The year 2020 has been very difficult for many in the world.  In particular, the COVID-19 pandemic has ended the lives of many millions of people and has sickened countless millions more.  Although vaccines have been produced and are continuing to be given, the widespread infection level will keep going up for an indefinite period of time.

Also this year, in several parts of the world, there has been a 2019-20 locust infestation, causing famines, diseases and a huge number of deaths.  In the U.S. alone, among other disasters, there has been a record-breaking 2020 Atlantic hurricane season and a record-breaking 2020 Western United States wildfire season.

Essentially, 2020 has been a standout year for all the wrong reasons.  Naturally, people everywhere are wondering if things will improve or will get worse in 2021.  Prophetically, Jesus spoke of a fearful and dreadful time to come called the time of Great Tribulation, which He indicated will be the worst time in human history:

For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. (Matthew 24:21)

It will commence approximately midway through the final 7 years of this age.  The timing of this was one of many things communicated to the ancient prophet Daniel by the archangel Gabriel.  Fortunately, at the end of that 7-year period, Jesus will return to Jerusalem to rule and reign over the whole world in perfect righteousness, justice, lawfullness, peace and love.  Essentially, He will turn the world into a magnificent utopia, which never has been the case for any nation under the leadership of any mortal human being.

For several years, and for various reasons, I have considered the possibility that the final 7 years of this age had begun.  In each case, though, my hypothesis has been incorrect.  However, considering many events that have taken place for over 3 years, I have written a commentary proposing the chance that the final 7 years of this age may have commenced on September 23, 2017.

If that was the case, then the perilous and frightful final 3½ years most likely will begin during the Spring of 2021.  If so, the end of this age, as we know it, will be in the Fall of 2024.  In case you have the interest and time, my very lengthy and complex commentary, which will be difficult for many to grasp fully, is here:

As of last night, $600 stimulus deposits have begun being received by many U.S. citizens in their bank accounts.  These direct deposits of $600 will continue.

Today, $600 stimulus checks will begin being mailed to those who do not have direct deposit bank accounts set up with the IRS.  It is unknown if the $2,000 stimulus amount, which has been requested by President Trump, will be approved by Congress at some point.

I’ve attended a few holiday parties and gatherings this season, which is not typical for me to do.  However, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused smaller numbers of people to get together, which I like because I’d prefer not to be around large amounts of people.

I was invited to a party yesterday, which I attended and had a great time.  Only 6 people, including myself, were present.  The discussions we had were interesting while eating very tasty food.  As usual, I was given food and desserts to take home.  I never refuse that. 

Last night, after days of resistance, President Trump signed the $2.3 trillion coronavirus relief and government spending package into the law.  This averted a government shutdown with a looming deadline tonight.

Trump, who had called the package a "disgrace," threatened to hold up the legislation after an abrupt call to increase the second wave of stimulus checks to $2,000.  However, he backed down about 24 hours before current levels of government funding were to run out.

The $900 billion coronavirus relief bill provides individuals who make less than $75,000 per year with $600 and an additional $600 per child.  The amount decreases for higher earners, and people who make over $95,000 per year will not receive checks.  Today, the House is supposed to vote on increasing individual payments from $600 to $2,000.

At midnight last night, unemployment benefits for millions of Americans lapsed.  This occurred because President Trump has not signed an end-of-the-year COVID relief and spending legislation.

Trump demanded larger checks, while claiming that other spending in the legislation was excessive.  As of now, the fate of the benefits, stimulus checks and other measures remain uncertain.

This morning, I went to WalMart and got 251.00 oz. (15.69 lb.) of 50%-off Christmas clearance candy.  Much of it will go to friends who have invited me to all of their holiday parties, with more to come next week.

First I arranged and photographed all the candy in a rectangle shape.  Then I decided I wanted it to be in a square shape, so I did it again.  I was a math major with a fixation on geometry, so I guess that’s why I do things like that. 

Some good friends invited me to a Christmas party last night.  There were only 5 of us present, plus a pet doggy who likes me a lot (and visa versa).

Everything was good: the music, the food, and the interesting discussions.  They even loaded me up with leftover food and desserts, which was great, although I barely could fit all of it in my refrigerator. 

Last night, President Trump spoke out about the so-called COVID relief bill that Congress passed and sent to him to sign.  He noted that “It is called the COVID relief bill, but it has almost nothing to do with COVID.” Trump pointed out how there is a great deal of funding for other countries, as well as for facilities and institutions in Washington, DC, which are not even open for business.  There also is a lot of funding for lobbyists and special interest groups.

He also pointed out how the bill allows for checks of up to $1,800 to be given to members of illegal alien families.  Yet, checks to American citizens are only $600.  Also, not enough has been alotted for small businesses and restaurants, whose owners have grievously suffered during the pandemic.

He has asked Congress to amend the bill and increase the low amount of $600 to $2,000 for American citizens.  He also has asked Congress to immediately get rid of the wasteful and unnecessary items in this legislation and to send him a suitable bill.

Trump’s short speech, viewable below, was a little over 4 minutes in length:

Not too long before midnight last night, the U.S. Congress passed an inordinately lengthy 5,593-page COVID relief and government funding bill, which no one had the time to read completely before it was passed.  The bill still needs President Trump’s signature to become law.

The legislation includes a $900 billion relief measure designed to provide long-awaited assistance to Americans, small businesses and industries ailing from the coronavirus pandemic.  That measure was paired with a $1.4 trillion omnibus spending bill that funds the federal government through September 2021.

The bill provides for stimulus checks to most Americans, as well as payments for small businesses, schools, colleges, vaccine distribution, virus testing, rental assistance, live entertainment venues, and other establishments and institutions.  However, it also includes multiple billions if dollars of assistance to numerous foreign nations.  To see the list of nations and what they have been approved to receive, begin reading on page 1,347 in the protracted and massive 5,593-page bill here:

Early this morning, the December Solstice took place.  That occurred at 5:02 a.m. EST = 2:02 a.m. PST.

It marked the beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and the beginning of summer in the Southern Hemisphere.

For us in the Northern Hemisphere, it marks the end of decreasing daylight hours.  So for the next 6 months, the daylight will be getting longer each day, which I like.  Yeah!! 

A couple of days ago, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized a second COVID-19 vaccine, which was developed by Moderna.  It was found to be about 94% effective at preventing a coronavirus infection.  This vaccine was approved one week after the approval of Pfizer and BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine.

The Pfizer vaccine must be stored at an extremely low temperature of -94°F (-70°C).  The Moderna vaccine also needs to be frozen but only at -4°F (-20°C), which is only a tiny bit below the temperature of a normal freezer: 0°F (≈-18°C).

In other news, with only a few hours left until midnight, it looks like a $900 billion coronavirus relief package has been reached in Congress.  Among several other things, it apparently will include $600 payments to most Americans and $300 unemployment payments for 10 more weeks.

Also, both the House and Senate passed a resolution tonight that extended government funding for another 24 hours (similar to the 48-hour extension two nights ago).  This was necessary so that they could attempt to work out the details, before midnight tomorrow night, of a $1.4 trillion spending package that will keep the government funded through September of next year.

U.S. government funding was going to end last night at midnight.  A partial government shutdown would have resulted.

With only a few hours remaining, the House passed a temporary two-day funding bill by a 320-60 vote.  Soon thereafter, the Senate approved the bill with a voice vote.  Then the bill was sent to President Trump for his signature.

This weekend, members of the House and Senate will be attempting to work out some massive spending legislation.  Presumably, as part of that, they will be working to craft a bipartisan coronavirus aid bill.

Essentially, the Congress will be working on a $1.4 trillion government-wide spending bill that will extend government funding through September 2021.  It would be combined with a $900 billion coronavirus aid bill.  All of this will be a major challenge, since their deadline is Sunday at midnight.

