At Olive Tree Ministries this weekend, Jan Markell talked with Pastor Billy Crone about the global elite and their preparations for the Antichrist system.  This system will be ready for him, not be set up by him.  Who are today’s major players?  Can Elon Musk be trusted?

Ken Mikle and Pastor Josh Schwartz talked with Pastor Brett Meador.  They continue this discussion and emphasize how everything is ramping up. 

         

         

         
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Today’s program, lasting 59 minutes, can be heard here:

Several hours ago today, a huge earthquake struck Myanmar.  On the Earthquake Magnitude Scale, the 7.7 quake was classified as a major quake, close to a great quake.  The quake’s epicenter was near the nation’s second largest city, Mandalay.  It was followed by an aftershock of 6.4 magnitude, a strong quake.

Many buildings were badly damaged or collapsed in Myanmar and in Thailand, which borders Myanmar to the east and southeast.  In Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, a tall high-rise building under construction completely collapsed in only a few seconds.  This can be seen in the video below.

Today is the first day of the Major League Baseball (MLB) 2025 season.  The MLB is composed of baseball teams in the National League and in the American League. Fourteen games are scheduled to be played across the country today.  Baseball fans attending the games are expected to devour over 150,000 hotdogs.

Russia has made numerous deadly attacks on Ukraine for several years.  There have been hundreds of thousands of military casualties and tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilian casualties.  Following three days of negotiations in Saudi Arabia recently, yesterday Ukraine accepted a 30-day ceasefire with Russia in the Black Sea.

The agreement comes as the U.S. has lifted its pause on military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine.  Although the ceasefire proposal is significant, the situation remains very complex.  The prospect of a lasting peace is dependent on further negotiations and Moscow’s response.

In Part 1, guest host guest host Pastor Mark Henry talks about the nearness of Eternity with Pastor Barry Stagner, and his book, “The Times of the Signs.”

In Part 2, Pastor Josh Schwartz and Ken Mikle talk to Pastor Mike Gendron, formerly a Catholic.  How do we reach the over one billion Catholics?  What about the Hallow app?  Learn what Catholics believe about eschatology and salvation.

         

         

         
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Today’s program, lasting 66 minutes, can be heard here:

Spring began in the Northern Hemisphere this morning at 2:01 am PDT = 5:01 am EDT.  It is the Spring or Vernal Equinox, when the daylight hours are virtually equal to the nighttime hours.

After today, the hours of light will increase and the hours of darkness will decrease each day until June 21 (the Summer Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere).  Then the pattern will reverse.

Twice a year, at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, San Diego, CA, the sunset lines up perfectly with the water channel.  This amazing phenomenon occurs both on the Spring Equinox (today) and on the Autumnal Equinox (six months from now).

Today, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) took a wait-and-see approach to an uncertain U.S. economy.  They voted to leave its federal funds rate unchanged in the 4.25% to 4.50% range.  The same thing happened on Jan. 29.

Back in the Fall of 2024, there were three rate cuts in a row.  These cuts were 0.25% on Dec. 18, 0.25% on Nov. 7 and 0.50% on Sep. 18.  The next Fed meeting is scheduled to be on May 7.  The Fed continues to forecast two rate cuts in 2025.

This afternoon, four astronauts in the SpaceX Crew Dragon Freedom space capsule splashed down safely off Florida’s Gulf Coast, near Tallahassee.  Their SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule came down into the water at 5:57 p.m. EDT.

Two of the astronauts were Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams.  They had been in space for 286 days since June 5, 2024, when they traveled to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the Boeing Starliner space capsule.  That space craft had developed some problems, so NASA chose to leave them on the ISS and bring the Starliner back to earth.  Wilmore and Williams were supposed to be on the ISS about 8 days, but they ended up being there for 9.5 months.

The other two astronauts were Nick Hague and Alexander Gorbunov.  They had spent 171 days in orbit on the ISS since their launch last September aboard the Crew 9 flight.

Having been in space for months with virtually zero gravity, the astronauts’ bodies will have adjustments to make to the gravity on earth.  It will take them awhile to get back to feeling normal back on earth again.

       
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Happy St. Patrick’s Day to my Catholic friends and acquaintances.  Today is a celebration of St. Patrick.  He was a Romano-British Christian missionary who became the primary patron saint of Ireland in the 5th Century.

