The Endeavors Of Mankind In The Present And Future by Samuel David Myer

Last Trumpet Ministries, PO Box 806, Beaver Dam, WI 53916
Phone: 920-887-2626 Internet: http://www.lasttrumpetministries.org

"If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable."

I Corinthians 15:19

"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in [all] holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness."

II Peter 3:10-13

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life."

John 5:24

In this issue of the Last Trumpet Newsletter, we will thoughtfully consider the endeavors of mankind in the present and future and the ultimate conclusion of time that is coming. The men and women who inhabit this world understand that our time on planet Earth is limited. Attention to this very fact is drawn in James 4:14 which tells us,"Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." Scriptures also tell us that the world itself will one day grow old and wear out. Isaiah 51:6 tells us, "Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished." As Christians we know that, yes, this world will come to an end someday, but we have the promise of God's unending salvation.

There are others, however, who have not embraced the glorious promises of God and the assurance of everlasting life through Jesus Christ our Lord. These include men and women who are considered to have the most brilliant minds of all humanity. Such was the case with the world famous physicist Stephen Hawking who passed away on March 14, 2018, at the age of 76. Hawking, who was confined to a wheelchair because he suffered from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which is commonly known as ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease, was well-known for his teachings on evolution, black holes, and the theory of relativity. He also vehemently opposed the existence of an intelligent God. "I regard the brain as a computer which will stop working when its components fail. There's no heaven or afterlife for broken down computers; that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark," Hawking once said. (1) Despite his atheistic views, Hawking did seem to have a fascination with the end of the world. According to a report by CNBC, Hawking's final paper, which is currently under review, is entitled "A Smooth Exit from Eternal Inflation" and predicts the end of the universe. (2) The report also notes that Hawking had previously predicted that Planet Earth would become a "giant ball of fire" by the year 2600. (3) This prediction may not be far off. In II Peter 3:10 we find the words of the Apostle Peter which declare, "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up."

It is apparent that the scientific community understands that our world's days are numbered. As such, in what is a futile attempt to outsmart God, plans are now being made to colonize space and other planets. National Geographic published a story on March 3, 2018, with a headline that states, "There's Only One Way for Humanity to Survive. Go to Mars." The story features an interview with scientist Michio Kaku who has written a new book entitled "The Future of Humanity." In this book the author pointedly declares, "Either we must leave the Earth or we will perish." (4) Considering this belief that the world is doomed, it is not surprising that Elon Musk, the billionaire founder of Tesla Motors and the space exploration company known as SpaceX, is now readying a rocket that he claims will soon be able to travel to Mars. The space vehicle is supposed to be completed by 2019, and plans are underway to send a cargo mission to Mars by the year 2022. "We are building the first ship, the first Mars or interplanetary ship right now and I think we'll be able to do short flights, short up and down flights, probably in the first half of next year," Musk said at the South by Southwest conference in March 2018. (5) Musk also told his audience that the first humans who endeavor to travel to Mars will likely die. "For the early people that go to Mars, it will be far more dangerous… It's difficult, dangerous, good chance you'll die, excitement for those who survive," declared Musk. (6) Additionally, American President Donald Trump floated the idea of establishing a new military branch known as the "Space Force." "Space is a war-fighting domain, just like the land, air and sea. We may even have a Space Force, develop another one, Space Force. We have the Air Force, we'll have the Space Force," Trump suggested. (7)

In I Corinthians 15:19 the Apostle Paul writes, "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." Indeed, I would truly feel miserable if I thought this present life is all that we will ever have. Yet, I know that the hope of mankind is not a new home in outer space, nor is it a colony on Mars. Rather, our hope is in Jesus Christ. In John 5:24 our Saviour tells us, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." I urge every reader of this newsletter to put your hope, trust, and faith in God. If you have not yet repented of your sins and dedicated your life to Him, I urge you to do so now.

A Tale Of Two Bombers

For those who follow news headlines, it is obvious that we live in a dangerous world. There is peril on every continent, and yet, when faced with dangers up close and personal, it is a rather shocking experience. The city of Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, a place that I have called home for more than thirty years, is described by our Chamber of Commerce as a "picturesque community" surrounded by lush farmland and a tranquil lake. Looks can be deceiving, however.

On March 5, 2018, the city of Beaver Dam was rocked by an unexpected explosion at an apartment complex. It was later revealed that the occupant of the apartment who perished in the explosion, had been making numerous bombs. "It appears to look like he was making bombs because of the explosion," said Beaver Dam Police Chief John Kreuziger. (8) Upon investigation it was discovered that a large amount of explosive material remained in the building and would require drastic action to neutralize. "These materials are so sensitive they cannot be handled and cannot be removed [from the] affected apartment unit," Kreuziger reported. (9) Enlisting help from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, a plan was devised to detonate the remaining explosives on March 7, 2018. (10) However, the controlled detonation failed to eliminate all of the explosives, and a state of emergency was declared. It was quickly determined that the entire apartment building would have to be destroyed, and residents were told they would lose most of their possessions. (11) On March 15, 2018, with volunteers from more than twenty fire departments on hand, the building was set ablaze and consumed within hours. "The fire burned hot enough to accomplish what we need to do. The FBI bomb squad and chemist have confirmed that no explosive materials remain on site," said Beaver Dam Fire Chief Alan Mannel. (12)

The explosives maker was later revealed to be 28-year-old Benjamin Morrow. (13) He appeared to be a normal young man who had been homeschooled and later attended a Christian college in Florida. His motivation for making these explosives is completely unknown, and many lingering questions remain. Just what did he intend to do with these bombs? We can only wonder what plans were interrupted, but it could very well be that it was a divine act of protection that there were no further injuries. We thank God that our friends, family, and the people of this city were kept safe.

