At Olive Tree Ministries this weekend, Jan Markell aired a provocative discussion about the World Economic Forum (WEF) and the Great Reset.  The discussion featured Pastor Jack Hibbs and Charlie Kirk at the Futures Conference in September.  It took place at Calvary Chapel in Chino Hills, CA.

It was an engaging discussion about what the globalists are planning for our future.  The goals of the globalists are very public; they are hiding in plain sight.  Many of their views are included in this 110-page book by Klaus Schwab (founder and chairman of the WEF) and Thierry Malleret:

There is a great deal of evidence that the globalists are moving toward a global government, leader, religion, economy, central bank, digital/cashless currency, all of which is summarized in Revelation 13.  The World Economic Forum (WEF) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) are working to shatter, economically, the world’s greatest nation: the United States.

         
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Today’s program, lasting 56 minutes, can be heard here:

In Israel today, Benjamin Netanyahu was sworn in as prime minister again.  He is beginning his record-setting sixth term in leading the nation.

Netanyahu took the oath of office moments after Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, passed a vote of confidence in his new government.  This will be the most right-wing and religiously conservative government in a very long time, perhaps in Israel’s history.

Outside of the Knesset building, there was a demonstration by thousands of center-left protesters.  They were protesting the inauguration of Netanyahu and his new cabinet.

Members of Netanyahu’s Likud party will fill some of the most important cabinet positions, including foreign minister, defense minister and justice minister.  The new government has promised to curb the power of the country’s independent judiciary and expand Jewish settlements in the West Bank.  There is little doubt that this will deepen the ongoing, often violent, conflict between Jews and Palestinians.

Last month, U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan ruled that the Title 42 expulsion of immigrants would be terminated a week ago on Dec. 21.  Soon thereafter, 19 states challenged the ruling.  They claimed that ending Title 42 would create a crisis of unauthorized migration that would unduly burden law enforcement, education and health care services.

On Dec. 16, a federal appeals court denied the appeal of the 19 states.  However, on Dec. 19, those states filed an emergency application with Supreme Court Chief Justice Roberts.  He granted a temporary stay, which allowed the Supreme Court to consider the application.

Yesterday, the Supreme Court voted 5 to 4 to keep the current Title 42 policy in place for now.  They agreed to hear the appeal of the 19 states and issued a longer stay until after their decision on the fate of Title 42.

The court will begin hearings on the matter in February and probably will make a ruling by the end of June.  Most likely, Title 42 will remain in effect until then.

I went to Walmart this morning to get some 50%-off Christmas candy.  As usual, I was in the mood for some dark chocolate candy.  However, most of the Christmas candy had been removed from the shelves.

Fortunately, there were three different flavors of dark chocolate candy, so I got two bags of each.  In total, I bought 49.50 oz. (3.09 lb.) of 50%-off Christmas clearance candy.  That will last me awhile.

At Olive Tree Ministries today, Jan Markell spent the hour with Dr. Ed Hindson at The King is Coming.  Markell played a presentation given by Hindson (who passed away on July 2) at the Globalism Rising event at Regent University on March 29.  The event, hosted by Michele Bachmann, can be accessed at regent.edu/globalism.

Hindson considered seven significant questions that herald Jesus’ coming:

1.  Is Israel back in the Land?
2.  Is the Middle East in Crisis?
3.  Does Global Economy already exist?
4.  Is there a rush to Globalism?
5.  Does Apostasy threaten the Church?
6.  Is Evil out of control?
7.  Do Weapons of Mass Destruction exist?

         

         

         
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Today’s program, lasting 53 minutes, can be heard here:

The U.S. Congress finally has passed a government funding bill of approximately $1.7 trillion.  The House passed it yesterday with a vote of 225 to 201.  The Senate passed it today with a vote of 68 to 29.  Once President Biden signs it, the bill will fund the federal government through September 30, 2023.

An omnibus is a compilation of long-stalled appropriations bills.  Among other things, it will include at least $772 billion for domestic programs, about $858 billion for the U.S. military and about $47 billion to help Ukraine’s defense against Russia.  The latter adds to the more than $65 billion already appropriated for Ukraine this year.

Today, before the passage of this new legislation, the U.S. National Debt had surpassed $31.450 trillion.  The additional $1.7 trillion spending will propel the national debt beyond the gigantic amount of $33.150 trillion.

A little over seven weeks ago, on Nov. 1, Israel held its fifth election for prime minister in less than four years.  After two days, on Nov. 3, the final results were announced after the Likud party won a majority in the election.

Benjamin Netanyahu defeated Yair Lapid, the outgoing prime minister.  There were questions as to whether or not Netanyahu would be able to form a viable government after he won the election.  He had until midnight last night, Dec. 21, to do so.  Had he not been able to accomplish this, it likely would have resulted in yet another election taking place in Israel.

Yesterday evening, Netanyahu told Israel’s President Isaac Herzog in a phone call, “I have managed to set up a government which will take care of all the citizens of Israel.”  Netanyahu is the longest serving prime minister in Israel’s history.  His first term was from 1996 to 1999, and his second term was from 2009 to 2021.  Barring unforeseen circumstances, it appears that he will be serving another term.

Today, the December Solstice took place.  That occurred at 1:48 p.m. PST = 4:48 p.m. EST = 21:48 UTC.

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!! 

Last week, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) announced the achievement of fusion ignition at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL).  It is a major scientific breakthrough that has been decades in the making.  It is expected to pave the way for advancements in national defense and the future of clean power.

It was on December 5 that a team at LLNL conducted the first controlled fusion experiment in history to reach this milestone.  It produced more energy from fusion than the laser energy that was used to drive it.

A very small pellet of fuel, the size of a pencil eraser, was bombarded with 192 lasers.  They delivered 2.05 megajoules (MJ) of energy to the target, resulting in 3.15 MJ of fusion energy output—a net gain of 1.10 MJ of energy.  It was the first time that inertial fusion energy (IFE) had been produced experimentally.

The hope is that, over time, this process can be scaled up and done cheaply enough to create power that is carbon-free.  It would not have the dangerous radioactive waste that is a byproduct of nuclear fission.

Last night, the first night of Hanukkah, I attended a Hanukkah celebration.  It was a lot of fun, and the rabbi provided some very interesting information.  All of the food was excellent.  Usually the potato latkes are my favorite food selection, but everything was really good.  I had a great time.

Hanukkah begins at sunset this evening and extends until sunset on Dec. 26.  There are Hanukkah Blessings to say for eight nights as menorah candles are lit.  Happy Hanukkah Blessings!

       
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The first full day of Hanukkah (Dec. 19 this year), 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 3:19, 8:12), was conceived within a virgin and, when born, would be called Immanuel 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 seems plausible that Jesus was the Light who entered the world (John 3:19) on the Festival of Lights.  Nine months later, Jesus most likely 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)

At Olive Tree Ministries this weekend, Jan Markell continues to recover from COVID.  Pastor Mark Henry filled in for her again and spent the hour with Pastor Jason Carlson and Jill Martin Rische.  They talked about popular occult movements invading the church.  These practices are causing non-believers, and even believers, to “dance with the devil”—the evil god of this age (2 Corinthians 4:4).  Among other things, this includes exploring the occult and sorcery.

