Evidence Of Satan’s Presence In This World!

Volume XXXIII      Issue VI      June 2014
Last Trumpet Ministries, PO Box 806, Beaver Dam, WI 53916
Fax: 920-887-2626 Internet: http://www.lasttrumpetministries.org

Samuel David Meyer

“And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is. And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass. Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?”

Luke 12:54-56

“And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”

Matthew 19:4-6

“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

II Timothy 3:12-15

“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

In this issue of the Last Trumpet Newsletter, we will thoughtfully consider many timely topics which are important to the Christian people living in this modern age. We will examine the facts which indicate that Satan’s presence in this world is still a very real problem and that scientists, government officials, and other prominent figures are now attempting to terrorize the masses by emphatically preaching a message of fear.

In recent decades, scientists and notable figures, such as former American Vice President Al Gore, have been warning the earth’s population that our planet is under an impending threat from what they call global warming. They insist that the problem is caused by irresponsible human behavior which results in increased emissions of carbon dioxide and other pollutants and causes a gradual increase in the temperature of the earth’s atmosphere. The cry of the alarmists who fret over global warming and climate change has grown increasingly pronounced in recent weeks as numerous reports have surfaced indicating that our planet is facing certain doom if something is not done to stop global warming soon. “We want to emphasize to the public, this is not some distant problem of the future. This is a problem affecting Americans right now. Whether it means increased flooding, greater vulnerability to drought, more severe wildfires – all these things are having an impact on Americans as we speak,” declared American President Barack Obama while speaking on the “Today” show in May 2014. (1)

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius presented an even direr picture than Obama when he gave a speech on May 14, 2014. “We have 500 days – not a day more – to avert a climate disaster. People often talk about climate change or global warming. I attach great importance to words, and as far as the French language is concerned I don’t think those words are very appropriate, because – without alluding to this or that political program – change is seen as rather a positive thing. But in the case of climate, it isn’t at all.” Fabius further went on to refer to the problem as “climate chaos – in English, climate disruption, climate chaos.” (2)

Meanwhile, California Governor Jerry Brown made an appearance on a Sunday morning news program on May 18, 2014, to state his belief that wildfires in his state are being worsened by climate change. “We here in California are on the front lines. We’ve got to deal with it. We’ve already appropriated $600 million. We have 5,000 firefighters. We’re going to need thousands more. And in the years to come, we’re going to have to make very expensive investments and adjust. And the people are going to have to be careful of how they live, how they build their homes and what kind of vegetation is allowed to grow around them,” Governor Brown said. He later went on to say, “We’re going to deal with nature as best we can, but humanity is on a collision course with nature.” (3)

Some scientists have gone so far as to say climate change may eventually lead to the extinction of the human race. “What is remarkable, and alarming, is the speed of the change since the 1970s, when we started burning a lot of fossil fuels in a massive way. We can’t possibly evolve to match this rate [of warming] and, unless we get control of it, it will mean our extinction eventually,” declared Professor Helen Berry, associate dean of health at the University of Canberra in Australia. (4)

Oddly enough, a famous scientist from England by the name of James Lovelock has suggested a different approach to countering climate change. According to Lovelock, it is probably too late to stop climate change, and he has admonished the human race to stop trying to do so. Instead, he advises that futuristic “climate-controlled” cities, which would house the residents of the world, be built. “In a changing climate, cities are most less vulnerable to external heat than our individuals. If most of us lived in cities, as it seems we soon will do, the regulation of the climate of these cities might be far easier, more economic and safer options in a hot climate than the regulation by geoengineering of the whole planet,” Lovelock wrote in a recently published book. (5)

It has long been my opinion that even if the claims from scientists and politicians regarding climate change were true, there is no possible way that the human race would ever solve this crisis. It is, however, an effective mechanism to further control the masses. In fact, climate change could someday be used as an excuse to restrict the amount of children a family may have, what a family may eat, what kind of car they may drive, and where they may live. It can certainly be expected that the human race would be far more compliant if they were convinced that their strict adherence to the rules is necessary to prevent the extinction of the human race. Reports indicate that the constant barrage of climate change hysteria has already become a cause for great anxiety among today’s youth. “Unlike adults who can put their heads in the sand about what we have been doing to our planet, these kids are very aware of what’s going on. Because of the Web, it’s not hidden any more. Children often ask me questions that we, as adults, try to evade: What is going to happen to the human race?” said psychotherapist Chris Saade of the Olive Branch Center in North Carolina. (6)