Several nights ago, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) discovered that, at a minimum, the U.S. Department of Treasury and Department of Commerce were victims of a months-long cyber hacking operation.  The Department of Homeland Security, the State Department, the Department of Energy and the National Institutes of Health also are believed to be victims.

A CISA official said, “This is looking like it’s the worst hacking case in the history of America.”  Computer systems in other nations around the world also were hacked.  Most suspect that this was a Russian hacking effort; however, that has not yet been absolutely confirmed.

Yesterday, the CISA revealed that the massive global hacking campaign is even larger than originally reported.  The CISA warned that “this threat poses a grave risk to the Federal Gpvernment and state, local, tribal, and territorial governments as well as critical infrastructire entities and other private sector organizations.”  The expectation is that removing this threat will be highly complex and challenging.

For months, the World Health Organization (WHO) has been planning to send a team of 10 international experts to China, where the coronavirus first surfaced over a year ago.  The team will include epidemiologists and animal health experts.

Yesterday, the WHO said that the team would travel to China next month.  WHO spokesman Hedinn Hallforsson said, “I can confirm that this will take place in January.”

Globally, the COVID-19 pandemic has killed more than 1.6 million people and infected over 73 million people.  Yet, the question of exactly where the virus came from, and how it first crossed over to humans last year, continues to remain a mystery.

In a few days, on Dec. 21, will be the last solstice of 2020.  It will begin winter in the northern hemisphere and summer in the southern hemisphere.  That night, Jupiter and Saturn will appear closer together than they have since 1623, almost 4 centuries ago.

During the next few nights, it will be interesting to go ouside after sunset.  In the northern hemisphere, look in the southwestern sky; in the southern hemisphere, look in the western sky.  Jupiter and Saturn, the largest two planets in our solar system, will appear to be getting closer and closer to each other each night until they almost seem to merge in a great conjunction.  A couple of hours or so after sunset each night, they will disappear below the horizon.

A conjunction happens when planets, from our point of observation, appear to be incredibly close to one another in the sky.  This happens when they line up with Earth in their respective orbits.  In a week, the alignment of these two planets will be the “greatest” great conjunction until 2080.

From our perspective on Earth, their combined light will coalesce and appear, with the naked eye, to be touching each other or even as a single point of reflected light.  Their unified brightness—the Great Conjunction 2020—may look like a bright “Christmas star” to many.

Yesterday, the U.S. Electoral College chose Joe Biden as the winner of the presidential election, which took place on Nov. 3.  California, with its 55 electoral votes, put him over the winning threshold of 270-votes.  After Hawaii cast its 4 electoral votes last night, the final tally was Biden with 306 total votes and Trump with 232 votes.

Joe Biden has been designated the President-elect, and Kamala Harris has been designated the Vice-President elect.  There will be a final tally at a joint session of Congress on Jan. 6.  President Trump may continue contesting the election until Inauguration Day on Jan. 20.

This morning in New York City, Sara Lindsay was the first person in the U.S. to receive the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination.  She is a critical-care nurse at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Queens.

Doses of the vaccination are being delivered to all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.  Other hospitals are expected to begin vaccinations tomorrow.  The cases pf coronavirus in the U.S. has surpassed 300,000.

Sometimes I listen to the Kim Komando show on the radio.  She knows a whole lot about computer technology and provides advice about technology gadgets, websites, smartphone apps, intenet security and other topics.

I was listening to her yesterday on 600 AM KOGO radio in San Diego.  One quick thing she mentioned to a caller was an easy way to determine one’s internet speed in Mbps (Megabits per second).  All you have to do is go to https://fast.com.  In a few seconds your internet speed will appear on the screen, and clicking on the “Show more info” button will provide additional information at the bottom.

Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve always liked dogs and cats a lot.  I don’t think I’ve ever had a preference of one over the other.

Whenever I have had them as pets, I’ve always treated them well and have enjoyed playing with them.  I also get along well with other people’s dogs and cats.  Many of my friends have had me take care of their pets when they’ve gone on trips.

A couple of friends have paid for my plane flights to go take care of their pets, sometimes for weeks at a time.  That’s usually worked well for me. 

When I see kids playing with their pets, it reminds me of the good times I’ve had with dogs and cats.  So I put together the following page for others who feel the same way:

This the first full day of Hanukkah, which began last night, Nov. 28, after sunset.  There are Hanukkah Blessings to say for eight nights as menorah candles are lit.  Happy Hanukkah Blessings!

       
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The first day of Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, is the 25th day of the Hebraic month of Kislev.  Most likely, this is when Jesus, the “light of the world” (John 8:12), was conceived within a virgin and, when born, would be called Immanunel or “God with us” (Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:30-35).  He was conceived by the Holy Spirit of God (Matthew 1:18-20).  This is a fundamental example of how someone becomes a person, not merely a clump of cells, at the moment of conception.

Since life begins at conception, then it would seem that Jesus was the Light who entered the world (John 3:19) on the Festival of Lights.  Nine months later, Jesus was born at the beginning of the Feast of Tabernacles = Sukkot.  This is when God came to make His dwelling or to “tabernacle” with us in human form (John 1:14).  More information and details can be found here: Do you think that Jesus was born on December 25 of the Gregorian calendar, or could He have been born at a time that aligned with the Hebraic calendar of feasts and festivals?

Speaking of the Messiah and Savior Jesus to come, God said this:

“It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept.  I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”  This is what the LORD says—the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel—to him who was despised and abhorred by the nation, to the servant of rulers: “Kings will see you and rise up, princes will see and bow down, because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” (Isaiah 49:6,7)

The northern lights (aurora borealis), or southern lights (aurora australis), are a natural light display in the Earth’s sky.  This colorful spectacle predominantly is seen in far northern and southern regions, around the Arctic and Antarctic.

Auroras are the result of disturbances in the magnetosphere caused by solar wind, which is a stream of charged particles released from the upper atmosphere of the sun.  These particles, mainly electrons and protons, move into Earth’s upper atmosphere and cause lights of varying color and complexity to be seen.

Earlier this week, a solar flare erupted out of a sunspot on the surface of the sun.  As a result, auroras are being seen further south in our northern hemisphere than they usually are.

In the U.S., the aurora borealis usually are not seen very well.  However, this week there could be some outstanding views in Alaska, Maine, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Montana, Washington, Oregon and in some other northern states.  The night of Dec. 11 may be the best time to see the glowing red, purple and green colors.

Yesterday Ken Paxton, the Attorney General of Texas, filed a lawsuit with the U.S. Supreme Court.  It challenged the presidential election results of 4 other states: Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.  The Supreme Court has ordered those states to respond to the suit by tomorrow (Thursday).

Paxton stated, “By ignoring both state and federal law, these states have not only tainted the integrity of their own citizens’ vote, but of Texas and every other state that held lawful elections.” He added, “Their failure to abide by the rule of law casts a dark shadow of doubt over the outcome of the entire election.  We now ask that the Supreme Court step in to correct this egregious error.”

He indicated that this is an issue based on the U.S. Constitution.  He said, “Elections for federal office must comport with federal constitutional standards.  For presidential elections, each state must appoint its electors to the electoral college in a manner that complies with the Constitution.”  Paxton, along with many others, are convinced that the states being challenged violated the federal Constitution by undermining voting statutes enacted by their duly elected legislatures.

Today 17 additional states, in support of Texas’ lawsuit, also filed documents with the Supreme Court.  So as of now, here are the 18 states on board with the lawsuit:

President Trump announced this morning that the federal government also plans to file in support of the Texas lawsuit.  He tweeted, “We will be INTERVENING in the Texas (plus many other states) case. This is the big one. Our Country needs a victory!”

