Update 1226

On this Sabbath, Frank Bruno will give the sermonette, titled, “Keep It Simple,” and Eric Rank will give the sermon, titled, “In the Hands of God.”

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.

Satan did not lose any time in creating problems for the Church immediately after the Feast of Tabernacles. A vehicle accident south of Las Vegas had two Church members trapped in traffic for several hours, delaying their arrival home for a considerable amount of time. Others going south took some alternate routes, causing major delays in their arrival times also. Thankfully, even though I had to go to Las Vegas for my flight, the accident was south of the city and I was not affected by it. 

 Eventually everyone made it home, including the German brethren that had stayed for a further week before leaving for home.

That in no way implies that problems have suddenly disappeared and that all things are now running smoothly; on the contrary, one member discovered a leaking faucet that occurred during the Feast which caused considerable water damage to their home. A few days after arrival, I had to replace a fridge and had issues with a rocking chair, and recently winds in Southern California caused structural damage to a member’s shed and another suffered damage to lawn furniture.  So, Satan has been very busy and we can expect troubles and trials in the months ahead.

 We cannot allow these occurrences to get us down; but rather, we must weather the storm by staying close to God as admonished by the Apostle James. We read in James 4:8: “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

This is a principle we must never forget. As the days grow shorter and temperatures drop and we see a long period of time before the next Holy Day, we may get the winter doldrums and start relaxing a bit in our spiritual responsibilities toward God. We may tell ourselves, “I will pray tomorrow, I am really busy now, ” forgetting the fact that prayer is a tool used to stay close to God. We should remind ourselves of Christ’s example who rose early and went to a quiet place to pray without interruption. We must not replace our prayer with wanting to check the news or looking at our cell phones which can be used effectively by Satan to get us away from duties related to our relationship with God. We read in Mark 1:35:  “Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.”

How are we doing in this area?

We should be careful about what we allow into our minds which can affect our behavior and relationship with God. Satan as the prince and power of the air has lots of tricks to try to get us off track. Ephesians 2:1-2 tells us: “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,  in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience…”

There is no shortage of things to get us off track, as we read in 2 Corinthians 2:11: “… lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.”

One of his key devices is to get us to compromise in some small way. The compromise, if not dealt with, will grow and could be detrimental to our salvation if we don’t repent and turn to God.

There are at least three ways in which Satan can negatively influence  our minds:

1.      What may be shown on TV and in many movies is oftentimes PG “pure garbage” which can affect our thinking. It also includes what we see with our eyes and brings to mind the stern warning from Christ in Matthew 5:29: “If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.” 

2.      What we read and put into our minds may not be profitable but may tear us down and reduce our Godly standards.  

3.      What we listen to can include lies, deception and false teachings. We must discern those and turn away from them. 

 When we are praying regularly and staying close to God, we can guard against Satan’s efforts to distract us and distance us from God. Always  remember,  if we draw near to God, He will in turn draw near to us and help us overcome the adversary and get us closer to our eternal reward.

By Norbert Link

A world in turmoil. Dangerous frictions between Trump and Zelensky, with Trump clearly taking Putin’s side; Europe’s unified rejection of Trump’s actions and assurances of support for Ukraine; the ongoing Middle Eastern war; discontent in the USA; violent demonstrations in France, Portugal and Italy; and Europe’s move towards unification and independence. Prophecy is marching on. 

Please view our new message, “Epstein’s suspicious death and demonic actions—Comments on News and Prophecy.” 

Please view also our new StandingWatch program, titled, “France Has Failed.” 

Zelensky: “Trump Betrayed Us”

The Sun wrote on October 15:

“The embattled Ukrainian president hit out at Washington’s diesel deal with Russia and blamed the US for cutting off the vital Starshield system which helps Ukraine spot incoming drone and missile attacks… In an exclusive interview on Piers Morgan Uncensored, Zelensky said Trump had chosen the ‘wrong side’ by agreeing to import Russian diesel…

“He then slammed Elon Musk for cutting off Ukraine’s access to Starlink– the satellite based internet system Kyiv relies on for military operations. He said: ‘I am sure they knew what they did, absolutely. Because it was 1am at night, [when] Starlink was blocked by SpaceX and the United States.’…

“The Starshield system, the military offshoot of Musk’s internet wonder Starlink, is used by Kyiv to help with its air defences as it can detect enemy fire but also is used to help Ukraine fire drones of their own. Ukraine’s military said the system was no longer working on anything moving at speeds over 100mph – most notably Russian hypersonic missiles and Iranian-made drones…

“Zelensky continued his furious tirade by once again casting doubt over the energy ceasefire Trump declared last week without warning… Both sides said they had not been made aware of any such agreement before Russia continued to strike Ukrainian refineries just hours later. The last few days have plunged Trump and Zelensky’s already fragile relationship to a new low – and comes nearly one year after their historic White House clash.”

