"Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid."
Luke 8:35
"Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer you? Bring him hither to me. And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour."
Matthew 17:15-18
"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."
II Timothy 1:7
"Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy."
I Peter 1:13-16
In this issue of the Last Trumpet Newsletter, we will examine the events of our day and consider what God's Word has to say about the present state of mankind. The world is filled with constant reminders that far too many men and women alive today are bereft of any spiritual decency. On February 14, 2018, we were again reminded of this sad reality when a 19-year-old man known as Nikolas Cruz marched into Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, and used a semi-automatic rifle to massacre seventeen people. (1)
By all accounts, this young man, who is now under arrest, is a very disturbed individual. According to a report published by ABC News, Cruz told authorities that he heard voices telling him to commit this treacherous attack. (2) Further reports indicate that Cruz had been diagnosed with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. He also had a history of self-harm and was once reported to the authorities for cutting his arms in full public view on the social networking website known as Snapchat. (3) Over the course of seven years, police officers were dispatched to the home of Nikolas Cruz an astounding thirty-nine times, (4) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, or FBI, received a tip in January 2018 regarding his alarming behavior. "On January 5, 2018, a person close to Nikolas Cruz contacted the FBI's Public Access Line (PAL) tip-line to report concerns about him. The caller provided information about Cruz's gun ownership, desire to kill people, erratic behavior, and disturbing social media posts, as well as the potential of him conducting a school shooting," the FBI said in an official statement. (5)
Strangely, the FBI failed to investigate this tip, and the negligence regarding the mass-shooting in Parkland, Florida, does not stop there. The Broward County Sheriff's Office also received calls regarding the dangerous behavior of Nikolas Cruz, and much like the FBI, they failed to investigate. (6) To make matters worse, an armed security officer was on-site during the time of the shooting and made no effort to stop the killer. Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel stated that the armed officer "was absolutely on campus through this entire event. He was armed, he was in uniform." Sheriff Israel was also quoted as saying, "I think he remained outside for upwards of four minutes." (7) The missteps of the authorities in this sad story are mind-boggling. Those with skeptical minds might start to wonder if there is a force at work that actually wanted the shooting to take place.
In the aftermath of the mass shooting in Florida, a national debate is once again raging with liberals blaming easy access to guns for the massacre, and conservatives blaming mental illness as the root cause of this appalling violence. "So many signs that the Florida shooter was mentally disturbed, even expelled from school for bad and erratic behavior. Neighbors and classmates knew he was a big problem. Must always report such instances to authorities, again and again," wrote American President Donald Trump on the social networking website known as Twitter. (8) In some instances, the liberal mainstream media is not only pushing for stricter gun control laws but for an outright abolishment of the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution, which guarantees the American people the right to bear arms. On October 5, 2017, a columnist by the name of Bret Stephens wrote an article for the New York Times with a simple headline: "Repeal the Second Amendment." (9) Stephens then goes on to write, "Repealing the Amendment may seem like political Mission Impossible today, but in the era of same-sex marriage it's worth recalling that most great causes begin as improbable ones." (10) Following the horrific school shooting in Florida, Stephens wrote another article for the New York Times in February 2018. In this article, the columnist again declares that the Second Amendment must be repealed. "We need to repeal the Second Amendment because most gun-control legislation is ineffective when most Americans have a guaranteed constitutional right to purchase deadly weaponry in nearly unlimited quantities," he wrote. (11) On February 18, 2018, television personality Chuck Dodd appeared on NBC's "Sunday Today" news program where he too called for the Second Amendment to be repealed. (12) We are now seeing the stirrings of a new initiative, and I believe that within a few decades we could see the Second Amendment abolished.
The behavior of Nikolas Cruz bears the hallmarks of devilish influence. In Mark, chapter 5, and Luke, chapter 8, we find the story of a man whom Jesus met on his travels. This man was filled with devils, and would often cut himself with stones as he dwelt among the tombs. When Jesus came to this man, those devils were cast out, and suddenly, the disturbing and erratic behavior ceased. Luke 8:35 tells us, "Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid." Another story can be found in Matthew, chapter 17, where Jesus met a troubled young man who was said to be "sore vexed." The boy's father pleaded with Jesus to help his son who was oppressed by a devil and was prone to throw himself into fire or water. Jesus cast the evil spirit out, and the boy was suddenly no longer a danger to himself or others.
