Update 1165

On June 28, 2025, Dave Harris will present the sermonette, titled “Do You Experience Joy?” and Eric Rank will present the sermon, titled, “Our Relationships.”

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.

Due to differences in upbringing, experiences and backgrounds, each of us has developed a different level of resilience. Likewise, everyone has their own learned strategies for dealing with problems, losses, or setbacks in life.

Every person has their own unique, acquired values, hopes, and resources in life. Jesus called them “your treasure,” where your heart will be, and also “the light.” In Matthew 6:21-22, it says: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.”

These are the things we focus on and rely on to give our lives meaning, a sense of belonging, a sense of self-worth, and security.

That is why it is important to be aware of what your true treasures, your hopes, and your values are! These can be false values, desires, or feelings that Satan has planted in our minds or that we have adopted from our society, which is cut off from God and His ways.

People who are separated from God have different, mostly false values, ideals, and hopes, and they have different physical, emotional and spiritual resources to achieve their desired goals.

Consequently, they have different breaking points when their hopes or resources fail. People may or may not be aware of their limitations. They are relegated to the subconscious or they are denied. For many, these limitations on their resources have never been put to the test.

The experience of failure that triggers fear, hopelessness, or depression can be different for one person than for another.

The triggers can be very different: for example, one person may not be able to achieve or maintain the desired financial status. For another person, it may be the loss or inability to have a best friend or an ideal spouse.

Another trigger may be not getting the desired job or not maintaining a great position in life. Other causes include the loss of health or the prospect of death.

Other causes of negative feelings include the loss of physical attractiveness or beauty, the loss of certain material possessions, or the loss of children, as well as something bad happening to them.

It is not wrong to want to be loved. It is not wrong to enjoy a respected status or have possessions, or to achieve a certain security for ourselves and our children.

All of these things are legitimate and good when they are obtained in accordance with God’s laws, when we can afford them, and when we use them properly.

In the Bible, Jesus teaches: “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” (Matthew 6:25).

Jesus taught that there is a purpose to our lives that goes beyond physical life. All the gifts or opportunities we may have in this physical existence, whether they be human, physical, or other benefits, are temporary and transitory.

They are only tools that serve to achieve something higher and eternal, which is to understand the true meaning of our own existence and to develop a godly character.

This purpose in life is so great and important that Jesus taught us not to fear what people might do to us if we follow His ways. The worst they can do is threaten or end our physical life, but they do not have the power to prevent us from gaining eternal life.

Physical possessions or opportunities should be valued and cared for as long as they exist. But they are not forever. They are not the real meaning of life. Yet all of us who have erred in times past have turned them into that!

Current developments show that more and more people are placing their hearts, devotion, and sense of self-worth entirely on people, physical possessions, or sensual pleasures.

At the same time, the consequences of Satan’s influence in the lives of individuals and nations are clearly evident: war, disease, economic instability, family breakdown, crime, and violence. We have never experienced a time before when all the transitory things and hopes have been so endangered even though people have placed their trust and hope in them!]

It is time to ask ourselves what the most important values in our lives are.

All of this can be found in the Bible. It reveals the answers we have been searching for.

Initial translation: Daniel Blasinger

by Norbert Link

We begin with reporting on America’s attack on three Iranian nuclear sites. We also discuss Trump’s subsequent ceasefire agreement between Iran and Israel and the question as to what exactly was destroyed and what Iran might do next. We also discuss Iranians’ demands and wishes for regime change. Please view in this regard our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Iran no longer a threat?”

We continue with the ongoing and extremely controversial raids and immigration policy by the Trump Administration and fears that America is coming to an end. We also speak on NATO; Putin’s claims towards Ukraine and Germany’s suppression of free speech and other developments in that country.

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

Strategic Deception?

The New York Post wrote on June 21:

“President Trump caught the world off-guard Saturday by bombing three Iranian nuclear sites [Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan]  — after his apparently strategic deception indicating that such strikes weren’t imminent… Trump said Thursday he would make a decision in the ‘next two weeks’ to allow more time for negotiations, giving the sense of reprieve amid fevered speculation he might join Israel’s airstrikes…

“A source close to the White House said Trump decided Friday — just one day after unveiling his two-week timeframe — to strike Iran with ‘overwhelming force’…”

The Daily Mail wrote on June 22 that “Officials admitted that the [B-2 strikes] on the Fordow site, a deep underground nuclear enrichment facility, may not have been entirely destroyed in the operation.”

Attacks on US Bases in the Middle East?

Breitbart wrote on June 21:

“An Iranian state TV news anchor showed a map of U.S. bases in the Middle East, which says are all ‘within fire range of Iran.’ The anchor goes on to say ‘Mr. Trump, you started it, and we will end it.’ The broadcast, posted widely on social media… follows a U.S. Air Force strike on Iranian nuclear facilities ordered by President Donald Trump on Saturday [the Sabbath]…

“… before the attack, Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh warned this month, ‘all U.S. bases are within our reach and we will boldly target them.’ These include bases in Egypt, Saudia Arabia, Iraq, United Arib Emerits, Kuwait, Qatar, and Syria…. There are thousands of U.S. troops assigned to these bases…

“Iran tried to downplay the impact of the strikes by the U.S. on the nuclear sites… ‘The site had been evacuated a long time ago and the damages are not irreversible,’ Mohammad Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s Parliament, wrote…”

Russia has declared that it could give Iran nukes. Meetings between Russia and Iran are taking place. China has condemned America’s attack. The fear is that the “new axis of evil” – China, Russia, Iran and North Korea – will combine forces in one way or another against America and Israel. Iran subsequently “attacked” an American base in Qatar, but little damage was done and no American was injured or killed in this “very weak” and “expected” attack (BBC, dated June 24). About 8,000 US citizens live in Qatar.

Terrorist Attacks Inside the USA?

Daily Mail wrote on June 22:

“Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene – one of Trump’s closest allies in Congress and a conservative firebrand who has openly opposed war with Iran – took to X soon after the bombs dropped. She prayed that Americans would not be targeted by terrorists ‘on our homeland’ in retaliation for Trump’s operative strike… Greene wrote: ‘Every time America is on the verge of greatness, we get involved in another foreign war…’

“The Georgia Congresswoman added that getting involved in a Middle Eastern war will ‘put America last, kill innocent people, are making us broke, and will ultimately lead to our destruction.’”