It has been exactly 5 weeks since the U.S. Presidential Election between Donald Trump and Joe Biden on Nov. 3.  Not all states have officially confirmed either one to be the winner.  There continue to be several investigations into election irregularities and possible fraud.  However, if nothing is legally overturned, the election map most likely will remain as it is:

Faith is a complete trust or confidence in someone or something.  Having faith in the love and sovereignty of God is arguably the most prevalent idea within the Bible.  Scripture compels us to have faith in God and in the commandments of His Word.  Just as God credited Abraham’s genuine belief and faith in Him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6), so He will do for others who have that same solid belief and faith in Him.

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:17)

For we walk by faith, not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7)

At Olive Tree Ministries yesterday, Jan Markell spent the hour with Terry James, who has been totally blind since 1993 due to a retinal disease (retinitis pigmentosa).  One thing they talked about some of the characteristics of the coming Antichrist and speculated about where he might come from.

The Antichrist will become a world leader and will be a persecutor of Jews and Christians.  Although he initially will appear to be a peace maker, his true colors eventually will be revealed.  He will be the most iron-fisted and egomaniacal leader the world has ever known and will take us into the dreadful and horrific time of the Great Tribulation.

Many feel that the coronavirus pandemic has given the formation of the world government a strong nudge forward.  Also, many world leaders feel that Joe Biden is more likely than Donald Trump to advance a world government.

Fortunately, God is in control of everything, including all things going on in the world right now.  Once Jesus returns, there will be a glorious and wonderful future for the world.  Jesus will replace an imperfect world government with a perfect world government.  He will rule and reign for a thousand years, the Millennium, during which there will be perfect righteousness, justice, lawfulness and peace on earth.

         

         
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Today’s program, lasting 57 minutes with a commercial break, can be heard here:

Much of Southern California is under a red flag warning again.  Even though temperatures are not as hot as they were during summer, bone-dry conditions and fierce Santa Ana winds have caused fires to flare up in various places.

A couple of nights ago, wind gusts were over 75 mph in several locations.  In many places, freeway driving was hazardous due to the high winds.

In anticipation of the fire danger, Southern California Edison (SCE) cut power to about 47,000 homes and businesses.  The utility was considering de-energizing lines serving 248,000 in eight counties throughout the windy period, which could last into Saturday.

In Orange County, the Bond Fire began two days ago as a full-engulfed house fire in Silverado Canyon.  The fire spread to nearby brush and exploded to more than 11.25 square miles.  The Orange County Sherrif’s office assisted with the evacuation of about 25,000 people.  As of yesterday afternoon, the fire was 0% contained.  The smoke in the air is no fun to breathe.

President Trump gave a 46-minute speech from the White House yesterday.  He began by saying, “This may be the most important speech I’ve ever made.  I want to provide an update on our ongoing efforts to expose the tremendous voter fraud and irregularities which took place during the ridiculously long November 3rd elections.”

One thing Trump spoke about was the Dominion voting system, which was used by various counties and states in the presidential election.  He said, “On top of everything else, we have a company that’s very suspect.  Its name is Dominion.  With the turn of a dial or the change of a chip, you could press a button for Trump and the vote goes to Biden.  What kind of a system is this?”

He focused on how he believes the election was about massive voter fraud.  He feels that the election was rigged and was stolen from the American people.  He also feels that there is enough evidence to show this but that, so far, the media and judges have refused to accept it.

On election night, one month ago, there was a large room inside of State Farm Arena in Atlanta, GA, where election ballots were being counted.  At 9:19 p.m., State Farm Arena tweeted that early that morning, at 6:07 a.m., there was a water leak at the location where absentee ballots were being tabulated.  Repairs were completed within 2 hours, causing a brief delay in tabulating absentee ballots that morning.

However, when the tweet came out that night—with Trump apparently ahead in the Georgia vote count—the media and the observers watching the ballots being counted were told incorrectly that the water leak was happening at that time.  They were told to leave because the count was being paused.  Yet, for the next few hours, it appeared that a handfull of Fulton County election workers continued counting votes, in secret, with no observers present.

A 14½-minute video was released today showing a few ballot counters that night after observers were told to leave.  After four counters were left alone in the room, they began pulling out containers, resembling suitcases, from underneath a table.  That table, with the containers under it, had been brought in at 8:22 a.m. that morning by one of the four people counting votes late that night.  The table and the hidden receptacles had been there all day and evening.  The receptacles contained thousands of ballots that were counted over the next few hours.

That video was deleted from YouTube.  However, an abbreviated 2¼-minute video can be seen here on Twitter:

In Jerusalem today, the Knesset passed a bill to dissolve and disband itself.  The opposition motion to do this passed 61-54 after support from the Blue and White party.

This sets the stage for the fourth round of national elections in two years to take place.  However, the measure still must go through committee and pass three more readings in the Knesset before new elections are called, likely for sometime in the spring or summer of 2021.

Coalition whip Miki Zohar, a Likud party ally of Prime Minister Netanyahu, accused the Blue and White and the opposition of again “dragging” Israelis to the ballot box.  “The only thing in common between the factions that make up the opposition and Blue and White is their ambition to harm Netanyahu’s tenure,” Zohar wrote on Twitter.  “This is a sad moment for the Israeli people.”

Since the 2020 presidential election, U.S. attorneys and FBI agents have been looking at information they have received pertaining to election voter fraud.  According to U.S. Attorney General William Barr today, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has not uncovered evidence of widespread fraud that would change the outcome of the election.

Barr stated, “To date, we have not seen fraud on a scale that could have affected a different outcome in the election.”  This does not validate that there was no voter fraud.  Rather, it seems to imply that there was not enough to alter the result of the election. 

Rudy Giuliani, President Trump’s personal attorney, and Jenna Ellis, Trump’s campaign senior legal advisor, indicated that there has not been the appearance of a reasonable DOJ investigation into this matter.  They added, “We have gathered ample evidence of illegal voting in at least six states, which they have not examined.”

Evidently, many witnesses have sworn, under oath, that they saw crimes being committed in connection with election voter fraud.  If true, though, this and other presumed evidence may not be enough to change the election results unless they are validated by state officials and courts, by the DOJ and/or by the Supreme Court.

A few days ago Iran’s top nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, was killed near Tehran.  Iran is saying that attack appeared to be a carefully planned, military-style ambush.  Protest rallies have been taking place in Iran.

The clerical and military rulers of Iran have blamed Israel for the killing.  Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said that Iran’s first priority is the “definitive punishment of the perpetrators and those who ordered it.”

President Hassan Rouhani also has blamed Israel for the killing.  Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has not commented on the killing.  Iranian hardline media has called for a tough revenge, including an attack on the Israeli port city of Haifa.

In these difficult and uncertain times, it is increasingly important to know God and to develop and maintain an ongoing relationship with Him.  In His Word, the Lord stresses the importance of love, both for Him and for others.  Here are 10 examples:

At Olive Tree Ministries yesterday, Jan Markell spent the hour with Curtis Bowers.  They talked about how a revolution with a world government appears to be on the horizon.  We now are racing toward The Great Reset of the World Economic Forum.

A perfect world government will arrive only when Jesus returns to rule and reign, and the government will be upon His shoulders (Isaiah 9:6).  Until then, human efforts to craft a successful and effective world government will fail.

         

         
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Today’s program, lasting 57 minutes with a commercial break, can be heard here:

Yesterday, on Thanksgiving, I was invited to two gatherings.  Both were at the homes of close friends.  Only 7 people were at the first event (from 11:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.), and 6 people were at the second event (4:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.).  There would have been more people attending if it weren’t for the pandemic.

I prepared a prayer to say at each place.  All of the food that both places was outstanding.  Actually, I was so full after the first event that I ate very little at the second one, but I brought home that food to eat over the next couple of days.

I took lots of photos, mostly of food.  Due to privacy preferences, I typically do not include photos of friends at my site (except for pets, both cats and dogs).

