Volume XXXI Issue XII December 2012
Last Trumpet Ministries, PO Box 806, Beaver Dam, WI 53916
Fax: 920-887-2626 Internet: http://www.lasttrumpetministries.org
An Approaching Spiritual Storm!
"This matter is by the decree of
the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent
that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of
men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the
basest of men."
"I also will choose their
delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called,
none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil
before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not."
"The Lord is on my side; I will
not fear: what can man do unto me? The Lord taketh my part with them
that help me: therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me. It
is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is
better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes."
"And there arose a great storm of
wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he
was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake
him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he
arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And
the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, why
are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?"
In this issue of the Last Trumpet
Newsletter, we will thoughtfully consider the recent events of our day
and examine the implications that such events may have on the future of
the United States and the entire world. At this present time, the world
is undergoing a profound transformation as we continue to see the United
States transmuted into a socialist country, wars and turmoil in the
Middle East persisting, and the European Union continuing to suffer the
consequences of an unstable economic system. I believe the forthcoming
years may be the most significant time in the history of mankind, which
will culminate in the destruction of Satan's kingdom and the return of
our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
In late October 2012 with Election Day
drawing near, a massive storm began to approach the East coast of the
United States. This storm, which was known as Hurricane Sandy, was the
largest storm by diameter ever recorded over the Atlantic Ocean with the
reach of its winds stretching 1,100 miles from one end to the other.
"Its circulation is enormous; it's affecting one way or another, the
entire eastern third of the country. The storm is the largest tropical
storm in the Atlantic," said Rob Carolan, a meteorologist from Nashua,
New Hampshire. Mr. Carolan further went on to say, "I have never seen a
storm this large in regards to wind flow. So many bad things had to come
together all at once.
It is going to make the 'Perfect Storm' look
small. It's remarkable what an impact this is going to have." (1)
On
October 29, 2012, Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley issued a dire
warning. "The days ahead are going to be very difficult," Governor
O'Malley declared. "There will be people who die and are killed in this
storm." (2)
Remarkably, Hurricane Sandy
accomplished feats that would have otherwise seemed impossible. For
example, not only did the storm wreak havoc on air travel around the
world while causing nearly ten thousand flights to be cancelled, it also
resulted in the shut-down of the New York Stock Exchange, as well as
the cancellation of all meetings that had been scheduled at the United
Nations building. (3)
In the aftermath of the storm,
millions of people in the states of New York, New Jersey, and the
surrounding regions were without power. (4)
Facing a sprawling power
outage and widespread gasoline shortages, the people of New York and New
Jersey grew increasingly frustrated and began to lash out against the
authorities. "This is America, not a third world nation. We need food,
we need clothing," said Staten Island borough president Jim Molinaro.
(5)
The unpleasant circumstances prompted one New Yorker to say, "I feel
like a victim of Hurricane Katrina. I never thought it could happen
here in New York, but it's happened." (6)
The damage caused by the storm was
significant. In fact, a report by the Associated Press indicates that
thousands upon thousands of trees have been uprooted, some of which were
over 120 years old. "These are perfectly healthy trees, some more than
120 years old that have survived hurricanes, ice storms, nor'easters,
anything Mother Nature could throw their way. Sandy was just too much,"
said Todd Forrest, a vice president at the New York Botanical Garden.
(7)
An estimated 10,000 trees were destroyed in New York City, while
113,000 were reportedly destroyed or damaged within the state of New
Jersey. (8)
Sadly, Hurricane Sandy also claimed the lives of over two
hundred people within the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean
region. (9)
For several months I had felt in my
spirit that Barack Obama would be given four more years as President of
the United States. As I watched the news of Hurricane Sandy, I could not
help but feel even more certain that Obama would be re-elected. A storm
of such significance, which occurred right before the election, hardly
seemed like a coincidence. I believe that Hurricane Sandy was symbolic
of the approaching spiritual storm which will soon engulf the United
States and much of the world.
Thankfully, we have a Saviour who will
guide us through this storm, and with His strength we will have the
power to endure until the end. In the book of Mark, chapter 4, we read
of Jesus Christ rebuking a storm and uttering the command, "Peace, be
still." In like manner, our Lord is ready and willing to give us the
strength and wherewithal to withstand the spiritual storms of this life.
Even as the waves are crashing all around us and the world sometimes
seems to be a bleak and hopeless place, our Saviour can speak to our
souls and tell us, "Peace, be still." For as the Apostle Paul wrote in
Philippians 4:7, "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,
shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." If you have not
yet completely yielded your heart to God, I urge you to do so now.
