Update 1166

On July 5, 2025, Frank Bruno will present the first split sermon, titled ,“Follow Me,” and Dave Harris will present the second split sermon, titled, “How to Repent!”

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

Here in the United States, the country will celebrate the 4th of July. This day commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776—when the United States declared its intention to break away from Britain and become its own nation. 

One of the founding ideas by the men who wrote the Declaration of Independence was their conviction that everyone had individual rights, along with equality and the concept of democracy. Over the last couple of hundred years, this nation has enjoyed freedoms and rights which most other countries in the world have not experienced. God blessed the United States because of His promise to Abraham who had throughout his entire life displayed the righteousness, faith and confidence in God.

While we have freedoms today, these freedoms are slowly but surely being taken away. This is because the United States at large and the other English-speaking nations have all but rejected God. They are not following after God and His Commandments as their forefather Abraham did. They all make excuses and refuse to truly obey God because they have used this idea of Freedom wrongly and are reaping the consequences that God has laid forth in Scripture. 

As Christians who uphold the Truth and attempt to live by the Words of the Bible, we need to realize that we are NOT free to do whatever we please. Unlike the world at this time, we are being judged by the standard of keeping the Ten Commandments and, by extension, showing Godly agape love. 

What is fascinating to me is that the world is seeking freedom, and if they could truly understand and see, they would find that true freedom comes from obedience to God’s Ways which, when followed perfectly, produce true love, peace and freedom. 

Paul wrote in Galatians 5:1, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” This whole chapter goes on to iterate true freedom and what its effects are. Essentially, it boils down to using God’s Spirit which provides the best way to obtain true freedom. 

One of the things that I admire about the Apostle Paul was his undying love for the people in the Church. He spent a lot of time and effort attempting to help these people. In 1 Corinthians 9:19-23, he talks about how his freedom was used—not for himself but for the good of everyone else: “Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings” (New International Version).

That is the ultimate use of one’s freedom—to spend one’s self for the good of others. Christ Himself stated that this is the highest example of love that any of us can give (John 15:13: “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends”). Christ also did this in laying down His perfect life for us and took on our sins. While we may not lay down our lives in the way that Christ did, we have opportunities to lay down our lives in greater service for the good of those who are in the Church—a selfless approach that brings true freedom. 

As we live our lives and grow in the use and application of God’s Spirit, we should begin to see that these ways of thinking and acting are not even for ourselves or others, but for the opportunity to glorify God and honor and show love to Him. This is exactly what Christ was pointing to when He said that the greatest two commandments are to “…love the Lord your God with all your heart… and love your neighbor as yourself” (compare Matthew 22:37-40). One of the most important things we must realize is that our freedom is not to be used in self-serving. Paul wrote to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20: “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit [which] is in you, [which] you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 

Our freedom is a beautiful thing. But we must realize that our freedom required a price—the death of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:18–19). With this in mind, we can and should continue on in living this new life that we have been given so we can bring honor and glory to God as is fitting, because this is part of what we have been called to do (Ephesians 2:10). 

True freedom can and will ONLY be found through submitting our lives more and more fully to our Creator and Sustainer. 

by Norbert Link

We begin with the US Supreme Court’s highly controversial and disunifying decision related to birthright citizenship; continue with Israel’s and America’s attack on Iran and potential dangerous and alarming consequences; and speak on NATO’s embarrassing performance and modern warfare with drones.

We continue with further frictions between the USA and Canada and ICE’s misconduct, as well as further alarming intentions of the Trump administration regarding American citizens; and we address discussions for conscription in Germany and a push by Germany’s CDU leader Jens Spahn to become a nuclear power. 

Please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Is America Ruled by a King?”

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

Controversial US Supreme Court Decision on Birthright Citizenship 

The New York Times wrote on June 27: 

“The Supreme Court on Friday limited the ability of federal judges to temporarily pause President Trump’s executive orders, a major victory for the administration. But the justices made no ruling on the constitutionality of his move to end birthright citizenship, and they stopped his order from taking effect for 30 days. 

“The 6-3 decision, written by Justice Amy Coney Barrett and split along ideological lines, may dramatically reshape how citizenship is granted in the United States, even temporarily. The ruling means that the practice of giving citizenship automatically to the U.S.-born children of undocumented immigrants and some temporary residents and visitors would end in the 28 states that have not challenged the order. 

“The Supreme Court on Friday allowed President Trump’s executive order restricting birthright citizenship to take effect in some parts of the country for now, ruling that several district court judges had exceeded their authority in blocking the policy across the country. 

“The court stressed that its ruling did not address the constitutionality of Mr. Trump’s order itself, which bars government agencies from automatically treating babies as citizens if they were born on domestic soil to undocumented migrants or foreign visitors without green cards.” 

But this ruling, even though limited to the issue of whether federal judges can issue nationwide injunctions, still causes confusion and disharmony. And WHY should there be a decision along ideological lines—assuming the law is clear? Note the next article. 

A Chaotic Patchwork 

The Guardian wrote on June 27 and 28: 

“The ruling curtails nationwide injunctions against Trump’s order ending birthright citizenship – meaning that while lawsuits against the order proceed, the court has unleashed a chaotic patchwork of rights enforceability. The Trump administration’s ban on birthright citizenship will now be able to go into effect in jurisdictions where there is no ongoing lawsuit, or where judges have not issued regional stays. And so the supreme court creates, for the foreseeable future, a jurisprudence of citizenship in which babies born in some parts of the country will be presumptive citizens, while those born elsewhere will not. 