This is Thanksgiving Day in the USA.  Our first president, George Washington, issued a General Thanksgiving Proclamation.  Its focus is on the Almighty God, to whom we all should be thankful for both good and happy times, as well as bad and sad times.

         
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In a prayer to the Lord, King David said the following:

Praise be to you, O LORD, God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.  Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours.  Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.  Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.  Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name. (1 Chronicles 29:12-24)

In his instructions to the Thessalonians, the apostle Paul wrote the following:

Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you.  Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.  And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.  Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.  Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.  Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt.  Test everything.  Hold on to the good.  Avoid every kind of evil.  May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through.  May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:12-24)

Everybody receives unsolicited emails that claim the prospect of a bargain or something for free.  Some of them appear to come from legitimate sources before and after being opened.  Messages in these emails urge people to verify their account information, provide their login details, update their credit card or bank account numbers, etc.  Most of the emails contain links, and victims are requested to click on them.

I have posted more information about spam emails, as well as my experience with hundreds of spam emails sent to me during 2020 from the same address:

Gavin Newsom, governor of California, and his family will be self-quaranting for two weeks.  Recently, three of his four children were assisted by a CHP officer, and that officer later tested positive for COVID-19.  The CHP provides security for the governor and his family.

Also, one of the governor’s children recently may have been exposed to a classmate who had tested positive.  However, all of the Newsom family tested negative for COVID-19 a couple of days ago.  They will continue to be tested.

All of this comes after an embarrassing situation for Governor Newsom earlier this month.  On Nov. 6 he and his wife, Jen, attended a birthday party for a close friend, Jason Kinney, who also is a lobbyist.  The party took place at the ritzy and very expensive restaurant The French Laundry in Napa Valley.

At least 12 people, from several households, attended the event.  Yet, Newsom’s administration had warned against private gatherings of people from more than three households.  Also, a photo shows everyone seated around the same table, and nobody appeared to be wearing a mask, including the governor and his wife.

After this news came out, Newsom apologized publicly for attending the dinner party.  He said that he should have practiced what he preached.  Essentially, he broke the very rules that he has been preaching to slow the spread of the coronavirus.  There are countless Californians who believe that Governor Newsom was not following his own order and was not leading by example.

I rarely click on pictures or links on Facebook.  However, I liked this one because I’ve been to and walked around most of the towns and cities near the coast of So. CA:

A rocket was fired at Israel from the Gaza Strip yesterday evening.  This happened shortly after warning sirens sounded in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon.  This comes almost a week after two rockets were fired from the central Gaza Strip into neighboring Israel.  A Hamas spokesman claimed that a malfunction caused by lightning caused the rockets to be launched.

Late last night, in response to the rocket attack last evening, the Israel military struck Hamas targets in Gaza.  According to the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), the Israeli airforce struck two rocket ammunition manufacturing sites, a military compound and “underground infrastructures.”  Israel struck back with fighter planes, helicopters and tanks.

Israel routinely holds Islamist group Hamas responsible for all attacks originating from its territory.  This is based on the fact that Hamas is considered a terrorist group by Israel.

Hamas seized power from a rival Palestinian movement, Fatah, in 2007.  Since then, Hamas has fought three devastating wars with Israel in the Gaza Strip, where about 2 million Palestinians reside.

At Olive Tree Ministries today, Jan Markell spoke with Pastor Billy Crone.  They made the case that the Tribulation Temple in Jerusalem is ready to be rebuilt.  They feel that this is an indication that the coming of the end of the age, as well as the return of Jesus, is closer than most people think.

They pointed out how this structure, to be built on the Temple Mount, will be temple of the Antichrist.  They also addressed the issue of why Christians should care about this.  Their primary answer is that it means a Pre-tribulation Rapture of believers is near.

Today’s audio program, lasting 54 minutes, can be heard here:

I typically agree with the views of Jan Markell and her guests.  I also agree that we appear to be approaching the end of the age, as described in numerous Bible prophecy passages.  However, I have differing views with these two issues:

• that there must be a third man-made temple standing on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, and
• that a Pre-tribulation Rapture will take place prior to the final 7 years of this age.

Besides in my two-part Rapture commentary, more information can be found in the following email responses I have written to people with questions about these topics, including links to other places at my site with further information:

• Doesn't the word "temple" in 2 Thessalonians 2:4 and Revelation 11:1 indicate that the Third Temple will stand on the Temple Mount for the last 42 months of the final seven years?
• Do you feel that the Pre-tribulation view is the prevalent view of those who believe in a Rapture?
• What is your view of the Rapture, and what do you think about Bible passages that seem to point to a Pre-tribulation Rapture?
• Can you give me a logical, sequential order of the Pre-wrath Rapture, and also explain why this negates the possibility of a Pre-tribulation Rapture?

Many people receive calls or letters from alleged auto warranty services companies.  Virtually all of them are fraudulent scams.  I have received several letters like these in the past, from various sources, and all of them were a waste of time to open and read.

The one I most recently received indicated that it was from the “Vehicle Services Department” whose website, the last time I checked, does not exist.  The letter claimed that the price of their Extended Vehicle Service Plans (EVSP) would increase in a month.  After that, they would not be able to honor the service contract quote for my vehicle.

The envelope and the letter, which is a hoax and a scam, can be viewed here:

I found several entries online made by people who had received the same letter.  Three of them can be viewed here:

People should be able to tell if an unsolicited phone call, from an unknown caller, is legitimate or is a scam.  The majority of them these days are scams, and they are extremely annoying.

Many of them are robocalls, which are automated telephone calls that deliver a pre-recorded message, often on behalf of a telemarketing company, a political party or a crook.  Here is one of the stupidest and most ridiculous robocall scam messages that I’ve received in awhile:

Hello, this is a confirmation call to you from Global I.T. services.  A transaction worth $399 has been initiated from your checking account or plastic card.  Kindly say “I authorize” and simply hang up to authorize the transaction.  In case if you want to cancel the transaction, please call immediately 1-217-284-9487 within 24 hours to our billing department.  Once again, 217-284-9487.  Thank you and have a wonderful day.

The robocall message, at https://www.nomorobo.com, can be heard here:

Sometimes I will go to https://www.800notes.com, type in the questionable phone number and click on the Search button to see information about the number.  It often includes entries by other people who have received calls from that number.  Here is the information page about the 217-284-9487 number:

A good friend sent me a link to a conservative article at The Epoch Times.  It pertains to the recent presidential election and to other issues, such as how Communism has been spreading to America in various ways.

If so, it is threatening fundamental aspects of traditional American ideologies, principles, ethics and convictions.  These include a fundamental belief in God, freedom, democracy and prosperity.

The annual meteor shower known as the Leonids is viewable this year during November 6-30.  It peaked last night and early this morning in most places.  However in other places, such as New York, the peak is tonight and early in the morning.

The moon is a thin crescent tonight, so the sky is still very dark away from city lights.  This should enhance meteor viewing, although there may be only about 15 meteors viewable per hour.

We are in the last portion of the 2020 hurricane season, which extends from early June to late November.  Yet, Hurricane Iota formed a few days ago and presently is an extremely powerful Category 5 storm.  There never have been this number of Atlantic tropical storms and hurricanes, during any hurricane season, prior to 2020.

About 2 weeks ago, powerful Hurricane Eta, a Category 4 storm, crashed into Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatamala, causing deadly mudslides that destroyed entire villages.  It also killed scores of people from Panama to southern Mexico.

After that, Eta passed over Cuba and then the Florida Keys.  It brought heavy rain to much of Florida and also to the mid-Atlantic states.  It was the 28th named storm of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, tying the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season for the most storms on record.

A few days ago, Subtropical Storm Theta formed out in the eastern Atlantic and headed east for a few days.  It was the 29th named storm of this hurricane season, breaking the record of 28 named storms back in 2005.  Fortunately, it broke up before being a problem for anyone.

Now Hurricane Iota is in the western Caribbean Sea.  It is the 30th named storm of this hurricane season.  Iota is moving west toward Central America, which still is coping with the massive destruction wrought by Hurricane Eta.  Evacuations have been taking place in Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatamala, recently slammed hard by Eta.

Iota will move on shore in Nicaragua tonight.  After it hits, the damage from this gigantic Category 5 hurricane, with sustained winds of 157 mph, is expected to be unfathomably devastating.

In other news, Moderna is the second company, after Pfizer, to announce that its potential coronavirus vaccine is effective.  Early data on Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine shows that it is 94.5% effective in preventing infection.  This news caused the stock market to have a significant upward surge into record territory today.

In these exceptionally unusual and uncertain times, it is important and advantageous to believe in the One True God.  He is our refuge, our strength and our source of help in time of trouble and difficulty.  Those who focus their thoughts on Him and trust in Him will be more likely to have peace of mind, even when we do not know exactly what is to come over the next few months and years.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. (Psalm 46:1-3)

At Olive Tree Ministries today, Jan Markell spoke with Barry Stagner and Bill Koenig.  They discussed how COVID-19 led to the perfect storm that culminated in a contested November 3 election.

They also talked about what role the Church played, as well as evangelicals like the NAE, John Piper, and more.  They considered how the election process was tampered with.

Today’s audio program, lasting 54 minutes, can be heard here:

After the recent presidential/vice-presidential election, I have been thinking about Presidents Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy.  For decades, I have heard about interesting similarities between Lincoln and Kennedy.  For instance, they were elected 100 years apart: in 1860 and in 1960, respectively.  Both were assassinated, in the presence of their wives, by being shot in the back of the head while serving as president.

Each vice president of Lincoln and Kennedy had the same last name: Johnson.  They were born 100 years apart: Andrew Johnson in 1808 and Lyndon Johnson in 1908.  The first and last names of both vice presidents contain 13 letters.  Also, both presidents’ last names, Lincoln and Kennedy, contain 7 letters.

There are other notable similarities between Lincoln and Kennedy, between A. Johnson and L. Johnson, and even between the two men who assassinated them—John Wilkes Booth and Lee Harvey Oswald.  For example, both assassins were assassinated before going to trial, and both mens’ full names contain 15 letters.

However, some lists of various other coincidences that I have seen contain items that are unsubstantiated or incorrect.  This document contains both valid and invalid items, pertaining to this topic:

Today is the 102nd anniversary of Veterans Day, originally known as Armistice Day.  World War I formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918.  Veterans Day is an official public holiday in the U.S.

         
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Asya Branch, age 22, has been crowned the winner of the Miss USA 2020 pageant.  She is the first African American woman to have been named Miss Mississippi, as well as the first woman from Mississippi to be crowned Miss USA.

This pageant originally was to take place in March, but it had to be rescheduled due to COVID-19.  It aired last night on FYI cable channel.  It was a live show that took place at Elvis Presley’s Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee.

Asya Branch will represent the United States at the next Miss Universe pageant.  The exact date is yet unknown, but it should take place at some point during the first quarter of 2021.

Asya has been outspoken in the past about her passion for criminal justice reform.  In 2018, she attended a roundtable discussion on gun reform with President Trump.

At the pageant, in a final statement before judges chose the winner, Branch discussed her stance on gun laws.  She stated, “As someone who grew up in a home with guns, I learned at an early age how to load, how to fire, and gun safety.  I think that education should be available to everyone.  I believe that we should require people to pass training and safety courses before they’re allowed to purchase a gun and before receiving a permit.  I think it’s important that we not ban guns...but I think it’s our Second Amendment right and we just need more safety surrounding that.”

Initial test results appear to show that Pfizer’s experimental COVID-19 vaccine is about 90% effective in preventing a coronavirus infection.  If so, this would be a major victory in the fight against the pandemic, which has killed over 1.2 million people globally and has pounded the world’s economy.

The study had 44,000 participants.  Safety data from about half of the participants is expected in the third week of November, and so far no safety concerns have been found.

Broad U.S. authorization for emergency use of the vaccine, for people aged 16 to 85, may be granted by the Food and Drug Administration as soon as December.  If so, up to 50 million doses of the vaccine could be available before the end of the year.  Then up to 1.3 billion doses could be produced in 2021.

The prospect of a vaccine highly galvanized the stock market today.  In the U.S., the Dow had a record intra-day high of 29,933.83, the S&P 500 had a record intra-day high of 3,645.99, and the NASDAQ Composite had a record intra-day high of 12,108.07.

Last week, powerful Category 4 Hurricane Eta crashed into Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatamala, causing deadly mudslides that destroyed entire villages.  It was the 28th named storm of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season.  This ties the 2005 season for the most storms on record.

Eta was the most powerful hurricane of the extremely active 2020 Atlantic hurricane season.  It also was the second most intense November hurricane on record, behind only the 1932 Cuba hurricane.

Tropical Storm Eta has pounded Cuba this weekend.  Now it is on its way northward through the Florida Keys and will be the first storm to hit the state this season.  Once it passes over the Keys, it is forecast to continue into the Gulf of Mexico, possibly strengthening into a hurricane again.  Then it is likely to move into a northern portion of Florida later this week, thus striking the state twice.

Some news agencies, including the Associated Press, have called the 2020 presidential election for Joe Biden.  This morning, the AP declared Biden the winner in Pennsylvania and said those 20 electoral votes put him over the 270 electoral vote threshold.

President Trump is refusing to concede the race, saying the election is “far from over.”  So far, neither candidate has been certified the winner in any state, and vote counts and recounts are continuing.  Trump said today, “Legal votes decide who is president, not the news media.  Beginning Monday, our campaign will start prosecuting our case in court to ensure election laws are fully upheld and the rightful winner is seated.”

Click on the images below to see larger versions:

Presidential election counting is continuing in some states.  Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina and Pennsylvania still are too close to call.

President Trump believes any ballots that came in after the polls closed on election day should be tossed out.  There are many others who agree with this.

Trump has begun legal proceedings in states where he initially was ahead, but Biden now has razor-thin leads.  This matter still may end up in the Supreme Court.

Click on the images below to see larger versions:

There still is no certain winner in the U.S. presidential election.  Complications and complexities in determining the official count not only are continuing but are increasing.

The battle for the White House appears to hinge on a few states: Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.  Even Arizona, which was called for Biden by a couple of news agencies on election night, possibly may change over time.

States will continue to count the popular votes.  This ongoing process could take days or even weeks.

Click on the images below to see larger versions:

Not all the results of yesterday’s presidential election are final and official.  We may not know for weeks, or longer, whether Biden/Harris or Trump/Biden have won.  A win requires at least 270 electoral votes.

A handful of states flipped parties on Congressional respresentatives.  However, Republicans will retain the majority in the Senate, and Democrats will retain the majority in the House.

As of 2:00 p.m. EST, the count in at least 5 states—Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Nevada and Pennsylvania—is too close to call.  In Wisconsin, with a difference in the popular vote of less than 1%, Trump has demanded a recount.  He also has filed lawsuits in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Georgia.

Click on the images below to see larger versions:

 

I think we can be reasonably certain how the woman below voted (note: this video may be offensive to some viewers, and the volume may need to be reduced a bit):

Today is Election Day in the United States.  Voting will take place for President, Vice President, all seats in the House of Representatives and 35 seats in the Senate.

Polls vary as to who will win the presidential and vice presidential race.  Some polls indicate that Democrats Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will win, while other polls indicate that Republicans Donald Trump and Mike Pence will win.  Whether the Republicans will keep control of the Senate and the Democrats control of the House is yet unknown.

Usually the results of this election, held every 4 years, are known by the night or day after the election.  This year, though, there has been a record amount of absentee and early voting in most states.  So it possibly could take an indefinite period of time for many official results to be released.