A “Pandora’s box” has been opened as people search for new experiences that are a part of the doctrine of demons.  This includes yoga and enneagram numbers.  Just because something might seem to provide a physical or an emotional benefit does not mean that it is spiritually positive or helpful for someone to be involved in.  This was the main focus during the second half of the program.

“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:4)

         

         

         
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Today’s program, lasting 56 minutes, can be heard here:

Last night, the U.S. Senate passed a short-term funding bill, a continuing resolution (CR), that will avert a government shutdown this weekend.  The vote was 71 to 19.  The previous day, the House also passed a funding bill.  Their vote was 224 to 201.

The stopgap measure will extend through Dec. 23 so that ongoing spending negotiations can continue.  There is a possibility that there will be another extension, after the new Congress is seated in early 2023, for the government funding to be finalized.  Ultimately, whenever there is a final vote, the funding will extend through Sep. 30, 2023.

Yesterday, the U.S. House passed a stopgap government funding bill through Dec. 23.  The measure passed in the House with a vote of 224 to 201.  The move was intended to give lawmakers more time to pass a bill to fully fund the federal government through its fiscal year, ending on Sep. 30, 2023.

Without a stopgap measure, known as a “continuing resolution,” there would be a partial shutdown of federal agencies.  That would begin this coming Friday night at midnight.  Therefore, the Senate must vote to approve the measure soon, and President Biden must sign the bill by midnight Friday to avoid a government shutdown.

Today, the Federal Reserve Board hiked interest rates by one-half of a percentage point (0.50% point).  On Nov. 2, on Sep. 21, on July 27 and on June 15, they increased the interest rate by three-quarters of a percentage point (0.75% point).

All of these hikes follow a half of a percentage point (0.50% point) increase on May 4 and a quarter of a percentage point (0.25% point) increase on Mar. 16.  The rate hikes are an attempt to calm down surging inflation.

During this time of increasing inflation, the Federal Reserve’s attempt is to restore price stability for families and businesses.  Yet, there are fears that it may have a negative impact on economic growth and even trigger a recession.  Many signs actually indicate that we already are in a recession.

Millions of illegal migrants have been crossing over the southern U.S. border since Joe Biden became president.  Biden halted border wall construction almost immediately after he was inaugurated.  A huge number of migrants have been able to cross over and escape into the country, as there are not nearly enough border agents to detain them.

The pandemic-era border regulation, known as Title 42, has been in effect for a few years.  It has been used by Customs and Border Protection agents to turn back about 40% of migrants attempting to come across the U.S. southern border.  However, they still have been coming over in huge numbers.

Last month, U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan struck down the use of Title 42.  This is scheduled to go in effect as of December 21.  Unless that ruling is overturned on appeal, expulsions of those crossing our border and seeking asylum no longer will take place following the middle of next week.

If that happens, the flow of migrants across the border is expected to rise substantially.  This will increase the strain tremendously on CBP agents and on the nation as a whole.  Many are urging President Biden not to let Title 42 expire next week.

At Olive Tree Ministries this past weekend, Jan Markell is recovering from COVID.  Mark Henry filled in for her and spent the hour with Tom Hughes and Alex Newman.  They reported on the COP 27 climate change conference in Egypt recently that called for a “new ten commandments” and a new kind of “climate repentance.”  It also promoted a new covenant.

In attendance were self-proclaimed Christians including neo-evangelicals.  This cult is demanding our worship and is recruiting pastors.  The summit began with a dire warning that life on earth will end if climate change isn’t stopped.  It is an illustration of end-time apostasy and delusion.  People will worship the creation rather than God, the Creator of everything.

Below are God’s Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) given to Moses on Mount Sinai, followed by the UN’s Ten Universal Principles for Climate Justice:

 

         

         

         
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Today’s program, lasting 56 minutes, can be heard here:

NASA’s Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft was launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Nov. 16.  It orbited the moon from Nov. 25 to Dec. 1, and soon thereafter it headed back toward Earth.

Today, at about 10:20 a.m. PST, Orion entered Earth’s atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean.  Then, after descending through the atmosphere hanging on parachutes, it spashed down off the coast of Baja California at about 10:40 a.m. PST  A Navy ship hauled it to a port in San Diego.  Eventually, it will be returned to the Kennedy Space Center.

This happens to be the 50th anniversary of the day the spacecraft of the Apollo 17 mission landed on the moon.  It carried astronauts Gene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt, the last humans to set foot on the moon.

An annual football game, the Army–Navy Game, has been played all but 10 times since 1890.  Throughout the series, the Navy Midshipmen have won 62 games, the Army Black Knights have won 54 games, and there have been 7 tie games.

The 123rd game took place today at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA.  For the first time ever, the game went into overtime.  In fact, there were two overtimes (OTs) in today’s game.

In OT1, each team scored 7 points.  In OT2, the Navy team did not score; however, the Army team scored 3 points.  Thus, the Army Black Knights were victorious over the Navy Midshipment by a final score of 20 to 17.

The player who impressed me the most was Quinn Maretzki.  Without him, the Army team would not have won the game.  He sent the game into overtime when, with only 1 minute 53 seconds remaining, he kicked a 37-yard field goal that tied the game.  Then, in OT2, he kicked a 39-yard field goal, winning the game for the Black Knights.

Brittney Griner, age 32, is a professional basketball player in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA).  She has played for the Phoenix Mercury in Arizona since 2013.

Earlier this year, on February 17, Griner flew to Moscow, Russia.  At Sheremetyevo International Airport, she was detained when vaporizer cartridges containing less than a gram of hash oil were found in her possession.

She had been prescribed medicinal cannabis in Arizona.  However, cannabis is illegal in Russia, and she was arrested on smuggling charges.

Griner spent months in detention prior to her trial beginning in July.  On July 7, she pled guilty but said, “But there was no intent.  I didn’t want to break the law.”

On August 9, Griner was found guilty by the Russian court and was sentenced to 9 years in prison.  She also was fined 1 million rubles (US$16,301).  She has been imprisoned since then.

However, within the past 48 hours, Griner was released from a Russian penal colony in a 1-for-1 prisoner swap.  She was swapped for Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer.  On November 2, 2011, he was convicted by a jury in New York of conspiracy to kill U.S. citizens and officials, delivery of anti-aircraft missiles and providing aid to a terrorist organization.

Bout was sentenced to a minimum of 25 years in prison.  However, he was released today in a prisoner exchange for Brittney Griner, who now is returning to the U.S.

The Georgia runoff race for the U.S. Senate took place today.  The race was between Raphael Warnock (D) and Herschel Walker (R).