Musk said he had nothing to do with the removal, suggesting it would have been decided by the US military and the President, but he also recently stated that Zelensky must go. It was later revealed that the order came from within the White House. Subsequent reports suggested that both Trump and Musk collaborated on this. Then, blame was placed on Musk alone, while Trump’s verbal attacks on Zelensky increased over the weekend.

Trump’s Diesel Deal

The Hill wrote on October 12

“Kyiv’s allies, including those in President Trump’s circle, are rallying around Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, pushing back against Trump’s diesel deal with Russia and threats to cut off weapons and intelligence sharing to Ukraine… ‘Everybody understands that the prices of diesel, it doesn’t depend on our attacks on diesel in Russia,’ Zelensky said in an interview with Fox News’s Bill Hemmer on Monday, addressing Trump’s favorite news channel during the morning hours, when he’s reportedly most likely to be watching. ‘Everybody understands that it depends on the blocking of the Strait of Hormuz.’ …

“Trump’s diesel deal drew immediate wide-ranging pushback from Ukraine’s supporters. Fox News host Mark Levin, who has a direct line to the president, said Putin is the actual obstacle to achieving peace in Eastern Europe and highlighted the Kremlin’s support for Iran in its conflict against the U.S.  Fox News host Brian Kilmeade, meanwhile, threw down over the weekend with co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy — who is married to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy — as she backed Trump’s criticism of Zelensky. ‘It would be the biggest mistake of his administration to work with Russia,’ Kilmeade said, speaking about the president.”

Trump is losing more and more of his [once] strongest supporters in the US, as well as his allies.

Putin Is Playing Trump Like a Fiddle

The Huffington Post wrote on October 20:

“Republicans are starting to publicly turn on Donald Trump after the US president cosied up with wartime dictator, Vladimir Putin. Trump shocked fellow Ukrainian allies when he agreed to temporarily lift sanctions against Russia so Moscow could supply America with its cheap oil exports last week. It comes as Americans are expected to punish the Republican Party in the November midterm elections over the soaring cost of living worsened by Trump’s war against Iran. 

“The president has also excused Russia’s brutal ongoing strikes against Ukraine, despite trying – and failing – to unilaterally call an energy ceasefire earlier this month….

“Republicans are now so concerned over Trump’s latest behaviour, they are publicly calling him out. Thom Tillis, Republican senator for North Carolina, said Putin was ‘playing Trump like a fiddle’… he said: ‘The Russians are lying. Putin is lying. Putin is playing President Trump like a fiddle…

“Nebraska’s Republican representative Don Bacon also tore into Trump in a social media post, writing: ‘Trump is VERY WEAK on Putin. And VERY WEAK on Ukraine and democracy. Americans want better. Americans stand for Freedom. We oppose the dictator and hate the war criminal.’… Representative Brian Fitzpatrick, from Pennsylvania, slammed Trump, too – but without saying his name…

“Six prominent Republican senators also signed a public letter slamming Trump for his ‘betrayal’ of Ukraine last week in a major shift from the previously overwhelming support for the president’s overseas actions.”

Europe and USA Go Their Different Ways

Europeans24 wrote on October 12:

“The European response to the diesel deal and the ‘new president’ demand has been one of the most unified displays of transatlantic disagreement since the early weeks of Trump’s second term… The prime minister of the Czech Republic, Andrej Babiš, described Trump’s diesel concession to Moscow as a blow to Europe and said it was all the more shocking given Trump’s previous criticism of EU countries for importing Russian hydrocarbons…

“The political optics are stark. The United States lifted sanctions on Russia on Friday. The European Union is adding sanctions on Russia on Monday. Washington and Brussels are pulling in opposite directions on the most consequential security question facing the continent…

“That blame-shifting is politically essential for the midterms. If Trump acknowledges that his own Iran war is the primary driver of the diesel crisis, he owns the problem. If he can construct a narrative in which Zelenskyy’s refusal to make peace is causing diesel prices to hurt American families, he deflects responsibility. The ‘new president’ demand and the diesel deal are two elements of the same political story being written for a domestic American audience with six weeks until election day…

“Europe is not simply adding to its existing sanctions programme. It is making a statement about the direction it is choosing at precisely the moment that Washington has chosen a different direction… Europe is navigating the most turbulent week in its Ukraine policy since the war began.”

The rift between the USA and the EU will continue.