The Ramifications Of The 2012 Election!
On November 6, 2012, Barack Obama was
declared to be the winner of the 2012 presidential election. As news of
the election results were announced, the political divide in the United
States became fiercely pronounced. While Obama's supporters reacted with
great jubilation, his opponents responded with disgust, and in some
cases, incendiary remarks. In fact, upon learning that Obama would
occupy the Oval Office for another term, real estate mogul Donald Trump
declared the following, "This election is a total sham and a travesty.
We are not a democracy!" Mr. Trump then suggested that the American
people should stage a revolution. (10)
A large contingent of the American
people are so angry over the election results that they have filed
petitions with the White House requesting that their respective states
be allowed to secede from the United States of America. Although every
American state has some signatures requesting the right to secede, the
state of Texas exceeds all others by far with over 115,000 people
signing the petition as of this writing. (11)
While it is safe to assume
that the Federal government of the United States would never allow a
state to peacefully secede from the Union, these petitions serve as an
indicator of how unhappy and angry many Americans have become. It is
interesting to note that Texas Governor Rick Perry made an allusion to
the possibility of state secession during a speech in 2009. "We've got a
great union. There's absolutely no reason to dissolve it. But if
Washington continues to thumb their nose at the American people, you
know, who knows what might come out of that," Governor Perry stated.
(12)
I believe the 2012 election is an
indicator of a shift in the values of the majority of the American
people. This change in ideology will likely become even more noticeable
as the older conservative generations are replaced by young people who
have been taught from the time they were little children to embrace
liberal values such as socialism, abortion, and homosexuality. A liberal
writer by the name of Andrew Sullivan, who is widely known to be one of
Obama's biggest supporters, wrote the following words after the
conclusion of the election, "And one felt something tectonic shift
tonight. America crossed the Rubicon of every citizen's access to
healthcare, and re-elected a black president in a truly tough economic
climate. The shift toward gay equality is now irreversible. The end of
the prohibition of marijuana is now in sight. Women, in particular,
moved this nation forward - pragmatically, provisionally, sensibly."
(13)
Barack Obama has become well-known for
enacting oppressive new regulations such as the National Defense
Authorization Act, or NDAA, which allows for the indefinite detention of
American citizens. Now that he has been given another four years as
President of the United States, it seems likely that he will continue to
enact new rules, regulations, and executive orders, which will expand
the size of the government, expand its powers, and continually strip the
American people of their rights and freedom. Here let it be noted that
the Obama Administration has published an average of sixty-eight new
regulations and notifications per day over the last three months. (14)
It is also worthwhile to note that Barack Obama signed an executive
order on October 26, 2012, mandating the expansion of the Department of
Homeland Security by means of a Security Partnership Council, which will
establish partnerships between sectors of the Federal government with
non-government organizations. A portion of the executive order reads as
follows: "We must tap the ingenuity outside government through strategic
partnerships with the private sector, nongovernmental organizations,
foundations, and community-based organizations. Such partnerships are
critical to U.S. success at home and abroad, and we will support them
through enhanced opportunities for engagement, coordination,
transparency, and information sharing." (15)
This executive order will
establish a mechanism by which private organizations may become
tentacles of an ever-expanding government.
Although the re-election of Barack
Obama is difficult for most conservative Americans to swallow, we must
remember that God allowed this to happen for a reason. For as it says in
Daniel 4:17, "This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the
demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may
know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to
whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men." I do not
pretend to know the mind of God; however, I do trust Him implicitly and
fully believe that in the end all will be well through his mercy and
grace.
A New Wave Of Layoffs!
As Barack Obama hit the campaign trail
in 2012, he boasted that his economic policies are working and that the
rate of unemployment was improving. Yet, in the days immediately
following the election, the United States was hit with a deluge of job
layoffs. One such example is Murray Energy, which received attention in
the media after the chief executive officer of the company led a prayer
just before he began laying off his employees. "Lord, please forgive me
and anyone with me in the Murray Energy Corporation for the decisions
that we are now forced to make to preserve the very existence of any of
the enterprises that you have helped us build," prayed CEO Robert E.