“More broadly the decision means that going forward, the enforceable rights and entitlements of Americans will now be dependent on the state they reside in and the status of ongoing litigation in that district at any given time… 

“In this decision, the court did not, technically, reach the merits of Trump’s absurd and insulting claim that the constitution somehow does not create a birthright entitlement to citizenship. But in the meantime, many children – the American-born infants of immigrant parents – will be denied the right that the 14th amendment plainly guarantees them…” 

Maybe not. Note the next article. 

Class Action Lawsuits as an Alternative? 

NPR wrote on June 27: 

“After the Supreme Court issued [its] ruling…, immigrant rights groups are trying a new tactic by filing a national class action lawsuit… The strategic shift required three court filings: one to add class allegations to the initial complaint; a second to move for class certification; and a third asking a district court in Maryland to issue… a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction asking for relief for that putative class… 

“In the amended complaint, filed two hours after the Supreme Court’s ruling, the immigrant rights attorneys said that Trump’s effort to ban birthright citizenship, if allowed to stand, ‘would throw into doubt the citizenship status of thousands of children across the country’… 

“The concept of birthright citizenship has deep roots, dating to the English common law notion of jus soli (‘right of the soil’)… Current legal standing for birthright citizenship in the U.S. extends back to the 1860s, when the 14th Amendment of the Constitution was ratified, stating, ‘All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States.’” 

However, according to the New York Times, dated June 28, in concurring opinions, two key members of the conservative bloc, Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr., warned lower-court judges “not to lower standards for using alternative means to issue sweeping orders in an effort to circumvent the ruling. Justice Alito wrote that ‘district courts should not view today’s decision as an invitation to certify nationwide classes without scrupulous adherence to the rigors’ of legal rules. Justice Thomas added that if judges do not ‘carefully heed this court’s guidance’ and act within limits, ‘this court will continue to be “duty bound” to intervene.’” 

Trump Emboldened 

The Washington Post wrote on June 28: 

“An emboldened Trump administration plans to aggressively challenge blocks on the president’s top priorities, from immigration to education, following a major Supreme Court ruling that limits the power of federal judges to issue nationwide injunctions. 

“Government attorneys will press judges to pare back the dozens of sweeping rulings thwarting the president’s agenda ‘as soon as possible,’ said a White House official…” 

Strong Attacks by Elon Musk on “Big Beautiful” Bill 

The Daily Mail wrote on July 1: 

“Donald Trump has threatened to turn the Department of Government Efficiency on… Elon Musk. The president suggested he may use the department Musk once headed to strip away the billionaire’s government subsidies to decimate his business empire, as their feud hit galactic new heights. 

“Trump issued the threat in response to Musk’s public protest over the ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill,’ in which he pledged to launch his own political party if the bill succeeds…. He then turned the screws on Musk, suggesting his time benefitting from the U.S. government could be over and that the South African native could be forced to return to his homeland… 

“The world’s richest man has argued that the legislation would greatly increase the national debt and erase the savings he says he has achieved through DOGE. His criticism of the bill has caused a rift with Trump, marking a dramatic shift after the tech billionaire spent nearly $300 million on the president’s re-election campaign… 

“After weeks of relative silence following a feud with Trump over the bill, Musk rejoined the debate on Saturday… calling it ‘utterly insane and destructive’ in a post on social media platform X.

On Monday, he ramped up his criticism, saying lawmakers who had campaigned on cutting spending but backed the bill, ‘should hang their heads in shame!’ ‘And they will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth,’ Musk said. 

“The Tesla and SpaceX CEO called again for a new political party, saying the bill’s massive spending indicated, ‘that we live in a one-party country – the PORKY PIG PARTY!!’ ‘Time for a new political party that actually cares about the people,‘ he wrote.” 

Mediaite added on July 1: 

“Trump indicated Tuesday morning that he is open to deporting Elon Musk — amid his renewed battle with the Tesla boss. Speaking with reporters ahead of a flight to Florida on Tuesday, the president was asked about whether he would consider deporting the South African mogul. ‘We’ll have to take a look,’ Trump said.” 

Deporting Elon Musk? When will this silly nonsense ever end? Subsequently, the House adopted the bill. It will be interesting to see what Musk will do next.

Completely Obliterated or Not? 

The Daily Mail wrote on June 28: 

“New satellite photos have revealed that Iran is trying to piece together its nuclear site after the US sensationally bombed it last week. Heavy machinery was seen at the Fordow site as it appeared Iran has intensified its construction and excavation of the nuclear site after US B-2 bombers struck it last Saturday in Operation Midnight Hammer… 

“Construction equipment was also seen digging new access roads to the facility and repairing damage to the main one in order to restore access to the country’s main nuclear facility. US President Donald Trump said the strikes ‘completely obliterated’ Iran’s nuclear program and set it back years, but the new aerial images suggest the Middle Eastern country had taken preliminary effort to protect its facility. Iranian media said the sites had been evacuated prior to the strikes and the enriched uranium was transported to a ‘safe location.’  It is unclear how much uranium was left at the site during the bomb, but officials said there is no contamination after the strikes. Earthwork also showed signs tunnel entrances might have been sealed off before the attacks, Newsweek reported.  

“Similar construction activity was seen at the Fordow site prior to the strikes, where Iranians were seen shipping contents from the nuclear site to another location a half a mile away. Despite the extent of the damage being up to question, International Atomic Energy Agency – the UN’s nuclear watchdog – said Fordow’s centrifuges were ‘no longer operational’ and suffered ‘enormous damage.’… Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth… slammed the media for diminishing the strikes, which Trump compared to Hiroshima… Trump has threatened to sue The New York Times and CNN for reporting on the preliminary report [from the DIA suggesting ‘there was “low confidence” that that Middle Eastern country’s program had been set back.’]” 

