On January 11, 2014, Norbert Link will give the sermon titled, “Josiah—a Righteous King of Judah.”

The services can be heard 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.

Economists would define a balanced budget when an entity’s spending matches its revenue during a period of time. If an entity makes more than it spends, it has a budget surplus. But spending more than it makes puts the entity into a budget deficit. Whether that entity is a government, business or a family, the trend today seems to be living in a financial deficit. Achieving a balance or surplus takes preparation and a conscious effort.

If we seek worldly explanation for the failings of businesses or governments to achieve fiscal balance, we can become ensnared in political punditry. Sensationalized opinions are standard for TV news. Networks promote argumentative “talking heads” for the sake of entertainment value. 

Understanding the root cause of the imbalance of this world does not mean we have achieved balance. Seeking equilibrium in our life requires a daily commitment. As Christians, we must always be on guard, always aware of our surroundings and always focused on the goal of pleasing God. Paul spoke of this constant struggle: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58).

The balance each of us MUST achieve can be accomplished through Godly characteristics. By growing closer to God, we become more balanced. Paul also spoke of those Godly characteristics when speaking to Timothy: “And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will” (2 Timothy 2:24-26). We must have patience to be led by God, while being humble enough to discern when we are not stable. With that balance, we will know God’s truth—enabling us to enter into His Kingdom.

We begin with a striking article raising the question whether we are approaching the times similar to the outbreak of World War I; continue with turbulent developments in Iraq; discuss the demonic behavior of North Korea’s baby-faced leader; the unscrupulous conduct of “US basketball star” Dennis Rodman; and demonic possession and exorcisms within the Catholic Church; speak of the Pope’s new-found relationship towards gays; and address Israel’s challenges for 2014.

Turning to America’s domestic problems, we report about left-liberal criticism of Obamacare; the ongoing controversial activities of the NSA; and the nearly unprecedented terrible weather conditions of a large part of the USA. 

We conclude with the political landscape in Britain and the rise of their own version of an anti-European “Tea Party.”

Is History Repeating Itself – 1914 All Over Again?

The Independent wrote on January 5:

“… an internationally respected historian is warning that today’s world bears a number of striking similarities with the build-up to the First World War. The newly mechanised armies of the early 20th century produced unprecedented slaughter on the battlefields of the ‘war to end all wars’ after a spark lit in the Balkans with the assassination of the Austro-Hungarian Empire’s Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

“Professor Margaret MacMillan, of the University of Cambridge, argues that the Middle East could be viewed as the modern-day equivalent of this turbulent region. A nuclear arms race that would be likely to start if Iran developed a bomb ‘would make for a very dangerous world indeed, which could lead to a recreation of the kind of tinderbox that exploded in the Balkans 100 years ago – only this time with mushroom clouds,’ she writes in an essay for the Brookings Institution, a leading US think-tank… ‘the Middle East today bears a worrying resemblance to the Balkans then,’ she says. ‘A similar mix of toxic nationalisms threatens to draw in outside powers as the US, Turkey, Russia, and Iran look to protect their interests and clients.’

“Professor MacMillan highlights a string of other parallels between today and a century ago. Modern-day Islamist terrorists mirror the revolutionary communists and anarchists who carried out a string of assassinations in the name of a philosophy that sanctioned murder to achieve their vision of a better world…

“Another similarity highlighted by the historian is the belief that a full-scale war between the major powers is unthinkable after such a prolonged period of peace. ‘Now, as then, the march of globalisation has lulled us into a false sense of safety,’ she says. ‘The 100th anniversary of 1914 should make us reflect anew on our vulnerability to human error, sudden catastrophes, and sheer accident…’”

The Bible has prophesied long ago that in our days, World War III is coming…

Iraqi City Fallujah Back in Al Qaida Hands

On January 3, 2014, Newsmax wrote the following:

“Al-Qaida-linked militants held control of much of the Iraqi city of Fallujah and other nearby towns, fighting off efforts by troops with air support to regain control… Fallujah became notorious among Americans when insurgents in 2004 killed four American security contractors and hung their burned bodies from a bridge… The town also was the site of one of the bloodiest battles of the Iraq War. Nearly 100 U.S. Marines were killed and hundreds wounded in the second battle of Fallujah in 2004.

“Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki sent reinforcements on Jan. 1 to dislodge militants from Fallujah and nearby Ramadi, a focus of the 2007 ‘surge’ of U.S. forces. The fighting there is part of an escalation of violence in Iraq, where 2013 saw the most civilian casualties for five years amid the kind of sectarian violence between Sunni and Shiite Muslims that also has engulfed Syria and Lebanon…

“There is little support in the U.S. for renewed military involvement in Iraq, where 4,489 Americans were killed and 51,778 wounded in action after the Bush administration invaded the country almost 11 years ago. Obama has listed ending the war in Iraq as one of his main accomplishments. Civilian fatalities in Iraq, including police, totaled 7,818 last year, with almost 18,000 wounded…

“So far, the violence hasn’t affected Iraq’s major oil fields, the country’s main source of revenue. Output rose by 100,000 barrels a day last month to 3.2 million barrels, the most since August… The country pumped more crude as it increased links to wells in its predominately Shiite south. Iraq is the second-biggest producer in OPEC after Saudi Arabia… Maliki also faces political unrest, with 44 members of Iraq’s parliament resigning because the government used force to dismantle Sunni-led protests.”

Deutsche Welle reported on January 7:

“For most Americans, the Iraq War ended when its last troops were withdrawn at the end of 2011. But the violence in the country has barely relented since then, and last week’s outbreak of fighting in Fallujah and Ramadi was only the latest eruption of long-lasting sectarian tensions… Those sectarian tensions remained unresolved when US troops forces pulled out… In effect, then, analysts argue, greater diplomatic pressure on Baghdad in 2009 and early 2010 could have stemmed the tensions that erupted so violently last week.”

The Iraqi war was a terrible mistake and destined to failure from the outset, and subsequent diplomatic blunders only added to the disaster. Things have only gotten worse. And what if Iraq’s oil fields fell into the hands of radical Islamists and the oil export to the USA were to stop?

North Korea’s Leader Kim Jong Un and His Unpredictable Demonic Rule

The Straits Times wrote on January 2:

“The execution of Jang Song Thaek, the No. 2 man in North Korea, took Beijing by surprise and will adversely affect bilateral relations. Beijing’s displeasure is expressed through the publication of a detailed account of Jang’s brutal execution in Wen Wei Po, its official mouthpiece, in Hong Kong, on Dec 12. According to the report, unlike previous executions of political prisoners which were carried out by firing squads with machine guns, Jang was stripped naked and thrown into a cage, along with his five closest aides. Then 120 hounds, starved for three days, were allowed to prey on them until they were completely eaten up. This is called ‘quan jue’, or execution by dogs. The report said the entire process lasted for an hour, with Mr Kim Jong Un, the supreme leader in North Korea, supervising it along with 300 senior officials.

“The horrifying report vividly depicted the brutality of the young North Korean leader. The fact that it appeared in a Beijing-controlled newspaper showed that China no longer cares about its relations with the Kim regime. Two days later, the Global Times, associated with the People’s Daily, a Chinese Communist Party organ, followed up with a sternly worded editorial saying that the abrupt political change epitomised the backwardness of the North Korean political system. It warned the Chinese government not to coddle North Korea any longer, saying that the majority of Chinese were extremely disgusted with the Kim regime…

“The purge of Jang reflected the longstanding suspicion and apprehension of the North Korean regime towards China, which dates back to the time of Kim Il Sung, North Korea’s founder. Although China fought the Korean War to preserve the Kim regime, he was less than grateful. Once the war was over, Kim started purging the Yan-an faction within his party. This faction received its training in Yan-an, the capital of the Chinese Communist Party in the 1940s… When the son, Kim Jong Il, took over the helm, he did not hide the fact that his nuclear weapons could be used against China… So when the grandson, … Kim Jong Un, took over the helm, this family tradition of suspecting China prompted the young leader to take drastic action to cleanse the party of any pro-China elements.

“Recent developments have posed a number of issues for China. First, China’s own security is at risk. The erratic and ruthless behaviour of Mr Kim Jong Un suggests that China should not underrate the likelihood of a nuclear threat from Pyongyang…

“Second, China’s political and strategic influence on the Korean peninsula has been drastically reduced. China was widely considered to be able to rein in the unruly Kim regime, thus acting as a force for peace in the region. But it now appears China’s influence over its neighbour is close to zero. This is clear from the fact that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi telephoned his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov for urgent consultation on Dec 13. This was followed by Ambassador Wu Dawei’s trip to Moscow. Both moves suggest that Beijing realises it can no longer tame the Kim regime by itself.

“Third, China had hoped to nurture a less belligerent neighbour by encouraging reform, open-door policies and economic development in North Korea… With Jang brutally executed, the idea of a peaceful transformation seems unrealistic.”

Some, like Newsmax, dated January 6, have stated that the “dog story” might have been a myth, as it was allegedly received from a Chinese satire website.  There is no discussion, however, that Jang Song Thaek was murdered by the North Korean regime, but it is suggested that he was “executed” by a firing squad. We have serious doubts that this “clarification” is based on facts. Kim Jong Un is a ruthless leader, and further reports have emerged that his aunt, wife of the late Jang Song Thaek, is also dead. As the Daily Mail reported, dated January 6, she died “under mysterious circumstances.” She “is said to have either suffered a heart attack or committed suicide by North Korean media.”

Rodman’s Shameful and Disgusting Show in North Korea

Based on the foregoing, the following report by CNN, dated January 6, is appalling, stating: “Eccentric basketball star Dennis Rodman and several other former NBA players have arrived in North Korea to take part in a controversial basketball game on the birthday of Kim Jong-Un, the country’s young, unpredictable leader.”

On January 8, 2014, BBC News added: “US basketball star Dennis Rodman has sung Happy Birthday to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in front of a crowd of thousands in the capital. Rodman said Mr Kim, who was in the audience with his wife and other senior officials, was his ‘best friend’.”

How anyone, “eccentric or not,” can justify celebrating the birthday of Kim Jong-un by playing a basketball game is beyond sound reasoning. To call him “his best friend” shows much about the character of Rodman — former Chicago Bull teammate of Michael Jordan–and those following him. What a shameful disgrace for the US, which became even more appalling during Rodman’s interview with CNN. As Deutsche Welle reported on January 8:

“Rodman’s CNN appearance took a turn towards the surreal when he was asked about US missionary Kenneth Bae, who has been held in North Korean custody since May on charges described only as ‘anti-state’ crimes… ‘If you understand what Kenneth Bae did … Do you understand what he did in this country? Why is he held captive in this country?’ Rodman asked the interviewer, declining to elaborate when asked to provide the information in question…

“White House spokesman Jay Carney said he was ‘not going to dignify that outburst with a response’… The National Basketball Association (NBA), meanwhile, issued a statement saying it was ‘not involved’ in Rodman’s trip and would not take part in so-called ‘basketball diplomacy’ without discussions with the US State Department.”

This response by the NBA is another shameful and cowardly attempt not to take any position against Rodman’s and the other former NBA players’ behavior.

In that context, Breitbart wrote on January 6:

“‘The trip comes at the worst possible time—after Kim Jong-un brutally solidified his grip on power—and with no progress towards denuclearization,’ Congressman Ed Royce, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told Breitbart.com. ‘This basketball game will do nothing to improve the abysmal human rights conditions in North Korea. It’s a propaganda win for the regime.’

“If they don’t return home with a renewed appreciation for America, the basketball giants might thank God for their height. North Korea has long pursued an eradication campaign against little people—ones even smaller than the diminutive Kim Jong-un—that has relied on imprisonment and eugenics. Kim Jong-un’s father, Kim Jong-il, strangely proclaimed, ‘The race of dwarves must disappear.’”

This reminds us of Hitler and his Nazi elite, who strangely advocated the advance of a Nordic master race (blond, blue-eyed and tall)—a description which was not met in the slightest by little Hitler, overweight Goering or limping Goebbels.

We are convinced that Kim Jong Un is demonically possessed, and those too closely associated with him come likewise under his demonic “spell.” This fact makes the baby-faced young radical murderer extremely dangerous, irrational and privy to any imaginable destructive action. We might think of Hitler who was undoubtedly demon-possessed as well. For proof, please read our free booklets, “Europe in Prophecy” and “The Ten European Revivals of the Ancient Roman Empire.”

We can expect that more and more world leaders will give in to strong demonic influences, as the Bible clearly prophesies. Demons truly rule this world, and true Christians must be aware of this and resist Satan, while submitting to God for His protection. You might want to view or re-view our recent sermon on the topic, titled, “Demons on the Loose.”

Demonic Possession on the Rise

The Telegraph wrote on January 5:

“Dioceses across Italy, as well as in countries such as Spain, are increasing the number of priests schooled in administering the rite of exorcism, fabled to rid people of possession by the Devil. The rise in demonic cases is a result of more people dabbling in practices such as black magic, paganism, Satanic rites and Ouija boards, often exploring the dark arts with the help of information readily found on the internet, the Church said.

“The increase in the number of priests being trained to tackle the phenomenon is also an effort by the Church to sideline unauthorised, self-proclaimed exorcists, and its tacit recognition that belief in Satan, once regarded by Catholic progressives as an embarrassment, is still very much alive. The trend comes four decades after the 1973 release of The Exorcist, the American horror film based on the demonic possession of a 12-year-old girl and attempts to exorcise her by two priests…

“In Spain, Antonio Maria Rouco Varela, the archbishop of Madrid, chose eight priests to undergo special training in May to confront what he described as ‘an unprecedented rise’ in cases of ‘demonic possession’. The Church in Spain was coming across many cases that ‘go beyond the competence of psychologists’ and they were occurring with ‘a striking frequency’, the archbishop said. ‘Diabolical possessions are on the increase as a result of people subscribing to occultism,’ said Fr Francesco Bamonte, the president of the Italy-based International Association for Exorcists. ‘The few exorcists that we have in the dioceses are often not able to handle the enormous number of requests for help,’ he told La Repubblica last month.

“The association was founded in 1993 by Fr Gabriele Amorth, who served as the Vatican’s chief exorcist and claims to have conducted thousands of exorcisms. A controversial figure, he has claimed that yoga is ‘evil’ because it leads to a worship of Hinduism and other Eastern religions. During the papacy of Benedict XVI he said that the sex abuse scandals which engulfed the Church in the US, Ireland, Australia and other countries were proof that the Antichrist was waging a war against the Holy See…

“[People with demonic possession] must undergo the official Catholic rite of exorcism, which involves a consecrated priest invoking the name of God, as well as various saints and the Archangel Michael, to cast out their demons…”

It is true that demonic influence and possession are on the rise. But the “exorcisms” performed by the Catholic Church, as well as those by certain TV Evangelists, are deceitful and of no help whatsoever. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Angels, Demons and the Spirit World.” 

