On June 28, 2014, Michael Link will give the sermon, titled, “Truth Be Bold.”

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

Recently, I was listening to an announcement about upcoming World Cup matches and a radio host mentioned an ocelot in Dorchester would be predicting the outcomes of games.  This feline would be using its “special predictive powers” and “channeling his inner soccer spirit” to guess winners.  One of the curators at this feline’s zoo stated, “we find a lot of the time when zoos do this, the animals are pretty right on.” While this seems innocent on the surface, the underlying principles and motivations are anything but naïve.  Zechariah spoke about the same timeless reasoning—an attitude constantly affecting mankind.  “For the idols speak delusion; The diviners envision lies, and tell false dreams; They comfort in vain.  Therefore the people wend their way like sheep; They are in trouble because there is no shepherd” (Zechariah 10:2).

The use of supernatural animal powers doesn’t stop at sports predictions.  Popular in America and Canada is a weather-predicting groundhog that even has a day set apart for observance.  Every February 2nd (Groundhog Day) “the town of Punxsutawney celebrates the legendary groundhog with a festive atmosphere of music and food.  During the ceremony…Phil emerges from his temporary home…if Phil sees his shadow he has predicted six more weeks of winter-like weather.  If Phil does not see his shadow, he has predicted an early spring.”  This ceremony has been celebrated for over 125 years and consistently receives mention on national news.

We can dismiss these practices as simple folly and harmless fun, as do most who take part in them.  But the same could be said of Christmas or Easter.  Today many of the mainstream holidays originating in paganism are the foundation of those who call themselves Christian.  Hosea warned of our tendencies, “My people are bent on backsliding from Me. Though they call to the Most High, none at all exalt Him” (Hosea 11:7).

As God’s people we know better!  We should never assume to be completely immune from the pull of Satan’s deceit. In Revelation 18 an angel cries out about the debase nature of Babylon—a description of the world we live in today. “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury” (Revelation 18:2-3).  And to those of us with God’s Spirit an angel warns us, “come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.  For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities” (Revelation 18:4-5). No amount of sugar-coating can change what God plainly labels as sin.  It’s imperative that we focus on His clear voice in an end-time age so filled with confusion and deceit.

We are beginning with frightening developments in America: While the USA seems to become a “rapidly expanding police state” with unreliable and misleading representations to the public, America’s Presbyterian Church took an unprecedented step against Israel, angering Jewish politicians and organizations around the world.

We continue with speaking of America’s military support of the new Egyptian dictatorship, and we are addressing Iraq’s Sunni terrorists. While the Obama Administration is contemplating sending troops to Iraq—in violation of prior promises to the contrary–and perhaps working together with Iran, many concerned voices warn against such steps, while Shiite leaders in Iraq and Iran are rejecting US involvement.

Turning to Europe, we address Britain’s inevitable exodus from the EU, quoting Der Spiegel Online, which speaks of “Cameron’s Waterloo.” At the same time, Italy is determined to push for the full establishment of the United States of Europe, and Austria openly defies the USA.

We point out the outbreak of the Ebola virus which is “out of control,” and the real danger of the spread of contagious diseases in the US through illegal aliens.

We are reporting on the Obama Administration’s fascination with LGBT rights, while showing that similar developments are occurring in Europe, especially in Germany.

The American Presbyterian Church officially recognized same-sex marriages as Christian and allows their ministers to preside at same-sex marriages, while the Methodist Church is divided on the issue.

We conclude with the pope’s courageous stance against the Italian mafia; sun worship and mass yoga practices at Stonehenge; frightening dictatorial powers of Britain’s schools; and the ignorance of scientists pertaining to, in their words, new findings of “prehistoric” human remains, which “complicate” the understanding of “human evolution.”

America’s New Dictatorship

The Washington Times wrote on June 20:

“With so much happening internationally and the number of scandals, crises and general screw-ups of the Obama administration here at home, it’s worth noting a disturbing development here on the domestic front: a rapidly expanding police state… We all know about the scope of National Security Agency (NSA) spying. It’s fair to say at this point in our lives that the notion of privacy is all but dead and gone…

“Spying is one thing, but control is, in fact, key. During the Obama administration, most of us have grown concerned about the massive buy-up of ammunition of various federal agencies. The U.S. Postal Service, the Department of Agriculture, the Commerce Department and even the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, among so many other agencies, have acquired billions of rounds of ammunition…

“The New York Times reports, ‘During the Obama administration, according to Pentagon data, police departments have received tens of thousands of machine guns; nearly 200,000 ammunition magazines; thousands of pieces of camouflage and night-vision equipment; and hundreds of silencers, armored cars and aircraft.’

“Silencers? Machine guns? Now why would local law enforcement need that sort of gear? They do if they’re conditioning everyone, including local law enforcement itself, to believe that a police state is necessary and inevitable…”

Very frightening indeed. Orwell’s 1984 is becoming grim reality…. See also the next article.

Medical Marijuana Defense “Irrelevant”?

US News reported on June 23:

“Attorney General Eric Holder swooped into Spokane, Washington, without public notice Friday to visit with federal prosecutors, but his trip didn’t immediately benefit a group of indicted medical marijuana patients nicknamed the Kettle Falls Five.

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington, based in Spokane, is not backing down in its multiple-felony case against four family members and a friend who tended a rural marijuana garden for what they say was personal medical use.

“The case, easily the highest-profile prosecution involving medical marijuana this year, is nearing trial as federal lawmakers consider cutting the purse strings for such enforcement.
 
“Prosecutors argued Monday during a conference call with federal Judge Fred Van Sickle and defense attorneys that the defendants should not be allowed to tell jurors the marijuana was for medical use. ‘There is no right to present irrelevant evidence,’ Assistant U.S. Attorney Caitlin Baunsgard said, dismissing the applicability of state medical marijuana law to federal charges. ‘Medical marijuana is not a defense.’ ‘What they were doing was illegal under federal law,’ Assistant U.S. Attorney Earl Hicks said…

“Van Sickle said he agreed with prosecutors and was unlikely to reconsider his May decision barring that defense. ‘These things are not relevant and they would confuse the jury,’ he said…

“The Kettle Falls Five prosecution appears to fly in the face of 2009 guidance from Holder’s Department of Justice that prosecutors should avoid going after medical marijuana patients. It also comes as Holder’s department allows Colorado and Washington to unfurl regulated and taxed recreational marijuana markets…

“Harvey, a co-defendant alongside his wife, a son and daughter-in-law, and a family friend – all of whom have conditions that qualify them for medical pot under state law – was lobbying Congress to pass legislation to block the Drug Enforcement Administration and federal prosecutors from going after medical marijuana in states that allow it. The House of Representatives voted 219-189 on May 30 in favor of a spending bill amendment that would do just that. A Senate version of the amendment is being sponsored by Sens. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Cory Booker, D-N.J….”

The Obama Administration is being accused of operating under false pretenses, while giving false and misleading assurances. It is alleged that the denial of the medical Marijuana defense is just one of many examples of a government which is not reliable.

True Christians Must Have No Part in Jury Duty System!

The following report is even more revealing and exemplifies once again why a true Christian must NEVER allow him- or herself to become an active participant in the jury duty system. Those who believe and teach otherwise are ignorant and lacking experience of the operations of the legal system.

The Huffington Post wrote on June 23:

“Larry Harvey, 70; his wife, Rhonda Firestack-Harvey, 55; their son Rolland Gregg, 33; daughter-in-law Michelle Gregg, 35; and family friend Jason Zucker, 38, sought to present evidence that the marijuana they grew was, in fact, legal under state law, doctor-recommended and appropriate for each family member’s condition. ‘The jury will never hear that there was a sign [at the grow site] for medical marijuana,’ lawyer Douglas D. Phelps, who represents Rolland Gregg, said during Monday’s hearing. ‘They’ll never hear that the defendants had a use for the marijuana that was medicinal. They’ll never hear how they intended to use the crop, the purposes that they would use it for or that the doctors believed that the amounts they were growing was consistent with their medical necessity.’

“The federal government charged each defendant with six felonies, including manufacturing, possession and distribution of marijuana and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Their lawyers said the family kept multiple guns for hunting and defense at their home, which lies in the wilderness of northeast Washington state near the U.S.-Canadian border. They have encountered black bears, cougars and coyotes at their front door on several occasions, according to the lawyers. Federal prosecutors argue that the presence of firearms shows the defendants were involved in drug trafficking.

“… a number of studies over the years have shown the medical potential of cannabis, from fighting cancer to controlling blood sugar. There have also been multiple attempts to reschedule the drug since the 1970s. ‘One must reasonably conclude that there is an accepted safety for use of marijuana under medical supervision,’ said a motion filed by the Harvey family’s attorneys that prompted Monday’s hearing. ‘To conclude otherwise, on this record, would be unreasonable, arbitrary, and capricious.’ The motion was quoting then-DEA Administrative Law Judge Francis Young’s response to a 1988 petition to reschedule marijuana.

“‘Decades after this judicial acknowledgment of the irrationality of classifying marijuana as a Schedule I controlled substance, the possession and cultivation of this plant remains subject to the harshest criminal penalties authorized under the Controlled Substances Act of 1972,’ the Harvey family’s motion said. ‘Despite the federal prohibition, science has forged ahead to prove Judge Young correct, and in the twenty-first century, cannabis has been proven to be a harmless yet effective medication for treating, and possibly preventing, serious illnesses.’

“At the DEA’s own behest, the Food and Drug Administration is currently considering loosening federal regulation of marijuana. However, in its latest guidelines regarding cannabis, published Friday, the FDA states that it still ‘has not approved marijuana as a safe and effective drug for any indication’ despite ‘significant interest in the potential utility of marijuana for a variety of medical conditions.’”

One MUST ask, why not?

America’s Presbyterian Church vs. Israel

The Associated Press wrote on June 21:

“The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) on Friday became the most prominent religious group in the United States to endorse divestment as a protest against Israeli policies toward Palestinians, voting to sell church stock in three companies whose products Israel uses in the occupied territories…

“The American Jewish Committee, a policy and advocacy group based in New York, said the vote was ‘driven by hatred of Israel.’ But Heath Rada, moderator for the church meeting, said immediately after the vote that ‘in no way is this a reflection of our lack of love for our Jewish brothers and sisters.’… Israeli officials, along with many American Jewish groups, denounced the campaign as an attempt to delegitimize the Jewish state… The vote was the subject of intense lobbying both from within and outside the church.”

This article shows at least two things: Hate-driven action speaks louder than hypocritical words of love; and these kinds of votes include intense lobbying and bring about questionable results. Another article of questionable votes of the Presbyterian Church is featured later in this Current Events section.

JTA reported on June 21:

“Some of the delegates promoting the resolution were at pains to distance it from the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement, noting that the measure targeted only American companies profiting from West Bank security systems, and successfully added amendments making the distinction clear.