Mental illness is certainly a very real problem. In 2014 Newsweek Magazine reported that nearly one out of every five adults in the United States suffers from some form of mental illness. (13) Another report from Time Magazine claims that thirteen percent of all Americans today are taking antidepressants. (14) The vast majority of these people are not mass murderers, yet there are some individuals with issues that go well beyond a chemical imbalance in the brain. Behavior in people that is often attributed to mental illness is in reality caused by oppression from evil spirits. This is a fact that is difficult to convince people to believe because most people in this modern age do not believe that the devil and his cohorts exist. Nevertheless, these tragedies continue to happen, and even if the United States government successfully confiscated every firearm in the hands of the American public, it would not change the fact that there are demonically influenced people in this world who have murder in their hearts and on their minds. Only God can give us clean hearts, a fact that King David was well aware of when he wrote in Psalm 51:10, "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." We also look to God for soundness of mind. In II Timothy 1:7 we find this assurance, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."
China - From The World's Garbage Dump To Global Superpower
If you have ever shopped at a Walmart store, you have probably noticed that a lot of products sold at the iconic mass merchandiser are made in China. This is not surprising when we consider the fact that 70 to 80 percent of all merchandise sold at Walmart is sourced from China according to data released in 2016 by the Alliance for American Manufacturing. (15) The trade deficit between the United States and China has favored China since the 1980s, and it has worsened each and every year. Simply put, the United States imports far more from China than China exports to the United States. In 2017 the trade deficit totaled 375 billion dollars, which is a new record. (16) This was all made possible when former American President Richard Nixon opened diplomatic relations with China in 1972. As a consequence, the United States is greatly indebted to China while China continues to slowly siphon money away from the United States.
In years past, the number one export from the United States to China was recyclable garbage. (17) Massive amounts of plastics and paper waste products were shipped to China for years. The garbage was recycled and then reused to make new merchandise, which was then sold to the United States and other countries. However, in 2017 the Chinese government announced that it no longer wanted to be the "world's garbage dump" and has now banned the import of many types of recyclable material. (18) In a letter to the World Trade Organization written last year, China wrote, "Large amounts of dirty wastes or even hazardous wastes are mixed in the solid waste that can be used as raw materials. This polluted China's environment seriously." (19) As a result of the ban, countries such as Britain, Canada, Ireland, Germany, and the United States are struggling to process growing mountains of trash. (20) As for China, the autocratic Asian country has moved on to greater ambitions.
In October 2017 the Chinese government outlined plans to become the world's premier superpower within thirty years. Speaking at the Great Hall of the People, Chinese President Xi Jinping stated the objective of his nation was to become "a great modern socialist country." Further elaborating, the Chinese President told his audience, "The Chinese nation… has stood up, grown rich, and become strong - and it now embraces the brilliant prospect of rejuvenation… It will be an era that sees China moving closer to center stage and making greater contributions to mankind." (21) Regarding this speech, Dr. Malcolm Davis of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute was quoted as saying, "China doesn't want to be a just regional superpower, it wants to be the superpower." (22)
Based on recent headlines, the Chinese government has been making significant progress on advanced technologies. This includes the development of a new hypersonic jet that can fly anywhere in the world within three hours. Recent tests of a scaled-down model of this jet found that it was capable of traveling 5,343 miles per hour. (23) China also has a new fighter jet known as the Chengdu J-20. This aircraft can hit targets from 120 miles away with technology that is believed to have been stolen from the United States. (24) The Chinese government has also deployed advanced warships and is working feverishly to develop artificial intelligence which will be used on nuclear submarines and in other weapons. The use of artificial intelligence has allowed China to develop swarms of drones that can work together and fly in formation. (25) Speaking of these developments, Elsa B. Kania of the Center for a New American Security in Washington, D.C., was quoted as saying, "The U.S. no longer possesses clear military-technical dominance, and China is rapidly emerging as a would-be superpower in science and technology." (26) Perhaps we should ask ourselves what China intends to do with their growing arsenal of weapons.