Pope Francis and the Gay Community

AFP wrote on January 5:

“Pope Francis has called for a rethink in the way the Catholic Church deals with the children of gay couples and divorced parents… Though the Church has often been in conflict with the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community over its opposition to same-sex marriage and to homosexuality, Francis has drawn praise for attempts to be inclusive. In July he reached out to gays, declaring that ‘if someone is gay and seeks the Lord with good will, who am I to judge?’ And in December, the Advocate magazine — dedicated to the gay and lesbian community — chose the head of the Catholic Church as the ‘single most influential person of 2013 on the lives of LGBT people.’”

Inasmuch as it has been reported infrequently in the news that some—if not many—within the Catholic clergy are homosexual, this recent trend within that Church is quite remarkable. The conservative German paper, Die Welt, reported on January 7, 2014, that many men of the Catholic Swiss Guard have been allegedly approached by priests, bishops and cardinals. In its article, “The Vatican is a Paradise for Gays,” the paper wrote that the Swiss Guard has been “protecting” the Pope and the Vatican for 500 years, but that the 110-men-troop has also been serving as a “lust object.”

Pope Francis—“The Lamb of God”

This is how the Drudge Report linked the following article by The Independent, dated January 8:

“Pope Francis has visited a live nativity re-enactment at the Church of St Alfonso Maria dei Liguori on the outskirts of Rome. After greeting the 200 costumed participants and a large number of farmyard animals, he made his way to the most important member of the group: the 2-month-old baby Francesco, who had been baptised that morning and played the role of Jesus in the proceedings. A group of ‘shepherds’ also placed a young lamb on the Pope’s shoulders as children sang Christmas songs and presented the Pope with a bunch of roses.”

UFO Sighting in Germany

The Local wrote on January 7:

“An unidentified flying object which ruined the travel plans of passengers at Bremen airport on Monday night looked like a plane but was a lot louder, according to eyewitnesses… The airport said on Monday night that the UFO showed up on its radar several times over three hours from 6.30pm to 9.30pm. Police said in a statement that they were alerted at 6.30pm about a UFO over Bremen and a patrol car also saw the object.

“A police helicopter was sent up to try and find the UFO but could not, although the Weser Kurier newspaper reported it could be seen through binoculars from the airport’s traffic control tower. The helicopter search was called off at 8.45pm, according to the police statement.

“Officers are now investigating the case on grounds of unauthorized intrusion into controlled air space. A spokeswoman for German Air Traffic Control (DFS) said: ‘It had normal lights, red and green, and an approach light on both sides,’ the Weser Kurier reported. Eyewitness Dominique Höber told the paper the object was flying at between 100 and 200 metres and passed over his house four times. ‘It looked like a plane,’ he said. ‘It had lights but was a lot louder.’

“A flight from Frankfurt had to be cancelled and a second flight from Munich was diverted to Hannover. Another plane coming from Paris had to stay airborne for a while before it could land. A Bremen police spokesman said. ‘We still don’t know what it was, but it was there.’ Possible explanations are that it was a drone or a balloon-like aircraft.

“On Sunday in the town of Zwickau, Saxony, an initially unidentified aircraft landed on a field behind a house. Hours later it turned out to be a remote-controlled model airship.”

Whatever it might have been, the fact that it could not be located and identified is quite disturbing and worrisome.

Israel’s Challenges for 2014

The Jerusalem Post wrote on January 3:

“Here are [several] challenges that await Netanyahu in 2014:

“… Iran – Insisting on a good deal. Netanyahu’s goal is to ensure the world reaches a deal that will permanently prevent Iran’s military nuclearization and avoid the need for a military strike…

“… Syria – Staying out of it. The Washington Institute estimated this week that there are fighters from 74 countries in the Syrian civil war, which has become what in wrestling is called a battle royal. While Israel is included on that list because there are Druse from the Golan who went there to help their families, the Jewish state has done a good job so far in staying out of the fighting. The last thing Israel wants in 2014 is for all those fighters to stop attacking each other, and decide to turn their guns against their common enemy.

“… Palestinians – Avoiding war. Hamas’s ability to attack Israel has been hindered by the new Egyptian regime closing hundreds of tunnels from Egypt to Gaza. Hamas loses millions in monthly revenue from the tunnels. But terror tunnels to Israel are still being built and rockets are still fired regularly.

“… Palestinians – Making peace. The prime minister is under intense pressure from US Secretary of State John Kerry… If Netanyahu’s goal is to stall and avoid concessions, it will be harder than ever in 2014. If his goal is to reach an agreement, then – as usual – his success will depend on whether his Palestinian counterparts have the same goal…”

The paper lists additional challenges for Mr. Netanyahu’s political survival, but the ones quoted above go beyond just the person of Mr. Netanyahu, and address the problems regarding the very survival of the state of Israel.

Kerry Leaves Israel Without a Deal

JTA wrote on January 7:

“Israel published plans to build nearly 300 West Bank apartments as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry wrapped up a visit to the Middle East without an official framework agreement between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators… On Monday, Netanyahu reportedly told Knesset members from his Likud party that he would oppose withdrawal from settlements such as Hebron and Beit El, which are not part of major settlement blocs but are ‘important to the Jewish people’…”

Michael Moore: “Obamacare Is Awful!”

On December 31, 2013, The New York Times published an editorial by left-liberal filmmaker and Obama-supporter Michael Moore, severely criticizing Obamacare. Moore became famous for films such as “Bowling for Columbine,” dealing with the unregulated use of guns, and his 2007 film ‘Sicko,’ which examined the American health care industry:

“Today marks the beginning of health care coverage under the Affordable Care Act’s new insurance exchanges, for which two million Americans have signed up. Now that the individual mandate is officially here, let me begin with an admission: Obamacare is awful.

“That is the dirty little secret many liberals have avoided saying out loud for fear of aiding the president’s enemies, at a time when the ideal of universal health care needed all the support it could get…

“I believe Obamacare’s rocky start — clueless planning, a lousy website, insurance companies raising rates, and the president’s telling people they could keep their coverage when, in fact, not all could — is a result of one fatal flaw: The Affordable Care Act is a pro-insurance-industry plan…

“What we now call Obamacare was conceived at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, and birthed in Massachusetts by Mitt Romney, then the governor. The president took Romneycare, a program designed to keep the private insurance industry intact, and just improved some of its provisions…By 2017, we will be funneling over $100 billion annually to private insurance companies…

“For many people, the ‘affordable’ part of the Affordable Care Act risks being a cruel joke. The cheapest plan available to a 60-year-old couple making $65,000 a year in Hartford, Conn., will cost $11,800 in annual premiums. And their deductible will be $12,600. If both become seriously ill, they might have to pay almost $25,000 in a single year…”

Of course, Moore has also “good things” to say about Obamacare, which we do not quote herein, as we do not believe that Moore’s overly optimistic and gratuitous comments insofar are accurate. But we did quote the excerpts above to show that even strong Obama supporters are unhappy with the President’s health-care policies… even though they might disagree for wrong reasons…

Secret Court Continues to Authorize Secret Spying on All American Phone Calls

The Washington Times wrote on January 3:

“The secret court that oversees the nation’s intelligence activities renewed its approval of the National Security Agency’s telephone-records program on Friday, granting the government a new three-month window to collect data on all Americans’ phone calls… The decision marks the 36th time the program has been approved by the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court…

“Last month a federal judge in the District of Columbia ruled that the NSA’s phone-records program was likely unconstitutional, but another federal judge in New York concluded the opposite. The Obama administration has said it is appealing the adverse ruling… Under the NSA program, the agency collects the time, duration and parties involved in most calls placed within the U.S. The agency stores that data for five years…

“A White House review, released last month, was harshly critical of the program, saying the NSA shouldn’t store the data but rather should leave it with telephone companies, only accessing the data when analysts have a specific articulable reason. The White House review was also critical of the secret court that has repeatedly upheld the NSA’s snooping program…”

Just to clarify and bring back to America’s consciousness. These incredible violations of privacy are not perpetrated in dictatorial countries such as North Korea, but in the “land of the brave and the free.”

Class Action Lawsuit by Rand Paul and Ken Cuccinelli against Obama for Spying

Breitbart reported on January 4:

“Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) said the grassroots in America will ‘overwhelm’ the federal government and President Barack Obama’s administration by signing up for his class action lawsuit against Obama himself over the National Security Agency (NSA) spying on American citizens.

“‘Well, the thing about it is the question here is whether or not constitutionally you can have a single warrant apply to millions of people,’ Paul said in an exclusive interview with Fox News’ Eric Bolling on Friday evening… ‘We now have several hundred thousand people who want to be part of this suit to say to the government and to the NSA “you can’t have our records without our permission or without a warrant specific to an individual.”… We want to overwhelm the government and we want to show publicly that hundreds of thousands of people object to the government looking at our records without our permission.

“Paul confirmed to Bolling that former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli will be leading his legal team’s efforts against President Obama… He was also the first attorney general to file a lawsuit against Obamacare. And he’s joined our legal team. He has constitutional expertise. We’re hoping with his help we can get a hearing in court and so that we can get this class action lawsuit, I think the first of its kind, all the way to the Supreme Court.’

“Paul said the goal of the lawsuit is to force the Obama administration to follow the constitution… ‘We want them to protect the Fourth Amendment,’ Paul said. ‘We want them to protect the right to privacy. We want them to understand that we’re not willing to trade our liberty for security. We think we can have security and we can defend against terrorism but that doesn’t mean every individual American has to give up their privacy. We think we can have both. But we are very upset that this president doesn’t seem to be too concerned with our right to privacy.’

“When Bolling asked Paul if Director of National Intelligence James Clapper should be prosecuted for a factually inaccurate statement he made to Congress in 2013, Paul said he thinks so. Clapper denied during a congressional hearing that the NSA had engaged in collection of Americans’ records–something that has been proven to be untrue. ‘Lying to Congress is a felony,’ Paul said…”

Whether this class action lawsuit will be successful is doubtful in a country run by a government and a Congress determined to continue with spying on its citizens.

But lest anyone thinks that we are involved in politics and support one particular political candidate, let us make clear that we do not. We are reporting on political events in the light of biblical prophecy and social developments which are in contradiction to biblical standards. But we realize that this is Satan’s world, and that no politician, whether well-meaning or not, is able to solve our problems. That is why we are NOT voting in governmental elections. It will require the return of Jesus Christ to set up godly rule and the Kingdom of God here on earth.

We also know that no politician is infallible. For example, Rand Paul made some questionable statements in opposition to President Obama’s desire to prolong unemployment benefits. We reported about Congress’ failure to extend these benefits in our last Update. Now Newsmax reported on January 7 that Rand Paul “fired back at President Barack Obama’s aggressive push for extended unemployment benefits, saying that like ‘most liberals,’ he makes ‘big-hearted, small-brained policy statements.” Obama had responded to Paul’s controversial claim that “expanding benefits harms the country.” As we mentioned, it is easy to make such unsupportable statements when one is gainfully employed, has big savings in the bank, or has financial support from rich relatives, but it is a different story when one is becoming unemployed, searching for a job and is unable to find one. The Bible COMMANDS and enjoins the nation that these people MUST be supported.

Congress Not Exempted from NSA Spying?

CNN reported on January 5:

“Congress is just like everyone else. That’s the message the National Security Agency has for Sen. Bernie Sanders. The independent senator from Vermont sent a letter to the agency Friday, asking whether it has or is ‘spying’ on members of Congress and other elected American officials. The NSA provided a preliminary response Saturday that said Congress has ‘the same privacy protections as all U.S. persons.’… The NSA would say nothing more, except that it is further reviewing the letter…

“Attorney General Eric Holder similarly deflected answering the same question at a congressional hearing last summer…

“The intelligence community has faced heated criticism from the right and left in 2013 after Edward Snowden’s leaks, and the intensity has continued fiercely in 2014. On Thursday, the New York Times and the Guardian published scathing editorials that slammed the ‘violations’ Snowden’s leaks revealed and advocated a presidential pardon for him.

“Among those charges was the notion that James Clapper Jr., the director of National Intelligence, lied to Congress while testifying last March that the NSA was not collecting data on millions of Americans. National Intelligence was quick to push back, with a letter to the editor… by general counsel Robert Litt, published in the New York Times on Saturday. ‘As a witness to the relevant events and a participant in them, I know that allegation is not true,’ writes Litt, explaining that Clapper misunderstood the question, but couldn’t publicly correct his mistake ‘because the program involved was classified.’… Litt said that Clapper was ‘surprised and distressed’ when he was informed by staff that he gave a misleading answer after the testimony.”

This reminds us of the impeachable offense by former President Bill Clinton when he lied under oath regarding the nature of his extra-marital adulterous affair with “this woman,” subsequently stating that he misunderstood the question…

Obama Most Hostile President Towards the Press Since Nixon?

The Huffington Post wrote on January 7:

“President Obama demanded a criminal investigation into leaks to the New York Times just a month into his first term, a new book by his former defense secretary claims… In it, the paper reports, [Robert] Gates ‘reveals the depth of Mr. Obama’s concerns over leaks of classified information to news outlets, noting that within his first month in office, the new president said he wanted a criminal investigation into disclosures on Iran policy published by The New York Times.’

“It wasn’t clear which exact piece from the Times triggered Obama’s anger. The paper has famously been a subject of a Justice Department investigation into the leaking of detailed information of a classified program against Iran in 2012. But the claim highlights the zeal that has caused many to accuse Obama of being the most hostile president towards the press since Richard Nixon.”

USA in the Grip of Polar Vortex

The Associated Press wrote on January 5:

“Temperatures not seen in years are likely to set records in the coming days across the Midwest, Northeast and South, creating dangerous travel conditions and prompting church and school closures. A ‘polar vortex’ will affect more than half of the continental U.S. starting Sunday and into Monday and Tuesday, with wind chill warnings stretching from Montana to Alabama. The vortex is a counterclockwise-rotating pool of cold, dense air, and is behind the startling forecast: 25 below zero in Fargo, N.D., minus 31 in International Falls, Minn., and 15 below in Indianapolis and Chicago.

“The bitterly cold temperatures already pushed into northern states Sunday morning… It hasn’t been this cold for almost two decades in many parts of the country. Because of that, medical experts are reminding people that frostbite and hypothermia can set in quickly at 15 to 30 below zero, and it’s key to be dressed for the temperatures.”