Supposedly, March 17 is the date of St. Patrick’s death.  It is observed both inside and outside of Ireland as a religious and cultural holiday.

I like how St. Patrick used the three-leaf shamrock as an illustration of the Holy Trinity or Triune God.  Indeed, God is One and Three at the same time.  More about this can be found in my singular and multiple section.

In Part 1, guest host Pastor Mark Henry talks to Trevor Rubenstein and Olivier Melnick about the intensity with which Satan hates what God loves.  What’s with the Rothschild conspiracy about the Scofield Reference Bible?

In Part 2, Pastor Josh Schwartz and Ken Mikle have a provocative conversation with evangelist Don Perkins, who views all things “according to prophecy.”

         

         

         
45-second slideshow

Today’s program, lasting 66 minutes, can be heard here:

Today is Purim, which began last evening at sunset.  Many communities, especially in Jerusalem, also observe Shushan Purim tomorrow.  On the lunar Hebraic calendar, Purim falls on a full moon in the final month of the Hebraic year, Adar.

Purim is a time celebrated by Jews everywhere in commemoration of being saved from extermination.  This is a very interesting account of how God blessed a Jewish girl to the point of becoming Queen over the entire Medo-Persian Empire.

The annihilation of all the Jewish people had been decreed, and Queen Esther was in a position to prevent this from happening, even though she risked her life in doing so.  It is a fascinating, true story, in case you would like to read about it in the Book of Esther.  In that biblical account is written the mandate that every generation of Jews should celebrate Purim:

These days should be remembered and observed in every generation by every family, and in every province and in every city.  And these days of Purim should never cease to be celebrated by the Jews, nor should the memory of them die out among their descendants. (Esther 9:28)

The feast of Purim comes from Chapter 9 of the biblical book of Esther.  In the final two verses below, Mordecai indicated that the days of joy and feasting (Purim) were to be celebrated annually on “the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar”:

¹⁸The Jews in Susa, however, had assembled on the thirteenth and fourteenth, and then on the fifteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting and joy.  ¹⁹That is why rural Jews—those living in villages—observe the fourteenth of the month of Adar as a day of joy and feasting, a day for giving presents to each other.  ²⁰Mordecai recorded these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews throughout the provinces of King Xerxes, near and far, ²¹to have them celebrate annually the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar. (Esther 9:18-21)

There will be a lunar eclipse tonight and into the dark hours of tomorrow morning.  The entire eclipse, from beginning to end, will last about 6 hours.  This will include a "blood red" appearance of the moon for a portion of time.

At any given location in the United States, the blood (reddish-hue) moon will be observable for about 65 minutes.  That total blood moon portion of the eclipse will take place from 11:26 p.m. and 12:31 a.m. PDT = 2:26 a.m. and 3:31 a.m. EDT.

The eclipse will be visible in various parts of the world.  Most of North America, South America and the eastern Pacific Ocean will have the best views, including the total blood moon portion of the eclipse.

Late this afternoon, the U.S. House of Representatives voted on a funding package to avoid a partial federal government shutdown.  The measure passed by a vote of 217 to 213.  One Republican, Thomas Massie (R-KY), voted against the measure.  One Democrat, Jared Golden (D-ME), voted for the measure.

Next, the measure goes to the Senate for a vote.  If the Senate passes the spending bill before midnight on March 14, the federal government will be funded for 6.5 more months, through September 30.  Otherwise, there will be a partial shutdown of the federal government.

In most of the United States (except Hawaii and most of Arizona), and in some other parts of the world, time has “sprung forward” an hour today.  These regions observe Daylight Saving Time, where the sun will rise an hour later in the mornings and set an hour later in the evenings.

At Olive Tree Ministries this weekend, guest host Pastor Mark Henry talked with Alex Newman in Part 1.  Antichrist elements are behind-the-scenes trying to dismantle a new Administration in Washington and trying to cause confusion among Europe’s leadership.

Ken Mikle and Pastor Josh Schwartz talked with former psychic Jenn Nizza in Part 2.  The world longs for secret knowledge, but it is dangerous and even demonic.