Oddly enough, even as Benjamin Morrow toiled in his apartment with his deadly explosives, another young man was terrorizing the city of Austin, Texas, with homemade explosive devices. On March 2, 2018, a 39-year-old man was killed by a package bomb that had been left on his porch. Ten days later, a 17-year-old boy was killed by another package bomb that also injured his mother. On the same day, a 75-year-old woman sustained injuries from another bomb. Two bicyclists were injured when a bomb utilizing a tripwire was set off on March 18, 2018. The next day, a package exploded at a Fedex facility near San Antonio, Texas. (14) As more than 500 law enforcement personnel hunted for the person responsible for these senseless acts of violence, questions swirled about who might be responsible. "My mind was racing this morning. Is it a former oil-field worker that's extremely familiar with explosive devices? Is it a former military EOD (explosive ordinance disposal)? Former fire/police officer that's got training in bombs?" wondered Clint McNair, a former detective from Garland, Texas. (15) On March 21, 2018, authorities revealed that the suspect believed to be responsible for the bombings blew himself up in his car while being pursued by the police. The suspect, we have been told, is Mark Anthony Conditt, a 23-year-old man from Pflugerville, Texas. Those who knew him were shocked to learn of the allegations against him, and one neighbor described him as "smart" and "polite." (16) What is causing these seemingly normal young men to become killers? Is it mind control? Is it demonic influence? One thing is certain: our world is fraught with danger, and the devil will use anyone he can to wreak havoc.

A Call For A Revolution

If you ever need an example of how fractured the United States of America is today, simply bring up the topic of gun control in a room full of strangers. There are many Americans who affirm their right to bear arms in accordance with the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution, and there are others actively seeking to establish new gun control regulations. There is great animosity between the two sides, and in recent weeks, the rift between them has grown more pronounced.

On February 28, 2018, American President Donald Trump offered his opinions on the topic at a meeting with American lawmakers. "We can't wait and play games and nothing gets done. We want to stop the problems," Trump declared. At this same meeting, President Trump publicly accused Republican Senator Pat Toomey from Pennsylvania of being afraid of the National Rifle Association, or NRA. (17) In his most surprising statement, Trump stated that guns should be taken away from anyone deemed to be dangerous without due process. "Take the guns first, go through due process second," he said. The entity responsible for deciding who is too dangerous to own a gun was not specified. His other proposals include new legislation that would expand background checks for individuals buying firearms and raising the age at which Americans could legally purchase such weapons to 21 years old. (18)

As is the case with most controversial issues nowadays, the topic of gun control has led to protests and rallies all over the United States. Many of the protestors are America's youth. Among them, Parkland, Florida, school student David Hogg has emerged as a leader of the protest movement. Sadly, he has shown himself to be a foul-mouthed individual with no respect for older generations. "When your old (expletive) parent is like, 'I don't know how to send an iMessage' and you're just like, 'Give me the (expletive) phone and let me handle it.' Sadly, that's what we have to do with our government; our parents don't know how to use a (expletive) democracy so we have to," Hogg said in an interview. (19) The hatred and disdain evident in his words are astonishing.

On March 24, 2018, Hogg gave a rousing speech at the March for Our Lives Rally in Washington, D.C. His speech was surprisingly eloquent given the nature of his profanity-laced tirade mentioned above. He is either a remarkable speechwriter or someone wrote the speech for him. "The cold grasp of corruption shackles the District of Columbia. The winter is over. Change is here. The sun shines on a new day and the day is ours. First-time voters show up 18% of the time in midterm elections? Not anymore. Who here is going to vote in the 2018 election? If you listen real close you can hear the people in power shaking," Hogg declared. In one notable moment, the young orator defiantly raised a clenched fist in a manner reminiscent of the communist salute. Hogg also appeared on the television program "Good Morning America" and stated rather matter-of-factly, "Today we are going to start a revolution." He then went on to say, "We will change America with or without these politicians." (20)

Although Mr. Hogg and many other protestors will say that they have no interest in abolishing the Second Amendment, on occasion the real agenda does become evident. Another speaker at the March for Our Lives was the 9-year-old granddaughter of Martin Luther King Jr. At this event Yolanda Renee King, who was almost certainly coached, told the crowd, "I have a dream that enough is enough. That this should be a gun-free world. Period." (21) Whoever told this little girl to say these words obviously seeks a total disarmament of the people.

As we continue to hear calls for stricter gun control measures, it should be noted that gun laws already exist in this country. For example, background checks are usually performed when someone buys a gun and convicted felons are prohibited from owning firearms. Could more rules be put in place? Certainly. Would criminals abide by these rules? Certainly not. If the government ever decides to confiscate all firearms from the American people, there are many who would likely not give up their weapons without a fight. Thus, a gun-grab could easily start a war. There could be exceedingly dangerous days ahead.

The Hyper-Invasive Nature Of Technology

There was a time in this country when the American people valued privacy. Future generations, however, may never have a private moment as the world becomes increasingly open and connected thanks to new advances in technology. Companies such as Facebook and Google now collect extraordinary amounts of data regarding their users, and the things they know about people are truly amazing. A report published by TechCrunch on March 23, 2018, puts it bluntly. "Facebook knows literally everything about you," the headline declares. The article goes on to detail how Facebook not only saves every thought and picture you share and every message you send while on their website, but they also track other websites you visit, too. Additionally, if you use Facebook's service on your smartphone, there is a good chance they are collecting information about every message you send, every phone call you make, and the names and numbers of your contacts. (22)

In another development, Google has released a new "smart camera" called Clips. This device is placed in the user's home and is constantly watching all activity within its vicinity. The camera, which costs about $250, then uses artificial intelligence to capture candid moments of your family and pets and whatever else might be happening around you. (23) Not only is technology becoming more invasive, but users are voluntarily placing these devices in their homes.

Google already has the ability to track the movements and whereabouts of smartphone users who use the operating system known as Android. In fact, it was revealed in March 2018 that the police department in Raleigh, North Carolina, presented Google with a warrant demanding information about every smartphone user within a specific seventeen acre area. (24) Google has also partnered with the United States Department of Defense to develop artificial intelligence for use with drones. The program, which is called "Project Maven," allows drones to accurately detect and identify objects in thirty-eight categories while also tracking the movements of individuals. (25) Thus, Google has become a de-facto extension of the American government.

