Humility & Seeing Ourselves, Pt 4

Ronald Weinland

July 23, 2022

This is Part 4 of the series entitled, Humility & Seeing Ourselves.

It isn’t easy, is it? It takes God’s spirit to truly help us to see the things inside of us that we need to continue to work on and to improve upon, and to repent of in our lives. If you don’t know what the battle is that’s pretty sad. We have to know what it is. The primary battle we all have is self, it really is.

It’s about fighting and combating this matter of the way we do things, the way we see things, the way “I” see things, the way “I” think, “my” opinion, “my” views. That’s such a dangerous, dangerous thing to have. It really needs to be brought into subjection, into unity and one with God. It’s about God first. We are very loose, in that respect, because of our society. Our world today especially, that problem has grown, been magnified many times over, and it rubs off on us, and we have to fight it.

So, we’re going to pick up from the last few verses that we were focusing upon at the end of Part 3 last week.

Isaiah 58:10. So, at the conclusion of so much of what has been said about the right kind of mentality, the thinking that needs to be there for fasting it says, If you draw out your soul to the hungry… and we tend to think physically. This is about the Church. This is spiritual in nature, and this is about our relationships within the Body of Christ. So, we have to understand what these things mean on that plane, which I’ve already covered.

It says, and satisfy, in other words, when you seek to satisfy, that’s what it’s talking about, when you make effort at it because you’re looking to God, you’re asking God for help. …and satisfy the afflicted soul. We all have battles. We all have things to conquer and overcome. We all need each other.

That’s why Sabbath services is so important, just the fact that whatever we’ve gone through during the week we come here, and we have an environment, if we’re so blessed to be able to come together. There are people who can’t come together on the Sabbath, they’re too far away, at a point of age where they can no longer drive, or whatever it might be. But we have a lot of people scattered. We’re scattered all over the place so that battle has become more difficult, in that respect.

But for those who do you have such a great blessing in life, you truly do, because whatever you’ve come in contact with that week has been difficult, a trial, a battle, here is a place of refreshment, truly, spiritually, a place where we’re able to come together and share with one another. There’s tremendous power and value in that.

…then your light shall rise in obscurity. The word here in Hebrew is “In that which has been darkened.” So, it’s about coming to the light. It says, then your light shall rise out of the darkness. That’s what it’s saying, and that’s a powerful thing. That’s something we need, we desire, we want to have that light which is on a spiritual plane.

…and your darkness shall be as the noonday. So, what an incredible analogy here of something that “your darkness,” whatever you’re dealing with “is going to be like the noonday.” In other words, it’s going to be bright, awesomely blessed.

The Eternal will guide you continually. It’s God’s way. That’s what He wants for us. He wants to do that, but our sins prevent that, as it goes on to say later on. It’s our sins that hold God’s blessings back, that He can’t intervene and bless us and help us. So, we have to do our part, and that’s what fasting is very much about, and if we learn the lessons there we can learn to do it all the time Sabbath by Sabbath, especially Holy Day to Holy Day, but in our lives as we change and grow and draw closer to God.

The Eternal will guide you continually, continually dwelling in you on a continuing basis, and satisfy your soul in drought. So, when things do get difficult you don’t have to worry about it, God’s going to take care of you. …and make fat your bones. You shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

So, if you’ve ever been around springs you know what this is about. It might be dry all over the place but here is water coming in, and right by the water and where the water is — I just saw some about a week ago — and there’s tremendous green all the way through there, cool, refreshing water. You can drink it. It’s coming right out of the earth. Here it’s so green right there and everywhere else parched, drying up. Incredible. That’s what God says our lives can be like spiritually.

Then it says, verse 12—You shall build the old waste places; and you shall raise up the foundations of many generations. This says so much, it truly does. You will be called the Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Paths. In other words, “the ways.” It’s getting rid of our ways, living God’s ways, being at one with God more and more and more, and being a part of restoring that on this earth. The Restorer of Paths (ways) to Dwell, to abide, to live in. So, we have to learn it first. We have to abide in those things first, God’s ways. Then we can do the rest.

It's been a long time since we’ve focused upon the subject of fasting to the degree that we are in this particular series. Matter of fact it seems kind of incredible that it’s been this far back. It’ll become a little more incredible as we go through the rest of this part of the sermon. To me it is, anyway, and I think it will be to you.

It was at the very beginning of 2009 and throughout that January that we focused on fasting to a degree the Church of God likely never did in it’s 2,000 years history. I believe with all my being it never did. That’s important, and in time believe that it will become more important.

We’re going to spend sometimes going back and looking at that period, January of 2009, to be reminded of our history and some of the things we went through, some of what was being said at that time. Because in so many ways it’s so profound, it truly is, and inspiring. We’re going back to see what the Church of God was doing. Don’t forget what happened in 2008; I’m going to bring that out in a moment anyway.

So, by the time we got to January it was a desire to deal with some of the things, the rumbling, the disagreement, the extremely bad attitudes and spirit that existed, especially the middle part of 2008, and at a time, candidly, some at that point of time, didn’t know it but they gave up their crowns at that point and were judged as time went along in the next several years to the point where God finally made sure that they were no longer a part of this Body or around it.

So, again, we’re going to go back and look at some of what was said. The sermon on January 3rd, so here is the very beginning of the year, 2009, was entitled Fasting for Humility. Sound familiar? Well, it’s hard to talk about fasting without addressing the matter of humility. This one here is very specific because it’s about a growth and a maturity that we are to have now, to grow in above and beyond what we were given at that particular time of how we’re to focus and think, because we’ve grown a lot since that period of time. And now, God gives us the opportunity to grow more, to draw closer to Him. We have a matter of humility, if you will, in seeing ourselves (and we understand because of the sermons being given), through fasting, using that powerful tool that God has given to His Church.

So, on that day, Fasting for Humility, Pt. 1 the intro stated… So, I’m going to be reading some things here: “Today we are humbling ourselves before God. We’re fasting. It is indeed so appropriate that we are fasting and humbling ourselves before God because we acknowledge we are in a wilderness, we are wandering through a desert as far as this world is concerned.”

So, I can’t help but hear Herbert Armstrong saying those things so often, because that’s the way we are. All around us, and how are we? That watered garden by a spring we just read in Isaiah. That’s what this is all about. God takes care of us.

“God has taken us out of Egypt. We have not reached the promised land. We are unique.” So, we’re looking at it on a spiritual plane. The world would only understand that, as a whole, on a physical plane. “We are unique because we know how long it is before we can see God’s Kingdom coming to this earth.” Well, we thought we did. I believed with all my being we did. We had other things to grow in.

“But nevertheless, we are wandering. We do not know where to turn or when to turn,” save God show us. So, it goes on to say, “We do not know when to move forward and when to stand still.” God has to show us as we go through whatever we do, ever, however we apply ourselves in what is given. Along the way there are corrections given; always have been in God’s Church, especially since the period of Sardis and on and on. We just continued to build and grow and draw closer to God as He reveals more of Himself to us. That means His word, His way, and on and on it goes.

“We humble ourselves before God, and we know He will lead us in all these things.” It’s a matter of faith. That’s why you’re still here because that’s how you’ve had to walk, that’s how you’ve had to live.

“We have more fully learned not to trust in ourselves.” Well, look at where we are right now, and God’s having us in a very unique way zero in on that that much more to understand there are things in ourselves that we haven’t fully seen or recognized the need to the degree, and the need to get rid of them, to repent of them, to really work on getting rid if this thing of “my opinion,” “my way of seeing things,” “the way I judge,” “the way I think about others,” and on and on it goes. Because those things, they’re sick as far as the human mind is concerned. That kind of reasoning without God, without looking to God first, without measuring it and judging it according to what God says, is really sick!

Today we are getting it in the world in huge doses because of technology, but we can’t let that happen to us and we have to fight it. That’s what God is showing us at this time.

“We have more fully learned not to trust in ourselves in judging how God leads us.” Isn’t that amazing? And we have to go through cycles. We have to go through this Covid thing to have this learned more deeply again, to realize we can go back in cycles and get back into a rut, that if we’re not careful we can do exactly the same thing that some did in 2008. That’s what can happen.

“We have learned more fully not to be offended in God’s way of directing our steps.” That didn’t even hit upon what was coming! 2012. Fun, fun times. Not really for me. Then being sentenced and then finally at the beginning of 2013, and there is so much to be learned in this.

There is so much to be learned in just going back to the time of Christ and what happened on Passover. To be recognized as one of them wasn’t all that easy – by relatives, by others – because they’re going to find fault with you because of something that is stated against the one that God is using, was using at that time, still using, thankfully, to work with the Church.

And so, it says, again here, “We have learned more fully not to be offended in God’s way of directing our steps, and then specifically, zeroed in on the change in Feast observance for 2008.” There were people who were offended in what God had revealed because they found fault in this, like, “How can you change that? How can that be changed? You don’t have any right to change that!” It’s like, what if it’s false? I think of Pentecost. Herbert Armstrong addressed it. When God gives something and you’re to move in a different direction, “You’re off course here. Get back on course,” or “get on a better course,” is a better way of saying it, you do it.

“Not to be embarrassed due to pride because of the way God leads us,” and then stating here in this part of the sermon, “Timing of the revelation of the fiftieth truth,” at that time. We had some adjustment there. It’s talking about the Pentecost return. Again here, when Christ was to return. It had been thought within the Church, many of sermons I’d heard before, it was about Trumpets, and realizing, no, it’s not about Trumpets.