The New York Post added on June 21:

“Trump ran for president three times on a platform of opposing military entanglements in the Middle East — slamming George W. Bush for invading Iraq in 2003 and Barack Obama for intervening in Libya and Syria — and he insisted Friday that any attack on Iran would be limited.”

Still, the Independent speculated on June 22 that Trump might have gambled his presidency; that Muslim and many American voters won’t support him any longer; and that he had embroiled himself in another never-ending war. Trump declared that if Iran retaliated against America in any way, targets in Iran would be attacked and destroyed. (But Trump did not follow up with that threat, note the previous article.)

Daily Mail’s Peter Hitchens wrote on June 22: “Don’t celebrate this ultra-violence. Trump’s broken all the rules and plunged us into a forever war.”

This does not appear that way for the moment, but note articles below.

ABC News wrote on June 22:

“In the wake of President Donald Trump’s ‘massive precision strikes’ on Iran, concerns have been raised both for Americans in the region and at home. A principal area of worry is cyberattacks by Iranian state actors, including targeting the banking system or energy grid…. Such attacks have already infiltrated U.S. water and wastewater systems…”

Closing the Strait of Hormuz?

The New York Post wrote on June 22:

“Iran’s parliament has voted to close the Strait of Hormuz, the vital shipping channel through which around 20% of the world’s daily oil flows. The move, which could block $1 billion in oil shipments per day, is likely to send oil prices soaring. It will come into effect pending a final decision by Iran’s Supreme Council…

“The strait connecting the Gulf of Oman with the Persian Gulf is one of the world’s most critical chokepoints — just 20 miles wide at its narrowest point. Shipping lanes in the strait  — the area that is deep enough for ships to pass — are even narrower at less than two miles wide in each direction, making them much more vulnerable to attacks and threats of closure…. The channel is shallow, making it a particular target for underwater mining, while the narrowness of the strait makes passing vessels vulnerable to attack from shore-based missiles or interception by patrol boats or helicopters…”

Nothing further has been said on this, and Iran has not closed the Strait of Hormuz for now, following the ceasefire with Israel, but the threat is still looming.

International Reactions

The Guardian wrote on June 22:

“Gulf states, which historically have been regional rivals with nearby Iran and critical of its nuclear ambitions, expressed serious concern at the US strikes, amid the risk of retaliation against US military bases hosted in their countries. The United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Oman, which had been mediating Iran-US nuclear talks, criticised the US attack and urged de-escalation…

“Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter, was on a high security alert after the US strikes, expressing ‘great concern’… The UN secretary general, António Guterres, said he was ‘gravely alarmed’… Iraq’s government spokesperson, Basim Alawadi, said: ‘This military escalation constitutes a grave threat to peace and security in the Middle East…’ Pakistan, the only nuclear-armed Muslim country and a longtime Washington ally, said the US attacks ‘violate all norms of international law’ [Pakistan, which has strong ties to Iran, had just nominated Trump for the Nobel peace prize.]…

“Russia ‘strongly condemned’ the US strikes, calling them ‘irresponsible’, a ‘gross violation of international law’ and a ‘dangerous escalation’…

“The French foreign minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, expressed ‘concern’ at the US strikes and said France ‘did not take part in these strikes or the planning of them’…

“Venezuela’s foreign minister, Yván Gil, said his country ‘condemned US military aggression against Iran’… Cuba’s president, Miguel Díaz-Canel, strongly condemned the US bombing…

“Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, congratulated Trump in a video posted on social media… Ukraine said the US and Israeli strikes on Iran were justified…”

The article also pointed out that “EU figures [as well as Great Britain] sought to maintain their focus on diplomacy,” rather than taking a strong position on America’s attack on Iran. However, voices from the German government’s SPD party strongly condemned America’s action (coined “Midnight Hammer”).

Destroyed Or Not Destroyed?

Daily Mail reported on June 24:

“A leaked intelligence assessment claiming Donald Trump’s strikes on Iran did not destroy Tehran’s nuclear program is ‘flat-out wrong’, the White House has claimed. The [allegedly classified] report, conducted by the Defense Intelligence Agency and leaked by CNN, claims Saturday’s airstrike on three Iranian nuclear sites only set the country’s program back by months instead of completely destroying it. Trump claimed the strikes ‘completely and totally obliterated’ [the nuclear sites]…

“The president brokered a fragile ceasefire between Iran and Israel that appeared to hold Tuesday after initially faltering, causing Trump to launch a foul-mouthed tirade that saw him drop an F-bomb on live TV… Prime Minister… Netanyahu, whom Trump demanded turn the planes around [which did NOT occur, but the planned strike was significantly scaled down and became a “symbolic” hit on a radar station], refrained from launching further strikes on Iran today following his phone call with his American counterpart…“Meanwhile, Trump and other top Republicans have issued warnings against Iranian sleeper cells that infiltrated the US…”

CNN added on June 24:

“Two of the people familiar with the assessment said Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium was not destroyed. One of the people said the centrifuges are largely ‘intact.’ Another source said that the intelligence assessed enriched uranium was moved out of the sites prior to the US strikes. ‘So the (DIA) assessment is that the US set them back maybe a few months, tops,’ this person added…

“US officials believe Iran also maintains secret nuclear facilities that were not targeted in the strike and remain operational, according to two sources familiar with the matter…”

Trump described all of this as “fake news.”

Iran Claims Victory

Almayadeen, which describes itself as an “Arab Independent Media Satellite,” wrote on June 24:

“The Iranian Supreme National Security Council announced on Tuesday that the Islamic Republic had achieved a significant strategic victory, asserting that it had ‘forced the enemies to seek a ceasefire.’”