The Robots Have Arrived

In recent years we have been told repeatedly that the robots are coming. It seems that they have now arrived. In fact, you might see robots roaming the aisles at Walmart shopping centers very soon. These new robots are six feet tall and equipped with a variety of cameras and sensors tasked with monitoring the inventory on the shelves and checking price tags. Using artificial intelligence, these sophisticated robots can scan an entire aisle in about ninety seconds and are smart enough to avoid collisions with objects or people. "We boxed it in with four TV cameras earlier and it made a decision on the fly as to how to figure out a way around so that it could carry on with its job. That's the most rewarding thing, when it successfully navigates a really complex and dynamic space and just gets on with the job. It's unobtrusive, it just carries on," gushed Martin Hitch, the chief business officer at the robot's manufacturer, Bossanova. (26) Walmart is currently testing these robots at fifty stores in the United States. (27)

Meanwhile, a fast food restaurant in Pasadena, California, has installed a new robot they call "Flippy." Using thermal imaging and camera vision, Flippy is tasked with cooking hamburgers and cleaning the grill. "It detects the temperature of the patty, the size of the patty, and the temperature of the grilling surface," explained David Zito, the chief executive officer at Miso Robotics. Zito was also quoted as saying, "The kitchen of the future will always have people in it, but we see that kitchen as having people and robots." (28)

Even as robots wander about in Walmart, more and more driverless cars are beginning to populate American roadways. However, it is no longer just passenger cars that are being fully automated. A company known as Waymo, which is owned by Alphabet Inc., is now testing driverless freight trucks in Atlanta, Georgia. (29) This development is likely to cause anxiety amongst American truck drivers who could eventually be deemed unnecessary once the technology is perfected. More concerning is the potential for devastating accidents. Although automakers insist that driverless vehicles are perfectly safe and will ultimately reduce traffic fatalities, a recent accident in Tempe, Arizona, is challenging the validity of these claims. On March 18, 2018, a driverless car, owned by the ride hailing company known as Uber, struck and fatally injured a 49-year-old woman. In response, Uber halted all further testing of autonomous vehicles on public roads and issued a statement saying, "Our hearts go out to the victim's family. We are fully cooperating with local authorities in their investigation of this incident." (30) Despite the accident, plans are still underway for more driverless cars to be deployed. General Motors is hoping to launch a robot taxi service next year. (31) Additionally, Waymo has reached a deal with Jaguar to produce 20,000 driverless cars. The vehicles will be unleashed on American roads in about four years. (32) Ready or not, here they come!

In February 2018 former Google executive Eric Schmidt attempted to assuage fears regarding the dangers of robots and artificial intelligence. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Schmidt was quoted as saying, "Everyone immediately then wants to talk about all the movie-inspired death scenarios, and I can confidently predict to you that they are one to two decades away. So let's worry about them, but let's worry about them in a while." If Schmidt was trying to make people feel safer, he did not do a very good job. He further went on to say, "The other point that I want to remind everyone, these technologies [artificial intelligence] have serious errors in them and they should not be used with life-critical decisions. So I would not want to be in an airplane where the computer was making all the general intelligence decisions about flying it. The technology is just not reliable enough - there [are] too many errors in its use. It is advisory, it makes you smarter and so forth, but I wouldn't put it in charge of command and control." (33) Considering this statement, is it really such a good idea to put driverless cars and trucks on public roads?

In closing, it has become evident that there are constricting forces at work in this world. In recent weeks the social networking website known as Facebook and the video sharing website known as YouTube have greatly increased censorship efforts. According to a report by Bloomberg News, Google has hired 10,000 new moderators to police YouTube content, and they are actively removing thousands of videos on the website. According to a YouTube representative, some of these deletions were an error. "As we work to hire rapidly and ramp up our policy enforcement teams throughout 2018, newer members may misapply some of our policies resulting in mistaken removals," a YouTube spokeswoman said. (34) Nevertheless, this trend could be an indicator of things to come, and it could become increasingly difficult to publish content online.

As we grow ever closer to the return of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, there is a great spiritual darkness in this world, but the light of God will shine on. Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:14-16, "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

Thank you all for your kind support of this ministry. If you have any prayer requests, great or small, you are invited to send them our way. Our team of intercessors always give each prayer request individual attention. Grace and peace be unto you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Samuel David Meyer

The Turmoil Of This Modern Age by Samuel David Meyer

"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

Unbelief And Terror In This Modern Age! by Samuel David Meyer

Volume XXXV      Issue IV      April 2016
Last Trumpet Ministries, PO Box 806, Beaver Dam, WI 53916
Phone: 920-887-2626 Internet: http://www.lasttrumpetministries.org

Unbelief And Terror In This Modern Age!

"And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?"

Luke 18:7-8

"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

Matthew 7:13-14

"There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."

Proverbs 14:12

In this issue of the Last Trumpet Newsletter, we will examine the trends of this modern age, which indicate that there has been a great turning away from God in the United States of America. Over the course of recent decades, it has been easy to see a change in the attitudes of the people. While there was once great reverence for God in our country, this once ubiquitous respect is not as common as it was in the past. This is especially true amongst America's young people, including teenagers and those in their 20s and 30s. Evidence of this trend can be found in the results of a decades-long study which were recently published, prompting The Independent to declare in its headline, "The percentage of Americans who believe in God is at an all-time low." (1) According to the study, which began in 1972 and concluded in 2014, the number of Americans who said they do not believe in God was doubled over the period between 1980 and 2014. During this same period, the number of Americans who reported that they never prayed increased five-fold. (2) Dr. Jean Twenge, who is a psychology professor at San Diego State University, offered a rather clinical assessment of the study's findings. "Most previous studies concluded that fewer Americans were publicly affiliating with a religion, but that Americans were just as religious in private ways. That's no longer the case, especially in the last few years. The large declines in religious practice among young adults are also further evidence that Millennials are the least religious generation in memory, and possibly in American history," Dr. Twenge stated. (3) Of the study's participants, one third of the Americans who had reached their 30s by the year 2014 declared themselves to be secular. (4) Oddly enough, it was also noted by researchers that the number of participants who believe in the afterlife actually increased. Thus, it would seem that there are people who do not believe in God but do believe in Heaven. "It was interesting that fewer people participated in religion or prayed but more believed in an afterlife. It might be part of a growing entitlement mentality - thinking you can get something for nothing," Dr. Twenge said. (5) Those who are expecting to enjoy a pleasant afterlife without God will someday experience a rude awakening. In Proverbs 14:2 we read, "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."