Because the Wave Sheaf tied in with the same significance and the way that God does things, the wave loaves have to happen at a certain time to have true meaning. God showed us that. It’s like, Christ will be here on Pentecost. Some Pentecost, which at this point, feel pretty confident which one.

“And God has been humbling us so we can more clearly see the need to follow Him in greater conviction of unity and oneness.” So, these are not new things. Herbert Armstrong spoke this stuff all the time about unity and oneness, how pleasant it is when brethren dwelt in unity. Every Feast, I think, he opened that way, how pleasant it is when brethren are dwelling together. It talks about the oil coming down and flowing down on Aaron’s beard when he was anointed and how pleasant and how beautiful it is.

God uses that then to say, basically, when we’re dwelling together in unity. That’s summing it up. It’s a beautiful thing when we are at one. It’s an ugly thing when we’re not. And for any portion that’s not, something is going to give. Either repentance or God will see to it that they’re not a part of it anymore. That’s the way it’s always been.

So again, “And God has been humbling us so we can more clearly see the need to follow Him in greater conviction of unity and oneness.” Stated here, “Can’t afford to be in disagreement or in judgment of His guidance.” Some didn’t grasp what was being said there. Because if we grasp how God’s guidance comes to us, how He teaches us, how He works with us, how He molds and fashions us, it’s primarily through sermons on the Sabbath and on the Holy Days. That’s how it’s done primarily.

So, going on, what was said here, “So, today we’re fasting. We’re seeking to humble ourselves before God and seek more fully His forgiveness.” That’s what so much of fasting is about. “…which means we accept more fully the depth of our sins and our guilt for how we, each of us individually, have let down.” It’s in human nature.

So, there are times when we have to grab a hold of ourselves and say, “What areas, where, or when, or how am I leveling out, kind of coasting, straddling it, taking it easy?” Whatever terms you want to use. Letting down, getting a little drowsy. You can’t allow that. We have to be on guard, alert spiritually on a continuing basis. That’s why I love, again, can’t help it, that sense of urgency that Herbert Armstrong always had in basically everything that he wrote.

Going on, “Yes, we have begun to more fully grasp the ugliness of pride and how quickly the human spirit can turn against God, against His servants.” So, I was experiencing that in 2008. Not a pleasant thing, especially when some of it’s coming from within the ministry! Those are hard things to go through.

Then I think of how I’ve had it really easy compared to Herbert Armstrong because he had people sitting at his feet in the 40’s and 50’s who became evangelists and came to the point where he couldn’t trust, basically, hardly any of them. Maybe two or three. Not sure even there. What a horrible thing to experience.

Then to know of so many others you’ve known at Ambassador College, have heard of, have known of within the ministry who’ve turned against you. Incredible! So, he went through this and in an incredible way, truly.

“Yes, we’ve begun to more fully grasp the ugliness of pride and how quickly the human spirit can turn against God, against His servants, against His truth.” See, those all go together. Where does the truth come from? What are you doing? Don’t you grasp it’s against God? Incredible, the human mind, how it works sometimes.

“So, we see that we do not have all the answers to every way that God will lead us and how. He will bring about the full end of this age.” We had to go through a lot more, and we’re still learning that.

Then, let’s look at the very first verses covered in that sermon in Daniel 9:1—In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans — in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by books the number of the years whereof the word of the Eternal came to Jeremiah the prophet. So, this is written then to show his excitement of what God had shown him in a period of time that’s recorded there, and so he talks about that.

We have things like the seventy-weeks prophecy and so forth, and certain things, that some of those things still weren’t understood in Daniel’s time. But he understood a physical part of it, just a part of it, because there was more to come later on that had to do with Christ’s coming that he didn’t understand and grasp at all. So many through that time period never did either. It may have not been understood until Philadelphia.

…that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. I set my face unto the LORD God to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes. In other words, humbling oneself. So, the tradition back then is different from what it was now. We don’t have to go out and find the ashes and do the physical part to the degree that they did it then with the sackcloth and so forth. If it’s sackcloth like I think it is, that’s itchy as all get out. (So, anyway, just an aside.)

It’s a matter of humbling oneself, and they humble themselves. They went through something on a more physical plane in observance than what we do today.

Verse 4—Then I prayed unto the Eternal my God, and made my confession, and said, O LORD, the great and fearful God, keeping the covenant and mercy of those who love Him, and those those who keep His commandments, we have sinned and have committed iniquity. So, there are times that this is magnified in our lives, that we see it in a greater way. The greatest way I’ve ever seen it is after the Apostasy. I had to repent of so much, had to come through the point of time to know that I didn’t just start dozing off, I was asleep. That was a hard thing to do because of pride.

That’s what holds anyone back. So, you have to fight against that and realize, no, it says what it means, and it means what it says, and you have one choice. Accept it. Repent. Then you start learning more: “Yes, we all did…” Then it opens up other doors. That’s why Laodicea had to be vomited out of God’s mouth because none of it could be kept there because nothing that’s lukewarm, that begins to stagnate and drift, coast, it doesn’t work in God’s Church. You have to fight all the time.

We have to be reminded of that from time to time in order to fight, in order to be on guard spiritually, and so forth, to watch as we need to on a spiritual plane.

We have sinned and have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and have rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and from Your judgments. Neither have we listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, our princes, our fathers, and to all the people of the land. It’s been ongoing. That’s the way it’s been from the beginning. As a whole they couldn’t, physical people, but even on a physical plane they were to learn lessons and repent.

So, even on a physical plane they were to go through this, however he was being worked with on a spiritual one. But as a nation there were things they were to come to address. A lot of them did, as we go along here.

Back in January of 2009 we began that month, the first Sabbath, by fasting and focusing on the sermon series entitled, again, Fasting and Humility. We also covered the very first verses that we addressed in that sermon on January 3, 2009. Again, it was what Daniel stated about the seventy years that Jerusalem would be desolate.

It’s an inspiring story when Ezra, Nehemiah, and different ones began to go back, because even all those physical stories have a great deal to do with spiritual lessons, especially after the Apostasy when the temple had been totally destroyed, in that respect, fallen down, every stone of the temple.

We’re going to come to grasp in time more deeply, and as we go along more deeply, and as we go into the Kingdom of God, or as we’re in the Millennium, enter into the Millennium, we’re going to come to see that the things that have happened in this end-time are some of the most incredible in history over 6,000 years. We’re blessed to live in it and experience it.

We’re just awesomely blessed to be here. Nothing of pride, it’s just a matter of how blessed are we to experience this that is spoken of in so many scriptures? We’re going to hear about it at the Feast as well, and here, and how we have been so blessed to experience things that are in scripture throughout the Bible. It’s about this period of time! Why? Because this is a momentous meaning to God Almighty because He has looked forward for so long to His Son being given the power as King of kings on this earth, to regulate, enforce, and bring about God’s government on the earth in Church and state. What an incredible thing!

Because of that, because it’s so important to God, these prophecies have been written through time because His primary focus, so much of it was indeed about him coming the first time in order to become our Passover. Without that you can’t have him coming as King of kings. And so, when he was able to fulfill the Wave Sheaf offering he became our High Priest and has been High Priest for the past 2,000 years. But to become King of kings?

God has so desired that for mankind, waiting, looking forward to the time when mankind would no longer govern himself. Because it’s all about failure and having to learn that, and yet having opportunity at some point in the Great White Throne, as a whole, to learn from all those different ages. Have the proof. It’s all been resurrected. “None of it worked for you. You failed in everything you put your hand to, and you always refused me,” God says. Incredible to understand those things!

There is also one more area of scripture we need to focus upon before proceeding further. Ezekiel 20. I’ll tell you, so many of these things, again, are about things we have lived through. So much of Ezekiel is about the Church and what happened that led up to the Apostasy and afterwards, whole books written about this period of time. And on and on it goes, so much that’s there.

I used to be dumbfounded by thinking about the percentages that Herbert Armstrong used to talk about prophecy and how much is for the end-time. We hear that but sometimes it doesn’t sink into the depth until God gives us more and helps us to see what we’re living in, that there’s much more in scripture about this period. Because it’s about God’s focus, about His Kingdom coming.

His Son, yes, resurrected, and the work he’s done for 2,000 years. His Son, but now others who have only come from mankind. Not a son like Joshua was, who was impregnated, who had the mind and being from youth of things that we cannot fully comprehend yet. But the more we are able to see them and grasp them on a spiritual plane the richer your life becomes in your appreciation and grasping and understanding of Christ himself, and of God the Father.

We’re different. We have to be called and drawn in God’s time. But can you imagine that finally the foundation, the pillars of the Temple, of what God is building, the first resurrection is almost here. 144,000, finally. So long to work for that. Then that thousand years is going to go by, and then the hundred years, and add to that don’t know how much. We will learn in time, but I believe God has been showing us that it’s not as much as we used to think by any measure.

It's not going to be every human being. May not be half. May not be three-quarters of mankind. Can that many still refuse God even during the Millennium and the Great White Throne? You bet. You bet. The Kingdom of God is not owed to any of us. You have to want it, be convicted of it, of the beauty of it, of the glory of it, of the excitement of it, of the richness of it, the life of it, and to fight for it with all of your being.

It’s too bad we can’t always have that from baptism on because that’s what we said at baptism. That’s what we committed to if we really grasp it, “I am Yours!” There isn’t any question about anything else. There’s not a question about leaving God’s Church. There’s not a question about being against God’s apostles or whomever. That’s insanity. That’s the way the mind should see it. But it doesn’t take long sometimes and human beings begin to be lifted up by their self-importance.