Murray. (16)
Another expansive loss of jobs came at
the hands of Hostess Brands Inc., which announced on Friday, November
16, 2012, that it would shutter its operations permanently, including
565 distribution centers, 33 bakeries, and 570 bakery outlets. It was
also announced that approximately 18,500 workers would be laid off. (17)
Meanwhile, numerous companies have also announced layoffs, including
Energizer, Exide Technologies, Westinghouse, Research in Motion Ltd,
Hawker Beechcraft, Boeing, and US Cellular amongst various others. (18)
A large proportion of the layoffs now
being announced are the result of an increase in operating costs caused
by Barack Obama's forthcoming healthcare reforms, known as the Patient
Protection and Affordable Care Act. However, some companies have chosen
more creative ways to make up for the lost revenue. For example, Jon
Metz, a man who operates about forty Denny's restaurants in the state of
Florida, has announced that his establishments will be adding a 5
percent surcharge to every customer's bill in an effort to cover the
increase in expenses. It was also announced that the restaurants would
reduce the hours of many employees to twenty-eight per week to keep them
under the threshold which require they be provided with insurance.
Explaining the rationale for his decision, Metz was quoted as saying,
"Obviously, I'd love to cover all our employees under that insurance.
But to pay $5,000 per employee would cost us $175,000 per restaurant and
unfortunately, most of our restaurants don't make $175,000 a year. I
can't afford it." (19)
Even as numerous companies struggle to
remain profitable, the United States Postal Service had a record loss
for the fiscal year 2012, totaling 15.9 billion dollars. The dire
situation has caused great alarm for Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe
who was quoted as saying, "It's critical that Congress do its part and
pass comprehensive legislation before they adjourn this year to move the
Postal Service further down the path toward financial health." Donahoe
further went on to say, "We cannot sustain large losses indefinitely.
Major defaults are unsettling." (20)
Senator Tom Carper, a Democrat from
the state of Delaware, has also expressed concern over the fate of the
postal service. "The U.S. Postal Service is clearly marching toward a
financial collapse of its own. I am hopeful that now that the elections
are over, my colleagues and I can come together and pass postal reform
legislation so that a final bill can be signed into law by the end of
the year," Senator Carper said. (21) Art Sackler, co-coordinator of the
Coalition for a 21st Century Postal Service, also expressed worry
regarding the postal service. "If Congress fails to act, there could be
postal slowdowns or shutdowns that would have catastrophic consequences
for the eight million private sector workers whose jobs depend on the
mail," Sackler said. (22)
The Strong Ties Of Obama And Planned Parenthood!
In Matthew 19:14 we read, "But Jesus
said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for
of such is the kingdom of heaven." This verse is just one of many that
demonstrate the love and affection God has for children. Conversely, we
know that Satan has inspired men to slaughter children throughout the
ages, including the time of Moses' birth in Egypt and the time of Jesus'
birth when Herod ordered the slaying of all male infants, age two and
under, found in Bethlehem and the coastal areas. Sadly, this same
satanic influence is present today in the United States where millions
of innocent babies are aborted every year.
One of the staunchest proponents of
abortion in America today is none other than Barack Obama, who implied
on the campaign trail in 2008 that he would prefer his daughters to seek
abortions rather than to give birth in the case of unwanted
pregnancies. "I've got two daughters, nine years old and six years old. I
am going to teach them about values and morals. But if they make a
mistake, I don't want them punished with a baby," Obama declared. On
July 24, 2012, Obama again mentioned his daughters as part of the reason
he supports Planned Parenthood, an organization which proudly butchers
babies when given the opportunity. "Mr. Romney wants to get rid of
funding for Planned Parenthood. I think that's a bad idea. I've got two
daughters. I want them to control their own health care choices. We're
not going backwards, we're going forward," Obama said. (23)
Obama expressed his support for
Planned Parenthood multiple times on the campaign trail in 2012 and even
mentioned the organization four times during a presidential debate in
October. The praise for the group prompted Planned Parenthood president
Cecile Richards to say, "Never in their life would they imagine Planned
Parenthood would be mentioned with such pride by a president speaking to
millions, praising the work of Planned Parenthood. This has long-term
consequences. This is a day to remember." (24)
Frances Kissling, a
scholar from the University of Pennsylvania, declared that there has
been "a shift in the political climate" and that "the president and
others now think associating themselves very publically with Planned
Parenthood is favorable in the public eye." (25)
In the United States, approximately 40
percent of all abortions are performed at Planned Parenthood clinics.
This slaughter of innocents is reportedly a very lucrative business,
which earns the group 51 percent of its revenue, or about $164,154,000
each year. The group also receives 487.4 million dollars each year from
taxpayers. (26)
As we consider these facts, one might
wonder how Planned Parenthood came into being and how it has risen to
such prominence in recent years. In 1921 a group known as the American
Birth Control League, which would later become Planned Parenthood, was
founded by a radical socialist and humanist known as Margaret Sanger.