The race was close.  About 3½ hours after the polls closed, the race was called for Raphael Warnock.  Once 100% of precincts had reported, Warnock had won 51.38% of the vote, and Walker had won 48.62% of the vote.  This will make the number of senators in the U.S. Senate be as follows: 51 Democrats and 49 Republicans.

The last time the REAL ID-compliant identification for air travelers was extended was on April 27, 2021.  At that time, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) extended the enforcement date from October 1, 2021, to May 3, 2023.

Due to circumstances resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the DHS has extended the deadline for another two years.  The new deadline for REAL ID enforcement is May 7, 2025.

Assuming the new deadline date does not change again, then on May 7, 2025, every air traveler 18 years of age and older will need a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license, state-issued enhanced driver’s license, a U.S. passport or another acceptable form of Identification to fly within the United States.

Just because a baby has not emerged from its mother’s womb does not mean it is not a person.  From the moment of conception, it has the genetic composition of a human being.  It will have the same genetic makeup throughout its whole life, which typically will last for many decades.

At Olive Tree Ministries this weekend, Jan Markell is recovering from COVID.  Mark Henry filled in for her and spent the hour with Michele Bachmann.

Michele spoke about the supposed “red wave” in the recent election that never happened.  However, it did not happen for the reasons that the news media have been reporting.  When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked rule, the people mourn.  How do we fight back when we lose our choices, voices, and freedoms?

They talked about how the goal in 2023 is to make the World Health Organization your “personal doctor.”  You must submit or you cannot have a normal life.  As a result, digital vaccine passports are back on the table.  If a global government controls our money and our health, they will control our freedom.

A climate change conference took place recently in Sharm El-Sheikh, Eqypt.  It is connected to the Sinai area, where Mount Sinai is located.  That was where God spoke the Ten Commandments to Moses and the Israelis (Exodus 20).  At the recent climate change conference, a hundred supposedly inter-faith leaders climbed up a nearby mountain (which may or may not have been Mount Sinai) to receive the Ten Universal Principles for Climate Justice.  These were developed over the previous few days by global religious leaders.

         

         
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Today’s program, lasting 55 minutes, can be heard here:

Most of us have various accounts online.  In most cases, an account requires a password to log in.  The stronger the password, the safer your account will be and the less likely it will be for someone to figure out the password and get into your account.

The longer and more complex a password is, the better it is.  At the very least, it should be a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, as well as numbers.  On sites that allow passwords with special characters or symbols (such as @, #, $, % and &), it is not a bad idea to include them as well.

Below is the link to a page containing 300 random passwords.  On that page, a third of the passwords contain 12 characters, a third of them contain 18 characters and a third of them contain 24 characters.  All of them consist of random uppercase and lowercase letters, along with numbers.  There are no special characters/symbols included, although you could substitute some of the letters and/or numbers with special characters/symbols if the website allows them to be used in passwords.

Following yesterday’s vote in the U.S. House, today the Senate voted in favor of a bill that would prevent a rail strike by imposing a deal on freight-rail workers.  The bill was passed 80-15 and is expected to be signed by President Biden.  Presumably, this will block a strike scheduled to take place next week on December 9.

However, a separate measure that also passed in the House was rejected by the Senate.  It would have required rail companies to provide the workers with seven days of paid sick leave per year.  It required 60 votes to pass, but it received only 52 votes in favor, while 43 senators voted against the measure.

The deal that would be imposed on rail employees includes a 24% increase in wages from 2020 through 2024.  Yet, workers continue to remain concerned about a lack of paid sick leave time.

The Biden administration has been trying to broker a railway labor strike deal for months and managed to head off a strike in September.  With hopes of an agreement vanishing ahead of a December 9 deadline, the president decided to call on lawmakers to intervene.

Yesterday, President Biden asked Congress to take action in order to prevent a looming walkout of rail workers.  He said he was confident, with congressional legislation, that a rail strike in the U.S. could be averted.

Congress has the power to force the 12 unions negotiating with rail companies to accept a deal that raises pay by 24%.  However, this falls short of workers’ demands on paid sick leave.  Among the labor unions, four have held out for a better agreement.

Today, the House voted to codify the deal the Biden administration struck between labor unions and railroad companies.  The legislation passed 290-137.  They also passed a separate measure that would give rail workers seven days of paid sick leave per year.  That legislation passed 221-207.  The bills now go to the Senate, where they likely will be voted upon before the weekend.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary word of the year in 2020 was pandemic.  In 2021, the word of the year was vaccine.  The new word of the year, for 2022, is gaslighting:

At his weekly speech from the Vatican yesterday, Pope Francis talked about the bomb attacks in Israel and clashes in the West Bank last week.  He said that the increasing violence is “killing the future” for both Israelis and Palestinians.

The pope feels that there should be more dialogue between Israelis and Palestians.  He said, “I hope that Israeli and Palestinian authorities take the search for dialogue to heart in a greater way, building reciprocal trust, without which there will never be a solution for peace in the Holy Land.”  Unfortunately, that is not likely to happen.

For months, tensions between Israelis and Palestinians have been surging.  Last week there were bomb blasts and other attacks, mostly by Palestinians upon Israelis.  Israel authorities have said that two West Bank crossings will be closed to Palestinians.

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.

At Olive Tree Ministries this weekend, Jan Markell spent the hour with Dr. J. B. Hixson.  They discussed his book, “The Spirit of the Antichrist: The Gathering Cloud of Deception.”

The unbelieving world is marching behind a dark ruler as we watch the set-up for the Tribulation.  According to Psalm 2, God laughs at these players on the end-time chess board.

Jan read this paragraph from Hixson’s book:  “There is much going on in the world.  If you look at the headlines and see all that is happening, you will recognize that there must be something major at play—something beyond this world.  When you look at Scripture, your suspicions are confirmed.  According to the Bible, life is about more than what you can see, hear or touch.  There is a cosmic battle going on between good and evil, and it has been that way since Satan fell from heaven.  He fell like lightning because of his pride.  He thought he could take over God’s realm and be God himself.  Instead, he was cast to the earth and has been trying to conquer that ever since.”

         

         
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Today’s program, lasting 55 minutes, can be heard here:

Yesterday, I attended a Thanksgiving get-together at the home of some good friends.  There were 8 of us in attendance.  We had some interesting conversations and a lot of laughs.  Everyone had a great time.

I think this was the only feast that I’ve been to on Thanksgiving Day where turkey was not served, but that was okay with me.  All of the food was outstandingly good, and I ate a bit too much.  I rarely drink alcohol, but I had a little red wine.  As usual, I took several snapshots.

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)

Recently, I heard about a free “Thanksgiving” meal offered yesterday evening.  It was in one of the buildings at Laguna Community College, which is not too far away.  There weren’t all that many people there, and we didn’t recognize anybody; but we were glad that we checked it out.