Hundreds and hundreds of ministers out here did exactly that so we can learn some of the greatest of lessons of ever. You can be impregnated with God’s spirit, you can go to a place like Ambassador College, you can be taught like you were, you can go out and you can teach, and you can become antichrist…with God’s spirit. That’s the greatest of lessons ever to be learned by human beings, that with God’s spirit you can turn against God.

So, during the Millennium that had better be warning. That will be warning! That will be taught over and over and over again throughout the Millennium and throughout the Great White Throne period. It will be. The greatest lesson that people can learn spiritually from is that lesson right there because they have the capacity of doing it because all of them have the opportunity to be begotten of God’s holy spirit.

And will they fight? Not all will. Many will go back to what they were before. They liked it! They want that! They’re going to fight for it! They’re going to continue to commit adultery and all the other crap that they did, killing people, murder in their minds, hatred toward others, prejudice that they won’t conquer and overcome because they don’t accept what God offers them. That’s going to be rampant in human minds.

It used to be we thought that the Great White Throne was going to be easy-peasy, wonderful, beautiful. Oh, it’s going to be beautiful compared to what this stinking earth is right now. One Church, one true government, but that doesn’t mean people embrace it in spirit and truth. Not at all.

We have to make choices all along the way. Do I really love, do I really love God? Do I really love His word, His truth? Does it fill my life with excitement and joy and happiness, and it’s worth fighting for and fighting against this stinking selfish being that we are? Come to see that that’s what we are.

Some take offence to that. Too much pride. “I’m tired of hearing how bad I am! That’s all I hear; that we’re bad.” Well, yeah, open it up and drink it in, you’re missing a lot. Because it can make you so much happier when you begin to address some of that and understand what you are. Because you can’t change unless you know what you are. You can’t be transformed. You can’t embrace something that’s greater than you unless you give up you.

We love ourselves. That’s why we all have our own opinions about so much. Our ways and our way of thinking. It’s so easy to judge others then because we see it, we understand, we have the knowledge and the appreciation of a certain way of doing things. “Just ask me and I’ll share it with you.” Isn’t that sick? But that’s our nature. Sick, sick, sick.

Ezekiel 20:33—As I live, says the LORD Eternal, surely with a mighty hand, and with outstretched arm, and with fury poured out, I will rule over you. God’s going to rule. Do you believe it? Well, I know we do. I believe we do. Maybe not everyone yet, but we’re almost there. How do I know? Because Christ is almost here, and since he’s almost here we have got to get the message, we are going to be a purified Body in every way. Whether to, obviously, be sealed to be in the first resurrection or to be able to continue on in the Millennium. That is absolute – absolute.

Everyone else has a choice to repent even up to the time that the bombs begin to drop or explode in the atmosphere, and to be shaken to the core of your being, to wet your pants and maybe more. Because people will. I could just say it, but I don’t want to say it, what you’re going to do in your pants. That’s how scary it’s going to be when it finally hits. It’s going to shock and dismay people throughout the world.

9/11, that was nothing, but it shook people up a little bit for a little while. What’s coming is so much greater than that. God says, “With fury poured out I will rule over you.” That’s why He says, and we grasp and comprehend—what an incredible thing to understand—that God is going to allow over, but even at one point just in one of the Trumpets alone, one-third of the earth to be destroyed of human population.

That’s not a small thing. That’s hideous. It’s sick. But those minds and what God is going to allow, and the majority of them are going to have opportunity then, obviously, the vast, to be resurrected in another time, a cessation of life.

So, yeah, what an incredible thing to understand. But to realize it’s not over with yet because there’s still war going on, and it will continue. That’s where God has to intervene. At that moment in time. He knows when to do it. That’s why He gives us what He does, “This is where it has to be. This is when I’ll do it in order to humble you to the core of your being.” And yet there are those who won’t be humbled at that moment. Maybe another third or more of mankind, and God says, basically, to Christ and to the army that comes with him, “to destroy those who are destroying the earth.”

It’s just. It’s righteous. It’s what’s best for God’s kingdom to become established on this earth, to get rid of that kind of mindset. We don’t have time to monkey around, to fool around with those minds at the beginning of the Millennium because there are greater things to do, to work with those who are more of a humble spirit, in that respect, and can be worked with then at the beginning of the Millennium. Incredible.

God says, I will rule over you. I will bring you out from the people and gather you out from the countries wherein you have been scattered. So, there’s spiritual here and there is physical.

With a mighty hand, with a stretched-out arm, and with fury poured out I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will plead with you face to face. So, this is more for us. This is more for what happened after the Apostasy. This is more about what was taking place during that period of time.

Though there’s a physical analogy inside of it of things that happened in the end-time, so it is with the rest, “with fury poured out,” with power and strength and might of Almighty God. We will either yield to it and desire His way or He will take care of it without mercy. Because there comes a time when God can no longer show mercy. Can’t do it. There comes that time when it’s a matter of saying, “This is it and no more.”

I will bring you out from the people and gather you out of the countries wherein you have been scattered. With a mighty hand and with a stretched-out arm, with fury poured out. So, some of these things have been repeated through time but it all builds up to the crescendo of the time we’re living in. More fully fulfilled in this period of time.

I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and I will plead with you face to face. I think of the scattering. It was so horrible, what took place. I mean, it was so horrifying what we went through, it really was.

Verse 36—Just as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of (out of) the land of Egypt. So, we’re all called out of Egypt spiritually, but there are crescendos in time or times that greater things take place where this kind of thing is more fully spoken of, and so it is.

I think of that 3½ years. What a marvel to understand that for the first 3½ years God gave us protection from Satan and the demonic world, that they could have no power over us whatsoever, so that everything had opportunity to be leveled out, opportunity to think about what happened. How could this have happened to the Church of God? Where is the Church of God? What are we living through now? What did we live through then if such a thing happened? What did it fulfill?

And if one really wants to know and is willing to humble themselves, but so many would not do that when it comes to saying, “I was Laodicean. I am Laodicean. I was spewed out of God’s mouth. I was one of the stones of the temple that was thrown down.”

So, back then at that point of time everyone was a Philadelphian, living in Laodicea, but we’re all Philadelphian because we’re not one of those Laodiceans. Because it was really looked down upon in the Church, really, really bad, spoken of in very bad terms. Which indeed, it should have been. But we had no idea what it really was or was about.

Well, hindsight is pretty good with God’s spirit when He helps you to see, “Do you see that now?” Oh, yeah, I see that now. But to acknowledge it and admit it and repent? That’s another matter. A lot of people in that third that was scattered had opportunity – candidly, every one of them had opportunity to begin to acknowledge certain things, that if they had God could work with and bring along and show other things – but they chose not to.

I will cause you to pass under the rod. We know what that means. A tenth. …and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant. Please understand, God says “This is Mine,” but that doesn’t mean they made it. He made a certain percentage pass under the rod in the sense that they were brought to a point in time that there were things they could see, that they had choices to make. That’s what it’s saying. But it’s not telling the rest of the story here. We all have choices to reject or accept. That’s what it all comes down to always, always, always. And so it did with all of them.

I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant. Those who receive it, those who accept. What an incredible thing to know that there were those quite a bit farther along, 2008, finally rejected by 2012 and 2013.

I will purge out from among you the rebels… Of something other than the ten percent? Well, He’s not even working with them. They weren’t brought to that point because it was deemed by God Almighty, judged that no, going to work with, give opportunity to ten percent that have the ability to be drawn to Me, to be able to see, to draw them out of the sleepiness and the sluggishness they were in, and then it’s their decision.

That’s all God was going to allow. He knew exactly what was going to take place and even how many. That’s why the Church has been a certain size almost from the beginning on, going through reams and reams of people, as it were, to get where we are today. Incredible.

I will purge out from among you the rebels, and God has. …and those who transgress against Me. God has and is. I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel. And you will know that I am the Eternal. That is not physical. That is not about coming into the promised land. This was written much later because it’s about the Church of God and what happened to us at the end-time. God makes it clear, as I said earlier, this is going to be a cleansed Body, a purified Body.

Now, let’s go to the next sermon. (I think I’m going to have a couple more in this. I always love that when this happens.) Now, let’s go to the next sermon that was given on January 10, 2009. It was Part 2 of this same series then, Fasting for Humility. Remember that the Church was fasting on the 3rd of January when Part 1 was covered. Then here is what was said at the intro of Part 2.

“As we were fasting last Sabbath I announced another fast for the weekend of January 31st. At the beginning of this sermon I want, again, to give guidelines for that fast.” What an incredible thing to understand because it would be January 31st and February the 1st.

So, it was said, “First, it’s not wise to spread it around about your fasting.” Especially this one here because we had enough people that hate us, enough family members and different ones. Listen, sometimes back then they used to listen just to put garbage out there. That used to boggle my mind, but I know where it comes from, that people would spend that much time torturing themselves. Because they hated me with a passion, and still do, those who are alive. And so, some of these kinds of things, and then they would start writing about it, their input. Crazy, crazy, crazy times.

I said, “It is not wise to spread it around about your fasting,” which we shouldn’t do anyway, as a whole. No one needs to know except maybe a mate or children in a family, what we’re doing. That’s the way it is. God says go into your closet alone, just like with the matter, when you’re talking about prayer. The same thing applies to fasting.

So anyway, went on to say, “It’s like clanging a gong when you’re getting ready to go in and pray in private before God. If you fast, and when you fast, even if it’s called as a Church-wide fast, it is not something we broadcast to others who will not be fasting. There may be a need if you have a mate,” so I just said that, but anyway, repeating it.

Going on, “A fast should be entered into in a spirit of humility and not in pride by being lifted up for fasting, and taking such a thing to self, and for one’s own attention as being religious as in pretense or a show of religion.” So, we don’t want to be like the world or like some others in Worldwide have been in times past.

“On the second day only, baptized members should participate of those who can participate,” and so, that becomes clearer as we go along as well. Ever happen in God’s Church. “Or those who possibly may be within a year due to age of baptism.” So, that’s a choice that was thrown out there. “Absolutely no children and no young teens should fast more than one day.” Pretty straight forward.

“Also, no one should fast beyond one day who has a health condition such as diabetes, high or low blood pressure, a current heart condition, or any other serious health condition.” Different things that you have to be careful of. Now, I’m going to mark this because I want to come back to this spot because I had to do this last night.

We have these great big machines that came out on our lawn because they’re putting down fiber optics. I’m all for that! But not what they did to my yard. So, this great big thing is so heavy, the ruts are so deep that later on I have to fill it in and plant more grass, and so forth. Then they have these boxes that they put in on occasion from spot to spot with great big green lids, which it’s fine to have fiber optics. I’m all for that. But what they did around it, they did such a horrible job, and mine seems to be worse than most of the neighborhood. So anyway, I get a double whammy.

So, to be candid, I’d started a fast yesterday and in order to tell you what this was like, to abide by what was given in direction and given to the Church. So, I went out there, 90 degrees, whatever it was, and I’m working with a rake to rake up things that are hard to get out of that grass and separate the grass from the clay and the rocks, and then a shovel out there as well because they left mounds. And so, I’m out there with a shovel trying to get through clay, because we have a lot of clay. I just love clay.

So, I’ve got to go out there and get all this stuff leveled out the best I can because they left it a disaster and the German in me was having a horrible battle to get this done. So, I went out and I got as much done as I could. Now, I overdid it and I know that I was dehydrated because I came in, by the time I came in the house nothing left on me was not wet.

That’s why you’re fasting. Now that, let me tell everyone, this is smart thinking…really smart. It’s about a stupid as you can get! But anyway, that’s what I did. German sometimes is so stupid. Anyway, I did it. Well, I wasn’t feeling really good but feeling totally shot. Really a way to be in a fast, feeling that shot and really, well, getting the full blast of how weak we can be as human beings. I got a lot of that.

Anyway, I woke up a little around 12 hours after I had started the fast and I wasn’t feeling right. And I felt it in my chest, so I knew that it was probably wise to get up and break the fast. Now, that was the hardest, one of the hardest things to do. Because then I have to deal with this in my mind of what it’s telling here: “I gave this instruction. Don’t do it if…” But I came to a point where I had to recognize I need water, I need liquid, I need some that gives me what I call electrolytes, whatever, to get back in my body because I am dehydrated, and I know it’s affecting this.

I just saw the guy yesterday, my cardiologist, as well, and everything is fine. I was told, “See you next year.” Well, if I’d pushed it I might have seen him sooner. That’s how stupid I was. But we do stupid things. I do stupid things a lot, just like anyone else.

Anyway, I have to tell you that that battle of not continuing on was not easy. It really wasn’t. As long as I’ve been in the Church, to have to break a fast, I had a battle in my mind, I really did.

And so, I understand now in a better way people who have had to do this in times past where they shouldn’t enter into a fast and they abide by it, or not a full 24-hour fast, or I liken, give this as well to a situation where sometimes we’ve asked people not to participate in the foot washing ceremony any longer because they can’t get down and get back up and there’s not a point in some of those things sometimes on a spiritual plane, of something you’re doing physically.

But sometimes that’s been hard for individuals to not participate in that part, and I understand that. So, it’s what the mind goes through. Even to a point of even having to fight against certain feelings of guilt. I felt that last night and even this morning. In one prayer I had to tell God, “You know, I had to fight to a point of exercising humility more than I did in a fast by not to fast.” That’s amazing! You have to humble yourself not to do something you’re told that you want so much to do, in washing someone else’s feet. But you have to do it if that’s what you’re directed to do because that’s what God’s showing us.

So, I had to practice what I’ve preached last night by stopping, and I didn’t like it.

There are things we have to go through sometimes to have something even more deeply embedded with us in the mind here because this is thick. It’s really thick, and I’m convinced the German part is really, really, really thick, besides kind of stupid.

So anyway, so we gave guidelines for fasting and you have to do it. And so, we learn different lessons from different things, and that’s good. We grow through different things. So, sometimes an individual because of diabetes, because of a heart condition, or you know, generally you know your own body. Just like last night when I got up I’d realized, “You probably better get up and get this taken care of or…” So, for once wisdom prevailed. That, sometimes, is a rarity in our lives.

So again here, there is wisdom to follow. Perhaps a person can miss one meal and be okay. Perhaps a person can’t do it at all, missing a meal, because of their health. Every person has to judge themselves. But also, there are things one can learn in their mind about why feel guilty about any of that. Because I had a twinge of that, feeling guilty for not doing it for the full time. Felt bad. Then you have to address but this is right and just before God. What is God’s purpose? It’s unity and oneness with God.

So, you have to go through different things of judgment sometimes in your life to be at peace. Because a lot of times we do beat ourselves up as human beings in God’s Church with certain sin. You repent, it’s gone. Or certain things like this, you deal with it and realize this is a right judgment before God, be at peace with it. Why feel guilty about something like that?

Going on, “Even some, and this includes many of the longer time members of the Church, really should not be fasting for more than one day. Some who are borderline in such instances may choose to continue in fasting, but with liquids and no solid foods.” So again, there are all kinds of things you can do. It’s about humility. It’s about an attitude toward God. But it’s not about doing something to your health that is stupid, which I exhibited yesterday.

“It is the true spirit of the fast and why you are participating that is of utmost importance.” So, it’s about the spirit of it. “Even those who are new and have only been baptized for less than a year need to consider this matter as to whether you can enter into such a fast in a right spirit of humility with no focus on self, in the sense of making self feel better for participating. It might be wise if many of you simply did not fast beyond that Sabbath.”

So again, sometimes when you first start fasting in the Church you’ve never done it in your life, you’re just baptized, and you come up to Atonement. That’s generally the first fast. Then you find out a lot of things about all the stuff you put in your body in times past, and at that moment in time it’s probably going to be one of the most difficult fasts you will have from that point on. So, there is wisdom in a situation like that not to go on to a second one. It’s not to kill yourself.

“Nevertheless, as a whole, no one should be talking to others or each other about whether or not they are fasting on February 1st.” Not even within the Body except where it’s necessary with a husband and wife, or whatever it might be. “This is private between you and God. It is not about lifting up self.”

Then on January 31, 2009, we had a sermon entitled—so that first day of the two-day fast—it was entitled, A Great Fast, during which the Church was observing that first day of the two-day fast. We are already approaching a day this next year – which I have in my notes that I’m reading to you, because I don’t want to miss a lick of this. This is what I was talking about earlier, about the timing of certain things. There is a point next March that will make January the 31st and February the 1st half-way from the Apostasy. Awesome to me! Then seventy days to Pentecost.

Now, we can call that a coincidence, but I don’t. I don’t know if things are going to happen at that time or before that time, but I do know that God works in such ways and that we will learn from this in a way to understand that was a great fast, had great meaning in what God is doing in our lives. We’ll find that out in time. It may fit into the scheme of things, but I don’t know.

But there are markers in time that God has given to us. We’ve learned from that process. Incredible things have taken place. So, I believe with all my being that fast is going to prove to be far greater than what we’ve ever known. Truly. Because it wasn’t a small thing. Something I believe with all my being has never been done in God’s Church ever, to call a fast of that nature, two days.

Then I think of truly great importance here in the focus on the last book where the importance was being stressed about the Seven Thunders again in a better way and a stronger way, and knowing that the focus of that sermon, which was entitled A Great Fast was also on the topic about the Seven Thunders and their purpose. Interesting.

So, the question being asked? Do we see the urgency in seeking to make certain that our every focus is upon God and the coming of His Kingdom to this earth? Because this is our lives. This is what it’s about. Do we see the urgency of making certain that we are sobered by the admonition being given in this series that we’re to strive to truly see ourselves, to see this nature that has its own way of seeing things? “My” way. “My” opinion. “My” judgment. Are we seeing that as we need to so that we can repent and change in our thinking?

Because there are certain things we need to get out of our minds and out of our being. It’s a constant thing, striving to become at one with God. It truly is. That’s what we have to strive for.

I wanted to mention some things in light of all this. The purpose of the meeting that’s coming up in November, I’m just going to share this with everyone because that’s why it’s coming. Certain ones have been invited to come as a part of a process, especially because so much centers around Cincinnati.

You know, I think about that sometimes, of how God raised up different areas and why. It’s really quite incredible when you have an overview of everything and history of what we’ve gone through. Just by chance that somehow God brought my wife and I up here to serve when we did? Just by chance we took the course that we did and came back to here?

You can feel like it’s all by chance, and so forth, but I think of some of the things of the stories we went through of recent time, about the travels back and forth, from Abraham’s family, and the places they stopped. Really awesome stories. None of them by chance.

God has power to map things out, to work things out, to follow a blueprint through time. We will fit into it where we’re supposed to fit for those He’s called to fit there, to be in that place.

And so, we’re having a meeting in November in Dallas. Wayne and Chris are coming over, bringing them over. Of course, others as well who are on the board coming over, will be there, and a few others have been invited to it, to participate for things that will be given at that time. Some I don’t even know of yet. (That’s supposed to be funny.)

The point is, I know there’ll be a meeting. I don’t know what it’s all about. I know what much of it’s about, but I’ll be given what I need to give at that time. So much of it is about preparing the Church in case something was to happen to me. Because if we go beyond 2023 and another three years down the road to another Pentecost that has meaning as well, so be it. I hope not. But if we do.

But we’re so close in things in this world. This thing with Russia, Ukraine, Germany, China, the European Union, all of it, all these things that are taking place, things in the news that just blow your mind sometimes. It’s like it could happen at any moment and we have to be on our toes and think in those terms. And if it goes farther, we’ve been through this before. We’ll go farther, ever how far we’re to go. And if death happens, God’s Church continues.

It's not like in Herbert Armstrong’s time when there was no one ordained to the position of a prophet or someone else who might have been an apostle at that time. That didn’t exist. No such things existed in God’s Church. Evangelists there were, yes. But he had already come to a point where there was not trust, and that’s why, again, Leroy Neff was brought in from Houston when we were there in that area, as he was the pastor of that area, to be the treasurer of the Church. Only one reason. Because the trust couldn’t be passed along to any others, he felt, at that time.

So, as time went along and he became more ill and things were happening to him, the Church in many respects was waiting for a decision, who is going to continue on. He never let anyone know that. He never made that decision to our knowledge. Now, one person said he made that decision, and I really doubt that. I have my suspicions about that, but that’s another matter concerning the man of sin, what a great source. And so, anyway, I think of those things that we went through.

We’re not like that. It should be obvious to God’s Church what should happen if the two of us aren’t here. It will go on and the government of God continues in the exact structure that’s already there. So, we don’t have that worry or that concern. But as far as the support and things that need to be addressed, some of this is going to be addressed in that November meeting for the sake of the Church.

Now, I say these things because we don’t know what’s to happen in the future either. Because there may be reasons that certain things take place. Not in the way maybe we thought they might in times past if you go back ten years and more because there are things about two individuals that on a spiritual plane could have already been fulfilled very easily so. Because it’s about the Church as a whole.

Something that has to happen on the streets of Jerusalem, we can think it has to happen in the streets of Jerusalem. That’s why I thought I had to go there a few times. Well, God let me go through that experience and so forth, but it doesn’t have to be there to fulfill that. But that doesn’t mean that other things won’t happen—we have to wait and see—to fulfill that in its completeness. Because it’s not complete yet. Don’t know what it is. God will show it to us one day. Hopefully, not too long from now.

So, whatever period of time is in there, whether it be a short time or a longer time because it could be for a little bit longer time that there is going to be a time the Church must go on in unity and oneness, and it’ll be judged accordingly, and not everyone will come through that if it happens that way.

Because every year people leave God’s Church. Every year people are disfellowshipped from God’s Church. Every year! What an incredible thing.

If something like that, of that nature happens, it shouldn’t shock anyone in the Church, that one or both are gone. But it’s a matter of faith in continuing on. So, it’s smart to plan ahead for certain things for the sake of the Church, for the unity and oneness of the Church. Because some will not be able to take it, like different things that have happened.

That’s much greater than getting a Covid shot. That’s much greater than something turning from Trumpets to Pentecost to be fulfilled, in the sense of trying people as to where they are, how they think, and the oneness and unity that’s there. God will put it to the test until this is over. So again, structure of government. It’s pretty simple.

This, then, is tied into what God is to give to us at this Feast of Tabernacles. See, there are a lot of things that have been going on, a lot of things leading up to this period of time that are mind-boggling to me. They really are. Well, I don’t want to say it because I don’t want to give one iota of anything to anyone at this point. Some try, oh do some try. (Just kidding.)

We need to make certain (I’ve written down these different points), that we’re not slumbering or sleeping. That’s already happened in the past. We better have learned from our mistakes and make sure we’re fighting for this way of life with all of our being. That we’re not simply passing time. That’s a horrible thing. Because a lot of that happened up to 2012, to get there. This is not like that now. We’ve matured far beyond that. Prayerfully, everyone has.

So again, that we’re not simply passing time but that we’re being more on guard, watching more carefully in our lives, first and foremost, and preparing ourselves as never before. You work harder the closer you get. In certain things that you’re striving for in life you put more effort and more focus into it the closer you get to that moment, whatever it might be. We’re going to fulfill, very powerfully so, Preparing for the Kingdom of God.

I marvel at that name sometimes, I truly do. God inspired different names to be given. Worldwide Church of God because of what God was doing in the Church worldwide. And Preparing for the Kingdom of God, for a group, small group, as little as we are. Awesome!

I mentioned that the two-day fast was far more important than we have known. We are now at a time when things that we focused upon are happening more frequently and more powerfully than ever before. I hope we’re able to hear it. The Thunders have intensified immensely. And if we’re not hearing?

Because you know what can happen? The same as what’s happened in the world. You can become numb to it. If it’s not in front of you constantly, and that’s up to you to have those things in front of you, in your mind, in your thinking, because if they’re not there you can lose the sense of watching and being alert and on guard, and you can begin to drift and you can begin to pass time only. That’s slumbering. That’s what slumbering and sleeping is.

Again, since the Apostasy up to the time of that two-day fast, I’ve already mentioned this in part. 737 weeks and then the 70 days, as I mentioned, that follow. Perhaps a coincidence? I don’t believe in coincidences like this when numbers work out like they do.

Anyway, isn’t it amazing that great Thunders have sounded out since 9/11? See, things happen slowly over time. I think of that scripture when God says, “Is it not because that I haven’t,” in other words, “intervened more quickly,” but of older time and things are spread out like they are. Whereas human beings, we go on to something else and our sense of time is so different.

Anyway, there have been a lot of Thunders, if we’re able to see those things that have happened since that time, so spread out. I think of the example of a woman with child and of the labor pain. Because our sense of time is so different, it truly is. To think that Thunders have been spread out since that time, 2001 on, and yet certain things happened at certain points. But they’re so spaced out.

Now do we grasp how close they are, how much more intense some of these things are that are taking place? Because these are the things that should move us, and not be relaxed and calm about it and oblivious to it like the world is.

Dumbfounds me sometimes about Ukraine and the mindset. You hear a blurb every once in a while now. Where did all that go? What’s going on? You have to dig to find anything, and on and on it goes, of things that happen in the world. And what do people talk about? News? You’ve got to be kidding. It’s a pain. It’s sad. It’s pathetic.

So, incredible Thunder of war, if you will, taking place and the world, basically, is asleep to it all. 2008! I am super dumbfounded how dumb the world is acting right now toward the economy of the world. We are so much worse off than 2008 it’s not even funny! We are! We’re so far past that! But is anyone panicking? No, still playing in the stock market and doing these things back and forth. And yeah, inflations starting up now but we’re going to have this other party come in and take care of all that before long. The insanity that’s out there is mind-boggling.

At the same time that people are starting to max out credit cards, car repossessions that are at an all-time high? Houses before long? And you think, this is going to mushroom into its own explosion, implosion. But in God’s time, and amazingly so, all at the same time. God’s bringing it together to end it all.

How close? Keep listening to the Thunder because the Trumpets are really close behind it the louder they become and the closer they become.

So, I’m going to take time to go through some news on the rest of the sermon today. And sadly, I didn’t stall enough and go into enough of this because this was in my notes. I thought I’d have another sermon out of this. That was my excitement earlier.

Anyway, we’re going to start with some news a little more than two weeks ago, going back, because there are some things I’m not going to touch on in the past week here, as a whole. So, we’re going to cover a period of about two weeks, just the headlines alone.

“US Falls Behind In Hypersonic Weapons Race After Another Failed Test.”[1]

Well, what happens after a while? It’s like it’s just a blurb because it doesn’t mean much. “We just failed again. We’ll get there. We’ll catch up with the Russians. We’ll catch up with the Chinese. We’ll get there! Sure, if they really have them, and it looks like the Chinese definitely do, sure, they can get us, and we can’t do anything about it right now. Surely they won’t try to do anything in that meantime until we get there and have the rockets that actually work, that can do the same thing.”

See, because with hypersonic weapons they can wipe you out before you even have a thought of getting started, because you can’t shoot them down. You can’t do anything about it. C’est la vie. That’s life, or the end of life.

So, we fall behind. Well, let’s just advertise that one to the world. Some things you’d kind of like to keep secret. Please, don’t tell everybody. But today with technology the way it is, with satellites the way they are and so forth, they know what’s going on anyway, and with the number of spies they have all over the place that have infiltrated, and we know that they’re coming across the border too (they’re finally acknowledging some of that), “We’ve got them coming.” Surprise. Surprise. We’re just letting them in.

This world is insane. I think of the scriptures that talk about people calling evil good and good evil, and you think, that’s how idiotic and weird and strange things are today. Some things out of some people’s mouths you think, “Can’t you go to the next step?”

That’s why I think of this thing about “Let’s go green! Let’s get rid of all the gas. Let’s have gas go up to a hundred dollars a gallon and that’ll slow people down. Oh, people will buy the electric cars then.” Then everybody has electric cars and what happens to the electricity grid, especially when it’s this hot? Well, there’s not going to be any around. Where is the mind?

“Erdogan says Turkey will have world’s best military.”[2]

He’s working on it. That’s his goal, that’s his aim. Different countries that do certain things like that, building up. What are they doing? “Oh, they’re not building up for war, are you crazy?” Why would people build up their military and put so much into it right now? The writing is on the wall and a lot of people already see it. A lot of nations already see it’s coming. They know it’s coming. They know there is going to be a third world war.

