated to be around 12–15% Muslim, with much higher percentages in the areas of Tower Hamlets and Newham. Birmingham is estimated to be 20–22% Muslim. Manchester has about 15–16% Muslims. Brussels is estimated to be around 20–25% Muslim. Marseille is about 25–30%. Rotterdam is about 20–25% Muslim. Amsterdam has around a 15–25% Muslim population. The Hague & Utrecht have around a 13–15% Muslim population.

Berlin is around 9–12% Muslim. Cologne is around 10–12%. Vienna around 10–12%. Copenhagen is about 10%. Stockholm & Malmö each have around 15–20% Muslims…

“The dream of Muslim revolutionaries is to generate influence in the West and then take over. They want to flip the world into a Muslim oriented society. The fulfilment of that dream necessitates a shift away from the US and especially away from Israel.” 

Europe is prophesied to shift away from Islam, but their disassociation from the USA and Israel will continue.

Time to Ditch U.S. Aid

Israel 365 News wrote on December 24:

“Israel is on the verge of a decision that could fundamentally alter its relationship with the United States—and the world… The idea of ending $3.8 billion in annual U.S. military aid might sound unthinkable, but Israel has reached a point where it no longer needs to rely on the U.S. to maintain its security. 

“The country’s defense industry is more self-sufficient than ever, capable of developing cutting-edge technology and securing international contracts without U.S. support. And yet, for years, American aid has come with a price: U.S. influence over Israel’s strategic decisions. From the Sinai withdrawal in 1979 to the Iran nuclear deal, American aid has been tied to political concessions, shaping the very direction of Israeli policy… 

“The question is whether Israel can afford to cut this tie. After all, the U.S. has been a powerful ally, and the aid has undoubtedly strengthened Israel’s military. But there’s another side to this coin. The dependence on U.S. military assistance has limited Israel’s autonomy, forcing it to align with American policies that don’t always serve its best interests. Israel’s defense decisions, at times, have been dictated by the conditions of foreign aid, leaving it vulnerable to political pressure.

“It’s time for Israel to make its own decisions, without needing Washington’s approval. The country has proven its ability to thrive without the U.S. at its side, from securing billions in defense contracts with countries like Germany and Greece to developing some of the most advanced military technologies in the world… 

“There will be fierce resistance, particularly from the U.S. military-industrial complex, which benefits greatly from the current arrangement. Companies like Lockheed Martin and Raytheon rely on the billions in defense contracts that U.S. aid provides. But for Israel, cutting this financial dependency would mean regaining control over its strategic decisions and no longer being beholden to outside pressures. 

“It’s time for Israel to stop borrowing security from the U.S. and start building its own future—one where it can act without fear of being manipulated, and where its defense decisions are its own to make.” 

Building the Temple 

The Jerusalem Post wrote on August 25, 2025: 

“Against the backdrop of the change in policy on the Temple Mount, Finance Minister (RZP) Bezalel Smotrich spoke to thousands of participants at a conference marking the anniversary of Rabbi Kook’s passing on Sunday. Smotrich spoke twice during the event, which took place at the Jerusalem International Convention Center. His first speech in the afternoon addressed the ongoing war. 

“When Smotrich took the stage for a second time, in front of the thousands of people present, Smotrich smiled at Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion and said, ‘I will give the money, you will build the Temple.’ The crowd burst into laughter, and sources who were there told Walla that Smotrich said it ‘as a joke’… In response, Lion replied to Smotrich: ‘You are the best finance minister Jerusalem has ever had.’ 

“… it comes at a time when there is, in fact, a de facto shift in the policy surrounding the Temple Mount.”

Trade War Between China and EU Continues

Reuters wrote on December 22:

“China will impose provisional duties of up to 42.7% on dairy products imported from the European Union, the latest in a series of measures against EU exports widely seen as retaliation for the bloc’s electric vehicle tariffs… 

“Trade tensions with the EU erupted in 2023 when the European Commission launched an anti-subsidy investigation into Chinese-made electric vehicles. It imposed tariffs in October 2024. In apparent retaliation, Beijing has imposed measures on imports of EU brandy, pork and now dairy… China imported $589 million of dairy products… in 2024…”

Russia Supports China

ntv reported on December 28: 

“Russia has demonstratively sided with its ally China in international conflicts. The government in Moscow rejects Taiwan’s independence in any form and considers the island an inseparable part of China, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in a published statement.

“Democratically governed Taiwan is considered a breakaway province by the People’s Republic of China. President Xi Jinping has not ruled out the use of force to reintegrate the island. The US supports Taiwan and has warned against military action.” 

Trump Administration Acknowledges Birth of Christ in Christmas Messages 

Breitbart wrote on December 26: 

“Several agencies and Trump administration officials acknowledged the birth of Jesus Christ in several Christmas messages… ‘Rejoice America, Christ is born!’ DHS wrote in a post on X, which also included a video with the song, ‘Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.’ 

“‘Merry Christmas to all,’ [Secretary of War Pete] Hegseth wrote in a post on X. ‘Today we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. May His light bring peace, hope, and joy to you and our families.’ 

“‘Merry Christmas and aloha from our family to yours,’ [Director of National Intelligence] Gabbard wrote in a post on X. ‘May we spend this day and every day remembering Jesus Christ and following his message to us all: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. And the second is like unto it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39).’ 

“‘The joyous message of Christmas is the hope of Eternal Life through Christ,’ Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote in a post on X. ‘Wishing everyone a blessed holiday season filled with hope and peace.’… 

‘‘Praise God!’ one person wrote. ‘I vote for my government to promote the true religion.’” 

What a mockery of the concept of true love, true peace, and the true God.

Trump’s Destruction of the Old World Order

On December 27, The Daily Mail published the following remarkable article by Andrew Neil:

“This was the year the old world order ended. The order that had defeated Nazi Germany, the greatest evil the modern world has known, then went on to see off Soviet communism – the other great evil of the age 

“The order that rebuilt – from the carnage, ruins and dictatorships of the Second World War – prosperous Western European democracies. Then embraced the new democracies of Eastern Europe as they threw off their communist yoke. 

“The order that, for all its many lapses in living up to its principles, placed liberal democracy, human rights and the prosperity of the people at the core of its purpose, leading to the greatest rise in global living standards these past eight decades the world has ever known…

“The old order was no doubt in need of a reboot, a recalibration, a refocusing for the 21st century. Instead, it is being swept away, for no good reason, by an American president with no knowledge of history, little grasp of geopolitics and scant regard for the principles of democracy and freedom which made the world a safer place the more they were adopted across the globe.

“A president… whose only concern is furthering the narrow, short-term interest of an isolationist America… It is the ruthless, unprincipled application to foreign policy… in which everything is reduced to a ‘deal’ and nothing matters but power, money, success and self-interest – attitudes that mark the death knell of an old world order…

“To be replaced by what? We do not yet know for sure. No doubt the coming year will improve our comprehension of what is in store. Those contours that we can already discern are not encouraging.

“Next year will hasten America’s retreat from Europe, which will increasingly be left to its own devices, as President Trump focuses his attention and American power on the Western Hemisphere – where he has imperial ambitions.

“That is why, as 2025 draws to an end, he has assembled a massive armada off the coast of Venezuela. The pretext is a crackdown on drug-smugglers speeding towards America in high-powered boats. The real goal, of course, is to topple Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, whose regime has impoverished the country, even though it sits on the biggest oil reserves in the world.

“The US Navy is now seizing tankers carrying Venezuelan crude oil exports, which account for 90 per cent of Maduro’s revenues. The loss of these funds would be catastrophic for the man in Caracas…

“But there is a further, so far unspoken, purpose to Trump’s Caribbean military adventure: his aim is also to bring down the flailing communist regime in Cuba, which is just as much an economic basket case as Venezuela…

“If Trump could bring down both regimes early in 2026 he would regard it as vindication of his new emphasis on increasing US power in its own backyard. His aim is to surround America with governments that will do its bidding. He’s already achieved that in Panama… Trump has indicated Colombia could be next if Venezuela falls.

“Argentina is already in hock to Washington, with $20 billion of US support for its currency. Canada will remain under pressure to fall in line with whatever is Trump’s latest whim. Even Greenland is still in his sights. He’s just appointed a new envoy who has described his job as ‘a volunteer position to make Greenland a part of the US’. The Danes, under whose control Greenland falls, are increasingly nervous.

“The more Trump concentrates on his own backyard, the more the US retreat from Europe will gather pace. I find it astonishing that European leaders have still to grasp the immensity of the geopolitical shift that is now under way.