Officials within the United States government have begun to sound the alarm regarding China's ambitious plans. "One of the things we're trying to do is view the China threat as not just a whole-of-government threat, but a whole-of-society threat on their end. And I think it's going to take a whole-of-society response by us," said FBI Director Christopher Wray at a meeting with the Senate Intelligence Committee. (27) Meanwhile, a report published by the Worldwide Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community has claimed that China is using cyber espionage and attacks to pilfer American technology. "China will continue to use cyber-espionage and bolster cyber-attack capabilities to support national security priorities," the report states. (28) Additionally, due to the potential security implications, American intelligence officials have warned the American people not to use smartphones manufactured by the Chinese companies known as Huawei and ZTE. Further explaining this warning, Christopher Wray said that the American government is "deeply concerned about the risks of allowing any company or entity that is beholden to foreign governments that don't share our values to gain positions of power inside our telecommunications networks." (29)
As it stands, Chinese investors have already purchased numerous American companies. These companies include movie theater chain AMC, Smithfield Foods, GE Appliances, Motorola Mobility, and the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York City. (30) Interestingly enough, the Waldorf Astoria is now directly under the control of the Chinese government. The hotel was purchased by the Chinese firm known as Anbang Insurance Group in 2014, but amid fears of insolvency, control of Anbang was seized by the China Insurance Regulatory Commission in February 2018. (31)
Could we someday wake up and find that the United States of America is no longer the world's greatest superpower? We know from the Bible that the ancient Israelites once enjoyed a prosperous kingdom. However, after living rebelliously and serving false deities, God allowed the Northern Kingdom of Israel to be carried off into captivity by the Assyrians. Later on, the Southern Kingdom of Judah was carried off into captivity by the Babylonians. A similar thing could happen to the United States if the rebellious behavior in this country continues.
Greater And Growing Confusion
Without a doubt, we live in a very confusing time. After years of children being told that they can be whatever they want to be, many of them are finding themselves perplexed about their own gender. It was never meant to be complicated. In fact, God put it in the very simplest terms. In Mark 10:6, Jesus himself tells us, "But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female." According to a new study, the number of teenagers in the United States who identify as transgender is likely far greater than previously believed. The study includes responses from 81,000 teenagers in the state of Minnesota and determined that 2,200 of the respondents identify as "transgender" or "gender nonconforming." (32) Once considered just a tiny fringe of the human population, the transgender movement is now growing at a quickening pace.
Sadly, the new wave of transgenderism is now starting to rip families apart. Such is the case in Hamilton County, Ohio, where a judge recently rescinded parental rights from a couple who refused to allow their daughter to undergo hormone treatments that would make her look more like a boy. Since her parents refused to give in to the demand, guardianship of the teenage girl was awarded to her grandparents. This case sets a dangerous precedent, and now parents all over the country could be at risk of losing their children if they refuse to allow such treatments. Speaking of this case, Judge Sylvia Sieve Hendon was quoted as saying, "It is unfortunate that this case required resolution by the Court as the family would have been best served if this could have been settled within the family after all parties had ample exposure to the reality of the fact that the child truly may be gender nonconforming and has a legitimate right to pursue life with a different gender identity than the one assigned at birth." It is a travesty that children are now being allowed to dictate such decisions which they could very well come to regret later in life. Judge Hendon acknowledged that there will likely be similar cases in the future. "What is clear from the testimony presented in this case and the increasing worldwide interest in transgender care is that there is a reasonable expectation that circumstances similar to the one at bar are likely to repeat themselves," the judge declared. (33)
The transgender movement is even affecting religious institutions. On February 11, 2018, a special "renaming ceremony" was held for a transgender minister formerly known as Rose Beeson at the St. Matthew Trinity Lutheran Church in Hoboken, New Jersey. This Lutheran pastor is now called Peter, and the congregation of her church wholeheartedly approves of this change. "This is a wonderful day in the life of this radically inclusive community," said one member of the church. Bishop Tracie Bartholomew, who officiated at this ceremony, was quoted as saying, "I support Pastor Beeson coming to the realization of who he really is." She later went on to say,"St. Matthew Trinity is a welcoming place and showing leadership to respond to gender identity and sexuality." (34) Sadly, it has become apparent that a growing number of churches no longer care about what God tells us in His Word. Yet, we know that Psalm 119:89 tells us, "For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven."What God says in our Holy Scriptures will stand forever. Regarding this renaming ceremony, I suspect that Martin Luther, the founder of the Lutheran denomination, would not be pleased.