Trump demanded an apology and retraction from the Times and CNN. Both responded by rejecting those demands. 

Only a Moderate Success 

The Tagesspiegel wrote on June 28: 

“He survived. Physically and politically. That was not a foregone conclusion. Ali Khamenei’s time and that of his regime could have ended. The twelve days of war against Israel and the USA posed an existential threat to Iran’s revolutionary leader… But shortly after the ceasefire was announced, the Ayatollah emerged from his bunker and, in his first public appearance in a long time, declared that the Islamic Republic had ‘crushed’ the ‘Zionists’ in battle. That is propaganda nonsense, no question. Which should also be clear to the cleric… 

“Against this background, the claim that the governments in Washington and Jerusalem have ‘achieved nothing’ initially seems like a blatant case of a loss of touch with reality. The only problem is: Khamenei’s assessment is at least partially correct. ‘Achieving less than the enemy secretly hoped’ would probably be a more appropriate formulation. Given its ambitious goals, the ‘Rising Lion’ offensive was not a resounding success for either the US or Israel. 

“These twelve days of missile and drone battles cost hundreds of lives and caused significant material damage. But that likely did too little to permanently halt Iran’s imperial ambitions in the Middle East and thus bring some peace to the Middle East. 

“… Khamenei and his followers may be weakened and humiliated for the time being, but they are by no means defeated. Even the assessment of the main reason for the war is sobering. Iran’s nuclear program has probably been set back by months, perhaps even years. However, it is doubtful that it has been completely neutralized… Rather, expert reports sound plausible, according to which the mullahs have had around 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium secured—along with centrifuges, an important prerequisite for building a nuclear weapon. 

“The bomb in particular. Those in power will now leave no stone unturned to acquire it. Perhaps they will enter into negotiations to buy time. But that will not change their ambitions. Because the attacks on the Islamic Republic have shown them starkly: Our enemies only dared to rise up against us because we did not yet possess the ultimate weapon. 

“Iran will try to follow North Korea’s example. As a nuclear power, the Asian country is considered unassailable. The temptation to use this approach to intimidate the enemy is simply too great. Fear is also a core component of the mullah regime. The ruling clique continues to wield all the means of power. It uses them to suppress any form of opposition with force.” 

Trump’s Dilemma 

Focus wrote on June 29: 

“Trump is staging the US attack on Iranian nuclear facilities as a major victory – and reacting angrily to any form of doubt. But why is it so crucial for Trump that the world believes him?… 

“As CNN analyzes, Trump’s entire presidency is built on the image of a strong, courageous, virtually infallible leader. Doubts about the effectiveness of the attack would contradict this self-image. Any dissenting assessment – no matter how well-founded – would come across as an embarrassment and undermine Trump’s personal credibility… 

“The second reason, according to CNN, is strategic: If Iran indeed continues to be able to quickly restart its nuclear program, the US would theoretically have to intervene militarily again. This would present Trump with a dangerous dilemma – because such a ‘quasi-war’ with Iran for years contradicts his stated goal of not conducting any new foreign operations.” 

Trump Would Strike Again 

Deutsche Welle wrote on June 27: 

“US President Donald Trump said he would ‘absolutely’ order a strike on Iran if intelligence indicated that Tehran was still capable of enriching uranium to nuclear weapons-grade… 

“Regarding future inspections of Iran’s nuclear sites, the US president said he supports inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) or another respected source being able to inspect nuclear sites in Iran following the bombings by Israel and the US. 

‘Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Tehran may reject any request by the IAEA, the UN’s nuclear watchdog, to visit the country’s nuclear sites, calling the insistence by IAEA head Rafael Grossi to visit nuclear sites in Iran ‘meaningless, even malign in intent.’ This comes after the Iranian parliament voted to suspend any cooperation with the IAEA over its failure to condemn the strikes carried out on various nuclear sites in Iran by Israel and the US.” 

So, is another never-ending war on the horizon? 

Has Trump Really Won? 

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on July 1: 

“Sunday’s attack on the three nuclear sites indeed was loudly proclaimed by Trump and Hegseth as such – having ‘obliterated’ Iran’s nuclear enrichment programme, they claimed. ‘Destroyed it completely,’ they insist.  Only … it didn’t: The strike caused superficial surface damage, perhaps. And seemingly was co-ordinated in advance with Iran via intermediaries to be a ‘once and done’ affair. This is a habitual Trump pattern (advance coordination). It was the mode in Syria, Yemen and even with Trump’s assassination of Qasem Soleimani – all intended to give Trump a quick media ‘victory.’.. 

“Iran likely has enough centrifuges and 450 kg of highly enriched uranium – and nobody (except Iran) now knows where the stash is hidden. Iran will resume processing…. ‘Iranian unconditional surrender’ is, of course, now off the cards… Put plainly: the US long war likely will be resumed in a new format… 

“Moving to the wider geo-political cost-benefit level, Israel’s standing (at the regional level) of being unassailable when fused to American power, has taken a blow…” 

Trump Angry With Iran’s Leader 

Newsmax wrote on June 27: 

“President Donald Trump on Friday said he immediately stopped pursuing sanctions relief for Iran following Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s statement of ‘anger, hatred, and disgust.’ A day earlier, Khamenei said his country had delivered a ‘slap to America’s face’ by striking a U.S. air base in Qatar and warned against further attacks in his first public comments since a ceasefire agreement with Israel… ‘Why would the so-called “Supreme Leader,” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, of the war torn Country of Iran, say so blatantly and foolishly that he won the War with Israel, when he knows his statement is a lie, it is not so,’ Trump posted Friday afternoon on Truth Social. ‘As a man of great faith, he is not supposed to lie.’ 

