At Olive Tree Ministries this weekend, Jan Markell spent the hour with Alex Newman.  Yes, there is a deep state and it is at war with God.  And there is a new world order that the Bible talks about that will replace an existing system.

The world is being set up for a global government by a single leader.  The deep state is involved today.

So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast?  Who is able to make war with him?"  And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months.  Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.  It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them.  And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.  All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.  If anyone has an ear, let him hear. (Revelation 13:4-9)

         

         

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

This is the 210th anniversary of the national anthem of the USA: The Star-Spangled Banner.  It was written by Francis Scott Key.

Three days ago, on Sep. 9, a Pacific Storm developed into Tropical Storm Francine.  It was the first time in 30 years that the Atlantic Basin went through the first full week of September without any active tropical storms.  Also, the last time the Atlantic Basin went from Aug. 13 through Sep. 8 without any storms forming was in 1968.

Initially, Francine caused some flooding in the Rio Grande Valley, located in the southermost part of Texas.  As the storm moved north in the western Gulf of Mexico the next day, minor coastal flooding occurred on parts of the south Texas coast.

As Francine headed toward coastal Lousiana, it developed into a strong Category 1 hurricane with sustained winds of 90 mph.  Yesterday afternoon, Hurricane Francine made landfall on the coast of Lousiana as a Category 2 hurricane with 100 mph sustained winds.  Also, a Tornado Watch was issued for parts of Louisiana and Mississippi.

After making landfall, Francine weakened to a tropical storm late last night.  There are hundreds of thousands of power outages in Louisiana.  Today Tropical Storm Francine entered southern Mississippi, and Francine has weakened to a tropical depression.  Heavy rain is expected to fall on southeastern Louisiana, Mississippi, southern Alabama and the Florida panhandle during the day.

Today is the twenty-third anniversary of the horrific and ghastly September 11 attacks by radical Islam on the USA.  Let us keep in our minds and hearts the great sacrifice that thousands of people made with their lives on that day.

Many in the past have claimed that America is not at war with Islam and have insisted that “a religion did not attack us.”  The problem is that true, Qur’an-believing Muslims are at war with the USA, with Israel, and frankly with everyone in the world who does not embrace Allah as “God” and Muhammad as “his Prophet.”

Thus, the idea that we are “not at war with Islam” is merely a “politically correct” notion accepted by those who are asleep and who have chosen not to perceive the obvious because they do not want to acknowledge it.  Just as most Christians have not read the Bible from cover to cover, most Muslims have not read through the Qur’an.

Muslims and non-Muslims, alike, have been told that the Qur’an complements and sychronizes with the Bible.  Yet, those who have read both books all the way through, which I strongly recommend doing, have seen that this is an erroneous assumption; the two books are incompatible in countless ways.  Some ways are demonstrated in this section: Gabriel’s messages.

Here is an email response I wrote about some of Islam’s beliefs, mostly pertaining to Christians and their beliefs, included in the Qur’an:

• What are some of Islam's beliefs, including about Jesus, and what does their holy book say about Christians and those who do not embrace Islam?

The first presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump took place tonight on ABC News.  Anchors David Muir and Linsey Davis moderated the debate at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

ABC News was accessible by most cable providers, YouTube TV, FuboTV, and Hulu + Live TV.  The debate also was livestreamed on ABC News Live and Disney+.  Other large networks, such as CBS, CNN, Fox News, and NBC/MSNBC/CNBC, simulcasted the debate on their own networks.

Both candidates were not able to use notes, could not consult with aides during breaks, and had muted microphones while the other one was speaking.  They were allowed to have only a pen, paper, and a bottle of water at their podiums.  There was not a live audience.

The debate began at 9 p.m. Eastern time = 6 p.m. Pacific time.  It lasted about 1 hour 45 minutes and included two commercial breaks.

In the History of California, it can be seen that California became a U.S. state on September 9, 1850.  That was 174 years ago today.

Statehood took place during the California Gold Rush period from 1848 to 1855.  The peak year of the immigration of gold-seekers was 1849, which initiated the term “forty-niners.”

News of the discovery of gold brought an influx of about 300,000 people into California, from other parts of the U.S. and other places in the world, to seek their fortunes of gold.  Only a relatively few people received great wealth from the gold, but it did enhance the American economy.