(27)
This woman was known to espouse the virtues of eugenics, which is a
belief that breeding should be carefully controlled to promote the
proliferation of desirable genetic traits, while culling weak or
undesirable genetic traits from the human race. She also believed that
black people are inferior to whites, and she was invited to speak before
groups involved with the Ku Klux Klan over a dozen times. (28)
In 1939
she began the "Negro Project," which involved the hiring of influential
black ministers to encourage black women to use birth control. (29)
It
is widely believed that this was an effort to pare down the black
population in the United States. Sadly, her plan seems to have worked.
Although black people only constitute about 12 percent of the population
in the United States, they account for 37 percent of all abortions in
the country, and 512 out of every 1000 pregnancies involving black women
are now terminated by abortion. (30)
Incidentally, Ms. Sanger also held
great contempt for large families. In her book entitled Woman and the
New Race she wrote, "The MOST serious evil of our times is that of
encouraging the bringing into the world of large families. The most
immoral practice of the day is breeding too many children." In another
portion of the book she wrote, "The most merciful thing that the large
family does to one of its infant members is to kill it." (31)
Today, Margaret Sanger is heralded as a
liberal hero and a champion of "women's rights." Planned Parenthood is
now bigger and more powerful than ever, and as a consequence, I believe
it has brought a curse upon the United States of America. In the book of
Deuteronomy, chapter 30, the Israelites were warned of the consequences
that would befall them if they served other gods. It is interesting to
note that the worship of false gods would often include child sacrifice,
and even today, many women, holding a belief that raising a child would
be too much of a financial burden, sacrifice their children for the
sake of money, which for many people has become a false god. Deuteronomy
30:17-19 conveys a remarkable message when you consider it in the
context of abortion. These verses read as follows: "But if thine heart
turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and
worship other gods, and serve them; I denounce unto you this day, that
ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the
land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it. I call
heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before
you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that
both thou and thy seed may live."
An Attempt By Atheists To Ensnare Your Children!
In Psalm 53:1 we read the following,
"The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God. Corrupt are they, and
have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good." This
verse makes it clear that there were people alive even thousands of
years ago who were foolish enough to proclaim that there is no God. In
recent years atheists have grown bolder, and one of their latest
endeavors is a new website designed to ensnare young children and
teenagers. The website, which is entitled "Kids Without God," features
resources for children designed to convert them to a humanist mindset.
"Whether they already made up their minds to reject supernatural
explanations, or are just questioning, it's time to make available an
online resource that's built just for kids without God," said Roy
Speckhardt, executive director at the American Humanist Association.
(32)
The front page of the website features
an introduction which says, "Welcome to Kids Without God, a site for
the millions of young people around the world who have embraced science,
rejected superstition, and are dedicated to being Good without a God!"
(33)
The section of the website intended for young children features
videos designed to brainwash them as well as a cute animated dog named
Darwin who is supposed to teach them to be good children without the
influence of God. (34)
The section designed for teenagers features an
advice column entitled "Dear Atheist" and articles such as "Can I date
an atheist even if I'm not one?" (35)
This website is another ploy from the
enemy designed to capture the minds of our impressionable youth. With
the constant barrage of secularism spewing forth from popular culture,
it is becoming increasingly difficult for parents to protect their
children from the flood of evil now so prevalent in these last days.
Trouble On The Horizon!
The world is facing numerous threats
which indicate the coming years may be very distressing for the earth's
population. In November 2012, a flare-up between Israel and the
Palestinians served as a reminder of just how volatile the Middle East
is in these tumultuous times. In this latest conflict, one hundred and
thirty Palestinians and five Israelis lost their lives as each side
launched a barrage of rockets at each other. After eight days of
fighting, a fragile cease-fire was announced, but there remains much
animosity between the two sides. "This is a critical moment for the
region. The people of this region deserve a chance to live free of fear
and violence and today's agreement is a step in that direction. Now we
have to focus on reaching a durable outcome," said U.S. Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton. (36)
In November 2012 it came to light that
the entire Eurozone, which consists of seventeen nations who use the
euro currency, has now fallen into a recession. "We can dispense with
the euphemisms and equivocation and openly proclaim that the euro area
economy is indeed in technical recession," said James Ashley, a senior
economist at RBC Capital Markets. (37)
Austerity measures in several
European nations have sparked protests, and experts have warned that
more protests are likely in the coming days. "The likelihood is that
this anger will continue to grow unless European leaders and
policymakers start to act as if they have a clue as to how to resolve
the crisis starting to unravel before their eyes," said Michael Hewson,
an analyst at CMC Markets. (38)
Meanwhile, economists are also warning
that the United States will likely enter into another recession in 2013
if something is not done to prevent the nation from falling over a
"fiscal cliff," which is a term coined by Federal Reserve chairman Ben
Bernanke to describe potential economic strife brought on by tax
increases and budget cuts scheduled to take place next year. "The fiscal
cliff impacts the economy both by creating uncertainty and by imposing
austerity. If we go over the cliff for an extended period of time, a
recession is likely," opined Ethan Harris, an economist at Bank of
America. (39)
In closing, I want to encourage each
and every one of you to fully put your faith and trust in God.