In addition, last week the Supreme Court made rulings for two states.  Pennsylvania will have a three-day extension for receiving absentee ballots.  North Carolina will have a three-day extension to count votes.  There also may be delays in other states as well.  It’s even conceivable that the Supreme Court might have to make the final election decision, which happened 20 years ago in the controversial 2000 United States presidential election.

In the Bible, Jesus is the Word of God.  He was/is God and was with God the Father at the beginning of the Creation.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.  Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. (John 1:1-3)

There is a deep and profound relationship between the Father and Son.  Both are facets of the One, True God.  Collectively, they are the Creator, Sustainer.  By the Authority and direction of the Father, Jesus the Son of God created the universe and everything in it.

He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him.  He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:15-17)

[God the Father] has spoken to us by his Son, Whom he appointed heir of all things, and through Whom He made the universe.  The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful Word.  After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. (Hebrews 1:2,3)

By the Word of the Lord were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of His mouth. (Psalm 33:6)

God’s time frame is infinitely above ours; He exists from everlasting past to everlasting future.  Another way to describe Him is “the Alpha and the Omega,” which is how Jesus described Himself to the apostle John in the Book of Revelation.  At some point, He is returning again, hopefully very soon.

Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. (Psalm 90:2)

Behold, I am coming soon!  My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. (Revelation 22:12,13)

Eventually, the present heaven and earth will pass away and will be replaced by a new heaven and a new earth, which will last for eternity.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. (Revelation 21:1)

But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. (2 Peter 3:13)

Yet, God’s everlasting and eternal Word never will pass away.

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my Word will never pass away. (Matthew 24:35)

All things on earth wither and fade away.  However, God and His Word have existed forever in the past and will stand forever in the future.

I went shopping for 50%-off Halloween clearance candy this morning.  At Walmart, for the first time, most of the rows of Halloween candy already had been replaced with Christmas candy (shown in the first two photos below), which I will not be purchasing until the day after Christmas.  I think this is the soonest I’ve ever seen that happen.  Also, Walmart did not have any of the specific candy that I was looking for, so I bought only one bag there.

After that, I went to a Walgreens store and a Dollar Tree store, where the Halloween candy was half-off.  They also did not have the exact candy I was looking for, so I got only a few bags.  That was okay, though, since I still have a couple of bags of Easter candy at home.  It takes me awhile to eat the stuff.

A grocery store that I went to was not selling Halloween candy.  However, near each cashier, there were buckets of small bags and boxes of free candy.  I took a tiny box of Tootsie Dots, which I don’t think I've eaten since I was about 10 years old. 

I purchased 79.82 ounces or 4.99 pounds of candy.  Some of it will be going to friends.

         
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Daylight Saving Time ended today, and Standard Time began.  In states that observe this change, all clocks should be set back one hour.  Standard Time will continue until Sunday, March 14, when Daylight Saving Time will begin again and clocks in most states will be set ahead one hour.

I last organized my vitamins and supplements into individual compartments on May 16.  Each day, I have taken the following: a daily multiple; vitamins A, B complex, C, D and E; calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc, fish oil, saw palmetto, glucosamine/chondroitin, glucosamine sulfate, iron, turmeric curcumin, probiotic acidophilus, olive leaf extract, oil of oregano, hyaluronic acid and biotin.

This supply will last for 24 weeks (168 days, which also happens to be the same number of hours in a week).  Keeping them in the refrigerator enables them to keep their potency.

Most of the United States will “fall back” to Standard Time early tomorrow (Sunday) morning at 2:00 a.m.  I like the following clock because it is accurate to the second, plus it can be adjusted to any time zone: https://time.gov.  Except for Hawaii and most of Arizona, don’t forget to set your clocks back one hour before you go to bed tonight.

Some people prefer Standard Time because they typically get up early and like it when the sun rises an hour earlier.  Personally, I prefer Daylight Saving Time because I like the extra hour of sunlight at the end of the day.  I wish Daylight Saving Time could continue year-round.

There is a Halloween full moon tonight.  This occurs only once every 18 to 19 years.  The last one was in 2001, and the next one will be in 2039.  It also is a “blue moon” (second full moon during a month), and it also is called the “Hunter’s Moon.”

A recent report shows that the U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the third quarter of 2020 went up substantially.  The main reason was because of a recovery by employers from COVID lockdowns.

The GDP in this year’s second quarter was down a record annualized rate of 31.4%.  Compared to the second quarter, the GDP was up 7.4% in the third quarter.  This was equivalent to a record annualized rate of 33.1%.

In the early months of the pandemic, countless businesses were forced to close.  This resulted in the loss of jobs for tens of millions of workers.

A former business partner of Joe Biden’s son, Hunter, recently went public with information about business deaings involving the Bidens while Joe Biden was vice president.  Tony Bobulinski said that he was warned against going public with the information by Rob Walker, a representative of the Biden family, who told him, “You’re just going to bury all of us.”

A great deal of information has come out about this issue since a very informative article by the New York Post, pertaining to Hunter Biden’s emails, was released on Oct. 14.  Two days later, U.S. Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) claimed that this and other reports by the NY Post were part of a Russian-orchestrated “smear on Joe Biden” and indicating that the alleged smear came from the Kremlin.

The comments by Schiff outraged Bobulinski, since his name previously had been associated with the Bidens.  Bobulinski said that he himself had received one of the emails in question, dated May 13, 2017, so he knew the emails were authentic.  He wanted Rob Walker to request that Joe Biden ask Adam Schiff to retract what he had said; however, the retraction never was made.

Therefore, Bobulinski recently agreed to an interview on the Tucker Carlson Tonight program.  He said that he is willing to be questioned by any senator, congressman, the Department of Justice or the FBI to provide facts to the American people so that they can make their own decisions about the matter.

An abbreviated version of the interview, lasting just over 17 minutes, can be seen here:

The full interview, lasting a little over 49 minutes, can be seen here:

The Los Angeles Dodgers are the World Series champions after beating the Tampa Bay Rays last night in game 6.  The game lasted 8½ innings.  Had the Rays won the 6th game, the tie-breaking 7th game would have been played in Los Angeles tonight.

This is the first time the Dodgers have won the World Series since 1988.  Congratulations, Dodgers!

The 6th game’s final score was Dodgers 3, Rays 1.  Here are the scores for the final game tonight and the runs, hits and errors for all of the innings:

In the series, the Dodgers won 4 games and the Rays won 2 games.  Here are a few stats for the 6 games:

Hurricane Zeta is the 27th named storm of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season.  This is one of the busiest hurricane seasons on record.

Zeta, which was a tropical storm as it passed over the Yucatan Peninsula, has entered the southern Gulf of Mexico.  It has regained hurricane strength with winds of up to 85 mph.  It is expected to remain a hurricane as it takes a northerly path across the Gulf.

There is a hurricane warning on the northern Gulf Coast from Morgan City, Louisiana, to the Mississippi/Alabama border.  This already has been a hurricane-ravaged region so far this season.  Now it is bracing again for more rain, storm surges, flooding and even tornadoes.  Zeta should come ashore as a Category 1 storm and then head northeast from there.

Tonight the U.S. Senate voted to confirm Amy Coney Barrett as the 103rd Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.  The vote was 52 for and 48 against.  All Senate Republicans except for Susan Collins (R-MA) voted for her, while all Senate Democrats voted against her.

After Barrett’s confirmation, she was sworn in during a ceremony at the White House.  Justice Clarence Thomas administered the official constitutional oath to her.

Barrett is scheduled to take the judicial oath tomorrow—one week before the presidential election—in a private ceremony at the Supreme Court.  Following that, she will take her seat on the Supreme Court as an active participant in court proceedings.  She succeeds Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who passed away on September 18.

Invasive insects called “murder hornets” typically are found in China, Japan, Thailand, South Korea, Vietnam and other Asian countries.  They can be up to 2 inches (5 centimeters) in length.