At Olive Tree Ministries this weekend, Jan Markell spent the hour with Jack Hibbs and Brandon Holthaus.  Have we crossed a line in the end-time countdown?  Hibbs and Holthaus feel we have, as there is a new standard when it comes to calling evil good.

What can the righteous do if a perfect government isn’t arriving until the Millennium?  It may be time for pastors and people to rock the boat.

“Our times are in your hands, O Lord.” (Psalm 31:5)

         

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

Although Labor Day occurred a couple of days ago, that doesn’t mean that summer is over.  Autumn (in the northern hemisphere) does not begun until Sep. 22.  So hot temperatures can be expected to continue in some places.

Hotter than normal temperatures are expected to occur for the remainder of this week in several areas.  These include southern California, southern Nevada and southwestern Arizona, where there will be numerous excessive heat warnings.

The further inland, the hotter the temperatures can be expected to be.  One of the hottest places on earth, Death Valley, may reach 120 degrees.  The Coachella Valley in Riverside County could reach 119 degrees.

       
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This is the first full day of the season of Teshuvah, which began yesterday at sunset.  It is a 40-day season each year, with the first 30 days (the “days of repentance”) extending to Rosh haShanah = Feast of Trumpets and the final 10 days (the “days of awe”) ending on Yom Kippur = Day of Atonement.

The season of Teshuvah always begins on a new moon.  This is an example of how God uses lights in the sky (particularly the sun and the moon) as “signs to mark seasons and days and years” (Genesis 1:14).

Most likely, it was during this 40-day period that Jesus was fasting in the desert, after which He was being tempted by the devil (Matthew 4:1-11).  Yet, He resisted all of Satan’s temptations, which was an example to all who believe in Him and follow Him: Yeshua Messiah.

During this time, we mortal people are to examine our lives, repent of our sins and transgressions, turn back to God in revival and with refreshing and be restored back to an active relationship with God and with other people, with whom relationships may have been damaged.  A common chapter in the Bible to read during this time is Psalm 51:1-19.

We all have times of personal rebellion against God.  This is a time to ask Him to show us favor, according to His faithful love and vast compassion, to wipe out our manifold rebellions.  In Hebrew (translated into English), the following is read each day (from right to left):

       
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Today is Labor Day in the United States.  It always is the first Monday in September, and it is the last national holiday during the summer season.  In Canada, Labour Day also is celebrated on the first Monday in September.

The New York legislature was the first state legislature to introduce a Labor Day bill.  However, Oregon was the first state to make Labor Day an official public holiday in 1887.

By the time it became an official federal holiday in 1894, thirty U.S. states observed Labor Day.  More information about this day can be found at the United States Department of Labor website here:

At Olive Tree Ministries this weekend, Jan Markell spent the hour with Dr. David Reagan, founder of Lamb & Lion Ministries.  They talked about how the Bible speaks much about peace and war.

Not until the New Heaven and New Earth (Revelation 20:1) come about will we be finished with war.  Will believers witness any of the nine end-time wars, and which one is next?  Most of the wars are debatable in their timings and locations.

However, there will be no war during the Millennium, which will be a time of utopia, with Jesus ruling over the world from Jerusalem in perfect righteousness, justice, lawfulness, peace and love.  The final war will be at the end of the Millennium.

At the end of the 1,000-year period, Satan will be released from the Abyss.  Mortal human beings will still have a sin nature, and Satan will know that.  In his final act of rebellion against God, Satan will go out and deceive the nations and gather them for battle against the city that God loves, Jerusalem.  However, fire will come down from heaven and devour them, and Satan will be thrown into the lake of burning sulphur, forevermore.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:27)

         

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

Jan and David talked about the Gog/Magog invasion of Israel, described in Ezekiel 38 & 39.  A mutual view seems to be that Gog, “prince of Rosh” seen in many translations of Ezekiel 38:2,3 and 39:1, is an indication that Gog will come out of Russia.

However, the critical phrase in those three verses is “nasi rosh Meshech and Tuval” in the Orthodox Jewish Bible.  The literal translations of the Hebrew words “nasi” and “rosh” are prince and chief.  So the correct translation into English, describing the identity of Gog, is “chief [rosh] prince of Meshech and Tubal.”  The Hebrew word “Rosh,” which should not be in English translations of the Bible, has no connection to Russia.

It is true, though, that there is a growing alliance between Iran and Russia.  Iran is modern-day Persia, which is included as one of the nations in Ezekiel 38:5.  Therefore, it is quite possible that Russia could be part of the Gog/Magog alliance, although it seems unlikely that Gog will originate from Russia.  More information about these and related points can be found in these sections:

• Gog/Magog attack
• Gog and Magog
• Final Battles Questions & Responses

I eat fruit everyday, including at least one apple.  Although I have apple preferences, I will eat any type of apple, whether tart or sweet.  When I purchase apples, I virtually always will buy the ones that are the least expensive.  No matter what they taste like, I will end up eating all of them.

The ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine had a major escalation on Feb. 24, 2022.  As the war has continued, Ukraine has received some aid from NATO, including from the United States.

Months ago, NATO’s intelligence chief, David Cattler, gave a serious warning.  He said that Russia may be planning to target the vast network of undersea fiber-optic cables that transfer data between continents.  It would be in retribution for the West’s support for Ukraine against Russia.

If this were to happen, it would have very negative ramifications for many people in the world.  Internet services would be severely damaged.  As a result, many calls, texts, emails, financial transactions and other important internet activities could be halted.

Also, in recent months, Russia has been accused of interfering with the Global Positioning System (GPS).  Commercial airline routes have been negatively affected.  This problem may increase over time.

On Aug. 6, Ukraine attacked Russia’s western Kursk region.  It is being said to be the biggest foreign attack on Russia since World War Two.  Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that there would be a “worthy response” to the attack by Russia.  Furthermore, it is possible that Ukraine could strike deeper into Russia with Western missiles.  Yesterday, Russia cautioned the United States that World War Three would not be confined to Europe.

The apostle Paul urged the following:

...that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.  This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.  For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. (1 Timothy 2:1-6)

Early this morning, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that they had begun a proactive and broad strike against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon.  This was because they had detected preparations by Hezbollah to fire missiles and rockets into Israeli territory.

The IDF already had intercepted some rockets and UAFs launched toward Israel by Hezbollah.  A statement released by Hezbollah indicated that its military operation and offensive towards Israel had been completed for the day.

An emergency situation for 48 hours has been declared by Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.  U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke to Gallant today.  They discussed the importance of avoiding a regional escalation of this conflict.

At Olive Tree Ministries this weekend, Jan Markell spent the hour with Jeff Kinley.  They discussed the closing of the Ark door, which begins the Tribulation.  This is the beginning of sorrows outlined in Matthew 24.  Since we’re close, everything is ramping up and we’re warned to “see that no one misleads you.”

Jesus: In my Father’s house are many mansions.  If it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. (John 14:2,3)

         

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

Those who believe in a Pre-tribulation Rapture are convinced that believers in Jesus will be snatched away prior to the beginning of the final 7 years of this age.  I am convinced that, instead, there will be a Pre-wrath Rapture as explained in my 2-part Rapture commentary.  Also, several of my responses to questions about the Rapture can be read here: Rapture Questions & Responses.

Pre-tribbers feel that the appearance of the Son of Man (Jesus) and His coming on the clouds of the sky in Matthew 24:30,31 will take place at the end of the tribulation period.  However, I am convinced that those verses are a brief description of Jesus’ appearance in the clouds of the sky, when His angels will gather up His elect believers in the Rapture event.  Then all of them will return together to heaven.  This will not happen at the end of the tribulation, when Jesus returns to earth to rule and reign over the world.  Many more details can be read in an email response that I wrote to someone with this question:

Yesterday was the final day of the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois.  Last night Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for president, gave an acceptance speech for the presidential nomination.  It lasted for a little over 40 minutes.

       
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Today is National Senior Citizens Day.  On August 19, 1988, President Ronald Reagan issued proclamation number 5847 declaring August 21 as National Senior Citizens Day.  However, it was not first observed until August 21, 1991.

In his proclamation, President Reagan said the following:

“For all they have achieved throughout life and for all they continue to accomplish, we owe older citizens our thanks and a heartfelt salute.”

Yesterday was the first day of the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois.  It is scheduled to last a total of four days this week.

Vice President Kamala Harris is the presumptive Democratic nominee for president.  Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is the presumptive Democratic nominee for vice president.