We’re back here talking about someone who has Covid and what might happen if that gets worse and different things taking place in the world. I don’t even want to talk about it.

Here is another one: “With no fuel and no cash, Sri Lanka grinds to a halt.”[3] Less than a day’s worth of fuel remains, says the energy minister, as the cash-strapped nation extends school closures. … The economic meltdown has triggered a political crisis with widespread anti-government protests erupting across the country. Protesters have blocked main roads to demand gas and fuel, and television stations showed people in some areas fighting over limited stocks.

Well, it’s a whole lot worse than that. Have you heard anything on the American news stations about this? Because I haven’t. Maybe I just didn’t turn it on at the right time. I do turn it on to listen on occasion just in case there is something. Absolute waste of time.

Oh, this is great: “Graham Throws Backing Behind Biden's Pursuit of $6 Billion Deal to Modernize Turkey's F-16 Fleet.”[4]

Now, that’s from Sputnik. That kind of shows you maybe some bias in that. But you know, it’s still news and there’s truth in things that are out there that some people say because they see it and they want everybody else to know what’s taking place. And you think, this is a brilliant decision!

Now, why was it made? Well, because there are a couple of nations in the north that needed to be, Turkey needed to be behind as the part of the NATO process, and to accept them they made a deal. That’s all it is. They made a deal that they’re going to get these now. Erdogan’s not stupid. He’s going to get more weapons now because of making a deal, to all of a sudden turn face and give support to someone that he was against because of them being against him for what they may or may not… which they did.

I hope you hear. I hope you’re hearing some of these kinds of things because we need to be plugged in. They sober you up.

“Top German Trade Union Head Warns Entire Industries May Collapse Amid Worsening Energy Crisis.”[5] "Because of the NatGas bottlenecks, entire industries are in danger of permanently collapsing: aluminum, glass, the chemical industry… Such a collapse would have massive consequences for the entire economy and jobs in Germany."

Well, that’s there in Germany, but you know, this is a lot bigger than this.

Here is an individual saying, “… This Implosion Will Be Fast... Hold On To Your Seats.”[6] “Stocks globally are down around 20% this year. The next move down in stocks could happen within the next few weeks. This is likely be a shocking move which will paralyze investors as they won’t have time to react.”

Now, they have their own bias of why they’re saying this here and what they’re trying to push. You have to wade through some of these things, but the reality is we’re not in good shape.

“Is Saudi Arabia In Discussion To Join BRICS?”[7]

Now, this is not about building blocks. It’s not about bricks you put on the side of a house. It’s about Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, the BRICS. They’re trying to work around the petro-dollar. So, if Saudi Arabia somehow is a part of the BRICS you might have to call it the SBRICS, get another “s” in there somehow, or BRICSS. Anyway, I’m sorry, to get two “s’s” in there.

But here is where it started, the petro-dollar. The United States, Oil, Saudi Arabia, they’re kind of synonymous. The writing on the wall. Everything, everything, everything is on the table, or on the wall, and the world is blind to it. They don’t want to see it.

That’s why you don’t see Ukraine in the news because people, really, they don’t want to hurt their conscience for too long. You don’t want to think about it too long, what’s going on over there and what that might mean in the world. Because you don’t want to be talking about WWIII.

I’m not going to read the whole article but there is a lot here about this process, about them in discussion to join and what that means. It doesn’t mean they’re going to, but it shows where the world is. It shows how fast these things are happening.

Another one here: “Move Hypersonic Weapons Within Striking Distance of U.S, Russian MP Says.”[8]

This was in Newsweek. Well, you really don’t even have to. But that’s just to wave a saber around, saber-rattling as they call it, war and keep that out there in the press and keep telling them what you have and what you can do and reminding them – reminding them that we have hypersonic weapons, and we can move them close to the border, and it’s going to make what you have on the border look pretty puny.

Who wouldn’t be a little upset when you look at the world? Somebody tries to come into Cuba and do something and what happens? World war is being talked about and talked about seriously. And so, we expect to get on the border and not have a reaction to that? It’s like, do you know how dangerous it is to get a stick and start poking a big bear? How dumb are you? We’re pretty dumb. A lot dumber than I was last night.

“Warning that Vladimir Putin could invade rest of Europe within a year.”[9]

Why are people saying this? See, it’s a matter of why is that thinking even out there? How did that thought come up? There’s a lot happening out there.

“Italy declares state of emergency in five regions over drought.”[10]

Well, there is drought, drought, drought. Spain, Italy has some of the worst of it right now. I was talking to Jeremy this morning and he was talking about how the Rhine is so low right now that they can’t even bring some of their normal ships through that at all, and some of the ones that are coming through there they have to lighten their loads because they can’t hit bottom in certain areas it’s so bad, the Rhine. Mind-boggling things that are happening all over the world.

Out west, let’s all go to electric cars because the reservoir behind the dam of Hoover is about to a point where it can’t even produce electricity because it has to have a certain head on it, and they’re almost to the point where it can’t turn the turbines anymore. That’s great news for Las Vegas! That’s great news for a lot of California who already is having all kinds of problems getting electricity to everyone. Let’s put in there then the electric cars! Isn’t that a great idea? We’re so bright!

I’m sorry. Why is it so hard for people to have sense? Just a little bit of common sense, a little bit of honesty and truthfulness. Why try to be stupid? I don’t know if they’re trying. Maybe it’s natural, I don’t know!

“Saudis Unwilling To Upset Putin As Biden Begs For More Crude.”[11]

Oh, really.

“Putin Pal Drops Menacing Hint: a ‘Cleansing’ Is Coming for Europe.”[12]

Why would you talk that way? And could you talk that way unless there’s talk? Hmm.

“Lukashenko claimed this weekend that he thinks it’s time for Europe to face a ‘moral cleansing.’” Their kind of morality with their weapons, with their conquering.

“Fires, heat and earthquakes: Alaska currently the epicenter of extreme weather.”[13]

Well, I think pretty much everywhere you turn right now it’s kind of an epicenter of extreme weather. One extreme to another.

“Russia Demands Israel Cease Its 'Air Aggression' Against Syria.”[14]

Important? Well, someday it will be because a lot of stuff is supposed to happen around that area. See, it’s going to blow up too.

“Power Companies Face Transformer Shortage Ahead Of Hurricanes And Wildfires.”[15]

Don’t think about it too long, go on to the next subject. It’s kind of like the baby formula. Don’t put too much thought into it, we’ll get that resolved. Still not resolved I heard yesterday.

“Oil from U.S. reserves sent overseas as gasoline prices stay high.”[16]

Now, I hope you all heard that one. Our oil reserves, which are there for emergency, and a lot of it has to do with being ready militarily as well, if you know why. And so, we tell the world, “We’re sending out our reserves to lower the price at the pump. We’re going to get in control of this. And why not send a little oil over to China as well, while we’re at it.” Isn’t that a bright move? I mean, how stupid can we be that some of it went over there.

“Millions Of Barrels From US Emergency Oil Reserve Sent Abroad, Including To China.”[17]

Ah, just so pleasant to hear in the ears, isn’t it? This is really getting hard. This is really getting hard. But we should be moved by this to understand what is happening around us is Thunder. Thunder! Thunder! Thunder on such a powerful scale that you go back two years and there was nothing like it! This is happening all the time now. This is two weeks’ time. (And I don’t know if I’m going to make it through before 4:30. No, I’m going to try. Be my longest sermon in years.)

“Democrats Frustrated With Biden’s Inability to Meet Demands of Current Moment – Reports.”[18]

This is from Sputnik so there’s a little bit of bias in thinking there, obviously. Well, they’ve been poking the bear, so poke the eagle? I don’t know.

““Rudderless, aimless and hopeless…” So, they like to quote now, CNN. Can you imagine CNN saying that? “…CNN cited one member of Congress as saying about the White House.”

Who believes that? Rudderless, aimless, and hopeless?

“Russia warns humanity at risk if West seeks to punish it over Ukraine.”[19]

So, what are we doing? Sending a lot more weapons now all of a sudden. There are going to be some jets going over there now. It’s all been decided. There are people who want war with Russia. They want it! From the west, from this country. I don’t think Europe is quite there. There have to be reasons for that. Maybe because they’re at your back door. Anyway, I marvel at our stupidity in the world today.

“Heat Dome Roasting Millions Across Central US.”[20]

We needed a news headline for that one.

“US eyes direct war with Russia – Belarus.”[21]

Hmm. Just the headlines. Not a best source in the world but why say it?

“Mortgage Rates Crash Most 'Since Lehman' As Loan Demand Collapses.”[22] “The average rate for a 30-year loan plunged to 5.3%, the lowest in a month and down from 5.7% last week. That is the largest weekly drop (40bps) since the Lehman collapse in 2008...”

I don’t know if it’s true or not, but it must be. Is it true? Banker? Yes, it’s true. So, worse than the Lehman thing. What happened with the Lehman thing? People don’t care.

“Are We Headed For An "Auto Loan Crisis" As Delinquencies Begin To Rise?”[23]

Well, I already mentioned part of that, but it goes on to say, “… Google search trends for ‘voluntary repossession of car’ have surged to the highest level since the summer of 2008.” See, the summer of 2008, what happened by the end? Hmm.

I’m sorry but we are really in volatile times. That’s why you need to be alert and on guard. You need to realize the seriousness of the time we’re in. That’s why we’re having the encouragement to fast at some point throughout this series, if you’re able to. If you can’t and you have to do it afterward, fine, but it’s in the spirit and the mind of this. But strive to do it at this time. I think we’ll have two more. We may only have one, I don’t know.

But anyway, do it, be a part. It’s a matter of being alert and on guard and understanding the time we live in, that things are not going to slow down. They’re going to get a lot worse. It’s going to get worse and worse and worse because Thunders, because just like in the example of birthing pain, it gets closer together, closer together, more tense until we’re there.

“‘Let West Try To Defeat Us On Battlefield… We Haven’t Started Anything Seriously Yet’: Putin In Fiercest Warning Since Invasion.”[24]

What kind of a mind do you think he has? How far do you think he would be willing to go? Do you think he has a mindset that isn’t afraid to push the trigger? To make something look like it came from somewhere else? To put people in oblivion for a little while until it’s figured out, and then it’s obviously too late? Does he have that kind of a mindset? Could he do that? Can you push a bear into a corner and get by with it?

“Japan’s former PM Shinzo Abe assassinated at campaign event.”[25]

I think I said “Abe” last week. I don’t know where my mind was. Anyway, it’s “Abé.” Anyway, all these things that are taking place.

“Republicans Slam Biden For Allowing SPR Oil To Be Shipped Overseas.”[26]

So, this is Sputnik again. They love this. They love to see what’s happening over here, a deterioration and a falling apart, because it gives their people then, “Look at what’s happening. Look at what they’re doing over there.” And so, when you do strike out, which they will in time, they have the backing to do it. National loyalty, or whatever.

“Lake Mead Waters Dropping; Hoover Dam Electricity Could Stop.”[27]

That’s exactly what I mentioned earlier.

“Biden Sold 1 Million Barrels From Strategic Petroleum Reserve To Chinese Firm Hunter Invested In.”[28]

You’re kidding! You know, something like this could almost make a comedian out of someone, because who can believe all this stuff? If you get up on a stage before a huge audience and you start going through these things and make certain comments. But of course, audiences today may not get it. We do.

“Consumer Credit Hits A Brick Wall With Credit Cards Maxed Out.”[29]

It’s all coming back, everything just building up more and more. People overextending themselves. Sick and tired of two years of being in a corner somewhere locked in and now they’re out there in droves and money, money, money to do it. Because everything’s gone up so high.

Airfare is an absolute nightmare right now. Gasoline. I still have a hard time going to the pump, and we get a dollar off because of Kroger’s so often. If you play that game and make sure that you get the points. Don’t worry about the 2 points, shop when they’re giving 4 points and you get a dollar off. You still got to pay $80 for a little tank of gas. Man, that hurts. That’s insane!

Anyway, going on, the next week after that week. So, from the 9th to the 16th.

“China Acquiring New Weapons Five Times Faster Than U.S. Warns Top Official.”[30]

They already have them. Where have they been? Where has he been? Seriously, this is news? We’ve been on that for quite a while now. It’s been in the news a long time, but he woke up the other day and made a statement.

“Energy crisis hitting US industrial complex – Bloomberg.”[31]

I don’t even want to read that one. We’re in such a mess!

Another one: “‘Social Peace Is In Great Danger’: Germany Is Quietly Shutting Down As Energy Crunch Paralyzes Economy.”[32] … “Germany's largest landlord, Vonovia, had taken the unprecedented step of restricting heating at night, a terrifying preview of what lies in stock for the ‘most advanced’ European nation this winter. Alas, it's going to get worse, much worse.”

You suppose? If you cut off the spigot that has the potential of heating you and you got to figure something else out. Oh yeah, and also told, I don’t know if you know it, but a whole lot of their nuclear plants have been shut down just of recent time here in Germany. Now there’s talk of opening them all back up because they feel now that it’s green again. So, you have to do that, you have to sell it to the people. “It’s going green! It wasn’t green because we didn’t like it and we shut them down, because they’re not green, but now we think they’re green!” Okay…? I’m sorry.

“UK Military Begins Training 10,000 Ukrainians On British Soil Amid Calls For "Insurgency."”[33]

You talk about asking for it. At some point he’s going to give it. He’s going to give it. He’s going to give it back. At some point he’s going to have a breaking point. But you know what? It will be at God’s time. You talk about a war that’s coming, there is so many hatreds in the world, so many things fuming and building up that people are ready to explode, governments are ready to explode. The only way of striking out and dealing with what they’re dealing with, it’s the great fix, the reset, nuclear war.

The world is talking a lot about a reset. That’s one of our primary advertising tools right now, the reset. It’s a popular thing to discuss. People have different ideas out there. Incredible.

“Texas Faces Rolling Blackouts as ERCOT Warns Not to Use Major Appliances.”[34]

And what about those electric cars? I’m sorry.

“‘Scary times’: Builders are slashing home prices and slowing construction as buyers pull back, survey shows.”[35]

It’s going to hit everywhere. It’s going to happen again. People have to be wise in what they’re doing and how they’re doing it. Things in housing that have had a great time for a period of time here, it’s going to be a squeeze and people are going to get caught in every kind of thing there is. But this is one of them that’s already getting crunched.

It says here: “‘Sales have fallen off a cliff,’ an Austin, Texas builder said. ‘We’re selling 1/3 of what we sold in March and April.’”

Another one here: “People Are Now Resorting To Micro-Loans To Afford Groceries & Gas.”[36]

Another one here, unique way of putting it: “Canary In The Car Mine: Repos From Auto Loans That Originated In 2020 And 2021 Are Skyrocketing.”[37]

C-a-r mine. Not Carmine as a name, the car mine, as in a gold mine. It’s like the canary in the mine because if it dies you are in trouble if you don’t put your mask on and get out of there.

Another one: “World’s Largest Missile Being Prepared for New Tests in Russia.”[38]

That’s all we need, is something bigger. They’ve already got them fast as can be. Why make one that much bigger?

“‘The most powerful global-range nuclear missile in the world is being prepared for new testing and serial production,’ Rogozin wrote in a Telegram post Tuesday.” [Reported by Sputnik though.]  … “Along with its maneuverability characteristics and in addition to its ability to carry 10-15 traditional nuclear reentry vehicles, the 208-ton missile is designed to carry Avangard hypersonic glide vehicles, adding to its evasive and strike characteristics.”

So, they’re just saber-rattling. These things are not small, and if we’re not careful we can read over something like this and think it’s not that important, there’s always been talk like that. No. There. Has. Not. Always. Been. Talk like this. There is a reason for the word “saber-rattling.” It comes before every war. It’s about war. It’s about engaging in war.

We need to be alert, on guard spiritually because of what we see and what we’re hearing. So, the question would be, do we hear? Are we hearing Thunder? Because it’s getting louder and louder. It’s pretty deafening, frankly, if we’re really hearing it. Mind-boggling.

“Inflation rose 9.1% in June, even more than expected, as consumer pressures intensify” CNBC.[39]

“Russia building new laser weapon to disable foreign satellites – report”[40] Jerusalem Post.

I feel pretty confident that they know what they’re building because they have the ability of spying that probably beat everybody on the planet, even the Chinese.

“Utah's Great Salt Lake is drying out, threatening ecological, economic disaster.”[41]

“Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey May Join BRICS ‘Very Soon’, Forum Chair Anand Says.”[42]

Again, already mentioned that, but just stating it again by another source.

“Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi Resigns As Coalition Government Crumbles.”[43]

Well, this kind of thing has kind of being gone on. It hit Britain with Boris Johnson. (think I got that right.)

“New Orleans on pace to have one of the highest murder rates in the world in 2022.”[44]

I heard the other day Baltimore was way out there ahead. Now New Orleans sounds like they’re beating them. Mind-boggling. …in all the world.

“China On Verge Of Violent Debt Jubilee As ‘Disgruntled’ Homebuyers Refuse To Pay Their Mortgages.”[45]

So, they’re having their problems over there, too. Now, the Chinese aren’t going to take this very long. They have a way of dealing with things that we don’t.

“Now it's a grassroots push for what appears to be a debt jubilee as millions of homeowners suddenly stop paying their mortgages, a shocking move that has sent shockwaves across China's capital markets and has sparked panic within China's political leadership circles. As Bloomberg reports overnight, a rapidly increasing number of ‘disgruntled Chinese homebuyers’ are refusing to pay mortgages for unfinished construction projects, exacerbating the country’s real estate woes and stoking fears that the crisis will spread to the wider financial system as countless mortgages default.”[46]

They’ve had to have, bring military in on some situations in some cities with banks and the like. Things are not hunky dory either in China as a lot of people think it probably is. It’s pretty bad. They have a way of dealing with it. They just go to war, let a bunch of people get killed off. Because they don’t think the same thing about human life as we do. They really don’t.

Let’s just tell everybody! “Civil Air Navigation Systems Offline as NAV CANADA Reports Outage in Country’s West.”[47]

“Strike us, we can’t do a thing about it.” Somebody probably shut it off anyway that they have no control over. Those have been tested all over the country in different places. So, these things are being done on a regular basis because there is a plan, there are plans that one day they’re going to do it. When they do it they’re going to hit from all kinds of angles. That’s what cripples this nation so quickly.

“World is nearing ‘brink’ of nuclear war – Tulsi Gabbard.”[48] “Gabbard argued that US leaders are being cavalier about the crisis, ignoring the risk of triggering a catastrophic war with Russia. She gave the example of a recent public service announcement, or PSA, in New York City, which advised residents to stay indoors in the event of a nuclear attack.” And it was stated here, “‘I almost fell out of my chair when I saw that PSA because it’s insane,’ Gabbard said. ‘They’re treating us as though we’re like back in the ’50s and ’60s when teachers are telling kids to go under your desk and you’ll be protected from a nuclear attack. It’s crazy.’”