         

         

         
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Today’s program, lasting 65 minutes, can be heard here:

Today is National Slam the Scam Day.  It is taking place during National Consumer Protection week: March 2-8.  Recognize the four basic signs of a scam:

1. Scammers pretend to be from a familiar organization or agency, like the Social Security Administration.  They may email attachments with official-looking logos, seals, signatures, or pictures of employee credentials.
2. Scammers mention a problem or a prize.  They may say your Social Security number was involved in a crime or ask for personal information to process a benefit increase.
3. Scammers pressure you to act immediately.  They may threaten you with arrest or legal action.
4. Scammers tell you to pay using a gift card, prepaid debit card, cryptocurrency, wire or money transfer, or by mailing cash.  They may also tell you to transfer your money to a “safe” account.

Ignore scammers and report criminal behavior.  A Social Security-related scam can be reported here:

Tonight, President Trump addressed a joint session of the U.S. Congress.  It took place inside of the House Chamber, with Vice President Vance and House Speaker Johnson sitting behind Trump.  The lengthy address lasted about 1 hour 40 minutes.  The video below lasts about 2 hours.  (Fast-forward to the 12-minute 50-second point in the video to begin watching.)

At Olive Tree Ministries this weekend, Jan Markell talked with Bill Koenig in part one.  Can we really drain the swamp, and what does that mean?  Koenig has been in the White House press corps for 25 years.

Ken Mikle and Pastor Josh Schwartz talked with Ray Comfort in part two.  They are watching God’s time clock with eternity in view.

         

         

         
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Today’s program, lasting 63 minutes, can be heard here:

A "parade" of 7 planets will make an appearance in the sky this evening beginning soon after sunset.  They will not be viewable in all parts of the world, but more locations will be able to see the planets after sunset tonight than on any other night this week.

The seven planets to be seen are Saturn, Mercury, Neptune, Venus, Uranus, Jupiter and Mars.  Mercury and Saturn will be visible for only a few minutes before setting below the horizon.  Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Mars will be visible to the naked eye.  However, Neptune and Uranus only can be seen using high-powered binoculars or a telescope.  It is the last time that all 7 planets will be seen in the sky at the same time until 2040.

Our sun and solar system take about 250 million years to orbit our galaxy, the Milky Way.  The Milky Way is about 100,000 light-years wide and about 1,000 light-years thick.  Our solar system is located about 26,000 light-years from the center of our galaxy.

Our sun is only 1 of the 200 billion stars in the Milky Way.  Scientists estimate that there could be as many as 3.2 trillion planets in our vast galaxy.

At Olive Tree Ministries this weekend, Jan Markell spoke with Gary Kah.  The shadow government has only escalated to counter Donald Trump’s agenda.  One-worldism remains their goal.

Ken Mikle and Pastor Josh Schwartz heard warnings from Tina Griffin about Hollywood and their Luciferian entertainment agenda.  Protect those you love from this!

         

         

         
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Today’s program, lasting 62 minutes, can be heard here:

Today, the third Monday of February, is Presidents’ Day (or Presidents Day) in the U.S.  It is a federal holiday.

       
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George Washington’s farewell address in 1796 was not delivered publicly.  It first appeared in the Philadelphia Daily American Advertiser and then in papers around the country.  For those with an interest in reading it, it is here:

At Olive Tree Ministries this weekend, Jan Markell spoke with Pastor Mark Henry as the entire team considered the U.S. taking over the Gaza Strip.  Isn’t this dividing the land of Israel, which is forbidden?  There is a new level of hope for peace and security.

Ken Mikle and Pastor Josh Schwartz talked about key Bible prophecy issues with Todd Hampson.  Part of their discussion focused on the book of Revelation.  Another thing they discussed was how there is some disagreement about the timing of the Rapture, and there are those who do not even believe that a Rapture will take place.

         

         

         
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Today’s program, lasting 64 minutes, can be heard here:

I am convinced that not all of the final 7 years of this age will be a period of God’s wrath.  Not even all of the final 3.5 years is filled with God’s wrath.  Most of the six seals in the book of Revelation are not God’s wrath.

The word “wrath” does not even appear until Revelation 6:16,17, after the opening of the Sixth Seal.  Because Jesus is opening the scroll with the seven seals (Revelation 5:6-9, 6:1) does not mean that He is dispensing God’s wrath on the earth simply by opening each seal.  It is the Seventh Seal, composed of the Trumpet Judgments and the Bowl Judgments, during which the fearful wrath and vengeance of God will come upon the whole earth.  Believers will be caught up to heaven in a Pre-Wrath Rapture, which will take place prior to God’s wrath and vengeance after the Seventh Seal is opened.

