About Stephen Nielsen

I'm an author, a self publisher, and a painting contractor. I live in beautiful Minnesota, USA . Welcome to my blog site.

Netanyahu is Correct in His After the War Assessment

Posted on December 3, 2023 by Stephen Nielsen

Netanyahu is Correct. Palestinian Authority must not be allowed to return to Gaza. Israel must control the land that God gave to them. They cannot allow terrorists—people that hate them—to be near them, to be in the same land that God gave to only them. The United States must but out of Israel’s business. If we can’t help them in what they want to do, we should but out.

Netanyahu: Palestinian Authority can’t return to Gaza, this isn’t Oslo II

“I won’t repeat this mistake and return this body to Gaza, because the same thing will happen,” Netanyahu said.

By TOVAH LAZAROFF, DECEMBER 3, 2023

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged not to repeat the mistakes made under the Oslo Accords by allowing the Palestinian Authority to return to Gaza after its military campaign to oust Hamas from that enclave is over.

“One thing for sure I am not doing. I am not ready to delude myself to say that the defective act that took place under Oslo through a terrible error” must now take place a second time with the return of a “hostile entity” to Gaza and the West Bank, he told reporters on Saturday night.

Netanyahu referenced the Palestinian Liberation Organization’s initial exit to Tunisia. He noted that this was a correct decision, adding that the error that had been made was to allow it to return in 1994 with through the Palestinian Authority under the auspices of the 1993 Oslo Accords.“I won’t repeat this mistake and return this body to Gaza, because the same thing will happen,” he said. He referenced the 2007 coup in which Hamas ousted the PA’s Fatah party from Gaza and forcibly seized control of the enclave.

The Palestinian leadership has split into two, Netanyahu said, but the ideology that denies Israel’s right to exist is common to both those who rule in the West Bank and in Gaza.

Instead of seeing the kind of governmental reform that took place in Germany and Japan after defeat in World War II, the opposite will occur if “we will return the same entity – that has not undergone any reform or transformation — into Gaza,” Netanyahu said.

“This is what even our good friends are proposing,” he said.

“I think differently and I oppose this. We have to build something different” once the war is over, he said. He emphasized that Israel must have general control over the territory, including security, but that the internal governance would be Palestinian,” Netanyahu said. He clarified that this reference newly created government entity and not the PA.“The PA doesn’t fight terror it supports it. It doesn’t educate for peace, it educates for the destruction of Israel,” he said. “This isn’t the entity that needs to enter there [Gaza],” he said. The international community and the United States has pushed Israel on the issue of what happens to Gaza after Israel completes it military campaign to destroy Hamas. It did so after the terror group infiltrated southern Israel, killing over 1,200 people and seizing some 240 captives. The United States supports Israel’s military campaign in Gaza but is concerned about the high number of displaced people due to aerial bombings, some 1.9 million out of the 2.7 million that live there, as well as by the high death toll. Hamas has asserted that some 15,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza war-related violence, without specifying how many of those are combatants. The United States and the international community have called on Israel to minimize civilian casualties and ensure a flow of aid. But they have also looked to the day after and stressed that the PA should govern Gaza, even though they have not offered a viable security alternative for that option. Israel has insisted that the IDF must maintain military control of the enclave. US Vice President Kamala Harris on Saturday addressed the Biden administration’s day-after vision for Gaza, when she spoke with reporters on the sidelines of the United Nations COP28 Climate Conference in the United Arab Emirates.“Hamas can not control Gaza and Israel must be secure,” while the Palestinians have a political horizon, she said, explaining that this included the return of a revitalized PA to Gaza. “The PA security forces must be strengthened to eventually assume security responsibilities in Gaza,” Harris said.

“Until then there must be security arrangements that are acceptable to Israel, the people of Gaza, the PA, and the international partners,” Harris said.