In any case, the Christian people have always known that the existence of this present world will end someday. Yet, despite this knowledge, we can be completely free from worry and fear if we fully put our trust in God. Even as scientists and government officials tell us to be afraid for the future of the human race, our Saviour speaks to us through His word and tells us to be unafraid. For as the Apostle Paul wrote by the inspiration of God in II Timothy 1:7, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” I urge every reader of this newsletter to cast your worries and fears upon our loving Saviour even as the Apostle Peter admonished in I Peter 5:6-7 when he wrote, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” If you have not yet fully given your heart to God, I urge you to do so now.

The Changing Hearts Of The People!

In this modern age wherein society is now dominated by a generation commonly referred to as “the Millennial Generation,” there has been a pronounced shift in the opinion of the American people regarding social and moral issues. One such issue, which has become a point of contention in this decade, is that of mainstream homosexuality and same-sex marriage. Research indicates that the hearts of the people have changed and that a majority of the American people now support same-sex marriage. In fact, a recent poll conducted by Gallup found that 55 percent of respondents favor such same-sex unions. This is the highest level of support ever expressed throughout the course of these studies, and support for same-sex marriage was found to be especially high amongst young Americans. According to the survey, 78 percent of respondents between the ages of 18 and 29 have a favorable opinion of same-sex matrimony. (7)

Meanwhile, battles are raging in several American states at this present time over the legalization of same-sex marriage as judges all across the United States are issuing rulings declaring that bans on such unions are unconstitutional. Such was the case in the state of Arkansas when Circuit Judge Chris Piazza issued a ruling on May 9, 2014, which overturned the ban on same-sex marriage in the state. (8) More than 400 marriage licenses were issued to gay couples in Arkansas until the state’s Supreme Court suspended the judge’s ruling on May 16, 2014. (9)

In the state of Idaho, District Judge Candy Dale issued a ruling on May 13, 2014, which overturned the state’s ban on same-sex marriage. (10) “Idaho’s marriage laws deny its gay and lesbian citizens the fundamental right to marry and relegate their families to a stigmatized, second-class status without sufficient reason for doing so. These laws do not withstand any applicable level of constitutional scrutiny,” Judge Dale wrote in her decision. (11) Her decision, however, was met with swift resistance and has been stayed by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. (12)

On May 19, 2014, U.S. District Judge Michael McShane issued a ruling which overturned a ban on same-sex marriage in the state of Oregon. Unlike other states, however, government officials in Oregon embraced the decision and began allowing same-sex marriages almost immediately. (13) Speaking of the ruling, Oregon State Governor John Kitzhaber was quoted as saying, “No longer will Oregonians tolerate discrimination against the gay, lesbian, and transgender community.” (14)

On May 20, 2014, the state of Pennsylvania also saw their ban on same-sex marriage overturned when U.S. District Judge John E. Jones III ruled that such bans are unconstitutional. “We now join the 12 federal district courts across the country which, when confronted with these inequities in their own states, have concluded that all couples deserve equal dignity in the realm of civil marriage,” Judge Jones wrote in his decision. (15) If his decision is uncontested, Pennsylvania will become the 19th state to legalize same-sex marriage. (16)

Even as the American judicial system makes a concerted effort to legalize same-sex marriage, it has become increasingly common for the homosexual lifestyle to be glorified in mainstream society. This includes Barack Obama’s Presidential Administration, which held a ceremony at the White House on May 22, 2014, to celebrate the release of a postage stamp honoring the now deceased politician known as Harvey Milk. Harvey Milk was famous for becoming the first openly gay person to be elected to public office in the state of California when he was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977. After his assassination in November 1978, Milk became a hero to the homosexual community. (17) However, when the life of this man is celebrated, it is seldom mentioned that he was a statutory rapist who preyed on young-looking men and underage teen boys. At least two of his victims are known to have committed suicide. (18)

The homosexual agenda has also begun to make inroads within the realm of professional sports. In May 2014, it was announced that the professional women’s basketball league known as the WNBA has announced plans to ramp up its efforts to attract gay men and lesbians to its basketball games. “For us it’s a celebration of diversity and inclusion and recognition of an audience that has been with us very passionately,” stated WNBA president Laurel Richards. Studies indicate that about 25 percent of lesbians in the United States watch the WNBA. (19)