Many believe that the Bible points to the construction of a third Jewish temple in Jerusalem at the beginning of the final 7 years of this age, often referred to as the “tribulation.”  (The second temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D.)  Everything has been collected in Jerusalem to construct the third temple.  This includes the five red heifers, with no blemishes or defects, which were transferred from Texas to Israel in mid-September of 2022.

However, the word translated as “temple” in 2 Thessalonians 2:4 and in Revelation 11:1,2 are incorrect translations of that Greek term.  The exact and literal translation is “shrine.”  Indeed, there is a shrine on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.  That shrine is the Islamic Dome of the Rock, which stands where the first and second Jewish temples stood in ancient times.  More details can be found in the Third Temple section of this commentary:

It is true that the majority of the book of Revelation in the Bible, particularly from Chapter 5 through Chapter 22, addresses prophetic events yet to take place.  The order of events in Revelation can be confusing.  I have addressed this in detail in my lengthy 3-part commentary here:

This morning, I went to Walmart and to another store and got 59.26 oz. (3.70 lb.) of 50%-off Valentine’s candy.  I got some of my favorites (dark chocolate and peanut butter chocolate), as well as a couple of other bags of candy just for a change.  I may eat up to half of it, which will take awhile, and give the rest away.

To those who like this day and all that it brings: Happy Valentine’s Day! 

       
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For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:8)

The CDC reports that flu cases in the U.S. are very high this season.  They have surged to the highest levels in 15 years and are continuing to increase.  Symptoms of the flu include body aches, fever, chills, coughing, sore throat, headaches, stuffy nose and fatigue.

Since October of last year, which was the beginning of the 2024/2025 flu season, the CDC estimates that there have been at least the following:

• at least 24 million flu illnesses,
• at least 11 million flu medical visits,
• about 310,000 hospitalizations due to the flu, and
• about 15,000 flu deaths, including 57 children.

According to the CDC, as of February 1st, nearly a third of the flu tests in the nation have come back positive.  It marks a second wave of influenza hitting the country.  Most likely, this is due to a decrease in the total number of people receiving flu vaccinations.

Super Bowl LIX (59) was played tonight at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, LA.  The final two NFL games were played two weeks ago on Jan. 26.  The two teams playing against each other tonight were the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles.

At halftime, the Eagles had a huge lead over the Chiefs of 24-0.  Although the Chiefs did score 22 points in the final two quarters, the Eagles continued scoring and won the game with a final score of 40-22.

At Olive Tree Ministries this weekend, Jan Markell talked with Amir Tsarfati.  Later, Ken Mikle and Pastor Josh Schwartz interviewed Pastor Gary Hamrick.  The new administration has targeted Israel to repair the breach.  What’s with Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson?  Many demonic delusions of today’s Left are being dismantled as America gets a temporary reprieve.

         

         

         
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Today’s program, lasting 65 minutes, can be heard here:

On several phone calls in the past, I have been on hold for quite awhile.  However, it looks like this guy was on hold for several years and never got up even once to eat a bite of food. 

About 31% of the Bible is prophecy.  Briefly, here are ten reasons why God provided Bible Prophecy through several prophets:

1. It shows that God speaks the truth.
2. It proves that the Bible is God’s word.
3. It shows that God is in control.
4. It demonstrates God’s love.
5. It describes God’s plan.
6. It demonstrates God’s might.
7. It proves that God is worthy.
8. It proves that evil will be punished.
9. It prepares us to get right with God.
10. It gives us hope.

Today is Groundhog Day.  Punxsutawney Phil came out and did see his shadow, which allegedly is an indication that there will be six more weeks of winter.  So the world’s most famous weather-prognosticating groundhog has spoken, probably in “Groundhogese.”

         
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There have been several snow storms and freezing weather in the east and northeast this winter.  So those living there may not be thrilled that this weather may continue for much longer.

However, according to the Stormfax Weather Almanac, Phil has gotten it right only about 39% of the time since the first prediction in 1887.  Time will tell if he was correct or not this year.

I began making entries in the Ted’s Remarks section of my website on Feb. 1, 2006.  It sure has been a LONG 19 years. 