The humanitarian situation in Gaza

“The PA must be revitalized driven by the will of the Palestinian people,” she said, adding that this revitalized PA must be able to govern Gaza as well as the PA.Moving forward, she said, “we can not conflate Hamas with the Palestinian people.” Harris clarified that “Hamas is a brutal terror organization that has vowed to repeat October 7 until Israeli is annihilated. No nation could possibly live with such danger.” But how Israel conducts its military operations against Hamas, “it matters how” and international law must be respected. “To many innocent Palestinians have been killed. The scale of humanitarian suffering and the images coming from Gaza have been devastating,” she said. “Israel must do more to protect innocent civilians,” she said. On Saturday night in Ramallah PA President Mahmoud Abbs said that Gaza was “an integral part of the Palestinian state and that “any political solution” must include that enclave as well as the West Bank and east Jerusalem. According to his statement posed on the Palestinian news agency, WAFA, the only solution to the bloodshed, he told PA leaders, is recognition of a Palestinian state on that territory, including UN membership. Abbas called for an international conference to discuss and set a timetable for an Israeli withdrawal to the pre-1967 lines. “We continue with our people to remain steadfast in the battle for survival, freedom, and independence. We will not kneel. We will not surrender to the fait accomplice. We will not allow the Nakba of Palestine in 1948 to be repeated, whatever the circumstances, and no matter how costly the sacrifice.”

Life is Good

Posted on November 29, 2023 by Stephen Nielsen

In my last post I gave you all my complaints. This morning I have been thinking and feeling how good my life is—pretty good. I really have very little to complain about. I am well fed, feeling good, healthy. I have no debts, just day to day expenses. God is good!

The sun is shining, and I know that God has been merciful to me.

I am feeling more and more like writing my next book on heaven, and I have an idea for the outline. I think at this time in my life the best thing I can do is to think every day on heaven. Maybe that is why I feel so good today—because I have been reading about it—what it will be like.

Some people say that if you are too heavenly bound you are no earthly good. But I think that if you are too earthly bound you are no earthly good; for thinking on heaven is the best way for a Christian to feel good about life. Knowing where we are headed and knowing that it will be wonderful, tends to brighten ones day on earth and give him a motivation for living a holy life.

Update: My Complaints

Posted on November 25, 2023 by Stephen Nielsen

Today I’m going to do some complaining. I hope you don’t mind too much. Ha ha.

Talking Too Loud

I like to sit in my favorite restaurant in the morning for breakfast and read. So, I like it quiet. I don’t mind normal conversation, but there are always a few people that talk too loudly. Their voice is heard almost no matter where I sit, and it’s hard to concentrate on my reading. It’s very annoying! I almost want to say something to them, but I don’t want to embarrass them. You know, it’s almost as if they want people to hear them. It’s like they take pride in being heard by many people. Maybe they have a secret desire to be a preacher or a politician or a comedian—but never get the chance.

Derek Chauvin

I’m not a fan of his, but I think he got a bum deal. I don’t think he is guilty of murder. He was just doing his job. In fact, he acted in accordance with how he was trained. When Floyd resisted arrest, Chauvin used an approved method of restraint.

Last night I listened to a segment on Newsmax. I heard that it has recently been found that there was no evidence that Chauvin killed Floyd. Yes, there was never any scientific evidence that his knee caused any trauma to Floyd. There was “No life-threatening injury identified.” In fact, did you know that the actual prosecutors did not believe that any of the officers should have been criminally charged? They thought the case should have been thrown out for lack of evidence. It was suggested that since Floyd had 16.6 grams of Fentanyl in his system, maybe that was more the cause of his death, since 2 grams is considered to be a lethal dose.

Then why and how was Chauvin convicted of murder? Two reasons: 1) Keith Elison (Minnesota’s AG) decided that he would take over the case. He saw to it that Chauvin would be seen as racist and would be convicted. 2) Chauvin was convicted not based on evidence, but on political and media driven pressure. The public convicted him! This sounds to me an awful lot like Jesus’ trial. Pilot rendered Jesus guilty based only on what the crowd wanted. They said, Crucify Him! So He was!

Like I said, I am no fan of Chauvin, but I am disappointed in this country and in my state of Minnesota, that we will sentence a person based not on evidence but on popular opinion. Where is the justice?

My writing

I’m not presently writing any books. I’ve been going back and re-writing—editing. Truthfully, I’m kind of discouraged. I like to write, but not many are buying. I may look into a different self-publishing company, one that is more Christian based. Lulu is open for anything. I also need more money and more direction and support. I can’t do it all myself—which is what I have been doing. Enough complaining!