These large hornets can destroy entire hives of honeybees, which farmers depend on to pollinate crops.  They can deliver painful stings to humans, which can in rare cases be fatal.

Although individual murder hornets are occasionally seen in the U.S., the first nest of them was found recently in the U.S.  This was in Blaine, Washington, near the Canadian border.

The nest is about the size of a basketball.  A vacuum has been used to suck all the hornets out of the next into a collection chamber, and soon they will be killed.  Then the tree containing the nest will be cut down to extract and kill the larvae and, hopefully, to find the queen.

At Olive Tree Ministries today, Jan Markell spoke with Gary Kah and Leo Hohmann.  They talked about how President Trump has put the brakes on a global government for almost four years.

Eventually though, according to the Bible, there will be a global government in place.  It will be ruled by the notorious Antichrist or “the beast out of the sea” (Revelation 13:1-10), who will have authority for 42 months over every tribe, people, language and nation (13:5,7).

There are many in the world who would like to return to a unified “Tower of Babel” state of affairs (Genesis 11:1-9).  God did not like that and there were consequences for it, as there will be for a future global government.  Interestingly, today is the 75th anniversary of the date (October 24, 1945) when the United Nations officially began its operations.

Today’s audio program, lasting 54 minutes, can be heard here:

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first treatment for COVID-19.  The antiviral drug is Veklury (remdesivir), which is not a vaccine.

It can be used in adult patients or in pediatric patients who are 12 years of age and older.  However, it only should be administered to patients who are hospitalized or are in a healthcare facility.

There are potential side-effects with the used of Veklury, including the following:

• increased levels of liver enzymes, which may be a sign of liver injury
• allergic reactions, which may include changes in blood pressure and heart rate, low blood oxygen level, fever, shortness of breath, wheezing, swelling (e.g., lips, around eyes, under the skin), rash, nausea, sweating or shivering

The second and final presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden will take place tonight at Belmont University in Nashville, TN.  The moderator of the debate will be Kristen Welker of NBC News.  It is reported that she will focus on these topics:

• fighting COVID-19
• American families
• race in America
• climate change
• national security
• leadership

I have added an interesting 15-minute video to the Anatomy, Physiology & Pathology of the Human Eye section of my website.  It is a recent video that came out last week.  The video, by “The History Guy” Lance Geiger, is called Glasses: A Brief History of Vision Correction:

In case the video does not play, it can be viewed here:

The Orionid meteor shower, or Orionids, can best be seen annually in late October and/or early November.  Several meteors usually can be seen each night for about a week.

This year, the peak hours for this meteor shower are tonight and into the early hours of tomorrow morning.  The moon will be a waxing crescent, so the small amount of moonlight coming from the lunar sliver will not flood the sky with too much light.

The meteors will appear to originate from the direction of the Orion constellation, in which the star Betelgeuse is located.  Spectators should be facing the southeast if they are in the Northern Hemisphere or the northeast if they are in the Southern Hemisphere.  They can expect to see about 10-20 meteors an hour.

For various reasons this year, food supplies have gone down and food prices have gone up in many places.  Many feel that things are not going to get better anytime soon; in fact, they very well may continue to get worse, indefinitely.

Therefore, it is a advisable to consider stocking up on food supplies, especially with shelf lives of several years.  Here are lists of suggested foods, as well as non-food items, that it would be advisable to purchase in case their availability is significantly decreased or even depleted:

• Adversity Preparation | • Adversity Supplies Basic Check List

There are numerous sites where dehydrated food can be ordered for days, weeks, months or years at a time:

• Readywise | • Wise Company | • My Patriot Supply | • Ready Store | • Soylent

Here is an email response I wrote to someone about making preparations for the prophesied time of tribulation:

• What is your view on how or if we should make preparations for the coming tribulation?

It is important to have a firm belief in God and a strong love for Him.  By doing so, it is more likely that He will shield us from harm and, ultimately, will cause good things to happen in our lives.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

At Olive Tree Ministries today, Jan Markell and Michele Bachmann completed a 2-week series.  They warned how progressives plan to do more leftist destruction in 100 days, after the November election, than they have done in 100 years.  This will be less likely to happen if Donald Trump wins another term as president.

They talked, in depth, about how believers are pushing back against the darkness.  Christians are proud of righteous efforts to counter evil.  Two recent examples of this, both in Washington, DC, occurred on the same day: Sep. 26:

• Prayer March 2020
• The Return: National and Global Day of Prayer and Repentance

Today’s audio program, lasting 54 minutes, can be heard here:

President Trump had denied federal aid for the damage caused by numerous wildfires in California this year.  However, after an earnest appeal by Governor Newsom today, Trump approved a Major Disaster Declaration request.

The federal funding will help the state with debris removal, as well as emergency protective measures undertaken as a result of the wildfires.  In a tweet, Newsom indicated that he was grateful for Trump’s quick response.

The fires referenced in the request included the following:

• Creek Fire, the largest wildfire in the state's history, which has burned 341,722 acres across Fresno and Madera counties
  
• Bobcat Fire in Los Angeles County, which burned 115,796 acres
  
• El Dorado Fire in San Bernardino County
  
• Valley Fire in San Diego County
  
• Oak Fire in Mendocino County
  
• Slater Fire in Siskiyou County
  
• SQF Complex Fire in Tulare County

The second presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, originally scheduled to take place tonight, was canceled several days after President Trump tested positive for coronavirus.  He was treated for the virus and released from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.  Since then, the president has tested negative for COVID-19, according to his physician Sean Conley.

Then the debate was changed to a virtual format.  The Commission on Presidential Debates felt that this was necessary because of the possibility that Trump could be contagious at the time of the debate.  However, Trump refused to participate in a virtual debate.

Last week, ABC announced that a town hall event with Joe Biden will take place in Philadelphia, while NBC announced a town hall event with Donald Trump in Miami.  Both town halls will be tonight, beginning at 8:00 p.m. EDT.

Since both events will be held live and on different channels, viewers will not be able to see them at the same time.  Most people who watch one event live will not take the time to watch a recording of the other event later.

In other news, today is the final day to complete the 2020 U.S. census.

For those who have not yet filled out a census questionaire, they can go to the following page, click the “Start Questionaire” button and continue from there:

A New York Post report today has sparked a deluge of other reports about information retrieved from a laptop computer that belonged to Hunter Biden, son of Joe Biden.  Evidently, the computer was left at a computer repair shop in Biden’s home state of Delaware, in April 2019, and never was picked up.

Health officials say that getting a flu shot will help cut back on the “twindemic” this winter.  This is a combination of COVID virus and flu virus infections.

For those with Medicare Part B medical insurance, one flu shot per person per season is covered.  Information about getting the flu shot can be found at the Medicare website:

This is the first day of the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings for Amy Coney Barrett.  She was President Trump’s nominee on Sep. 27 to replace Ruth Bader Ginsburg, deceased, on the Supreme Court.  The hearings are scheduled to run four days this week.

In her Opening Statement, she said how her family’s service and faith and her mentor, the late Justice Antonin Scalia, influenced her opportunity to be nominated to the Supreme Court.  Barrett, who clerked for Scalia, said that it was his “reasoning” that shaped her and that his “judicial philosophy was straightforward: A judge must apply the law as written, not as the judge wishes it were.”  Scalia taught her more than just law, and he was “devoted to his family, resolute in his beliefs, and fearless of criticism.”

Barrett also praised the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.  Barrett said, “I have been nominated to fill Justice Ginsburg’s seat, but no one will ever take her place.  I will be forever grateful for the path she marked and the life she led.”

There are people all over the world who feel like they are drowning in countless difficulties and adversities.  The Lord has encouraging words for them:

Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9)

At Olive Tree Ministries today, Jan Markell and Michele Bachmann discussed how the Left plans to try every tactic imaginable, using chaos and confusion, to defeat Donald Trump and members of the Right in Congress.  They want to re-make America or “re-imagine” the nation as a globalist paradise.