Missing Uranium

The Independent wrote on June 24:

“… as the smoke cleared over the three underground facilities hit by [American] stealth bombers and cruise missiles over the weekend, experts say the result may actually bring an Iranian nuclear bomb closer to reality and raise the risk of greater U.S. involvement in the conflict [as Iran has now the will power to do this]… the showpiece of Trump’s attack — the attack on the Fordow nuclear facility, built deep underground, which required the use of 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs — was limited in its effectiveness because Iran had time to evacuate and remove equipment before the strikes… Fordow has a symbolic importance to people, but it is by no means the only underground facility associated with Iran’s nuclear program…

“One of the primary motivations for launching the attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities was to destroy Iran’s ability to enrich uranium. But the country has amassed a stockpile over the years of an estimated 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium — enough to make around 10 nuclear weapons if it were further enriched from 60 percent where it is now, to the 90 percent required to construct a device… “

“Vice President JD Vance conceded on Sunday that the stockpile is still in Iranian hands and its whereabouts are unknown… There are also concerns that Iran’s nuclear program, or what is left of it, will move underground. That would begin with the stockpile of enriched uranium that is currently unaccounted for…

“There’s a risk that if the United States wants to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran in the future, it’s going to need to strike Iran again and again. Because Iran is going to retain that knowledge, the risk of a nuclear-armed Iran cannot be eliminated…”

Trump declared on Tuesday that this was the last time that the USA would help Israel in its fight against Iran. He also stated again on Thursday that the nuclear sites were totally destroyed and that Iran did not have the time to evacuate the sites and remove the uranium.

The Telegraph added on June 25:

“Iran claims to have smuggled almost all of the country’s highly enriched uranium to a secret location before the US launched strikes on its [three] nuclear bases [through] a barrage of submarine-launched missiles early on Sunday morning. But officials believe that most of the material at Fordow and Iran’s other facilities had been moved elsewhere before the strikes.

“Iran has vowed to continue enriching uranium in defiance of Donald Trump, raising further concerns over its nuclear programme. Takht Ravanchi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, rejected claims that Tehran would abandon its nuclear programme, telling the Germany broadcaster ARD: ‘No one can tell us what we should and should not do.’

“Following the mission, codenamed Midnight Hammer, the US president claimed to have ‘obliterated’ Iran’s nuclear aspirations in the wave of strikes. He said the US had taken the bomb ‘right out of Iran’s hands’ by inflicting ‘monumental damage’ on the Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan facilities. However, doubt has been cast on Mr Trump’s claims after senior US officials admitted they did not know the fate of Iran’s near-bomb-grade uranium stockpile…

“Two Israeli officials with knowledge of the intelligence told The New York Times that Iran had transferred equipment and uranium outside Fordow in recent days. There was also evidence to suggest Iran had moved its 400kg stockpile of 60 per cent enriched uranium, which had been stored inside Isfahan, to a secret location… According to satellite imagery, trucks, bulldozers and security convoys appeared to swarm the Fordow facility two days before the US strikes. Analysts at TS2 Space, a Polish defence firm, suggested it revealed a ‘frantic effort’ to move centrifuges or shielding materials…”

Iranians Demand Regime Change

The Daily Mail wrote on June 23:

“Iranian-Americans have backed President Trump’s strikes on their home nation as they hope the intervention could trigger a revolt against the Ayatollah’s regime. In Maryland, one of the largest Iranian communities in America where over 16,000 Iranian people live, residents have expressed a cautious optimism over the strikes..

“Pushing for regime change in Iran has long been avoided by US presidents, before Donald Trump on Sunday night stunned the Middle East again as he called to ‘MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN.’ In a shock post on Sunday night to Truth Social, Trump wrote: ‘It’s not politically correct to use the term, ‘Regime Change,’ but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!’ 

“The message from the president directly contradicted remarks from his top allies just hours earlier, with Vice President JD Vance telling ABC: ‘We don’t want to achieve regime change. We want to achieve the end of the Iranian nuclear program.’… However, direct American intervention to end to the Ayatollah’s regime is exactly what many Iranians in America are hoping for…

“The divide between the desired outcome of regime change and skepticism over how to achieve it follows decades of US presidents floating strikes on Iran but backing down due to the risks involved, before Trump pulled the trigger on Saturday night… Trump’s strikes did not target or kill any civilians in Iran.”

Reza Pahlavi Advocates Regime Change

The Sun wrote on June 24:

“IRAN’S brutal regime could kill tens of millions of people by smuggling nuclear material and unleashing it on Europe, the rogue nation’s exiled prince told The Sun. Reza Pahlavi [the exiled son of Iran’s last Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi] warned [that Iran’s current] leaders could still acquire a dirty bomb… ‘Terrorism has many means of hurting big time. Nobody anticipated 9/11. It was a terrorist attack. What keeps people not to worry about the fact that the call of these terrorist networks of sleeper cells could smuggle in a few grams of enriched plutonium, throw it in a lake in Europe and instantaneously kill tens of millions of people who will be radioactively attacked. 

“‘You don’t need a missile or warhead for that. We have at least eliminated the imminent threat of the regime. Does that mean that the regime still doesn’t have the capability to acquire nuclear weapons or a dirty bomb by purchasing it from the North Koreans? ‘It doesn’t eliminate that, that’s the entire point… And hopefully the world this time will be wise enough to say, let’s not throw this regime a lifeline. This is time to put an end to it….’”

The Sun added the following regarding the late Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi:

“What led to his downfall initially however was 1963 The White Revolution – a series of social, political and economic reforms that Mohammad Reza initiated. This looked to both modernise and westernise Iran. But the reforms were perceived as controversial and led to some resistance from various religious and political factions. On February 11, 1979, Iran’s army declared its neutrality, paving the way for the fall of US-backed Shah Mohammad Reza. He died in exile in Egypt in 1980.”

Trump’s Fatal Naiveté Toward the Iranian Regime

Die Welt wrote on June 25:

“The Iranian regime has been significantly weakened by the attacks by Israel and the US. This is good news for the Iranian people, for Israel, the Middle East, and the world. However, those who hoped—like many people in Iran and Israel—that the rule of the mullahs in Iran would finally end were disappointed. The regime will not be overthrown. It will continue to massively oppress the Iranians; it will continue to pose a threat to Israel…

“Among the Iranian people, these attacks have sparked great hopes that they will soon finally be free again. They even dreamed of dancing in the streets. However, these hopes were dashed by the ceasefire negotiated by Trump. The Iranian leadership remains in power.

“Trump quickly abandoned the regime change that he briefly flirted with. This proves once again that one cannot rely on the erratic and unpredictable US president. Israel cannot do that either…

“He urged the Jewish state not to resist the ceasefire violation [by Iran]. So that he can pose as a peacemaker, he is abandoning the Iranians and Israelis. After all, no one should steal his show. Trump’s ceasefire is a lifeline for the regime. Asked whether he still believes that Iran is committed to peace, Trump affirmed on Tuesday. A completely absurd view of a dictatorship of ayatollahs and Revolutionary Guards who adhere to an Islamist martyr ideology. It is this ideology that makes the Iranian regime so dangerous – and to which Trump unfortunately shows himself naive… Peace in the Middle East is only possible without the Iranian regime.