I started this section of my website way back then mainly so I could reference and keep track of events that I have found interesting and/or noteworthy over the years.  Other information about this can be found here:

At Olive Tree Ministries this weekend, Jan Markell spoke with Michele Bachmann in Part I.  The globalists’ heads are exploding, thanks to America’s new president.

In Part II, Ken Mikle and Pastor Josh Schwartz talked with Pastor Tom Hughes.  They discussed Stargate, which is foreshadowing the coming Beast system.  Whoever controls A.I. will control the world.

For behold, in those days and at that time, when I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; and I will enter into judgment with them there on account of my people, my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations; they have divided up my land. (Joel 3:1,2)

         

         

         
45-second slideshow

Today’s program, lasting 59 minutes, can be heard here:

The San Andreas Fault, a massive geological fracture on the west coast of the United States, extends over 750 miles through northern and southern California.  It marks the boundary between the North American and the Pacific tectonic plates.  It is a major source of seismic activity in the region.

Today, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) voted to leave its federal funds rate unchanged in the 4.25% to 4.50% range.  This follows three rate cuts in a row last Fall, by 0.25% on Dec. 18, by 0.25% on Nov. 7 and by 0.50% on Sep. 18.

It seems that the Federal Reserve is taking a pause in cutting interest rates.  They may be waiting to see what the economic policies of President Trump will be, who returned to office on Jan. 20.  It is possible that some of them, including placing higher tariffs on imports, could become inflationary.  The next Fed meeting is scheduled to be on Mar. 19.

The Doomsday Clock has been around since June of 1947.  According to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, the clock is a metaphor for threats to humanity from unchecked scientific and technological advances.  It was intended as a way of tracking catastrophic risks to humanity and the world.

On this clock, midnight marks the theoretical point of ultimate global cataclysm and annihilation.  The original setting, over 76 years ago, was 7 minutes before midnight.  Each year after that, in January, a decision was made to reset or not to reset the clock.  In 2020, the clock was reset to 100 seconds until midnight, where it remained in 2021 and in 2022.

In 2023, the clock was reset to 90 seconds until midnight, which is the closest it’s ever been.  The main factor in the clock’s 10-second movement in 2023 was the attack by Russia (a nuclear nation) on Ukraine in February 2022.  That ongoing war, along with nuclear expansions in China, North Korea, Iran and India in 2022, revived fears of nuclear war.

Those and other negative factors continued throughout 2023, and the ominous and destructive Israel–Hamas war began on Oct. 7, 2023.  However, last year in 2024, the decision was made not to move the hypothetical time on the Doomsday Clock closer than 90 seconds until midnight.

Today though, not far into 2025, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists announced that the minute hand on their Doomsday Clock has been moved one minute closer to midnight.  It now is at 89 seconds before midnight.  They cited Russian nuclear threats last year, tensions in other world hot spots, military applications of artificial intelligence and climate change as factors underlying the risks of global catastrophe.

Today is the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the concentration camp where over one million European Jews died or were killed by Nazis.  This is only a fraction of over six million Jews who died or were killed in all of the Nazi concentration camps during World War II.

This date officially was designated as International Holocaust Remembrance Day in 2005 by the United Nations.  Here are five Holocaust memorials and museums that can be visited in the U.S.:

• United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington D.C.
• The Nancy and David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
• Florida Holocaust Museum, St. Petersburg, Florida
• Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust, Los Angeles, California
• Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center, Skokie, Illinois

The NFL’s final two games, prior to Super Bowl LIX on Feb. 9, took place today.  In the AFC Championship game, the Buffalo Bills played the Kansas City Chiefs in Kansas City.  In the NFC Championship game, the Washington Commanders played the Philadelphia Eagles in Philadelphia.

The Chiefs defeated the Bills with a final score of 32-29.  The Eagles defeated the Commanders with a final score of 55-23.

 

At Olive Tree Ministries this weekend, Jan Markell featured registered nurse Twila Brase.  May 7, 2025, is the deadline for the “Real I.D.” program in America, which at its worst would lead to a Chinese-type social credit system.

Ken Mikle and Pastor Josh Schwartz talked with Jeff Kinley.  We are told that we’re headed into America’s golden age, and yet we aren’t even found in Bible prophecy.  Which is it?

         

         

         
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Today’s program, lasting 58 minutes, can be heard here:

I like almost all kinds of food, but seafood is near the top of my list.  Probably my top five favorite seafoods are lobster, salmon, tuna, shrimp and crab.  If I go to a seafood buffet in CA where all of those are available, I get all of them.