BBC News added on January 7:

“A brutal blast of arctic air has settled over eastern North America, bringing dangerously low temperatures not seen in decades. About half of the US population has been placed under a wind chill warning or cold weather advisory. In Toronto, the temperature dropped to -24C (-11F) before dawn on Tuesday. Air, rail and road travel remain snarled by high, freezing wind, and residents have been warned to stay indoors to avoid frostbite.

“Cold air broke records in Chicago on Monday, where the temperature of -16F (-27C) was the lowest ever seen on that date. It was one of more than 120 daily temperature records broken in cities across the US since the beginning of 2014, many dating back decades.”

CBS wrote on January 7:

“The Polar Vortex has dropped unusually far south, keeping the Contiguous United States below freezing overnight, and 90-percent of the country below freezing Tuesday!”

Newsmax reported on January 7 that controversial radio host Rush Limbaugh made headlines again, stating: “The polar vortex is ‘a hoax’ perpetuated by the liberal media to further its agenda of climate change and global warming… ‘[We] are having a record-breaking cold snap in many parts of the country, and right on schedule, the media have to come up with a way to make it sound like it’s completely unprecedented,’ the conservative talker said, ‘because they’ve got to find a way to attach this to the global-warming agenda, and they have. It’s called the polar vortex. The dreaded polar vortex.”

It is not quite clear to us what the polar vortex has to do, if anything, with global warming, and why it must be a hoax to support global warming. The fact is, the term and phenomenon of “polar vortex” has been used and known for many years—before there was even a debate about global warming—and the USA is experiencing a freezing record unparalleled for decades. The following editorial by the Washington Times, dated January 6, sounds much more sensible to us than Rush Limbaugh’s conclusions.

“Polar Vortex Threatens Global Warming Delusions”

“If it’s too cold, the cause is man-made global warming. Not cold enough? That’s the fault of man-made global warming… Despite adoption of ‘climate change’ to replace ‘global warming,’ the public takes notice when Midwestern wind chills hit 70 degrees below zero and the average nationwide temperature falls to a mere 15 degrees…

“The liberal website Slate insists ‘Winter Does Not Disprove Global Warming’… Slate’s conclusion rests on a supposed scientific consensus and cites a draft of the U.S. National Climate Assessment that predicts ‘heavy precipitation in winter storms’ as proof that the cold snap is caused by global warming. When the winter is warm, [they] cite the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessment of more than a decade ago, which predicted ‘Milder winter temperatures will decrease heavy snowstorms.’ Even ‘mild’ was a cause for alarm, as the same report predicted killer ice storms would cause even more damage than blizzards…

“Australians dutifully heard the urgent warnings of the experts and the climate scientists, and enacted a dramatic global-warming carbon-dioxide tax… It has been in place for more than a year and a half. Instead of cooling down, a summertime heat is scorching the nation with the hottest temperatures on record (by one-half of a degree). Australians have elected a conservative, the Liberal Party’s Tony Abbott, as prime minister, who set as his top priority abolishing the job-killing levy.

“Mr. Abbott’s top business adviser, Maurice L. Newman, put liberals to steaming over recent comments on the subject. ‘Regrettably for the global-warming religion,’ wrote Mr. Newman in an op-ed, “’its predictions have started to appear shaky, and the converts, many of whom have lost their jobs and much of their wealth, are losing faith.’ The new prime minister hopes to collect the votes to kill the global-warming tax after elections later this year.

“Hot and cold, extreme and mild aren’t proof of global warming. They’re proof that nature is stronger than man and man’s feeble attempts to make the weather behave the way he thinks it should.”

British Tea Party on the Rise

Fox News reported on January 4:

“The often stale British political system is being rocked by its very own Tea Party. The UK Independence Party (UKIP), formed in 1993 opposing Britain’s entry into the European Union, failed to make an electoral dent for a long time. However UKIP has built up steam in recent years and is spearheading a seismic shift in the British political spectrum. In this year’s local elections – the British version of midterms — UKIP took a stunning 23 percent of the vote, up from the 3.1 percent they won in the 2010 national election. Their leader, Nigel Farage, is buoyed by their recent success. ‘We want to take back our country, we want to take back our government, and we want to take back our birthright,’ Farage told FoxNews.com in forthright language rarely seen in British politics…

“Farage has good reason to be confident of UKIP’s potential. Since he took the party’s helm for a second time in 2010, the party has been revitalized, capitalizing on dissatisfaction with the Conservative Party’s shift to the center under current Prime Minister David Cameron. Cameron has radically overhauled the ‘Tories,’ embracing nationalized health care, fighting for gay marriage, and changing the party logo from the flame of liberty to an environmentally conscious tree. This, UKIP argues, makes them indistinguishable from the left-wing Labour Party and Liberal Democrats. It is here where UKIP spied an opportunity, adopting an anti-establishment, populist platform that argues for lower taxation, privatization, smaller government and getting Britain out of the European Union. The message is proving effective. UKIP look[s] likely to make significant inroads in the next general election in 2015, possibly snatching seats away from the main parties.

“Farage is not getting ahead of himself however, instead focusing on the European elections in May 2014, where Europe is the determining factor. Britain has been turning decidedly away from Europe in recent years, with a September Opinion poll finding that 53 percent of British voters wanted to leave the E.U., with only 32 percent wanting to stay…

“Andrew Russell, Head of Politics at the University of Manchester, told FoxNews.com that the comparison between the Tea Party and UKIP is an accurate one, and that he believes that UKIP could take the 2014 elections by storm. ‘UKIP will do well in the 2014 European elections. They may even win them in terms of the popular vote. This will increase the pressure on the Conservatives.’ Yet instead of reaching out and finding middle ground, the Tories have snubbed UKIP. In 2006 David Cameron dismissed the newcomers as full of ‘fruitcakes and loonies and closet racists,’ and top Tory Kenneth Clark recently branded them as ‘a collection of clowns.’ However, Russell is unsure as to whether UKIP’s popularity could translate to general election success…”

Time will tell. But the “politically established” “conservative” reaction towards the US and British “Tea Party” movement is the same—dismissal rather than cooperation. This may heavily damage Boehner’s Republican Party as well as Cameron’s “Tories.” And the Bible strongly suggests that the UK will exit the EU.

This is a question that has troubled people for ages. If God is perfect and powerful, and if sickness is bad, why do people become sick? Whether a sickness is life threatening or just enough to slow us down, it is important to understand the reason and purpose for sickness in man. The Bible reveals that sickness is something that God allows for several different reasons.

Before explaining some of the reasons for why sickness may occur, it is very important to draw a distinction between people who leave their life up to time and chance, and those who commit their lives into the trust of God. Ecclesiastes 9:1 declares that the righteous and the wise put their lives into God’s hands, to watch over and help control the circumstances in their lives. Those who are unwilling to live in submission to God’s Will give over their lives instead to time and chance (Ecclesiastes 9:11). This is important to acknowledge when asking about why people become sick because there are certainly situations in which God is not directly involved in causing an illness. (For more information on the biblical teaching of “time and chance,” please read our free booklet, “Human Suffering—Why?… and How Much Longer?”).

In addition, an illness may not be the result of God’s intervention in a true Christian’s life, even if he or she lives in submission to God’s Will. He may choose to allow a Christian to become sick because of the corrupt environment in which he lives. Satan is the god of this world, and makes every attempt to do harm when he can. Therefore it should be no surprise that germs spread, and global pandemics cause great harm to people because physical contact is made with a pathogen. People may also be afflicted with degenerative diseases or inherited birth defects for reasons that do not involve God’s direct intervention, but are an effect of having a physical body in a corrupt world. In our free booklet, “Sickness and Healing—What the Bible Tells Us,” we write that Jesus Christ experienced illness: “We understand from the Bible that Jesus Christ never sinned. Still, we find that He knew about sickness, having experienced it as a human being. It is true, of course, that He carried our sicknesses so that we today can be healed from them, but we must still say that Christ became sick, even though He never sinned. This again shows that not every sickness is the result of individual sin.” God is not always directly involved in, nor the cause of, the sickness of a Church member.

Still, God does, in some situations, use sickness and affliction for a purpose. One of the most straight-forward reasons for sickness is as a punishment for disobedience. This reason serves common sense and explains that there is a cause to the effect of sickness. Deuteronomy 28:58-59 explains this in no uncertain terms: “’If you do not carefully observe all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name, THE LORD YOUR GOD, then the LORD will bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary plagues—great and prolonged plagues—and serious and prolonged sicknesses.’” This message was to the Israelites as they came out of Egypt, but it still applies to us today. God reserves the right to punish sin, which is lawlessness or the transgression of His Law.

In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul admonishes the Corinthians to take the Passover in a worthy manner; that is, with complete acceptance, admitting personal guilt of sin, causing the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ to be necessary, and with willingness to submit to God’s Will, living obediently. When these conditions for taking the Passover worthily are not met, sickness and even death may result. “For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep” (1 Corinthians 11:29-30). Taking the Passover is a serious matter in God’s eyes, and there are consequences of illness that may result when it is improperly observed.

In Psalm 39:8–11, David gives us insight into a reason for illness in his recognition that God uses it as a tool for correction. He writes: “Deliver me from all my transgressions; Do not make me the reproach of the foolish. I was mute, I did not open my mouth, Because it was You who did it. Remove Your plague from me; I am consumed by the blow of Your hand. When with rebukes You correct man for iniquity, You make his beauty melt away like a moth; Surely every man is vapor. Selah.” David acknowledges his sin in this passage, and understands that God uses sickness to rebuke and correct man for his sins.

The story of Job gives us another interesting example. Job was terribly afflicted with sickness as a result of Satan’s influence (Job 2:7-8). Yet, leading up to that moment God describes him as being blameless and upright, fearing God and shunning evil (Job 2:3). While it is true that all men but Jesus are guilty of sin, it is hard to conclude that Job became afflicted because God wanted to punish him. What is more evident throughout the story of Job is that he was afflicted so that he might recognize his hidden sin. As Job’s story progresses, it is revealed that Job had a need to repent of the sin of self-righteousness. This sin might not have been exposed if Job had never experienced the physical sickness and affliction that he did. In this case, God allowed Job to become sick to show him what he had to repent of. The result for Job was very fruitful in the way that his experience – going through a trial of physical affliction – caused him to learn about his latent and hidden sin. When he learned about it, he overcame it and repented (Job 42:6) and returned to a long and prosperous life (Job 42:17).

While punishment is a purpose of sickness that appeals to common sense, it is not always used for that reason.

Quoting again from our booklet, “Sickness and Healing—What the Bible Tells Us,” we write about John 9:1-3. “In this passage, Jesus and the disciples observed a man who was blind from birth. His disciples, apparently believing that his blindness had to be the result of his individual sin and the punishment for it, asked a pointed question: ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ Jesus answered: ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.’ He then proceeded to heal the blind man.

“Christ made it clear that the blindness of the person was NOT the result of individual sin of either the blind person or his parents. This passage proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that teaching that every sickness is the result of individual sin of the sick person is patently wrong and unbiblical.”

In addition, this example proves that there was a different kind of purpose involved. The reason for this man’s blindness revealed the works of God! Jesus Christ was sent to the earth to preach the Gospel, and as a part of that work, many people came to believe Him because of the miracles that He performed, including healing the sick. The Bible describes this man as having blindness so that he could be healed. God’s purpose for sickness is not always for a punishment.

Another example of an affliction used by God for reasons other than punishment is that of the thorn in Paul’s side. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 12:7-8: “And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.” Paul realized that this affliction he experienced actually helped him to remain humble. He was thankful for the weakness and infirmity that God gave him in this regard, concluding by saying: “For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).

Empathy is another effect that may result from an illness or affliction. When we experience physical pain or an ailment, we build within ourselves a first-hand understanding of how others feel when they are sick. This aspect of love for a brother or sister in Christ through empathy is a vitally important character trait that all Christians must build. Jesus Christ was afflicted specifically for the sake of those who would follow Him, and as a result, He fully understands and sympathizes with our physical weakness (Hebrews 4:15). Isaiah 53:5 describes the deep meaning of Jesus’ affliction and the resulting empathy that He has for us, giving us a means by which we may be healed: “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.” This example is ours to follow, so that when we are afflicted with an ailment, we may understand the pain of others, and support them as they have need.

Sickness that we experience is not a physically pleasant condition to handle. It is a burden for anyone directly involved. Yet, God has given us the ability to claim the Sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ, so that we can receive healing. 

Lead Writer: Eric Rank

The contract for The Hilton Garden Inn at Pismo Beach is signed for this year’s Feast of Tabernacles and Last Great Day observance in the US.  We reserved 15 rooms with more available, as needed. Please contact us and tell us that you want to stay in the hotel. We will compose an assignment list. Also, we will have more details available shortly. The prices and amenities are very close to those of two years ago.

“Demonic Possession on the Rise?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

The Telegraph reported on January 5, 2014, that according to the Catholic Church, demonic possession and exorcisms are on the rise. They say this is a result of more people dabbling in black magic, paganism, Satanic rites, Ouija boards, and even yoga. Is this true? What does the Bible say about the practice of casting out demons? Could it be that an apparent “exorcism” is nothing else but a demonic deception?

A new Member Letter for January, written by Brian Gale, has been mailed out and is now posted.

The monthly Tech Team meeting was conducted on Monday evening of this week. Reports on development of our redesigned website were presented along with further use of social networking.

“Das Schicksal unserer Kinder,” is the title of this week’s German sermon. Mr. Norbert Link addresses the fate of our children, focusing on the bad example and influence of parents. The next sermon will address the parent’s good example. The title in English: “The Fate of Our Children.”
 
Pastor Rene Messier (Canada) has presented a new StandingWatch Talking Point program, asking: Can evolution be true. If so how do you explain some of the issues it creates in regards to migrating birds and nesting birds and how does order come out of chaos?

Pastor Brian Gale (United Kingdom) has presented a new StandingWatch Talking Point program in which he highlights our booklet, “Middle Eastern and African Nations in Bible Prophecy.” Here is a summary:

The Bible speaks of many modern countries in prophetic terms, using, of course, ancient names for our peoples today. In order to understand biblical prophecies, one must understand the biblical identity of today’s nations and countries. 

On January 4, 2014, Eric Rank will give the sermon titled, “Self.”

The services can be heard 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.

It’s hard to believe that another year has gone by—-the way the Western world counts years–and we are now in 2014. 2013 has been an interesting year for the Church and for us individually.  We have moved forward in growth in attendance, mainly in the German-speaking areas, but growth in numbers is only of relevance and importance if we also grow spiritually. 