“Shortly after the ceasefire, the rulers in Iran began raids and arrests of opposition figures, accusing them of spying for Israel. A wave of death sentences and executions threatens. The mullahs are preparing new mass crimes against the Iranian people… Anyone who argues that the Iranians themselves must succeed in overthrowing the regime and that they could simply elect other rulers is naively misunderstanding the repressive nature of the regime and the pseudo-elections that are being boycotted by millions of Iranians for good reasons.

“In Germany, this regime was long downplayed to justify close economic and political ties. Germany is Iran’s most important trading partner within the European Union. And for decades, Germany has refused to take sufficient non-military measures against the Islamic Republic…. Appeasement and collaboration must finally end.”

AI Spreads False Information About the Israel-Iran War

BBC wrote on June 21:

“A wave of disinformation has been unleashed online since Israel began strikes on Iran last week…

“Our analysis found a number of videos – created using artificial intelligence – boasting of Iran’s military capabilities, alongside fake clips showing the aftermath of strikes on Israeli targets. The three most viewed fake videos BBC Verify found have collectively amassed over 100 million views across multiple platforms.

“Pro-Israeli accounts have also shared disinformation online, mainly by recirculating old clips of protests and gatherings in Iran, falsely claiming that they show mounting dissent against the government and support among Iranians for Israel’s military campaign…

“One widely shared post claimed to show a jet damaged after being shot down in the Iranian desert. However, signs of AI manipulation were evident: civilians around the jet were the same size as nearby vehicles, and the sand showed no signs of impact.  Another video with 21.1 million views on TikTok claimed to show an Israeli F-35 being shot down by air defences, but the footage actually came from a flight simulator video game. TikTok removed the footage after being approached by BBC Verify.

“Official sources in Iran and Israel have shared some of the fake images. State media in Tehran has shared fake footage of strikes and an AI-generated image of a downed F-35 jet, while a post shared by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) received a community note on X for using old, unrelated footage of missile barrages…”

Trump—a Different Man?

The Independent wrote on June 19:

“Veteran rocker Rod Stewart has renounced his friendship with Donald Trump, claiming the businessman completely changed after becoming president of the United States. The 80-year-old singer said he previously had a close relationship with Trump as the pair have owned nearby multi-million pound properties in Palm Beach, Florida, since 1991 and 1985 respectively.

“Speaking to Radio Times, Stewart said: ‘I’m not a great fan of Trump. I knew him very, very well. I used to go to his house.’ He added that he lives ‘literally half a mile away’ from him. ‘We’re both on the beach. I used to go to his Christmas parties. He’s always been a bit of a man’s man. I liked him for that. But he didn’t, as far as I’m concerned, treat women very well. But since he became president, he became another guy. Somebody I didn’t know,’ he said.”

Controversial Decision by the Court of Appeals

The Daily Mail wrote on June 19:

“Donald Trump celebrated a victory over Gavin Newsom after an appeals [court] allowed him to keep control of National Guard troops he deployed to Los Angeles to handle anti-ICE riots…. The decision halts a ruling from a lower court judge who found Trump acted illegally… The deployment was the first by a president of a state National Guard without the governor´s permission since 1965.

“In its [unsigned] decision, a three-judge panel on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals [two judges appointed by Trump, the third by Clinton] unanimously concluded it was likely Trump lawfully exercised his authority in federalizing control of the guard. It said that while presidents don’t have unfettered power to seize control of a state’s guard, the Trump administration had presented enough evidence to show it had a defensible rationale for doing so, citing violent acts by protesters…

“It also found that even if the federal government failed to notify the governor of California before federalizing the National Guard as required by law, Newsom had no power to veto the president´s order… The court case could have wider implications on the president´s power to deploy soldiers within the United States after Trump directed immigration officials to prioritize deportations from other Democratic-run cities.”

NPR added on June 20:

“The court emphasized the decision only pertained to Trump’s authority to deploy the Guard and not what he could do with the troops once deployed. The president called the decision a big win that would have an impact, not just in California, but in any other state where he decides to call in the National Guard.”

This very troublesome decision ignores the wording of the statute in question. If it stands, it gives a president almost unchecked dictatorial powers. This is clearly not what the “Founding Fathers” intended. Note the next article.

The Legal Fight Between Trump and Newsom Continues

The Los Angeles Times wrote on June 24:

“The Trump administration must turn over a cache of documents, photos, internal reports and other evidence detailing the activities of the military in Southern California, a federal judge ruled Tuesday, handing a procedural victory to the state in its fight to rein in thousands of troops under the president’s command.

“Ordering ‘expedited, limited discovery,’ Senior U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer in San Francisco also authorized California lawyers to depose key administration officials and signaled that he might review questions about how long California National Guard troops remain under federal control.”

The American Gestapo?

Breitbart wrote on June 20:

“Author Stephen King compared Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to Nazis, framing them as an ‘American Gestapo.’… King issued his denunciation of ICE in response to the Trump administration increasing raids and deportations in cities across the country…”

In this regard, please note the next article.

Churches Oppose Trump Immigration Policies

The Daily Mail wrote on June 20:

“A bishop appointed by Pope Leo [of the Catholic Diocese of San Diego, Michael Pham] descended on a California court [in San Diego] today with a dozen other priests and faith leaders in an attempt to persuade ICE against deporting migrants… he was among 16 who went to the Southern California federal courthouse to support the migrants in the US legally who were pleading their cases…

“Dramatic and emotional scenes have played out in immigration courts across the country where migrants who went from legal to illegal in seconds are taken away. This includes mothers who have been ripped away from their US-born kids…

“When those migrants are arriving in court, Trump federal prosecutors will inform the judge that they want to dismiss the case. However, that doesn’t mean the legal claim can forward. Instead, with the case out of the hands of the court, ICE now has jurisdiction to make an arrest…

“[Scott Santarosa of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish] recounted how they witnessed the case of [a] migrant woman whose case had been closed for 20 years, however, the Trump administration had found a loophole to reopen it. ‘The messaging from the government that, “We’re going after criminals,” is really not a true narrative because this is clearly not a criminal. This is the government figuring out whose case can we open up again to go after so we can deport,’ he said.’….