My reading

I would like to write a book on heaven. But before I start I need to do more reading on the subject. I read the book Heaven, by Randy Alcorn and now I am reading a book on heaven by John MacArthur. So far, I don’t like it—too negative. He spends too much time in telling the false teaching of heaven. I already know that. I want to know what the truth is about heaven. I may have to just do my own Bible Study, to go through the entire Bible and see what it says. That’s the best way anyway.

I’m also reading a book about William Tyndale. I’m enjoying it. He lived in a difficult time and place—in the 1500’s in England and also Germany. He was brilliant. He was so dedicated to his work of translating the Bible into English, from Latin and Greek, and he also examined Luther’s German translation. He wanted the common man to have a bible to read in English. Since the Catholic Church was against his work and against his teaching, he was always moving around from place to place—hiding. They eventually labeled him a heretic and at the end was burned at the stake.

I am only halfway done with the book so that will not come until the last few pages. Terrible to think about!

I will end my complaints here. I hope I will have a better day—and that you will too.

Cotton Candy

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Cloud Formations

Posted on November 21, 2023 by Stephen Nielsen

When the sky is bright and partly cloudy with gusts of wind, cloud formations can be very beautiful. Lately, I have been thinking of writing on the subject of heaven. And when I look heavenward through the clouds it gives me a greater incentive to write on that subject. For when He comes in His glory and when we go to meet Him it will be “in the clouds.” (1 Thess. 4:17; Acts 1:9; Rev. 11:12)

Witches and Witch Hunters

Posted on November 20, 2023 by Stephen Nielsen

I have heard about the “Salem witch trials,” but I have not known the details. Now I do—after reading Killing the Witches, by Bill O’Reily. It’s quite a story. Dreadful!

Before reading this book I read the book, Mayflower, by Nathaniel Philbrick. So I was well informed of the Mayflower pilgrims and their strict ways. In some respects, they were admirable people, studiers of the Scriptures and wanting to do right. But, the way I see it, they were also very legalistic and hypocritical. They did not allow the celebrating of Christmas and Easter; they were not to sing hymns or express joy in song; displays of affection, even for married couples was not allowed and was punished; there was a strict dress code; toys for children were not allowed. Anyway, you get the picture.

The power structure of the Pilgrams ultimately came down from the Kings and Queens of England, but there were also powerful enforcers that came over from the Mayflower, like William Bradford and Captain Myles Standish. They were there to keep the people pure and “sinless.” And the punishment of sins were quite brutal, in some cases deadly.

The anti-witch movement began in England, but soon came to New England by the English Kings, esp. King James, who had an irrational fear of witches. But the English Kings were not worried because the new land had installed excellent witch hunters, namely the preacher and scholar Increase Matther and his son Cotton Mather. Cotton was especially dedicated to witch hunting; and he made it his goal and life achievement to rid the new land of witches. And he had a group of young witch hunters, mostly teenage girls who made a game of finding and accusing anyone they didn’t like of being witches. As far as I could see from the reading, these girls were liars and probably themselves demon possessed. They would bring accusations to anyone they had a grudge against—like their teachers, and the elderly, and even godly ministers.

These young, mischievous girls made a game of pretending that these people whom they accused were afflicting them with spells; and in the court room, whenever the accused would look at them, they pretended that they were being afflicted by witchcraft. Hence, the judges used this acting out by the girls as proof that the accused was a witch. Over and over again, false accusations were made. And in my opinion, all who were accused were innocent. In fact, it was the witch hunters and the accusers who were the guilty ones—even witches and demon possessed.

Shockingly, the law in those days offered no protection for anyone who was accused of a crime. They were declared guilty until proven innocent. And they were not allowed to make their own case or to have anyone speak for them. It was all one sided. And the unfortunate result in Salem, Massachusetts was that many hundreds were accused of witchcraft, and of those many were brutally tortured and were hung by their necks until dead.

Now, as Bill O’Reilly pointed out in his book, no one these days is executed, but many are wrongly accused of crimes, and their lives are ruined.