There was only a small variety of food, but all of it was very tasty and filling.  Interestingly, turkey was not served.  However, there was a very large artificial turkey, named Gobbler, standing in the room. 

Today, the two largest U.S. rail unions, representing conductors and engineers, were split in ratification votes on a tentative contract deal reached on Sep. 15.  This raised the possibility of a strike or lockout that could cause significant damage to the U.S. economy.

Members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) voted to ratify the agreement.  On the other hand, train and engine service members of the transportation division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers (SMART-TD) voted to reject the deal.

Beginning on Dec. 9, SMART-TD would be allowed to go on strike or the rail carriers would be permitted to lock out workers — unless the U.S. Congress intervenes.  The divided vote could put pressure on Congress to intervene to prevent a strike or lockout ahead of the holiday season.

A rail shutdown could freeze almost 30% of U.S. cargo shipments by weight, stoke inflation and cost the American economy as much as $2 billion per day.  It also could unleash a cascade of transport woes affecting U.S. energy, agriculture, manufacturing, healthcare and retail sectors.

Last month, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that “any shutdown would be completely unacceptable.  It is the responsibility of the parties involved to resolve this issue.”

At Olive Tree Ministries this weekend, Jan Markell spent the hour with Pastor Billy Crone.  They discussed how Ufology almost seems to have become the new world religion.  It has been in the news a great deal in the past several months.

An increasing number of people seem to believe in UFOs and aliens than in God.  They are enthralled with the notion that aliens may be visiting earth.  It’s as if they are looking to aliens to save them.  The latest unclassified intelligence report on unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), released on June 25, 2021, was discussed:

The Bible talks about a great end-time deception and delusion that will affect much of the world.  They talked about how the increase in UFO/UAP sightings could be an example of this, where the aliens being seen are not from other solar systems and planets but, rather, are supernatural fallen angels and demonic entities engaging in interdimensional travel.

It is possible that when the Rapture of Christian believers occurs, a common explanation for this will be that people were snatched up and away by space aliens.  In fact, though, this will not be the case; they actually will be caught away by God.

         

         
30-second slideshow

Today’s program, lasting 53 minutes, can be heard here:

Earlier this week, two missiles fell in the town of Przewodow, located in eastern Poland near its border with Ukraine.  Two Polish citizens were killed by the missiles and will be buried this weekend with state honors.

There have been discussions and arguments about the source of the missiles.  Ukrainian authorities, including President Volodimir Zelenski, claimed that the missiles were fired by Russia into Poland.  There had been a recent massive and widespread barrage of missiles fired by Russia into Ukraine, and the assumption was that two of the missiles accidently went too far and crossed into Poland.  Russia has firmly denied that the missiles were fired by the Russian military.

For a couple of days, an investigation was done by Polish officials and their NATO allies.  They have agreed that the two missiles most likely were not fired from Russia.  Rather, they appeared to have originated from Ukraine as an anti-aircraft defense of a wide-ranging missile attack by Russia.  It appears that the missiles were misfired, which caused them to travel a very small distance across Ukraine’s border with Poland.

NATO allies have agreed that due to Russia’s constant attacks on Ukraine for almost nine months, the Ukrainian defense missiles that accidentally landed in Poland were essentially the fault and responsibility of Russia.  However, the situation has become increasingly complicated because both Russia and Ukraine have adamantly denied firing the missiles into Poland, whether purposely or accidently.

More than a week after the midterm elections, Republicans secured the 218 seats needed to control the U.S. House of Representatives.  Last night’s final count of California’s 27th Congressional district resulted in a Republican victory, which took Republicans over the threshold to control the House.  It is only the third time in 68 years that the House has flipped from Democratic to Republican control.

House Republicans already had chosen to keep Kevin McCarthy as their leader, which makes him the favorite to succeed Democrat Nancy Pelosi as the next House speaker.  However, to become speaker, McCarthy will need at least 218 votes on January 3, 2023, when the new Congress holds a floor vote for speaker.

As for the Senate, Democrats already have secured 50 seats, while Republicans have secured only 49 seats.  The runoff election in Georgia, between Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker, will take place on December 6.

A win for Warnock will give Democrats a 51-49 Senate majority.  A win for Walker will maintain a 50-50 tie between Democrats and Republicans, which has been the status quo for two years.  Any tie votes in the Senate will continue to be broken by Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris.  Chuck Schumer will continue to be the Senate Democratic leader, and Mitch McConnell will continue to be the Senate Republican leader.

Last night, Donald Trump publicly announced that he plans to run for the U.S. presidency again in 2024.  The announcement came exactly one week after the 2022 midterm elections on Nov. 8.

Trump is the first person so far to announce his campaign for the 2024 presidential election.  His full speeh lasted about 1 hour and 5 minutes.

Today has been designated by the United Nations as the Day of Eight Billion.  This is the approximate date that the world’s population has reached 8 billion people.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, “This is an occasion to celebrate our diversity, recognize our common humanity and marvel at advancements in health that have extended lifespans and dramatically reduced maternal and child mortality rates.”  He added, “At the same time, it is a reminder of our shared responsibility to care for our planet and a moment to reflect on where we still fall short of our commitments to one another.”

The Day of Six Billion was marked on October 12, 1999, and the Day of Seven Billion was marked on October 31, 2011.  The world’s population could grow to 8.5 billion in 2030 and 9.7 billion in 2050.

China is the most populous nation, with over 1.410 billion people.  In second place, India has over 1.375 billion people.  Next year, India is projected to surpass China as the world’s most populous nation.

This is World Kindness Day.  It is an international holiday that promotes kindness throughout the world.  The objective is to highlight good deeds in the community, focusing on the positive power and the common thread of kindness for good, which binds all of us together.

At Olive Tree Ministries this weekend, Jan Markell spent the hour with Pastor Barry Stagner.  They agreed that when the Pre-tribulation Rapture happens, millions will disappear and there will be total confusion and chaos remaining.  They feel that Scripture says this will be the most horrible time ever, but it is not too late to get saved.

Markell noted some things from one of her e-newsletters: “When the Stars Fall From the Sky.”  For those who are left behind after the Rapture, some things that they will face are a time of devastation, dissension, disease, disaster, death and dellusion.  The sun will turn black, the moon will turn blood red and the stars will appear to fall from the sky.  There will be devastating earthquakes, rampant lawlessness, the Restrainer is gone, mountains and islands will move, the oceans will become blood and the water becomes poisoned.  Many will long to die but cannot.  Demons will run around unchecked.  Drugs will be bending the minds of most people as they practice sorcery.  The world will be such a chaotic mess that billions will perish tragically.

A satanic trinity will form a global government and religion.  A ruthless man, known as the Antichrist or the (first) Beast, will rule with an iron fist.  People will be required to take a “mark” in order to survive.  In the “Great Reset,” the World Economic Forum will reset world governments to global socialism.  The whole situation will become so critical that unless Jesus Christ returns in His second coming, no flesh will be saved.  Because all of these things probably will begin to happen relatively soon, it is vitally important now to reach as many people with the Gospel message of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, unto eternal salvation.  Otherwise, they will be left behind in a horrific, dreadful and tumultuous world after the Rapture event takes place.