“Priests and churches across the country have spoken out against Trump’s deportation policies… When Trump first won re-election, the United Methodist Church issued a blistering rebuke of the president-elect two days after his victory.  ‘The lessons teach us the dangers of silence in the face of threats to human rights,’ the Council of Bishops wrote on Nov. 7. ‘We therefore reject rhetoric, policies, and actions that demean or discriminate against any of God’s children and will be vigilant in defending the rights of the vulnerable and speaking out against oppression.’ 

“Before becoming the leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo had been incredibly critical of MAGA immigration policies. Earlier this year, the new pope called out Vice President JD Vance, calling him outright ‘wrong‘ as viral social media spat about his faith went viral.”

Rather than defending the indefensible, true Christians should allow themselves to see, and, when appropriate, say clearly what is going on. Note our recent StandingWatch program, titled, “The End of the American Empire?”

In regard to the end of America, note the following articles.

America’s End… Coming!

The Hill wrote on June 20:

“My Albanian-born father-in-law was an American patriot. In the mid-20th century, he served for decades as a CIA operative, quietly fighting against the spread of communism in Europe and Southeast Asia. Before his death at age 92, he lamented America’s future, saying, ‘I’m glad I won’t be around to see the end.’ Long before the U.S. was on the brink of World War III I shared his bittersweet pessimism, prompted by the “death spiral math” found on the U.S. Debt Clock.

“The ‘clock’ ticks real-time government data showing the ever-growing national debt — $36.9 trillion as of this writing — the most owed by any country or empire in human history. Nonetheless, this decades-long travesty of overspending, attributed to presidents from both parties, is still manageable if the U.S. gross domestic product — estimated at $29.2 trillion in 2024 — were to exceed the nearly $37 trillion national debt. At least, that is the economic theory recently espoused by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent who stated, ‘If the economy grows faster than the debt, we stabilize the country.’

“Bessent’s philosophy of ‘we can grow our way out of debt’ supports adding an estimated $3.3 trillion to the national debt, according to the Congressional Budget Office, if President Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ were to become law…

“Bessent’s growth fantasy is a joke when viewed through the lens of history and facts. The national debt has exceeded GDP since 2013, and the Debt Clock shows the U.S. debt-to-GDP ratio today at 123 percent. Reducing that unwieldy ratio requires a sustained economic boom not seen since the decades following World War II… Does anyone honestly believe that Trump’s ‘Golden Age of America’ policies will stimulate levels of explosive growth needed to reduce the debt-to-GDP ratio from 123 percent to double digits?

“Bessent’s ‘we can grow our way out of debt’ wish-casting could easily be thwarted, starting with Trump’s trade war. Then add untamed inflation, an aging population, ongoing global crises, natural disasters, supply-chain issues, AI’s unpredictable impact and Trump’s self-inflicted scientific brain drain resulting from cuts to research funding. Moreover, a shortage of highly skilled tech workers, the fallout from Trump’s immigration policy, and economic uncertainty all contribute to slow growth, while government spending remains unchecked. [Add to this now America’s war with Iran.]

“No wonder the World Bank recently issued new economic projections contradicting Bessent’s optimism. In 2024, the U.S. economy grew by 2.8 percent. However, for 2025, the World Bank’s initial downward forecast of 1.8 percent growth has again been revised to 1.4 percent… the debt-to-GDP ratio is projected to reach 140 percent by 2029 — the year Trump leaves office.

“Most Americans don’t know that the two largest federal expenditures are Medicaid and Medicare, totaling nearly $1.7 trillion, followed by Social Security at $1.5 trillion, according to the Debt Clock. Cuts to these massive programs are inevitable and will be painful [unless God prevents this from happening for the benefit of His people.]

“On the tax receipt side, the Debt Clock displays $5.1 trillion in revenue, relatively small compared to the $36.9 trillion national debt. This debt has risen so rapidly that interest has reached $1.03 trillion — the third-largest item in the federal budget…

“War is expensive… Our enemies are keenly aware of America’s economic vulnerabilities. More defense spending means more borrowing and, eventually, the U.S. could cease to be a great power… But unlike my late father-in-law, many of us reading this might be around to see the end.”

Indeed.

Trump, War and the Constitution

On June 19, the Ron Paul Institute published the following article by Judge Andrew P. Napolitano:

“Has the United States become what President Donald Trump recently condemned? Can the president fight any war he wishes? Can Congress fund any war it chooses? Are there constitutional and legal requirements that must first be met before war is waged? These questions should be central to a debate over the U.S. involvement in Ukraine, Gaza and Iran. Sadly, there has been no great debate. The mainstream media are mouthing what the CIA is telling them, and only a few websites and podcasts are challenging the government’s reckless, immoral, illegal and unconstitutional wars…

“Under the Constitution, only Congress can declare war on a nation or group. The last time it did so was to initiate American involvement in World War II. But Congress has given away limited authority to presidents and permitted them to fight undeclared wars — such as the War Powers Resolution of 1973 and President George W. Bush’s invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. Congress has not only not declared war on Russia or Gaza or Iran; it has not authorized the use of American forces in those countries. Yet, it has given the president a blank check and authorized him to spend it on military equipment for Ukraine and Israel however he sees fit.

“President Donald Trump came into office promising to end America’s forever wars…

“The War Powers Resolution, which requires presidential notification to Congress of the use of American military force, is unconstitutional because it consists of Congress giving away one of its core functions — declaring war. The Supreme Court has characterized delegating away core functions as violative of the separation of powers, and thus unconstitutional…

“Last month, in Saudi Arabia, Trump condemned the neocons’ forever wars and western military intervention in the Middle East. We now know he didn’t mean what he said. We have reposed the Constitution for safekeeping into the hands of those who ignore it. The consequences are deaths of innocents and the undermining of constitutional norms. And the U.S. continues to be what Trump verbally condemned….”