And who would you say are the innocent victims? and who are the witch hunters? It is clear to me that Donald Trump has been wrongly accused ever since he became President in 2016. True, he isn’t perfect—no one is; but he has been the victim of incredible lies. We can also add Christians as a whole, and Jews, to that list of victims.

And who would you say are the witch hunters? The obvious one is Hilary Clinton; also Barak Obama; and most of the media; and of course the Democratic party. They are all tied together in the big witch hunt. The big fake witch hunt.

And isn’t it interesting that the witch hunters, the ones that are accusing people of crimes, are the witches! It was true in 1692 in Salem, and it is still true today in 2023 in America.

Israel to Control Gaza

Posted on November 16, 2023 by Stephen Nielsen

Both Herzog and Netanyahu agree that the Palestinians cannot be trusted to govern Gaza. I agree. All of the land promised to Israel should be Israel’s, and that includes Gaza. I don’t even think any of them should be allowed to live there; but if they are allowed, they will have to be controlled.

Herzog: ‘Very strong force’ needed in Gaza after Hamas defeated

“We can’t leave a vacuum” that could enable the coastal enclave to turn “into a terror base again,” said the Israeli president.

November 16, 2023

Israel will need to maintain a significant presence in Gaza to prevent the Hamas terrorist group from regaining control of the enclave, President Isaac Herzog said in an interview with the Financial Times published on Thursday.

“If we pull back, then who will take over? We can’t leave a vacuum. We have to think about what will be the mechanism; there are many ideas that are thrown in the air,” Herzog said. “But no one will want to turn this place, Gaza, into a terror base again.”

Israeli forces have been conducting ground, air and naval operations in the Gaza Strip with the stated goal of dismantling Hamas’s military and governing capabilities, in the wake of the terror group’s Oct. 7 massacre in southern Israel.

Herzog told the British daily business newspaper that the Israeli government has been discussing ideas about how Gaza will be managed after Hamas is defeated, indicating that the United States and “our neighbors in the region” would have some involvement.

The United States has been pushing for the Palestinian Authority to play a role in governing Gaza after Hamas, but Israeli officials have rejected the proposal due to the P.A.’s support for terrorism.

“In order to prevent terror from coming up again, we have to have a very strong force to make sure that it’s committed enough and it [the attack] doesn’t happen [again],” said Herzog.

Herzog’s remarks echo those of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has stated multiple times in recent weeks that Israel will maintain security control over Gaza after defeating Hamas.

“The IDF will continue to have security control over the Gaza Strip for as long as necessary to prevent terrorism from it. The massacre on Oct. 7 proved once and for all wherever there is no Israeli security control, terrorism will return and establish itself; therefore, I will not agree to concede security control under any circumstances,” Netanyahu said at a joint press conference on Nov. 11.

Netanyahu also said during the press conference that Gaza cannot be ruled by “a civil authority that educates its children to hate Israel, to kill Israelis, to eliminate the State of Israel… an authority that pays the families of murderers [amounts] based on the number they murdered… an authority whose leader still has not condemned the terrible [Oct. 7] massacre 30 days later,” referring to P.A. leader Mahmoud Abbas.

During the interview with the Financial Times, Herzog also discussed the hostage situation, among other topics, blaming Hamas for the lack of an agreement on their release.

“We haven’t even received one piece of information about our hostages,” he said. “So we have to fight and get them.”

Herzog also touched upon efforts to deliver humanitarian aid to the Strip, saying that Israel is discussing a “major effort” with Cyprus to deliver aid via the Mediterranean Sea and that Cypriot officials were visiting Israel on Thursday to follow up on the initiative.

“It’s under serious negotiations with the Cypriot government,” Herzog said.

Continually Cleansed from Sin – 1 John 1:7

Posted on November 11, 2023 by Stephen Nielsen

This morning I ran across something very enlightening to me from 1 John 1:7.