Today is National Squirrel Appreciation Day.  It was first observed on January 21, 2001.  It is a day to encourage kindness to our bushy-tailed neighbors.  Squirrels plant seeds.  Some of the seeds eventually grow into trees, thus assisting with forest renewal.

       
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In a joint session of Congress on Jan. 6, Donald Trump and J. D. Vance were confirmed as the president-elect and vice president-elect of the United States.  This morning, the inauguration ceremony for Trump and Vance took place in Washington, D.C.  Trump is the 47th president and Vance is the 50th vice president of the U.S.

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Click on images to see large views.

Today is a federal holiday honoring Martin Luther King, Jr.  He would have been 96 years old on January 15.  Each year, this holiday is observed on the third Monday of January.

       
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Guest hosts Pastor Mark Henry and Mondo Gonzales ask if the future ten kings of Daniel are here today?  They also discuss implications of the California catastrophe.  Progressives want chaos to further their agenda.

Ken Mikle and Pastor Josh Schwartz talk to Seth Gruber in an important segment.  Saving unborn children from abortion is very important.  All of them are formed in the womb by God.  The Church needs to be inspired to end the great evil of abortion.

         

         

         
45-second slideshow

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

More than 15 months of negotiations have taken place between Israel and Hamas.  During that time, the United States, Egypt and Qatar have served as intermediaries.  It was reported yesterday that a ceasefire deal has been reached between Israel and Hamas.  However, according to a statement from Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, several details still need to be worked out.

According to U.S. and Qatari officials, the deal will take place in three different phases.  Each phase will last for 6 weeks (42 days).  Phase 1 is scheduled to begin on Sunday, January 19, the day prior to Donald Trump’s inauguration as the 47th president of the U.S.

In Phase 1, during the first 6-week period, Israeli forces are to withdraw to the east, away from densely populated areas in Gaza.  Also, more aid is to be allowed into Gaza.  According to an Egyptian security source, coordination currently is underway to open the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing to allow the entry of international aid into Gaza.

Furthermore, as part of Phase 1, 33 hostages being held in Gaza are to be released, beginning with women, children and the elderly.  Of this group of hostages, 3 Americans are believed to be alive in Hamas custody, while 4 others are believed to be dead.  In addition, hundreds of Palestinian prisoners being held by Israel also are to be released in exchange for the hostages.

In Phase 2, during the second 6-week period, a permanent cessation of military operations and all hostilities is to be implemented.  Then there is to be an exchange of the remaining Israeli male hostages, civilians and hostages for an agreed upon number of prisoners in Israeli jails.  Also, there is to be a complete withdrawal of Israel forces from the Gaza Strip.

In Phase 3, during the third 6-week period, the remains and bodies in the possession of Gaza and Israel are to be exchanged after identification.  The reconstruction of Gaza is to begin and last for 3 to 5 years.  This is to include homes, civilian buildings and infrastructures.  Compensation for all affected individuals is to be under the supervision of several countries and organizations, including Egypt, Qatar and the U.N.  Also, all crossings in Gaza are to be opened, allowing the movement of people and goods.

The Senate confirmation hearings for Trump’s cabinet members begin today.  They have been nominated by Trump for top posts in his new administration.  The hearings will continue for several days.

In the Senate, Republicans hold a 53 to 47 majority.  A nominee’s confirmation requires a simple majority.  It is hoped that more than a dozen nominees will be confirmed before Trump is inaugurated for his second term as president next week on Jan. 20.

Below are 17 nominees for Trump’s cabinet who will be questioned during the ongoing confirmation hearings:

Pete Hegseth:  Secretary of Defense Kristi Noem:  Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Pam Bondi:  Attorney General Marco Rubio:  Secretary of State John Ratcliffe:  Director of the CIA Sean Duffy:  Secretary of Transportation Chris Wright:  Secretary of Energy Russell Vought:  Director of the Office of Management and Budget Doug Burgum:  Secretary of the Interior Lee Zeldin:  Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency Scott Turner:  Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Scott Bessent:  Secretary of the Treasury Doug Collins:  Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert F. Kennedy:  Secretary of Health and Human Services Tulsi Gabbard:  Director of National Intelligence Kash Patel:  Director of the FBI Elise Stefanik:  Ambassador to the United Nations

The horrendous wildfires in Los Angeles County, California, are still burning.  Thousands of properties, homes and businesses have been completely destroyed.  Governor Gavin Newsom has been asked what can be done for those who escaped the fires but, unfortunately, have lost everything.