“It isn’t just that the European leg of Nato can no longer count on US military when the chips are down – the fact is that Trump’s America is no longer even on our side, a harsh reality that will become apparent as next year unfolds…

“The coming year will see the effective end of US financial and military aid to Ukraine. It already started to dry up this year. If Europe means what it says about standing by Ukraine then, in 2026, it will have to become Europe’s war, without American back-up. Despite all the supportive rhetoric it is by no means clear Europe’s leaders are up for this…

“I have little hope of peace breaking out in Ukraine. No Ukrainian leader could accept what President Putin wants: to consolidate his grip on the east; place severe limits on the size of free Ukraine’s military; replace President Zelensky with a leader more disposed to the Kremlin – then wait for the rest of Ukraine to fall into his lap. Patience has always been a key ingredient of Russian strategy.

“Although Putin is the real roadblock to peace, the Russian dictator knows Trump will blame Ukraine (and its European backers) for the lack of progress. He expects Trump to throw his toys out of the pram in frustration sometime in the first half of 2026 and depart the scene, saying it’s now on Europe to handle the conflict while he doubles down on the Western Hemisphere.

“This will hand the advantage to Putin, which is why 2026 is so dangerous… Russian cyber-attacks and sabotage in Europe, which increased this year, will become endemic next year. Russian drones have recently flown over Poland, Germany and Denmark, causing civilian airports to shut.

“These ‘grey-zone’ provocations will intensify next year, designed to intimidate Europe into loosening its commitment to Ukraine. In the next 12 months we will discover if Europe has the backbone to resist them…

“[Trump’s] presidency is now being rocked by a cost-of-living crisis. His MAGA movement is now gripped by low-intensity civil war. The bookies reckon there’s an 80 per cent chance the Republicans will lose the House come the November mid-term elections. That would limit his scope for mischief. But the modern US imperial presidency has plenty of room for maneuver, especially in foreign policy.

“I expect Trump to be as active as ever on that front in 2026. There is talk in the White House of bringing the Kremlin in from the economic cold with a spate of US-Russian energy deals, perhaps even a joint carve-up of Ukrainian resources… I’ve even heard top aides muse about a new world order in Trump’s image. America dominant and unchallenged in the Western Hemisphere. But calling the shots in the rest of the world through a new alliance of America, Russia, China, India and perhaps even Japan (now with a Trump-style leader).

“Europe, of course, is nowhere in any of these plans. If, in 2026, it doesn’t at last dawn on Europe (including Britain) that we’re on our own then I doubt it ever will – at least not before it’s too late.”

An interesting article with insightful comments. But Europe will wake up to reality, and it will emerge as an incredible economic and military power surpassing the USA.

“False Smiles at the Trump Summit”

On December 29, Bild Online published the following commentary by Paul Ronzheimer:

“One day after the summit in Mar-a-Lago, one thing is clear above all: Vladimir Putin (73) remains unyielding on the crucial issues. He is not budging an inch in the negotiations. The friendly atmosphere of the meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy cannot disguise the fact that nothing has changed regarding the fundamental positions.

“A Ukrainian government insider told BILD: ‘We can hold countless meetings and have dozens of phone calls, but one thing remains unchanged: Putin wants the entire Donbas – and much more. He has nowhere clearly stated that he wants peace.’…

“A Ukrainian diplomat familiar with the talks told BILD: ‘After phone calls with Putin, we always experience the same pattern. Trump subsequently reverts to the Russian maximalist demands – even though he had previously shown considerable understanding. How are we supposed to agree to a peace that is effectively tantamount to surrender?’…”

“While Europe will be involved, it remains unclear whether European states would be willing to take real military risks – especially in light of Russian threats to consider Western troops as legitimate targets…

“In Ukraine, there is unity within the government and the military: nothing indicates that Putin is willing to make genuine compromises. A Ukrainian military officer told BILD: ‘The intensity of the Russian attacks on all fronts speaks volumes.’”

“Sounds Good, But It’s Not Enough!”

Bild Online wrote on December 29:

“The meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday at Trump’s luxury resort Mar-a-Lago raised high expectations – and at the same time left many doubts.

“While it did bring some movement to the negotiations for a ceasefire in Ukraine, there can be no talk of a breakthrough.”

Welt Online wrote on December 29:

“The meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy ended without any discernible breakthrough…”

Thorniest Issues Unresolved

The Sun wrote on December 29:

“The thorniest issue yet to be resolved is land, the US president said, but security guarantees to end the war were ‘95 per cent done.’ Trump told the Ukrainian leader: ‘You’re better off making a deal now.’

“He said: “I think the land you’re talking about, some of that land has been taken. Some of that land is maybe up for grabs, but it may be taken over the next period of a number of months…’”

Trump Wants to Destroy Europe?

Express wrote on December 29: 

“Russia believes Donald Trump wants to ‘destroy Europe’ as the President sparks criticism for his handling of peace talks with Ukraine.  Media in Moscow is hailing Trump’s stance, with the newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda saying: ‘America no longer sees our country as a threat. The threat is now a militaristic Europe… He sees Europe as a liberal stronghold that must be destroyed to Make America Great Again.’…’ 

“Russia Thanks Trump and Celebrates ‘Total Victory’ Over Ukraine” 

Express wrote on December 31: 

“Russian state media has claimed a victory over Ukraine after a Florida summer between Donald Trump and Volodimir Zelensky appears to have forced Ukraine into making concessions… 

“According to Russian broadcaster and noted Kremlin Propagandist Vladimir Solovyov, Moscow is delighted with how the meeting went, claiming it was all part of his country’s plan. Speaking on his evening show, Solovyov said: ‘We have achieved a knockout victory’… He also claimed that a call between Trump and Moscow took place shortly before the Ukrainian president landed. 

“Solovyov goes on to see that the phone call ‘completely destroyed Zelensky’s plans’… The broadcaster’s statements need to be taken with a grain of salt, but still give an insight into the optimism within the Kremlin for this deal to be weighed in Russia’s favour. 

“Their talk has worried many in Kiev, with Yuriy Boyechko, CEO and founder of Hope for Ukraine – a non-profit delivering humanitarian aid to war-torn Ukrainians – slamming Mr Trump’s approach as dangerously detached from reality. Mr Boyechko added: ‘This treats Putin as a co-partner whose approval is needed, signalling to Kyiv that peace will come on Moscow’s terms…’ 

“Concerns escalated at the joint press conference, where Mr Trump insisted Putin ‘wants to see the war end’ and was ‘very generous’ towards Ukraine succeeding, even pledging Russian help with reconstruction via cheap energy and electricity.” 

Trump is indeed dangerously detached from reality.  

Russia Prevents Peace 

Newsmax wrote on December 31: 

“Without adding any comment, President Donald Trump shared a New York Post opinion piece Wednesday that asserts that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ‘bluster’ shows that Russia, not Ukraine, is standing in the way of a peace agreement. The piece, posted on Trump’s Truth Social page Wednesday, accuses Putin of shedding ‘crocodile tears’ through claims that the Ukrainians had launched drones at one of his homes in an attempt to kill him. 

“The Post’s editorial board notes that Russia’s reporting came after Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at his Mar-a-Lago residence, where several compromises were reached on a peace plan… 

“‘It’s rich that Putin, who has waged a brutal war for nearly four years, believes that any violence in his vicinity merits special outrage,’ the Post noted. ‘After all, Russia launched 131 drones on Christmas at Kyiv and other cities, killing seven civilians.’ The publication also said an attack on Putin is ‘more than justified,’ considering the attempts made to assassinate Zelenskyy.  Further, the drone attack was not confirmed…” 

When the World Doesn’t End… 

ntv wrote on December 27: 

“It’s a story that repeats itself again and again: A (mostly) religious group announces a specific date for the end of the world.  The followers prepare themselves, quit their jobs, sell their houses, and say goodbye to friends. And then… nothing happens… 

“William Miller, a Baptist lay preacher from New York, had studied the Bible for years and developed a calculation: Based on the Book of Daniel and some of Jesus’ words from the Gospels, he concluded that Jesus Christ would return in 1844. His message spread like wildfire, and he gained many loyal followers. The so-called ‘Millerites’ were born. 