“Others said that the resolution, coupled with an anti-Zionist tract released earlier this year by a church committee, allied the church with groups that seek to dismantle Israel. The ‘decision will undoubtedly have a devastating impact on relations between mainstream Jewish groups and the national Presbyterian Church (USA),’ Rabbi Steve Gutow, the president of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, the umbrella body for Jewish public policy groups, said in a statement…

“Other groups anticipating a rift included the Anti-Defamation League, the Union for Reform Judaism, StandWithUs and the American Jewish Committee…”

The Washington Times added on June 22:

“Speaking on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’ on Sunday, Mr. Netanyahu said the move demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of the Middle East… ‘It should trouble all people and of conscience and morality because it’s so disgraceful,’ he said of the vote. ‘You come to Israel and you see the one democracy that upholds basic human rights, that guards the rights of all minorities, that protects Christians. …

“‘Most Americans understand Israel is a beacon of civilization and moderation. I would suggest to the Presbyterian organizations — fly to the Middle East. Come and see Israel for the embattled democracy that it is and then take a bus tour. Go to Libya, go to Syria, go to Iraq, and see the difference. And I would give them two pieces of advice: make sure it is an armor-plated bus, and second, don’t say that you’re Christians.’”

Egypt’s New Dictatorship

The Washington Post wrote on June 21:

“The Muslim Brotherhood’s spiritual leader and over 180 others were sentenced to death Saturday by an Egyptian court in the latest mass trial following last year’s overthrow of the country’s Islamist president. The ruling by the southern Minya Criminal Court is the largest confirmed mass death sentence to be handed down in Egypt in recent memory and comes from Judge Said Youssef, who earlier presided over the mass trial. It is the second death sentence for the Brotherhood’s Supreme Guide Mohammed Badie since the crackdown against his group began…

“Initially, Youssef sentenced some 683 people to death over the attack, then sent the case to Egypt’s Grand Mufti, the country’s top spiritual leader. The Mufti offered his opinion, then sent the case back to Youssef to confirm his sentence. Lawyers for the accused said they planned to appeal…

“The mass trials have drawn worldwide rebuke. However, the trials have continued with many Egyptians appearing to approve of the heavy-handed measures… Saturday’s hearing lasted for less than 15 minutes…”

One Egyptian dictatorship is replaced by another… America just announced that they will support the new Egyptian leadership militarily… a wrong decision which is bound to backfire.

Deutsche Welle reported on June 22:

“After President Mohammed Morsi was ousted almost a year ago, the US froze some of its $1.3 billion (956 million euros) in annual military aid to Egypt. About $575 million in suspended funds have been released over the past ten days and are to be used to pay existing defense contracts, according to the State Department. Washington has also said it is to provide ten Apache attack helicopters to help soldiers battling militants in the Sinai peninsula. Kerry said they would arrive ‘very soon.’”

In a further move, an Egyptian court has even convicted non-Egyptian journalists by falsely labeling them as terrorists or operating with terrorists—in an obvious attempt to suppress any truthful reporting about Egypt’s oppressive government.

The New Islamic State of ISIS

AFP wrote on June 22:

“The militants, led by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) jihadist group, have begun imposing an extreme interpretation of Islamic law in the days since they took the city [of Mosul in northern Iraq]… The city, known before 2003 for its historic sites and parks and in later years as a hub for deadly violence, fell on June 10 to the militants, who subsequently overran surrounding Nineveh province and swathes of other territory… After seizing control, gunmen declared Nineveh a part of their Islamic state and issued a document outlining new rules.

“The 16-point document announced the prohibition of the selling and consumption of alcohol and drugs as well as smoking, and forbade gatherings and carrying weapons. Women are to wear non-revealing clothes and keep to their homes, while ‘shrines’ are to be destroyed. All depictions of people are considered idolatrous under the militants’ extreme interpretation of Islam, and gunmen have removed various statues from the city in recent days, including some depicting famous poets.

“Abu Ramzi, one of Mosul’s Christians who did not flee the city, said militants destroyed a statue of the Virgin Mary in front of a church. The militants also distributed a document to mosques in the city ordering that they not make or publish any statement not approved by ISIL, and designated a specific mosque for the acceptance of the ‘repentance of apostates’. ISIL has also appointed representatives for different areas of the city who are to conduct a survey of its residents.

“One resident who fled said a neighbour told him that gunmen came to check empty houses in the area and find out who owns them… ‘They asked about my house, my (religious) sect and my phone number,’ he said. The gunmen left a message that he had two days to return and renounce his Shiite faith, or the house would be burned.”

The radical interpretation of the militant Islamists pertaining to some provisions in the Koran mirrors, to an extent, the radical interpretation of orthodox Jews and Christian Fundamentalists pertaining to some passages in the Old Testament. For a much clearer understanding as to what the Old Testament does and does not say, and how it applies to us today, please read our brand-new booklet, “Old Testament Laws—Still Valid Today?”

ISIS Claims to Have Nuclear Weapons to Use Against Israel

On June 23, WorldNetDaily reported the following:

“The well-organized army of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, claims it has access to nuclear weapons and a will to use them to ‘liberate’ Palestine from Israel as part of its ‘Islamic Spring,’ according to a WND source in the region.

“Franklin Lamb, an international lawyer based in Beirut and Damascus, said the move is part of the ISIS aim of creating a caliphate under strict Islamic law, stretching from the Mediterranean Sea to Iraq… Lamb said that in Iraq alone, some 6 million Iraqi Sunnis recently have become supportive of the ISIS lightning strikes in the Sunni portion of the country…

“ISIS access to nuclear weapons could come from Sunni Pakistan, which is home to more than 30 terrorist groups. Pakistan possibly has transferred nuclear weapons to the chief bankroller of its nuclear development program, Sunni Saudi Arabia… The Saudis… also have provided billions of dollars to ISIS…”

Judge Who Sentenced Saddam Killed by ISIS

The website of gatewaypundit.com wrote on June 22:

“Judge Rauf Rashid, the man who sentenced Saddam Hussein to death, has reportedly been captured and killed by ISIS terrorists. Several Arab News websites are reporting the news… Wikipedia says he is dead: ‘On 16 June 2014, Abd al-Rahman was arrested by ISIS rebels during 2014 Northern Iraq offensive. Two days later, it was reported that ISIS captured and executed him.’ Iraqi officials have not denied the news.”

US Troops Not Welcome in Iraq

Sky News reported on June 21:

“A Shia cleric loyal to anti-US cleric Moqtada al Sadr has warned that the 300 US military advisers en route to Iraq will be attacked. In a sermon from Baghdad’s Sadr City district, Nassir al Saedi threatened what he called ‘the occupier’, saying: ‘We will be ready for you if you are back.’

“The warning comes after President Barack Obama announced the deployment of US military advisers made up mostly of special forces. Their aim is to help the Iraqi government in its fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), the group of Sunni extremists who have seized cities and towns across northern Iraq.

“Al Saedi’s threats highlight a potentially dangerous secondary front for US forces heading to Iraq. Moqtada al Sadr’s militia fought the Americans in at least two rounds of street warfare during the eight years US troops were on the ground there.”

Iran Opposed to American “Help”

The Times of Israel wrote on June 22:

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday warned close ally the United States against working with arch-foe Iran in the effort to pull Iraq back from the brink…  ‘What you’re seeing in the Middle East today in Iraq and in Syria is the stark hatred between radical Shiites — in this case led by Iran — and radical Sunnis led by al-Qaeda and ISIS and others,’ Netanyahu told NBC’s ‘Meet the Press,’ referring to ISIL.

“‘Now both of these camps are enemies of the United States, and when your enemies are fighting each other, don’t strengthen either one — weaken both,’ said Netanyahu…”

Rand Paul vs. Dick Cheney: Should US Stay Out of Iraq or Get Involved?

The Huffington Post wrote on June 22:

“As the Islamist militia group ISIS gains new ground in Iraq, capturing four more towns near the Syrian border and barreling towards Baghdad, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is holding strong to his belief that the United States should stay out of the conflict in the region. On CNN’s ‘State of the Union’ Sunday, Paul ruled out ground troops in Iraq and said that as president, he would ask Congress before getting involved at all…

“Paul also responded Sunday to some of Obama’s critics in the Republican Party, who say he should have overthrown Syrian President Bashar Assad following evidence that he used chemical weapons on citizens last year… ‘We went into Libya and we got rid of that terrible Qaddafi, now it’s a jihadist wonderland over there,’ Paul said, referring to Libya’s former dictator. ‘There’s jihadists everywhere. If we were to get rid of Assad it would be a jihadist wonderland in Syria. It’s now a jihadist wonderland in Iraq…’

“‘You have to ask yourself, are you willing to send your son, am I willing to send my son to retake back a city, Mosul, that they weren’t willing to defend themselves?’ Paul said. ‘I’m not willing to send my son into that mess.’

“Former Vice President Dick Cheney strongly disagreed with Paul on Sunday. ‘Rand Paul, with all due respect, is basically an isolationist,’ Cheney said on ABC’s ‘This Week.’ ‘He doesn’t believe we ought to be involved in that part of the world. I think it’s absolutely essential. One of the things I worried about 12 years ago — and that I worry about today — is that there will be another 9/11 attack and that the next time it’ll be with weapons far deadlier than airline tickets and box cutters.’”

Please read our free booklet, “Should You Fight in War?” 

Cameron’s Waterloo

Der Spiegel Online wrote on June 19:

“British Prime Minister David Cameron is determined not to let Jean-Claude Juncker become president of the European Commission. But he is increasingly isolated. He might face his Waterloo as early as next week.

“Reading the newspaper hasn’t been particularly pleasurable for Jean-Claude Juncker in recent days. First, British historian Timothy Garton Ash compared him to King Louis the XVI, who was executed by the guillotine. Then, the Swiss paper Weltwoche lumped him together with Hitler and Mussolini and the British tabloid Sun described him as ‘the most dangerous man in Europe.’…

“The situation is a delicate one: British Prime Minister David Cameron continues to categorically reject Juncker as the next president of the European Commission. Yet a majority in the European Parliament supports the former Luxembourg prime minister. The European Council, made up of EU heads of state and government, has the power of nomination, but the body is divided.

“Several voices, including the influential German weekly Die Zeit last week, have called on Juncker to withdraw his candidacy as a final service to Europe. It is a potential solution that Berlin, too, could live with, despite Chancellor Angela Merkel’s official support for Juncker’s candidacy. But Juncker, 59, has no intention of doing Merkel and Cameron that favor. It’s a matter of principle, he argues. He campaigned as the lead candidate for European conservatives ahead of last month’s EU elections, with the assumption being that the winner would become Commission president. Should he not be confirmed for that office, he says, it amounts to voter betrayal.

“More than anything, though, a European power struggle is afoot. If Cameron prevails, the European Council will continue to reign supreme and the Parliament will continue to look like little more than a European debate club…  Cameron’s warning — that if Juncker was named to the position, it could accelerate Britain’s exit from the EU — had its intended effect. Almost all significant UK parties are opposed to Juncker, who they see as a European technocrat unable to reform the Commission. Only the EU-skeptic party UKIP is in favor or Juncker, say pro-EU voices in Britain, noting that a Juncker presidency would make it even easier for the party to sell its anti-Europe message…

“One leading member of Merkel’s CDU says Cameron has acted ‘incredibly clumsily, from a strategic perspective.’ … Even a meeting last week between Cameron, Merkel, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Swedish leader Fredrik Reinfeldt only hurt the British position… ‘Cameron is increasingly isolating himself,’ says Elmar Brok, a member of European Parliament for the CDU. ‘In the end, there will be a clear majority for Juncker in the Council.’ Even Council President Herman Van Rompuy has recently said that Cameron could be isolated.” 