At Olive Tree Ministries this weekend, Jan Markell and Pastor Mark Henry talked with Brandon Holthaus about the shadow government and deep state—which has dug down deeper since our election.  They asked if what we’re witnessing is why America is not found in Bible prophecy.

Ken Mikle and Pastor Josh Schwartz talked with David Fiorazo about today’s lawlessness and calling evil good.  It could be that Islamic terrorism, which struck in New Orleans early on New Year’s morning 2025, may increase in the U.S.

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! (Isaiah 5:20)

The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing; but the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.  A righteous man hates lying, but a wicked man is loathsome and comes to shame.  Righteousness guards him whose way is blameless, but wickedness overthrows the sinner. (Proverbs 13:4-6)

         

         

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

Today is Wear Blue Day.  In 2007, the U.S. Senate designated January 11 as a National Day of Human Trafficking Awareness in an effort to raise consciousness about this global, national and local issue.  It part of a Blue Campaign designed to bring awareness to the public, law enforcement, and others to recognize the indicators of human trafficking and how to appropriately respond to possible cases of it that might happen.

Human trafficking involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act.  Every year, millions of men, women, and children are trafficked worldwide, including in the United States.  A great deal more information about this can be read at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security website here:

Watch a short 1½-minute video about what this day is about here:

There have been several hundred outbreaks of norovirus in the U.S. in the past few months, and it is continuing to spread.  It is a stomach virus that can have the following symptoms:

• Vomiting • Diarrhea • Stomach cramping • Urinating less or dark-colored urine • Dry mouth

• Feeling Weak • Dizziness • Low-grade fever or chills (less common) • Headache (less common) • Muscle aches (less common)

Usually, symptoms can begin from 12 hours to two days after a person has been exposed to the virus.  Some people with norovirus can have no symptoms, but they still can be contagious and pass the virus to others.  To help prevent this, it is important to wash one’s hands thoroughly with soap and water.  Hand sanitizers are not effective against norovirus.

Dehydration is a common side-effect of being infected by norovirus.  It is important to drink plenty of water throughout the day.  It also is a good idea to eat less solid foods during the day while viral symptoms are present.

The funeral of Jimmy Carter, the 39th U.S. President, took place today at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C.  He passed away on Dec. 29 at the age of 100.  President Joe Biden and others delivered eulogies for Carter.

Joe Biden and his wife, along with President-elect Donald Trump and former presidents Barack Obama, George Bush, Bill Clinton and their wives (except for Michelle Obama), attended.  Biden had declared today as a National Day of Mourning for President Carter.

The funeral service, lasting over 3 hours, can be viewed below:

Yesterday morning a fire began in Pacific Palisades, about 20 miles west of downtown Los Angeles.  How it started is unknown, but extremely powerful and ongoing Santa Ana winds, very low humidity, and prolonged drought conditions caused it to begin spreading quickly.  Very strong wind gusts continued overnight and included those approaching 100 mph today.  Over 1,000 structures were destroyed by the fire as of yesterday evening. This fire, so far the most destructive ever to hit Los Angeles County, was the beginning of the January 2025 Southern California wildfires.

As of this morning, the Pacific Palisades Fire had spread to over 2,920 acres.  A second fire, the Eaton fire, began last night and had spread to over 2,220 acres this morning.  There also were other fires reported in Los Angeles and Riverside Counties.  All of them were 0% contained this morning, and they all have burned many thousands more acres.

As of mid-afternoon today, with harsh winds continuing to blow, the wildfires in the Los Angeles area are continuing to spread.  Over 100,000 people are under evacuation orders.  Over a million people in Southern California are without power, including in Los Angeles, Ventura, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.  While many of the outages were caused by heavy winds and fires knocking down power lines, some outages were scheduled “public safety power shutoffs” to reduce risks related to the wildfires.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, leader of the Liberal Party, has announced that he will be resigning.  He has been the prime minister for more than nine years.  This follows the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland last month.