This
world is not always a pleasant place, yet through the mercy of our
Saviour we can truly be at peace. When I consider the trouble in this
world, I can't help but think of the words of the Apostle Paul, written
in II Corinthians 4:6-9, "For God, who commanded the light to shine out
of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the
knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have
this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may
be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not
distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not
forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed."
Thank you to all who so generously
support this ministry. This issue of the Last Trumpet Newsletter
concludes the 2012 volume of publication. If you subscribe to the paper
edition of this newsletter and would like to be included on the mailing
list for the year 2013, please remember to mail us your renewal form. As
always, if you have any prayer requests, we will gladly carry your
petition before the throne of the Almighty on your behalf. Grace and
peace be unto you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Samuel David Meyer
Acknowledgements
01. Bloomberg News, October 29, 2012, By Brian K. Sullivan, http://bloomberg.com.
02. Associated Press, October 29, 2012, By Associated Press, http://chicagotribune.com.
03. Ibid.
04. Associated Press, November 3, 2012, By Jocelyn Noveck and Michael Rubinkam, New York, NY.
05. Natural News, November 2, 2012, By Mike Adams, http://naturalnews.com.
06. Associated Press, November 3, 2012, By Jocelyn Noveck and Michael Rubinkam, New York, NY.
07. Associated Press, November 18, 2012, By The Associated Press, New York, NY.
08. Ibid.
09. Reuters News Service, November 16, 2012, By Robin Respaut, Dhanya Skariachan, Andrew Longstreth, and Barbara Goldberg, http://reuters.com.
10. Huffington Post, November 7, 2012, By Nick Wing, http://huffingtonpost.com.
11. Petition to the Whitehouse, November 9, 2012, http://petitions.whitehouse.gov.
12. WCPO News, November 20, 2012, By WCPO Staff, Cincinnati, OH.
13. The Daily Agenda, November 7, 2012, By The Daily Agenda, http://dailyagenda.org.
14. CNS News, November 9, 2012, By Penny Starr, http://cnsnews.com.
15. Official Executive Order, October 26, 2012, By Barack Obama, http://whitehouse.gov.
16. The Washington Post, November 9, 2012, By Steven Mufson, http://washingtonpost.com.
17. Los Angeles Times, November 16, 2012, By Alana Semuels, New York, NY.
18. The Blaze, November 8, 2012, By Mike Opelka, http://theblaze.com.
19. The Daily Mail, November 15, 2012, By James Nye, http://dailymail.co.uk.
20. Associated Press, November 15, 2012, By Hope Yen, Washington, D.C.
21. Ibid.
22. Ibid.
23. Life Site News, July 27, 2012, By Jill Stanek, http://lifesitenews.com.
24. The Daily Beast, October 18, 2012, By Allison Yarrow, http://thedailybeast.com.
25. Ibid.
26. Life News, September 5, 2012, By Matthew Clark, http://lifenews.com.
27. Wikipedia, Margaret Higgins Sanger, http://wikipedia.org.
28. Ibid.
29. The National Review, June 24, 2008, By Jonah Goldberg (excerpt from the book Liberal Fascism), http://nationalreview.com.
30. Ibid.
31. Woman and the New Race, by Margaret Sanger, http://bartleby.com/1013/5.html.
32. The Blaze, November 13, 2012, By Billy Hallowell, http://theblaze.com.
33. Kids Without God, Official Website, http://kidswithoutgod.com.
34. Kids Without God, Official Website, http://little.kidswithoutgod.com.
35. Kids Without God, Official Website, http://kidswithoutgod.com/teens.
36. ABC News, November 21, 2012, By Colleen Curry, http://abcnews.go.com.
37. Associated Press, November 15, 2012, By Pan Pylas, London, United Kingdom.
38. Ibid.
39. CNBC, October 19, 2012, By Jeff Cox, http://cnbc.com.
Special Note: A new tribute website for Pastor David J. Meyer can now be accessed at http://pastormeyer.org.
Comments regarding this newsletter or topic suggestions may be submitted to editor@lasttrumpetnewsletter.org.
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