In another study, which was conducted by Pew Research between June 4, 2014, and September 30, 2014, it was found that only 50 percent of young Millennials - those born between 1990 and 1996 - believe that God exists with absolute certainty. Additionally, only 52 percent said they believe that the Bible is the Word of God, and only 56 percent said they believe in the existence of hell. (6) What is the root cause of this unbelief? Most people no longer read their Bibles. It was reported in 2013 that only 26 percent of Americans who were polled ever read their Bibles. Of those who did claim that they read the Bible, 57 percent of them said they only do so four times per year or less. (7)

Clearly, the United States is being transformed into a secular society. It is a process that does not happen overnight, but rather, it occurs slowly over a span of decades and years. Yet, I have seen this country change dramatically in just the short time I have been alive. In America, we now have legalized same-sex marriage, widespread abortion, and a prevalent hostility to public displays of Christian faith. Many of today's young people are not only secular, but they are also socialist. They adore their favorite Presidential candidate, the openly socialist and secular Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont. In fact, 30,000 people showed up at a Sanders campaign rally which took place on March 22, 2016, in San Diego, California. Reports indicate that the lines backed up for miles as people waited to enter the event and forced officials to open two overflow areas of the San Diego Convention Center to accommodate the crowd. (8)

Today, there are many regions of the world which now have predominantly secular societies. This is especially true in Europe. For example, research performed by Gallup found that 76 percent of the study's respondents in Sweden identified as either not religious or atheist. In both the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, 66 percent of the respondents reported themselves to be secular. High percentages of secularism also exists in Germany, Switzerland, Spain, France, Denmark, Austria, and Ireland where more than 50 percent of the population is either not religious or atheist according to the poll. (9) Some of the other countries included in the research with high percentages of secularism are: Israel - 65 percent, Japan - 62 percent, Australia - 58 percent, and Canada - 53 percent. (10) In perhaps just a few generations from now, the United States too will be a predominantly secular nation. This trend calls to mind the words of Jesus we find in Luke 18:8, "Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?"

The United Nations - Now More Intrusive Than Ever!

Since the United Nations first came into existence on October 24, 1945, we have been told that their mission is to establish lasting peace. In reality, this organization was formed to establish a one world government and a new world order. In previous issues of this newsletter, we have discussed the United Nations' 2030 Agenda, which is a vast sweeping set of reforms they hope to implement by the year 2030. In March 2016, the United Nations further revealed the mechanism they plan to use to ensure that their agenda is progressing as planned. As it turns out, the United Nations' Statistical Commission has been tasked with gathering enormous amounts of data, which they refer to as global indicators, from every country in the world. It is expected that every nation will gather this data and then submit it to the United Nations. The data will then be used by the Secretary-General of the United Nations to compile an annual progress report.

It takes a tremendous amount of determination to read the entire list of global indicators that the United Nations intends to track. It would seem that they have thought of everything and intend to monitor nearly every facet of life as we know it. A small sampling of the global indicators that they intend to monitor include: "Proportion of individuals who own a mobile telephone, by sex," "Proportion of individuals using the Internet," "Percentage of the population reporting having personally felt discriminated against or harassed," "Percentage of educational institutions with formal and informal education curricula on sustainable development and lifestyle topics," "Percentage of children aged 1-17 who experienced any physical punishment and/or psychological aggression by caregivers in the past month," "Percentage of seized small arms and light weapons that are recorded and traced in accordance with international standards and legal instruments," "Percentage of children under 5 whose births have been registered with a civil authority," and perhaps the most telling global indicator of all, "Extent to which global citizenship education, and education for sustainable development, including gender equality and human rights, are mainstreamed at all levels in national education policies, curricula, teacher education and student assessment." (11)

At this point, perhaps we should ask ourselves why the United Nations wants to know how many people are using mobile phones and have Internet access. Could it be that they want to ensure that everyone is connected to the system so that they can be tracked? Why do they care about how many guns have been seized and where the remaining weapons in circulation are registered? Could it be that they want to know how much potential opposition they might face in implementing their agenda? Why are they so concerned about registered births? Could it be that they want to make sure that they have an accurate headcount so that every person can receive their "global citizenship education" brainwashing? On October 20, 2015, as plans were being laid out to collect this data, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon was quoted as saying, "On this World Statistics Day, I urge all partners and stakeholders to work together to ensure that the necessary investments are made, adequate technical capability is built, new data sources are explored, and innovative processes are applied to give all countries the comprehensive information systems they need to achieve sustainable development." He further went on to say, "We need to ensure that everyone is counted, especially the most poor and vulnerable. No child's birth shall remain unregistered. No incidence of disease, no matter how remote the location, shall remain unrecorded." (12) In total, the United Nations has established 230 global indicators, or types of data, which will be collected. Regarding this development, Wu Hongbong, who is the Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs at the United Nations, was quoted as saying, "Completing the indicator framework is of course not the end of the story - on the contrary, it is the beginning." He later went on to say, "The SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) indicators will require an unprecedented amount of data to be produced and analyzed - and it is evident that this will pose a significant challenge for national statistical systems, in developing as well as developed countries." (13) One thing is certainly clear, the United Nations is moving as quickly as they can to establish a global government.

An Age Of Constant Terror!

The time period we live in today has become an age of constant terror. Each and every day there are millions of people around the world who live under a constant threat of violence and deadly attacks. Living under these circumstances has long been the norm in many Middle Eastern countries and numerous African nations. Recent events show that this type of violence has now reached Europe, and as a result, the European people have been gripped by panic and fear.

On March 22, 2016, operatives for the so-called Islamic State, or ISIS, launched a pair of attacks in Brussels, Belgium. On this fateful morning, suicide bombers detonated two bombs at Zaventum Airport in Brussels. Just one hour later, another bomb was detonated at the Maelbeek metro station. (14) The attacks claimed the lives of 31 individuals while injuring hundreds more. (15) Following the attacks, the Islamic State issued a statement claiming responsibility for the attacks and thanking their god for the resulting damage. "Thanks be to god for his accuracy and success, and we ask god to accept our brothers among the martyrs," the terrorist group reportedly said. (16)

In the aftermath of the attacks in Brussels, the mood of the people in Europe has been sullen to say the least. Amid the sadness felt regarding the death and destruction, an almost defeatist attitude has set in, and it is widely expected that more attacks will be carried out in Europe in the near future. Regarding the desperate situation in Europe, Kyle W. Orton, a fellow at a think tank in the United Kingdom known as the Henry Jackson Society, was quoted as saying, "Yes, there is certainly a growing unease, if not panic. The overwhelming question after Brussels was: 'Where next?'" Orton then went on to say, "The security and intelligence services are, as ever, getting a lot of the blame, but in Belgium particularly it is clearly a political problem: the dysfunction of the government and a lack of resources for what is now a very large-scale problem." (17) One newsstand vendor in Brussels explained the problem in a simple yet effective way. "We arrest a terrorist and then another one but in the end, others join and it goes on," the vendor said. (18)