         

         
30-second slideshow

Today’s program, lasting 55 minutes, can be heard here:

Today is the 104th 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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This is the 84th anniversary Kristallnacht or “Crystal Night.”  It was a tragic wave of violent attacks against Jewish people and their properties throughout Germany and Austria on November 9 & 10, 1938.

Jewish people, businesses, homes, houses of worship, schools and cemeteries were attacked, vandalized and desecrated during the pogroms.  A pogrom is an organized massacre of a particular ethnic group.  The Kristallnacht pogroms were carried out mostly by Nazi paramilitary forces.

During Kristallnacht, over 90 Jews were killed and many more were injured.  More than 7,000 Jewish businesses and at least 1,400 synagogues were destroyed.  Additionally, about 30,000 Jews were arrested and sent to concentration camps.

Results from yesterday’s midterm elections in the U.S. are still coming in today.  Republican expectations of a significant “red wave,” winning a big majority in the House of Representatives and a small majority in the Senate, have not yet come to pass and very well may not.

Although Republicans are expected to gain control of the House, their majority will be smaller than expected.  However, it will result in a new House Speaker replacing Nancy Pelosi.  Presumably, this would be House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), who announced his campaign for speaker today.  However, he may face some obstacles in becoming the new Speaker of the House.

So far, the Senate race is too close to call.  There could remain a 50-50 tie, with Vice President Harris continuing to break any tie votes.  It is possible that Republicans could gain a 51-49 majority, but right now that appears unlikely.

One factor is the Georgia race between incumbent Senator Raphael Warnock (D) and his challenger Herschel Walker (R).  Neither received at least a 50% majority vote in the election.  In such a case, Georgia law requires that a runoff election between the two candidates will take place four weeks after the general election, which will be on December 6.

In the U.S., this is mid-term election day.  It generally is expected that Republicans will gain enough votes to take control of the U.S. House of Representatives, where Democrats presently hold the majority.  It also is possible that Republicans will end up with a tiny majority in the U.S. Senate; however, it may remain equally divided (50-50) between Republicans and Democrats.

For Republican candidates and voters, border security, crime, inflation and foreign policy seem to be the most important issues.  For Democrat candidates and voters, climate change, health care and abortion may be the most important issues.  In many locations, final election results may not be known for a week or more.

Also, today there is a total eclipse of the moon, often referred to as a “blood moon.”  There will not be another total lunar eclipse until March 14, 2025.  Portions of the eclipse will be visible in Asia, Australia, North America, parts of northern and eastern Europe and most of South America.

The partial phase of the eclipse, from beginning to end, will last from 09:09 UTC (or 4:09 a.m. EST = 1:09 a.m. PST) to 12:49 UTC (or 7:49 a.m. EST = 4:49 a.m. PST).  The total phase of the eclipse, from beginning to end, will last from 10:16 UTC (or 5:16 a.m. EST = 2:16 a.m. PST) to 11:41 UTC (or 6:41 a.m. EST = 3:41 a.m. PST).

The Houston Astros are the World Series champions after beating the Philadelphia Phillies Saturday night in game 6.  The game lasted 8½ innings.  Had the Phillies won the 6th game, the tie-breaking 7th game would have been played in Houston last night.  The Phillies last won the World Series in 2008.  Congratulations Astros!

The 6th game’s final score was Astros 4, Phillies 1.  Here are the scores for the final game Saturday night and the runs, hits and errors for all of the innings:

In the series, the Astros won 4 games and the Phillies won 2 games.  Here are some stats and scores for the 6 games:

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 for just over four months until Sunday, March 12, when Daylight Saving Time will begin again in most states and clocks will be set ahead one hour.

At Olive Tree Ministries this weekend, Jan Markell spent the hour with Jeff Kinley.  They talked about the Devilish Duo.

While the Antichrist and the False Prophet will be given free reign for a short season, their ultimate demise will be stunning and well deserved.  They and their New World Order will end up in the Lake of Fire.

         

         
30-second slideshow

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

Israel held a major election for prime minister earlier this week.  It was the fifth such election to take place in less than four years.

The final results are in.  Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu and his right-wing allies have won a decisive majority.  The outgoing prime minister, Yair Lapid, has conceded defeat and has offered his congratulations to Netanyahu.

Lapid said, “The state of Israel comes before any political consideration.”  He added, “I wish Netanyahu success, for the sake of the people of Israel and the State of Israel.”

Netanhayu and far-right allies are on track to win a majority in parliament.  This is expected to be the most far-right government in Israel’s history.

As expected today, the Federal Reserve Board hiked interest rates by another three-quarters of a percentage point (0.75% point).  On Sep. 21, on July 27 and on June 15, they did the same thing.

All of these hikes follow a half of a percentage point (0.50% point) increase on May 4 and a quarter of a percentage point (0.25% point) increase on March 16.  The rate hikes are an attempt to calm down surging inflation.

During this time of increasing inflation, the Federal Reserve’s attempt is to restore price stability for families and businesses.  Yet, there are fears that it may have a negative impact on economic growth and even trigger a recession.  Many signs actually indicate that we already are in a recession.

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell suggested that more big interest rate hikes may be coming, even though the Fed might slow the pace of those increases.  However, it is unknown if there will be another one before the end of the year.

The best thing about Halloween is half-priced candy the next day.  A friend purchased 26.04 ounces (1.63 pounds) of candy for me this morning.  I didn’t want too much.  I doubt that the texting witch will be eating any. 

A year ago, on Oct. 31, 2021, my entry mainly was about Israel and Jesus.  It described how Jesus fulfilled all of the Spring Hebraic/Jewish feasts, festivals, and holy days at His first coming and will fulfill all of the Fall Hebraic/Jewish feasts, festivals and holy days at His second coming.

I really don’t have an interest in the pagan holiday of Halloween (other than 50%-off candy the next day).  However, for those who do, here are 3 cartoons that I think are kind of silly and funny (click on them to view larger images):

At Olive Tree Ministries this weekend, Jan Markell spent the hour with Bill Salus.  They talked about the almost perfect world we will live in during the Millennium.  There is more in the Bible about this topic than any other.

Satan will be bound in the bottomless pit.  Children will play with snakes and wild beasts.  Lions will lie down with lambs.  Jesus will rule over the world, from His Temple in Jeruslam, in perfect righteousness, justice, fairness, peace and love.   He will restore the earth to Garden of Eden-like conditions, and there will be worldwide peace.  The government will be upon His shoulders.  What is the purpose and what are our assignments during this literal 1,000 year period?

When the Millennium ends, this present heaven and earth will pass away (Matthew 24:35; Luke 21:33) and cease to exist.  Then God will bring into existence a new heaven and a new earth (2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1,5), as part of a new Creation, which will continue throughout the eternal realm.  Thus, this old Creation, which is temporary, will be replaced by a new Creation, which will never end.

         

         

         
45-second slideshow

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

The New York Post is one of the leading newspapers and new media outlets in New York City.  While the New York Times is a liberal-leaning publication, the New York Post leans conservative.

Yesterday morning, the Post’s website was hacked.  Several things were posted, including violent and racist headlines.  They also were shared on Twitter.

One tweet called for the assassination of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, referred to as AOC.  Another website headline claimed that Governor Greg Abbott of Texas would start “slaughtering illegals” coming over the southern border.  Another called for the murder of Joe Biden.

Other website posts made violent and racist remarks about New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York Governer Kathy Hochul.  The fake and vulgar headlines were linked to Republican Lee Zeldin, candidate for New York governor.

It was suspected by some of the staff of the New York Post that a disgruntled employee did the hacking.  That employee presumably would have had access to places at the Post where the hacks were made.  The Post is continuing to investigate.

The most common types of scams will target you through fake emails, text messages, voice calls, letters, or even someone showing up at your front door unexpectedly.  No matter which technique the scammer uses, you may be:

• Contacted unexpectedly by phone, email, text, direct message or pop-up with a request for personal information or money.  Never click on a link or download an attachment from someone you don’t know.  Typically, banks and other organizations will never text, email or call you asking for personal or account information.
• Pressured to act immediately with an alarming phone call, email or text that plays with your emotions.  A scammer may pose as an employee from a familiar bank or organization and say there’s a problem that needs immediate attention.  Do not act unless you have verified that the person who has contacted you and their story or request are legitimate.
• Asked to pay in an unusual way, such as a gift card, bitcoin, prepaid debit card or digital currency, including Zelle® to resolve fraud.  Banks will not ask you to transfer money to anyone, including to yourself, and will not ask you to transfer money because they “detected fraud on your account.”
• Asked to provide personal or account information, such as an account verification code, bank account number or personal identification number (PIN).  When in doubt, don’t give out that information.  Banks will not text, email or call you asking for an account authorization code.
• Offered a free product or “get rich quick” opportunity.  If something sounds “too good to be true,” it probably is.  Never cash a check for someone you don”t know.

If you authorize a transfer or send money to a scammer, there’s often little or nothing that your bank can do to help get back your money.

Real spider webs effectively catch small insects for spiders to feast on.  At this time of year, though, fake spider webs are set up in many neighborhoods as Halloween decorations.

The problem is that these artificial webs can be can be hazardous to some flying animals.  They are strong enough to ensnare owls and small birds, including hummingbirds.  These webs also can be deadly to monarch butterflies and bees.  Therefore, it is a good idea not to use fake webs as decorations.

The newly-elected British prime minister is Rishi Sunak.  This follows the resignation of Liz Truss on Oct. 21, her 45th day in office, and also of Boris Johnson on July 7.

Just prior to the Conservative Party leadership election today, another potential candidate—Penny Mordaunt, leader of the House of Commons—withdrew from the election contest.  Boris Johnson, former prime minister, was expected to enter the contest but chose not to do so.

Rishi Sunak remained unopposed in the contest.  Later this week, he will meet with Liz Truss and King Charles III and officially will become the Conservative Party leader and the British prime minister.

Prime Minister Sunak previously was Chief Secretary to the Treasury and Chancellor of the Exchequer.  He was prominent in the government’s financial response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic impact.  He is hoping to fix the U.K.’s financial crisis.

Sunak is of Punjabi Indian descent.  He was born in Southampton, Hampshire, England to African-born Hindu parents.  He is Britain’s first person of color to become prime minister.  At age 42, he will be the youngest serving prime minister since 1812.

Xi Jinping has served as China’s General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) since 2012.  In 2018, the limits on the number of terms the supreme leader of China can have was abolished.

Today, the Communist Party of China confirmed Xi Jinping as the general secretary for an unprecedented third 5-year term.  He will be the longest-serving leader of China in that nation’s history.  It is possible that he may end up serving for life.

At Olive Tree Ministries this weekend, Jan Markell spent the hour with Pete Garcia at Rapture Forums.  They talked about how the world is riddled with crises.  These include nuclear threats from Russia and North Korea.

The globalists need every crisis they can find to ultimately be able to reset and control the world.  The pandemic crisis, for over 2 years, was, the first stage.  The fierce and ongoing attack on Ukraine by Russia appears to be the second stage.  It can be used as an excuse for supply chain interruptions of energy, food, fertilizer and other things.

Another factor could have been the blowing up of the Nord Stream Pipeline on September 26.  Regardless of who did it, it most likely will cause a serious energy problem in Europe, especially in Germany.  This all could lead to the third stage of conflict, which could be an excuse to launch a larger war.  It also might include an attack on Israel to take away their oil reserve, which is larger than that of most nations.

It would not be surprising if the third stage could begin with the use of a “dirty bomb.”  This is not a nuclear weapon but, rather, a radiological weapon that combines radioactive material with conventional explosives.  At some point, there will be such a state of panic in the world that people will be clamorning for somebody to come and fix everything.  He will be the Antichrist, a man of lawlessness directed by Satan, who will bring about a one-world government, religion, economy and cashless society—a “great reset.”

         

         
30-second slideshow

Today’s program, lasting 55 minutes, can be heard here:

Liz Truss was appointed Britain’s 15th prime minister by Queen Elizabeth II on Sep. 6 at the queen’s Balmoral Castle in Scotland.  This was one day following Truss’ election and two days before the queen passed away. 

Yesterday, Prime Minister Truss announced her resignation on her 45th day in office.  She will continue to serve until a successor is chosen, possibly before the end of the month.  Truss will be the shortest-serving prime minister in British history.

Following Truss’ announcement of resignation, U.S. President Biden thanked her for her support on various issues.  He also made some other comments:  “The United States and the United Kingdom are strong allies and enduring friends, and that fact will never change.”  He also said, “We will continue our close cooperation with the U.K. government as we work together to meet the global challenges our nations face.”

Back on Mar. 31, President Biden announced that about 180 million barrels of oil would be released from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR).  The amount that has been released has sent the strategic reserve to its lowest level since 1984.  The reserve now contains roughly 400 million barrels of oil.

Yesterday, Biden announced the release of 15 million barrels of oil from the SPR.  Yet, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) says that a 15 million-barrel release would not cover even one day’s use of oil in the U.S.

The oil release by Biden follows the announcement by OPEC a couple of weeks ago (see Oct. 6) that they will be cutting their production of oil by 2 million barrels a day.  That is scheduled to begin in November.

Oil production in the U.S. has yet to return to its pre-pandemic level of about 13 million barrels a day.  The oil industry would like for the Biden administration to open up more federal lands for oil drilling, but that has not been approved.  However, environmental groups continue to urge Biden to block new drilling on federal lands.