Various political parties that had supported Trudeau have been having ongoing dissatisfaction with his leadership.  Some of them withdrew their support for Trudeau following Freeland’s resignation.  It has been reported that the Conservative Party, led by Pierre Poilievre, has a big lead in public opinion surveys.

Trudeau has said that he will continue as prime minister until a new leader is selected.  This week, his Liberal Party will begin processing what needs to be done prior to the next election, which is expected to be sometime in March.

Today, there was a joint session of Congress to certify the winners of the 2024 election for U.S. president and vice president on Nov. 5, 2024.  Vice President Kamala Harris, acting president of the Senate, led the session.

For each of the 50 states, in alphabetical order, the majority number of electors was read and for whom they voted.  The total came out to be 312 electoral votes for Donald Trump and J.D. Vance and 226 electoral votes for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.

The whole process took about 28 minutes.  Harris finished by saying, “This announcement of the state of the vote by the president of the Senate shall be deemed a sufficient declaration of the persons elected president and vice president of the United States, each for a term beginning on the 20th day of January 2025, and shall be entered together with the list of the votes on the journals of the House and the Senate.  Thank you very much.”

The National debt of the United States (the U.S. National Debt) has reached another milestone high.  It now is over $36.3 trillion and is nearly $36.5 trillion.

Just over a year ago, on Jan. 4, 2024, the debt was a fraction over $34 trillion.  Therefore, before long it will have risen an unfathomable $2.5 trillion in a little over a year.

There is no end in sight to the debt escalation.  Most likely, this eventually will lead to the worst economic collapse that this nation ever has experienced.

At Olive Tree Ministries this weekend, Jan Markell talked to Todd Hampson about the two-minute warning we have today before Jesus returns.  Eternity is in the heart of all mankind.

Ken Mikle and Pastor Josh Schwartz talked to Pastor Billy Crone about the invasion of the drones.  How are they a part of the Great Reset agenda?

Today’s program, lasting 58 minutes, can be heard here:

On the first day of the 119th Congress, this is the first time that the new House of Representatives will meet since election day on Nov. 5, 2024.  Before anything else can take place, House members must elect a speaker.

The present Speaker of the House is Mike Johnson (R-LA).  Therefore, he is the incumbent and could be reelected to that position if he receives a majority of the combined Republican and Democratic votes.  Donald Trump supports him.

Johnson needs a vote of at least 218 members to win the speakership.  However, there is a very thin margin of Republicans over Democrats in the House.  It is possible that if some members vote “present” and not for a person, no speaker might be elected.  The vote for speaker could continue on and on indefinitely.

A Speaker of the House is needed to swear in members of the House, form committees, and pass any legislation.  Furthermore, a certification of President-elect Trump’s Electoral College victory is needed on Jan. 6.  If there is no speaker by then, Trump’s certification would be delayed.  If so, things could become increasingly more complicated and chaotic up to Inauguration Day, on Jan. 20, when Trump is supposed to take office.

In a speech on the House floor early this afternoon, Representative Lisa McClain (R-MI) nominated Mike Johnson to be Speaker of the House of Representatives.  She said, “We have the opportunity to put America first again.  We have an opportunity to do something about crime.  We have an opportunity to do something about the border.  And we have an opportunity to take care of our veterans.”

Johnson needed a minimum of 218 votes to be reelected.  Initially, three of the 219 House Republicans in the House chamber were not going to vote for Johnson.  However, after some lengthy negotiations, two of them switched and voted for Johnson, enabling him to win the speakership.  House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) received 215 votes, all from Democrats.

The 100 members of the Senate, 53 Republicans and 47 Democrats, were sworn in by Kamala Harris.  The new leader of the Senate is John Thune (R-SD).  Republican Donald Trump is scheduled to be sworn in to his second term as president on Jan. 20.

Happy New Year!  I hope that 2025 is a good, favorable and prosperous year for you and yours.  Hopefully, none of your kids or grandkids went out into space on a fireworks rocket. 

       
15-second slideshow

PDF formats

If you’ve never read the Bible straight through, from cover to cover, you might want to do it in 2025.  Go to the following page, print out the pages in PDF, HTML, DOCX or DOC format, and check off the passages as you read them:

Another option is a daily reading schedule that skips around the Bible.  I now prefer reading it this way myself.  Samaritan’s Purse has a yearly reading list, which I like, that does this.  You can download these four pages in pdf format and print them out: