Greetings from Tyler,

Every time you have a look at what’s going on around the world, it looks more like we are heading for upheaval and chaos.

The world reacts, predictably, to scenes of vast carnage and destruction in Gaza. But the evil Hamas, aided, armed and acting as a proxy for Iran, continues using densely populated civilian areas from which to conduct missile launches. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu put it succinctly this week when he said, “They fire on Israel’s civilians while shielding themselves behind their own civilian population.”

While the debate rages over whether or not Israel is guilty of war crimes, the vicious zealots of ISIS are on the march. They’re capturing more territories, shooting and beheading as they go, seizing oilfields and Iraq’s largest dam. They’ve demonstrated that there are no limits to their brutality, displaying the severed heads of their victims and lining up large numbers of people to be shot. The scenes of mass executions along ditches look just like what the Nazis did in towns and villages on their way through eastern Europe.

Large numbers of people of various tribes and sects are fleeing northern Iraq, trying to save themselves and their families. This morning, for the first time, the United States used a couple of F-18’s to blast one truck and artillery piece that was firing close to a location where there were American military advisors. Is it possible that will be the extent of U.S. intervention against the voracious ISIS terrorist army? Or will it succeed in its expansion toward Lebanon and Jordan?

It is not the first time we’ve heard this kind of talk from Islamic zealots, but an “official spokesman” for ISIS says that before it’s over, they will fly their black flag over the White House. Up to this point, they’ve encountered no resistance from the United States, and those in harms way have received no help. We’re all sick to death of hearing about the uncontested exploits of these Islamic Nazis but they keep expanding their murderous caliphate, and we cannot ignore it.

News from the southern border continues getting worse. Now we’re told that there are streams of illegals, armed and wearing fatigues crossing into the United States. Aside from some measures taken by the Texas Governor, little is being done to stop the criminal invasion by gangs, smugglers, and criminals of every stripe. The border patrol only speaks with anonymity, their jobs having been threatened if they talk to the media. But those who are quietly getting word out say that many of these teenage boys coming across admit to gang affiliation, and even having committed murders in their home countries. But they are still being released to “family members” in the U.S., mostly other illegal aliens who’ve already established themselves.

Most of the rest of the civilized world is as shocked and bewildered as we are about the downward spiral of the United States, and the obvious lack of concern to find any remedy for the host of calamities that threaten to ruin everything.

Russia is acting and talking provocatively, not only in relation to Ukraine, but now with bombers testing the limits of American airspace along the Alaskan coastline, and actually breaching Canadian airspace. Now one of Putin’s advisers is suggesting that another cold war is developing in the wake of sanctions leveled against Russia in the aftermath of the civilian airliner shot down over Ukraine. Clearly, U.S. and Russian interests are at odds in eastern Europe and in the Middle East.

Several of the atrocious attributes of Biblical tribulation are beginning to show themselves. The plague of Ebola is causing tremendous concern as the disease is not expected to be contained in western Africa. As you know, it is incurable and contagious.

California is gripped by the worst drought anyone can remember, and with water at such a premium, we have to wonder what will become of the agricultural source of some forty percent of the nation’s production of vegetables.

There are dozens of reports coming out of Europe about the rise of anti-semitism. They come from Germany and France, where Synagogues and businesses have been attacked and burned. Jews in Spain are nervous too, saying that the tension is so high that trouble cannot be far behind.

It is becoming clear that none of the institutions that have sustained us to this point are able, or interested in resolving the dizzying swarm of troubles breaking out everywhere. The back of the dollar is being broken for the sake of fairness, equality and climate change. Economic collapse would definitely result in societal chaos, and that looks likely to be on the agenda. But perhaps the biggest threat of all is the one nobody wants to talk about anymore; Iran’s determination to acquire nuclear weapons.

That little detail rarely merits mention amid the many mind-numbing examples of brutality, disease and death. But it is something that deserves our attention and our prayers. The men (and women) who are charged with the awesome responsibilities to protect and preserve our blessed heritage obviously are disinterested.

Our futures rest, figuratively and literally, between us and God.

Mark Armstrong