During the day, there were thousands of pro-Palestinian protestors marching through the streets of Chicago.  The biggest Palestinian community in the U.S. resides in Chicago.

Late last night, a lengthy combination speech was given by Jill Biden, Ashley Biden and President Joe Biden.  All of it lasted a few minutes more than an hour.

Scams are frequent and annoying problems for people.  The scams can come via unsolicited phone calls, emails, texts or letters.  Most people have learned not to fall for scams, but unfortunately many have not.

People with Social Security numbers (which is virtually everyone) and/or Social Security accounts are often scammed.  Different types of threats are made, and cash or card payments are demanded.  It is important to be very cautious when such things happen.

Here are some pages with beneficial and important information about scams:

At Olive Tree Ministries this weekend, Jan Markell featured two guests: Michele Bachmann and Ken Mikle.  From a recent conference, a portion of Michele’s message was played.  Then Ken Mikle, who is experienced in law enforcement, spoke about the inconsistencies in the Trump assassination attempt.

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord.  For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit. (Jeremiah 17:7,8)

         

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

In Southern California this year, there has been an increase in earthquakes with magnitudes of 4.0 or larger.  On the Earthquake Magnitude Scale, a 4.0 is rated as a light quake, although it can cause damage in nearby areas.

Just three days ago, there was a 4.4 quake near South Pasadena, just northeast of downtown Los Angeles.  It took place on the Puente Hills thrust fault system.  The quake caused no significant damage, but it was a reminder to Californians that they should be prepared for a 6.0 (strong), 7.0 (major) or 8.0 (great) earthquake that could happen at any time.

This morning at 9:39 a.m., there was a 3.9 quake four miles west of Lake Elsinore in Riverside County.  It was followed one minute later, at 9:40 a.m., by a 3.0 aftershock.

The 2024 Olympics took place in Paris from July 26 to August 11.  After a few days of finalizing the medal count, here is the list of six nations with the most gold, silver, bronze and total medals:

Today is Tisha B’Av or the 9th of Av, which actually began at sunset last evening.  It is a day of mourning to commemorate the many tragedies that have befallen the Jewish people in the past.

       
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Early this morning and tomorrow morning will be the optimal times to watch the meteor shower known as the Perseids.  This is a yearly event that I look forward to each summer.

This annual meteor shower spans the time period from July 14 to September 1, but the nights just prior to mid-August typically have the most meteor sightings.  The Perseid meteors, which are debris from the 109P/Swift-Tuttle comet, are best seen in the Northern Hemisphere.

The best chance of seeing meteors will be in locations with clear skies.  Also, the best viewing probably will be during the pre-dawn hours.

I have organized my new supply of vitamins and supplements into individual compartments.  As I have been doing for many months, I will be taking the tablets in each compartment on one day and the capsules in that compartment the next day.  There are a total of 8 tablets and 12 capsules in each compartment: daily multiple, A, B complex, B12, C, D3, E, fish oil, hyaluronic acid, biotin, magnesium, saw palmetto, turmeric curcumin, glucosamine chondroitin, iron, olive leaf extract, probiotic acidophilus, calcium, zinc and lutein.

   
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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 apostle Paul urged the following:

“...that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.  This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.  For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time.” (1 Timothy 2:1-6)

In Lebanon, Hezbollah is continuing to threaten a retaliatory attack on Israel.  One warning indicated the likelihood that Hezbollah will target Tel Aviv, where civilians would be expected to be caught in the crossfire.  The threats have been increasing since the Israeli strike in Beirut on July 30, which killed Hezbollah’s senior commander Fu’ad Shukr.

Israel is convinced that Shukr was responsible for a rocket strike on a soccer field in the Golan Heights on July 27.  In that horrific and very deadly attack, at least 12 kids and teenagers were killed and many others were injured.

Likewise, Iran also has been threatening a major attack on Israel.  Most recently, this follows the assassination of Hamas’ chief, Ismail Haiyeh, in Tehran on July 31.  This was a day after the killing of Fu’ad Shukr in Beirut.

If Iran and Hezbollah do conduct an attack on Israel, it is unknown if the attacks could occur at the same time or separately.  There also is the possibility of attacks by Syria and Yemen.  As expected, the Israeli military is remaining on high alert.

Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris has announced her selection for her vice-presidential running mate.  She has chosen Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, age 60.

He has served as Minnesota’s 41st governor since 2019.  Prior to that, he represented Minnesota’s First Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2007 to 2019.

In previous years, Walz was a high school social studies teacher and a high school football coach.  He is a veteran, having served in the Army National Guard.  He also is a gun owner and a former member of the National Rifle Association.

Tropical Storm Debby began moving north from Cuba toward Florida early this past weekend.  It continues to gain strength as it moved northward.

Early this morning, Debby became became a Category 1 hurricane and made landfall on Florida’s northwest coast, near Steinhatchee, with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph.  A hurricane warning was issued for the Big Bend area, from near Cedar Kay to Apalachicola.

Catastrophic flooding, life-threatening storm surges and possible tornadoes may occur as Hurricane Debby moves from Gainsville and Jacksonville, Florida, and up toward Savannah, Georgia.  More than 20 inches is possible in some places.

As Debby slows down while it moves over land, potentially historic rainfall may fall on Georgia and South Carolina.  Over the next three days, the rainfall may increase to 30 inches.

At Olive Tree Ministries this weekend, Jan Markell spent the hour with Tom Hughes, Jeff Kinley, and Todd Hampson.  They conclude we’re not going back to normal and ask if there is time to make America great again?  The rapture is being called dangerous, even though it is our blessed hope.

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

A friend always has preferred dark roast coffee.  He said he likes the bolder taste and believes it must contain more caffeine than medium roast or light roast coffee.  I agreed that dark coffee grounds taste bolder, but he was surprised when I said that they contain less caffeine than lighter coffee grounds.

I explained that if the same measured amount of light coffee grounds and dark coffee grounds and the same amount of water is used to make two pots of coffee, a cup from the light ground pot will contain more caffeine than a cup from the dark ground pot.  This is because the longer that coffee beans are roasted, resulting in a darker color, the more moisture and caffeine they lose in the process.  On the contrary, the less the beans are roasted, the lighter in color they are and the less moisture and caffeine are lost.

Basically, dark coffee grounds weigh less and contain less caffeine than light coffee grounds.  Therefore, it takes more dark roast grounds in a pot of coffee for it to have the same amount of caffeine as the same-sized pot of coffee made with light roast grounds.  For those who prefer a bolder coffee taste, they need to be aware that they will be getting less of a “caffeine buzz” from their coffee.  For those who want more of a “caffeine buzz,” they should be willing for their coffee to have less of a bold taste.

The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris began on July 26 and will continue through August 11.  To find the olympic schedule, you can click on this link or on the image below to go to the olympics.com site, where some pages may take awhile to fully load:

The National debt of the United States (the U.S. National Debt) on December 29, 2023, was a little over $34.004 trillion.  Yesterday, July 30, it surpassed the $35.008 trillion point.  Therefore, during only a seven-month period, the U.S. debt increased by $1 trillion.

Clearly, the U.S. debt is escalating rapidly, and there is no indication that it will decrease at all.  There is little doubt that this will be a major factor leading, at some point, to the worst economic collapse in this nation’s history.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have said that they made an air strike in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, this afternoon.  The target was Hezbollah’s most senior military commander and head of its strategic unit, Fu’ad Shukr, who was killed.  At least one other person was killed and dozens of others were injured by a drone that fired three missiles, according to the Lebanon Health Ministry.

The attack was in response to the July 27 rocket strike on a soccer field in the Golan Heights, in which at least 12 kids and teenagers were killed and many others were injured.  Commander Fu’ad Shukr was blamed by Israel for the horrific and very deadly attack.

In Lebanon, the Iranian Embassy denounced the Israeli strike on Beirut.  Hamas and the Houthis, backed by Iran, also condemned the strike.  The recent attacks between Lebanon and Israel have elevated fears that an all-out war could occur in the region.  Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah has stated many times before that any Israeli strike on the Lebanese capital would prompt a Hezbollah attack on Tel Aviv, Israel.

At Olive Tree Ministries this weekend, Jan Markell spent the hour with Michele Bachmann.  We have a shadow government run by dark forces who have pushed the button of a global government.

Do we have time to turn things around?  The cover has been turned back.

Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times, and the strength of salvation; the fear of the Lord is His treasure. (Isaiah 33:6)

         

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

A rocket strike took place in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights today.  The attack was on a soccer field full of young people, aged 10 to 20.  There were at least 12 who were killed and at least 29 were injured.

A medic, Idan Avshalom, said, “We witnessed great destruction when we arrived at the soccer field, as well as items that were on fire.  There were casualties on the grass and the scene was gruesome.”  The Israeli military believes that the rocket fire came from the Lebanese group Hezbollah.

Israel described this as the most serious attack on Israel in the nine months of fighting between militants in Lebanon and Israel.  Hezbollah and Israel began trading fire following the beginning of the Israel–Hamas war, over nine months ago, on Oct. 7, 2023.  There is a concern that this may lead to increasing attacks and even a broader regional war.

Here are a few funny and silly signs.  I suppose they have caused a few question marks to fly out of the heads of people who have seen them.  I think the last one should appear on some of the entrances to extremely busy freeways in Los Angeles and Orange Counties. 

Earlier this week, two groups in a migrant caravan began traveling north from the southern border of Mexico.  It was the same day, on July 21, when President Biden announced that he would be dropping out of the 2024 presidential election race.

The groups, composed of about 3,000 people, are on their way to the southern U.S. border.  The migrants are from a dozen Latin American nations, including Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Venezuela.

Some in the migrant groups have said that they hope to reach the U.S. border before the presidential election in November.  They fear that if Donald Trump wins the presidency, he will follow through with a promise to close the border to asylum-seekers.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave a joint address to the U.S. Congress today.  He spoke for about 56 minutes.

This is Netanyahu’s first address to Congress since the beginning of the Israel–Hamas war, over nine months ago, on Oct. 7, 2023.  It has been the longest and most deadly war in Israel since Israel became a nation in 1948.

A few hours later, President Joe Biden gave an address from the oval office in the White House.  He spoke for 11 minutes.

This was Biden’s first address after dropping out of the 2024 presidential election.  He spoke about his decision to withdraw and his plans for what will be the final few months in his lengthy political career.

In 2022, President Biden announced the appointment of Kimberly Cheatle as director of the U.S. Secret Service.  She assumed that office on September 17, 2022.

Since the attempted assassination of former president Donald Trump on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania, there has been a great deal of blame placed on the Secret Service for failing to preventing Thomas Matthew Crooks from wounding Trump and at least two others, and killing Corey Comperatore, all attending the rally.  The agency has protected U.S. presidents and presidential candidates since 1901.  However, Cheatle said that it had been the responsibility of local law enforcement to secure the building from which the shooter launched his attack on Trump.

Yesterday, Cheatle testified before the United States House Committee on Oversight and Accountability about Trump’s assassination attempt.  During the hearing, she acknowledged that it was “the most significant operational failure at the Secret Service in decades.”

There was a bipartisan push of lawmakers calling for Cheatle to resign.  During the hearing, she pledged not to resign.  However, today Kimberly Cheatle did resign from her position as director of the U.S. Secret Service.  As of today, Ronald L. Rowe has begun serving as the Acting Director of the Secret Service.

Late today, it was reported that there has been a wave of endorsements from state delegates for Vice President Kamala Harris to be the Democratic nominee for president.  This follows President Joe Biden’s dropping out of the 2024 presidential race yesterday.

The 2024 Democratic National Convention will take place in Chicago from August 19 through August 22.  That is where and when the vice presidential nominee will be officially named.  So far, Harris has beem backed by far more than the 1,976 delegates needed to win the nomination on the first ballot.

Harris said, “Tonight, I am proud to have secured the broad support needed to become our party’s nominee, and as a daughter of California, I am proud that my home state’s delegation helped put our campaign over the top.  I look forward to formally accepting the nomination soon.”

President Joe Biden posted a letter on social media today announcing that he is dropping out of the 2024 presidential race.  This will end Biden’s political career of over five decades, beginning with his election as a U.S. senator from Delaware in 1972.  At age 81, he is the oldest sitting president in U.S. history.

Biden indicated that, from this point forward, he intends to focus on fulfilling his duties as president for the remainder of his term.  Later, he offered his full endorsement of and support for Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic candidate for president.

At Olive Tree Ministries this weekend, Jan Markell spent the hour with Dr. J.B. Hixson.  One minute after the rapture of believers, everything will change.  People will be filled with confusion, fear, and regret.  The only kind of order out of the chaos will come from a man called the Antichrist.