“In the months leading up to the supposed end of the world, which Miller finally scheduled for October 22, 1844, many of the believers prepared themselves for the end. People paid off their debts to stand ‘pure’ before God. Farmers left their fields unharvested, shopkeepers gave away their goods—why accumulate supplies, why earn money, if everything was going to be over soon anyway?  Consequently, the despair was great when, on October 23, the sun simply rose as it did every other day… 

“Hiram Edson, one of Miller’s most devoted followers, had a revelation ‘the day after’: The date was correct, but the event had been misunderstood! Jesus had not returned to Earth, but had entered the innermost sanctuary of the heavenly temple.  Therefore, a new era had not begun visibly on Earth, but invisibly in heaven… This group eventually developed into the Seventh-day Adventist Church, a worldwide church with now over 20 million members…” 

“One popular strategy is the very spiritualization that the Millerites employed: the event did take place, but on an invisible level. This ‘theological trick’ is also used, for example, by Jehovah’s Witnesses, who expected the return of Christ in 1914. When nothing happened, the leadership declared that Jesus had been invisibly installed as king in heaven…” 

Christ said, You do NOT know the exact time of My return.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer: 

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

It is sometimes overwhelming and perhaps confusing to read about events, as described in the Bible, without having a proper time setting for those events. Many times, God has carefully planned the timing, for a greater purpose, and in this series, we will show when certain occurrences took place, why they took place then and not at another time, and how God has been working out His master plan here below. We will also explain some astonishing facts which this confused world, including professional Christianity, does not know or understand.

To begin with, how did God prepare the world for the birth of Jesus Christ and the New Testament Church? What conditions had to be met?

The Greek Empire (331-63 BC) introduced the Greek language, which became a world language. And so, the New Testament would be written in Greek.

The Roman Empire (63 BC – 324 AD) developed the ability to transport war machines on well-built roads (like Hitler later did). Even done for a completely wrong purpose, this allowed the apostles to travel freely. [Until the 19th century, there was no fundamental improvement in this regard. But then, Herbert W. Armstrong was able to proclaim the message with the help of a microphone, the printing press, and later with the use of television and airplanes. Today, we can proclaim the gospel message through the Internet and other electronic means, which were even unavailable to the Church under Mr. Armstrong.]

Augustus [Octavian] (63 BC – 14 AD) initiated a tax system, which was necessary to bring about events culminating in the birth of Jesus Christ.

Luke 2:1-5 reads:

“And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.”

The census or tax assessment, and the registration of the people took place around the time of the Feast of Tabernacles. But Joseph would not have taken his pregnant wife to Bethlehem, 100 miles from Galilee, solely because of the Feast of Tabernacles. God had to orchestrate events so that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem, in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, and this census served that purpose. It was actually intended by Augustus to take place two years earlier, but it was delayed because of a Jewish revolt against the tax system (compare Acts 5:37).

Christ was not born in December (at “Christmas” time), but He was born in late September or early October, in 4 BC, six months after the birth of John the Baptist (Luke 1:26, 36). He began His ministry when He was 30 years old (Luke 3:23; this was in 27 AD, after He had been baptized), and it lasted 3½ years. Since He was killed at Passover (in 31 AD), He must have been born six months earlier than Passover.

According to Daniel 9, 7 weeks plus 62 weeks (i.e., 69 weeks) were to pass from the decree to rebuild the temple (457 BC by Artaxerxes) until the Messiah would come to preach. These prophetic weeks describe 483 years (one week containing seven days, which in prophecy amounts to seven years). This brings us to 27 AD. One week (7 days = 7 years) remains. Christ preached for half a week (3½ years), then He died. The remaining half will be fulfilled after His second coming.

Luke 3:1-2 continues:

“Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, while Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.”

In 14 AD, Augustus had died, and Tiberius had become the sole ruler until 37 AD. Annas and Caiaphas, father and son, were high priests at that time when John the Baptist began to preach.

Herod the Great had died around 3 BC. He might have even died in 2 BC or 1 BC, as some suggest. [Some say, he died in 4 BC, but this cannot be correct, as he instigated the murder of young male children age two and under, before his death, after Christ had been born and the wise men from the East [it does not say they were three, nor, that they were kings] had visited the Jesus Child and His parents in the house—no longer in a manger].

After Herod’s death, his sons divided the rule among themselves. They were regional rulers appointed by the Romans. Another regional ruler was Pilate, the governor of Judea. He was not a Jew (John 18:33-35).

We don’t read much about the time of Christ’s youth (except for Jesus being in the temple at the age of 12), until He was baptized by John. But He was called a Nazarene (Matthew 2:23), suggesting that He grew up and lived in Nazareth for most of His life. He is also referred to constantly as Jesus of Nazareth.  However, there are credible reports that He might have accompanied His uncle, Joseph of Arimathea, on his travels. His uncle was allegedly in the tin trading business, and might have reached England during his travels.

The 15th year of Tiberius’s reign [mentioned in the passage in Luke 3:1 above] began on October 1 of the year 27 AD.

Christ was baptized by John the Baptist in the first month of John’s preaching, in October. John’s baptism was one of repentance, but Christ did not need to repent, as He had never sinned. However, we read about one interesting event during His baptism, in Luke 3:21-22:

“When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, ‘You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.’”

It appears that at that time, Jesus received the power from God to perform miracles (compare Acts 10:38). We do not read that Jesus performed any miracles before, and the miracle at Cana (see below) is designated as the “beginning of the signs” (John 2:11).

After His baptism, we read in Luke 4:1-2, 13:

“Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil… Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.”

This occurred in October of 27 AD. Christ’s temptation in the wilderness for forty days was to prove that God in the flesh could command the devil [verse 8], just as Jesus, as a glorified divine being, could command him. Note that Christ was led “by the Spirit” into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil, in accordance with God’s plan to overcome Satan.

In December of 27 AD, Christ chose some of His disciples (Matthew 4:18-22). It is quite possible that James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were cousins of Christ [as Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, was probably a cousin of Mary; Luke 1:36]. This means that Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Mary, the mother of James and John, also called Salome, would have been sisters. Also, it has been suggested that Mary and Joseph were cousins.

After Christ selected some of His disciples, the following events took place until the spring of 28 AD:

• The miracle at Cana (John 2)
• Jesus’ first Passover after His baptism (John 2)
• Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus (John 3). This conversation addressed how one can enter the Kingdom of God. The Jews were shocked that their physical lineage was meaningless, since flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. Jesus also explained that one has to be born again (not just begotten through the gift of the Holy Spirit at the time of baptism) to become an immortal Spirit being.

We are informed that Jesus left Judea (John 4:1-3). This happened in late November or early December 28 AD. John had been preaching for one year and two months. Although Jesus had also been ministering in Judea during this time, like John, the attention had been focused more on John. But now, John had been imprisoned and the people began to focus on Jesus.

John 4:4 recounts Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman. John 4:35 gives the time frame:

“Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!”

Jesus told His disciples that there would still be four months until the harvest. The spring harvest began in the middle of the month of Nisan (beginning, middle, or end of April). Four months after Christ’s encounter with the Samaritan woman would be Christ’s second Passover after His baptism.

During the second half of December 28 AD:

• Jesus went to Nazareth (John 4:45);
• began preaching in the synagogues (Luke 4:14-16);
• announced a year of His preaching (“the acceptable year of the Lord”; Luke 4:19).

By the end of December 28 AD, Jesus’ public ministry began in Capernaum (Luke 4:31-32). Previously, he had only taught His disciples privately.

At the beginning of 29 AD, we read about the healing of Peter’s mother-in-law (Luke 4:38) and the calling of Matthew (Luke 5:27).

In the spring of 29 AD, Jesus kept His second Passover after His baptism. The famous plucking of the heads of grain by His disciples happened at that time (Luke 6:1-5). Passover fell that year on a Sabbath.

In late spring of 29 AD, Jesus selected twelve disciples from all of His disciples whom He called apostles  (Luke 6:12; Matthew 3:13). That means, the disciples (apostles), with the exception of Matthew, who was called later, had been trained by Jesus for 1 ½  years.

In late summer of 29 AD, we find that John was still in prison (Luke 7:18-15). We are being introduced to Jesus’ message on the Day of Trumpets (John 5:1). Jesus began His parables (Matthew 13, Mark 4, Luke 8). He also gave a sign to the Pharisees that He was the Messiah:

“Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, ‘Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.’ But He answered and said to them, ‘An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth’” (Matthew 12:38-40).

This sign will become extremely important later when reviewing the time of His death and resurrection.

In the autumn of 29 AD, the famous event of the calming of the storm took place (Luke 8:22); and John the Baptist was beheaded by Herod after one year of imprisonment (Luke 9, Mark 6:14; Matthew 14).

From the autumn of 29 AD until the spring of 30 AD, Christ sent out His twelve disciples (apostles) two by two (Mark 6:7; Luke 9:1). This happened 6 to 9 months after their selection as apostles and did include Judas Iscariot, which is remarkable, as we read in Luke 9:1-2: “Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.”

During that time, He also fed 5,000 people, which was near to His third and final Passover (John 6:1-14). During that time, Jesus walked on the sea (John 6:16); and He went to Tyre and Sidon (Mark 7:24; Matthew 15:21) where He stayed among the Gentiles, showing that God is not a respecter of persons, even though He made clear that at that time, He was sent only to the lost tribes of the House of Israel. Still, He did not refuse to heal the daughter of a believing Gentile woman (Mark 7:25-30).