Europe’s Alternative to Starshield

Euronews wrote on October 16:

“This week, the Ukrainian army reported restrictions to the Starlink satellite service. The connection drops as soon as the receivers are travelling at more than 160 kilometres per hour, as is the case with drones. The service was initially partially restored, but an upper limit remained in place…

“Starlink and Starshield are both developed by SpaceX but aimed at different customers. Starlink is the service for private and business users, Starshield is designed for governments and the military… This has once again raised the question of how dependent armed forces are on satellite links. Europe has therefore been working for some time on its own solution.

“The EU has been developing IRIS, its own satellite network, for around six years. The acronym stands for ‘Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite.’… The system is intended to provide secure connections for governments, companies and citizens and to close mobile coverage gaps in Europe and Africa…

“Germany is represented by the Bremen-based space company Orbitale Hochtechnologie Bremen (OHB). On 31 August it signed a contract worth just under €1 billion with satellite operator SES for 18 satellites in medium Earth orbit for IRIS… Independently of IRIS, the Bundeswehr is planning its own satellite network. It is a national project financed by the federal government.”

Europe has determined for a while that it cannot rely on the USA.

Flashback: Trump Is Putin’s Ally

Politico wrote as early as February 19, 2025:

“The thing about a war is it forces people to pick a side. And Donald Trump, it seems to many in Europe, is siding with Vladimir Putin. Seven days of presidential interventions in the Russia-Ukraine conflict have made real the nightmares of Ukrainians and many of their allies, upending the transatlantic relationship that has underpinned European security since 1945. 

“Europe’s politicians are beginning to grasp how profoundly their world has changed: They must now deal with an America that is at best skeptical and at worst hostile to the old world they represent. If there were any lingering doubt about the extent of Trump’s willingness to make enemies in Europe, he ended it Tuesday night when he blamed Ukraine for having ‘started’ the war with Russia. Such blatant defiance of the fact of Putin’s unprovoked invasion three years ago shocked even America’s most loyal friends in the region…

‘‘We now have an alliance between a Russian president who wants to destroy Europe and an American president who also wants to destroy Europe,’ [a] European diplomat observed in recent days… ‘The transatlantic alliance is over.’” 

Putin a “Humanitarian”?

The Hill wrote on October 21:

“Special envoy Steve Witkoff is facing criticism from lawmakers after calling Russian President Vladimir Putin a ‘humanitarian’ for releasing an American who has been held in Russia for [more than four] years [in detention]. ‘You talk so much about my president, President Trump, being a humanitarian,’ Witkoff, in St. Petersburg, Russia, said to Putin. ‘You are a humanitarian also, sir, and I salute that.’

“Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) hit Witkoff in a Wednesday post on the social platform X, saying, ‘… Look up the definition of “humanitarian.” What an embarrassing and outrageous thing to say… You should go back to Ukraine and ask the families of the children Putin has kidnapped and murdered whether they agree your friend Putin is a “humanitarian.”’ Sen. John Cornyn(R-Texas) rebutted Witkoff’s comments. ‘No. Putin is [a] stone cold killer,’ he wrote on X.  And Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) called it ‘another embarrassment.’”

Europeans have described Witkoff as one of the worst mediators, if not the worst, for his giving in to Putin—a mass murderer and war criminal. There can be no doubt about whose side the Trump administration stands (and always has been)—and it’s not the side of Zelensky.

Trump: “Did I Do Something Wrong?”

The Huffington Post wrote on October 12:

“Former Rep. Marjorie Tayloer Greene (R-Ga.) ripped President Donald Trump on Sunday after sharing a screenshot of an apparent campaign email that began with the text, ‘Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor, did I do something wrong?’ ‘So yes, actually you did do something wrong President Trump, let’s first start with your broken campaign promises,’ began Greene in a scathing public reply shared to her X account. Greene — an ex-MAGA devotee whose breakup with Trump arrived amid her push for him to release files on late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein — ripped Trump for protecting his ‘pedophile rapists friends’ before noting that he ‘STILL REFUSE[S] to release the Epstein files.’

“She continued to slam him over his ‘unprovoked,’ ‘stupid’ war of choice in Iranthat saw the U.S. massacring Iranian schoolchildren via military strikes. The conflict, she noted, has also led to the deaths of 21 U.S. service members and has seen several hundreds of others wounded as a result. She added, ‘[The war] you claim you have won like 50 times has destroyed our bases in the Middle East and hundreds of billions of dollars worth of military equipment and weapons, while depleting our weapons and ammunitions.’ She went on to take aim at the president for failing to deliver on an ‘affordable cost of living’ to Americans and went after him over the devastation of Gaza, going after the president for ‘supporting, funding and aiding’ what she — like a range of experts before her — described as a genocide…

“‘YOU are the snake that you warned us all about in the poem you read over and over. You never cared about putting America first or making America great again. You are the deep state, the Epstein class, and America last. And my mistake was supporting you in the first place.’… ‘That does not mean we are turning into Democrats either. But we are DONE with the America LAST Republican party’ she concluded.”