Yeah, like that’s really going to help you if you get hit and you’re under a desk. We were pretty stupid, but it was a lot of politics anyway.

“As Europe bakes in heatwave, wildfires rage from Portugal to Croatia.”[49]

Everybody is getting hit. What do you think the overriding thing of a lot of this is? What’s next? There’s going to be such a food shortage in this world it’s not even funny. It’s already in front of us. Put all the things together, Ukraine and the wheat and the grain and the ships that the Russians are not allowing out. Then you have all this heatwave go across and the things that are happening with crops right now around the world. This is not a small thing.

“Europe’s Insatiable Thirst For LNG Is Causing Blackouts In Developing Countries.”[50]

“U.K. Issues an Unprecedented Heat Warning.”[51]

Some of the temperatures over there are mind-boggling, what’s taking place, if you’re watching any of it.

Another one here: “‘The Damage Could Be Huge’: Chinese Banks Tumble, Swept Up In Mortgage Nonpayment Scandal As Borrowers Revolt.”[52]

Well, here, I’ll just read the story. (We might hit 4:30, hang on.) “The boycotts raise the risk of mortgage defaults, a new set of troubles for banks that are already squeezed by exposure to ailing property developers. Mortgages make up almost 20% of total bank loans outstanding, amounting to about 39 trillion yuan ($5.8 trillion).” $5.8 trillion U.S. dollars. Of course, that’s nothing to us.

“Of course, all of this assumes that the current mortgage-boycott movement can be quickly nipped in the bud. If not, the potential damage could be huge. Nomura’s economist Lu Ting and his colleagues estimated that about 4.4 trillion-yuan worth of mortgages made between the end of 2020 and March of 2022 may be tied to those home projects that have been stalled or slow in being built.”

So again here, it’s all around the world. It’s mind-boggling.

It says, “Saudis Double Russia Crude Imports As It Prepares For BRICS Inclusion.”[53]

Yeah, I read that right. Isn’t that amazing? “Saudis Double Russian Crude Imports…” Isn’t that really weird with all the oil they have? And they’re doubling? It doesn’t say exports, it’s about imports. And you have to think, whoa. Because it’s about other things going on and it’s about a support for Russia and other things happening in the world that aren’t pretty. They’re getting ready.

“… as It Prepares for BRICS Inclusion.” So, thankfully some aren’t stupid and asleep in the world, even in the world, but most who read this stuff are.

One more: “German Energy Giant Warns Of Insolvency ‘Within Days’, Starts Draining Gas From Storage.”[54]

Sounds familiar.

“In other words, Germany is facing a total industrial collapse; meanwhile, the media continues to repeat the increasingly more laughable propaganda that Putin is losing the war.”

Hmm. Propaganda from the west? You’ve got to be kidding!

Anyway, with that we’ll continue on with Part 5 next Sabbath.

[1] https://www.zerohedge.com/military/us-falls-behind-hypersonic-weapons-race-after-another-failed-test

[2] https://www.rt.com/news/558240-erdogan-turkey-best-military/

[3] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/7/4/with-no-fuel-and-no-cash-sri-lanka-grinds-to-a-halt

[4] https://sputniknews.com/20220704/graham-throws-backing-behind-bidens-pursuit-of-6-billion-deal-to-modernize-turkeys-f-16-fleet-1096923649.html

[5] https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/top-german-trade-union-head-warns-entire-industries-may-collapse-amid-worsening-energy

[6] https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/von-greyerz-implosion-will-be-fast-hold-your-seats

[7] https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/saudi-arabia-discussion-join-brics

[8] https://www.newsweek.com/russia-us-war-hypersonic-weapons-cuban-missile-crisis-striking-distance-ukraine-1721397

[9] https://www.news.com.au/world/warning-that-vladimir-putin-could-invade-rest-of-europe-within-a-year/news-story/201b005d67448de0e75aa89998da3105

[10] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/7/5/italy-declares-drought-emergency

[11] https://oilprice.com/Energy/Crude-Oil/Saudis-Unwilling-To-Upset-Putin-As-Biden-Begs-For-More-Crude.html

[12] https://news.yahoo.com/putin-pal-drops-menacing-hint-184251433.html

[13] https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/fires-heat-and-earthquakes-alaska-currently-the-epicenter-of-extreme-weather/ar-AAZeddE

[14] https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/russia-increases-pressure-israel-cease-air-aggression-against-syria

[15] https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/power-companies-face-transformer-shortage-ahead-hurricanes-and-wildfires

[16] https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/oil-us-reserves-head-overseas-gasoline-prices-stay-high-2022-07-05/

[17] https://www.zerohedge.com/commodities/millions-barrels-us-emergency-oil-reserve-sent-abroad-including-china

[18] https://sputniknews.com/20220706/democrats-frustrated-with-bidens-inability-to-meet-demands-of-current-moment--reports-1097031117.html

[19] https://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/russia-warns-humanity-at-risk-if-west-seeks-to-punish-it-over-ukraine/

[20] https://www.zerohedge.com/weather/heat-dome-roasting-millions-across-central-us

[21] https://www.rt.com/russia/558573-belarus-intelligence-war-poland/

[22] https://www.zerohedge.com/personal-finance/mortgage-rates-crash-most-lehman-loan-demand-collapses

[23] https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/prepare-auto-loan-crisis-delinquencies-begin-rise

[24] https://www.nationandstate.com/2022/07/07/let-west-try-to-defeat-us-on-battlefield-we-havent-started-anything-seriously-yet-putin-in-fiercest-warning-since-invasion/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CToday%20we%20hear%20that%20they%20want%20to%20defeat,wishes%20to%20defeat%20Russia%20on%20the%20battlefield%20pic.twitter.com%2F1WrPcAUfKD

[25] https://www.cnbc.com/2022/07/08/japans-former-pm-shinzo-abe-dies-from-injuries-after-being-shot-nhk-reports.html

[26] https://sputniknews.com/20220708/republicans-slam-biden-for-allowing-spr-oil-to-be-shipped-overseas-1097088585.html

[27] https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/lake-mead-dead-pool-water-level-drought/2022/07/07/id/1077807/

[28] https://www.zerohedge.com/political/biden-sold-1-million-barrels-strategic-petroleum-reserve-chinese-firm-hunter-invested

[29] https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/consumer-credit-hits-brick-wall-credit-cards-maxed-out

[30] https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/china-acquiring-new-weapons-five-times-faster-than-u-s-warns-top-official

[31] https://www.rt.com/business/558691-energy-crisis-us-industrial/

[32] https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/social-peace-great-danger-germany-quietly-shutting-down-energy-crunch-paralyzes-economy

[33] https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/uk-military-begins-training-10000-ukrainians-british-soil-amid-calls-insurgency

[34] https://www.newsweek.com/texas-power-shortage-electricity-ercot-reserve-capacity-1723288

[35] https://www.marketwatch.com/story/scary-times-builders-cut-home-prices-and-slow-construction-as-buyers-pull-back-survey-shows-11657567086

[36] https://www.zerohedge.com/personal-finance/people-are-now-buying-groceries-and-gas-micro-loans

[37] https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/car-repos-loans-originated-2020-and-2021-are-skyrocketing

[38] https://sputniknews.com/20220712/worlds-largest-missile-being-prepared-for-new-tests-in-russia-1097237338.html

[39] https://www.cnbc.com/2022/07/13/inflation-rose-9point1percent-in-june-even-more-than-expected-as-price-pressures-intensify.html

[40] https://www.jpost.com/international/article-711858

[41] https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/utahs-great-salt-lake-is-drying-out-threatening-ecological-economic-disaster-2022-07-14/

[42] https://sputniknews.com/20220714/saudi-arabia-egypt--turkey-may-join-brics-very-soon-forum-chair-anand-says-1097295418.html

[43] https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2022/07/21/italian-prime-minister-mario-draghi-resigns-as-coalition-government-crumbles/?sh=7a8981961e98

[44] https://www.foxnews.com/us/new-orleans-pace-have-one-highest-murder-rates-world-2022

[45] https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/china-verge-violent-debt-jubilee-thousands-disgruntled-homebuyers-refuse-pay-their-mortgage

[46] https://www.wnd.com/2022/07/china-verge-violent-debt-jubilee-disgruntled-homebuyers-refuse-pay-mortgage/

[47] https://sputniknews.com/20220714/civil-air-navigation-systems-offline-as-nav-canada-reports-outage-in-countrys-west-1097321616.html

[48] https://cubasi.cu/en/news/world-nearing-brink-nuclear-war-tulsi-gabbard

[49] https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/europe-bakes-heatwave-wildfires-rage-portugal-croatia-2022-07-14/

[50] https://finance.yahoo.com/news/europe-insatiable-thirst-lng-causing-230000333.html

[51] https://dnyuz.com/2022/07/15/u-k-issues-an-unprecedented-heat-warning/#:~:text=U.K.%20Issues%20an%20Unprecedented%20Heat%20Warning%20July%2015%2C,under%20a%20red%20alert%20for%20Monday%20and%20Tuesday.

[52] https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/damage-could-be-huge-chinese-banks-tumble-swept-mortgage-nonpayment-scandal-borrowers

[53] https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/saudi-arabia-doubles-russia-crude-imports-it-prepares-brics-inclusion

[54] https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/german-energy-giant-starts-draining-gas-storage-it-warns-insolvency-within-days