Subsequent events occurred until the autumn of 30 AD, including His transfiguration on the mountain (Mark 9:2). He went to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7:1); and He taught His disciples about the right kind of prayer (Luke 11:1).

In December of 30 AD, Jesus attended the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem (John 10:22). This was a Jewish national holiday, lasting for 8 days, which Jesus, as a Jew, observed.  It has no significance for us today. It commemorates the restoration of the divine worship in the Second Temple after it had been abolished by Antiochus Epiphanes.

From that time on until the spring of 31 AD, He gave the parable of Lazarus, a beggar, and the rich man, in which He taught the final destruction of unrepentant sinners (Luke 16:19). He also raised His friend Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, from the dead and restored physical life to him (John 11:1).

We should pay special attention to the events during the week before and during Christ’s final Passover of the year 31 AD:

We find Christ in Bethany (John 12:1), which was six days before Passover; i.e., Thursday night.

In John 12:9, we are told that people came to see the resurrected Lazarus, which happened on Friday.

We then read that Christ was in Jerusalem “the next day” (John 12:12). This was on the weekly Sabbath, not on a Sunday (erroneously referred to by “nominal” Christianity as “Palm Sunday”). On the 10^th day, the Passover lamb was taken (Exodus 12:3). Christ was chosen by the Jews as their Passover lamb on the 10^th day. The Passover lamb was slaughtered at the beginning of the 14^th day, the 14^th of Nisan, between the two evenings, describing sunset to nightfall. Christ observed the Passover at the beginning of the 14^th day, but He was killed and laid in the tomb at the end of the 14^th day.

Focusing on Pilate, we can see from John 18:36-38; 19:6, that He found Christ to be guiltless. He still ordered His death. He acted not because of religious beliefs, but because he feared the Romans (John 19:12). The actual persecution, now declared as political, was carried out by the Jews.

Christ was crucified and laid in the tomb on a Wednesday, before the beginning of the annual Sabbath of the first Day of Unleavened Bread [John 19:31: “that Sabbath was a high day”]. He was resurrected three days and three nights later [compare again Matthew 12:38-40. John 11:9-10 clarifies that the daylight portion of a day has 12 hours, and then comes the night… another twelve hours].

He left the tomb before the end of the weekly Sabbath. When the women came to the tomb at the end of the Sabbath, Christ had already risen. We read in Matthew 28:1-6, in the Elberfelder Bible: “But late on the Sabbath, at the dawning of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.”

After His resurrection, Christ ascended to the Father on Sunday morning, on the Sunday during the Days of Unleavened Bread, when the first sheaf was offered as a wave offering (Leviticus 23:10-11). Fifty days later was Pentecost (verses 15-16).

Christ taught the apostles about the Kingdom of God for 40 days (Acts 1:3) until He ascended visibly to Heaven on a cloud. Two angels told the apostles that Jesus would return in like manner as they had seen Him ascending to Heaven (Acts 1:11).

The New Testament Church was founded (Acts 2) on June 17, 31 AD [54 days after Christ’s crucifixion]. Jerusalem served as its headquarters from 31 to 69 AD. James, the half-brother of Jesus, served as the local Church pastor.

(To be continued)

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

compiled by Dave Harris

“Trump’s Destruction of the Old World Order in 2026,” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is the summary:

The Daily Mail wrote on December 29: “This was the year [2025] the old world order ended. The order that had defeated Nazi Germany…  then went on to see off Soviet communism… The old order… is being swept away, for no good reason, by [the] American president.” This program explains in detail why this is so, and what we can expect to see in 2026.

“Trumps Zerstörung der alten Weltordnung in 2026,” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This German program covers the same topics as described above.

“Should We Celebrate New Year’s Day” is the latest short video posted on YouTube.

“Joseph Sold Into Slavery – Part 1” is the latest video in our Bible Story Series on YouTube.

“Wahre Freunde oder doch nur Kumpel?” last Sabbath’s first split sermon in Germany was presented by Dmitrij Niemann and is now posted. Title in English: “True Friends or Just Acquaintances?” 

“Gottes Geist,” last Sabbath’s second split sermon in Germany was presented by Robert Indlekofer and is now posted. Title in English: “God’s Spirit.”

“EU Claims: US No Longer “Reliable Partner”—Comments on News and Prophecy, December 27, 2025,” last Sabbath’s first message presented by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is the summary:

Frictions between the USA and Europe continue, and mutual trust disappears rapidly or is already gone. Europe is upset with Trump’s visa bans; and Denmark fumes over Trump’s envoy to Greenland. Trump’s peace plan for Ukraine is as illusionary as ever. At the same time, developments regarding the building of the third temple continue. We also address some “problematic” Christmas messages by several agencies and Trump administration officials. 

“Choose the Better Side,” last Sabbath’s sermon presented by Christoph Sperzel is now posted. Here is the summary:

God’s promise of eternal life requires us to check ourselves, repent, and walk the path of change to live according to God’s commands. While worldly insurance offers material security, God’s “life insurance” gives us an absolute guarantee of eternal life—but only if we fulfill His requirements. The Passover reminds us to check our spiritual condition, align our lives with God’s Will, and continually grow and follow Christ so that we may ultimately be ready for the Kingdom of God.

On December 27, 2025, Norbert Link will present, “Comments on News and Prophecy, December 27, 2025,” and Christoph Sperzel will present the sermon, titled, “Choose the Better Side.”

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.

“For the sake of peace”—for some, this phrase implies that one must always give in, but it also contains an old, yet deeply biblical expression that reminds us that true peace does not come when everyone insists on their rights, but rather, when love and humility are stronger than pride.

Acting “for the sake of peace” means, yielding not out of weakness, but out of inner strength, because one values peace more highly than dispute.

The Bible repeatedly calls us to seek and preserve peace. Romans 12:18 says, “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.”

This shows that peace often begins with our own attitude. We need to let go, forgive, and remain silent, even when it is difficult. We need to give in, even when it seems unfair or we have already done so many times.

When Peter once asked Jesus, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven” (compare Matthew 18:21-22).

This means nothing less than always, without limitation!

Jesus teaches us that true forgiveness knows no bounds and that true peace can only grow where we are ready to forgive again and again.

But peace does not mean concealing injustice or suppressing the Truth.

In Ezekiel 33:1-9, God speaks of the responsibility of the watchman to warn the people in the face of danger. The watchman who remains silent is complicit in the disaster that occurs. These words remind us that peace does not come from silence about evil, but from the Truth spoken out of love.

Sometimes, God calls us to speak up, to warn, or to have the courage to address injustices—not to condemn, but to preserve and save lives.

This also means acting “for the sake of peace”: speaking the Truth in love so that genuine peace based on justice can arise.

Jesus himself said, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9; Authorized Version). Peacemaking is therefore a sign of being a child of God.

Those who seek peace follow the example of Christ, who showed us the way of peace—not by fighting, but by loving, forgiving, and serving.

The peace that God gives is more than the absence of dispute; it is a state of the heart in which God’s love reigns: “…and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus”, as Paul writes in Philippians 4:7.

To live “for the sake of peace” means to consciously seek reconciliation in relationships, in the family, in the church, or at work. It is not always easy, but it is worth trying not to always have the last word, but rather to remain calm. It means to think “more highly of one another than you do of yourselves,” as it says in Philippians 2:3 (Amplified Bible), and in doing so, allowing God’s love to be manifested.

Sometimes, this also means giving in more often than one would like, and yet finding peace in it because one knows that God guides our hearts and that love always remains the stronger force.

Jesus Himself paid the highest price “for the sake of peace.” He gave up His divine right, became human, served, and died so that “our peace was upon Him” (Isaiah 53:5).

This divine peace is the foundation on which we can build our lives.

Thus, God calls us to be peacemakers in word and deed, in love and patience. “For the sake of peace”—for us, this is not a sign of weakness, but an expression of divine strength rooted in love and bearing fruit in peace.

(Initial Translation: Daniel Blasinger)

by Norbert Link

We begin with the continuing alienation between the USA and Europe (including Germany, Denmark and Sweden); address the ongoing confusion regarding the war between Russia and Ukraine; impressions that Trump is on the run and losing power; the release of further Epstein documents (many of them redacted) and the incompetent FBI; and the fierce battle for MAGA’s future.

We are addressing developments in Israel and Great Britain and conclude with numerous articles pertaining to Germany.

Please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Why Are They Lying to Us About War and Peace?” 