BBC News wrote on June 26:

“David Cameron’s bid to block Jean-Claude Juncker becoming the next European Commission president looks set to fail after his allies changed tack… both the Netherlands and Sweden now say they will back Luxembourg’s ex-PM.”

Britain’s way out of the EU is just a matter of time…

Italy’s Push for a “United States of Europe”

The Telegraph wrote on June 22:

“Matteo Renzi, the Italian prime minister, has said that Italy will push for a ‘United States of Europe’ during its six-month EU presidency, in a move likely to raise hackles in Britain. Launching an appeal to convince European leaders to show ‘that a stronger and more cohesive Europe is the only solution to… solve the problems of our time’, Mr Renzi said: ‘For my children’s future I dream, think and work for the United States of Europe.’

“He further called for “courageous leaders” to work towards achieving that goal – something that Britain has always objected to. In 1988 Margaret Thatcher, then prime minister, dismissed the idea that the United States might be a model for the future of Europe and David Cameron is actively trying to prevent the election of a committed federalist, Jean-Claude Juncker, to the head of the European Commission.

“Italy takes over the rotating EU presidency from Greece on July 1. Its job will be to steer the EU at a time when the so-called ‘European Project’ is coming under renewed attack, in the wake of an EU-wide surge in support for Eurosceptic parties in the recent European elections.

“Mr Renzi… said it was vital to show that the EU ‘is not only a common past but a common destiny.’”

How to Boost the EU’s Military…

The EUObserver wrote on June 25:

“The European Commission on Tuesday (24 June) laid out plans on how to boost the EU’s military and defence industries. It wants to create a single market on defence, make it more profitable, and intensify and merge research with the civil sector. Antonio Tajani, the EU industry commissioner, said greater defence collaboration is needed between member states to enable the EU to ‘adequately face its security challenges’… ‘It is vital that the European defenceindustry remains a world-leading centre for manufacturing and innovation, creating highly qualified jobs and growth,’ he said in a statement…

“Among the ideas is to create drones capable of carrying out both civil and military operations. It wants the European Defence Agency (EDA) to prepare a ‘new process for developing defence and hybrid standards in Europe’… Another idea is to shift the ‘control of industrial and technological assets’ away from national governments to a new system at the EU level…”

Austria Defies USA

Deutsche Welle reported on June 24:

“Austrian energy company OMV and Russia’s Gazprom signed a contract on Tuesday for the construction of the South Stream pipeline’s Austrian section. It came just hours before Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Vienna for a one-day visit.

“While OMV general director Gerhard Roiss said the South Stream pipeline would ‘ensure energy security for Europe, particularly for Austria,’ the US embassy in Vienna launched a thinly veiled attack on the move. In a statement, it said that trans-Atlantic unity had been essential in ‘discouraging further Russian aggression’ and that the Austrians ‘should consider carefully whether today’s events contribute to that effort.’

“In a meeting with Austrian president Heinz Fischer, Putin slammed the criticism by saying that ‘our American friends… want to supply Europe with gas themselves. They do everything to derail this contract…’ Fischer also defended the project, stating that ‘no one can tell me why… a gas pipeline that crosses NATO and EU states can’t touch 50 kilometers (31 miles) of Austrian territory.’

“Putin and Fischer also emphasized Russia’s and Austria’s close business ties, with Putin calling Austria an ‘important and reliable’ partner. Austria was the first western European country to sign, in 1968, long-term gas supply deals with Moscow. Russia is Austria’s third-biggest non-EU trading partner after the United States and Switzerland.

“While Austria is a member of the EU and should, therefore, endorse the bloc’s visa bans and asset freezes against Russia, Fischer said on Tuesday that he opposed sanctions against Moscow. But he also told Putin Moscow’s annexation of Crimea violated international law. South Stream, which will cost an estimated $40 billion (29.4 billion euros), is designed to carry Russian gas to the center of Europe. Russia currently supplies a third of Europe’s gas… The pipeline will stretch across Russia, under the Black Sea and then through Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary and Slovenia to Austria.

“Gazprom’s partners for the offshore part of the project are Italy’s ENI, Germany’s Wintershall Holding and France’s EDF.”

“Polish-American Alliance Worth Nothing and Harmful”

Deutsche Welle wrote on June 22:

“A Polish magazine says it has a recording of the country’s foreign minister saying Warsaw’s relationship with Washington is worthless… The weekly magazine Wprost on Sunday published a short transcript of a recorded conversation it says features Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski speaking to then-Finance Minister Jacek Rostowski last year. ‘You know that the Polish-American alliance is worth nothing,’ Sikorski is quoted as saying, before adding that it was ‘even harmful because it creates a false sense of security.’…”

Ebola Outbreak Totally Out of Control

The Associated Press wrote on June 20:

“The Ebola outbreak ravaging West Africa is ‘totally out of control,’ according to a senior official for Doctors Without Borders, who says the medical group is stretched to the limit in responding. The outbreak has caused more deaths than any other of the disease, said another official with the medical charity. Ebola has been linked to more than 330 deaths in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, according to the World Health Organization…

“The Ebola virus, which causes internal bleeding and organ failure, spreads through direct contact with infected people. There is no cure or vaccine, so containing an outbreak focuses on supportive care for the ill and isolating them to limit the spread of the virus… the only way to stop the disease’s spread is to persuade people to come forward when symptoms occur and to avoid touching the sick and dead.

“… this outbreak is particularly challenging because it began in an area where people are very mobile and has spread to even more densely populated areas, like the capitals of Guinea and Liberia. The disease typically strikes sparsely populated areas in central or eastern Africa, where it spreads less easily… By contrast, the epicenter of this outbreak is near a major regional transport hub, the Guinean city of Gueckedou.”

The worldwide spread of contagious diseases is prophesied to occur in these end times. Note the next article as well, and read our free booklet, “Is That in the Bible?–The Mysteries of the Book of Revelation.” 

Illegal Aliens Bring Terrible Diseases to the US

World Net Daily wrote on June 19:

“Health professionals are warning of a ‘humanitarian crisis’ festering in Texas and Arizona as a result of unchecked border crossings of illegal-immigrant children into border communities. Cramped conditions and the spread of difficult-to-treat diseases has doctors worried in the wake of a massive influx of children coming across the Mexican-U.S. border, many of them from Central and South America. Outbreaks of scabies, lice, dengue fever, tuberculosis and other diseases – many of them contagious – are already being documented among the children and in some border agents who work among them…

“… some rare cases of leprosy have even been reported in immigrants coming across the approximately 2,000-mile border with Mexico… a scabies outbreak began more than a month ago, and now reports of various viruses are beginning to surface. Scabies is a contagious skin disease marked by a severe, painful rash. Tuberculosis is an airborne communicable disease caused by bacteria that is spread from person to person. Symptoms include fever, night sweats, coughing, chest pains and weight loss…

“Late last week, Texas public health officials confirmed a new wave of dengue fever has cropped up in the southernmost tip of Texas, marking the first outbreak the state has seen since 2005…”

The White House’s Fascination with LGBT Rights

Reuters wrote on June 19:

“The United States on Thursday cut aid to Uganda, imposed visa restrictions and canceled a regional military exercise in response to a Ugandan law that imposes harsh penalties on homosexuality. The White House said in a statement the measures were intended to ‘reinforce our support for human rights of all Ugandans regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.’

“Homosexuality is taboo in most African countries and illegal in 37, including in Uganda where it has been a crime since British rule. Uganda’s new law, signed by President Yoweri Museveni in February, imposes jail terms of up to life for ‘aggravated homosexuality’ which includes homosexual sex with a minor or while HIV-positive. Widely condemned by donor countries, the law also criminalizes lesbianism for the first time and makes it a crime to help individuals engage in homosexual acts…

‘Uganda is a key Western ally in the fight against Islamic extremism in Somalia, where Ugandan troops [form] the backbone of the African Union force battling al Qaeda-aligned militants…

“In Kampala, a government official asked about the U.S. measures said that Uganda would not alter its decision to toughen laws against homosexuals. ‘Uganda is a sovereign country and can never bow to anybody or be blackmailed by anybody on a decision it took in its interests, even if it involves threats to cut off all financial assistance,’ [a] government spokesman… said.”

Note the following reported excerpts from President Obama’s speech on June 17 during a LGBT fundraiser:

“…Pride Month is a time for celebration, and this year we’ve got a lot to celebrate. If you think about everything that’s happened in the last 12 months, it is remarkable. In nine more states you’re now free to marry the person you love—that includes my two home states of Hawaii and Illinois. The NFL drafted its first openly gay player. The U.S. Postal Service made history by putting an openly gay person on a stamp—the late, great Harvey Milk smiling from ear to ear… we’ve been able to do more to protect the rights of lesbian and gay, and bisexual and transgender Americans than any administration in history… We repealed ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,’ because no one should have to hide who you love to serve the country we love… Before I took office, only one openly gay judge had been confirmed in history. We have 10 more…”

Nothing to be proud of, really.

In Germany Too…

On June 21, 2014, the website of berlin.de reported the following:

“The first Christopher Street Day (CSD) in Berlin was celebrated on the 30th of June 1979. Since then the gay community has extended its political agenda, broadened the definition of diversity and pushed the fight for equality.  Up to 500,000 people celebrate the CSD in Berlin, which is also known as the biggest gay-lesbian ‘holiday’…

“The Christopher Street Day is held in memory of the first big uprising of homosexuals against police assaults in Greenwich Village (New York, USA) on June 27, 1969. The so-called Stonewall Riots took place in a bar called Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street. In Germany, Christopher Street Day was celebrated in 1979 in Bremen and Berlin for the first time.”

The website of visitberlin.de added:

“Christopher Street Day is held in Berlin in June of every year. Lesbians, gay men, transgender people, intersex and bisexual people demonstrate here for equal rights and protest against all forms of discrimination in society. But it is also a joyful occasion, as on CSD, demonstrators celebrate the rights they have won over the last few decades. Pride Week traditionally takes place the week prior to CSD in Berlin, which is packed full with parties, events, and street festivals…

“CSD Berlin is a huge party on the streets of Berlin – and at the same time it is becoming increasingly more political. For example, people protest for equal marriage rights. Every year, there is a special motto which sums up the main CSD demands. About half a million people demonstrate for the rights of homosexual, bisexual, transsexual, and transgender people – heterosexual people also come along to support them…”

The website of cologne.de reported on June 6:

“Cologne stands for ‘joie de vivre’, cultural diversity, tolerance and optimism. For many years now, Cologne has established itself as one of Europe’s centres for gay and lesbian life.

“The most important event in the gay and lesbian calendar is the Christopher Street Day (CSD). Every year on the first weekend of July half a million participants and visitors celebrate and demonstrate in the city centre. Aside from the partying and the fun, there is always a political focus that is illustrated through a new motto each year. For those who are lucky enough to visit Cologne for longer than a weekend, during the two weeks prior to the CSD there are all kinds of gay and lesbian events on offer…

“Together, on the 6th July at the CSD Parade they will demonstrate that lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transsexuals will be equally treated legally and socially accepted… Cologne Pride and WomenPride offer something for every gay and lesbian, and their friends.”

Those who adhere to the injunctions of the Bible will soon become a much hated and despised “minority,” “unworthy of living” in a “tolerant” and “enlightened” democracy…

Presbyterian General Assembly’s Vote on Same-Sex Marriages an “Abomination”

The Associated Press reported on June 19:

“The top legislative body of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) voted by large margins Thursday to recognize same-sex marriage as Christian in the church constitution, adding language that marriage can be the union of ‘two people,’ not just ‘a man and a woman.’