Strong words, reflecting the sentiments of many Republicans.

Tucker Carlson—“a Courageous Journalist”

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on October 19:

“He has marched to the beat of a different drum on Covid, the January 6th protests, genocide in Gaza, immigration, the wars in Iraq, Iran and Ukraine and lately has taken on the President of the United States, and has been right in every instance.

“In the process, has become a hero to the overwhelming majority of Republicans and conservatives under 50 and even a significant number of older conservative Republicans like me.

“He was the first national broadcaster to fight against the mass hysteria over the Covid vaccine. When everyone was rushing and almost begging to get vaccinated, Carlson expressed doubts, raised questions, and interviewed experts who pointed out problems.

“Now we know the world was rushed into taking a very ineffective vaccine and misled into believing that you wouldn’t get Covid if you just got the shot. Then, when so many who were vaccinated got sick anyway, the propaganda quickly was changed to say that those who took the shot would not have as severe a case.

“Those who opposed the hysteria were called ‘vaccine deniers’ as if they were in the same category as those who denied the Holocaust and thus should be ostracized.

“If people had followed Carlson’s lead, millions of children would not have been harmed by the closing of schools and the Federal Reserve would not have found that 200,000 small businesses went under because of Covid restrictions and shutdowns. We now know, too, that the Covid vaccine was more about money for Big Pharma than it was about concern for public health and that it created at least nine new billionaires among pharmaceutical executives.

“Carlson was courageous enough to expose the lies being told and coverup going on by Israeli officials, our Ambassador for rather than to Israel, Mike Huckabee, and the hosts at Fox News about the genocide in Gaza…

“Carlson was the first and at times the only national reporter to show how exaggerated and distorted the reports were about the January 6th protests at the U.S. Capitol. The videos showed that almost all the protesters were peaceful and simply walked through doors held open for them by Capitol police officers and just toured the building like millions of others do every year. He also reported that many of the protesters were being denied bail and held longer and under worse conditions than we sometimes hold and treat murderers and rapists.

“Carlson… also has pointed out that the Democrats have wanted or at least allowed more immigration because their party seems to lose more American-born voters each year…

“Carlson at first supported the war in Iraq which began in 2003, but by the very next year said he was ‘ashamed’ that he had done so and said he was misled by neocons and the conservative establishment. He has been a vocal critic of all the mega billions we have given to Ukraine, and he had the guts to go to Russia to interview Putin in the face of severe criticism from the… national media.

“He has been a leading voice for non-interventionist, America First policies since 2004, and this led him to support President Trump rather than the Far Left socialist, Kamala Harris, in the 2024 presidential election. But he broke with the President after he said he begged Trump not to go to war in Iran the day before it started on Feb 28. Once again, Carlson was right. He, along with other national podcasters such as Judge Napolitano, Megan Kelly and Joe Rogan have pointed out many times that this is Netanyahu’s war and is putting Israel First.

“Now, unless all the polls are wrong, the Congress will be controlled by the Democrats after the midterm elections. The Democratic Party is a socialist party today, when people all over the world are desperately trying to flee socialism. If the President had listened to Carlson, almost everything would have been like it was before we got into this stupid, very unnecessary war…”

Sadly, Trump is listening to the wrong advisors who either don’t know better or who are cowardly afraid to speak up. In any event, these are not the kinds of people in whom anyone should have confidence.

America’s Next War Could Reach US Soil

Fox News wrote on October 15:

“The American military has largely operated on a familiar premise: combat the enemy overseas before the fight reaches home.

“But as drones, cyberattacks and long-range weapons pose growing threats to U.S. military installations and critical infrastructure, Army leaders are preparing for a future in which American forces could come under attack before they ever deploy overseas…

“In a potential conflict…, disrupting American military bases, transportation networks and communications could delay U.S. forces from reaching the battlefield… warning of a future fight on American soil…”

Who Will End the Middle Eastern War?

The Independent wrote on October 12:

“The US remains the world’s single superpower with a vast nuclear arsenal and the most advanced weaponry anywhere, but it is demonstrably poorly equipped to deter a bunch of Yemeni gangsters with cheap drones and Toyota pick-up trucks taking over a strategic slice of the Arabian peninsula. Neither, on its own, is Saudi Arabia… Meanwhile, the Houthis are deepening their links with al-Shabaab, militant Islamists in Somalia, also prone to murderously asserting themselves in East Africa…

“Such are the complex and unpredictable geopolitical consequences of America’s latest fatal entanglement in the region – precisely the kind of quagmire Mr Trump promised Americans was never going to happen again with him in charge. If things get worse, it will make Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq look like tea parties. China, Europe, Russia and virtually every other power has an interest in the flow of oil and the economic damage caused by these inexorably widening wars. They have to be de-escalated. But how? And who will do this?…

“One thing is, unfortunately, very certain and that is that the world will probably enter 2027 with intensifying energy shortages and a widening war in the Middle East…”

At the right time, Europe will truly unite under a military leader and intervene militarily in the Middle East.