“Trump wrote that not only was Iran ‘decimated’ by the Israeli and U.S. attacks, he prevented Israel from killing Khamenei. ‘I knew EXACTLY where he was sheltered, and would not let Israel… terminate his life,’ Trump wrote…” 

First Trump was angry with Israel. Now he is angry with Iran. 

Sleeper Cells in Waiting 

NewsNation wrote on June 27: 

“… the threat of [Iranian] sleeper cells has ‘has never been higher,’ according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection… Commissioner Rodney Scott said, ‘Thousands of Iranian nationals have been documented entering the United States illegally and countless more were likely in the known and unknown got-a-ways 

“Sleeper cells are spies or terrorists who operate in rival countries and remain inactive until they are essentially ordered to act… A recent Homeland Security threat assessment confirms that Iran remains a primary state sponsor of terrorism and continues efforts to target both current and former U.S. officials. That assessment echoes similar warnings issued by the Biden administration in 2024… Recruitment is typically done through networks, religious institutions or online platforms like social media. Recruiters typically appeal to emotions, such as alienation, injustice or religious duty… 

“Identifying sleeper cells is extremely difficult… some individuals may be homegrown or enter the U.S. undetected. [They lead] seemingly normal lives… and don’t draw any attention to themselves until it’s too late.” 

Preparing For the Third Temple 

Israel 365 News wrote on June 30: 

“In a remarkable development that highlights the complex relationship between religious belief and political ideology within Orthodox Judaism, the Toldos Aharon chassidic movement has established a specialized study program for Jewish priests (kohanim) to prepare for Temple service, despite the group’s well-known anti-Zionist stance… This ideological position makes their recent initiative all the more striking… [Toldos Aharon declared that] ‘We clearly see that we’re at the time of Ikvesa d’Meshicha (the final stage of redemption) and the third Beis Hamikdash (Temple) will be built soon in our days…’ 

“This initiative presents a fascinating paradox within Orthodox Jewish thought. While Toldos Aharon categorically rejects Zionism and the current State of Israel, they are actively preparing for the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem—the very city that serves as Israel’s capital… 

“Modern science has provided remarkable validation for the preservation of the priestly lineage. Over 98% of Jewish men who identify as kohanim share a specific genetic marker,  providing scientific evidence for the integrity of the patrilineal priestly heritage that has been maintained over nearly 2,000 years since the destruction of the Second Temple. This genetic continuity, combined with the careful preservation of priestly genealogies within Jewish communities, has led to speculation that modern kohanim could indeed serve in a rebuilt Temple, despite the nearly two-millennium gap in practical Temple service.” 

NATO’s Embarrassing Performance 

The Guardian wrote on June 27: 

“Diplomats may remember it as the week in which the art of obsequiousness reached new highs and the sycophants plunged [to] new lows… The tone of [Nato’s secretary general Mark] Rutte’s public bootlicking had been muted compared with the text messages he had sent to ‘dear Donald’ before the summit – ‘Congratulations and thank you for your decisive action in Iran, it was truly extraordinary … you will achieve something NO president in decades could get done’… 

“What is more cringeworthy, after all – the clips of Trump’s cabinet members taking turns to parrot praise of his leadership and vision, or the fact that his fragile ego demands lavish compliments before he can get down to work? No doubt all the president’s yes-men believe that lavishing him with praise can lead to lavish rewards. 

“Take the former South Dakota governor Kristi Noem, who in 2020 presented him with a ‘bookshelf-sized’ bronze model of Mount Rushmore, portraying Trump’s face next to those of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Roosevelt. Noem is now the secretary of homeland security.  Stephen Miller, who called Trump the ‘most stylish president in our lifetime’, is the White House deputy chief of staff for policy…” 

But Trump might not be oblivious to the motives of his advisors. He recently said that he has no friends and does not trust anyone. 

The Drones Are Coming… 

Sky News reported on June 26: 

“In order to defend themselves, Andrius Kubilius [EU’s defense commissioner] says Europeans will require millions of drones and need to start preparing now. ‘Russia can have around five million drones, so we need to have capacities bigger than those in order to prevail,’ he told Sky News… 

“Facing one of the world’s strongest militaries, the Ukrainians used the cheap, adaptable technology to their advantage. It estimates its drone units are now responsible for 80% of Russian frontline losses. This year, Ukraine’s expected to produce more than four million drones… ‘If Ukrainians need four million for 1,200km, we need something like three million drones for one year if the war is starting, if “Day X” is coming,’ [Kubilius] said. 

“A spokesperson from the German Defence Ministry said… ‘Drones are now part of everyday life for soldiers, they are omnipresent and are used extensively in service operations and training,’ they added. 

“The alliance’s leadership has repeatedly said producing, procuring, and protecting against drones is a priority. 

“Defence Secretary John Healey said… ‘Drones now kill more people than traditional artillery in the war in Ukraine and whoever gets new technology into the hands of their armed forces the quickest will win…’ 

“The German Ministry of Defence said it couldn’t reveal stock levels due to security, but a spokesperson confirmed the country is investing in a range of different units, including signing two contracts for attack drones. ‘We are procuring not just a few but quite large quantities and testing them directly with the troops,’ the spokesperson added. However, they agreed with the EU defence commissioner that rather than stockpiling tech which would go out of date, it was better to have a system in place to allow for large quantities to be made quickly in the event of war….” 