“The amendment approved by the Presbyterian General Assembly requires approval from a majority of the 172 regional presbyteries, which will vote on the change over the next year. But in a separate policy change that takes effect at the end of this week’s meeting, delegates voted to allow ministers to preside at gay weddings in states where the unions are legal and local congregational leaders approve. Nineteen states and the District of Columbia recognize same-sex marriage.

“The votes, during a national meeting in Detroit, were a sweeping victory for Presbyterian gay-rights advocates. The denomination in 2011 eliminated barriers to ordaining clergy with same-sex partners, but ministers were still barred from celebrating gay marriages and risked church penalties for doing so…

“Bill Norton, of the Presbytery de Cristo, which covers parts of Arizona and New Mexico, urged the assembly to delay any changes. ‘We are laying hands on something that is holy, that God has given us, so we need to be sure any changes we make are in accord with God’s will revealed in Scripture,’ Norton said…

“The conservative Presbyterian Lay Committee decried the votes in Detroit as an ‘abomination.’…  ‘The General Assembly has committed an express repudiation of the Bible, the mutually agreed upon Confessions of the PCUSA, thousands of years of faithfulness to God’s clear commands and the denominational ordination vows of each concurring commissioner,’ the Presbyterian Lay Committee said in a statement.

“Of the mainline Protestant denominations, only the United Church of Christ supports gay marriage outright. The Episcopal Church has approved a prayer service for blessing same-sex unions. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has eliminated barriers for gay clergy but allows regional and local church officials to decide their own policies on ordination and blessings for same-sex couples…”

The Bible is very clear on this issue, and “debates” only ensue because the “carnal mind” is enmity to the law of God; it does not want to and cannot be subject to God’s Will. 

Methodists Divided on Same-Sex Marriages

The Guardian wrote on June 24:

“A United Methodist Church appeals panel has overturned the church’s decision to defrock a pastor who presided over his son’s same-sex wedding ceremony and said he would perform other gay marriages if asked. He can return to the pulpit.

“The nine-person panel ordered the church to restore Frank Schaefer’s pastoral credentials, saying the jury that convicted him of breaking church law erred when fashioning his punishment. ‘I’ve devoted my life to this church, to serving this church, and to be restored and to be able to call myself a reverend again and to speak with this voice means so much to me,’ an exultant Schaefer told the Associated Press, adding he intends to work for gay rights ‘with an even stronger voice from within the United Methodist Church’.

“The church suspended Frank Schaefer, of Pennsylvania, last year for officiating his son’s 2007 wedding. The church then defrocked Schaefer because he wouldn’t promise never to preside over another gay ceremony. Schaefer appealed, arguing the decision was wrong because it was based on an assumption he would break church law in the future.

“The appeals panel, which met last week to hear the case, upheld a 30-day suspension that Schaefer has already served and said he should get back-pay dating to when the suspension ended in December. The jury’s punishment was illegal under church law, the appeals panel concluded, writing in its decision that ‘revoking his credentials cannot be squared with the well-established principle that our clergy can only be punished for what they have been convicted of doing in the past, not for what they may or may not do in the future.’

“The topic of gay marriage has long roiled the United Methodist Church, the nation’s second-largest Protestant denomination. Hundreds of Methodist ministers have publicly rejected church doctrine on homosexuality, which allows for gay members but bars ‘self-avowed practicing homosexuals’ from becoming clergy and forbids ministers from performing same-sex marriages.

“Traditionalists say clergy have no right to break church law just because they disagree with it. Some conservative pastors are calling for a breakup of the denomination, which has 12 million members worldwide, saying the split over gay marriage is irreconcilable…”

Pope Takes on the Mafia

Reuters reported on June 21:

“Pope Francis on Saturday took on one of Italy’s most dangerous organised crime groups, calling it an example of ‘the adoration of evil and saying Mafiosi ‘are excommunicated’. The pope, speaking about the ‘Ndrangheta crime group during a mass in… southern Italy, issued the strongest attacks on organised crime since the late Pope John Paul lambasted the Sicilian Mafia in 1993. ‘Those who in their lives follow this path of evil, as mafiosi do, are not in communion with God. They are excommunicated,’ Pope Francis said in impromptu comments at a mass before tens of thousands of people.

“He told the crowd: ‘This evil must be fought against, it must be pushed aside. We must say no to it.’ He branded the ‘Ndrangheta as the ‘adoration of evil and contempt of the common good’ and said the Church would exert its full force in efforts to combat organised crime.”

The pope is surely living dangerously. 

Sun Worship and Mass Yoga Practice at Stonehenge

The Associated Press reported on June 21:

“Self-styled Druids, new-agers and thousands of revelers have watched the sun rise above the ancient stone circle at Stonehenge to mark the summer solstice – the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. English Heritage, which manages the monument, says some 36,000 sun-watchers gathered on the Salisbury Plain about 80 miles (130 kilometers) southwest of London on Saturday. Police say the event was peaceful with only 25 arrests, mainly for drug offenses.

“Couples kissed, dancers circled with hoops and revelers took part in a mass yoga practice as part of the free-form celebrations. Stonehenge was built in three phases between 3000 B.C. and 1600 B.C. and its purpose… remains under study. An icon of Britain, it remains one of its most popular tourist attractions.”

Everything goes… only God’s Truth is being suppressed in this Satanic world…

Schools With Dictatorial Authority in Britain

The Telegraph wrote on June 23:

“A defiant mum says she is prepared to go to prison after her son’s primary school banned him from attending her wedding. Clare Whitelegg, 30, is flouting the ruling by taking her nine-year-old son Riley Bryant out of school to witness her tying the knot with fiancé Andy McLeary, 37. Police communications operator Clare wrote to Clive Church of England School in Shrewsbury, Shrops., asking for permission to let Riley miss three days this week.  But the school refused, claiming the wedding failed to fulfil the criteria of ‘exceptional circumstances’ necessary to legitimately take children out of class in term time.

“The couple, from Shrewsbury, Shrops., are now facing a criminal prosecution by taking Riley out of school so he can watch them get married in Clare’s hometown of Newquay, Cornwall… If parents fail to ensure their children attend school, they may be issued with penalty notices of £50 to £100. Prosecution can result in a fine of up to £2,500, a jail sentence of up to three months or a community sentence.

“Miss Whitelegg and Mr McLeary, a police officer with West Mercia Police, have been together for three years and will tie the knot in Newquay on Tuesday. Parents can put in requests for term-time holidays, but they are granted or refused entirely at the head teacher’s discretion and are not a parental right.”

This is truly ridiculous, and our so-called individual freedoms in “democratic” countries are highly dubious… Governments take over with questionable means and results…

“Prehistoric Remains Complicate Picture of Human Evolution”

The Washington Post wrote on June 19:

“In a cave in northern Spain, a team of scientists has retrieved the remains of 28 prehistoric humans, members of an enigmatic species that could be described as a little bit Neanderthal. They had Neanderthal faces, with heavy brows and protruding noses. They had powerful mandibles and mouths that could open extremely wide, indicating that they used their teeth as gripping tools. But they didn’t have the large skulls or other robust skeletal features seen in the prototypical Neanderthals who, hundreds of millennia later, roamed Ice Age Europe…

“The discovery does not dramatically change the general picture of human evolution, but it complicates it a bit, providing new evidence that there were many distinct, and largely isolated, human species existing simultaneously…

“[Scientists] think these proto-Neanderthals possessed the power of speech and lived in social groups… There are few human ancestors more intriguing than the Neanderthals, who could be described as the best example in the history of the planet of an intelligent species that has gone extinct. They had large craniums and larger brains than modern humans (although that doesn’t mean they were smarter). They existed as recently as about 30,000 years ago, when their kind disappears from the fossil record.

“How they died out, and why, and to what extent they may have interbred with anatomically modern humans is an ongoing source of debate and contentiousness among highly credentialed scientists… But as a species, the Neanderthal vanished. In their place came anatomically modern humans, who evolved in Africa and are the ancestors of everyone alive today.

“The Neanderthals, [one expert] said, ‘obviously were very intuitively smart. They were great toolmakers. They were ingenious. They were resourceful. They were living through difficult times.’…”

The sad truth is, Evolutionists and Scientists do not know what they are talking about. The reason is that they reject God’s infallible Word, the Bible, and come up with their fanciful ideas as to how there could be human beings today without a Creator. All their speculations regarding the Neanderthal and “related species” are just wrong. For an accurate understanding, please read our free booklet, “The Theory of Evolution—a Fairy Tale for Adults?” 

The twelfth chapter of the Book of Revelation contains some focal points in the vast role Satan has held in God’s government. In particular, verse 4 reveals the first rebellion of Satan and one-third of the angels who followed him (called “ruler of the demons” in Mark 3:22). This verse also clearly establishes the adversarial position of Satan against “the Child”—Jesus Christ—and “the woman.”

We stated the following about the “woman” in our free booklet, “Is That in the Bible? The Mysteries of the Book of Revelation,” page 78: 

“The woman is pictured as being clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and with a garland of 12 stars on her head (Revelation 12:1). In Genesis 37:9–11, Jacob and his wife Rachel, Joseph’s mother, are symbolized as the sun and the moon, and Joseph’s brothers are symbolized as eleven stars, bowing down to Joseph. It appears, therefore, to be very plausible that the TWELVE stars in Revelation 12:1 refer to the TWELVE tribes of Israel (including Joseph).

“Revelation 12:2–5 refers to the fact that Mary gave birth to Jesus Christ and that Satan attempted unsuccessfully to kill Christ through King Herod (Revelation 12:4; Matthew 2:13, 16).

“We understand that the woman is, first of all, symbolic for Eve (Genesis 3:15); then for the Old Testament Church which would evolve from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and Jacob’s TWELVE sons, and which would become known as the Church of Israel in the wilderness; then for Mary, the mother of Christ; and—subsequent to Christ’s ascension—for the New Testament Church of God (compare Matthew 25:1; Ephesians 5:22–32; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Galatians 4: 26).”

Now carefully note the reason for Satan’s attempt to destroy the “Child”:

“She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her child was caught up to God and His throne” (Revelation 12:5).

The rule over all nations has been held by Satan. On page 41 of our booklet, “Angels, Demons and the Spirit World” (reprinted version from 2010), we state:

“Satan, the prince of darkness, is still ruling on this earth. Revelation 2:13 tells us expressly that Satan has a ‘throne’ here on earth. He holds the people of this world captive to do his will (2 Timothy 2:26). He has authority over all the kingdoms of this world (Luke 4:5–7). He is called the ‘ruler of this world’ in John 14:30. He is even called the ‘god of this age’ in 2 Corinthians 4:4. Satan is called ‘the prince of the power of the air’ in Ephesians 2:2.”

Even after the birth of Jesus Christ, Satan sought to cause His murder through influencing Herod the king (compare Matthew 2); he personally confronted Jesus in an attempt to cause Him to sin—thus disqualifying Himself (compare Matthew  4:1-11); and he possessed Judas in order to bring about the death of Jesus (compare Luke 22:1-6; John 13:27).

Before His death, Jesus said, “‘Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out’” (John 12:31); we also have this statement about Jesus: “Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God” (John 13:3); and, Jesus replied to Pilate’s question, “‘You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world…’” (John 18:37).