According to a report published by the Associated Press, government officials from Europe and Iraq have claimed that at least 400 ISIS militants are scattered throughout Europe and waiting to launch attacks. (19) To make matters worse, Yukiya Amano, who is head of the United Nations' International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA, has warned that ISIS operatives may be plotting to launch nuclear attacks in Europe. "Terrorism is spreading and the possibility of using nuclear material cannot be excluded. Member states need to have sustained interest in strengthening nuclear security. The countries which do not recognize the danger of nuclear terrorism is the biggest problem," Amano declared. (20) He later went on to say that the most likely method of a nuclear attack would be a dirty bomb, which is a bomb crafted using conventional explosives and then laced with radioactive material. "Dirty bombs will be enough to (drive) any big city in the world into panic. And the psychological, economic, and political implications would be enormous," Amano said. (21)

As news of the attacks in Belgium broke, American President Barack Obama was in Cuba spending time with Cuban President Raul Castro and his communist friends. Speaking of the attacks, Obama was quoted as saying, "This is yet another reminder that the world must unite. We must be together, regardless of nationality or race or faith, in fighting against the scourge of terrorism. We can and we will defeat those who threaten the safety and security of people all around the world." (22) Of course, this statement sounds very similar to other statements Obama has made regarding terrorist attacks. I cannot help but feel that if he was really determined to defeat ISIS, it could be done. Yet, despite the fact that the United States and other countries have been bombing ISIS strongholds in Iraq and Syria since 2014, ISIS seems more determined than ever to bring death and destruction to their enemies. We must remember that Barack Obama is the one who armed so-called "moderate" rebels in Syria to fight against the regime of Syrian president Bashar Assad. Those very same weapons, which were provided by the Obama Administration, have found their way into the hands of Islamic State operatives. This is a fact so plainly obvious that even mainstream news network CNN has admitted it. (23) Therefore, when Obama promises that "we can and we will" defeat ISIS, I find his words difficult to believe.

As we continue to watch and pray in these perilous times, I think it would be prudent for us all to consider the possibility that we could be seeing the first stirrings of conflict that will eventually lead to World War III. In fact, Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon has claimed that World War III has already started. "We're all in the same boat. The world finds itself at the moment in a third world war, or as it has been called, 'a clash of civilizations.' We must face it together," Ya'alon declared in March 2016. (24) Meanwhile, former Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov has warned that Europe is inching closer to nuclear war. "The risk of confrontation with the use of nuclear weapons in Europe is higher than in the 1980s," Ivanov stated. He then went on to say, "We have less nuclear warheads, but the risk of them being used is growing." (25)

It should be noted that we who live in the United States and the Western world are often shocked when we hear about terrorist attacks in Europe. It is truly sad to see so many lives destroyed, and it often prompts us to wonder, "Could it happen here?" The truth is that attacks similar to those carried out recently in Belgium and France happen on a routine basis in the Middle East and Africa. In fact, the attacks are so frequent that they seldom garner much, if any, media attention. As an example, on March 13, 2016, a suicide car bomber launched an attack in Ankara, Turkey, which resulted in the death of 35 people. (26) On March 6, 2016, a truck bomb with an operative from the Islamic State was detonated in Baghdad, Iraq, at a checkpoint and killed 47 people. (27) On January 7, 2016, nearly 50 people at a police academy were killed by a suicide bomber in Libya. (28) There are more examples I could cite, but I think the point has been established. We live in a time similar to that of the days of Noah when the earth was filled with violence. Jesus warned us it would be this way in the last days. As it stands, the violent attacks carried out by the Islamic State and other groups will no doubt be used by the propagandists at the United Nations as examples of why they think we all need to embrace their 2030 agenda and their one world government for the sake of world peace. Yet, it tells us in I Thessalonians 5:3, "For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape."

The Robots Are Coming!

In last month's issue of this newsletter, we took an in-depth look at the work of scientists and technologists as they continue to develop robots and artificial intelligence. Since that time, new stories have surfaced which show that such technology is advancing even more rapidly than previously thought, and we may very soon have robots walking among us.

In March 2016, it was announced that the famous pizzeria chain known as Domino's will soon begin testing a new pizza delivery robot. The device is known as the Domino's Robotic Unit, or DRU, and features a heated compartment with storage for up to ten pizzas. The robot is three feet tall and has the capability to travel up to 12.5 miles before it becomes necessary to recharge the batteries in its self-driving unit. "DRU is cheeky and endearing and we are confident that one day he will become an integral part of the Domino's family. He's a road to the future and one that we are very excited about exploring further," said Scott Bush, the general manager of the Domino's branch in New Zealand. Tests are set to commence in New Zealand as soon as Domino's receives permission from the nation's government. (29)

A robot similar in appearance and function to the Domino's Robotic Unit has been developed by a company known as Starship Technologies. In similar fashion, this robot is designed to deliver take-out food and may soon be launched on the streets of Washington, D.C., if the company gets approval to do so. The robot is sophisticated enough to detect stop signs and stoplights while avoiding collisions with pedestrians. "It has nine cameras, an obstacle detection system. For example, if a pedestrian was to walk in front of it, the robot would stop," said Alexander Shakeshaft of Starship Technologies. (30)

Meanwhile, a drone has successfully delivered a package in the state of Nevada. On March 10, 2016, a drone built and controlled by a company known as Flirtey successfully delivered a package containing household supplies. "Conducting the first drone delivery in an urban setting is a major achievement, taking us closer to the day that drones make regular deliveries to your front doorstep," said Flirtey CEO Matt Sweeney. Nevada State Governor Brian Sandoval also conveyed his enthusiasm regarding delivery by drones. "I am thrilled that Flirtey is not only testing its cutting-edge technology in Nevada, but also creating jobs through its headquarters relocation to Reno," Governor Sandoval said. (31) Sure, this development may be creating jobs in Nevada right now, but they might want to consider what happens to those jobs when robots are made that can design and build other robots.

The robots we have discussed so far in this newsletter all have a common thread. They have the potential to take jobs away from human beings, a development that could lead to a great deal of human misery. Yet, a recent headline by the Washington Post suggests that robots will not only take jobs but also become part of our families. "Get ready for robots to become part of the family," the article declares. (32) It further goes on to quote Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos who said, "Things like machine intelligence and robotics are going to affect everything. This has been science fiction for 50 years or more. I believe it is on the precipice of happening." (33)

Based on the words of some technologists, it seems that a major goal of those developing artificial intelligence is to develop new god-like lifeforms. People were amazed a few years back when a new system known as Siri was launched on Apple's iPhone platform. With this system, you can talk to your phone and ask it questions, which are then answered by the female-voiced Siri. The system was designed by a man named Dag Kittlaus who is now working on another system he calls Viv. "Siri was chapter one, and now it's almost like a new Internet age is coming. Viv will be a giant brain in the sky," Kittlaus declared. (34) The system is designed to allow humans to talk to the Internet and have the Internet talk back. Unlike Siri, however, Viv will have a mind of its own. A "giant brain in the sky" goes beyond artificial intelligence. Rather, it sounds very much like an imposter god.