Jan: “When the time was right, the sea parted, the walls fell down, the lions went hungry, the sun stood still, the waves were calm.  The stone was rolled away, the clouds were parted, the Lord ascended.  And when the time is right, the King of kings will return.  God is never early, He is never late; He’s always right on time, and His plan for you is good.”

         

         
30-second slideshow

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

The world’s diabolical leader will be the first beast, also known as the man of lawlessness (2 Thessalonians 2:3) or the Antichrist.  He will deceive and have control over the entire world for 42 months (3½ years).

The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months.  He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven.  He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them.  And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.  All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world. (Revelation 13:5-8)

A massive and widespread IT (information technology) outage began early today.  Global disruptions have affected many airlines, financial institutions, 911 lines, hospitals, broadcasters, fast-food outlets and retailers.

According to the cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike, the problem was caused by a “defect” in a single content update for Windows hosts.  Crowdstrike is a major provider of malware and virus protection to a large array of companies.  Crowdstrike and Microsoft have said that a fix has been deployed.  However, the problems will take some time to be resolved.

This was the final night of the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, WI.  Donald Trump formally accepted his nomination to be the GOP presidential candidate.  He also said that, only by the grace of God, the assassination attempt against him five days ago was not successful.  In his very lengthy speech of over 1½ hour, he covered numerous topics and talked about many of them repeatedly.

A neighbor gave me a 2025 calendar.  It was produced by the American Legion, a U.S. Veterans Association.

Before now, I’d never seen a calendar for the following year this early in the year.  I really like the front cover, the back cover, and the picture for every month (shown on the back cover).

I also like calendars that include the phases of the moon for each month, as well as small versions of the previous month and the following month.  I will enjoy looking at this calendar throughout 2025.  You can click on the images to see much larger views.

Back in 2018, President Trump unilaterally withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and reimposed sanctions against Iran.  In 2019, there were attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq, including a U.S. embassy.  The Pentagon evaluated Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani as the leader of the attacks.  It said that Soleimani and his troops were “responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American and coalition service members and the wounding of thousands more.”

President Donald Trump accused Iran of orchestrating the attack on the embassy and added that they would be held “fully responsible.”  On January 3, 2020, the assassination of Qasem Soleimani took place.  He was killed by an American drone strike near Baghdad International Airport in Iraq.

Recently, it was reported that U.S. intelligence officials might have detected an Iranian plot against former President Donald Trump prior to Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13.  There has been speculation that the threat was connected to the assassination attempt on Trump during the rally.  That probably was not the case.  However, whether or not Trump is re-elected as president, it is possible that Iran could plan future attacks against him.  Time will tell.

Donald Trump is in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, today on the first day of the the 2024 Republican National Convention.  He has chosen J. D. Vance, U.S. senator from Ohio, as his nominee for vice president.  Trump has accepted the Republican nomination for president.

An FBI investigation has been going on since the attempted assassination of Donald Trump at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13.  It is being called a potential act of domestic terrorism.  The shooter was identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, age 20, from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania.  Why he carried out the attack remains unclear.

At Olive Tree Ministries this weekend, Jan Markell spent the hour with Pastor Billy Crone.  When they say peace and security, they will be calling for a world savior and a New World Order.

What were Klaus Schwab’s ties to the White House?  God’s New World Order will be during the Millennium, the destination for all believers.

         

         

         
45-second slideshow

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

This afternoon, Donald Trump held a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, about 35 miles north of Pittsburgh.  After speaking for at least 10 minutes, eight gunshots were heard.  Trump’s right ear was grazed by one of the bullets, and blood could be seen on his ear and on his face.  Evidently, it was an assassination attempt on the former president.

Secret Service agents grabbed Trump, brought him down onto the stage and shielded him on all sides.  After a few minutes, they stood him up, walked him off the stage and took him to his motorcade.  Trump was taken to a local medical facility, where he was examined and received treatment.

Police began vacating the fairgrounds shortly after Trump left the stage.  Local officers described it as a crime scene.

Reporters were told that Secret Service agents killed the shooter, who later was identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, age 20, from Pennsylvania.  An audience member was killed, and two others were critically injured.  It appears that Crooks was outside of the security perimeter when he opened fire.