All Trade Discussions With Canada Ended 

Politico wrote on June 27: 

“President Donald Trump said Friday he is ‘terminating’ all trade discussions with Canada, effective immediately, because of its Digital Services Tax, and that he would announce new tariffs on the country within the next seven days. 

‘“We have just been informed that Canada, a very difficult Country to TRADE with … has just announced that they are putting a Digital Services Tax on our American Technology Companies, which is a direct and blatant attack on our Country,’ Trump said in a Truth Social post. He accused the country of copying the European Union, “‘which has done the same thing, and is currently under discussion with us.’” 

The New York Post wrote on June 30: 

“Canada abruptly scrapped its plan to enforce a new digital service tax on American tech firms… PM Mark Carney caved just hours before the new levy was slated to go into effect on Monday… The tax would have been applied retroactively, leaving the companies with a US $2 billion (CAN $2.72 billion) bill due at the end of the month… Carney’s office has since revealed the PM spoke with Trump on Sunday night and agreed to halt the tax in a bid to resume talks.” 

Ridiculous Gas Prices in California 

Breitbart wrote on June 27: 

“Assemblyman Carl DeMaio (R-San Diego) warned Thursday that gas prices in California could hit $10 per gallon this summer — not just because of taxes and higher fuel standards, but also pipeline problems… 

“California gas prices are forecasted to rise by 65 cents per gallon after July 1, thanks not only to higher gas taxes but also to new, tougher fuel standards taking effect.” 

There is no possible justification for such outrageous mismanagement. 

ICE’s Misconduct

The Los Angeles Times Newsletter wrote on June 29:

“The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s immigration raids throughout Los Angeles and surrounding counties have been splashed all over television and social media feeds for nearly a month.

“There were the two women nabbed outside the Airport Courthouse on La Cienega Boulevard on Tuesday after a hearing in a local criminal case. There was the raid at a Hollywood Home Depot on June 19 in which crews of armed, mostly masked agents converged on a parking lot, blocking gates and surrounding the laborers and vendors.

“A Times analysis found that 69% of those arrested during that period had no criminal conviction and 58% had never been charged with a crime. The median age of someone arrested was 38, and that person was likely to be a man. Nearly 48% were Mexican, 16% were from Guatemala and 8% from El Salvador…”

The LA Times also reported about ICE’s arrest of a 6-year-old with cancer outside an L.A. court while his mom is fighting for his release. ICE has been “justifying” its conduct with inevitable “collateral damage.” 58% to 69% is quite a high figure for “collateral damage.”

The Wrap wrote on June 29: 

“The nannies in this town [Santa Monica] are mostly Hispanic and like so many other Latinos doing important jobs in our community, they’re now living in a state of terror. Because ICE agents will pick up anyone with brown skin, regardless of whether they are legal or not, and sometimes even if they are American. It doesn’t seem to matter. … With their faces obscured, no warrants and no identification, ICE is showing up at the Home Depot. They’re showing up at parks. Car washes. Restaurants. Schools… [in] medical office(s) looking for patients and staff… 

“This is the kind of insanity and terror that’s being spread in our city [Los Angeles]. According to the Department of Homeland Security, over 1,600 immigrants have been detained in Southern California over a period of more than two weeks as of June 25th. This equates to roughly 101 arrests per day… ICE is operating aggressively all over… 

“You might see men pull up in one SUV, or several, armed to the hilt and dressed in combat gear surround a young woman no more than 100 lbs or so. That was in Ladera Heights…” 

What impression is the US giving to the world when pictures of military-gear-clad masked ICE agents are launching aggressive raids—pictures which are normally only known in autocratic dictatorships? 

And Now: Stripping Americans of Their Citizenship 

The Guardian wrote on June 30: 

“The Trump administration has codified its efforts to strip some Americans of their US citizenship in a recently published justice department memo that directs attorneys to prioritize denaturalization for naturalized citizens who commit certain crimes. 

“The memo, published on 11 June, calls on attorneys in the department to institute civil proceedings to revoke a person’s United States citizenship if an individual either ‘illegally procured’ naturalization or procured naturalization by ‘concealment of a material fact or by willful misrepresentation’. According to the memo, those subjected to civil proceedings are not entitled to an attorney like they are in criminal cases. And the government has a lighter burden of proof in civil cases than they do in criminal ones…. 

“The directive gives justice department attorneys wider discretion on when to pursue denaturalization, including in instances of lying on immigration forms, cases where there is financial fraud or medical fraud against the US or against private individuals…” 

The HuffPost clarified further on July 1: 

“… The administration intends to widen the pool of eligible individuals, including, for example, those who’ve fraudulently used government programs like the pandemic-era Paycheck Protection Program, and those who’ve committed fraud against people and corporations. And the Trump administration says it won’t be stopping there. ‘These categories do not limit the Civil Division from pursuing any particular case, nor are they listed in a particular order of importance,’ the memo adds. 

“That’s highly concerning, immigration experts warn, and could lead to the administration targeting a wide swath of U.S. citizens, given how amorphous its requirements are… 

“About 25 million people in the U.S. are naturalized citizens, or immigrants who have completed the legal steps to become U.S. citizens… Previously, denaturalization had been used at a larger scale between 1907 and 1967 when an estimated 22,000 people saw their citizenship revoked, including for political reasons that emerged during the McCarthy era and its persecution of suspected communists…. 

“While the process historically focused on people who had lied about their background to obtain U.S. citizenship, the new memo has much broader criteria… Steve Lubet, professor emeritus at the Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law [said:] ‘Many of the categories are so vague as to be meaningless. It isn’t even clear that they relate to fraudulent procurement, as opposed to post-naturalization conduct…’”

This is deeply alarming indeed. Far from focusing merely on illegal aliens who have been convicted of capital crimes, as it had been originally promised, Trump goes after aliens without papers, legal tourists and other aliens who are here legally, green card holders, birthright citizens, and now even naturalized American citizens. Where will it stop? When is America going to wake up? 

Conscription—Yes or No? 

t-online wrote on June 28: 

“Christoph Heusgen, former head of the Munich Security Conference, supports… [Defense Minister Boris] Pistorius’s plans. If not enough soldiers can be recruited voluntarily, ‘we will have to resort to conscription if necessary,’ Heusgen demands… 

“At the same time, he warns against underestimating Putin: ‘Many people don’t believe Putin is serious.’ The expert knows the Russian president from his time as Angela Merkel’s foreign policy advisor and warns against naivety…” 

ZDF Heute wrote on June 28: 

“Conscription – yes or no? A majority in Germany is in favor… Young people are significantly more skeptical than older people about the question of whether there should be conscription. According to the ZDF Politikbarometer, more than half of 18- to 34-year-olds reject it. 

ZDF Heute also wrote the following in an article from April 19: “Baden-Württemberg’s Prime Minister Kretschmann sees no reasonable alternative on rearmament plans in Germany and Europe. Pacifism now means being prepared for defense.” 

As we reported last week, Bavaria’s Minister President Söder has also spoken out in favor of conscription.

Pistorius Is Spared Defeat

Der Tagesspiegel wrote on June 28: 

“The SPD has averted a looming serious [internal] dispute over the option of mandatory military service according to the plans of Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD). After hours of crisis talks,… an initiative proposal by the Jusos [SPD’s Young Socialists], was amended who had initially rejected the inclusion of compulsory military service in the planned bill.

“The wording up for vote at the party conference on Saturday evening was: ‘We do not want any legally enforceable option for conscription before all measures for voluntary increases have been exhausted. We want to enable measures for the conscription, registration, and military monitoring of young men liable for military service.‘ The motion was… adopted with a few votes against and abstentions…”

Nuclear Bombs for Germany! 

Bild Online wrote on June 28:

“Union parliamentary group leader Jens Spahn is sounding the alarm. In view of the growing threat from Russia, the CDU politician is demanding: Germany should have direct access to nuclear weapons!… 

“Although American nuclear bombs are stored in Germany, that’s not enough for Spahn. The CDU politician is demanding a share in the nuclear weapons of France and Great Britain. Or even a separate European nuclear umbrella. That will cost a lot of money. ‘But if you want protection, you have to finance it,’ said Spahn. Germany as a nuclear power? Spahn says: Yes!” 

Der Tagesspiegel added on June 28:

“[Spahn:] ‘We should have a debate about an independent European nuclear umbrella.’ That will only work with German leadership, Spahn continued: ‘France will almost certainly not let us touch its red button, to stay with the metaphor.'”

Reactions to Spahn’s Proposal

BR24 wrote on June 29:

“Critical voices [of Spahn’s proposal] came not only from the opposition, but also from the ranks of the coalition partner, the SPD. SPD foreign policy expert Rolf Mützenich accused Spahn of playing with fire ‘when he calls for European, possibly even German, nuclear weapons’…

“Spahn’s idea of a European nuclear umbrella under German leadership ‘border[s] on the well-known megalomania in German history,’ explained Left Party parliamentary group leader Sören Pellmann. ‘The then Defense Minister Franz Josef Strauss was already defeated by such unfortunate demands.’…

“The AfD parliamentary group’s defense policy spokesman, Rüdiger Lucassen, was more supportive… ‘A German nuclear weapons program is… the logical consequence,’ he said…”

Jens Spahn’s Faith

The Protestant “Sonntagsblatt” wrote on June 30:

“Jens Spahn is a politician with a noticeably strong religious foundation. The CDU/CSU parliamentary group leader in the Bundestag clearly professes his Catholic faith, but is quite willing to openly name grievances within the church. In the public debate, he positions himself as a devout Catholic, as a gay man with political responsibility, and as someone who does not see religion as a private matter.

“Spahn’s religious upbringing is consistently Catholic: He attended a Catholic kindergarten and elementary school and went to a Catholic high school. He served as an altar boy and was involved in youth work. This influence continues to this day. Faith is his ‘compass and foundation,’ Spahn wrote in a 2018 guest article for the ‘Welt’ newspaper. It gives him support, security, and serenity.

“At the same time, he urges the church to focus more on core tasks. He defines these as pastoral care, religious education, and charitable work. He cites the inviolability of human life, the dignity of the sick or dying, and organ donation as examples. 

“This stance reveals, on the one hand, a conservative understanding of the separation of church and state, but on the other hand, a clear interest in the public relevance of religion – as long as it focuses on the spiritual and social. At the same time, he openly opposes certain church teachings, particularly in dealing with homosexuality. He pointedly commented on the refusal to bless his marriage in Bild am Sonntag: ‘The Catholic Church blesses motorcycles and hamsters – but not us.’

“Spahn’s relationship with non-Christian religious communities, especially Islam, is less nuanced… While he emphasizes that Muslim life belongs to Germany… he does not shy away from sweeping disparagements and insinuations. For example, at an event at the Evangelical Academy in Berlin in 2024, Spahn claimed that ‘Muslim culture’ is permeated with anti-Semitism, misogyny [hatred of women], and homophobia.

“Spahn rarely or never comments on other world religions. Judaism appears to him almost exclusively in the context of the State of Israel or in connection with anti-Semitism. Buddhism and Hinduism, on the other hand, do not seem to be an issue for him.”

 Acknowledgement and Disclaimer:

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

Does the Bible talk about guardian angels? Does every child and even every adult have a guardian angel? If guardian angels exist, when does God assign those to particular individuals? Does the blessing of little children have anything to do with God’s assignments of guardian angels to them? What about those who were never blessed as little children, but come to the faith later in life—do they not have guardian angels?

We say the following about guardian angels in our free booklet, “Angels, Demons and the Spirit World”: 

“Many have speculated over the years whether or not the Bible teaches the existence of ‘guardian angels,’ that is to say, a specific angel that God has assigned to a particular person. The Bible leaves no room for doubt that guardian angels do exist. [In] Genesis 48:15–16…, Jacob acknowledged the presence of his guardian angel throughout his life. We read in the Revised English Bible, ‘The God in whose presence my forefathers lived, my forefathers Abraham and Isaac, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day, the angel who rescued me from all misfortune, may he bless these boys.’ Jacob was convinced that God had been with him all of his life, and He was specifically present through a particular angel whom He had assigned to watch over Jacob.

“Acts 12:15 shows that the disciples thought that Peter’s angel had appeared, as they believed Peter to be in prison. They specifically said, ‘It is his angel.’ In other words, they thought it was the particular angel whom God had assigned to watch over Peter.

“Notice, too, the following remarkable statement of Jesus Christ in Matthew 18:10, in talking about little children that believe in Him, as well as true Christians who must become ‘as’ little children: ‘Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.’

“In addition, Paul makes an interesting comment in 1 Corinthians 11:10. The context is the wearing of long hair for women. We read, ‘For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority [i.e., long hair, compare verse 15] on her head, because of the angels.’ Paul’s point is this: A woman is to submit to the authority of her husband (compare verse 3), and her wearing long hair is an outward symbol of such willingness. Paul went on to say that a woman should do so ‘because of the angels,’ implying that in such case, the woman can be assured of angelic protection. Here, angels are referred to in the plural, showing that God may sometimes assign several guardian angels to one person. Notice also Psalm 91:11 where it says God ‘shall give His angels charge over you.’

“We read that a star appeared to the wise men from the East, leading them to the place where Jesus Christ dwelt, after He had been born. We read in Matthew 2:1–2, 9–11: ‘Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”… When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him.’

“This star appeared to them in the East and led them to Jerusalem and from there to the place where Christ lived. This was not an ordinary star, but a bright, shining angel. The Bible identifies and compares stars with angels on numerous occasions (compare Revelation 1:20; 9:1–2; 12:4). Note that the wise men from the East refer to this star as ‘HIS star’—that is, the star, or angel, of the Christ Child. They understood that Christ was the newborn King and they came from the East to worship Him.

“If they understood that the star was an angel, then they also knew that this angel was assigned to the Christ Child. This is not to say, of course, that only one angel watched over Christ. On one occasion, He mentioned to Peter that He could ask His Father for ‘more than twelve legions of angels’ (Matthew 26:53)—more than 72,000 angels. Remember also that ‘angels’ ministered to Christ after His lengthy fast (Matthew 4:11). Notice, too, Christ’s statement in John 1:51: ‘…hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.’

“Christ knew that He was surrounded by angels. Angels were very real to Him. He did not doubt their existence—after all, it was He who created all of them. We also saw that God may assign one angel to guard or protect numerous people, or an entire nation. For instance, the archangel Michael is described to Daniel as ‘The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people’ (Daniel 12:1).”

The Church of the Eternal God and its international affiliates continue the practice shown by Jesus Christ to bless little children (Matthew 19:13-15; Mark 10:13-16; Luke 18:15-17). In blessing the child and laying their hands on it, they ask God to set it apart for His holy purpose of protection, guidance and a special relationship with Him. We normally conduct the blessing of the little children ceremony by setting aside a time during the annual Feast of Tabernacles. When the minister blesses the child, while laying his hands on their head , he may ask the Father in prayer to assign a special guardian angel to the child for protection. 

Does this mean then, that the child did not have God’s protection, including through His angels, prior to its blessing? Does a person not have a guardian angel if he is not blessed as a child?

When does God assign a special angel to children and adults? Do all people around the world have guardian angels?

We can clearly see in the Bible that not every person enjoys God’s protection. This world is cut off from God, and unless God calls someone to salvation in this day and age prior to Christ’s return, he or she is subject to “time and chance” (Ecclesiastes 9:11). However, an important exception is made for children who have at least one converted parent, or for an unbelieving spouse who is married to a believer. We read in 1 Corinthians 7:14:

“For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.”