The Temple Of Baal In New York City!

We certainly have much to consider and much to pray about in these dangerous days. Sadly, a report published by the New York Times on March 19, 2016, indicates that a deed is now underway which will bring further reproach upon the United States of America. According to the article, a replica of a 50-foot arch that formed the entrance of a temple for the false god known as Baal is going to be erected at Times Square in New York City. Amazingly enough, the article starts off by saying "Next month, the Temple of Baal will come to Times Square." Plans are also underway to install an identical structure in London, England. (35) Such actions will no doubt anger God and have the potential to bring a greater curse upon the land. Such was the case in Israel during ancient times when the Israelites followed after Baal. Consider the words of Jeremiah 23:12-13 which declare, "Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness: they shall be driven on, and fall therein: for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith the Lord. And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err."

In closing, I urge every reader of this newsletter to draw nigh to God. In Matthew 7:13-14 we are warned by our Lord Jesus Christ, "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." We must stay on the strait and narrow way even as we face mounting pressure from all sides to assimilate with the world. It is a sorrowful thing to see so many people taking the broad way to destruction, but the good news is that this does not have to include you. If you would like to take the road that leads to everlasting life, I urge you to dedicate your life to God and repent of your sins if you have not already done so. In so doing you will find a peace that no one can provide except our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Thank you all for your support of this ministry. Your kindness is never forgotten, and we will strive to continue serving you to the best of our ability according to God's perfect will. If you have any prayer requests, please do not hesitate to send them our way. We always give each prayer request individual attention. Grace and peace be unto you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Samuel David Meyer

The Groundwork Of A One World Government! by Samuel David Meyer

Last Trumpet Ministries, PO Box 806, Beaver Dam, WI 53916
Phone: 920-887-2626 Internet: http://www.lasttrumpetministries.org

The Groundwork Of A One World Government!

"But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all M acedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more; And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing."

I Thessalonians 4:9-12

"I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me."

Exodus 20:2-3

"And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed."

Deuteronomy 31:8

"Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."

Isaiah 41:10

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love."

I John 4:18

In this issue of the Last Trumpet Newsletter, we will examine recent current events and explore their implications as they relate to the future of the world. As we continue to move through time, we are witnessing a substantial shift in public ideology, especially in the United States. As this country continues its metamorphoses, we are seeing the results of decades of indoctrination of the minds of the people, which have prepared the masses to embrace and accept a one world government.

Fifty years ago it would have been unthinkable that a self-proclaiming socialist would be seriously considered as a candidate for the Presidency of the United States. Yet, today we have Senator Bernie Sanders from Vermont who is an open socialist and actively seeking the Democratic nomination as a candidate for President. Even as we cycle through the current primary elections, which will determine the Presidential candidates for each political party, support for Senator Sanders has grown steadily. On February 1, 2016, the Democratic frontrunner and former First Lady of the United States, Hillary Clinton, narrowly beat Sanders in the primary election held in the state of Iowa. According to the Iowa Democratic Party, it was the closest race in the history of its caucus. (1) In the next primary election, which took place on February 9, 2016, in the state of New Hampshire, Sanders won easily after receiving about 60 percent of the vote. (2) Although Clinton would go on to win the primary election in the state of Nevada on February 20, 2016, the results of a national poll were published on February 19, 2016, which indicates that Sanders is preferred by 47 percent of the study's respondents, while Clinton is supported by only 44 percent. (3)

The appeal of Bernie Sanders to young people, particularly those of the Millennial Generation - aged 18 to 30, is the promise of a loving and egalitarian government that would provide for the needs of the people and give them free college education, free healthcare, and a plethora of other benefits. Of course, the social programs that would provide all of these so-called "free" benefits would require the government to raise taxes substantially. According to the Sanders plan, taxes for everyone would increase by at least 10.56 percent to start and would likely continue to increase further in the years to come. Those with larger incomes would see even greater tax increases with the wealthiest Americans being taxed at a rate of 58 percent or even more depending on who is making the projection. (4) This is a concept that socialists often call "redistribution of wealth." Naturally, those with lower incomes tend to think it sounds like a wonderful idea, but we must remember that if you continually take from those who have and continually give to those who have not, in the end, everyone will have little.

The most troubling aspect of socialism, however, is the level of government dependency that the people are subjected to. The masses must look to the government to provide their education, their health care, their food, and their housing because they cannot afford to pay for these things themselves. My father, Pastor David J. Meyer, used to say, "Your God is the one you turn to in time of need." So under a system of socialism, it is the government itself that becomes the god of the people. Perhaps this is the reason we find that the implementation of a socialist form of government usually leads to a secular society. In fact, Bernie Sanders is a secular Jew and does not embrace any particular religious beliefs. He is, however, proud of his Jewish heritage. (5)

Although Bernie Sanders claims no religious affiliation, he has confessed his admiration for Pope Francis. Speaking in an interview published in February 2016, Sanders said that he believes that the current Pope is a socialist. "Well, what it means to be a socialist, in the sense of what the pope is talking about, what I'm talking about, is to say that we have got to do our best and live our lives in a way that alleviates human suffering, that does not accelerate the disparities of income and wealth," Sanders declared. (6) Of course, Pope Francis is well known for his scathing criticism of capitalism, and in 2014 he called for "the legitimate redistribution of economic benefits by the state, as well as indispensable cooperation between the private sector and civil society." (7)

Yes, people in the United States are now being conditioned to accept socialism. Regardless of whether or not Bernie Sanders is given the presidency, the fact that he is well liked is an indicator of the direction this country is heading. Although it still remains likely that Clinton will be the Democratic nominee, the Sanders campaign has clearly been gaining momentum, and so too has socialistic ideology. According to a poll conducted by the American Action Network in early 2016, six out of ten Democrats that they questioned indicated a belief that socialism has had a "positive impact on society." It is also important for us to understand that the United Nations wants to implement socialism on a global scale as part of their one world government, and it is their goal to do so by the year 2030. As I've mentioned previously in this newsletter, the United Nations' 2030 Agenda declares, "We will seek to build strong economic foundations for all our countries. Sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth is essential for prosperity. This will only be possible if wealth is shared and income inequality is addressed." The document then states later on, "We commit to making fundamental changes in the way that our societies produce and consume goods and services." (9) What is the defining trait of a socialist society? A socialist government controls the means of production and distribution. In reality, it is all about controlling the people.

