Volume XXXIV      Issue XI      November 2015
Last Trumpet Ministries, PO Box 806, Beaver Dam, WI 53916
Phone: 920-887-2626 Internet: http://www.lasttrumpetministries.org

How Can We Have A Better Country?

"These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city."

"For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come."

"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God."

"When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn."

In this issue of the Last Trumpet Newsletter, we will examine the corrupt nature of this present day world. At this present time, those of us who live in the United States of America realize all too well what it is like to live in a country that suffers from immoral leadership. The deeds of our president, Barack Obama, have frustrated most conservative Americans with his numerous executive orders, his climate change agenda, his promotion of Planned Parenthood, and his unwavering support of same-sex marriage. The promotion of such liberal values sometimes prompts folks to consider moving out of the United States entirely and seek a country where such ungodliness does not abound. Yet, we live in a corrupt world that is continually growing worse. To find such a country could prove to be a rather difficult endeavor.

It is not uncommon to hear frustrated Americans threaten to migrate to our neighboring country to the north, known as Canada. However, the nation of Canada is not a bastion of conservative values either, and the recent election of a new prime minister suggests that liberal principles will be guiding the country for the foreseeable future. On October 19, 2015, Justin Trudeau, who is the leader of the Liberal Party in Canada, was elected as prime minister of Canada. The 43 year-old, who is the son of former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, (1) is a viciously liberal man who supports same-sex marriage and absolutely loves abortion. In fact, Trudeau's support of abortion is so extreme that he believes unlimited abortions should be available to women up until the time of birth. (2) He has also decreed that when it comes to abortion, all members of his Liberal Party must be "pro-choice." "I have made it clear that future candidates need to be completely understanding that they will be expected to vote pro-choice on any bills," Trudeau said in 2014. (3) In March 2015, Trudeau made a similar statement and was quoted as saying, "The Canada we know today is unimaginable without widely available birth-control and the legalization of choice. Let's be clear on this. For Liberals, the right of a woman to control her body is more important than the right of a legislator to restrict her freedom with their vote. MPs (members of parliament) who disagree with that have other choices. They can sit as independents or as Conservatives." (4) Regarding the homosexual lifestyle, Trudeau said in a video published in July 2013, "The Liberal Party believes that the advancement of LGBTTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, two-spirit, and queer) rights is a priority and we hope you will join us in continuing this vital work. Here in Canada, our record as a leader in LGBTTQ rights is recognized globally and Liberals are proud of our contributions." (5) Amazingly enough, Justin Trudeau has even expressed admiration for the communist dictatorship in China. Speaking on November 15, 2013, Trudeau said, "There is a level of admiration I actually have for China, because their basic dictatorship is allowing them to actually turn their economy around on a dime and say we need to go green, we need to start, you know, investing in solar." (6) Perhaps his fondness for communist dictatorship is not that surprising, considering the fact that Justin's father, the late Pierre Trudeau, maintained a lifelong friendship with Cuba's former dictator, Fidel Castro. (7)

Oddly enough, the elder Trudeau's views on abortion were quite different from those of his son. Although Pierre Trudeau was very liberal and did much to expand abortions in Canada, comments he made in the past suggest that he had mixed feelings on the subject and knew that abortion is wrong. "You know, at some point you are killing life in the fetus in self-defense - of what? Of the mother's health or her happiness or of her social rights or her privilege as a human being. I think she should have to answer for it and explain. Now, whether it should be to three doctors or one doctor or to a priest or a bishop or to her mother-in-law is a question you might want to argue. You do have a right over your own body - it is your body. But the fetus is not your body; it's someone else's body. And if you kill it, you'll have to explain," said Pierre Trudeau in 1972. (8)

Without a doubt, the rise of Justin Trudeau is bad news for conservative people living in Canada. It is also interesting to note that he is a Jesuit-trained Roman Catholic. On October 20, 2014, Trudeau said, "As someone who was raised Roman Catholic and who attended a Jesuit school, I understand that it is difficult for people of deep faith to set their beliefs aside in order to serve Canadians who may not share those beliefs. But for me, this is what liberalism is all about. It is the idea that private belief, while it ought to be valued and respected, is fundamentally different from public duty." (9)

As we look around in this world, it quickly becomes evident that every country has its own unique set of problems. Those who seek a perfect country will never find it here on earth. Yet, in Hebrews 11 we are told of many faithful servants of God who sought a better country. Hebrews 11:16 tells us, "But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city." In Revelation 21:1-3 we are told more about this wonderful city in a better country. These verses tell us, "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God." The people who inhabit this city, the new Jerusalem, will be those who love God and obey His Word. If you would like to dwell in a better country, I urge you to dedicate your life to God and give him your heart.