Following His resurrection, we find this testimony about Jesus Christ:

“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11).

In the Book of Hebrews, it is shown that ultimate rulership will be given to the Family of God—which is why Satan also sought to destroy the “woman,” who is also representative of those who would receive salvation:

“For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. But one testified in a certain place, saying: ‘What is man that You are mindful of him, Or the son of man that You take care of him? You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, And set him over the works of Your hands. You have put all things in subjection under his feet.’ For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone” (Hebrews 2:5-9).

In summarizing chapter 11 of Hebrews, it is revealed that throughout the history of man, individuals were and are being prepared for the Kingdom of God:

“And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us” (Hebrews 11:39-40).

Jesus Christ, in His messages to the Church of God, as found in chapters 2 and 3 of Revelation, speaks of future rewards—note what is said to the church in Thyatira:

“‘But hold fast what you have till I come. And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—“He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels”– as I also have received from My Father’” (Revelation 2:25-27).

Satan seeks to destroy mankind (compare Job 1 and 2; 1 Peter 5:8), just as he sought to destroy the Son of God. Jesus Christ and those who are the “firstfruits” (compare James 1:18; Revelation 14:1-5) will establish the rule of the Kingdom of God on the earth, and this will mean the end of Satan’s authority, along with that of the demons (compare Revelation 20:1-3; 18:2).

Note that there is coming a very specific time in the future when Jesus Christ will return to this earth to assume the rule for which He has already qualified:

“Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!’” (Revelation 11:15).

In the Book of Daniel, the establishment of God’s everlasting Kingdom under Jesus Christ is foretold:

“‘I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed’” (Daniel 7:13-14; compare Daniel 2:44).

In addition, this timing includes the “saints”—those who will reign and rule with Christ for a thousand years (compare Revelation 20:4):

“‘I was watching; and the same [little] horn [a religious leader and power] was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them, until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom…

“‘Then the kingdom and dominion, And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And all dominions shall serve and obey Him’” (Daniel 7:21-22, 27).

Right now, Satan is the ruler of this earth; however, he has already been disqualified and Jesus will remove him upon His return. Consider how in elections for President, Prime Minister and other offices, there is a time span between nomination and actual inauguration. A similar example can be found in the anointing of David as king over Israel. It occurred when David was still a child (compare 1 Samuel 16:1-13), but he did not ascend to the throne of Israel until the age of thirty (compare 2 Samuel 2:4; 5:1-5).

Now, with this background, let us examine Revelation 12:10:

“Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, ‘Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.’”

From this verse, we understand that Satan has been able—for a long time—to find fault and to bring accusations against the saints of God. Even so, we know that Jesus Christ serves as our High Priest in these circumstances:

“Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us” (Romans 8:34; compare Hebrews 7:25).

However, Satan’s access to heaven or his right to appear before God will have ended just before the time of great tribulation. Revelation 12, verses 7-9, describe a final war in heaven in which Satan and “his angels” are defeated and “cast down” to the earth. Satan’s reaction is that of revenge:

“Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time” (Revelation 12:12).

We do not know the exact timing of the final spiritual war in heaven and Satan’s fall to the earth—whether these events will take place in the not-too-distant future; whether they are taking place right now; or whether they have already taken place. But we know for sure that the beginning of the Great Tribulation cannot be that far off (compare Matthew 24:32-33).

Until Christ’s return, Satan is still the ruler of the earth, but in any event, his time is short (compare Romans 16:20). Let this knowledge inspire us to more fervently pray to God the Father, “Your kingdom come!”

Lead Writer: Dave Harris

Our new booklet, “Old Testament Laws — Still Valid Today?,” has been mailed to our subscribers, and it is posted on our webpage. If you would like a free copy, it is available upon request.

“America Has Won Its Last War!,” is the title of our new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

Until his death in 1986, Herbert W. Armstrong proclaimed many times that with World War II, America had won its last war. Was he right? A remarkable recent article in the Huffington Post confirms his prediction. But how did he know, and why has America been so unsuccessful? And why is it so powerless today in regard to the present disastrous conditions in Iraq and the speedy advance of militant Islamist groups, such as ISIS and ISIL? Your Bible gives you the answers, and our booklets help you to understand. On this program, we offer free copies of “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America,” “Should You Fight in War?” and “Old Testament Laws-Still Valid Today?”

“It is Satan’s Fault!,” the sermon given last Sabbath, is now posted–here is a summary:

Is Satan responsible for all the evil which we may encounter in our lives? Is it his fault when we don’t overcome sin? Of course, Satan has deceived the whole world, and he is the god of this present age. However, Christ came to deliver us from the power of Satan and to bring us to God. The Bible shows us that we can conquer Satan, but we are admonished not to turn away from the truth. Many have done this over the years, because they ignored important facts about Satan’s goal and intention. God declares to us that we will be victorious over Satan, when we draw near to God and stay close to Him. Do you know where you can find these promises in your Bible?

“Erschafft Gott das Böse?,” is the title of this week’s German sermon. Title in English: “Does God Create Evil?

On June 21, 2014, Norbert Link will give the sermon, titled, “It is Satan’s Fault!”

The live services are available, over video and audio, at www.cognetservices.org (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.

Following the Feast of Pentecost, we are reminded of the power and Holy Spirit of God made available to mankind. The tremendous ability of the Spirit allows us to do things that are physically impossible. That is not to say that we can leap over buildings or lift cars above our heads if we have the Holy Spirit. Rather, with the Holy Spirit we have the ability to perform spiritual feats of strength. The Holy Spirit gives man the mind of God, and with that the ability to understand His truth in a spiritual way. The gift is marvelous!

However, we all are still obliged to live a life with a physical existence. A natural tension exists between the physical and spiritual life, which is expressed throughout the Bible. This tension forces a necessary choice on our part—to live in such a way that we may receive the gift of life, or in a way deserving the penalty of death (Romans 6:23). Paul wrote to the Romans about this spiritual distinction between the physical and spiritual life, “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Romans 8:5-6). Paul emphasizes that we can affect our way of life by controlling the things that we set our mind on. What do you set your mind on? Are you concerned with spiritual matters, or things that have a mere physical consequence?

This is a powerful concept if we are willing and able to harness it. By controlling the things that concern us, we improve our ability to overcome this world. If we discontinue our concern with purely physical, the physical world ceases to sway us. Temptation becomes less and less powerful through the Spirit. Satan has a serious influence over the world, and causes many to neglect the spiritually important matters, such as the fruit which we are directed to bear (Galatians 5:22), but through the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ and His Life in us, we too can overcome that influence, after having obtained forgiveness for our past sins.

Setting our mind on spiritual matters instead of physical things might also help us through a trial. Are the trials that we experience physical or spiritual? Do we find relief if we drop the concern for our desired physical outcome, and focus instead on finding a way to have a correct spiritual response that pleases God?

Living as a Christian with a mission to overcome the world and the way of sin is a huge challenge. By allowing the Holy Spirit of God to live within us, Christians have the ability to do just that. In fact, that is the only way that one can do it. By setting our minds on the spiritual things of God, we set aside the sins of the world, which so easily ensnare us (Hebrews 12:1).

We begin with reporting on the terrible developments in Iraq; the dangerous self-delusion of politicians like Tony Blair; and America’s helplessness in a situation of their own making. We also report on the real goals of the murderous Sunni Islamist terrorist organization, ISIS.

We continue with focusing on Russia and Ukraine and the ongoing lies of Vladimir Putin.

We point out the events surrounding the abominable gay parade and other activities in Tel Aviv and the incredible support of the American ambassador, coupled with the shameful conduct of German politicians against a lawyer and local politician in Angela Merkel’s party who raised his minority voice against public homosexual practices.

We conclude, among others, with controversial statements by Pope Francis. Although he might have had other intentions, his comments bring to mind serious past misconduct of the Roman Catholic Church.

Thanks to America, Britain and Their Allies, Iraq Is Falling Apart

The Independent wrote on June 13:

“Iraq is breaking up… Government rule over the Sunni Arab heartlands of north and central Iraq is evaporating as its 900,000-strong army disintegrates…

“The nine-year Shia dominance over Iraq, established after the US, Britain and other allies overthrew Saddam Hussein, may be coming to an end. The Shia… will have great difficulty in re-establishing their authority over Sunni provinces from which their army has fled…

“The Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that Iran would act… Iran emerged as the most influential foreign power in Baghdad after 2003. As a fellow Shia-majority state, Iraq matters even more to Iran than Syria. Iran will be deeply alarmed by the appearance of a fanatically Sunni proto-state hostile to all Shia in western Iraq and eastern Syria…”

Nobody should be able to deny that the 2003 invasion caused the present crisis in Iraq. But some do, one of whom is Tony Blair.

According to BBC News, dated June 15, Blair “told the BBC there would still be a ‘major problem’ in Iraq even without the toppling of Saddam Hussein in 2003.” The article went on to say that “Critics have rejected the comments as ‘bizarre’ with one accusing Mr. Blair of ‘washing his hands of responsibility’… Sir Christopher Meyer, Britain’s ambassador to the US from 1997 to 2003, said the handling of the campaign against Saddam Hussein was ‘perhaps the most significant reason’ for the current sectarian violence.”

We would have to agree with Sir Christopher Meyer.

According to the Independent, dated June 15, 2014, Tony Blair even “rejected claims that he was to blame, saying that if the West had not rid Iraq of Saddam Hussein, the crisis in the Middle East would be worse.” 

This is really the epitome of self-delusion and irrational self-justification, but it is also a very dangerous line of thinking.

America Powerless—Again!

On June 11, the Independent wrote:

“Events in northern Iraq are a fearsome demonstration of what has become ever clearer over the last three years: America is losing control of the Middle East. A region seen since the discovery of oil as the central pivot of Western international policy is victim to raging wars which Washington and its allies are powerless to stop… It may be of little consolation to President Obama and certainly no mitigation for his critics, but everyone else is losing control too…

“As for Iraq, to say that its rulers have proved inadequate to the task of maintaining sovereignty and unity… would be a euphemism. Western diplomats lavished praise on them for two successful elections even as they lost a third of the country to jihadists…

“Some will ask is this really how a century of western policy is to end?

“Is this the purpose for which so many thousands of British, American and other lives have been lost?”

The American military adventure in Iraq was a terrible mistake, and the condition over there is now much worse than it had EVER been before. But has the USA learned from its mistakes?

Obama Sends US Troops to Iraq

The Daily Mail wrote on June 16:

“President Obama announced on Monday evening that US ground troops ‘equipped for combat’ are being sent to Iraq – just days after claiming that no American soldiers would be deployed to the war-torn country. In a letter to Congress, the president said American troops will be returning to Iraq only three years after they left and their deployment began on Sunday.

“However, Obama said that their only purpose will specifically be to protect US personnel and the US Embassy in Baghdad – and not join in the fierce fighting raging outside the Iraqi capital… Much of the embassy staff will stay in place, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement released Sunday. The statement did not say the number of personnel affected. The embassy, along the Tigris River in Baghdad’s Green Zone, has about 5,000 personnel and is the largest U.S. diplomatic post in the world.”

Deutsche Welle added on June 16:

“Obama said he was notifying Congress under the War Power Resolution, which allows a US president to deploy troops without the consent of the houses, but places a 60-day time limit on the length of time troops are stationed.”