Some may look at us as insignificant because we are relatively small.  But bear in mind how many followers Jesus Christ had at the time of His death and resurrection. After three and a half years of miracles, signs and wonders, healing and raising the dead, walking on water and feeding thousands with a few fish and bread on more than one occasion, only one hundred and twenty disciples had remained.

Acts 1:12-15 tells us:  “Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey. And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers. And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (altogether the number of names was about a hundred and twenty)…”

Delia and I had the privilege of attending the first Feast in Germany in 2013, and we noticed a great spirit. We experienced enthusiasm just like in the 60’s, when the Church was growing at a good rate. And we are growing too. We continue to produce our weekly Updates and our English and German sermons and Internet programs, write and print more booklets, enlarge our radio presence in the US, and while we have begun to broadcast our Sabbath services live via video in the US, Brian Gale and I are recording short programs on YouTube for the audience in the UK and Canada. These programs are called StandingWatch Talking Points and direct viewers to the StandingWatch program and promote some of our booklets.

There can be no doubt that a lot of seed is being planted through our broadcasts, sermons and literature, and when God is ready and it is His Will, then new members will be added who have been predestined to be called for salvation in this day and age.

We will face more challenges in 2014, and we should prepare ourselves individually by remaining close to God and ready to be useful instruments in His Work, according to His divine Will. Now is not the time to slack off; but rather, to push forward with zeal to accomplish as much as we can in witnessing to the world prior to the Tribulation which lies ahead of us.

We will face trials. Some will face health issues, persecution and problems with their work in regard to the Sabbath. What we go through is not anything new for true Christians, so let’s remember to pray for one another and also for the ministry and the commission of the Church, so we can move forward to finish this great Work of God in which we are privileged to be involved.

We begin with an interesting article from the Huffington Post, asking the question: “What will you worship in 2014?”

We continue with articles about social and religious issues of a diverse nature, such as America’s ongoing spying activities and the world’s perception that the USA is the greatest threat to peace; America’s terrible dealing with the unemployed; and an example of America’s past misguided zeal in its fight against communists. We also report on the Jews’ dark history regarding Holland’s slave trade; and Israel’s current liberal abortion policy.

We speak of stunning developments during this year’s Rose Parade in Pasadena; address conflicting reports about Pope Francis; and report on Catholic Brazil’s worship of a sea goddess.

We address the fact that 1/3 of Americans do not believe in Evolution; and we focus on anticipated developments pertaining to Germany; Latvia’s entrance into the Eurozone; and Mr. Cameron’s difficulties regarding Europe.

We conclude with events in Egypt and Turkey.

“What Will You Worship in 2014?”

The Huffington Post wrote on January 1, 2014:

“Today we can ask ourselves the ultimate question: To what will we devote our life in this very short span of time that we have in this world? What will captivate us, be the focus of our life’s energy, be what we care most about in the world. In short — what will we worship? I use the term ‘worship’ because we worship that which we value, that which holds the highest place in the pantheon of our lives.

“Much of what we worship is, as we all know, not worthy of our time. We succumb to the desire for luxury that is out of our reach, or the perfect body, that will never be ours, or the status of power and intelligence that is fleeting and fraudulent. We can be aware of these unworthy objects of devotion while still spending far too much time bowing down at their altars. Yet we can replace these false idols. The decision of what is worthy of devotion, and actually devoting ourselves to it, is ours to make this New Year’s and every day of our lives.”

The Bible says, We cannot serve God and mammon. And: Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and our physical needs will be satisfied.

Great!–Let The Spying Continue…

Fox News reported on December 27:

“A federal judge in New York has ruled the National Security Agency’s massive data collection program is legal, one week after another federal judge ruled the opposite. The conflicting rulings increase the likelihood that the challenges could someday end up before the Supreme Court. The ruling on Friday came from District Judge William H. Pauley III, in the case of the ACLU vs. James Clapper, the director of national intelligence. The judge agreed with the federal government’s request to dismiss the case. ‘No doubt, the bulky telephony metadata collection program vacuums up information about virtually every telephone call to, from, or within the United States,’ the judge wrote. But he added: ‘As the September 11th attacks demonstrate, the cost of missing such a thread can be horrific…’

“After the ruling, the ACLU said it would appeal to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. ‘We are extremely disappointed with this decision, which misinterprets the relevant statutes, understates the privacy implications of the government’s surveillance and misapplies a narrow and outdated precedent to read away core constitutional protections,’ Jameel Jaffer, ACLU deputy legal director, said in a statement.

“The Justice Department issued a brief statement: ‘We are pleased the court found the NSA’s bulk telephony metadata collection program to be lawful.’ The decision was a victory for the Obama administration after a string of setbacks. Last week, U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon, in Washington, D.C., ruled that the NSA phone record collection program likely violates the Constitution… Leon, unlike Pauley, questioned the program’s effectiveness in helping officials conduct ‘time-sensitive investigations in cases involving imminent threats of terrorism.’ Leon called the program ‘almost-Orwellian technology,’ and said: ‘Surely such a program infringes on “that degree of privacy” that the founders enshrined in the Fourth Amendment.’”

The extremely problematic decision of Pauley and the sensible and convincing decision of Leon proves that a divided country cannot stand. When constitutional judges can’t even agree on the clear mandates of the Constitution, what hope in human direction is there?

NSA Hacking into Computer Deliveries

The Associated Press wrote on December 29:

“A German magazine lifted the lid on the operations of the National Security Agency’s hacking unit Sunday, reporting that American spies intercept computer deliveries, exploit hardware vulnerabilities, and even hijack Microsoft’s internal reporting system to spy on their targets. Der Spiegel’s revelations relate to a division of the NSA known as Tailored Access Operations, or TAO, which is painted as an elite team of hackers specializing in STEALING DATA from the toughest of targets…

“Der Spiegel said TAO had a catalog of high-tech gadgets for particularly hard-to-crack cases, including computer monitor cables specially modified to record what is being typed across the screen, USB sticks secretly fitted with radio transmitters to broadcast stolen data over the airwaves, and fake base stations intended to intercept mobile phone signals on the go… One of the most striking reported revelations concerned the NSA’s alleged ability to spy on Microsoft Corp.’s crash reports, familiar to many users of the Windows operating system as the dialogue box which pops up when a game freezes or a Word document dies…”

Bible-believing Christians would have thought that their government would abide by God’s command not to steal…

US Greatest Threat to Peace?

Breitbart reported on December 31:

“… the world now believes the U.S. is the world’s greatest threat to peace. Our image is so bad that the runner-up, Pakistan, only received 8% of the total aggregate vote for [the] world’s most dangerous country, far behind the 24% of respondents vilifying the United States. China was third at 6%, followed by North Korea, Iran and Israel which all got 5%.

“Islamic countries polled were vehement about the U.S. and Israel being the greatest threat… the anti-American sentiment was strong in traditional foes Russia, 54%, and China, 49%, but also in supposed allies such as NATO partners Greece and Turkey 45% apiece, and Pakistan, (which is the large recipient of American largesse) at 44% percent.

“The list continues with Bosnia, looking to join the EU, at 49% , Argentina, 46%,  Mexico, 37%, Brazil, 26%, and Peru, 24%… Even in the Ukraine, which saw pro-Europe/anti-Russian demonstrations in November, 33% of respondents chose the U.S. with only 5% choosing Russia. Germany? The U.S. topped the list at 17%, even ahead of Iran at 16%. Spain? The U.S. came in at 25%, while 11% voted for North Korea and 10% for Iran.

“How about Great Britain, whose national icon, Winston Churchill, was put in his place when Obama removed his bust from the White House? The U.S. tied Iran for the top spot at 15%.”

Fear of Nuclear Contamination

Infowar.com reported on January 1:

“The Department of Health and Human Services has ordered 14 million doses of potassium iodide, the compound that protects the body from radioactive poisoning in the aftermath of severe nuclear accidents, to be delivered before the beginning of February… Potassium iodide helps block radioactive iodine from being absorbed by the thyroid gland and is used by victims of severe nuclear accidents or emergencies. Under current regulations, states with populations living within 10 miles of a nuclear plant are encouraged, but not required, to maintain a supply of potassium iodide.

“A search of the FedBizOpps website returns no other results regarding the purchase of potassium iodide from any government agency, suggesting that the DHHS bulk buy of the tablets is unprecedented in recent times. The ongoing crisis at the Fukushima nuclear power plant has prompted concerns that the purchase is connected to the threat posed by radioactive debris washing up on the shores of the west coast or the potential for another natural disaster occurring in Japan which could impact the U.S….

“Last month it was revealed that 71 U.S. sailors who helped during the initial Fukushima relief efforts are suing the Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) after they returned with thyroid cancer, Leukemia, and brain tumors as a result of being exposed to radiation at 300 times the safe level. TEPCO has repeatedly been caught lying in their efforts to downplay the scale of the disaster…

“Top scientists have warned that if another major earthquake hits Fukushima, which is almost inevitable, it would mean ‘bye bye Japan’ and the complete evacuation of the west coast of North America. Now that radioactive debris is hitting the West Coast of North America, numerous different animals and sea life are suffering from  mysterious diseases, including 20 bald eagles that have died in Utah over the last few weeks alone.”

The Curse of a Failed Economic Policy

The US Congress rejected the plea to extend Unemployment Benefits for 1.3 million Americans. Right-wing websites like Breitbart applaud this incompetent decision with ridiculous arguments, refusing to recognize the personal misery of innocent individual victims of a failed economic direction. A country which does not take care of its needy citizens is condemned by God. It’s easy to take a position against unemployment benefits as long as one has a job, nice savings or rich relatives to support someone. It’s different when the shoe is on the other foot. We are bringing you some excerpts from real-life miseries and hope that the hardened hearts of some will be softened.

The Huffington Post wrote on December 28:

“David Torian is an Ivy League-educated lawyer and a onetime chief of staff to then-Rep. Michael McNulty (D-N.Y.). He has 23 years of experience in congressional and government relations, witnessed and practiced politics at the highest level, and has been well compensated along the way.  On Dec. 28, he will also be among the 1.3 million Americans who will lose their long-term federal unemployment insurance benefits.

“Unemployment is not just a blue collar problem. As Torian’s experience shows, it can affect even Beltway power players. And it comes without much, if any, warning. When the consulting firm that Torian worked for after his time on the Hill folded, there were few options available. He took time off to help his sister tend to their ailing mother, who died at the end of 2012. The Washington resident then went looking for work. While he found that his government affairs experience was a draw, his age, 49, was not. ‘I get interviews but lose out in the end because prospective employers tell me my experience makes me “over-qualified” and they do not feel I would stay long in the position if it was offered,’ Torian told The Huffington Post.

“For over a year now, he has been receiving unemployment benefits as he tries to find a job. The benefits, roughly $430 a week, were set to last another few months. But he has been informed that his last check came this past Wednesday… Already, he said, he’s moved to a cheaper home, maxed out credit cards, and gone through his savings and 401(k) accounts. He’s found some work on the side through a friend. But the income isn’t enough. He figures that he can pay rent for three more months without the unemployment insurance…

“Americans don’t qualify for unemployment insurance by being poor. In fact, you can only qualify for unemployment benefits if you had a solid work history prior to being laid off… Roughly 40 percent of Americans who’ve received long-term unemployment benefits since 2008 had previously earned between $30,000 and $75,000…”

The New York Times wrote on December 27:

“An emergency federal program that acts as a lifeline for 1.3 million jobless workers will end on Saturday, drastically curtailing government support for the long-term unemployed and setting the stage for a major political fight in the new year.  The program, in place since the recession started in 2008, provides up to 47 weeks of supplemental unemployment insurance payments to jobless people looking for work. Its expiration is expected to have far-reaching ramifications for the economy, cutting job growth by about 300,000 positions next year and pushing hundreds of thousands of households below the poverty line… When the federal program expires, just one in four unemployed Americans will receive jobless benefits — the smallest proportion in half a century…

“At one point, Mr. Davis, 68, made more than $100,000 a year as an information technology expert and web designer. He is now living on ramen noodles and $140 he counted out from his change jar. Since being laid off over the summer, he has missed mortgage payments, forcing him to take out a reverse mortgage on his home. He sold his car and got a late-1990s model Ford Taurus, and is looking to cut his utility and cellphone bills…

“The loss of benefits is expected to drain billions in consumer spending from the economy next year… The psychological toll is significant, too. ‘I get up. I check my messages. I go through my ritual,’ said Margie Bogash, 52, a laid-off medical laboratory manager in Pennsylvania, describing her job application process. ‘When I’m done cleaning up around my house, I sit down, I go on again. When I can’t sleep, I go on again. The past year has been very stressful — it’s still just very stressful.’…

“Extending the program for a year would cost an estimated $25 billion. But because recipients tend to immediately spend the money they receive in unemployment benefits, the effect on the economy will be amplified, economists said…

“Since her federal benefits expired, Jamie Young, a library scientist living in Portland, Ore., has accepted a part-time job, taking a large reduction in her income… But the unemployment rate will primarily drop as workers, especially older workers, drop out of the labor force… ‘The opportunities that were there for my brother and my parents, they don’t seem to be there,’ said Brett Ivey, a 29-year-old college graduate in Seattle, who lives on his $329-a-week unemployment insurance payment and about $15 a week in food stamps. ‘There’s hundreds of people fighting for the same job, just trying to get by.’”

This is part of the REAL story of an incompetent political leadership coupled with their failed economic policies. Of course, one who does not WANT to work should not receive unemployment benefits. And yes, there will be some, if not many, who might “play” the system. But there are also those who can’t find a job or who can’t work because of health reasons. A nation–any nation–which neglects to take care of those innocent victims of an increasingly corrupt system is cursed in the eyes of God. The Bible is very clear that our refusal to help those in need is an abomination in God’s eyes.

“It’s a Wonderful Life” Was Probed as Communist Propaganda

Newsmax wrote on December 29:

“The beloved… classic ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ was investigated as a vehicle for communist propaganda after its 1946 release, according to previously classified FBI documents. During the Red Scare following World War II, FBI informants asserted that the movie’s portrayal of wealthy banker Henry Potter as a greedy villain reflected the film’s communist sympathies.

“The recently published documents also show that investigators accused the film’s screenwriters, husband and wife duo Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich, of associating with known communists, the Daily Mail reported… The film stars James Stewart as George Bailey, a small-town loan officer whose money is stolen by banker Potter. Bailey’s imminent suicide on Christmas Eve brings about the intervention of his guardian angel, who shows George all the lives he has touched and how different life in his community would be had he never been born.

“The movie was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and has been ranked No. 11 on the American Film Institute’s list of top 100 American films. FBI informants also linked the movie to an earlier Russian film with a similar plotline.”