On Sep. 30, Vladimir Putin claimed that he had annexed four Ukranian territories.  They are Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzia.

Now Putin has announced that martial law will go into effect across these four regions of eastern and southern Ukraine.  It signals an intensifying effort to achieve his military objectives.  This happens as he continues destructive airstrikes on infrastructure targets in Ukraine.

Russian military officials will take direct control over civilian government functions in the four illegally annexed territories.  At a meeting of his security council, Putin did not elaborate on exactly how the battlefield would change with the introduction of martial law.  One thing that is not working well for Russia is that its forces are losing ground in the annexed territories.

The 2022 midterm elections are exactly 3 weeks from today on Nov. 8.  In a political speech at a Demoncratic National Committee event today, President Biden made an attempt to increase the chances that Democrats will retain their voting majority in the U.S. House and Senate.

Biden noted that the Roe vs. Wade decision, almost 50 years ago, was overturned by the Supreme Court almost four months ago (on June 24).  He said that if Democrats maintain their congressional voting majority after the upcoming elections, the first bill that he will send to the Congress will be to codify Roe vs. Wade.  Therefore, he encouraged people to vote Democratic in next month’s elections.

Public polls have shown, though, that most voters mainly are more concerned about the economy, inflation and the possibility of a coming recession than they are about the abortion issue.  It generally is felt that this tendency will result in Republicans earning a majority in the House and possibly in the Senate.

I’ll never forget the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake 33 years ago today.  It was a magnitude 6.9 on the Richter Scale of Earthquake Energy.  A great deal of damage was done to San Francisco and the Bay Area due to that sizeable quake.

The temblor interrupted the third game of the World Series between the San Francisco Giants and Oakland Athletics.  Because of this, a great many people in the Bay Area were watching the game rather than driving on streets and freeways, and rush hour traffic was lighter than normal.  Most likely, this resulted in a small fraction of the injuries and deaths than otherwise would have occurred, had the quake taken place on a typical weekday.

         
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It was late afternoon that day, and I was sound asleep in a chair next to the swimming pool half a block away from my home in Irvine.  At 5:05 p.m., I suddenly woke up but had no idea why.  It felt like someone had shaken my chair, but no one was around and there were no unusual noises.  I am an extremely light sleeper, though.

I got up, walked home, turned on the TV, and soon saw news about the large earthquake.  To this day, I suspect that a small wave from the quake jarred me awake, even though I was located almost 350 miles southeast of the epicenter.  Later, that did not surprise me after I heard that the quake had been felt in western Nevada and in San Diego (my favorite city in the world).

An earthquake alert system is available for those in California and Oregon.  It doesn’t predict shaking before it happens, but it can warn people before the tremors reach them.

At Olive Tree Ministries this weekend, Jan Markell introduced an hour with Pastor Jack Hibbs, who presented a message at his church about the rapture.  He talked about why he supports and defends the Pre-tribulation Rapture of the Church.

He noted that this theology is controversial, under attack, scorned, and mocked.  While believers experience Satan’s and man’s wrath, the Bible is clear that we never experience God’s wrath.  The righteous are removed from the earth and into heaven.  One of the main Pre-tribulation views is that our disappearance is imminent and could happen at any moment.

         

         
30-second slideshow

Today’s program, lasting 60 minutes, can be heard here:

The Social Security Administration has announced that there will be an 8.7% increase in benefits next year.  It will be the largest annual increase since 1981, when the increase was 11.2%.

The average monthly Social Security check this year has been about $1,681.  On the average, the 8.7% increase will result in an additional monthly payment of a little over $145 per month on average for retirees, or a total of roughly $1,827 per month during 2023.  This increase will be seen initially in payments going out in January of 2023.

The U.S. House January 6 Committee was formed on July 1, 2021.  It is a select committee that has been investigating the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

The committee’s ninth public hearing took place yesterday.  It is possible that it may be the final public hearing, although some of the members want to have additional public hearings.

At yesterday’s hearing, Represntative Liz Cheney (R-WY), the panel’s vice-chair, said that the inquiry’s work is incomplete without seeking answers from “the man who set this all in motion.”  She was referring to former president Donald Trump.

At the end of the hearing on live national TV, the select committee voted unanimously, 9-0, to subpoena Trump.  Members agreed that this was a necessary final act before the panel concludes its work.

Many feel that Trump will fight the subpoena in court.  If so, that type of court battle probably would continue into the new year.  At that point, in case Republicans win control of the House of Representatives in the midterm elections next month, the committee could be disbanded.

Vladimir Putin announced, on Sep. 30, that Russia had annexed four Ukranian territories.  He claimed that Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzia are part of the Russian Federation.

In response, yesterday, the U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to condemn Russia’s annexation of the Ukranian territories.  In its measure, the Assembly demanded that Russia reverse its illegal land-grab in Ukraine.

There are 193 member nations in the Assembly.  The votes were as follows:

• 143 voted for condemnation
• 35 abstained from voting
• 5 voted against condemnation (Russia, North Korea, Belarus, Syria and Nicaragua)
• 10 refrained from voting (different from abstaining)

Last month, NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission culminated in a spacecraft crashing into Dimorphos (see Sep. 27, 2022).  This is a moonlet of the Didymos binary asteroid system.

The goal of the collision was to reduce the timing of the moonlet Dimorphos’ 11-hour 55-minute orbit around Didymos by a little over a minute, specifically 73 seconds.  Presumably, this would change the gravitional pull on the Didymos asteroid and change the direction that it is moving.

After a couple of weeks of observing the asteroid system with various telescopes, it has been determined that the orbit of Dimorphos around Didymos has been slowed by about 32 minutes, which is a very significant amount.  (A margin of uncertainty could change this time frame by about 2 minutes.)  It also caused Dimorphos to resemble a comet with a dusty debris tail with a length of over 6,000 miles.

The ultimate objective was to alter the path of the Didymos asteroid system.  If this has occurred, it potentially would reveal a way, in the future, to redirect the track of a large asteroid headed toward planet Earth.

During the two weeks from September 25 to October 9, North Korea fired off 7 ballistic missiles.  This brings the total of their missile launches to 25 during 2022.

The missile launches coincided with nearby military drills held by South Korea, the United States and Japan.  One of the missiles, on October 4, was an intermediate-range ballistic missile that flew over Japan, causing a great deal of fear in Japanese citizens.

According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said that he was responding to regional tensions with his country’s “huge armed forces.”  He also said that the missile tests are practice for “tactical nuclear strikes” on South Korea.

Kim has indicated that he has no interest in negotiation talks with other countries.  He stated, “The U.S. and the South Korean regime’s steady, intentional and irresponsible acts of escalating the tension will only invite our greater reaction.”  There is some concern that, at some point, this “great reaction” could be a nuclear attack.