Iraq Powder Keg Could Ignite Broader Conflict

Deutsche Welle wrote on June 18:

“Sitting at the heart of the Middle East, Iraq shares a border with virtually every major power in the region. The rapid advance of Sunni Islamist militants in Iraq could spark a broader regional conflict. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal warned a meeting of Arab and Muslim leaders in Jeddah on Wednesday that ‘this grave situation that is storming Iraq carries with it the signs of civil war whose implications for the region we cannot fathom.’

“Al-Faisal called on Iraq’s Shiite-led government to address the grievances of the country’s Sunni community. He also warned against ‘foreign interference’ in Iraq, a veiled jibe at Saudi Arabia’s archrival, Iran. Tehran has said that it would intervene on behalf of Iraq, if Baghdad asked for assistance in its fight against the Sunni extremist Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The Wall Street Journal has reported that Iranian units have already been deployed to protect Shia holy sites in Karbala and Najaf and to stabilize the situation in Baghdad…

“Formerly called al Qaeda in Iraq, the Sunni militants who now make up ISIS have used the civil war in Syria to regroup, after they were decimated by US troops during Washington’s occupation of Iraq. The recent advances made by ISIS against Baghdad present both risks and opportunities for the Saudis and the Iranians…

“As Iran and Saudi Arabia stake out their positions, NATO member Turkey also has vital interests at stake in the Iraq crisis… Ankara has long been concerned about a move by Iraqi Kurdistan toward greater independence, which it fears could embolden Turkey’s own Kurdish minority. In the past, Turkish forces have regularly conducted cross-border raids into northern Iraq, targeting alleged Kurdish militants there…”

Iran, a Shia state, is worried about the Sunni extremists. Iran’s involvement is strictly for self-serving purposes, and to establish itself as the dominant nation in the region.

According to Bild Online, dated June 16, 2014, the radical murderers of ISIS want to go back to 630 AD, prohibiting the consumption of alcohol and assembling together. Hands of thieves are to be cut off, and women are only to leave their houses if absolutely necessary. Citizens are to be ordered to pray at least five times a day. At the same time, this ungodly terrorist organization is apparently publically executing members of the Iraqi army and others by beheading them. Experts say that ISIS looks at Allah as their god of war; that they want to resurrect the wars of Mohammed, which were fought around 630 AD; and that their goal is to establish a Sunni “state of God,” stretching from Sinai to Kuwait and from Southern Turkey to Northern Saudi Arabia.

Is ISIS Planning to Attack Britain?

Breitbart wrote on June 18:

“Prime Minister David Cameron claimed this afternoon the extreme Islamist group ISIS are planning to attack Britain. Speaking during Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons today, Cameron warned that the threat is now bigger than jihadis returning from terror training in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

“Latest figures suggest that some 400 Britons are fighting for ISIS in Syria, but the number may be far greater if you also factor in Iraq…”

“This is a War, and Russia Is Involved”

On June 14, following the activities of Pro-Russian separatists shooting down a Ukrainian aircraft carrying 49 soldiers near the eastern city of Luhansk, Deutsche Welle conducted and published an interview with Kyryl Savin from the Heinrich Böll Foundation’s Kyiv office. We are quoting some excerpts:

“This is the biggest misfortune in the Ukraine government’s anti-terrorist operation. On the one hand, there is, of course, grief over the tragic deaths of the soldiers, especially among family members. At the same time, there’s also growing anger aimed at the government, the president, and those responsible, who have allowed something like this to happen. Because everyone is wondering: how could a military aircraft land at an airport that wasn’t secure?…

“That [this is part of a war] has been the case in my opinion for the past few weeks, essentially since Russian tanks crossed the Ukrainian border… Russia still won’t admit that it’s involved in this war… But honestly, we’ve been dealing with Russian weapons for some time. These tanks don’t just suddenly appear on the street so that they can be used against the Ukrainian military. I’m convinced that it is a war, and the next thing we’ll see is likely to be a major battle for the city of Luhansk…

“In my view [it is] absolutely obvious [that Russian President Vladimir Putin is supplying the separatists with weapons on a large scale]. It’s also not the first time this kind of thing has happened. Just a few weeks ago in eastern Ukraine, a military helicopter was shot down using the same missiles. These are advanced weapons that can’t simply be bought anywhere on the market, not even on the Russian black market. Every expert knows that. They should just stop with the lies and speak plainly: This is a war, and Russia is a party in this military conflict…

“I think that the [Ukrainian] military will now come down much harder on the separatists. There is a lot of anger among the public. People are wondering why the newly elected President Petro Poroschenko isn’t doing anything, either to bring about negotiations and peace, or to move with force and take quick decisive action. So far neither has happened…”

The connections and common interests between Putin and Poroschenko have, so far, not been properly analyzed in the mass media.

Fates of Russia and Ukraine “Intertwined”

The New York Times wrote on June 14:

“Ukraine continues to dominate public discourse in Russia. Nothing else really competes…

“Various factors fuel all the attention. First, naturally, is the worry that a full-blown war could erupt out of the skirmishing just across the border, with the Russian military involved overtly or covertly. Second is the sense that the fates of the two countries are intertwined, rooted in a shared history and culture, as well as myriad family ties. Third, and perhaps most telling, the March annexation of Crimea put most Russians in a euphoric mood that has not diminished. The fact that the annexation has infused the public with a sense of greatness they had lost sent Mr. Putin’s favorability ratings soaring above 80 percent month after month, and the government itself keeps its focus firmly on Ukraine. His political allies are ecstatic…

“Despite the simmering conflict next door, experts of all stripes note a distinctive shift in mood that remains firmly in place three months after Crimea’s annexation. Ukraine and its Western allies condemn the annexation as illegal, but there is no sign anyone is trying to get Crimea back.”

The fates of Russia and Ukraine are indeed “intertwined,” in that they will ultimately become allies which will be hostile to Europe.

Tensions Escalate Between Russia and Ukraine—No More Gas for Ukraine?

The Washington Times wrote on June 16:

“Russian authorities said Monday they will cut off gas supplies to Ukraine over unpaid bills, leaving the struggling nation in a tight spot to heat homes and fuel businesses. ‘Gazprom supplies to Ukraine only the amount that has been paid for, and the amount that has been paid for is zero,’ said Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov in The Associated Press.

“He also said that supplies will continue to be delivered to Europe [almost 15% of gas used in Europe comes from Russia via Ukraine] and it’s still Ukraine’s responsibility to make these supplies get there. At the same time, Gazprom did send a statement to the European Commission warning of a ‘possible disruption in the gas transit,’ AP said. The worry is Ukraine might siphon off some of Europe’s gas supplies.

“The financially struggling Ukraine has been in arrears on gas payments for some time.”

BBC News added on June 16:

“Ukraine says Russia has cut off all gas supplies to Kiev, in a major escalation of a dispute between the two nations…

“Earlier this month, Gazprom gave Ukraine more time to settle its gas bill after receiving a part-payment of $786m (£469m). Ukraine said it refused to clear its debts completely in protest at Gazprom’s recent 80% price increase. Gazprom ended its discount price for Ukraine… in April.

“Before the discount was cancelled, Ukraine’s gas bill was heavily reduced by Russia to $268 per 1,000 cubic metres. The price is now $485.50 per 1,000 cubic metres, the highest in Europe…

“Heading into the negotiations, Kiev said it was ready to make the $1.95bn payment if Russia cut its price to $326 per 1,000 cubic metres. But Russian President Vladimir Putin said $385 per 1,000 cubic metres was his final offer.”

Europe Turns On Israel

The Times of Israel wrote on June 16:

“Jerusalem has summoned the European Union’s top representative in Israel to the Foreign Ministry to protest a declaration the Union issued together with the Arab League, calling it one-sided and biased against Israel…  ‘The declaration was so blatantly one-sided, it basically read as if it was dictated by the Arab League,’ a senior Foreign Ministry official told The Times of Israel. ‘It hails the Fatah-Hamas union and praises the Palestinians’ “commitment to democracy and human rights,” but doesn’t reflect negatively in any way on the rockets fired from Gaza at our citizens, or anything else the Palestinians do wrong.’

“The 10-page declaration does not explicitly mention Hamas, nor does it mention rocket attacks against Israeli civilians or any other form of Palestinian terrorism, merely condemning ‘all acts of violence against civilians’ and calling for ‘full respect of international humanitarian law.’ On the other hand, the declaration… is not short of harsh criticism for alleged Israeli violations. For instance, the European and Arab foreign ministers expressed concern over the ‘grave humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip largely caused by the closure imposed by the Occupying Power,’ according to the declaration.

“The ministers also ‘stressed their common position that Israeli settlements, the separation barrier built anywhere in the occupied Palestinian territory, home demolitions and evictions are illegal under international law and constitute obstacles for peace and they endanger the viability of the two-state solution.’ Furthermore, the ministers reaffirmed their concern regarding ‘unilateral measures’ in violation of international law, such as the ‘settlement activities in occupied East Jerusalem.’ They called for the release of Palestinian prisoners ‘in accordance with previous agreements’ and demanded an end to Israel’s ‘excessive use of administrative detention in contravention of international law.’

“The European and Arab ministers also welcomed the establishment of the Palestinian unity government ‘as an important element for reaching a two-state solution,’ calling on Israel to cooperate with the new government. ‘The Ministers welcomed Palestine’s commitment to democracy and human rights as expressed by its accession to relevant international treaties and conventions,’ the statement read…”

EU Very Late in Condemning Kidnapping of Israeli Teens

The Jerusalem Post wrote on June 17:

“Following Jerusalem’s fury over a lack of response from Ashton’s office… the EU condemned on Tuesday the kidnapping of three Israeli teenagers in the West Bank, calling for their immediate release and safe return five days after the abduction took place… The European Union’s remarks trailed various statements from other entities in the international community that poured in by Sunday, immediately following announcements that the yeshiva student[s] had been taken from a hitchhiking point in Gush Etzion.

“On Monday, diplomatic sources in Jerusalem said EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton’s failure to quickly condemn the kidnappings of Israeli youths had ‘not gone unnoticed.’ The officials said that while the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Spain, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the International Committee of the Red Cross all condemned the kidnappings by Sunday, as of Monday afternoon there was no statement from Ashton or her office.

“In a public address on Monday night, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu urged the entire international community to condemn the attack. The European Union had been among those that had not spoken out…”

One wonders why not….

Gay Parade in Tel Aviv—Biggest of its Kind in the Middle East

The Times of Israel wrote on June 14:

“Tel Aviv was draped in rainbow colors Friday, and many of the city’s streets were closed off as over 100,000 revelers took part in the annual Gay Pride parade… Drag queens wearing heavy makeup, dresses with sequins and high heels bounced along to the music alongside scantily clad men and women.

“The city’s Gay Pride parade is the largest event of its kind in the Middle East. Tel Aviv is one of the few places in the Middle East where gays feel free to walk hand-in-hand and kiss in public. The city has emerged as one of the world’s most gay-friendly travel destinations in recent years, in sharp contrast to the rest of the region…

“Tel Aviv’s openness to gays stands in contrast to conservative Jerusalem, just a short drive away. Still, Jerusalem has a small gay scene and an annual pride parade, albeit on a much smaller scale. Gays serve openly in Israel’s military and parliament and many popular artists and entertainers are gay. However, leaders of the gay community say Israel still has far to go in promoting equality.