If you have never heard of the epitome of ridiculous nonsense, here it is… But it shows how far removed from reality and sound reasoning governmental agencies can drift in their pursuit of political agendas…

Holland’s Black Pete–How Culpable Were Dutch Jews in the Slave Trade?

JTA wrote on December 26:

“On a busy street near the Dutch Parliament, three white musicians in blackface regale passersby with holiday tunes about the Dutch Santa Claus, Sinterklaas, and his slave, Black Pete. Many native Dutchmen view dressing up as Black Pete in December as a venerable tradition, but others consider it a racist affront to victims of slavery. With Holland marking the 150th anniversary of abolition this year, the controversy over Black Pete has reached new heights. Hundreds demonstrated against the custom in Amsterdam last month, and more than 2 million signed a petition supporting it.

“Through it all, Dutch Jews — some of whom celebrate their own version of the Black Pete custom, called ‘Hanukklaas’ — have largely remained silent. But that changed in October, when Lody van de Kamp, an unconventional Orthodox rabbi, wrote a scathing critique about it on Republiek Allochtonie, a Dutch news-and-opinion website…

“Speaking out against Black Pete is part of what van de Kamp calls his social mission, an effort that extends to reminding Dutch Jews of their ancestors’ deep involvement in the slave trade. In April, he is set to publish a book about Dutch Jewish complicity in the slave trade, an effort he hopes will sensitize Jews to slavery in general and to the Black Pete issue in particular. ‘Money was earned by Jewish communities in South America, partly through slavery, and went to Holland, where Jewish bankers handled it,’ he said…

“Though he holds no official position in the Dutch Jewish community, van de Kamp, 65, is among the best-known Orthodox rabbis in the Netherlands…In one area of what used to be Dutch Guyana, 40 Jewish-owned plantations were home to a total population of at least 5,000 slaves, he says… On the Caribbean island of Curacao, Dutch Jews may have accounted for the resale of at least 15,000 slaves landed by Dutch transatlantic traders, according to Seymour Drescher, a historian at the University of Pittsburgh. At one point, Jews controlled about 17 percent of the Caribbean trade in Dutch colonies, Drescher said. Jews were so influential in those colonies that slave auctions scheduled to take place on Jewish holidays often were postponed, according to Marc Lee Raphael, a professor of Judaic studies at the College of William & Mary.

“In the United States, the Jewish role in the slave trade has been a matter of scholarly debate for nearly two decades… But in Holland, the issue of Jewish complicity is rarely discussed…”

The bottom line is: No nation in this world is without fault.

Israel’s Liberal Abortion Laws to Become Even More Liberal?

The website of ThinkProgress.org published the following article on December 30:

“Beginning in 2014, Israel may cover the cost of elective abortions for women in between the ages of 20 and 33. Health officials in the country recommended the new policy… and indicated they eventually intend to expand it to offer abortion funding to women of all ages. It now heads to country’s Health Ministry for approval.

“In Israel, a health committee determines which treatments will be funded through government dollars by approving some medical services… Before the proposed update…, women under the age of 20 or over the age of 40 could receive subsidized abortion services for personal reasons — but women in between those age groups could only get abortion funding if they were suffering a medical emergency, or if their pregnancy resulted from rape or incest…

“In a press conference on Monday, the committee members explained that the rule change is necessary because not every women can afford the reproductive care she needs without state assistance. ‘It was brought to our attention that there is a large group of women between 20 and 40 who for various reasons — financial or reasons of secrecy — do not terminate pregnancies,’ Prof. Jonathan Halevy, who heads the panel that makes the final recommendations for the health basket, explained…

“State-subsidized contraceptives are not currently available because of limited funds…

“Abortion is  less of a hot-button issue in Israel than it is in the United States. Although ending a pregnancy is technically illegal in Israel, punishable by up to five years in prison, there are a wide range of exceptions under which abortion is permitted. Before obtaining state funding for abortion, women have to appear before a government panel of experts and explain why they need one — but approval is  practically automatic… minors don’t need consent from their parents. Women serving in the military have access to at least one state-funded abortion.”

This unbiblical development in Israel is very shocking and abominable in God’s eyes.

Gay Marriage During 2014 Rose Parade Float

Breitbart reported on December 30:

“Contrary to the claim of AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) President Michael Weinstein that the gay wedding of Danny LeClair and Aubrey Loots on a float in the Tournament of Roses parade is… intended as a political statement…

“Leclair and Loots, who own three LA hair salons together, had planned to wed after the Supreme Court in June allowed same-sex marriages to resume in California. But they sped up their plans once they realized the vast platform the Rose parade presents…

“One study revealed that 83% of the homosexual men in the study estimated having sex with 50 or more partners during their lives, 43% with 500 or more, and 28% with 1,000 or more. 78% of homosexual relationships intended to show commitment lasted less than 3 years.”

The “gay” agenda is being pushed more and more… now the famous “family-oriented” Rose Parade, which is being seen in hundreds of countries around the world,  is being used for that purpose.

Did Pope Francis Abolish Sin?

The Daily Mail wrote on December 31:

“The Vatican has said that Pope Francis has not ‘abolished sin’ despite a left-wing newspaper claiming he had done so through his words and gestures.

“In an article in La Repubblica newspaper, Eugenio Scalfari, an atheist columnist, argued that the Pope believed he had eradicated sin because God’s love was eternal… The article was based on a long interview Scalfari had with the Pope earlier in the year, though Scalfari admits that he did not take notes or use a recording device during the conversation…The Vatican had hosted a script of the conversation on its website, but has now removed sections of it claiming they were ‘inaccurate’.

“In his first year as pontiff following the resignation of Emeritus Pope Benedict earlier in 2013, Pope Francis has become a much-loved figure throughout the world. He won applause after he was photographed kissing the face and head of a man suffering from neurofibromatosis, a disease similar to that suffered by the ‘elephant man’ which causes growth to form all over his body.

“He also washed the feet of convicts in Rome, ate a meal with the city’s homeless just before Christmas, and sent handwritten notes to Catholics all over the world asking for his help. He famously appeared in the first Papal ‘selfie’ photograph, won Esquire’s Best Dressed award for 2013 and was named Time magazine’s Man Of The Year.”

Catholic Brazil Worship African Sea Goddess

Deutsche Welle reported on December 31:

“More than 2 million people are expected at Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana beach this New Year’s Eve to honor the African goddess, Yemanja… Brazil is the country with the highest black population outside of Africa. For them, as well as other Brazilians, the festival at Copacabana is a continuation of Brazil’s tradition of syncretism, whereby African gods and Catholic saints are honored at the same time.

“… the event also has a modern touch: Just after midnight, some 24 tons of fireworks will be fired into the air over a period of 15 minutes. Some 50 pyrotechnic experts will set off fireworks across the bay in front of Copacabana beach, as onlookers observe from the shore. This year the event is due to be broadcast across Latin America and the United States for the first time by the American television network Fox.

“But on New Year’s Eve, focus turns to the sea goddess Yemanja, from the Afro-brazilian religion Candomble. To please the goddess, who it is said decides over life and death, the locals throw white roses into the surf, light candles, and pray to the heavens. Then the good wishes will rise up into the sky, which is lit up with fireworks, and the live music and dancing can begin. 2014 is set to start – Brazilian-style.”

Syncretism within the Catholic Church is by no means limited to Brazil. For more information, please read our free booklets, “Don’t Keep Christmas” and “Man’s Holidays and God’s Holy Days.”

“Surprising Number Of Americans … Don’t Believe In Evolution”

The Huffington Post wrote on December 30:

“One in three Americans doesn’t believe in evolution, according to new survey results from the Pew Research Center… 33 percent of Americans think ‘humans and other living things have existed in their present form since the beginning of time.’ Among Americans who said they believe in evolution, a quarter said ‘a supreme being guided the evolution of living things for the purpose of creating humans and other life in the form it exists today.’

“While six-in-ten Americans said they believed that ‘humans and other living things have evolved over time’ and about half of them said processes such as natural selection — not God — that led to evolution, religion continues to play a significant role in how it’s viewed. White evangelical Protestants were most likely to not believe in evolution, with two-thirds saying humans have existed in their current form since the beginning of time. Half of black Protestants said the same. Only 15 percent of mainline Protestants agreed…

“Currently, 43 percent of Republicans and 67 percent of Democrats believe in human evolution, while in 2009, 54 percent of Republicans and 64 percent of Democrats held that view… A September HuffPost/YouGov survey also asked about views on evolution. That poll found that a quarter of Americans believe humans and other species evolved ‘without the guidance of God,’ while 14 percent didn’t believe in evolution. About 46 percent of respondents said evolution happened ‘over time with the guidance of God.’”

AT LEAST 1/3 of all Americans do not believe in any kind of evolution. That is the GOOD NEWS. But 2/3 believe in some kind of evolution, either by “chance” or by “godly design,” and that is the BAD NEWS. The TRUTH is that NO EVOLUTION took place. For more information on the SCIENTIFIC IMPOSSIBILITY of Evolution, please read or free booklet, “The Theory of Evolution—A Fairy Tale for Adults.” Please also view our recent StandingWatch program on the subject, titled, “Good News! Many Americans Don’t Believe in Evolution!”

What 2014 May Mean for Germany

The Local wrote on December 31:

“Next year [2014] could prove a crucial one in Germany’s relations with the United States. As fall-out from the NSA spying scandal continues to land, the German government is likely to come under great pressure to defend its people’s internet security from American eyes and ears. It could also prove to be a crucial year for the continuing trade talks between the European Union and the US…

“The centenary of World War I will be marked across Europe and the world from 2014 onwards. History students learn that Germany’s defeat, its unsteady embrace of republicanism and democracy, and the harsh conditions imposed by the victorious Allies set the country on the path to fascism and the world on the route to World War II…

“Once bitten, twice shy, the Social Democrats (SPD) are likely to prove trickier coalition partners for Merkel than in her first partnership with them from 2005 to 2009. In that coalition they were overshadowed by Merkel and will be kicking harder and screaming louder this time for their policies.

“The main arguments within the coalition government will be between Merkel’s Bavarian allies, the Christian Social Union (CSU) and the SPD’s more left of centre figures. CSU leader Horst Seehofer has already upset SPD ministers with his call for restrictions on Bulgarians and Romanians coming to Germany. Seehofer has also questioned the SPD’s flagship policy of introducing a nationwide minimum wage. Merkel will have to find a way to please both the left and right flanks of her coalition…

“Elections to the European Parliament in May are shaping up to be an unusually exciting affair. With the march of rightwing and anti-EU parties across the continent, Merkel will have to counter the threat from Germany’s first eurosceptic party, Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD), while staying on good terms with her centre-left coalition partners, the SPD…

“German troops will be among the thousands of NATO forces withdrawing from Afghanistan in 2014 after more than a decade of conflict. The intervention has been unpopular in Germany and has done nothing to suggest that the country has become more willing to send troops into foreign war zones. All eyes will also be on Germany’s new defence minister Ursula von der Leyen. The mother-of-seven has been tipped as a successor to Merkel in 2017 and if she can survive in the normally scandal-hit post of defence minister she will emerge as a front runner to be the country’s next chancellor…

“The German economy may be performing well but it is under fire from both the US and EU for building up a huge trade surplus…”

Latvia Becomes 18th Euro Zone Member

Quartz wrote on December 31:

“Today is the last day of the lat. Latvia’s national currency will go the way of the deutschemark, franc and lira tomorrow, to be replaced by the euro on Jan. 1. The tiny Baltic nation will become the euro zone’s 18th member… Although Latvia is now the fastest-growing economy in the EU, around half the country is against the switch to the euro… The euro zone is also a bit wary of its newest member, given many Latvian banks’ reliance on Russian deposits… Whatever these misgivings, the euro changeover is a done deal.”

BBC News added on January 1:

“The former Soviet republic on the Baltic Sea recently emerged from the financial crisis to become the EU’s fastest-growing economy… there is… hope that the euro will reduce dependency on Russia.

“EU commissioner Olli Rehn said joining the eurozone marked ‘the completion of Latvia’s journey back to the political and economic heart of our continent, and that is something for all of us to celebrate’. The government and most business owners also welcomed the single currency, saying it would improve Latvia’s credit rating and attract foreign investors.”

Greece In Charge of Europe?

Deutsche Welle reported on January 1, 2014:

“For the next six months, Greece holds the presidency of the European Union. The country is virtually bankrupt, and has been bailed out several times by the EU. Now it’s in charge of the EU’s daily agenda… On 1 January 2014 the recipient of Europe’s biggest bailout took over the EU presidency, following an order of rotation that was set down years ago. The Greek government will have to lead hundreds of meetings, conduct complex negotiations, and host 13 ministerial councils in Athens…

“Greece’s presidency will really last only three-and-a-half months, according to the calculations of its deputy EU representative, Andreas Papastavros. He reminded journalists in Brussels that elections for a new European parliament are due to be held at the end of May, meaning that all discussion of legal proposals must be concluded by the beginning of April…

“The upcoming European elections, as well as the election campaign, will prove decisive for the Greek presidency, says Papastavros. ‘Europe is at a crossroads,’ he announced in Brussels.”

Will Cameron’s Career End Over Europe?

The EUObserver wrote on December 27:

“David Cameron ended 2013 as he started it: harried by his own Conservative party over Europe and trying to persuade it not to vote for an early referendum on EU membership… the idea the other 27 EU leaders will agree to a tailor-made package of opt-outs to satisfy the most eurosceptic wing of the Conservative party is fanciful… a large proportion of Conservative supporters do not trust [Cameron] on Europe and want to leave the EU as quickly as possible.

“… the prospects of the UK holding an in/out vote are greater now than at any time since its last EU referendum in 1975… The Conservative party’s fixation with the EU has damaged its unity for more than 20 years.  It has ended the careers of some of its brightest politicians. It may yet claim Cameron.”

“Ukraine Above All”

The Associated Press reported on January 1:

“About 15,000 people marched through Kiev on Wednesday night to honor Stepan Bandera, glorified by some as a leader of Ukraine’s liberation movement and dismissed by others as a Nazi collaborator… Some wore the uniform of a Ukrainian division of the German army during World War II. Others chanted ‘Ukraine above all!’ and ‘Bandera, come and bring order!’…

“Bandera, who died 55 year ago, remains a deeply divisive figure in Ukraine, glorified by many in western Ukraine as a freedom fighter but dismissed by millions in eastern and southeastern Ukraine as a traitor to the Soviet Union’s struggle against the occupying German army.