This nation seems to be distancing itself more and more from God and His laws.  Chaos and confusion have become rampant throughout the nation in 2020.  All of this seems to be a foreshadowing of the end-time lawlessness and defiance predicted in the Bible.

         

         
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Today’s audio program, lasting 54 minutes, can be heard here:

In July, federal district court Judge Theodore Chuang issued a decision temporariy suspending enforcement of an FDA restriction.  The restriction, which had been in effect for 20 years, was on abortion pills that could be taken during the first 10 weeks of a pregnancy.  It required that, rather than receiving the prescribed pills by mail, patients must visit their health care providers to be able to sign a form and pick up the medication.

Dr. Chuang ruled that, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown, patients should not be forced to make unnecessary trips to their doctors to sign for and receive the abortion pills.  He said that it posed “a substantial obstacle to women seeking an abortion.”

An appeals court refused to lift Dr. Chang’s injunction.  So the Trump administration, seeking to reinstate the 20-year-old policy, asked the Supreme Court to step in and hear the case, which it did.  Last night, the Supreme Court made a temporary ruling upholding the appeals court ruling and Chang’s injunction.  In the 6-2 decision, Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas cast the dissenting votes.

The justices did tell the government to make its case in more detail before a federal trial court, a process that could take six weeks and would extend beyond Election Day.  It hinted that during the review process, “relevant circumstances” could change.  That is, an easing of the COVID-19 risks could allow the original FDA restriction on abortion pills to be reinstated.

The U.S. Gulf Coast already has been whacked by hurricanes in August and September.  Now another one is on its way.

Lousiana has been warned to prepare for Hurricane Delta, which today is a Category 2 storm in the gulf, although at one point it was a Category 4.  Today may be the last opportunity to board up homes and businesses and to evacuate before the hurricane’s expected arrival tomorrow.

This has been a very active and even record-breaking hurricane season.  Delta will be the 10th named storm to strike the U.S.  It also is the 26th tropical cyclone, 25th named storm, 9th hurricane, and 3rd major hurricane.

In late August, Hurricane Laura caused substantial damage in southwestern Louisiana.  The area around Lake Charles has been under a mandatory evacuation since last night, since it appears that Hurricane Delta is headed toward that same area.

There still are about 5,600 people in New Orleans hotels several weeks after Hurricane Laura hit because their homes are too damaged to occupy.  Unfortunately, Hurricane Delta is expected to make that situation even worse.

The first vice-presidential debate between Mike Pence and Kamala Harris Biden will take place tonight in Salt Lake City, UT.  The moderator of the debate will be Susan Page, bureau chief of USA Today Washington.  It is reported that she will focus on these topics:

• the Supreme Court
• COVID-19
• the current economy
• race and violence in cities across the country
• the Trump and Biden records
• the integrity of the election

The debate is scheduled to run from 9:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. EDT (= 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. PDT).  It will be shown live on every major network and cable news channel, including ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC and C-SPAN.  The debate also can be streamed live on YouTube via CBS News (like CNET, a property of Viacom CBS) and other services like C-SPAN.

After being away for three days, President Trump has returned to the White House.  He had been at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, MD, after testing positive for coronavirus last week.

Trump had a swift decrease in infection and symptoms after being treated with the steroid dexamethazone, an “antibody cocktail” and the antiviral drug remdesivir.  He also shows no signs of neurological impairment.  A medical team and infectious disease experts will be working to ensure that Trump’s office space at the White House is safe.

A record was set this past weekend by wildfires in California.  More than 4 million acres of land have been burned this year.  This area is larger than the state of Connecticut, and it is more than double the previous record for the most land burned in the state a single year.

Yesterday, Cal Fire said that there have been more than 8,200 wildfires in the state since the beginning of this year.  Scott McLean, a spokesman for Cal Fire, said “The 4 million mark is unfathomable. It boggles the mind, and it takes your breath away.”

Five of the six largest fires in state history have erupted since mid-August.  These fires have caused the majority of the damage this year.  Some of the most devastating blazes have been caused by lightning strikes.  Unfortunately, the 2020 fire season in CA is not yet over.

In these troubled and difficult times, we need to pray and look for the goodness of God.  In the long run, those who know and love Him will be rewarded for their faith, which is one of the many gifts of the Holy Spirit.

We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)

This is the first full day of the week-long Feast of Tabernacles or Sukkot.  It also is a special Sabbath when no regular work is to be done (Leviticus 23:33-35).

       
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All native-born Israelites are to construct and to dwell in booths or “sukkot” (which is the plural of booth or “sukkah”) for a week.  This is a reminder to them of the temporary tabernacles in which their Israelite ancestors lived for 40 years after leaving ancient Egypt (Leviticus 23:42,43).

Jesus, whose birth was in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:1), most likely was born in a sukkah during Sukkot, not in a stable in December.  The word “tabernacle,” used as a verb, means “to take up temporary residence, especially to inhabit a physical body” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary).

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.  We have seen his glory, the glory of the Only Begotten, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

The words in that verse translated as “made his dwelling” among us are more accurately translated as “tabernacled” among us.  So Jesus tabernacled with mankind for a few decades while He was here the first time.

Being a Jew, Jesus celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles and even taught in the temple courts during the days of this feast (John 7:1-44).  In the future Messianic era, during the Millennium, Yeshua/Jesus the Messiah will return to tabernacle with us again.  Representatives from the nations of the world will go to Jerusalem, where King Yeshua will be sitting on His throne, to observe the Feast of Tabernacles—essentially, a giant birthday celebration for Jesus:

At that time they will call Jerusalem The Throne of the LORD, and all nations will gather in Jerusalem to honor the name of the LORD.  No longer will they follow the stubbornness of their evil hearts. (Jeremiah 3:17)

The LORD will be king over the whole earth.  On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name. ... Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. (Zechariah 14:9,16)

President Donald Trump announced early today that he and first lady Melania Trump have tested positive for COVID-19.  Both of them have reported having mild symptoms and have begun the quarantine process.

Vice-president Mike Pence and second lady Karen tested negative for COVID-19 today.  Joe Biden and his wife Jill, as well as Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff, also have tested negative for the virus.

Every Oct. 1, often referred to as “Shocktober 1st,” I’m always reminded of the 5.9 Whittier Narrows earthquake in 1987.  It happened at 7:42 a.m., just as I was finishing breakfast before going to work.

My house in Irvine was about 40 miles from the epicenter, and it rocked for several seconds but did no damage to my property.  The quake was felt throughout southern California and southern Nevada.

I was watching the morning news out of Los Angeles.  A few minutes after the main shock, there was a small aftershock, which I did not feel.

I remember watching two of the news guys, Kent Shocknek and Christopher Nance.  They got freaked out due to the shaking and the swaying lights, caused by the aftershock, and jumped under their desk.  You can watch a short David Letterman video where he talked about it and then showed a video of what happened.

I also felt a 5.3 aftershock three days later.  Then life went on as usual.  Here is a video, under 5 minutes, showing damage from the initial quake on Oct. 1 and from the aftershock on Oct. 4: SoCal Whittier Narrows Earthquakes (1987).

Here is a page with a great deal of information about earthquakes, what to do to prepare for them, and what to do when they occur:

Interestingly, last evening there was a swarm of over 80 small earthquakes that shook a portion of Southern California, near the Mexico border.  The largest temblor was a magnitude 4.9.  There also have been some small aftershocks in that area today, but no damage or injuries have been reported.

The quakes were in the Brawley seismic zone, where small faults connect the large Imperial fault with the giant San Andreas fault.  However, seismologists feel the risk that the San Andreas fault will be affected is very low.  Hopefully, that is true.