The National Football League has also embraced the homosexual lifestyle. In fact, in May 2014 a man by the name of Michael Sam became the first openly gay football player to be drafted into the NFL when he was selected by the St. Louis Rams in the seventh round of the NFL Draft. (20) Upon learning that he had been drafted, Sam publicly kissed his boyfriend and video footage of that moment was shown extensively on the television stations known as ESPN and NFL Network. Speaking of the moment, ESPN television producer Seth Markman was quoted as saying, “We’re a young production crew and quite honestly it was just another moment in the years we’ve done this. … In the truck we were only saying, ‘Wow, this is great emotion here.’ No one stepped up and said, ‘Oh, wow, do we really want to be showing this.” (21) At least one NFL player was reprimanded for criticizing Michael Sam’s publicly displayed same-sex kiss. After seeing the footage, Miami Dolphins football player Don Jones referred to the event as “horrible” on the social networking website known as Twitter. In response, the Miami Dolphins fined him for his actions and suspended him from team activities until he completes new training. (22)

Yes, the hearts of the people have changed, and we are now living in a time when homosexuality is not only tolerated but also flaunted in the United States. It has become so mainstream that it is now nearly impossible to avoid it, and those who still hold to the Biblical view that the homosexual lifestyle is immoral are labeled as hateful bigots. Yet, we know that God’s view is firmly established and unchanging. It is also important to remember that Jesus Christ defined marriage as between one man and one woman in Matthew 19:4-6 which tells us, “And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”

The Destructive Nature Of Lust!

It is a commonly known fact that the Internet features an enormous amount of pornography, which has wreaked havoc on many lives throughout the years. Thanks to the now ubiquitous technology of the world wide web, men, women, and even children have quick and easy access to every type of filth and perversion one can imagine, and it is a problem which is only growing worse in this modern age. “There’s a lot of science now proving that pornography is harmful. We know that almost every family in America has been touched by the harm of pornography,” stated Dawn Hawkins, the executive director of an organization known as Morality in Media. (23) The pervasiveness of pornography is a bit startling. In fact, about one third of all downloads on the Internet contain pornography and approximately 4.2 million websites feature this so-called adult content. (24) Sadly, many children have also fallen prey to the destructive nature of lust. “Porn is without a doubt the most powerful form of sex education today, with studies showing that the average of first viewing porn is between 11 and 14 – and let me tell you, this is not your father’s Playboy,” said Gail Dines, a sociology and women’s studies professor at Wheelock College in Boston, Massachusetts. (25)

The consumption of pornography is also commonplace amongst government employees who are unable to control their urges while at work. Examples of such behavior have been discovered at the General Services Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Treasury Department, the Postal Service, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the National Science Foundation, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Pentagon. “It’s a big problem everywhere,” declared Sharon Nelson, president of the forensics firm known as Sensei Enterprises Inc. (26) Shockingly, an employee of the Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, was recently discovered to have been viewing pornography at work for up to six hours per day. This employee, who has not been fired, had approximately 7,000 pornographic images saved on his work computer and reportedly continued to view porn even as an EPA agent showed up to interview the man at his desk. (27) The specifics of this case prompted Representative Darrell E. Issa, a Republican from California, to ask, “How much pornography would it take for an EPA employee to lose their job?” (28)

The fact that so many government employees are viewing pornography at work is not only a serious moral issue, but it also threatens the national security of the United States. Websites which feature pornography are often infected with viruses and malicious software, which is commonly referred to as “malware.” When a government employee downloads such material, it can threaten the entire computer network of the agency they work for and cause the spread of malicious material. Such was the case when an employee at the General Services Administration, or GSA, inadvertently downloaded a virus after viewing pornography which infected the agency’s email service and sent out an infected email with a subject line that read “View my pictures.” (29)

It is a tragedy that so many people have fallen into the trap of pornography. Such activity has destroyed many lives already, and will likely destroy many more in the future. As Christians we would do well to heed the admonishment of the Apostle Peter who wrote in I Peter 2:11, “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.”

Satanic Manifestations In The United States!