The unbelieving spouse is sanctified by the believing spouse; that is, he or she is set aside for a holy purpose and can therefore also enjoy God’s specific protection, as long as he or she does not depart from the believer. The same is true for a child of a believing parent, as long as the child does not forsake God’s Way. That child is “holy”—that is, “sanctified” or set aside for a holy purpose. As we have seen, when focusing on the blessing of a child, to be sanctified has a direct relationship to God’s protection and, by extension, to having a guardian angel. We are told that angels are ministering spirits sent to serve and minister for those who will inherit salvation (Hebrews 1:13)—in other words, who are sanctified for that very purpose of ultimately inheriting salvation and eternal life in the Kingdom of God. The connection between prayers of the “saints” (those who are “sanctified” or “holy”, including “holy” children) and the role and function of (their?) angels can be seen in passages such as Revelation 5:8 and 8:3-4.

We read in Mark 10:13-16:

“Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, ‘Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.’ And He took them up in His arms, put His hands on them, and blessed them.”

With His blessing of little children coming to Him comes God’s protection, and God protects many times through His angels. But this does not mean, of course, that only those who are particularly blessed in the ceremony of the blessing of little children will receive a guardian angel. For instance, the Bible does not say that Peter or Jacob, when they were children, were blessed by Christ [or by one of His New Testament ministers or Old Testament priests] in a particular blessing ceremony so that God assigned a guardian angel to them. Still, as we have read, they had guardian angels rescuing and protecting them.

In addition, we don’t read that the Christ Child was especially blessed in a specific ceremony to become sanctified and be given a guardian angel. But clearly, He had guardian angels assigned to Him, and that from the very moment of His conception.

When considering adults in general who were never blessed as children and who did not grow up in the Church, but who came to the Truth later in their adult life, it is not to be assumed that they were only given special guardian angels when they answered God’s call for salvation. We can safely say that they had God’s protection, through His angels, much earlier than that as they had been preordained to be called in their lives prior to their birth (Please read our free booklet, “Are You Predestined to Be Saved?”). As they were predestined, God had to see to it that they would be protected and not die “prematurely,” so that they could be called in their due and allotted time.

One might ask why there should be then a specific blessing ceremony if a guardian angel had already been assigned to the child prior to the blessing ceremony? First of all, the blessing ceremony by believing parents, through the ministry, constitutes a plea to God for the protection of their child. In addition, God would have known that the child would be blessed, and God would have inspired the blessing ceremony as an outward sign—as proof and assurance—that the child would be protected continually.

We might think of the following analogy in this regard: When a person is ordained, God had already decided that he or she would be ordained, and He inspired the ministry to carry out His decision as an acknowledgement and outward manifestation of God’s Will. A person to be ordained as a minister has shown prior to his ordination that he was qualified by God to become ordained by the ministry. In that way, the blessing of a child in a special ceremony gives proof and assurance that that child meets the conditions and is “qualified” to be blessed.

Asking God to assign a guardian angel to the child in that particular blessing ceremony does not exclude the fact that a guardian angel had not already been assigned to the child before the ceremony. It is a plea for the continuation of such protection with the further plea to look after the child so that it will grow up in the Truth and stay in the Truth, without falling away. It is no guarantee that the child will become converted, and it is ultimately up to God whether He will call such a person to salvation (if that person was preordained to be called, then of course it will happen), but we do not necessarily know God’s Will and preordained purpose in that regard.

As long as the child is willing to be subject to the converted parent, his or her sanctification and protection through God’s angels is guaranteed. (And in passing, as long as the unconverted spouse is willing to live with the converted husband, his or her sanctification and protection will continue with the potential of having a special relationship with God.)

If parents have an opportunity to have their children blessed, with a plea for special guidance and protection, and the realization that their angels will always see the face of the Father in heaven (compare again Matthew 18:10), they should most certainly take advantage of that special privilege.  

In conclusion, we should also mention the right and the wrong approach towards angels, including and especially regarding our guardian angels. We should never try to make contact with our guardian angels, lest we make contact with the wrong kind of angel.

We say in our booklet, “Angels, Demons and the Spirit World”:

“The more we study the Scriptures about the world of angels, the more we will be struck by the awesome truth that unfolds in front of our eyes. We will learn about unknown and unheard of powers and abilities that angels possess. Their tremendous strength and might could perhaps motivate us to worship angels in our thoughts. The study of the angelic world might also tempt us to seek to get in contact with angels, and to literally worship them. These actions would be a terrible mistake. The Bible warns us explicitly NOT to do so… In addition, the Bible warns us not to make contact with angels… Colossians 2:18 states: ‘Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind.’ Most commentaries and translators point out that the Greek conveys here the meaning of someone who tries to initiate contact with the spirit world…”

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

compiled by Dave Harris

“Is America Ruled by a King?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is the summary:

America is celebrating the 4^th of July, which is supposed to stand for independence from a monarch and which should remind us of liberty, freedom, equality and justice for all. But is this the America of today, especially when considering its immigration policies? This program discusses in detail alarming developments which have consequences for each and every one of us.

“Wird Amerika von einem König regiert?” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This German program covers the same topics as described above.  

“Jacob and Esau (Part 1) – Isaac and the Philistines” is the latest video in our Bible Story Series on YouTube.

“Bist Du zu schwach, ist er zu stark,” last Sabbath’s German split sermon by Johann Schell, is now posted. Title in English: “If You Are Too Weak, Then He Is Too Strong.”

“Do You Experience Joy?” last Sabbath’s sermonette presented by Dave Harris, is now posted. Here is the summary:

Joy is a fruit of God’s Holy Spirit dwelling within us (Galatians 5:22). It then follows that we are to be living in such a way as to have joy in our lives.

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

The relationships that we build and maintain throughout our lives are a critical aspect of our Christian journey. In fact, having love for one another is a characteristic that identifies us as Christians. What does God expect of us? How can we develop the kinds of relationships that will enrich our lives?