“Bandera was a leader of Ukraine’s nationalist movement in the 1930s and 1940s, which included an insurgent army that fought alongside Nazi soldiers during part of the Second World War. Bandera’s supporters claim they sided with the Nazis against the Soviet army, believing that Adolf Hitler would grant Ukraine independence… Bandera did collaborate with the Nazis and receive German funding for subversive acts in the USSR as German forces advanced across Poland and into the Soviet Union at the start of the war.

“He fell out with the Nazis in 1941, after the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists declared Ukraine’s independence, and he was sent to a concentration camp. Bandera won back Germany’s support in 1944, and he was released. The German army was hoping the Ukrainian insurgents could stop the advance of the Soviet army, which had regained control over much of eastern Ukraine by then. Bandera set up a headquarters in Berlin and oversaw the training of Ukrainian insurgents by the German army.

“His group also was involved in the ethnic cleansing that killed tens of thousands of Poles in 1942-44. The Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists portrayed Russians, Poles, Hungarians and Jews — most of the minorities in western Ukraine — as aliens and encouraged locals to ‘destroy’ Poles and Jews. Bandera was assassinated in 1959 by the KGB in West Germany.

“In January 2010, less than a month before his term in office was to end, Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko posthumously decorated Bandera with the Hero of Ukraine award. That led to harsh criticism by Jewish and Russian groups. The award was annulled by a court in January 2011 under President Viktor Yanukovych.”

Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood a Terrorist Organization

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 27:

“Former President Mohamed Morsi is in prison. His head of government Haschim Kandil was recently arrested: practically the entire leadership of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood is behind bars. They are accused of playing a role in the deaths of protesters, high treason and terrorism. Some of their trials are already under way, others are being prepared. Since September, the Brotherhood is de facto banned through a court decision.

“Now, the transitional government backed by the military has taken things further than even former dictator Hosni Mubarak ever did. The Brotherhood has been declared a terrorist organization… The organization was founded in 1928 and until recently was seen as the best organized political force of the country. With the election of their candidate Morsi as president, the Brotherhood seemed at the height of its power.

“The decision to list them as a terrorist organization comes in response to a bomb attack on Tuesday (24.12.2013) outside a police building in the town of Mansura at the Nile Delta. Sixteen people were killed and more than 100 were injured. Although an Islamist group operating from the Sinai called Ansar Beit al-Maqdis claimed responsibility for the blast, the government blamed the Muslim Brotherhood…

“Reports suggest that the desert area of Libya was used for several training camps where militant members of the Muslim Brotherhood as well as Salafists were being trained for terrorist attacks… There are said to be already as many as 1,000 members of the Brotherhood… There still is also substantial backing for the Muslim Brotherhood among ordinary Egyptians, so that there’s a large potential to find new recruits…”

The Washington Times reported on December 31:

“Interim governing authorities in Egypt ordered security forces on Tuesday to seize the assets of more than 500 Islamist leaders and Muslim Brotherhood members, the latest in a crackdown on the organization just slapped with the terrorist label.”

We have not heard the latest yet from the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood and other radical Islamist organizations. Egypt’s turmoil will continue.

Turkey in Uproar

BBC News reported on December 28:

“Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he will not step down amid corruption allegations that have forced the resignations of three ministers. The ministers’ sons were among dozens of people detained as part of a wide-ranging corruption probe… Police are investigating allegations of illicit money transfers to Iran and bribery for construction projects.

“The scandal has caused Turkey’s lira to fall to a new low against the dollar… The country’s top administrative court has blocked a government decree, introduced last week, ordering police to inform their superiors before launching investigations. The Council of State’s ruling on Friday, blocking the regulation, is seen as the latest setback in Mr Erdogan’s efforts to stop the political fallout from the scandal… Numerous police and judicial officials have been removed from their posts since the first arrests 10 days ago…

“Commentators in Turkey believe the scandal stems from a power struggle between Mr Erdogan’s government and an influential US-based Muslim cleric, Fethullah Gulen, who is said to have many followers within Turkey’s police and judiciary. Supporters regard the Hizmet movement inspired by Mr Gulen as the benign, modern face of Islam, but critics question its motives.”

Turkey will end up supporting a military European power bloc against Israel. God will condemn Turkey for this.

In our free booklet, “And Lawlessness Will Abound,” we stated the following:

“Another example [of an injunction which is no longer valid today for Christians] would be a law contained in Deuteronomy 22:12, commanding that tassels be made on the four corners of one’s clothing. The reason is given in Numbers 15:38–40: ‘…that you may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the LORD to do them… and so be holy to the LORD.’ … Today, God’s Holy Spirit reminds us of God’s law. Ancient Israel needed those physical reminders, however, as the Holy Spirit was not promised or given to them. Under the New Covenant, those physical reminders should not be necessary, as the law of God is being written on our hearts and minds.”

God gave this commandment to carnal people who did not have a heart to obey Him (Deuteronomy 5:29); nor would they have been able to obey God according to the spirit (2 Corinthians 3:1-8). But even obedience according to the letter was not something which the Israelites did; and the original intent of tassels was in time greatly abused and perverted. Today, as mentioned above, a Christian is being led by the Holy Spirit (carnal Israel did not have access to God’s Holy Spirit), and so it is God’s Spirit which reminds him of God’s law and enables him to keep the law in its spiritual sense (John 14:26; Galatians 5:16).

This is why true Christians do not build literal tabernacles or bring animal sacrifices during the Feast of Tabernacles—which were just physical ritual injunctions (Ezra 3:4; Nehemiah 8:14-15)—but they do obey the spiritual intent of the law by keeping the days during the Feast of Tabernacles away from their home in temporary dwellings such as hotels or vacation homes. True Christians do not eat a Passover lamb with bitter herbs and spices, but they keep the Passover with the symbols of bread and wine (pointing figuratively at the abused body and shed blood of Jesus Christ).

It is interesting to analyze how tassels or fringes (Authorized Version) were ultimately used by the Israelites and especially the Jews at Jesus’ time.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary states regarding Numbers 15:38:

“The fringes were not appointed for trimming and adorning their clothes, but to stir up their minds by way of remembrance…”

The tassels were “memory devices to keep the wearer focused on the commandments of God” (Nelson Study Bible, comment to Numbers 15:38). In time, their intended purpose, even for physical Israel, was abused and lost. This reminds us of the brass serpent which at one time fulfilled a godly-ordained purpose (Numbers 21:8-9; John 3:14), but which was later idolized so that it had to be destroyed (2 Kings 18:4). We might also remember the record about Gideon’s ephod (Judges 8:27). Having physical “reminders” like these, in connection with the worship of God, can easily become a distraction and border on idol worship. The so-called adoration of the “Christian” cross or the worship of the statutes of “saints” would be additional examples, even though none of these pagan practices were ever permitted in Scripture.

The above-mentioned commentary also expressed that the tassels were used by the people to “proclaim… themselves Jews wherever they were, as not ashamed of God and his law.”

However, today, this is not the purpose of God’s ministers and disciples. They are not to draw undue attention to themselves, but they are to proclaim the message of God’s Kingdom. Ministers are not to be called “Reverend” (a term exclusively used for God; Psalm 111:9; Authorized Version), or “Holy Father” (another term exclusively used for God, Matthew 23:9), and they are not to wear special clothing or robes to lift themselves up as ministers (a custom derived from the Babylonian mystery religion; compare Matthew 23:12).

The Pulpit Commentary states regarding tassels:

“We quote again from the Jewish ‘Class. Book:’ ‘Every male of the Jewish nation must wear a garment [not usually an undergarment] made with four corners, having fringes fixed at each corner. These fringes are called tsetsis, or, memorial fringes. In the synagogue, during the morning prayers, a scarf with fringes attached to it is worn, which is called tollece, “scarf or veil.” These memorial fringes typically point out the six hundred and thirteen precepts contained in the volume of the sacred Law. They are also intended to remind us of the goodness of the Almighty in having delivered our forefathers from the slavery in Egypt.’”

The “sacred Law” was a collection from the Book of Moses and included spiritual as well as ritual laws. While the spiritual laws (the Ten Commandments, as well as statutes and judgments, which define the Ten Commandments) are still obligatory today, the ritual laws (including the sacrificial system and fleshly ordinances of washings) have been superseded by the death of Jesus Christ. If tassels were worn to remind us of all these laws, then the importance of Christ’s sacrifice would be missed.

Friedman, Commentary on the Torah, also recognizes the ritual character of the commandment to wear tassels. He states on page 414:

“Some even feel the need to justify ritual by attempting to connect each ritual act to some ethical value… ‘we wear fringes to remind us to be kind…’ This is misleading…”

In fact, even orthodox Jews do not wear tassels as described in Numbers and Deuteronomy. Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible states:

“… on this square garment, and the four corners or skirts of it, were the fringes put… and these were to be wore by them throughout their generations until the Messiah came, and they seem to have been worn by him, Matthew 9:20 [but see our discussion below]; however, it is certain they were worn by the Pharisees in his time, Matthew 23:5; at present this four cornered garment is not anywhere in common use among the Jews…”  Instead, some wear it today as an under-garment of smaller size, especially during the morning prayer in the synagogue.

At Jesus’ time, and subsequently, some attached almost superstitious meaning to this temporary law. They went so far as to give tassels a magical importance. Gill explains:

“The observance of this law is of so much consequence with the Jews, that they make all the commandments to depend on it; and say, that it is equal to them all, and that he that is guilty of the breach of it, is worthy of death: they ascribe the like virtue to these fringes, as to their phylacteries, and think themselves much the better for the wearing them; and the Pharisees, because they would appear with a greater air of sanctity and devotion than others, made theirs larger…”

The Wycliffe Bible Commentary alludes to the superstitious feelings of Jews in regard to tassels and states that “Matthew condenses the account [of the healed woman] but notes that Jesus made clear to the woman that faith, not the tassel, had obtained this cure.”

Tassels are also mentioned in Deuteronomy 22:12. According to Gill, “Though a different word is here used from that in Numbers 15:38, yet the same things are intended… Though there have been some, whom Aben Ezra takes notice of, who supposed that this is a law by itself, and to be observed in the night, as that in Numbers 15:38 was in the day; but these he warmly opposes, and calls them liars.” Regardless, the principles expressed regarding Numbers 15:38 equally apply to Deuteronomy 22:12.

We cannot say for sure that Christ wore tassels because of the directives in Numbers 15:38 and Deuteronomy 22:12. The above-quoted passage in Matthew 9:20 says that the woman touched the “hem” of His garment. Compare Luke 8:44, where it is translated “border,” but the Greek word (“kraspedon”) is the same. Strong, No. 2899, states that its origin is uncertain, and that it has the meaning of “a margin,” and especially of a fringe or a tassel or a border or a hem.

Barnes’ Notes on the Bible says that this “garment was probably the square garment which was thrown over the shoulders… This was surrounded by a border or ‘fringe’; and this ‘fringe,’ or the loose threads hanging down, is what is meant by the ‘hem.’” Mark 5:27 only says that the sick woman touched His garment.  In another incident, Matthew 14:36 makes further reference to the “hem” of His garment.  As mentioned, Christ chided the Pharisees in Matthew 23:5 that they “enlarge[d] the borders of their garment.”

If Christ wore tassels pursuant to and in compliance with Numbers 15:38 and Deuteronomy 22:12, then He did of course not do so for the purpose of reminding Himself of God’s Law. He—the God of the Old Testament who GAVE the law in the first place—would not have had to have physical reminders to impress on Him the need to keep the Law. He would have just been obedient to ritual prescriptions which had not yet been abolished—they would be abrogated at the time of His death.

He also commanded a cleansed leper to present himself to the priest to fulfill passing ritual provisions in the Law of Moses (Matthew 8:4); and He kept the Old Testament Passover by eating a lamb, before changing the symbols to bread and wine. Further, in wearing tassels, He would have avoided unnecessary offense in an environment where tassels were worn (compare as another example, Matthew 17:24-27).  At the same time, Jesus refused to obey hypocritical human customs which were not based on Scripture (Mark 7:1-13).

The same is true today. Christians are not to participate in man-made (pagan) customs such as Christmas, Easter or Halloween activities. Also, they do not follow and practice superseded ritual laws. Christians are under no obligation to wear tassels today. To insist that they need to do so in an environment where such tassels are NOT worn, would cause unnecessary offense, scorn and ridicule. As Christians, we are to draw attention away from us, but instead direct it towards God and His Word, so that “by all means,” we might “save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22).

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

We extend our condolences to Johanna Link and Anita Hanstein, as well as their families, concerning the death of Johanna’s and Anita’s mother on this past Sabbath (December 28, 2013). Frau Hermine Sperzel lived in Germany and had been suffering from an extended illness.

Our monthly Ministerial Meeting via SKYPE was conducted on Sunday, December 29, 2013.

US Feast of Tabernacles plans for 2014 are being finalized. As in previous years, we will be meeting again in Pismo Beach, California. Further announcements are forthcoming.

A new member letter for January has been written by Brian Gale and will be posted soon and sent out early next week.

Our new booklet, “Hidden Secrets in the Bible” has entered the second review cycle and is expected to be sent by mid-January to our Graphic Designer, Shelly Bruno, for finalization.

“Good News! Many Americans Don’t Believe in Evolution!'” is the title of a new StandingWatch program presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

According to the Huffington Post, dated December 30, 2013, thirty-three percent of Americans reject evolution. And among Americans who accept the concept of evolution, a quarter said that a Supreme Being guided the process. Still, when we believe God’s Holy Word, evolution in any form is to be rejected. In fact, scientists admit that there is no proof that evolution occurred. The truth is that animals did not evolve from one species to another, and man did not evolve from animals, nor is man an animal. Our free booklet, “The Theory of Evolution—a Fairy Tale for Adults?,” explains why this is. Another one of our free booklets, “The Authority of the Bible,”  gives you proof as to why God’s written Word is infallible.

“Gottes Wirken in der Tierwelt,” is the sermon which was played this past Sabbath to the German brethren.This was the second in a series of sermons on the biblical teaching about animals. The title in English is: “God’s Work in the Animal World.”

“Tiere in der Welt von Morgen,” is the title of a new German sermon. It is the final installment of the series on animals. Title in English: “Animals in the World Tomorrow.”

“The Fate of Our Children,” is the title of a sermon given last Sabbath by Norbert Link. It is now available for listening or viewing, and here is a summary:

How does the life style of parents affect their children? When Adam and Eve sinned, God cut off the world from access to Him and His Way of Life, until Christ returns, but God determined to call some in this day and age to have a special relationship with Him. This includes the children of called-out parents. Whether they may realize it or not, parents have a tremendous influence on their children and grandchildren—in good and bad ways.

Kalon Mitchell

As I start my new job, I am keenly aware of every action and thing that I say or do.