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

US No Longer Reliable Ally 

Politico wrote on December 21: 

“Trump continues to antagonize the United States’ traditional European allies, deriding them… as ‘weak’ and a ‘decaying group of nations’… 

“Like many other European nations, France sees Russia has a growing threat to the continent. So it is preparing to defend itself against… a ‘violent test’ from Russia in the next three to four years that it would need to counter without much, if any, help from Washington… 

“The challenge is even higher as it’s becoming increasingly clear they can no longer rely on the United States as a primary security provider. Successive U.S. presidents — including Barack Obama and Joe Biden — have warned over the past decade that Washington would eventually have to focus on the Indo-Pacific region instead of Europe, but the Trump administration has already matched those words with action. 

“That is putting the spotlight on France, the EU’s only nuclear power and a country with independent weapons makers that has long warned the continent should become more autonomous in areas such as technology and defense… the way France and Germany, the EU’s largest countries, respond in the coming months and years will determine whether other European countries will turn to them for Europe’s defense or try to retain bilateral ties with Washington at the expense of EU and NATO unity… 

“France’s distrust of America dates back to 1956, when U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower forced it and Britain to back down from a military intervention to regain control of the Suez Canal from Egypt, leaving Paris feeling betrayed and humiliated. Since then,… France’s defense policy has been based on the assumption that the U.S. is not a reliable ally and that the Western European nation should be able to defend itself on its own if need be. The memory of the Suez incident contributed to former French President Charles de Gaulle’s decision to leave NATO and develop its own nuclear program. 

“Now, European capitals… are starting to increasingly realize France might have been right all along… Since Trump came back to power in January, the clues of Washington’s disengagement from — if not disdain of — Europe have been hard to ignore… Less than one year after Trump returned to the White House, influential German voices… are no longer looking at Washington as an ally… 

“The French president said France’s military expenditures will increase by €6.7 billion next year, bringing the country’s total defense spending to more than €57.1 billion. In comparison, German lawmakers this week greenlit €50 billion in weaponry procurement — Germany’s military expenditures are expected to reach more than €82 billion next year…” 

It’s all in line with biblical prophecy for the USA and Europe. 

“Rubio Warns Europe Risks Destroying ‘Shared Culture’ of Western Civilization“

Breitbart wrote on December 20: 

“Secretary of State Marco Rubio has warned that Europe risks destroying the ‘shared culture’ of the West and in turn weaken bonds with the United States… Rubio doubled down on the assertions made in the White House’s National Security Strategy memo, which declared that Europe faces ‘civilizational erasure’ if it continues globalist policies of mass migration and attacks on fundamental liberties such as freedom of speech. 

“The memo has riled feathers in Europe, with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz saying that many aspects of the document were ‘unacceptable to us from a European perspective.’ Meanwhile, the… head of the European Commission… Ursula von der Leyen demanded that the United States not ‘interfere’ in European democracy… 

“Rubio specifically pointed to the problems surrounding mass migration, citing the recent Islamist terror attack at a Jewish Hanukkah celebration on Bondi Beach in Australia as an example. ‘Mass migration over the last decade has been highly disruptive, not just to the United States but also to continental Europe and in some cases in the Indo-Pacific as well. So I just think this is a real challenge that multiple Western advanced, industrialized countries are facing…” 

“Row Over ‘Censorship’ Escalates” 

The Guardian wrote on December 24: 

“The French president… and the European Union have accused Washington of ‘coercion and intimidation’, after the US imposed a visa ban on five prominent European figures who have been at heart of the campaign to introduce laws regulating American tech giants. The visa bans were imposed on Tuesday on [French] Thierry Breton, a former EU commissioner and one of the architects of the bloc’s Digital Services Act (DSA), and four anti-disinformation campaigners, including two in Germany and two in the UK… 

“Justifying the visa bans, the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, wrote on X: ‘For far too long, ideologues in Europe have led organised efforts to coerce American platforms to punish American viewpoints they oppose. The Trump administration will no longer tolerate these egregious acts of extraterritorial censorship.’… the row threatens to become part of a far wider existing cultural and political conflict between Donald Trump’s administration and Europe… 

“Macron condemned the visa ban in furious terms… Breton, a former French finance minister and the European commissioner for the internal market from 2019 to 2024, said: ‘Is McCarthy’s witch-hunt back?…’ 

“A European Commission spokesperson said: ‘If needed, we will respond swiftly and decisively to defend our regulatory autonomy against unjustified measures’… 

“Germany’s justice ministry said the two German campaigners had the government’s ‘support and solidarity’ and the visa bans were unacceptable… 

“Raphaël Glucksmann, a French socialist MEP, said in a message to Rubio: ‘For far too long, Europe has been weak in implementing its own laws and defending its own interests. You have chosen to cosy up tyrants and confront democracies. The time has come for us to stand up. Kneel as much as you want in front of Putin, we are the free world now. We are not a colony of the United States. We are Europeans, we must defend our laws, our principles, our interests. This scandalous sanction against Thierry Breton pays tribute to his fight for our sovereignty. We will continue it together. To the end.’… 

“Michel Duclos, a former senior French diplomat [said:]… ‘Europe is becoming the new Russia for Washington. It brings to mind the 1920s – America favouring the former enemy [Germany) against its former allies – but worse.’ 

“The chair of the German Journalists’ Association, Mika Beuster, [said:] ‘This is censorship in its purest form, the likes of which we have previously only known from autocratic regimes’…” 

Politico added on December 24: 

“The sanctions, announced Tuesday, also revoke the U.S. visas of British citizens Imran Ahmed and Clare Melford…  Ahmed, who currently lives in Washington, faces immediate deportation… 

“The move is the latest in a series of warning shots volleyed by the U.S. at allies over what it views as unfair efforts to regulate American social media and tech giants, including Elon Musk-owned X, which was slapped with a Euro 120 million fine earlier this month for violating the bloc’s content moderation law….” 

US Military Presence in Europe Throughout 2026 

Caliber wrote on December 20: 

“US President Donald Trump has signed into law legislation that sets a minimum level of 76,000 American troops in Europe throughout 2026… Under the law, the number of US service members stationed on the continent may not fall below that threshold for more than 45 days… 

“According to the Pentagon, approximately 100,000 US troops are currently deployed in Europe, including more than 65,000 permanently stationed personnel, with the remainder serving on rotational deployments… The law also provides for: $400 million in funding for arms procurement for Ukraine; Financing for the Golden Dome missile defence shield initiated by Trump; A US defence budget of approximately $900 billion for the next fiscal year, $8 billion higher than the administration’s previous proposal.” 

Denmark Fumes Over New US Envoy to Greenland

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 22: 

“Denmark is incensed at the appointment of Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as new US special envoy to Greenland as President Donald Trump continues to heap pressure on the Nordic nation and looks to take over the autonomous territory from Copenhagen. 

“In appointing Landry on Sunday, Trump — who has threatened to take Greenland by force from ally Denmark if necessary — wrote that the southern governor, ‘understands how essential Greenland is to our National Security, and will strongly advance our Country’s Interests for the Safety, Security, and Survival of our Allies, and indeed, the World.’ 

“Landry took to the social media platform X to thank Trump for the appointment, writing, ‘It’s an honor to serve you in this volunteer position to make Greenland a part of the US.’ 

“On Monday, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said the move left him ‘deeply angered’ and said Washington must respect Denmark’s sovereignty, with Copenhagen vowing to summon the US ambassador in protest… Rasmussen told Denmark’s TV 2 that he was ‘particularly upset by his [Landry’s] statements,’ calling them ‘completely unacceptable,’ and adding to the Reuters news agency: ‘We insist that everyone — including the US — must show respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark.’ 

“Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said news of the appointment, ‘might sound like a big deal,’ but added that it ‘doesn’t change anything for us here at home. We will determine our future ourselves,’ he said. In a joint statement with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Nielsen added: ‘Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders and the US shall not take over Greenland.’… 

“Trump, who floated the option of buying Greenland and established a new consulate there during his first term, has repeatedly threatened to get it no matter what since returning to office in January 2025. He has sought to emphasize Greenland’s location and mineral riches as key to US national security and has ignored the wishes of Greenlanders and Danish leaders in his pursuit…” 

Interest-Free Loan for Ukraine 

Times of Oman wrote on December 19: 

“German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called the European Council’s decision to grant Ukraine a €90 billion loan a ‘decisive message for an end to the war.’ 

“The interest-free loan is enough to cover Ukraine’s military and budgetary needs for the next two years, he pointed out in a statement. And Russian President Vladimir Putin ‘will only make concessions once he realizes his war will not pay off,’ Merz said. ‘If Russia does not pay reparations we will — in full accordance with international law — make use of Russian immobilized assets for paying back the loan,’ Merz added. 

“Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban criticized the EU’s decision on the €90 billion loan to Ukraine. ‘It’s lost money,’ said Orban, who is seen as one of Russia’s closest allies in Europe. ‘The good news is that we’re staying out,’ he said. 

“Hungary, along with Slovakia and the Czech Republic, were given an exemption from the loan commitment to avoid them blocking the decision.” 

How giving a loan to Ukraine to enable it to keep on fighting will guarantee that the war will end is an unexplained mystery. 

Peaceful Russia? 

Tulsi Gabbard, US Director of National Intelligence, wrote on December 21  wrote on X: 

“Deep State warmongers and their Propaganda Media are again trying to undermine President Trump’s efforts to bring peace to Ukraine—and indeed Europe—by falsely claiming that the ‘U.S. intelligence community’ agrees to and supports EU/NATO viewpoint that Russia’s aim is to invade/conquer Europe (in order to gin up support for their pro-war policies). The truth is that ‘US intelligence’ assesses that Russia does not even have the capability to conquer and occupy Ukraine…” 

Maybe not now, but it WILL occur later. 

Russia Scraps Military Pacts With Europe 

TRT World wrote on December 20: 

“The Russian government on Saturday officially authorised the Defence Ministry to terminate a series of bilateral military cooperation agreements signed with several European nations between 1992 and 2002. 

“The termination list includes agreements with Germany, Poland, and Norway, as well as similar pacts with Bulgaria, Romania, Denmark, the UK, the Netherlands, Croatia, Belgium and the Czech Republic.” 

“US Intelligence Chief Calls Reuters Report on Putin’s War Aims a ‘Lie'” 

MDR reported on December 21: 

“The Director of National Intelligence of the United States, Tulsi Gabbard, has rejected a Reuters report claiming that US intelligence agencies believed Russian President Vladimir Putin intended to conquer all of Ukraine. 

“Gabbard wrote on X that this was ‘a lie and propaganda.’  She claimed Reuters was ‘willingly serving warmongers’ who are undermining US President Donald Trump’s peace efforts to end the war in Ukraine. The truth, she said, is that US intelligence assesses that Russia wants to avoid a larger war with NATO…”

This is more than questionable. 

“Painful Truths” 

Die Welt wrote on December 19: 

“Ukraine will lose the war against Russia – Europeans must admit this, even if it hurts…” 

Trump on the Run 

t-online wrote on December 18: 

“Donald Trump’s annual address revealed a US president on the run – not only from the facts and from his own responsibility. At an unusually early stage, he finds himself confronted with a loss of power… But instead of spreading credible optimism in his prime-time address, Trump’s appearance once again primarily devolved into a personal settling of scores with his political opponents and a strategic concealment of his own failures… 

“Trump is finding it increasingly difficult to mask his plummeting approval ratings. These are now the worst of his two terms in office. The same applies to the growing tensions within his own party ahead of the difficult midterm elections for the Republicans next year. The signs that Trump is already governing like a ‘lame duck’ after only the first eleven months are multiplying. This is unusually early for a president in his second term.” 

“With all the lies and omissions in his year-end address, Trump appeared noticeably rushed, nervous, even almost slightly panicked.  That, at least, is how numerous people from his own political camp commented on the performance.  Perhaps this was a man quickly reading a defense speech from a teleprompter before the electorate delivers its verdict on him in the midterm elections. This was a president who is already on the run.” 

“A Battered America” 

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on December 19: 

”President Donald Trump’s end of year speech to the American public that took place on December 17^th was full of conceits over how the United States under the new regime in power is moving ahead on all fronts to benefit the American people. The reality is somewhat different with a struggling economy, inflation and growing unemployment as well as wars and rumors of wars. The only economic sector that appears to be doing just fine is the ‘military industrial complex’… For sure, the warfare bill is helping to expand the nation’s debt while providing little in the way of national security due to profound ignorance combined with serial blundering by those in power in and around the White House. 

“The unavoidable fact that Trump has created a mess nearly everywhere that he has trod has been visible practically since inauguration day eleven months ago, made worse by the incoherent and frequently contradictory explanations coming out of the Oval Office itself… 

“Regarding Russia and Ukraine, Trump’s fumbling negotiating team consisting of two property developers Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner…  consistently fail to appreciate what Russia’s redlines are… 

“All of which leads us to Israel… Early in December, the US Embassy in Jerusalem co-sponsored with the Israeli government a gathering of 1,000 evangelical pastors from the United States… The trip to Israel was paid for by the Israeli government according to reports… 

“Fox News host arch Israel Firster Mark Levin hailed President Donald Trump as ‘the first Jewish president’ during the [White House Hanukkah Party] on Tuesday… Interestingly, Levin aside, it has been plausibly asserted that Trump is indeed the first Jewish president, having converted in 2017… 

“Also at the Tuesday reception, Israeli Las Vegas casino magnate and top political donor Miriam Adelson publicly and openly declared that Trump could pursue a third term as president… She also pledged an additional $250 million in campaign support to fund such an initiative, prompting audience chants of ‘Four more years.’ Trump praised Adelson’s backing… 

“Trump just appointed Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun… as head of the office of the State Department Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism where he will have the rank of Ambassador. Kaploun pledged… to work with social networks to curb the spread of antisemitic falsehoods online.” 

Interesting facts and comments in light of our belief that God has set aside Trump to build or help build the Third Temple in Jerusalem. 

Incompetent FBI 

The New York Post wrote on December 21: 

“[The] FBI was warned that Jeffrey Epstein was into child porn — but ignored it for 10 years… A former employee of late sex predator Jeffrey Epstein alerted the FBI that he was interested in ‘child pornography’ and that he threatened to ‘burn her house down’ decades before Epstein became an international fixation — but feds apparently did nothing. Maria Farmer, whom Epstein hired to help purchase art, filed a complaint against him on Sept. 3, 1996… 

“‘I’ve waited 30 years,’ Farmer told The New York Times when asked about a recently released report showing her complaint… ‘They should be ashamed,’ she continued. ‘…They harmed all of these little girls. That part devastates me.’ 

“Farmer has publicly claimed for years that she tried to inform the authorities about Epstein and his madam, Ghislaine Maxwell’s, predatory behavior. Until the latest batch of Epstein files was released on Friday, the FBI didn’t publicly confirm that she had filed that complaint, and Farmer faced accusations from some that she fabricated her story about going to the feds… 

“Critics… accused the Trump administration of failing to comply with the law by not releasing all the documents by Friday. Detractors also railed against the level of redactions in the Epstein files released.” 

Allegedly, many photos showing Trump were redacted. 

What’s the Point?

International Business Times wrote on December 20:

“The long-awaited disclosure of the Jeffrey Epstein investigative files has arrived, but the resulting digital fallout suggests the public feels more deceived than informed. Instead of the transparency many had campaigned for, the release has sparked a firestorm of criticism over the heavy-handed use of the literal black pen.

“Over a hundred pages from the Epstein files are redacted, leading many to wonder ‘what was the point’ of releasing them in the first place… Public reaction turned swift and vitriolic as users began scouring the digital archives. The social media account UTOPIC reported that the files released are ‘apparently 90 percent redacted.’”

Trump’s “Absurd” National Security Threat Allegations 

The Daily Beast wrote on December 23: 

“It is unclear what prompted the president’s latest deranged rant. Donald Trump has accused The New York Times of being a [serious] national security threat in an unhinged Truth Social post… 

“Last week, the paper… published a detailed report examining Trump’s friendship with the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, describing how the two ‘pursued women in a game of ego and dominance’ in which ‘female bodies were currency.’ In one particularly damaging section, a mother who accompanied her 14-year-old daughter to a party at Mar-a-Lago with other young models claimed she was warned by Trump’s then-wife, Marla Maples: ‘Whatever you do, do not let her around any of these men, and especially my husband.’ Maples denied making the remark to the Times… 

“The president ranted about the outlet while continuing to push a dubious claim that he had lowered the cost of prescription drugs by the mathematically impossible amount of up to ‘3,000 percent.’… 

“In response to the Truth Social attack, a spokesperson for the Times told the Daily Beast: ‘Our job is to report fully and fairly on the government, no matter which party is in power. That includes reporting things that officials would prefer to hide from the American people. We won’t be deterred from this responsibility by threats and bluster, from the president or anyone else.’” 

Even though Trump has been railing against the New York Times, calling it fake news, the truth is that it is widely considered a highly respected, leading news outlet and America’s newspaper of record, recognized globally for its extensive investigative and international journalism, numerous Pulitzer Prizes [more than any other news organization] and large digital readership [millions of subscribers and leading the industry]. 