It is certainly true that the Bible condemns greed, and we, as Christians, are taught to be charitable. However, socialism is not the answer. When we give to others, it should be because we have a God-inspired desire to do so, not because of a government mandate. The Scriptures do, however, advocate hard work and earning a living. In I Thessalonians 4:9-12 we read, "But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more; And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing."

A Notable Death In Texas!

On February 13, 2016, one of the most powerful and influential men in the United States passed away. On this day, Justice Antonin Scalia of the Supreme Court of the United States was found lying in his bed and unresponsive at a resort in Marfa, Texas, known as the Cibola Creek Ranch. It was determined that Justice Scalia died of natural causes in his sleep, (10) although the circumstances of his death have aroused suspicion that he was perhaps murdered. Regarding the discovery of Scalia's death, resort owner John Poindexter was quoted as saying, "We discovered the judge in bed, a pillow over his head. His bed clothes were unwrinkled. He was lying very restfully. It looked like he had not quite awakened from a nap." (11) There are numerous reasons to wonder if there is something awry with the official story. It is rather bizarre that a United States official of such prominent standing was not given an autopsy to determine the cause of death. In fact, Scalia was pronounced dead of natural causes by county judge Cinderela Guevara over the phone without the aid of any medical examination. (12) After learning these facts, former head of the criminal investigations unit of the Washington, D.C., Police Department, William O. Ritchie, expressed his dismay regarding the handling of the case. "As a former homicide commander, I am stunned that no autopsy was ordered for Justice Scalia," Ritchie stated. He further went on to say, "You have a Supreme Court Justice who died, not in attendance of a physician. You have a non-homicide trained US Marshal tell the justice of the peace that no foul play was observed. You have a justice of the peace pronounce death while not being on the scene and without any medical training opining that the justice died of a heart attack. What medical proof exists of a myocardial infarction? Why not a cerebral hemorrhage?" In response, Judge Guevara said she never claimed that Scalia suffered a "myocardial infarction" but rather that his heart had stopped. (13)

According to reports, the family of Justice Scalia has accepted the official story and believes that he died of natural causes. Speaking of the theories surrounding the death of his father, Eugene Scalia was quoted as saying, "Honestly, I think it's a distraction from a great man and his legacy at a time when there's so much to be said about that and to help people even more fully appreciate that. And, on a personal level, I think it's a bit of a hurtful distraction for a family that's mourning." (14)

Is it inappropriate to ask questions? I do not believe it is, especially when we consider the unusual manner in which the Scalia case was handled. Unfortunately, it is unlikely that such questions will ever be answered. What we do know is that the death of Antonin Scalia, who was a fierce opponent of Barack Obama, could have a dramatic effect on the United States of America. With the vacancy left by Scalia, Obama will now have an opportunity to appoint a third judge to the Supreme Court. His previous choices, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, are both very liberal women who were instrumental in the legalization of same-sex marriage in the United States. In a way, the death of Antonin Scalia is representative of an ideological shift in America away from conservative values and going toward a liberal and secular society. Further adding to the intrigue, it has been revealed that at the time of Scalia's death a secret society was gathered at Cibola Creek Ranch. The group of powerful men calls itself "The International Order of St. Hubertus" and is known to be associated with the Bohemian Grove. (14a)

Amazingly enough, an article published by the left-slanted Huffington Post on February 16, 2016, suggested that Barack Obama should nominate himself as the replacement for Scalia. (15) Thankfully, it seems that Obama has no interest in doing so. Regarding this possibility, White House Spokesman Josh Earnest was quoted as saying, "I haven't asked him that direct question, but I think all of the available evidence indicates that that option is highly unlikely." (16)

A Technological Revolution!

We live in a rapidly changing world. Many of the changes that are happening today occur out of the view of the average person, but behind the closed doors of scientific laboratories, a technological revolution is underway. What will the future hold? In recent months, a mountain of news stories have surfaced which attempt to answer this question.

It has been predicted that in the near future, people will no longer own automobiles. Instead, the masses will utilize driverless cars. The technology giant known as Google has been researching driverless cars for years, and such vehicles have logged more than one million miles around San Francisco, California, and Austin, Texas. (17) In December 2015, it was reported that Google is preparing to launch a service that would provide rides-for-hire in their autonomous vehicles. "These potential ride-for-hire services could allow consumers to experience the technology and embrace it in a bigger way. That would help not just Google but the entire industry," said Thilo Koslowski of the research firm known as Gartner, Inc. (18) It was also announced in December 2015 that the iconic Ford Motor Company will be testing its own driverless cars on California roads in 2016. This technology is now being developed at such a fast pace that Ford chief executive Mark Fields predicts they will become available to the public by the year 2020. (19) The developments in automated car technology prompted a recent headline from MarketWatch which declares, "Private car ownership is on the road to becoming a rarity." In the article it is predicted that automobile ownership will be relegated to a small niche of hobbyists who own vehicles simply because they love owning them. Everyone else will share rides in driverless cars that come when they are beckoned and take you wherever you want to go. (20) I find these developments troubling. In such a world, people would be ceding their mode of transportation to a machine that would control where they go and when they go there. This would, without a doubt, be an invaluable tool to a one world government that strives to micromanage and control the lives of its subjects.