I am so focused on learning how things operate at this new place. I am also feeling kind of lost with everything that I need to learn and do. Sometimes I tend to doubt myself and my abilities to do the job for which I was hired. I wonder if I will be able to accomplish what I have set out to do. It’s easy to get into this mindset and get stressed or worried. 

But then I remember that God is the One who opens doors. He has opened the door for me, and now it is my job to walk through that door. There is nothing I can’t do with God leading and directing my life. It is my job to remember this fact, set my belief in it and let my faith grow, just as I will grow in my new job and do the best I can.

So as I am starting in this job, I just keep reminding myself that God places people where He wants them. He brings about situations in my life. I am left knowing that I must set the right example and bring glory to God.

On December 28, 2013, Kalon Mitchell and Norbert Link will give split sermons, titled, respestively, “Constant vs. Change” and “The Fate of Our Children.”

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org (12:30 pm Pacific Time; 1:30 pm Mountain Time; 2:30 pm Central Time; 3:30 pm Eastern Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

An asymptote is a curious thing. For those who might have forgotten their math lessons from years ago, I’ll make an attempt to review it in simple terms. An asymptote is a curved line, which converges ever closer towards another line, which is straight, but never crosses. You can draw an asymptote line by graphing the points when dividing the number 1 by a series of other, ever increasing numbers – as those numbers grow, the result gets closer and closer to zero without ever reaching it. Just as an asymptote draws closer to a straight line but never touches it, the same is true for man in his endeavor to achieve perfection as a carnal human being.
 
No matter how sinless we may work to become on our own, we are destined to fall short of the perfection God declares. As Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 7:20, “For there is not a just man on earth who does good And does not sin.” If there is something encouraging to extract from this critique of every good person, it is the reminder that we can always do more. It is an important job of a Christian to continue growing to do better and better, even if that ultimate perfection cannot be obtained without becoming a Spirit being. Still, Paul instructs us to continually work to find ways to become more refined and holy in our conduct now. “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1). Just as an asymptote line draws continually closer to the straight line right next to it, we must work to continue doing a better job of seeking the perfection achieved by Jesus Christ in our conduct and behavior.
 
If the pursuit of perfection is an endeavor that we undertake throughout our lives, how can we do it? Repentance is the primary way that we can improve our lives and live a way that is more pleasing to God. The general instruction to repent can be overwhelming though. When faced with a mountain of repentance to do, it helps to have some more practical instruction so we can chip away at the work. I recently read a book about the history of statistics that describes methods designed by W. Edwards Deming for controlling the quality of manufacturing. The advice Mr. Deming proposed to manufacturers was to find places where there is a large variability in production and work to resolve the problems that cause that variability. Then continue again, finding the next largest variability in production, and solve the source of that problem. By continuing the process, the variability and size of problems become smaller and smaller, but it is never assumed that the variability is completely gone.
 
Realistically, we cannot become perfect until we are changed into Spirit beings. And by extension, it is not realistic to think that we are able to fix everything in our lives and correct every sin. But, we have to start someplace, and what better way to start is there than to take advantage of God’s offer to help us overcome the greatest problem we have? When the largest problem we have to work on is resolved, we look for the next biggest problem, and continue as long as we have the ability to do so. Of course, as we overcome our sins one by one, we must not neglect the “smaller” sins or drift back into sinful habits that we had already thought to have overcome. A key to make this possible is a dedication to pursue perfection, all the while knowing that there is still more that can be improved.
 
At one time, a rich young ruler approached Jesus Christ expressing a desire to grow and find out what he still lacked. He became discouraged upon hearing what he still had to do. “Jesus said to him, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me’” (Matthew 19:21). The big thing that this man needed to do was overcome his trust in riches and instead submit his life to follow Jesus Christ completely. But, he was unwilling to do so.

The condition that we need to fulfill in order to achieve perfection requires that we submit our lives to God, while constantly working to overcome sin. If we do follow and grow in Jesus Christ’s example of perfect obedience, we will receive God’s promise of ultimate perfection as spirit beings in His Family.

We begin with further unsettling reports about America’s international and domestic problems; remind you of an important article by the BBC about Pope Francis; and publish and critique an article about a Jewish mother who is trying to compromise with pagan (falsely so-called Christian) concepts in her child-rearing, erroneously thinking or hoping it will not harm the child.

Israel Upset With USA and Britain over Spying

Israel National News reported on December 22:

“Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu opened his weekly cabinet meeting Sunday with comments about the revelations that the US and Britain have been spying on Israeli officials… The New York Times reported Friday that in monitoring more than 1,000 targets in upwards of 60 countries between 2008 to 2011, US and British intelligence agencies tapped the communications of former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, among other foreign leaders, according to secret documents revealed by intelligence contractor Edward Snowden.

“Other MKs and government officials continue to express outrage at the reports throughout Sunday, as the story makes waves throughout Israeli and foreign press…”

And so, prophecy is being fulfilled… the relationship between Israel, the USA and Britain WILL deteriorate… with Ephraim (UK) against Manasseh (USA), and Manasseh against Ephraim, and both of them against Judah… (Isaiah 9:21). For more information, please read our free booklet, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America.”

Sudan—the Latest War

Reuters wrote on December 21:

“Three U.S. aircraft came under fire from unidentified forces on Saturday while trying to evacuate Americans from a spiraling conflict in South Sudan. The U.S. military said four of its members were wounded in the attacks. Nearly a week of fighting in South Sudan threatens to drag the world’s newest country into a Dinka-Nuer ethnic civil war just two years after it won independence from Sudan with strong support from successive U.S. administrations…

“The German military said on Saturday it had evacuated 98 people, including Germans and other nationals, from South Sudan by air to neighboring Uganda. The German ambassador to South Sudan was among them, the Foreign Ministry in Berlin said.”

The Washington Post wrote on December 24:

“The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously Tuesday to nearly double the number of peace­keepers in the world’s newest nation to more than 14,000 and urged swift action to end a violent political and ethnic conflict that threatens to become a full-blown civil war. Amid reports of mass graves, extrajudicial killings and rapes, tens of thousands of civilians have sought refuge in U.N. base camps that in some cases were described as under siege from ethnically motivated fighters. Hundreds of people, if not several thousand, have been killed, according to witnesses and U.N. officials…

“Although 380 U.S. citizens have been evacuated, the State Department said it has no fixed count of how many remain — many of them are humanitarian workers — because they may not have registered with the U.S. Embassy here or may have left the country on their own.”

Another war… and the USA is again being dragged into it. A sign of the times… wars and rumors of wars.. the beginnings of sorrow… (Matthew 24:6,8).

The American Economy Doomed to Fail…

Newsmax wrote on December 19:

“… many well-respected economists, billionaires, and noted authors…[and]  experts such as Marc Faber, Peter Schiff, Donald Trump, and Robert Wiedemer [telling us that] we are on the verge of another recession, and this one will be far worse than what we experienced during the last financial crisis.

“Marc Faber, the noted Swiss economist and investor, has voiced his concerns for the U.S. economy numerous times during recent media appearances, stating, ‘I think somewhere down the line we will have a massive wealth destruction. I would say that well-to-do people may lose up to 50 percent of their total wealth.’ When he was asked what sort of odds he put on a global recession happening, the economist famous for his ominous predictions quickly answered . . . ‘100 percent.’…

“Faber’s pessimism is matched by well-respected economist and investor Peter Schiff, the CEO of Euro Pacific Capital. Schiff remarks that the stock market collapse we experienced in 2008 ‘wasn’t the real crash. The real crash is coming.’… Most alarming is his belief that daily life will get dramatically worse for U.S. citizens.

“If we keep doing this policy of stimulus and growing government, it’s just going to get worse for the average American. Our standard of living is going to fall . . . People who are expecting Social Security can’t get all that money. People expecting government pensions can’t get all their money . . . We simply can’t afford to pay them.”

“Equally critical of the current government and our nation’s economy is real estate mogul and entrepreneur Donald Trump… It is this massive debt that worries Trump the most… In a recent appearance, Trump went to so far as to say the dollar is ‘going to h…’

“Where Trump, Faber, and Schiff see rising debt, a falling dollar, and a plunging stock market, investment adviser and author Robert Wiedemer sees much more widespread economic destruction. In a recent interview to talk about his New York Times best-seller Aftershock, Wiedemer says, ‘The data is clear, 50 percent unemployment, a 90 percent stock market drop, and 100 percent annual inflation…’”

It will happen… God is not mocked. What we sow, we will reap…

More on the Obamacare Disaster—Is America Ever Going to Wake Up?

Bloomberg reported on December 20, 2013:

“Hundreds of thousands of people whose health plans are being canceled because their coverage doesn’t meet Obamacare rules will be exempt next year from the U.S. mandate that all Americans carry medical insurance. People losing coverage will now be allowed to buy bare-bones ‘catastrophic’ insurance that the law usually limits to those younger than age 30… Others can opt out completely without the threat of the fines being imposed next year on the uninsured as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

“The change will affect fewer than 500,000 people as a Dec. 23 deadline looms to purchase policies for coverage that starts Jan. 1, according to Obama administration figures. Insurers said the exemptions may keep younger, healthier people from buying new coverage through Obamacare, a demographic that is needed to bring balance to the new government-run insurance marketplaces… President Barack Obama has been issuing a flurry of last-minute policy changes to give people more time to sign up for his signature domestic policy initiative following a botched rollout of key programs, delays of others and political backlash over the cost and effects of the law…

“The latest exemption from the law’s individual mandate would last a year and potentially longer for consumers granted hardship exceptions… ‘The sad reality is that when the law takes effect come Jan. 1, more Americans will be without coverage under Obamacare than one year ago,’ Representative Fred Upton, a Michigan Republican who is chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said in an e-mail. ‘Rather than more White House delays, waivers, and exemptions, the administration should provide all Americans relief from its failed law.’ …

“California… has already reported that more than 1 million policy holders have received letters from their current insurers saying their coverage will be canceled after Dec. 31 because their plans don’t comply with Obamacare… People whose plans are canceled must apply to the government for a hardship exemption from the requirement to carry insurance and submit the letter they received from their current insurer. Once the government approves the exemption, they are eligible to purchase catastrophic plans, which usually have the lowest premium of any coverage sold on exchanges. The plans aren’t eligible for federal subsidies, meaning there’s no discount for the premium.”

Further, to call these policies “catastrophic” is, actually, quite applicable. They are indeed a catastrophic way of circumventing meaningful health insurance and may have catastrophic consequences for those enrolled in them. America’s healthcare system has been a total disaster, but Obamacare will be making matters so much worse. Whatever the government and the opposition are doing, seems to be cursed by Almighty God and doomed to fail. We should ask ourselves why this is.

European Army–Is the EU Torturing Britain?

The EUObserver wrote on December 20:

“Why does the EU torture Britain so? Ten pages of EU Council conclusions on defence! Prime Minister David Cameron was forced into a preemptive strike to defuse a potentially mighty tabloid attack… He personally scratched out a reference to ‘Europe’s armed forces’ from the text. He spoke to press about co-operation between nation states. His brother in arms on this matter – Anders Fogh Rasmussen from Nato – gave him some backing. In a little pep talk to leaders, he noted that military assets should be ‘owned by individual nations.’

“However, the Dane – widely thought to be eyeing an EU post next year – craftily managed to straddle both sides of the debate. The EU needs to be militarily strong all the same, he noted.

“So what did others think of the noise made by Cameron? French President Francois Hollande thought his [Cameron’s] fears about an EU army were a ‘false concern.’ And EU Council President Herman Van Rompuy noted that he [Cameron] had achieved little, managing ‘no substantial changes’ to the conclusions.

“But it depends who is doing the telling. ‘Relaunching Europe’s Defence, one of the (rare) promises on external policy of Hollande torpedoed tonight by Cameron’ tweeted French MEP Arnaud Danjean. And the truth falls somewhere between. The lengthy conclusions… will be what member states make of them… On the back of his military intervention in the Central African Republic, the French president called for an EU fund for military operations…”

And EU member states will “make” a European army “of it”… without British approval.

Let the True Pope Francis Stand Up

BBC News wrote on November 26, 2013 about Pope Francis. Even though somewhat belated, this article is still worth reading again:

“… he appeals to both Church conservatives and reformers, being seen as orthodox on sexual matters, for instance, but liberal on social justice – though far from being a ‘liberation theologist’…

“Born in Argentina, Pope Francis is the first Latin American – and the first Jesuit – to lead the Roman Catholic Church… he was ordained as a Jesuit in 1969 and went on to study in Argentina and Germany… The Society of Jesus is a male order of the Catholic Church, with 19,000 members worldwide. It was established in 16th Century Europe as a missionary order, and members swear vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. The order became so powerful that it was suppressed at the end of the 18th Century but later restored…

“For the Church establishment, it is a novelty to have a Jesuit in charge… As a Jesuit, he is a member of perhaps the most powerful and experienced religious order of the Catholic Church, who are known as expert communicators… It appears that few who know him doubt his conservative credentials. This is how Monsignor Osvaldo Musto, who was at seminary with him, described him in a BBC News article back in 2005: ‘He’s as uncompromising as Pope John Paul II, in terms of the principles of the Church – everything it has defended regarding euthanasia, the death penalty, abortion, the right to life, human rights, celibacy of priests.’

“His views have been put to the test in Argentina, the first Latin American country to legalise same-sex marriage with a President, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, who promotes free contraception and artificial insemination. When he argued that gay adoptions discriminated against children, the president said his tone harked back to ‘medieval times and the Inquisition’… Aside from his universal significance, the former cardinal appears to be a strong Argentine patriot, telling Argentine veterans of the Falklands War at a Mass last year: ‘We come to pray for all who have fallen, sons of the Homeland who went out to defend their mother, the Homeland, and to reclaim what is theirs.’…

“Since becoming pope, he has continued to put his concern about economic inequality at the forefront of his message. In Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel), the first major work he has written since he became Pope, he says ‘the worship of the ancient golden calf… has returned in a new and ruthless guise in the idolatry of money and the dictatorship of an impersonal economy’. The document also suggests Pope Francis is planning radical reforms to the Vatican bureaucracy, another theme that has gained prominence in his papacy.”