Hegseth’s Accusations 

The Independent wrote on December 18: 

“Many Americans are ‘too dumb’ or ‘too fat’ to serve in the military, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told a gathering of top recruiters at the Pentagon on Thursday,…  ‘not dumb, that’s wrong. You know, we’re just not educating them properly or they’ve got criminal records, or ADHD [Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder], or all these other things.’… 

“Hegseth has made a point of focusing on physical fitness throughout his time as secretary… and railing against ‘fat generals’…” 

The War Machine 

On December 22, Ron Paul wrote in his weekly column of the Ron Paul Institute: 

“Late last week, Congress passed and President Trump signed the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The bill marks the first time the US military budget officially passed the one trillion dollar mark. 

“Of course, when you add in other military-related spending such as interest on the debt, veterans’ affairs, and military components of other government agencies, the true number is at least one and a half times that amount… Congress is so addicted to military spending that they appropriated even more money than President Trump requested…” 

This incredible waste of money for all the wrong reasons and ungodly projects is appalling. When David numbered his army, he was severely punished by God. 

Tucker Carlson Inflames Raging Battle for MAGA’s Future 

The Washington Post wrote on December 20: 

“Tucker Carlson had some concerns. So he called President Donald Trump. The right-wing podcaster and provocateur wanted to understand why the U.S. was attacking alleged drug smuggling boats off the coast of Venezuela and he warned against pursuing regime change there — a prospect that has alarmed the more isolationist ‘America First’ Republicans in Trump’s movement. 

“The conversations last weekend… show how the Fox News castoff is at the center of some of the most heated disputes in MAGA — over foreign policy, antisemitism and conspiracy theories, among other topics heightening tensions in the movement… Carlson is a divisive and influential figure with an audience — on social media, among MAGA commentators and inside the White House… as a growing number of MAGA activists clash with Trump and each other, clouding the future of the movement, Carlson has become a more central figure this year, viewed as consequential by detractors and supporters alike. 

“… Carlson is trying to push the party away from foreign intervention and divorce it from Israel, which he argues exerts burdensome pressure on U.S. foreign policy, drawing accusations that he is repeating antisemitic tropes. He has entertained conspiracy theories about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk that have angered many MAGA influencers, including Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk. And this fall, he interviewed white supremacist commentator Nick Fuentes, who has espoused antisemitic conspiracy theories… 

“Carlson vehemently rejects accusations of antisemitism. ‘Just because I don’t want to bow to the will of a foreign leader does not make me an antisemite, okay?’ he said. ‘I think antisemitism is immoral and I am against it.’… 

“To Carlson’s fans, he’s a champion of the populist ‘America First’ agenda they see as the future of the GOP… But others see Carlson as a threat to the conservative movement, elevating extreme ideas that the GOP has a responsibility to condemn — or at least not magnify… 

“Carlson spent years as a conservative commentator on CNN and MSNBC before landing at Fox News, where he rose… to the network’s most popular star… Carlson’s departure from Fox threatened to dramatically reduce his visibility in the party. Instead, freed from corporate constraints, he has rebuilt a large audience… 

“Over the summer, Carlson criticized the Trump administration’s bombing of Iran, prompting Trump to call him ‘kooky’… This past week, Carlson said he heard Trump was about to announce a war with Venezuela in a national address — and turned out to be incorrect. 

“But the two have also kept open lines of communication and praised each other…” 

Israel Surrounded by Enemies 

Israel Today wrote on December 19: 

“Israel is committed to the long-term demilitarization of the Gaza Strip and, if necessary, by force. That message was made unmistakably clear by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar in an interview with Al Arabiya English, the Saudi outlet. If Hamas refuses to disarm as outlined in the US peace plan…, ‘Israel will have to deal with the problem,’ Sa’ar said… Senior Hamas leaders have stated publicly they have no intention of laying down their arms… If the threat continues, Israel cannot ignore it. That assessment is shared by Israel’s national security community, which has long argued that ceasefires without disarmament are merely pauses before the next escalation.

“Beyond Gaza, Sa’ar also addressed Israel’s northern borders. In Syria, he noted, the new regime in Damascus has recently hardened its position, delaying progress toward a potential security agreement… the facts on the ground remain deeply concerning. Syria is home to numerous militias, including extremist factions, some of which have committed atrocities against Alawite and Druze communities in recent months. Israel’s first priority, he said, remains the security of its own borders. 

“Lebanon, too, remains a major destabilizing factor. Hezbollah continues to undermine state sovereignty by refusing to comply with the Lebanese government’s call to disarm. Sa’ar made it clear that disarming the Shiite militia would not only strengthen Israel’s security—it would also help Lebanon free itself from foreign interference. The implication was obvious: Iran, which has armed and financed Hezbollah for years.” 

Trump’s Contempt for Logic 

The Jerusalem Post wrote on December 22: 

“… regarding an American president now endowed with near-total decisional authority over nuclear weapons, a… fundamental concern should be Trump’s evident incapacity for logic-based reasoning. Though often minimized, underestimated, or overlooked, this conspicuous deficit could lead… to wholly unprecedented military conflicts…  each day’s news is replete with well-founded condemnations of Trump’s logical failings, historical inaccuracies, and contrived conclusions… 

“… it’s high time for Americans to worry not only about their current president’s transgressions, but also his intellectual debilities. At some not yet determinable point, the American president’s shortfalls of logic-based reasoning could bring us to the brink of a nuclear war.” 

Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Coming Demise

Andrew Neil wrote on December 20 in Daily Mail:

“The more Keir Starmer’s popularity plummets, the more he tries to shield himself from public scrutiny and the judgement of voters who’ve come not just to dislike him but, in many cases, to detest him.

“So local elections he knows Labour is going to lose are cancelled. Access for journalists trying to hold him and his government to account is curtailed. Opinions on race, gender and immigration which do not conform to his government’s liberal-left worldview are rigorously policed — and miscreants often penalised.

“No opportunity is missed for him to escape these shores even on the flimsiest of globetrotting excuses — making it all the easier for him to avoid proper interrogation on the disasters regularly unfolding back on the home front.

“The Prime Minister thinks all this will restore his tarnished reputation and eventually make him electable again. It is a sign of just how out of touch he is that he doesn’t realise they merely underwrite his one-way ticket to the knacker’s yard, which is printed out and ready to be issued before 2026 is over.” 

“They Are Immigrating to Germany—and Behaving Like Conquerors or Colonialists.” 

Die Welt wrote on December 21: 

“They believe they are at war: Islamists are immigrating to Western countries like conquerors, considering their culture inferior.  Regardless of the number of victims of attacks or rapes, German politicians are not confronting the problem.”

Merz’s Most Powerful Opponent? 

ntv wrote on December 19: 

“Russia’s appetite for war is meeting with little resistance, certainly not in Washington, Beijing, or New Delhi. Only Europe and a few allies outside the continent are standing up to Putin. At their head is Chancellor Merz, who is playing for high stakes to achieve even the bare minimum… In recent days, Friedrich Merz has thrown the full political weight of the Federal Republic of Germany into the balance to prevent the year from ending in a complete defeat for Ukraine and, consequently, for Europe. 

“Among the European countries, Germany, despite a profound economic crisis, is by far the most powerful on the side of Ukraine, and the Chancellor is demonstrating his determination to fulfill this responsibility these days. 

“At the EU summit, three EU states—Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia—opposed further aid for Ukraine. Other, smaller countries expressed doubts. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, for several reasons, could not bring herself to offer consistent support for Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron cannot get his domestic political crisis under control because his country is more notable for its massive debt than for being a great nation. And Great Britain, since Brexit, stands alone anyway and only fits into this list because British Prime Minister Keir Starmer can only dream of achieving even Merz’s weak approval ratings. 

“This disunited, weakened Europe is therefore the one Merz must lead, because only a united EU, together with the British, Norwegians, Canadians, and Australians, can offer any meaningful resistance to the Russians, who are openly supported by China. And where the USA will stand in this conflict tomorrow is something even Donald Trump probably doesn’t know today…” 

“In Brussels, an agreement was finally reached on financing Ukraine, for which Merz, contrary to his convictions, also agreed to joint EU debt. The Chancellor did not achieve a complete victory. At a crucial moment, Europe failed to demonstrate the resolve to protect its own security interests, which Merz had so emphatically demanded on Monday. But: after the EU summit, Moscow must assume that Ukraine will continue fighting… 

“Now, however, there is at least a chance for talks that could lead to a ceasefire. Without the Chancellor, even this slim chance would probably not exist – and that currently makes Friedrich Merz Vladimir Putin’s most powerful opponent. How Russia will react to this will likely become clear soon.”

Spahn the New Chancellor? 