In these increasingly evil days, we are now seeing the minions of Satan clamoring for attention as they pollute the land and perform their spiritually perverse works. One such group, which has recently drawn attention in the news, is the Satanic Temple, which is based in New York City. This filthy organization first became widely known earlier in 2014 when they petitioned officials in the state of Oklahoma to allow them to erect a statue of Baphomet, Satan in other words, on the grounds of the Oklahoma State Capitol in Oklahoma City. Although the statue has not been approved for placement by officials in Oklahoma, the Satanic Temple has already commissioned the piece to be sculpted and estimates that it will be completed within the coming months. “We’re coming along rather quickly, and the sculpture work for the monument is nearly completed. Ultimately it is to be cast in bronze. I don’t want to put too definite a date on it… but we’re looking at months,” said Lucien Greaves, leader of the Satanic Temple. The cost of the statue is being paid for with donations that were collected online and totaled over $28,000. (30)

As if the above story was not bad enough, the Satanic Temple again made headlines in May 2014 when it was announced that they intended to hold a satanic black mass in the state of Massachusetts. The event, which was originally to be held at Harvard University on May 12, 2014, was moved to an alternate location off-campus after the Harvard Extension School Cultural Studies Club dropped its sponsorship of the event. According to a report in the Harvard Crimson, the satanic ritual was then moved to a restaurant known as The Hong Kong, which is located across the street from Harvard Yard. (31)

In yet another example which indicates that satanists are growing bolder in these evil days, a man by the name of Chaz Stevens is now seeking an opportunity to offer an opening prayer before the city council in Deerfield Beach, Florida. In a letter addressed to the council, Stevens wrote the following: “Dear City of Deerfield Beach; With the recent US Supreme Court ruling allowing ‘prayer before Commission meetings’ and seeking the rights granted to others, I hereby am requesting I be allowed to open a Commission meeting praying for my god, my divine spirit, my dude in charge. Be advised, I am a satanist. Let me know when this is good for you,” Stevens wrote. (32)

Persecution And Hostility Toward The Christian People!

In these days of great distress, severe persecution and hostility focused on Christian people around the world continues to be an intensifying problem. One region of the world that has been particularly shaken by violence and persecution is the African nation of Nigeria, which has suffered from a barrage of attacks committed by a radical Islamist group known as Boko Haram. The terrorist group has become well-known for its shocking and brutal attacks, which often target those who follow Christ. One such attack occurred in February 2014 when Boko Haram fighters assaulted the village of Izghe in Borno state and killed over 90 Christian villagers. (33) In another incident, which occurred in mid-April 2014, over 60 people were killed by the group in the village of Kala Balge. (34) Around this same time period, members of the terrorist group raided a school located in a primarily Christian village known as Chibok and kidnapped more than 200 girls. (35) Sadly, attacks perpetrated by Boko Haram members have resulted in over 3,982 deaths so far this year, (36) and more attacks are likely forthcoming. The volatile situation in Nigeria, particularly in Borno state, has caused great sorrow in the region. “Borno is the gateway to the Central African sub region. Products from Nigeria reach as far as Libya, Sudan, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, and Maiduguri has always been the gateway, so the security problems we are facing have impacted negatively, adversely affected the economic fortunes of the state. Such that, even in the best of times, we are a poor state, now we have become poorer. Boko Haram has pulverized our people,” declared Borno state Governor Kashim Shettima. (37)

The persecution of Christian people is also common in the African nation of Sudan. In fact, a woman, known by the name of Meriam Yehya Ibrahim Ishag, has been tried and found guilty of adultery and heresy by the nation’s Islamic government. Sudan’s government has declared that Miriam’s marriage is invalid because the man she married is a Christian. They also found her guilty of apostasy because she converted to Christianity, and they have consequently sentenced her to be hanged. The Islamic court has ruled that her sentence will be carried out after the woman, who is eight months pregnant as of this writing, gives birth to her child. (38)

In closing, I urge every reader of this newsletter to lay hold on the promises of God and fully put your trust in Him. For as it tells us in Psalm 9:9-10, “The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.” Please accept my heartfelt thanks to all who so generously support this ministry, and please remember that we are here to pray for you or whatever your needs may be. We always give every prayer request we receive individual attention, and we know from experience that God truly answers prayer. Grace and peace be unto you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

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