Netanyahu: “This Is Our Homeland”

The Jerusalem Post wrote on October 16:

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded on Friday to comments made by former US president Barack Obama, in which he accused Israel of taking ‘land off people’ and being ‘excessive,’ referring to Israel’s treatment of the Palestinian people throughout the country’s history. Obama made the comments during a visit to Belfast, Northern Ireland, on Tuesday.

“‘The Jewish people are not foreign occupiers in the land of our forefathers,’ Netanyahu said in a video posted to X/Twitter. ‘Our history is not a colonial enterprise. Our land is not stolen land. This is our homeland’… emphasizing the connection between the Jewish people and the Land of Israel, noting its biblical name, ‘Judea.’… The prime minister differentiated Israel from European nations with colonial pasts, saying that the Jews in Israel are not ‘the Dutch in Indonesia… the Belgians in the Congo, we’re Jews in Judea.’

“Regarding the path to a peace agreement, Netanyahu said that the obstacle to peace is not Israel, but rather the enemies in the region shared by Israel and the United States. Specifically, Netanyahu noted the enemies’ ‘refusal to recognize the Jewish people’s right to a state of our own, in any boundary.’… ‘A peace built on illusions will crash against the rocks of Middle Eastern reality,’ said Netanyahu. ‘Israel will not gamble with its survival to accommodate those who refuse to accept the facts of history, to accept our right to exist, or who wish to appease terror…’”

And so, a coming “peace” in the Middle East built on illusions WILL crash. Now Trump endorsed Netanyahu (while Vance did NOT), but they will not bring true peace to the Middle East either.

NPR wrote on October 19:

“Israel holds an election on October 27th, electing members of the Knesset, their parliament.  And this election will decide the future of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“It is the first vote since Hamas-led attacks of October 7th, 2023 and the Gaza war. And a major question shaping the elections is whether the prime minister should be held responsible for the Hamas attacks.”

Mass Demonstrations in France

Reuters wrote on October 18:

“President Emmanuel Macron appealed for calm on Sunday, a day after France suffered one of its worst days of unrest in years, with thousands arrested and shops looted or damaged after protests over high prices and declining public services. Fresh ‌clashes broke out in Paris and Marseille, where riot police intervened to prevent attempts to ransack businesses.

“Nationwide demonstrations had erupted into riots on Saturday, with a town ‌hall torched, shops pillaged and buildings covered in graffiti as violent groups clashed with police in cities across the country. ‘Looking at these images, we have all asked ourselves: What was going through their minds? How can French people do ​this to France?’ Macron said in a televised address to the nation. ‘Nothing justifies it, nothing explains it, nothing excuses it. Tonight, we all feel anger and shame.’

“Saturday’s unrest laid bare the deep anger at Macron, who leaves office in 2027 after a decade in power that has increasingly become defined by social discontent, a weak economy and ballooning debt… The government has blamed the violence on what it said were ultra-left groups, as well as criminals it said had instigated the looting.”

Fox News added on October 9:

“When young adults stormed France’s Bastille on Thursday, a little-known media outlet called BreakThrough News sent followers a ‘BREAKING’ alert: ‘French students flood Bastille Square in Paris.’ But that isn’t the full story.

“A Fox News Digital investigation has found that a transnational network of far-left communist and socialist organizations is seizing on France’s fiery student protests to advance a wider political and ideological agenda, using tactics deployed in the United States over the past decade to amplify unrest, deepen divisions and project an image of chaos.”

Vance Blames Mass Immigration…

The Times of India wrote on October 18:

“US Vice President JD Vance has launched a scathing attack on France’s immigration policies, blaming them for the country’s escalating unrest… Vance’s remarks follow an earlier intervention by US president Donald Trump, who also attributed the unrest to ‘mass migration’ and ‘Islam’, dismissing the protests’ stated concerns over school conditions.”

Economic Times added on October 18:

“France erupts in violent anti-government protests as a historic town hall in Limoges, built in 1883, is largely destroyed by fire. Nationwide demonstrations over the cost of living, education and public services have led to clashes with police, looting, vandalism and hundreds of arrests.”