Meanwhile, the development of artificial intelligence and sophisticated robots could be devastating to mankind if recent predictions from scientists and technology insiders prove to be true. In fact, a man by the name of Moshe Vardi, who is the director at the Institute for Information Technology at Rice University in Texas, has predicted that robots are going to replace millions of workers around the world in the not-so-distant future. "I believe that society needs to confront this question before it is upon us: If machines are capable of doing almost any work humans can do, what will humans do?" He then went on to ask, "Can the global economy adapt to greater than 50 percent unemployment?" (21) Bart Selman, who is a professor of computer science at Cornell University, has also warned that robots pose a threat to mankind. "In the next two or three years, semi-autonomous or autonomous systems will march into our society," Selman opined. "We will be in sort of symbiosis with those machines and we will start to trust them and work with them. This is a concern because we don't know the rate of growth of machine intelligence, how clever these machines will become." (22) Incredibly, Vivek Wadhwa, who does research for both Stanford and Duke University, predicts that even medical doctors will be replaced by robots. "Medicine is becoming digital. This is all in the next five years. It's not science fiction - we're talking about this decade," Wadhwa declared. (23) Is the concern over artificial intelligence just hype or is there really a legitimate cause for apprehension? As it turns out, sophisticated robots already exist. In February 2016, CNBC reported that Google-owned Boston Dynamics has a new robot they call "Atlas." In this article, the CEO of Insider.com, Jason Calacanis was quoted as saying, "This is really the end of manual labor. When you watch this video, he's walking through the snow; he's wobbly, but he gets back up. Manual labor is going to end in our lifetime, and in this video you can see how close we really are. It's a huge societal issue with jobs, but it's going to be a huge lift in terms of efficiency of companies that nobody expected." Mr. Calacanis later went on to say, "It's super eerie. In 10 years, the idea is going to be, 'Would you let this [robot] put your kids to bed? Would you let it change your kid's diaper? That's how fast this is going to advance. It's picking up packages right now. These things are going to be walking down the street 10 to 15 years from now, delivering pizzas; they're going to be in your office moving packages around." (24) Will these dire predictions come to pass? We will know in ten to fifteen years if the world still continues. Only God knows.

Yes, technology has profoundly changed the world we live in, and all evidence suggests this trend will continue until this present world ends. Some scientists even believe that they will one day be able to use technology to enhance their bodies and perhaps even obtain eternal life. These people call themselves transhumanists. "The goal is to stay alive as long as possible, as healthy as possible, with greater consciousness or humaneness. No one wants to stay alive drooling in a wheelchair," stated transhumanist author Natasha Vita-More. (25) Researcher Nell Watson, who works at a corporation known as Singularity University, has even suggested that technology might someday be used to create a "digital heaven." "I often wonder if, since we could be digitized from the inside out - not in the next 10 years but sometime this century - we could create a kind of digital heaven or playground where our minds will be uploaded and we could live with our friends and family away from the perils of the physical world. It wouldn't really matter if our bodies suddenly stopped functioning; it wouldn't be the end of the world. What really matters is that we could still live on," Watson said. (26)

No, the transhumanist movement will not successfully create their own heaven. They are certainly acting under the inspiration of Satan in trying to do so, for we know that Satan wanted to be "like the most high." However, I am not interested in the devil's counterfeit heaven. I firmly believe the Scriptures we find in John 11:25-26, which tell us, "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?"

Another Virus Outbreak!

These days, it seems as though there is always a health crisis of some sort. These crises often come in the form of a virus as we have seen in recent years when the Ebola virus swept through the African nations of Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea. Now we are being told that another virus is wreaking havoc in the South American country of Brazil and numerous other countries. This virus, which is known as Zika, is spread by mosquitoes and causes symptoms similar to dengue fever. It is strongly suspected by health officials that this rapidly spreading virus causes a birth defect known as microcephaly. This congenital disease results in an underdeveloped brain and an abnormal smallness of the head. According to reports, the Zika virus could be an even greater health threat to the world than the Ebola virus. "In many ways the Zika outbreak is worse than the Ebola epidemic of 2014-15. Most virus carriers are symptomless. It is a silent infection in a group of highly vulnerable individuals - pregnant women - that is associated with a horrible outcome for their babies," declared Jeremy Farrer, the head of the charitable foundation known as Wellcome Trust. (27)

On February 1, 2016, the World Health Organization officially designated the Zika outbreak as a public health emergency. (28) Emergency declarations were subsequently made elsewhere, including areas of the United States. This includes the American state of Florida where Governor Rick Scott declared an emergency after it was reported that there were at least nine cases of Zika infection in his state. (29) An emergency proclamation was then made in the state of Hawaii on February 12, 2016. Governor David Ige described the proclamation as a preventive measure. "There have been no locally acquired Zika cases in the U.S. or Hawaii, and we'd like to keep it that way. This is about getting in front of the situation across the state," Governor Ige declared. (30) In Brazil, which has faced the brunt of the Zika outbreak, authorities have been authorized by the government to enter private properties by force in an effort to eradicate the mosquitoes carrying the virus. (31) This development makes me wonder: could a virus outbreak someday be used as an excuse by the government to storm the properties of American citizens without consent? According to a report by the New York Times, preparations are already underway to conduct "guerrilla warfare" against mosquitoes in anticipation of the arrival of the Zika Virus in the United States. "This guerilla warfare house-to-house method is still very new and I'm not convinced that many places are prepared for it," said mosquito control specialist Michael Doyle. (32)

Although it is widely believed that the Zika virus causes the congenital disorder known as microcephaly, this has not been definitively proven. In fact, the Director General of the World Health Organization was quoted as saying, "Although a causal link between Zika infection in pregnancy and microcephaly has not, and I must emphasize, has not been established, the circumstantial evidence is suggestive and extremely worrisome." (33) An alternative theory regarding the onslaught of microcephaly in Brazil is that it could be caused by, at least in part, the widespread use of toxic pesticides. One such pesticide is known as paraquat, which has been classified as "highly poisonous" by American regulators. The substance is banned in many countries, but is heavily used in Brazil, and is known to cause birth defects such as microcephaly. (33)

Yes, we are indeed living in perilous times. There is always a disease or a virus of some sort causing problems in our world. According to Anthony Fauci, who is the director at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, new diseases are constantly emerging. "Remember the measles outbreak in Disneyland, drug resistant TB (tuberculosis), MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome), etc., Chikungunya in the Caribbean. And now we're dealing with Zika. It's now a constant battle with emerging and reemerging infectious diseases," Fauci stated. (34) Yet, we serve a God who created the Universe. We serve a God who promises He will never leave us. It is important that we put our faith, our trust, and our hope in God. For as it tells us in Deuteronomy 31:8, ""And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed." In like manner, we are told in Isaiah 41:10, "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." If you would like to be free from fear this day, I urge to surrender your life to God and give your heart to Him.

In closing, I wish to express my utmost thanks to all of you who help this ministry in so many ways. We appreciate your kind support and consider it an honor and privilege to serve you. As always, we are here and ready to pray for you and your needs, whatever they may be. We have been especially excited to learn that numerous prayers have been answered in recent weeks, so please do not hesitate to send us your requests. We always give each prayer request individual attention. Grace and peace be unto you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Samuel David Meyer