America’s Wars Will End America

The Ron Paul Institute published this follow-up article on June 21—which was published just BEFORE Trump’s attack on Iran:

“War has become a huge money-making venture, and the U.S. government, with its vast military empire, is one of its best buyers and sellers… Incredibly, America’s military forces aren’t being deployed abroad to protect our freedoms here at home. Rather, they’re being used to guard oil fields, build foreign infrastructure and protect the financial interests of the corporate elite…

“… these wars abroad aren’t making America—or the rest of the world—any safer, are certainly not making America great again, and are undeniably digging the U.S. deeper into debt. War spending is bankrupting America… Since 2001, the U.S. government has spent more than $10 trillion waging its endless wars, much of it borrowed, much of it wasted, all of it paid for in blood and taxpayer dollars… America’s expanding military empire is bleeding the country dry at a rate of more than $32 million per hour…  

“Americans have thus far allowed themselves to be spoon-fed a steady diet of pro-war propaganda that keeps them content to wave flags with patriotic fervor and less inclined to look too closely at the mounting body counts, the ruined lives, the ravaged countries, the blowback arising from ill-advised targeted-drone killings and bombing campaigns in foreign lands, or the transformation of our own homeland into a warzone...

“The U.S. government is not making the world any safer. It’s making the world more dangerous…

“The nation’s infrastructure is in shambles. Public schools are underfunded. Mental health care is collapsing. Basic needs like housing, transportation, and clean water go unmet. Meanwhile, government contractors drop bombs on third-world villages and call it strategy… Bridges collapse, water systems fail, students drown in debt, and veterans sleep on the streets—while the Pentagon builds runways in the desert and funds proxy wars no one can explain…

“We are funding our own collapse… We don’t need another war… In the end, it’s not just the empire that falls. It’s the republic it hollowed out along the way.”

America WILL fall. It is inevitable.

Too Many Federal Holidays?

Newsmax wrote on June 19:

“Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021 under President Joe Biden. Perhaps it won’t be a holiday much longer. On Thursday, President Donald Trump made no declarations about Juneteenth but did post a message on his Truth Social account decrying Americans having too many paid days off. He wrote: ‘Too many non-working holidays in America. It is costing our Country BILLIONS OF DOLLARS to keep all of these businesses closed. The workers don’t want it either! Soon we’ll end up having a holiday for every once working day of the year. It must change if we are going to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!’

“Trump did honor Juneteenth during his first term as president. In 2018, he issued a message which in part read, ‘Melania and I send our best wishes to those celebrating Juneteenth. … As a Nation, we vow to never forget the millions of African Americans who suffered the evils of slavery. Together, we honor the unbreakable spirit and countless contributions of generations of African Americans to the story of American greatness. Today and every day, we recommit ourselves to defending the self-evident truth, boldly declared by our Founding Fathers, that all people are created equal.’ [This would include undocumented aliens in this country, wouldn’t it?]

“Trump repeated a similar message the following year, writing, ‘Across our country, the contributions of African Americans continue to enrich every facet of American life. This Juneteenth, as we vow always to uphold the God-given rights of all Americans, we pay tribute to the indomitable spirit of African Americans.’

“And again in 2020, Trump’s message included, ‘This Juneteenth, we commit, as one Nation, to live true to our highest ideals and to build always toward a freer, stronger country that values the dignity and boundless potential of all Americans.’…

“Juneteenth celebrates the end of slavery in the United States by commemorating June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers brought the news of freedom to enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas. Their freedom came more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln liberated slaves in the Confederacy by signing the Emancipation Proclamation during the Civil War. ‘I did something good. I made it famous. I made Juneteenth very famous,’ Trump said in 2020 before holding a rally on June 19. ‘It’s actually an important event, it’s an important time. But nobody had heard of it. Very few people have heard of it.’”

Trump Blasts Fox News

Newsmax wrote on June 19:

“President Donald Trump blasted Fox News Thursday after the network released a new poll showing that just over half of Americans [53%] approve of his handling of border security… while 46% disapprove. On immigration, 46% approve of the president’s policies, while 53% disapprove, according to the poll… ‘They are always wrong and negative. It’s why MAGA HATES FoxNews, even though their anchors are GREAT…’

“Trump’s worst marks, according to the survey, were on the economy, where 40% approve, 58% disapprove, and inflation, where 34% approve, 64% disapprove…”

The poll might very well have been wrong, as perhaps many more people than listed may disapprove of Trump’s conduct. Of course, Trump also blasted CNN, MSNBC and other outlets for their reporting on the actual damage caused during the American attack on Iran.

NATO No Reason to Exist?

Politico wrote on June 20:

“Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said Friday that NATO ‘as it is, no longer has a reason to exist’ …

“Crosetto’s comments come ahead of the NATO leaders’ summit in The Hague next week, where the alliance is likely to agree on a higher spending target of 5 percent of GDP to placate U.S. President Donald Trump.”

Italy was one of the 12 original members forming NATO in 1949. Right now, NATO counts 32 members.

NATO to Placate Trump?

BBC News wrote on June 21:

“[Trump] has been highly critical of Nato too – even questioning its very foundation of collective defence… The [NATO] summit takes place at the World Forum in The Hague over two days, on Tuesday and Wednesday next week…

“Some have suggested the brevity of the summit is in part to cater to the US president’s attention span and dislike of long meetings. But a shorter summit with fewer subjects discussed will, more importantly, help hide divisions… specific discussions about Russia and the war in Ukraine will be muted. It’s the one big issue that now divides Europe and America… Trump has already shattered Nato’s united front by talking to Putin and withholding military support to Ukraine.

“… contentious issues have been stripped from the summit. Not least to avoid a schism with Trump. Leaders were supposed to discuss a new Russia strategy, but it’s not on the agenda.

“Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been invited to the summit dinner, but he won’t be taking part in the main discussions of the North Atlantic Council.

“[Secretary General Mark] Rutte will be hoping that his first summit as secretary general will be short and sweet. But with Trump at odds with most of his allies on Russia, the greatest threat facing the Alliance, there’s no guarantee it’ll go according to plan.”

Rutte, a Dutch politician who succeeded Jens Stoltenberg as NATO’s Secretary General last year, has gone out of his way to woe and praise Trump during the NATO meetings. Rutte’s conduct has been described by the media as “embarrassing” and “demeaning.”

Trump Can Pull the Plug on the Internet

Politico wrote on June 23:

“Donald Trump’s return to the White House is forcing Europe to reckon with a major digital vulnerability: The U.S. holds a kill switch over its internet. As the U.S. administration raises the stakes in a geopolitical poker game that began when Trump started his trade war, Europeans are waking up to the fact that years of over-reliance on a handful of U.S. tech giants have given Washington a winning hand. The fatal vulnerability is Europe’s near-total dependency on U.S. cloud providers.

“Cloud computing is the lifeblood of the internet, powering everything from the emails we send and videos we stream to industrial data processing and government communications. Just three American behemoths — Amazon, Microsoft, and Google — hold more than two-thirds of the regional market, putting Europe’s online existence in the hands of firms cozying up to the U.S. president to fend off looming regulations and fines… ‘Europe blindly trusted the U.S. to always be there, and always on their side,’ said Bria, the University College London professor. ‘The situation feels very different now.’”

Putin: Ukraine Belongs to Us

Reuters wrote on June 20:

“Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that in his view the whole of Ukraine was ‘ours’ and cautioned that advancing Russian forces could take the Ukrainian city of Sumy as part of a bid to carve out a buffer zone along the border…

“Asked about fresh Russian advances, Putin told the St Petersburg International Economic Forum that he considered Russians and Ukrainians to be one people and ‘in that sense the whole of Ukraine is ours’…. ‘We have a saying, or a parable,’ Putin said. ‘Where the foot of a Russian soldier steps, that is ours.’”

Germany’s Suppression of Freedom of Speech and Assembly?

Deutsche Welle wrote on June 19:

“Hundreds of demonstrators assembled for a march in the German city of Frankfurt, under the slogan ‘First Gaza, now Iran — What is Israel’s next goal?’…

“The gathering comes as the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights Michael O’Flaherty expressed his concern to German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt about freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly in Germany over protests related to Gaza.

“O’Flaherty noted restrictions on events, symbols, or other forms of expression in this context in Germany, but also cited reports of police using excessive force against demonstrators, including minors.”

Compact Ban Unconstitutional

Focus wrote on June 24:

“Almost a year ago, then-Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser banned [the] ‘Compact’ magazine… Shortly thereafter, in August, the highest administrative judges in Leipzig provisionally suspended the ban in expedited proceedings [so that the paper could continue publication for the time being]…

“The Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig has now lifted the ban… The Leipzig judges are responsible for lawsuits against association bans in the first and final instance… ‘The AfD will also benefit from this,’ said [‘Compact’ editor-in-chief Jürgen Elsässer] after the hearing on the ban on his right-wing extremist magazine. Elsässer said that if it was impossible to ban ‘Compact,’ it was also impossible to ban the AfD. His magazine was ‘the assault gun of democracy.’ ‘We are the strongest voice of the opposition. And you will hear more from us.’…”

Söder for Mandatory Military Service

Deutsche Welle wrote on June 23:

“Bavarian Premier Markus Söder has reaffirmed his call for the return of compulsory military service, citing growing threats to European security….

“‘I am in favor of conscription and not just a few questionnaires being sent out. We need it to defend our freedom,’ Söder said Monday on German broadcaster ZDF.”

Majority of Germans Favor Independent European Nuclear Deterrent

Deutsche Welle wrote on June 23:

“Almost two-thirds of Germans are in favor of a European nuclear deterrent independent of the United States, according to a new poll… 64% of respondents were in favor of setting up a European nuclear shield, while 29% were opposed.

“Before taking office in May, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz had already signaled his intent to pursue discussions with the United Kingdom and France — Europe’s two nuclear powers — on developing a joint European nuclear strategy. The goal is to reduce Europe’s reliance on the US nuclear umbrella, especially amid concerns over the unpredictability of President Donald Trump.

“Support for a European deterrent was consistent across demographic and political lines — an unusual level of consensus on foreign policy in Germany. In western Germany, 66% backed the idea, compared to 52% in the east. Among respondents under 45, support was 58.5%, rising to 67.5% among those over 45.

“By party affiliation, 78% of Green Party voters supported the concept, followed by 71% of supporters of Merz’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU). Support also stood at 65% among Social Democratic Party (SPD) voters, 54% among Alternative for Germany (AfD) voters, and 52% among those backing The Left.

“The UK’s nuclear deterrent is operationally independent but technologically reliant on US systems. France’s version is both operationally and technologically independent…”

Defense News added on June 23:

“Simultaneously, voices here grew louder that favored a degree of European strategic autonomy. In March 2025, 69% of Germans supported European countries building a common army, up from just 49% in 2015. The poll results also show Germans willing to spend substantially on defense, with 75% supporting increased EU member state military spending.”

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.

To think about death is not something we like to do. Even though we know that we will die eventually, we love to concentrate on other and seemingly more important and pressing matters. It is indeed not pleasant to think about the inevitability of our death. Still, the Bible is filled with admonitions in this regard, and it gives us advice as to how to deal with this subject matter in a balanced and right way.

Death is unavoidable. Psalm 89:47-48 tells us: “Remember how short my time is… What man can live and not see death? Can he deliver his life from the power of the grave? Selah.” Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 states as a matter of fact: “To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, And a time to die…”

King Solomon states in Ecclesiastes 9:5: “For the living know that they will die…”

In addition, we read in Hebrews 9:27:  “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” 

Death does not end it all. Rather, there will be a resurrection for all of us, followed by a judgment. Romans 14:10, 12 tells us: “For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ… So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.”

We need to keep this fact strongly in mind. An accounting is coming, and we decide now, by the way in which we live, how this accounting will proceed. 

That is why Moses was inspired to write in Psalm 90:10, 12:

“The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years, Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away… So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom.”

The wisdom Moses is referring to relates to the way we live and conduct ourselves, knowing how short and fleeting life is and that an accounting is coming. Paul tells us in Colossians 4:5: “Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.” Compare also 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.”

A similar thought is expressed by King Solomon who wrote in Ecclesiastes 7:2:

“Better to go to the house of mourning Than to go to the house of feasting, For that is the end of all men; And the living will take it to heart.”

David was very much aware of the fact that his death was a certainty. He wrote in Psalm 39:4-5:

“LORD, make me to know my end, And what is the measure of my days, That I may know how frail I am. Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. Selah.”

Knowing this, our whole outlook on life should be one of humility and submission to God. It should not reflect the attitude described in James 4:13-15:

“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit’; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.’”

The realization of the certainty of our death should motivate and encourage us to conduct our lives always in a manner “worthy of the Lord” (Colossians 1:10; compare 1 Thessalonians 1:12 and Ephesians 4:1).

When we are young, we might think of death as something so distant that we might not have to give it serious consideration. But Solomon encourages us even then: “Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth…  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:1, 13-14).

But apart from this seemingly “distant” reality, it may not be that distant at all. The reason being, no one knows the time of his or her death. Ecclesiastes 9:12 tells us:  “For man also does not know his time.” Compare also Isaac’s words in Genesis 27:2: “Behold now, I am old. I do not know the day of my death.” Neither do we. For us, death may come at any time. Even though true Christians are never victims of time and chance, they still can die suddenly and unexpectedly when and if God allows it. We should therefore always live with that realization in mind. 

Of course, Christ knew exactly the time of His death. He knew that He would die at the age of 33 on Wednesday, the Day after the Passover evening on Tuesday, just before the First Day of Unleavened Bread in 31 AD. The Two Witnesses will know when they will die—3 ½ years after proclaiming God’s words during the Great Tribulation. As we explain in our free booklet, “Are You Predestined to be Saved?,” the time of our death has also been pretty much determined by God (even though we don’t know it), but this does not mean that circumstances might not change that time which had been allotted to us. When we fall away from God, we might die prematurely (compare, for example, Psalm 55:23). God may also give us some extra time to come to repentance (compare Luke 13:6-9).  God might add days to the [predetermined] life span of His people if this is reasonable and in fulfillment of the wish of the person.   

We read about King Hezekiah in 2 Kings 20:1-6:

“In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Set your house in order, for you shall die, and not live.”’ Then he turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the LORD, saying, ‘Remember now, O LORD, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what was good in Your sight.’ And Hezekiah wept bitterly. And it happened, before Isaiah had gone out into the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying, ‘Return and tell Hezekiah the leader of My people, “Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: ‘I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the LORD. And I will add to your days fifteen years…’”’’

Here, Hezekiah made it very clear to God that he would love to live longer and that he felt he was not ready to die, and God honored that. We even read that holy women received their dead husbands back in a physical resurrection (Hebrews 11:35). But this is up to God and His prerogative, depending on the individual circumstances. 

Returning one more time to Hezekiah, notice that God had told Isaiah to admonish Hezekiah to set his house in order. This is good advice for all of us at all times, since we don’t know when we will die. This would include taking care of our affairs, especially for those whom we may leave behind. A beautiful example can be seen in Christ’s words at the stake, when He told His beloved disciple John to take care of His mother Mary. 

The Study Bible included the following comments:

“‘Put your house in order.’ This directive implies that Hezekiah should prepare for his impending death by settling his affairs, both personal and political. In ancient Near Eastern culture, this would involve ensuring a smooth succession, addressing any unresolved issues, and making peace with God and others. The instruction reflects the biblical principle of stewardship and responsibility, emphasizing the importance of being prepared for the end of life.”

When we live with the realization that death can come to us at any time, then Solomon’s statements in Ecclesiastes 7:1 really strike home: “And the day of death [is better] than the day of one’s birth.” He adds to this in verse 8: “The end of a thing is better than its beginning.”

When we are born, our whole life is in front of us, and it is up to us what to make out of it. When we live a life pleasing to God, then we have accomplished our purpose, when we die. That is especially true for us when we become converted. At that time, we just begin our travel towards eternal life and the Kingdom of God. When we die, having stayed faithful, we will enter into eternal life at the time of our resurrection. 

Job exclaimed in Job 14:14, focusing on the time of his death: “If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, Till my change comes.” And Isaiah 26:19 states with conviction: “Your dead shall live; Together with my dead body they shall arise.” This is the hope and the power of the resurrection, which is taught throughout the Bible (compare Acts 23:6; Philippians 3:10-11).

With that frame of mind, we don’t need to be afraid of death. Even though death is our enemy (1 Corinthians 15:26), it has no permanent power over us when we are in God’s loving hands.  We read in Hebrews 2:14-15:

“Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”

The Apostle Paul was not overly concerned or afraid of his death if that meant, serving Christ. He told the brethren who were weeping for him, anticipating his arrest and captivity:

“What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 21:13). He even said in Philippians 1:21-26:

“For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith, that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again.” (Compare also 2 Corinthians 5:8). 

Paul was ready to die, whenever that time would come, because he knew that he had lived worthy of Christ and that his physical death did not end it all. He told Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:6-8:

“For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”

He did not fight the time of his death. It seems he was more than ready to die, because he knew that he had qualified and that he would be in God’s Kingdom.

Some of the ancients are described as those who died “full of days.” They lived their lives, and in death they looked forward to their eternal life in the Kingdom of God. Psalm 116:15 says about them:  “Precious in the sight of the LORD Is the death of His saints.” God says the same about us, as long as we can declare with confidence and conviction: “For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s” (Romans 14:8).

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

compiled by Dave Harris

“Iran No Longer a Threat?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is the summary:

Have the strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites eliminated any threat from Iran for the world? How successful were these strikes? In this program, we are discussing many Iranian threats and also possible means to carry out those threats. That is why many hope for a regime change in Iran, but how realistic are those hopes?

“Iran keine Bedrohung mehr?” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This German program covers the same topics as described above.

“Vergebliche Ausreden,” is the title of this Sabbath’s split sermon in Germany. Presented by Michael Link, the title in English is, “Futile Excuses.”

A new Member Letter (June 2025) is now posted and will be mailed to our subscribers. Pastor Michael Link writes about the ever-increasing turmoil Christians face and our challenge to bear godly fruit as the return of Jesus Christ draws near.

“Die Heiligen Schriften der Bibel: Entstehung und Überlieferung – Das Neue Testament,” is last Sabbath’s German sermonette presented by Tahir Coban, is now posted. Title in English: “The Holy Scriptures of the Bible: Origin and Tradition – The New Testament.”

“The Importance of Doing Hard Things,” last Sabbath’s sermonette presented by Eric Rank, is now posted. Here is the summary:

The best way to grow spiritually is to accept challenges in our lives that God prepares for us, and work through them. By shifting our perspective so that we face trials with joy, rather than resistance, we open ourselves to developing the character that God expects of us.

“Why Prophecy Is Important!” last Sabbath’s sermon presented by Dave Harris, is now posted. Here is the summary:

Throughout the Bible, prophecies are given which culminate in the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of the Kingdom of God. Among other things, prophecy reveals God’s plan for the salvation of mankind and the unique responsibility the Church of God has been given in this regard.