Clearly, blaming the unrest on mass immigration misses the point. Trump and Vance should concentrate on the mess they have created for and within the USA. We might not be that far away from mass protests against the Trump administration and Trump’s mounting failures. Of course, left-wing radicals will hijack the protests, as they always do, and resort to violence.

Mass Demonstrations in Portugal and Italy

Reuters wrote on October 17:

“Tens of thousands of people marched through central Lisbon on Saturday to protest against soaring living costs and a ‌deepening housing crisis in Portugal… There are ⁠also mass protests in Albania, where protesters are demanding the prime minister’s resignation.”

The Associated Press wrote on October 17:

“Rioters clashed with police, looted stores and set property on fire in central Milan on Saturday… The march against wars and rising living costs began peacefully. But masked protesters threw stones, paving blocks and other objects at riot police and set fire to barricades made from bar tables… Italian Premier Georgia Meloni condemned the violence in a social media post…”

It appears that left-wing radicals are indeed behind the violence. This has clearly nothing [or not much] to do with immigration. We can expect further mass protests to occur in other European countries as well, as Europe seems to lack stable governments with competent and respected leaders.

NATO Chief Opposes EU Army

ADDR wrote on October 14:

“NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, commenting on the discussions surrounding the creation of a European army, stated that there is no need to create a single military force within the European Union (EU) that is independent of NATO. He indicated that such a structure would require European countries to relinquish their national armies, adding that he did not expect this to happen on grounds of sovereignty…

According to Rutte, creating a European military structure independent of NATO and undertaking similar tasks could complicate decision-making processes during times of crisis… He stated that this type of structure could slow down decision-making processes, especially in security crises requiring immediate intervention.

As NATO chief, Mark Rutte wants to keep the dying NATO alive. He will fail. A European army will be established, and in times of a crisis, European core member states will give up their sovereignty and transfer their power to a military leader.

Europe Is Growing

Europeans 24 wrote on September 24:

“… by almost every measure of real economic activity, Europe is growing faster than it has in years. Business activity across the euro zone accelerated in September at its fastest rate in over three years… Germany, the region’s largest economy, recorded solid growth in September despite increasing inflationary pressures facing businesses… For Germany in particular, this is remarkable. Germany’s economy has faced severe structural headwinds throughout the mid-2020s, including the energy transition away from Russian gas, a slowdown in Chinese demand for German manufacturing exports, and the disruption of its automotive sector by electrification…

“European defence budgets have expanded sharply since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Technology investment is booming, defence budgets are expanding and reshoring creates opportunities in some markets…  the inflation Europe is experiencing right now is almost entirely driven by one factor, the Iran war’s impact on oil and gas prices…”

The world has been focusing on the USA, China or Russia, while neglecting the steady growth of Europe, being the world’s largest economy, trading bloc and single market.

No More Brexit Wars

The Sun wrote on October 16:

“[PM] ANDY Burnham…found himself in this mess because of his worrying compulsion to speak first, think later… Indeed, in the last few weeks alone, he has suffered multiple bouts of foot-in-mouth… [For instance, his] false claim that Russia had helped swing the outcome of the Brexit referendum… So let’s hope he now… stops his divisive bid to refight the Brexit battle. No one should want to bog Britain down again in the misery of the Brexit wars…

“Burnham is cynically trying to lure back diehard Europhiles who fled Labour. But, deep down, he must surely know rejoining the EU is a can of worms it would be insane to open. Fix the many real problems that Britain has – not those which only exist in the minds of deranged Remainers.”

Britain will not rejoin the EU.

“We Are Creating Alien Beings”

National Post wrote on October 14:

“British-Canadian Nobel laureate Geoffrey Hinton, often revered as the ‘Godfather of AI,’ said…, ‘Now we’re creating alien beings — meaning we’re not the only intelligent beings around… And the reality is, we only have a couple of years to adapt to that.’…

“[He] said people who already fail to grasp the meaning of ‘consciousness’… are wrong in believing AI will be incapable of those human experiences. ‘It’s obvious that these AI models understand what they’re saying… You couldn’t possibly answer all the questions without understanding the question. It’s ridiculous to say they don’t understand.’… [He said] AI is already ‘more like us than most people think’ and that what has become known as AI hallucinations — when chatbots present false, misleading or entirely fabricated information as the factual truth — is more akin to… something humans are guilty of…

“… one of his former co-workers remarked on X that they ‘really do earnestly believe AI could kill all humans,’ and gave it a 10 per cent chance of happening within a decade. Hinton later told the BBC it ‘was not an unreasonable estimate’… noting he often goes as high as a 20 per cent ‘chance they’ll wipe us all out.’”

Euronews added on October 13:

“The company says AI models may be mere months away from being able to copy and spread themselves onto internet-of-things devices such as smart ovens and TVs, making them difficult to stop should they decide to carry out cyberattacks.

“Anthropic announced this week that small AI models are just months away from being able to self-replicate themselves on internet-of-things devices such as smart ovens and TVs.”

Unvaccinated Covid Deaths, Which Never Happened

William Makis from Makis Health wrote on October 11:

“The unvaccinated died in large numbers in only one place: the HOSPITALS... They didn’t die of COVID. Unvaccinated homeless didn’t die in the streets;Unvaccinated didn’t die at home;Millions of unvaccinated illegal immigrants didn’t die; There was only one place dangerous for the unvaccinated in 2021 – Hospitals…

“Hospital administrators had 2 main tasks:1. Make the COVID-19 jabs look good at all costs 2. Make $50,000+ for each ‘COVID case.’  This manifested in the following behaviors of hospital staff (this is well documented):

“1. Unvaccinated were tested heavily, declared COVID positive and put on ventilators & remdesivir, many were murdered this way so the hospital could make back money. 2. Vaccinated were not tested at all, and their deaths were labeled ‘anything but COVID.’ 3. Many recently vaccinated were labeled ‘unvaccinated’ and if they died from COVID jabs, they were labeled ‘unvaccinated COVID death.’

“This kind of hospital fraud was pervasive and systemic. Many reviews have found that over 95% of ‘COVID deaths’ were deaths ‘with COVID’ not ‘from COVID’… COVID-19 boosters were rolled out in the fall of 2021, where all these charts are cut off.’”

Yes, the behavior of pharma, certain hospitals and doctors was despicable. Have they learned from experience and will do better next time? Hardly!

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 the contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing to 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 looked at the question about the 70 disciples that Jesus sent out and looked at the question about government in the Family of God.   We will continue in part 2 to look at information regarding government in the human family as revealed in the Bible.

Government in the Human Family

In Genesis 1:26-28 and in Genesis 2:18-23, we read about the creation of Adam and Eve. Genesis 2:18 reads: “And the LORD God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make a helper comparable to him.’”

And that helper was Eve, the mother of all, and she was a support suitable for Adam.   We will see later that the apostle Paul refers to these accounts to show who was to be the leader in every marriage. 

In Genesis 3:14-16, we read that Adam and Eve both fell short of what God expected of them because Eve took of the forbidden fruit and Adam took the fruit from his wife:

“So the LORD God said to the serpent: ‘Because you have done this, You are cursed more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you shall go, And you shall eat dust All the days of your life. And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.’ To the woman He said: ‘I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, And he shall rule over you.’” (Emphasis added).

One commentator observed that “the very fact that woman was taken out of man proves her equality with him.   She is not his inferior, but his equal; his helpmeet.   There is equality, but with it, diversity.   Woman was made for man, to be with him at his side.   God never intended for a woman to be an independent creature apart from man, but that she should be associated with him, and that together they should be one flesh and typify Christ and His bride, the Church.   Woman never shines more brightly than when fulfilling the object for which she was created, which primarily was to be man’s helpmeet.”

This equality is proved in Galatians 3:28 where we can read what the apostle Paul wrote under the inspiration of God: ^“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

If anyone doubted the equality of the sexes, this proves that men and women are equal.   However, one has to be in charge – to lead and guide, otherwise chaos could ensue.   If you had two captains of a ship with neither – or both – being in charge, what would happen if there was a difference of opinion?   Big problems could arise and so there is always only one captain.   Just one who has that responsibility – as God ordained in marriage, but both are equal.

In Ephesians 5:22, we see a verse written by the apostle Paul about marriage: ^“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.” This doesn’t sit well with so many women in our supposedly “enlightened age” but it is Scriptural and under the inspiration of God.   Submission has been defined as “an inner quality of gentleness that affirms the leadership of the husband”. This means to voluntarily accept and accommodate herself to the husband’s leadership role as God ordained.  The King James Commentary states that “Submission is not slavish fear, neither is it forced upon her by a demanding domestic despot, but it is voluntary. There is no hint of inferiority, but a matter of authority and responsibility in the home. Husbands and wives are parts of a unit.”

Then we read in Ephesians 5:23-24:

“For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.”

There it is in black and white in God’s inspired Word.  Again, the King James Commentary states that “Headship in a living union where Christ and His church become one. And he is the savior of the body. No husband can ever be savior, but he represents Christ symbolically as good provider and protector.”    

This is an admonition that is ignored in general today, as women often assume a leadership role that is not theirs—and men can, all too often, abdicate their God-given responsibilities.   However, wives are to be subject to their husbands as long as it does not conflict with God’s instructions.   For example, if a husband asks his wife to lie, steal, cheat or do something else that is in conflict with God’s Way, then she must put God first and, in such circumstances, not be subject to her husband on such matters.