Reading from 1 John, beginning in verse five, This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

Now verse seven is the verse that became enlightening to me: 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

I know I have read that verse over 100 times before, but it did not hit me as it did this morning. And I immediately had to go back and read it again to see if I read and understood it correctly. And yes, I did! The verse says to us that if we walk in the light as He is in the light (that is, if we are Christians), then we have His promise of two things: 1) We have fellowship one with another, and 2) the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

It is this second promise that really hit me—because it has no condition attached to it other than becoming a Christian. What I am saying is that, when I sin I don’t have to do anything to get His forgiveness and His cleansing. It is automatic and certain! Yes, because I am His child and walk in the light I automatically receive His blood cleansing. I don’t even have to worry about whether I remembered to confess my sins or not or whether I repented of my sin or not. No. Just because I am one of His and walk in His light I am cleansed by His blood.

Repeatedly I have been told that if I sin I need to confess it, then to ask God to forgive me in order to be cleansed of my sin. And isn’t that what verse 9 tells us? Well, yes and no. Verse nine, the confession of sins, is something a Christian automatically does. It is in his new nature to repent and feel bad about sin and confess it. In fact, the words “if we confess” should read “if we keep confessing.” MacArthur comments that this “continual confession of sin is an indication of genuine salvation.” It is part of the miracle of the new life God gives us at salvation. It is what every Christian naturally does when he sins.

I really like what John MacArthur says about verse seven.

A genuine Christian walks habitually in the light (truth and holiness), not in the darkness (falsehood and sin). Their walk also results in cleansing from sin as the Lord continually forgives His own. Since those walking in the light share in the character of God, they will be habitually characterized by His holiness, indicating their true fellowship with Him. A genuine Christian does not walk in darkness but only in the light, and cleansing from sin continually occurs.

And this continual cleansing, we could add from verse nine, occurs automatically when we naturally and continually confess out sins whenever we sin. He does the cleansing by His blood.

Hence, we are always walking in the light with Him. We walk together with Him in the light, being cleansed continually by His blood.

Standing at Attention

Posted on November 10, 2023 by Stephen Nielsen

I had a dream last night. I was in boot camp. As dreams usually go, it was sort of disjointed; but anyway, I remember that I was sitting back, sort of rambling on about something. And then I was asked by a stern voice behind me why I was not standing at attention like everyone else. It was sort of a Gomer Pyle incident. Well, suddenly, in my embarrassment, I realized that I was not at attention as I should be, and I quickly snapped to it.

When I woke up from that short dream I immediately wondered what God was showing me—maybe that I am too lax in my life, and that I am not serious enough and steadfast enough in His program; that I need to get with it.

I was in the Marine Corps from 1969 to 1971 and I never had trouble standing at attention. In fact, I think my conduct was good. I was a good Marine. But lately, now in my old age (at 72) maybe I am becoming a little lax. Maybe I am letting things slide. I think I need to ‘get with the program” more (God’s program).

When I think of standing at attention these words and phrases come to mind: being still, rigidness, readiness, alertness, being cautious, watchfulness, not being lax or slack or laidback or careless, looking my best, being fearless, bold, steadfast, courageous, resisting evil.

And usually, when you think of standing at attention you think of standing with other solders in straight lines—all ready for inspection. So, the picture is of the readiness of a combat unit ready for war.

I think God wants me to understand my dream as how I can be better prepared for the war against the flesh and all evil. He is telling me that I am too lax, too slack, too laidback, undisciplined, too unprepared to do battle against the enemy and evil.

Here are a few verses that come to mind as I think of standing at attention.

Matthew 26:41. Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

I remember those days in boot camp while standing at attention. It was the perfect opportunity to be still and pray and listen to the voice of God—and my drill instructor!

Isaiah 50:7. Because the Lord helps me, I will not be dismayed. I have set my face like a flint to do His will; and I know that I will triumph.

I remember wearing those wool dress uniforms. They were very itchy and uncomfortable. Standing at attention very still was helpful. I was determined to be strong through the discomfort. Now, 53 years later, I also need to be strong and determined, and to resist all evil and trouble.

Joshua 1:9. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Standing at attention is taking a position of strength and courage. Showing fearlessness.

1 Corinthians 15:58. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.

When we stand at attention in our mind in the army of God we demonstrate to the world and to the angels that we are steadfast and unmovable in any work for the Lord. We will be steadfast to resist all evil and continue in the work of God as He has planned for us to do, knowing that our labor for Him will not be in vail.

IDF To Control Gaza after War