I received the following email from someone:

It always takes me awhile to respond to emails, if I can find the time to do it at all.  I finally got around to responding to this person’s email.  My reply is here:

NATO’s 75th anniversary summit took place three days this week in Washington, DC.  The meetings were chaired by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

This evening, on the last night of the summit, President Biden held a solo press conference.  He responded to many questions asked by several people.  At one point, Biden referred to President Zelensky as President Putin.  At another point, he referred to Vice President Harris as Vice President Trump.

In the video below, Biden speaks and then answers questions.  He did insist that he will be remaining in the 2024 presidential race.  The questions and Biden’s answers lasted a little over 59 minutes.

Recently, a friend and I went to a couple of Costco stores.  Before she purchased a few things, we enjoyed several food samples that they served.  Sometimes we call it “going to Costco for lunch.” 

At Walmart today, I happened to see signs in an aisle that indicated a 75% discount for 4th of July items.  I was surprised, since July 4 was five days ago.  Also, post-holiday discounts usually are only 50% off.

These were in an aisle that typically contains holiday candy.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen 4th of July candy, so I wasn’t surprised that there was no candy in the entire aisle.  Needless to say, I snapped a few photos and then left that aisle to go find something that I went there to buy.

Hurricane Beryl moved onto the southeast coast of Texas early this morning as a Category 1 storm.  It made landfall with sustained winds of 80 mph, but later it weakened to a strong tropical storm with 70 mph winds.

Beryl moved north through Texas coastal cities this morning, causing flash flooding, as well as downed power lines and trees.  So far, downed trees have caused 2 deaths; unfortunately, more fatalities are likely to occur.  More than 2.7 million customers have had power outages in eastern Texas, with many more outages expected to occur.  The storm has been crossing over Houston, Texas’ most populous city and the nation’s fourth largest city.

A week ago, on July 1, Beryl made landfall in Grenada’s Carriacou Island as a Category 4 hurricane.  It tore through the southern Caribbean Islands, mostly as a Category 4 storm but also reaching Category 5 strength that night, the earliest Category 5 storm on record.  It caused a great deal of destruction, and 11 people lost their lives.

After crossing over Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula as a tropical storm, Beryl re-entered the Gulf of Mexico and became a weak hurricane again before coming onshore in Texas.  The storm is expected to continue weakening and, over the next few days, head northeast across the Mississippi Valley and then the Ohio Valley before dissipating in a few days.

Last night, a TV interview of President Joe Biden took place.  The interview, lasting a little under 22½ minutes, was made on ABC News by George Stephanopoulos.  Biden was asked about his performance in the recent debate between himself and Donald Trump on June 27.  He also was asked about his mental capacity and his competency to be president for another 4-year term.

After the interview, Juju Chang, Rachael Bade and Selina Wang at ABC gave an analysis of the interview for a little over 5 minutes.  All of it can be watched and heard on the video below.

Last night, a couple of friends and I went over to a nearby neighborhood to watch a fireworks show.  We missed at least the first half of it.  Also, the tops of some trees blocked the view of the bottom section of some of the fireworks.  At least we got to see some of them...better than none. 

       

       
25-second slideshow

On the final day of the U.S. Supreme Court’s session for this year, the justices made a ruling in favor of former President Donald Trump.  In a 6-3 vote, they found that Trump cannot be prosecuted for some actions that were within his constitutional powers as president.

Previously, a lower court had rejected Trump’s claim of immunity from federal criminal charges relating to his attempts to undo his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden.  The Supreme Court ruled that Trump did have immunity for his discussions with U.S. Justice Department officials following the 2020 election and also that he did have “presumptive” immunity for his alleged pessure on then Vice-President Mike Pence to block congressional certification of Biden’s win.

However, the court voted to return two other categories to lower courts to determine whether or not Trump has immunity for them.  Those two categories included Trump’s alleged role in assembling fake pro-Trump electors to be used in the election certification process and in his conduct related to the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by some of his supporters.

Joe Biden has accused the Supreme Court of doing a “terrible disservice” to the nation with their rulings granting Trump some immunity for official acts in office.  The late rulings by the court may cause Trump’s case not to go to trial before the 2024 general election on November 5.  Biden feels that the American people deserve to have an answer in the courts before the upcoming election.