In our free booklet, “The Keys to Happy Marriages and Families,” we explain that Ephesians 5:24 “is directed to husbands and wives in the Church—it does not require that any man has authority over any woman. Otherwise, consider the paradoxical conclusions, as this would mean that a grown son (a man) would have authority over his mother (a woman).”

In Ephesians 5:25, we read, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,” and then the responsibilities of the husband are listed in verses 26-31. In verses 32-33, we read: “This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.”

Many marriages fail because the husband does NOT love his wife as he should. And then, submission to an unloving husband is extremely difficult. In our free booklet, “The Keys to Happy Marriages and Families,” we give many examples as to HOW a husband ought to love his wife… and ALL husbands have come short in that regard. We say the following: “If a man wants to be the head of his wife and family, as he should be, he needs to act as God the Father acted toward Christ, and, in turn, his wife is to act toward her husband as Christ acted toward the Father.”

The comparison of the marriage union with the union of Christ and His Church is the mystery.   And there are responsibilities and positions within that union.

In 1 Corinthians 11:3, the same theme of responsibilities and positions is reinforced:  

“But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.”

It really couldn’t get any clearer than that.  The Father is in supreme authority, then Jesus Christ who is the head of every man – and man is the head of the woman.   And in 1 Corinthians 11:8-9 we read:

“For man is not from woman, but woman from man. Nor was man created for the woman, but woman for the man.”

Certainly, Scripture promotes the idea of equality but, today, if someone is given a responsibility, many assume that he is a superior person.   Not so – just that he has a different function.

In Titus 2:1-5, we read further instruction on this subject:

“But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things—that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.”

In verse 1, it talks about SOUND DOCTRINE.   The King James Commentary makes some interesting observations as follows:   “Discreet is the same word as in verse 2, translated ‘temperate,’ and can mean sound-minded.   Chaste or pure.  Keepers at home (Gr oikourgos) means ‘working at home.’   Again, Paul is no male chauvinist.   God-ordained women are to work at home, but not as a maid or slave.   Being a good homekeeper is not demeaning.  There is no higher calling.   Every man knows the transforming power in the home of a lovely, godly wife.   Her power is felt in a much greater institute than a bank or political office when she influences the home and children for God.   Obedient to their … husbands. What an awesome responsibility this puts on the husband to be a man of God and represent Christ in the home!   Why are wives to live like this? That the word of God be not blasphemed.” 

We hasten to add, of course, that there is nothing wrong for a woman to work outside the home. Being a homemaker or working at home does not exclude working outside the house—in fact, in today’s society, it might not be possible for a couple to survive otherwise. Even though, it is important to personally take care of her children, especially, when they are still young.

We say the following in our free booklet, “The Keys to Happy Marriages and Families”:

“Can we see the enormous positive influence that a righteous mother CAN have on her children? Why, then, do so many Christian women feel today that there are more challenging and rewarding tasks to be found outside the home, than ‘just’ being a mother and a homemaker? Women who don’t want to have children because they don’t want to give up their jobs or their careers do not follow God’s instructions for them. Women who don’t want to stay at home with their young children because they don’t want to give up their jobs and their careers do not follow God’s instructions for them, either. Understand, of course, we are not talking about women who can’t have children or who haven’t found a suitable husband to marry. But barring that, in God’s eyes, being a mother and being at home with her young children, is the highest challenge, vocation, occupation, and career that could possibly exist for a woman.”

 In 1 Peter 3:1-6 are further instructions to both wives and husbands:

^“Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.  For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.”

Holy women of old including Sarah were obedient to their own husbands.   Obedient doesn’t mean subservient as both are equal but it does mean that there is a structure that God has put in place in the family.   Far too many today – and perhaps even some in the Church – ignore this at their peril. We have taken some time on this matter and, again, we repeat that it is about government in the family.

The next installment will show the connection between, on the one hand, the government in the Family of God, the human family and government within the Church of God, and, on the other hand, the question as to why all the apostles were men.

(To be continued)

Lead Writers: Brian Gale and Norbert Link

Compiled by Norbert Link

“France Has Failed” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is the summary:

Violent mass protests have again overtaken France. Who is behind the turmoil and devastation? France has failed, and so has Emmanuel Macron. France will not lead Europe. But who will?

“Frankreich hat versagt” 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 https://www.eternalgod.org/letter-to-the-brethren-october-19-2026/ has been written, posted and sent out. In the letter, Norbert Link reflects on the Feast of Tabernacles 2026; Satan’s ongoing attacks and the absolute need to grow in and keep the faith.

All English and German messages from last Sabbath have been posted.