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 “did tabernacle” 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)

The disciples of Jesus were pointing out the buildings of the temple complex to Him.  They were surprised when He replied, “Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”  Later, as He sat on the Mount of Olives, they came to Him again and asked, “Tell us, when will these things be?  And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

Jesus, who was and is a visible manifestation of God, is the “Alpha and the Omega” (Revelation 1:8 and 21:6) and exists from everlasting to everlasting (Psalm 41:13; Nehemiah 9:5), so He knows the timing of everything.

However, He is not obligated to answer every question that anyone has for Him, even those of His disciples.  Although Jesus did not specifically tell them when the temple would be destroyed, this happened in 70 A.D.  It took place when the Roman army, led by Titus, beseiged and captured Jerusalem and destroyed the city and the Second Temple during the Siege of Jerusalem (70 CE).

However, Jesus did give them signs that would occur near the end of the age.  They will occur not long before the return of Jesus, whether in the clouds of earth’s atmosphere at the Pre-Wrath Rapture or at His Second Advent (bodily descent) to earth in association with the blowing of the Seventh Trumpet.

And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you.  For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.  And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars.  See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.  For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.  All these are the beginning of sorrows.  Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.  And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.  Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.  And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.  But he who endures to the end shall be saved.  And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:4-14)

At Olive Tree Ministries this weekend, Jan Markell spent the hour with Pastor Brandon Holthaus.  With global chaos reigning, many ask if we are headed to a great awakening or a global collapse.

Yet, many churches are silent on important issues; this is the “sin of silence.”  They have been infiltrated with wokeism, which has become a religion to many “social justice” warriors.  For them, salvation and eternal life no longer have to do with Jesus Christ but, rather, with the notion of social justice.

Also, pastors in many churches do not teach Bible prophecy.  At this time in our culture, pastors should consider including prophetic information in their messages, as well as preaching through the book of Revelation.

Yuval Noah Harari is a lead advisor for Klaus Schwab, who is the founder and chairman of the World Economic Forum (WEF).  Along with Schwab, Harari is a firm advocate of the “Great Reset.”  He has stated, “History began when humans invented gods, and will end when humans become gods.”  He also has stated, “People could look back in a hundred years and identify the virus epidemic as the moment when a new regime of surveillance took over, especially surveillance under the skin, which I think is maybe the most important development of the 21st Century.  It is this ability to hack human beings, to go under the skin, collect biometric data, analyze it and understand people better than they understand themselves.  This, I believe, is maybe the most important event of the 21st Century.”

Jan ended with these encouraging Bible passages:

• Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you; yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)
• I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me.  I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around. (Psalm 3:5,6)

         

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

OPEC announced yesterday that, beginning in November, they will be cutting their production of oil by 2 million barrels a day.  Oil and gasoline prices in the U.S. began increasing in the hours following the announcement.  There also was a negative effect on global markets.

Just a couple of days before this, the average price of unleaded gasoline in California, according to GasBuddy, was $6.25 per gallon.  California is the most expensive state, and this was well above the national average of $3.765 per gallon.

Back on June 10, I noted how the average price for regular gas in California was $6.40 per gallon.  I showed how, during the first 10 days of June, the price per gallon at an Arco station in Anaheim went up $0.10 every few days.  It may not be long before the basic price of gas in California approaches $7.00 per gallon.

Today is the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur.  It is the highest holy day of the Hebraic year.  Today also is the final day of the 40-day season of Teshuvah, a major period of repentance, asking God for forgiveness and returning to a meaningful relationship with Him.

       
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God ordained this day in ancient Israel for the high priest to enter the Most Holy Place in the tabernacle, and later the temple.  He was to make atonement for his sins and for the sins of the people (Leviticus 16:1-34).

Later, God also told Moses that this Day of Atonement was to be a special day of commemoration.  It was to be a day of sacred assembly, a day to deny oneself (for example, to abstain from eating), and a day to refrain from work (Leviticus 23:26-32).

On Yom Kippur each year in ancient Israel, the high priest selected two goats that would be the slain goat and the “scapegoat”.  It is because these goats made atonement for the sins and guilt of the people that the day was referred to as the Day of Atonement.

There are direct connections between Yom Kippur and Jesus, atonement sacrifice and Redeemer.  Firstly, He was our Passover Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7b) whose blood was shed for the atonement of our sins, and there are other parallels between Jesus and the Passover lamb.  Secondly, He will return to earth, to begin to rule and reign, on a future Yom Kippur, at the end of the 70th Week.

Here are two email responses I have written in the past having to do with Yom Kippur:

• How does the blood atonement of Passover differ from the blood atonement of Yom Kippur?
• Why do you think that Jesus will return to earth on a Yom Kippur or Day of Atonement and in conjunction with the blowing of the Seventh Trumpet?

The Supreme Court of the United States begins its new term today.  Of the nine justices, six are conservatives and three are liberals.

During most of the COVID pandemic, visitors were barred from the the Supreme Court building.  Beginning today, people will be able to attend oral arguments by the court.  However, other parts of the building will remain closed to the public.

On Apr. 7, the U.S. Senate confirmed Ketanji Brown Jackson to replace Justice Stephen Breyer.  She is the sixth new justice in the past 13 years.  Jackson is making her debut appearance today on the high court.

At Olive Tree Ministries this weekend, Jan Markell spent the hour with Pastors Billy Crone and Mark Henry.  They talked about how the world is telling us how we can be programmed to live forever—essentially, transhumanism and posthumanism—with the help of technology and Artificial Intelligence (or, at the U.S. government website, About Artificial Intelligence).  In essence, it is an attempt to convince us that, just as God is immortal, we also can become as immortal gods who will not die.

Last month, President Biden issued a 47-page executive order to advance biotechnology and biomanufacturing innovation in various ways.  It includes the use of artificial intelligence.

Though the things discussed by Jan, Billy and Mark ultimately will be fulfilled during the Tribulation period, all nations are now having “distress with perplexity” prophesied in Luke 21.  They also considered the possible end-time importance of King Charles III, who is allied with Klaus Schwab and the World Economic Forum.

Since the time of Adam and Eve, Satan has deceived and lied to people (Genesis 3:1-5).  Satan told Eve that by eating the fruit that was forbidden by God to eat (that is, by disobeying this command by God), that not only would she “not surely die” but she could “be like God.”  Unfortunately, she ate the fruit and passed this lie on to Adam, who also ate the fruit.  By doing so, they eventually died.  It is important for us to resist the devil’s schemes and submit to these directives by God:

• Do not give the devil a foothold. (Ephesians 4:27)
• Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. (Ephesians 6:11)
• Submit yourselves, then, to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)
• We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5)
• See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. (Colossians 2:8)

         

         
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Today’s program, lasting 57 minutes, can be heard here:

       
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Today is Shabbat Shuvah, which means “Sabbath of Return.”  It always is the weekly Sabbath/Shabbat between Rosh haShanah (the Feast of Trumpets) and Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement).  Shabbat Shuvah also is a play on the phrase “Shabbat Teshuvah” or Sabbath of Repentance.

Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.  Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.  “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:6-9)