The Normalization Of Homosexuality
I often find myself amazed at how quickly things can change. Just ten short years ago, the United States of America was a much different country than it is today. 2008 was the year that we saw former American President Barack Obama elected to his first presidential term, and by the year 2015, same-sex marriage was legal in every American state. Homosexuality is a lifestyle that is abhorrent to God but widely accepted in the world. The attitudes and mindsets of the people are often shaped by Hollywood, and the entertainment industry has done much to normalize the homosexual lifestyle.
In 2017 a film entitled "Moonlight" became the first homosexual-themed movie to win an Academy Award for Best Picture. On March 4, 2018, the 90th edition of the Academy Awards will take place in Hollywood, California, and this year's nominees include numerous films featuring LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning) characters. "It's a big day for LGBTQ-inclusive films at the Academy Awards. Films like 'The Shape of Water,' 'A Fantastic Woman,' 'Lady Bird,' and 'Call Me By Your Name' not only have complex, detailed, and moving portrayals, but prove that audiences and critics alike are hungry for stories which embrace diversity. These important stories move the needle forward on LGBTQ acceptance at a time when media images are often the front lines for marginalized communities," said Sarah Kate Ellis, who is the president and CEO of the homosexual advocacy group known as GLAAD. (35) In an article dated February 21, 2018, Variety Magazineproudly proclaimed that 2018 is a "Banner Year for LGBTQ Representation at the Oscars." (36)
To make matters worse, homosexual actor Rupert Everett has now become a movie director and is set to release a new biopic based on the life of the famous 19th-century writer Oscar Wilde. The film focuses on the downfall of Wilde after he was revealed to be a homosexual. "I do find that being a gay performer in cinema there's many parallels between being an outcast or not ever being quite accepted into a milieu. So I think it's definitely one of the things that drew me to try to tell the story,"Everett said. He then went on to say of Wilde, "He's an amazing Christ figure to me." (37) This is rank blasphemy!
Homosexuality today has become so normalized that there are few who dare speak against it. Even American President Donald Trump sent a letter to the Log Cabin Republicans, a collective of "LGBT Conservatives," in December 2017 to congratulate the group on its 40th anniversary. (38) In January 2018 Catholic Bishop Franz-Josef Bode of Germany suggested that the Catholic Church devise a new ceremony to bless homosexual unions. Speaking of his proposal, the bishop stated, "We need to think about how we can differentiate a relationship between two same-sex people. Is not there so much that is positive, good, and right that we have to be fairer?" He then went on to say, "We must therefore ask ourselves how we meet those who enter into this relationship and who are also partly involved in the Church… How do we accompany them pastorally and liturgically? How do we live up to them?" (39) Yes, the world has changed and is growing more permissive each day.
How Bad Can It Get?
We live in a strange period of time where many people have no ability to discern right from wrong. Gross wickedness has even seeped into so-called Christian institutions as demonstrated by a recent event which took place in Bethesda, Maryland. On January 29, 2018, four pastors who call themselves Christians and one Jewish rabbi gathered to bless an abortion clinic. Baptist minister Carlton Veazey led a prayer wherein he stated, "God of grace and God of glory, in whom we move and live, keep them safe and keep them strong. And may they always know that all that they do is for thy glory." (40) Cari Jackson, a minister from the United Church of Christ, also offered a profane prayer. "We give honor to all of these women who choose to come to this space. We sanctify this space, and we honor this as holy,"Jackson uttered. (41) This particular abortion clinic is one of the few remaining in the United States that specializes in late-term abortions. (42) It is truly a reproach upon this country that such clinics even exist and an even greater reproach that ministers are asking God to bless murderers.
In closing, we live in a world with many problems, and people navigating the turmoil of this modern age often do not know where to turn. Reading the news often fills people with a sense of dread and woe, and a scourge of drug abuse in the United States has only amplified this impression of hopelessness. According to an article from the Los Angeles Times, widespread use of opioids and alcohol has led to an "epidemic of despair" in America. (43) Yet, I find my hope and strength in God. Only He can fill the void in our lives that so many are feeling today. In I Peter 1:13-16 we are instructed, "Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy." I urge every reader of this newsletter to yield your hearts and minds to God and put your faith and trust in Him. If you have not yet repented of your sins and dedicated your life to God, I encourage you to do so now.
As always, we are grateful to our supporters and thankful for this opportunity to serve you. If you have any prayer requests, our team of intercessors is ready to bring your petitions before the throne of Almighty God. Every prayer request we receive is always given individual attention. Grace and peace be unto you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Samuel David Meyer
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