“Officially, there is no gay marriage in Israel, primarily because there is no civil marriage of any kind. All Jewish weddings must be conducted through the Jewish rabbinate, which considers homosexuality a sin and a violation of Jewish law. But the state recognizes same-sex couples who marry abroad.

“Across the rest of the Middle East, gay and lesbian relationships are mostly taboo. The pervasiveness of religion in everyday life, along with strict cultural norms, plays a major factor in that. Same-sex relations are punishable by death in Iran, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Yemen.

“Among most Palestinians, gays tend to be secretive about their social lives. In the West Bank, a 1951 Jordanian law banning homosexual acts remains in effect, as does a ban in Gaza passed by British authorities in 1936…

“According to The Daily Beast, some 100,000 gay tourists are expected to arrive in Tel Aviv this year, drawn by the city’s massive marketing push as a gay-friendly, Sabbath-breaking, free-loving hotspot on the beach…

“On Tuesday a rainbow flag indicating support for the LGBTQ community was raised over the US embassy in Tel Aviv for the first time, according to US ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro. ‘For the first time in history,’ wrote Shapiro on his Facebook page, ‘the US Embassy in Tel Aviv has raised the Pride flag together with our American flag. We are proud to join with the municipality of Tel Aviv-Yafo and its residents in celebrating LGBT Pride Week.’”

These events in Tel Aviv and elsewhere are an abomination in God’s eyes. Why do we wonder that God is angry with the modern nations of the ancient houses of Israel and Judah, especially America and Judah? But the entire Western World is engulfed in the same ungodly conduct.

As Der Tagesspiegel reported on June 13, a German lawyer and conservative politician in Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party (CDU), Sven Heibel, recently remarked that practicing homosexuality, especially in public, should be viewed again as a crime. He referred to the fact that about 20 years ago, it still was a crime in Germany (old paragraph 175 of the Criminal Law Code), and he quoted several Old Testament passages condemning homosexuality (Leviticus 18:23 and Leviticus 20:13). The aggressive and condemnatory backlash was predictable, and the CDU immediately “clarified” that Heibel’s comments did not reflect the stance of the party. His opinion was characterized by the German opposition as “despising mankind” and not in line with “democratic values.” So God, who does not change and is the same yesterday, today and forever, is despising mankind? Or is it the modern philosophy of blind and deceived politicians, educators, sociologists and other “experts” who have it all wrong?

Pelosi Pressures Catholic Archbishop to Skip Traditional Marriage March

The Washington Times reported on June 16:

“House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi sent a letter to San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, urging him to cancel his appearance at a march for traditional marriage on the Supreme Court this Thursday. The National Organization for Marriage plans to march on the Supreme Court in Washington, and Mr. Cordileone is one of the featured speakers… 

“‘We share our love of the Catholic faith and our city of San Francisco,’ Mrs. Pelosi reportedly wrote to Mr. Cordileone, urging him to abandon an event in which some of the participants, she said, show ‘disdain and hate towards LGBT persons.’ ‘If someone is gay and is searching for the Lord and has good will, then who am I to judge him?’ she asked. ‘While we may disagree on the subject of marriage equality, we do agree that every person is a child of God, possessed of the spark of divinity and worthy of respect.’

“The second annual March for Marriage seeks to draw thousands to the Supreme Court in support of “traditional marriage.” Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum are also slated to speak… San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee and Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom sent a joint letter last week asking Mr. Cordileone not to attend the march, and an outline petition demanding the same has garnered some 20,000 signatures…”

Obama Drafts Executive Order to “Protect” LGBT Rights

The Huffington Post reported on June 16:

“President Barack Obama has directed his staff to draft an executive order that would ban workplace discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees of federal contractors, a White House official told The Huffington Post. The move is the clearest indication to date that the administration is prepared to take action on LGBT rights where Congress has fallen short…

“The administration has been calling on Congress to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would make it illegal for employers nationwide to fire or harass someone based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. The bill passed the Senate, but as it stalled in the House, pressure mounted on the president to act in ways that don’t require legislative approval…

“The timing of the announcement comes a day before Obama is set to give remarks at a Democratic National Committee LGBT gala in New York City and coincides nicely with his designation of June as LGBT Pride Month…

“Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), a sponsor of the Senate’s ENDA bill, praised Obama’s move and noted that most people don’t even know that it’s still legal to fire someone based on their sexual orientation or gender identity in 32 states.”

Obama’s Presidency Is Over

The Washington Examiner wrote on June 18:

“President Obama’s approval rating has dropped to 41 percent, a majority of Americans disapprove of his handling of foreign policy issues, he has lost support from the Hispanic community and Americans actually think his administration is less competent than the Bush White House post-Hurricane Katrina, according to a new survey from the Wall Street Journal and NBC News. In short, the poll is nothing but bad news for the president.

“NBC News’ Chuck Todd said Tuesday [:]…‘This poll is a disaster for the president… You look at the presidency here: Lowest job rating, tied for the lowest; lowest on foreign policy. His administration is seen as less competent than the Bush administration, post-Katrina. On the issue of do you believe he can still lead? A majority believe no. Essentially the public is saying your presidency is over,’ Todd added.”

The NSA Scandal Won’t Go Away

Der Spiegel Online wrote on June 18:

“An analysis of secret documents leaked by Edward Snowden demonstrates that the NSA is more active in Germany than anywhere else in Europe… much remains unknown about the full scope of the intelligence service’s activities in Germany… The German government has sent lists of questions to the US government on several occasions, and a parliamentary investigative committee has begun looking into the subject in Berlin… Neither the government nor German lawmakers nor prosecutors believe they will receive answers from officials in the United States…

“According to Paragraph 99 of Germany’s criminal code, spying is illegal on German territory, yet German officials would seem to know next to nothing about the NSA’s activity in their country. For quite some time, it appears, they didn’t even want to know…

“Is it possible that the German government really knew nothing about all of these NSA activities within Germany? Are they really — as they claimed in August 2013 in response to a query from the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) – ‘unaware of the surveillance stations used by the NSA in Germany’? That is difficult to believe, especially given that the NSA has been active in Germany for decades and has cooperated closely with the country’s foreign intelligence agency, the BND, which is overseen by the Chancellery.”

Pope Francis Attempts to Defend the Indefensible!

The Times of Israel wrote on June 14:

“Pope Francis defended Pius XII’s record during World War II, calling the former pope ‘the great defender of the Jews.’…

“Critics have long accused Pius of not having done enough to help Jews during the Holocaust, while the Vatican has asserted he worked behind the scenes to save Jews… Pius XII was declared ‘venerable’ and put on the path to sainthood in 2009.

“The pope also noted the failures of the Allied powers to act more forcefully during the Holocaust. ‘I also want to say that sometimes I get “existential hives” when I see that everyone takes it out against the Church and Pius XII, and they forget the great powers,’ Francis said. ‘Did you know that they knew the rail network of the Nazis perfectly well to take the Jews to concentration camps? They had the pictures. But they did not bomb those railroad tracks. Why? It would be best if we spoke a bit about everything.’”

The Roman Catholic Church, the Protestant Church and the Allies are all guilty for failing to prevent the mass murders in Nazi Germany against Jews; Christians who dared to stand up; Arabs and a whole other range of racial, ethnic or religious minorities.

Francis Attacks Greed and Influence of Military

The Daily Mail wrote on June 14:

“Pope Francis has launched a scathing attack on the global economic system, warning it is near collapse because of a ‘throwaway culture’ of greed and the ‘atrocity’ of youth unemployment… The 77-year-old also criticised the economy – which he said had ‘fallen into a sin of idolatry, the idolatry of money’ – for surviving on the profits of war…

“Pope Francis… denounced the influence of war and the military on the global economy. He said: ‘Since we cannot wage the Third World War, we make regional wars. And what does that mean? That we make and sell arms.’…

“Pope Francis, who was elected in March 2013 after the resignation of former Pope Benedict, has been trying to reform the finances of the Vatican for the past year. Earlier this month, he sacked the five-man board of the Vatican’s financial watchdog, the Financial Information Authority, to pave the way for drastic change…”

The pope’s attack against making profits from the sales of war was obviously also directed against the Vatican Bank, as it reportedly participated greatly in such activities. Whether the pope can bring about substantial changes in this regard appears to be very doubtful.

Does Vatican Hide Pope Francis’ Declining Health?

The website of au.itimes.com wrote on June 18:

“From a hardworking and physically resilient stature since accepting the post in March 2013, Pope Francis has decided to take a breather from his demanding job to cancel all his audiences and daily masses in the month of July. The Vatican’s official news service on Monday announced the 77-year-old Argentinean spiritual leader of the 1.2-billion strong Roman Catholic church has suspended his popular Wednesday audiences in July, including his daily Mass at the Casa Santa Marta where he lives. The latter will be suspended till August.

“… there is more than meets the eye regarding the spiritual leader’s sudden desire to rest. ‘Close observers are noting that the Pope’s physical body may be failing to keep up with his youthful energy and vigor, especially considering he only has one fully functioning lung,’ longtime Vatican correspondent Edward Pentin said. Just last week, Pope Francis surprised the world when he took his first-ever two-day leave from work. ‘Some in the Holy See are beginning to openly discuss concerns about Francis’ condition and asking if the Holy Father is overtaxing himself.’

“In May… [health] expert Dr. Peter Hibberd noted the pope’s increasing difficulty breathing and weight gain of at least 20 pounds since taking office. Since the pope no longer has ample time to exercise, coupled with a rigorous workload, Hibberd said Pope Francis could be slipping in[to] a form of chronic heart failure which is common among victims of significant lung disorders. ‘His immunity will be challenged when under stress, and more frequent pauses to recover from otherwise small insults-such as colds, sore throats, and minor injuries-can be expected to increase in the future unless he paces himself.’

“Cardinal Telesphonre Placidus Toppo of India, a papal confidante, told Italy’s Libero newspaper that he found the pope in one of their meetings ‘very tired and fatigued’…”

No Creationism in British Schools—Must Teach Instead Ungodly Theory of Evolution

The website of politics.co.uk reported on June 18:

“Creationism cannot be taught as a valid scientific theory in any free school or academy, the government has said. The move, which came in a little noticed document last week, marks a significant victory for secular campaigners, who have long fought to ensure the freedom granted to free schools and academies does not allow religious ideas to be taught in science classes.

“New clauses for church academies published on June 9th clarify the meaning of creationism and state that it is a minority view within the Church of England and Catholic church… The move is the culmination of a long campaign by secularists, who first succeeded in getting creationism banned from all future free schools, then future stand-alone academies and then finally all future multi-academy trusts.

“It is the first time the rule has applied to current free schools and academies, however… The new church academies clauses state: ‘Clauses 2.43 and 2.44 of the funding agreement… explicitly require that pupils are taught about the theory of evolution, and prevent academy trusts from teaching “creationism” as scientific fact.

“‘Creationism’, for the purposes of clauses 2.43 and 2.44 of the funding agreement and clause 23E above, is any doctrine or theory which holds that natural biological processes cannot account for the history, diversity, and complexity of life on earth and therefore rejects the scientific theory of evolution… ‘The secretary of state acknowledges that clauses 2.43 and 2.44 of the Funding Agreement, and clauses 23E and 23G above do not prevent discussion of beliefs about the origins of the Earth and living things, such as creationism, in Religious Education, as long as it is not presented as a valid alternative to established scientific theory.’”