Note that as a Jesuit, he is “a member of perhaps the most powerful and experienced religious order of the Catholic Church, who are known as expert communicators.” He is a very strong conservative, and his political stance for Argentina and against the UK is also remarkable. Finally, as Time magazine’s “man of the year,” his charisma and increasing popularity is truly telling…

Sky-High Approval Rate of the Pope Among US Catholics

CNN wrote on December 24:

“Americans’ opinions of the pontiff appear to be as high as the dome on St. Peter’s Basilica… 88% of American Catholics approve of how Francis is handling his role as head of the 1.2 billion-member church. The popular pontiff has also made a positive impression among Americans in general: Nearly three in four view Francis favorably.  The new survey suggests that the Pope is arguably the most well-regarded religious figure among the American public today… Nine months into his papacy, the Argentine-born Francis has captured attention with crowd-pleasing acts of compassion…

“The Pope has also shown a common touch rare for such a lofty religious leader. Pope Francis was the most talked about person on the Internet this year, and even atheists have professed appreciation for the 77-year-old pontiff… he was named person of the year by both Time magazine and The Advocate, a gay and lesbian publication…

“More than 85% of American Catholics say Francis is neither too liberal nor too conservative, and 86% say he’s in touch with the modern world. By comparison, more than half of American Catholics said Pope John Paul II was out of step with the times in 2003, near the end of his 26-year-long papacy… More than six in 10 American Catholics agree with Francis’ comments about women in the church… The Pope has said that women should have a larger role in church governance but cannot be ordained as priests… It remains to be seen how long the honeymoon will last for Francis, and how long he can continue to build goodwill among American Catholics.”

Two Popes?

The Associated Press wrote on December 23:

“Pope Francis has visited his predecessor, Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI, to exchange Christmas greetings. Photos released by the Vatican newspaper show the two men, dressed in identical white robes save for Francis’ cape, chatting in a sitting room inside Benedict’s retirement home during the visit Monday. They also prayed together in the adjoining chapel. Benedict was looking well, using a cane for support while they stood in prayer.

“It is the first time the interior of Benedict’s home has been shown publicly: The sitting room and furniture were all white. An Advent wreath decorated the coffee table. Since Benedict’s retirement in February, the two men have met only once publicly, for an official Vatican ceremony in July. They also have met privately and occasionally have spoken by telephone.”

The Jewish (Christian) Dilemma with “Christian” (Pagan) Holidays and Customs

JTA wrote on December 19:

“Last spring, I found myself averting my eyes when my 4-year-old mentioned something about the Easter bunny in front of my dad. We were at my parents’ home in Michigan for Passover and my son said, ‘When I get back to Brooklyn, the Easter bunny is going to bring me a basket!’… Although my son is being raised as a Jew, he celebrates Christmas and Easter with his non-Jewish father, my ex. I know it bothers my dad to hear his grandson talk about these Christian icons. It bothers me, too.

“During our four-year courtship prior to becoming engaged, my then-boyfriend and I came to an agreement about the religious upbringing of our future children. After taking two classes on Jewish culture and an interfaith couple’s workshop at the JCC, we agreed that our children would be raised according to Jewish tradition but could celebrate Christian holidays — in a secular way — with their non-Jewish grandparents. But after my husband and I separated and eventually divorced, some of the prenuptial agreements we made surrounding our interfaith family were no longer heeded.

“Before our separation, my husband had begrudgingly agreed not to have a Christmas tree in our home. But since our separation, he has had a tree every winter. That means Santa doesn’t just bring gifts to my son’s grandparents’ homes in Seattle, but to his father’s home in Brooklyn, too.

“Our son attends a Jewish preschool and has all kinds of children in his class – some with two Jewish parents, some from interfaith homes and others who are not Jewish at all. He already knows that families have their own ways of observing the holidays, and that you can be Jewish and still celebrate non-Jewish holidays with some of your family and friends. Last December he rambled on and on about what Santa was going to bring him for Christmas. I was tempted to remind him that he is Jewish and explain that Jews don’t believe in Santa. But I went along with it because I didn’t want to burst his Christmas bubble.

“Nevertheless, it’s hard for me to accept that our child won’t be raised according to the terms that my ex-husband and I had agreed upon before we married. And somehow I feel threatened that inserting these Christian traditions into my son’s home life will dilute his Jewish identity, even though I know a Christmas elf can’t come and stomp out thousands of years of Jewish tradition…

“Do I break it to him that a fat bearded man will not actually squeeze himself through a chimney (especially considering there are very few chimneys in Brooklyn apartments)? Or do I let him figure it out when he gets a bit older, like he probably would if he were raised by two Christian parents? And come spring, do I tell him that no giant Harvey-sized rabbit is going to show up with a basket full of treats, but that his grandmother will carefully pick out the treats in Seattle, put them in a priority mailbox and ship them to Brooklyn?

“For the time being, I figure I’ll leave it alone, and age will take care of it. I believe we will provide our son with a strong enough Jewish identity that these Christmas and Easter icons will not threaten his understanding of who he is. But ask me again later this month. I may change my mind.”

This article is a classic example of how NOT to act, and of foolish arrangements before marriage compromising with the truth. The consequences will be catastrophic.

We repeat for you the statements from the article, setting forth concepts which are most unfortunate, misleading, erroneous and damaging:

“During our four-year courtship prior to becoming engaged, my then-boyfriend and I came to an agreement about the religious upbringing of our future children. After taking two classes on Jewish culture and an interfaith couple’s workshop at the JCC, we agreed that our children would be raised according to Jewish tradition but could celebrate Christian holidays — in a secular way — with their non-Jewish grandparents.”

Such an arrangement should have never been made… in fact, such a marriage should have never been entered into.

“He already knows that families have their own ways of observing the holidays, and that you can be Jewish and still celebrate non-Jewish holidays with some of your family and friends.”

The child should never be allowed to celebrate pagan “Christian” days with his friends or family, if the parent is in control and can prevent this. See below for a further explanation of this statement.

“Last December he rambled on and on about what Santa was going to bring him for Christmas. I was tempted to remind him that he is Jewish and explain that Jews don’t believe in Santa. But I went along with it because I didn’t want to burst his Christmas bubble.”

Sadly, a golden opportunity was missed. Not wanting to burst the Christmas bubble is tantamount to going along with wrong customs and ungodly practices.

“I know a Christmas elf can’t come and stomp out thousands of years of Jewish tradition…”

Don’t be too sure. It does not take much encouragement to lead a child on the wrong path.

“…age will take care of it.”

Yes, the time will come when the child may ask the parent: “Mom, why did you lie to me, even though you knew better?”

“I believe we will provide our son with a strong enough Jewish identity that these Christmas and Easter icons will not threaten his understanding of who he is.”

If a strong enough “Jewish identity” has been provided, that would be one thing. From the article, it does not appear that this is indeed the case, but that compromise has been the norm.

As long as a child is under the care of a Jewish or truly Christian parent, it is extremely important that the child be taught the right principles, and that no compromises be made with pagan holidays or customs. In an existing or broken-up mixed marriage, the Jewish or truly Christian parent may have no control over the teaching and conduct of the non-Jewish or non-truly Christian parent who will many times try to counteract the efforts of the other side, but as long as the Jewish or truly Christian parent can guide and lead the child, he or she MUST do so without any compromise—sadly, the above article does not show such important commitment.

Christianity Under Attack in Europe? What “Christianity”?

The Independent wrote on December 24:

“The former Archbishop of Canterbury… said Christianity was under threat in Europe and elsewhere… ‘there is an increasing timidity on the part of churchgoers in the West – about even admitting that they have a faith in the workplace.’… Lord Carey said last month that Christianity was a ‘generation away from extinction’ in the UK.”

Breitbart News wrote on December 24:

“Young people in Britain are confused about the story of Christ’s birth as told in the Bible… one in 10 young people ages 18-24 believe ‘Father Christmas’ was a ‘Biblical figure mentioned in Gospel accounts of Jesus Christ’s birth.’ Seven percent of respondents in the poll believed ‘there was a Christmas tree mentioned in the Bible,’ and a third of the 2,000 respondents believed ‘the Bible specifies Dec. 25 as the day Christ was born.’”

This ignorance is appalling. Of course, a Christmas tree IS mentioned in the Bible, in Jeremiah 10, but it is strongly condemned by God.

Some orthodox Jews wear leather boxes (“phylacteries”) which contain portions of Old Testament passages. They base this custom on Scriptures in Deuteronomy and Exodus.

One of those passages is Deuteronomy 6:6-8, which states, in connection with the pronouncement of the Ten Commandments:

“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house,  when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall BIND them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as FRONTLETS between your eyes.”

In addition, another passage used for the custom of wearing phylacteries, is Deuteronomy 11:18, which states, in connection with the second giving of the Ten Commandments:

“Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and BIND them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as FRONTLETS between your eyes.”

How are we to follow today these commandments in Deuteronomy?  Are we to follow the example of the Jews at the time of Christ, or the example of some Jews today, in wearing phylacteries?

Friedman, Commentary of the Torah, explains, that the command to bind the law on one’s hand and to bind it between the eyes “came to be taken literally, requiring one to wear BOXES [in Hebrew tephillin; in Greek phylacteries] on one’s ARM and HEAD containing passages from the Torah [the five books of Moses]. In the Tanak [the entire Old Testament], however, this expression is meant figuratively, meaning to keep these teachings at hand… and right before one’s eyes.”

Let us note Matthew 23:5, where Jesus makes a reference to “phylacteries”:

“But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments.”

Christ did not approve of the custom, but He used it as an example to point out the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and the scribes.

The Ryrie Study Bible says:

“… some Jews still wear phylacteries… BOUND on the forehead and on the left ARM above the elbow… A phylactery was a square leather box which contained four strips of parchment on which were written (portions from Exodus and Deuteronomy). During prayer one was worn on the forehead between the eyebrows and another on the left arm close to the elbow. They were held in place by leather bands, which the Pharisees made broad to attract more attention to themselves… phylacteries had only begun to be used by the ultra-pious in Christ’s day…”

According to some commentaries, the custom of wearing phylacteries began sometime after the Jews had returned from the Babylonian captivity. As an aside, IF the passages in Deuteronomy were to be understood literally as commanding the phylacteries to be worn “on your hand, and… as frontlets between your eyes,” the Jews would not have kept this command anyhow, as they were not wearing them on their HAND, but they did so on their left ARM.

In fact, these phylacteries had been given a superstitious application. Dummelow writes in his “Commentary on the Holy Bible”:

“The rabbis held these phylacteries… in the highest veneration. They were to be kissed when put on or off… they were a preservative against demons, whence their name phylacteries, i.e. amulets (from a Greek word meaning ‘to guard.’). They were sworn by, by touching them.”

Young,  Analytical Concordance of the Holy Bible, defines the word “phylactery” as “a guard, a charm,” and Vine, “Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words,” writes:

“any kind of safeguard… especially to denote an amulet… it was supposed to have potency as a charm against evils and demons.”

Apart from this very dangerous and ungodly development, the passages in Deuteronomy 6 and 11 were meant to be applied figuratively, not literally, and most certainly not in connection with phylacteries, as can be seen from the following passages:

We read in Exodus 13:7-10, 15-16:

“Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days. And no leavened bread shall be seen among you, nor shall leaven be seen among you in all your quarters. And you shall tell your son in that day,  saying, ‘This is done because of what the LORD did for me when I came up from Egypt.’ It shall be as a sign to you on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, the LORD’S law may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand the LORD has brought you out of Egypt. You shall therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year…

“‘And it came to pass, when Pharaoh was stubborn about letting us go, that the LORD killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all males that open the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’ It shall be as a sign on your HAND and as FRONTLETS between your eyes, for by strength of hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt.”

Here the reference of “binding” certain passages on the forehead and on the hand applied to the historical situation pertaining to the death of the firstborn, the exodus from Egypt and the Days of Unleavened Bread. Jews claim that these passages are also to be contained in the phylactery boxes. But they do not include passages from the following sections:

Proverbs 3:3 says: “Let not mercy and truth forsake you; BIND them around your neck, WRITE them on the tablet of your heart.”

Here mercy and truth are to be bound around one’s neck and to be written on the tablets of our heart—but Jews do not include this passage in their leather boxes.

Proverbs 6:21 states: “BIND them continually upon your heart; TIE them around your neck.” A particular law is to be bound upon one’s heart and to be tied around the neck. The context is the command and admonition against adultery, compare verses 20, 22-24, 27-29.

Proverbs 7:3 adds: “Bind them on the fingers; Write them on the tablet of your heart.”

A particular provision is to be bound on one’s fingers and the tablet of the heart, and the context is again the prohibition of adultery, compare verse 5.

Let us notice again that Deuteronomy 6:6,8; 11:18 and Exodus 13:16 say that God’s law is to be “IN your heart” and that it is to be “AS a sign on your hand,” and “AS frontlets between your eyes.” This is clearly figurative language, which is not to be understood literally. This includes what we do with our hand and what and how we think.

The Sabbath is a good example. On it, we refrain from work with our hands, and we worship God with our mind. But we are warned that people will follow the false prophet (a religious leader) to receive the mark of the beast (a political leader) on their right hand or on their forehead (see Revelation 13:16-17), showing that they will work with their hands on the Sabbath and refuse to worship God on this day, while setting aside Sunday as a day of rest.

If we are true Christians, we do not need physical reminders such as phylacteries to remind us of God’s law. Today, God’s Holy Spirit in us reminds us of God’s law, and the law of God is being written on our hearts and minds (Romans 5:5 says that the love of God, which is defined as keeping the commandments (1 John 5:3), is poured out IN our hearts by the Holy Spirit).

Hebrews 8:10 describes the New Covenant, and true Christians—spiritual Israelites—are living already today under the conditions of the New Covenant:

“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and WRITE them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”

God’s law must be written in our hearts—to wear physical boxes such as phylacteries in superstitious ways to “remind” us of the law is not what God intends us to do.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

“Childrearing in a Christian-Jewish Family,” is the title of a new StandingWatch program presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

Recently, a Jewish lady wrote about the difficulty of raising her child together with a Christian father, especially around Christmas and Easter time. In this program, we are showing important principles for marriage and childrearing, explain 1 Corinthians 7:39, and clear up rampant misunderstandings. We point out that compromise is never a solution, and reveal that Christmas and Easter are not Christian. We offer our free booklets, “The Keys to Happy Marriages and Families” and “Don’t Keep Christmas.”

To go along with this week’s Question and Answer topic, you might want to view last week’s sermonette presentation by Nobert Link on the subject of phylacteries–titled, “Phylacteries Today?” Here is a summary:

In several Old Testament passages, the command is given to bind the law on one’s hand and between one’s eyes. At the time of Christ, Jews had taken these passages literally and had begun to wear boxes with portions of the law, called tephillin or phylacteries. Some Jews still do this today. But did God ever require this of His followers, and if not, what exactly is the intended meaning?

“Gottes Wirken in der Tierwelt,” is the sermon which will be played this coming Sabbath to the German brethren.This is the second in a series of sermons on the biblical teaching about animals. The title in English is: “God’s Work in the Animal World.”