Focus wrote on December 20: 

“If Friedrich Merz were to fail as Chancellor, there is only one logical successor for FOCUS columnist Jan Fleischhauer. ‘If I had to bet on a replacement chancellor from the CDU right now,’ he says…, ‘I would say: Jens Spahn.’ 

“A name that polarizes. Spahn is considered politically tainted by many; he is accused of moral questionable behavior, from privately financed real estate purchases to the procurement of masks during the pandemic, which resulted in billions of euros in losses for taxpayers. 

“For Fleischhauer, however, the crucial question is not one of impeccable morals, but of political suitability. Spahn possesses qualities that would be more useful than detrimental in the Chancellor’s office. ‘He has the certain ruthlessness that you need for the job,’ says Fleischhauer. Added to this are toughness and assertiveness… less concern for internal party politics, more power instinct and leadership. And this is precisely where his comparison with Merz is telling….” 

Military Service in Germany

Die Zeit reported on December 19: 

“The Federal Council has approved the new military service. Starting in January 2026, all 18-year-olds born in 2008 and later will receive an information letter from the German armed forces (Bundeswehr). Men will then be required to fill out a questionnaire that, among other things, asks about their interest in serving in the Bundeswehr.  Filling out the questionnaire is voluntary for women. 

“The medical examination will also become mandatory again for 18-year-old men. The new military service will last between six and eleven months, or longer. The federal government aims to increase its attractiveness by offering, among other things, a monthly salary of €2,600 gross and a subsidy for a driver’s license. The goal is to meet the Bundeswehr’s personnel needs as precisely as possible. If not enough volunteers come forward, the Bundestag can enact a so-called compulsory service based on need, which would have to be regulated in a separate law.”

Conscription will be reintroduced.

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.

This question can be answered with a clear “NO.” It is obviously not biblical to try to lead someone to conversion, and certainly not with the premise of being able to marry that person after repentance and conversion. As we will explain, repentance does not come from the human motivation of third parties, nor from pure self-interest. Repentance can only be initiated by God! After all, marriage is also a reflection of Christ’s relationship with the Church, which requires spiritual unity.

In order to come to repentance, there are two central messages from Christ; one that He personally communicated to the Jews (in John 6:44) when they grumbled about Him; and the other that He responded to Thomas (in John 14:6). Both statements are related. The first says: No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and the other says: No one comes to the Father except through Me.

This means that the first impulse to repent, to believe, and to turn to God does not come from man, but that God is the initiator!

It is important to recognize that God never pushes or compels people, as the German Luther Bible 1984 falsely translates Romans 8:14: “For those who are pushed (“treibt”) by the Spirit of God are the children of God.” The German Menge Bible translates it more accurately: “For all who are led by the Spirit of God… (or: allow themselves to be led) are sons of God.” The New Luther Bible 2009 also puts it this way: “For all who allow themselves to be led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” The majority of the English Bible translations render it correctly: “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are sons of God” (compare Authorized Version).

“Being led” is not compulsion from God, but an inner calling that is intended to lead people to a movement of conscience, to a longing for the Truth, and to the recognition of guilt for lawlessness toward God’s commandments, which is sin. In this sense, deep repentance is ultimately a great favor or gift from God. Paul makes this statement precisely in 2 Timothy 1:9:

“[He] who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began…”

In this context, it is important to understand that God calls only those today to salvation whom He predestined and chose “before time began.” For more information on this topic, please read our free booklet, “Are You Predestined to be Saved?”

Peter explains in 1 Peter 2:11–12: “… abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that … they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.”

Paul also conveys a clear message to all Christians in Ephesians 5:15–17:

“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

Put together, this results in an important sequence of events: First, God the Father inspires and guides the predestined person towards repentance. The person should respond to this, which opens up the opportunity to come to Christ and the Way to God the Father.

But even this conversion must come from free conviction and repentance before God, not from emotional or interpersonal pressure from another person, or from ulterior motives.

What is the problem with wanting to convert an unbeliever in order to marry him or her?

The problem lies in the different beliefs, which often lead to serious spiritual conflicts, including with family or educational training. As already explained, marriage is a reflection of Christ’s relationship with the Church, which requires spiritual unity. Marriage to an unbeliever is therefore not considered to be in accordance with God’s Will, although existing marriages are of course respected.

Paul, an apostle of Christ, explains in 1 Corinthians 7:12–13:

“But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her. And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him.”

But trying to convert an unbeliever in order to marry him or her is by no means biblical!

Paul explains this further in 2 Corinthians 6:14–15:

“Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?”

Basically, the biblical teaching is expressed in 1 Corinthians 7:39, where Paul explains: “A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.”

Paul is saying that those who wish to marry should only do so with a believer. Nowhere in the Bible is a believer instructed to seek out an unbeliever for a later marriage, based on one’s own initiative.

Amos asks the question in Amos 3:3: “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?”

The question is: “How can two people walk together if one’s heart longs for God and Jesus Christ, but the other’s is focused on the world?”

God always wanted order, separation, and identity among the nations so that there would be no religious intermingling. These “marriage prohibitions” are clearly grounded in the Bible.

In Deuteronomy 7:2–6, we read about the “warning against fellowship with Gentiles”:

“… You shall make no covenant with them … Nor shall you make marriages with them. You shall not give your daughter to their son, nor take their daughter for your son. For they will turn your sons away from following Me, to serve other gods; so the anger of the LORD will be aroused against you and destroy you suddenly … For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth.”

Many examples in the Bible show that marriages between believers and unbelievers are problematic.

Samson is a classic warning example in Judges 14:1–3.

Samson, a man from the people of Israel, of the tribe of Dan, is determined to marry a Philistine woman. His parents protest strongly, as the Philistines were considered uncircumcised, idolaters, and enemies of Israel before God. The problem was their origin, their false beliefs, their moral influence, and the spiritual seduction by the Philistines. This becomes clear later with Delilah (Judges 16), through whom Samson falls into the hands of the Philistines.

Esau also had problems with unbelieving women. In Genesis 26:34–35, it says:

“When Esau was forty years old, he took as wives Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite. And they were a grief of mind to Isaac and Rebekah.”

Marrying more than one woman was wrong, and in this case, the marriage also violated God’s prohibition against marrying Hittite women (the Hittites were one of the seven nations that God would drive out of the Promised Land).

These women brought idolatry and foreign customs with them, which led to family tensions.

Many other examples in the Bible confirm that marriage between believers and unbelievers is problematic – especially, when someone tries to convert an unbeliever before marriage for the purpose of later marriage.

The Bible clearly shows that marriage is more than physical love or attraction. Spiritual unity is very important.

In conclusion, our free booklet “The Keys to Happy Marriages and Families” says this in the first part, “The Christian Marriage,” on page 2:

“Too many marriages face serious difficulties based on an improper understanding and exercise of the different roles and functions of husbands and wives, ending their relationship in divorce or legal separation. But we are called upon to return to the clear teachings of the Bible to produce happy, healthy, successful Christian marriages. Are we willing to listen to God and actually do what He says?”

Lead Writer: Thilo Hanstein (Germany)

(Initial Translation: Daniel Blasinger)

compiled by Dave Harris

“Why Are They Lying to Us About War and Peace?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is the summary:

We are bombarded right now with messages of peace. But the sad truth is, they don’t know what they are talking about. The way to peace they don’t know. Rather, they tell us lies to justify our alleged need for more weapons and a bigger army. Or they lie when they say that one cannot govern a country by following Christ’s teachings in the Sermon on the Mount. 

How then will there be peace on earth?

“Warum belügen sie uns über Krieg und Frieden?” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. 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 Kalon Mitchell, reflecting on the death of a close family member, reminds us of the hope Christians have for their future in God’s Kingdom.

A contract has been signed for facilities in St. George, Utah, which will be our location for observing the 2026 Feast of Tabernacles and Last Great Day in North America.

“Werden Androiden den Menschen ersetzen?” last Sabbath’s 2^nd split sermon in Germany, presented by Robert Muhr, is now posted. Title in English: “Will Androids Replace Humans?

“The Exit Interview,” last Sabbath’s sermonette presented by Frank Bruno, is now posted. Here is the summary:

In the business world when an employee voluntarily leaves an organization an exit interview is often scheduled in order to learn and improve the organization and the employee. As true Christians we know that we face our most significant interaction with our Creator at the time of our judgement. In this sermonette we will consider several scriptures that can help us become and remain more prepared for this.

“Every Thought,” last Sabbath’s sermon presented by Dave Harris, is now posted. Here is the summary:

Christianity is a Way of living, and it involves “spiritual” thinking and acting as Jesus Christ instructs. This stands in total contrast to “carnal” thinking and acting, a way which ends in death.