Even though “creationism” has its problems—including the erroneous idea that the earth is only 6,000 years old and the failure to recognize the true God of the Bible as the Creator of all things, the injunction to teach evolution as a scientific fact to our school children is appalling, unscientific and ungodly. It shows, however, the increasing atheistic approach in our Western societies, and especially in Great Britain. For more information, please read our free booklet, “The Theory of Evolution—a Fairy Tale for Adults.” 

In the Authorized Version, Isaiah 45:7 reads as follows:

“I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil. I the LORD do all these things.”

First, let us briefly focus on the word, “create.” It is “bara” in Hebrew and means, “bringing something into existence which did not exist before.” The word is used in Genesis 1:1, revealing that God created the heavens and the earth. Hebrews 11:3 elaborates that the worlds (the universe as well as the earth) “were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.”

The Hebrew word for “evil” is “ra” and can have several meanings. In the Authorized Version, it is translated over 400 times as “evil,” but it is also rendered, among others, as “adversity” (Ecclesiastes 7:14; Psalm 94:13); “affliction” (Psalm 34:19; 107:39; Obadiah 13); “calamity” (Psalm 141:5); “distress” (Nehemiah 2:17); “grief” (Jonah 4:6); “harm” (Genesis 31:52; Numbers 35:23; Proverbs 3:30; Jeremiah 39:12); “hurt” (Genesis 26:29; 31:29; Psalm 38:12; 70:2; 71:13, 24; Ecclesiasts 8:9; Jeremiah 7:6; 24:9; 25:7; 38:4); “mischief” (Exodus 32:22; Nehemiah 6:2; Hosea 7:15); and “trouble” (Psalm 27:5; 41:1; Jeremiah 2:27-28; 11:12, 14; Lamentations 1;21).

Before explaining in detail how the word “ra” is to be understood in Isaiah 45:7, we need to consider the following:

We read that God created the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but He ordered man not to eat from it. He wants man to follow and believe Him as to what He tells man regarding good and evil; rather than man deciding for himself what, in his mind, is good and evil (compare Isaiah 5:20). God wants man to reject evil, but if man refuses, He will bring “evil” (Authorized Version) or “disaster” (New King James Bible) upon him (Jeremiah 4:6).

God did not create man as an evil being; instead, we read that after He had created man, He said that His entire work was very good (Genesis 1:31). We also read, however, that man has chosen evil “schemes” over good and upright behavior (compare Ecclesiastes 7:29), and that man’s heart is evil “from his youth” and “deceitful” (Genesis 8:21; compare also Jeremiah 7:24 and Jeremiah 17:9). This is largely due to Satan’s influence (2 Corinthians 4:4; 2 Timothy 2:26; Ephesians 2:2). Satan, though, was not created as an evil personage either. He was created as a perfect being, called Lucifer–a bright shining being, a light-bringer or morning star–in whom was no evil and no sin (Ezekiel 28:14-15).  But both Lucifer and all angels, as well as Adam and Eve, were created with free moral agency. They could choose to follow good, or to reject it and follow evil. Lucifer and one third of all angels chose to become evil, and man, following Satan’s influence, chose likewise to follow the way of evil, leading to pain, suffering and death, rather than the way of good, leading to happiness, prosperity and, ultimately, to eternal life.

When God created angels and men as free moral agents, He knew of course that they might choose to reject good and follow evil. God is interested in character development—the free choice to reject evil and adopt and apply what is good. But He does not force anyone to do so. In giving free choice to Lucifer and the other angels, as well as men, He allowed for the possibility that they would turn to evil.

But God is ultimately in charge. Although God permits Satan to stay on the throne of the earth until his successor—Jesus Christ—returns to replace him, Satan and his angels—known today as devils and demons—can only do what God allows them to do. The book of Job shows us that Satan can only operate within the parameters which are granted to him by God. That made God ultimately responsible for the “evil” (Authorized Version) or “adversity” (New King James Bible) that Satan brought upon Job (Job 2:10, first two sentences). When Job said that he was receiving “evil” or “adversity” from God, he told the truth and did not lie (Job 2:10, last sentence). God allowed Satan to afflict Job so that Job could finally recognize his self-righteousness and his wrong feelings of superiority, and that he could realize instead his inferiority and inabilities in comparison with the almighty God.

God wants man to choose good over evil, but when man makes the wrong choice, he will have to live with the “evil” consequences, since God has set in motion laws that regulate the results of good and of evil conduct. Sometimes, in order to drive lessons home, God Himself brings “evil” upon man for man’s ultimate good, either directly, or by allowing Satan and his demons to afflict man with “evil.” God does this, so that man can better understand how and what he is and that he has to repent and change, allowing God to replace man’s evil heart of stone with a heart of flesh that is upright and good.

The question remains, what kind of “evil” is it that God may bring upon man, and which is referred to in Isaiah 45:7?

The New King James Bible renders the word as “calamity,” and most translations use similar wording. In Joshua 23:15, we read that God will bring “evil” (Authorized Version) or “harmful things” (New King James Bible) on those who do not repent.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary says, in regard to Isaiah 45:7:

“There is no God beside Jehovah. There is nothing done without him. He makes peace, put here for all good; and creates evil, not the evil of sin, but the evil of punishment. He is the Author of all that is true, holy, good, or happy; and evil, error, and misery, came into the world by his permission, through the… apostacy of his creatures… We must not expect salvation without righteousness…”

Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible adds:

“‘I make peace, and create evil’; peace between God and men… ‘evil’ is also from him; not the evil of sin… this is of men, though suffered by the Lord… but the evil of punishment for sin, God’s sore judgments, famine, pestilence, evil beasts, and the sword, or war, which latter may more especially be intended, as it is opposed to peace; this usually is the effect of sin [and] permitted by God; moreover, all afflictions, adversities, and calamities, come under this name, and are of God; see Job 2:10…”

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary states:

“Isaiah refers also to the Oriental belief in two coexistent, eternal principles, ever struggling with each other, light or good, and darkness or evil, Oromasden and Ahrimanen. God, here, in opposition, asserts His sovereignty over both… create evil—not moral evil (James 1:13), but in contrast to ‘peace’ in the parallel clause, war, disaster (compare […Amos 3:6]).”

This is an interesting comment in light of the fact that there is really no war going on between God and Satan, as if they were both of equal power; rather, God is most powerful, and Satan can only do what God especially allows.

The Amplified Bible writes:

“I make peace [national wellbeing. Moral evil proceeds from the will of men, but physical evil proceeds from the will of God], and I create [physical] evil…”

The distinction between physical evil and moral evil is further emphasized by Dummelow who writes in “The One Volume Bible Commentary”:

“Evil… not moral evil, but misfortune or calamity, the opposite of peace.” The Soncino Commentary agrees with this evaluation.

The new Scoffield Reference Edition says:

“God is not the author of sin [Habakkuk 1:13; 2.Timothy 2:13; Titus 1:2; James 1:13; 1 John 1:5]. One of the meanings of the Hebrew word ‘ra’ carries the idea of ‘adversity’ or ‘calamity,’ and it is evidently so employed here. God has made sorrow and wretchedness to be the sure fruits of sin.”

The Life Application Bible summarizes the essence of the meaning of Isaiah 45:7 in this way:

“God is the ruler over light and darkness, over good times and bad times. Our lives are sprinkled with both types of experiences, and both are needed for us to grow spiritually. When good times come, thank God and use your prosperity for him. When bad times come, don’t resent him, but ask what you can learn from this refining experience to make you a better servant of God.”

Indeed, as God said to Cain, “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it” (Genesis 4:7, New King James Bible).

And Moses was inspired to communicate God’s words to the nation of Israel, as follows (Deuteronomy 30:15-16, 19-20, New King James Bible):

“See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply… I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live, that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days…”

But Moses also said this in Deuteronomy 29:4 and 31:29 (New King James Bible): “Yet the LORD has not given you a heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear, to this very day… For I know that after my death you will become utterly corrupt, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you. And evil will befall you in the latter days, because you will do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger through the works of your hands.”

May God give so that you do not belong to those people who are sowing and doing “evil” and reaping “evil” in return.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

Our new booklet, “Old Testament Laws — Still Valid Today?,” has been posted. Printed copies of this publication have also been received. They will be sent out to our US subscribers early next week, and they will be forwarded to our organizations in the UK and Canada for further distribution.

In addition, we have contacted our printer in Germany to produce a German version of our booklet, “Jesus Christ—A Great Mystery!”

“LGBT Pride, Gay Parades and the Bible,” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

An openly transgender priest and an openly gay priest speak in the US Episcopal Church. Catholic Nancy Pelosi asks San Francisco Archbishop Cordileone, not to participate at a march for traditional marriage, as some of the participants might show hate or disdain for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) persons. President Obama designates June as LGBT Pride Month. The US Embassy in Tel Aviv raises a rainbow flag to show America’s support for the celebration of LGBT Pride Week and the biggest gay parade in the Middle East. Those who dare to criticize these developments are labeled as despisers of mankind and in violation of democratic values. Did you know that God condemns all of this very strongly in His Word, the Bible?

“Welche Sprache hat Jesus Gesprochen?,” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program. This is the German version of our recent English SW program on what language did Jesus speak.

“Satan Ist Schuld!,” is the title of the German sermon for this week. Norbert Link will be giving the same sermon in English this Sabbath as well.

Title in English:  “It is Satan’s Fault!”

“How Does the Holy Spirit Work?, the sermon given by Eric Rank on June 7, 2014, is now posted. Here is a summary:

With the Holy Spirit of God playing such a crucial role in the history of the universe, it is vitally important to understand exactly how it works. What effect does it have? How is it obtained? How is it lost? How is it distinguished from other spirits that work in man? The answers to these questions will empower you.

“The Time of Trouble!,” a sermon presented by Dave Harris on June 14, 2014, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Prophecies of the Bible reveal many things, but none is more terrifying than what is commonly called, “the great tribulation.” The very existence of life on earth will hang in the balance, but God promises to intervene on behalf of the “elect.” Are you watching and are you ready to face what is coming? Will you be one of those whom God protects? Or are you willing to dismiss and reject the warnings God is giving to mankind?

by Laura Harris

As Executor of my father’s estate, I recently submitted forms to the administrative offices of our County Probate Court to remedy outstanding financial issues.  I anticipated leaving the documents with the receptionist and quickly be on my way.  Unexpectedly, the woman requested that I swear under oath to the truthfulness of the information I submitted.  I politely interrupted her recitation and asked if I could affirm instead of swear.  With a befuddled look she asked, “What does affirm mean?”   My stomach tightened, my face flushed and my mind raced: How do I explain an affirmation?  Could I adequately articulate my religious beliefs?  What if she declined my request?  What if..?

I nervously gave a response.  The woman shuffled through some papers on her desk in an attempt to find “official” information on affirmations.  After consulting a co-worker, she agreed to substitute the word “swear” with “affirm.” It had been years since I studied and reviewed the biblical reasons as to why true Christians do not swear.  Under pressure, I had difficulty recollecting my bible study on the topic.  Benjamin Franklin is quoted as saying:  “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”  As a Christian I must always be ready to defend my actions.  In order to uphold my beliefs, it requires constant study and reflection on the things I “already know.”