Will The United States Improve After The 2016 Election?

There has been a lot of frustration here in the United States, particularly amongst conservative people, since January 2009 when Barack Obama began his first term as president. Since that time many people have anxiously awaited his departure in the hope that his successor will bring about welcomed change and improvements to America. After all, how could anyone be worse than Barack Obama as president? Yet, when I scrutinize the current batch of potential presidents for the 2016 election, I must say, those who are considered the top four candidates do not inspire confidence.

The current frontrunner for the Republican Party is none other than famed business mogul and reality television star Donald Trump. According to a recent poll published on October 25, 2015, by the Associated Press, Trump is considered to be the most electable candidate with 7 out of 10 Republican and right-leaning voters saying he could win the election. (10) Yet, I believe there are good reasons to doubt that Donald Trump is even a conservative. In the not too distant past, Trump was a registered Democrat who claimed he was pro-choice, "very liberal" when it comes to healthcare, and a supporter of prominent liberal politicians such as Hillary Clinton. (11) In fact, Trump has donated money to Clinton on numerous occasions, including a 100,000 dollar donation to the Clinton Foundation. (12) When questioned about such donations, Trump defended his actions by saying that such donations were reasonable because "everyone is Democratic" in the state of New York. "So, what am I going to do, contribute to Republicans? Am I going to contribute to, I mean, one thing I'm not stupid. Am I going to contribute to a Republican for my whole life when they get, they run against some Democrat. And the most they can get is one percent of the vote," Trump stated. (13) On another occasion, when speaking to rival candidate Rand Paul, Trump declared that his political donations to Democrats enabled him to extract favors from them. "Hillary Clinton, I said be at my wedding, and she came to my wedding. She had no choice because I gave to a foundation," Trump declared. He later went on to say, "I gave to many people before this. When they call, I give. And you know what? When I need something from them two years later, three years later, I call them. They are there for me." (14) At this point we should ask ourselves if this sounds like a man of integrity, or rather a man who is willing to support anyone in a position of power if it means he can use them to gain favor and get ahead in life.

In current polls the second ranked Republican candidate at this time is former neurosurgeon Benjamin Carson. Without a doubt, Carson is a brilliant man, and he has at times said things that I agree with. However, I find it disheartening that Dr. Carson believes vaccinations should be mandatory for all. According to a report published by CNN in February 2015, Dr. Carson stated that there should be no religious or philosophical exemptions for vaccinations, despite the fact that most states do allow such exemptions at this time. (15) The doctor further explained his position in an article published by The Washington Times on February 10, 2015. "I am a small government person, and I greatly oppose government intrusion into everything. Still, it is essential that we distinguish between those things that are important and those things that are just intruding upon our basic privacy. Whether to participate in childhood immunizations would be an individual choice if individuals were the only ones affected, but as previously mentioned, our children are part of a larger community. None of us live in isolation. Your decision does not affect only you - it also affects your fellow Americans." (16) Regardless of how one might feel about the efficacy of vaccinations, every parent and every adult should have the right to accept or decline to be immunized. If the government can force us to receive immunizations, what might be next? What if they declared that every American should receive a microchip in their right hand or forehead for the good of society? Furthermore, it is a verifiable fact that aborted fetal cells were used in the development of many vaccines. In fact, the origin of one of the cell lines used to develop vaccines was described by man named Dr. Stanley Plotkin who said, "This fetus was chosen by Dr. Sven Gard, specifically for this purpose. Both parents are known, and unfortunately for the story, they are married to each other, still alive and well, and living in Stockholm, presumably. The abortion was done because they felt they had too many children. There were no familial diseases in the history of either parent, and no history of cancer specifically in the families." (17) Clearly, there is a legitimate ethical reason not to receive vaccinations.

Unfortunately, it is a very real possibility that the next president of the United States could be none other than Hillary Rodham Clinton. The current frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination is heavily supported by liberal people far and wide despite the fact that she has shown herself to be a deceitful and wicked woman. In one statement, which I had previously quoted in an earlier issue of this newsletter, Hillary Clinton said, "Laws have to be backed up with resources and political will. And deep-seated cultural codes, religious beliefs and structural biases have to be changed." (18) Keeping this quote in mind, there is no question that she would seek to inflict her will upon the people if she should become president.

Evidence also shows that the former Secretary of State is a habitual liar. In the aftermath of an attack by terrorists on the United States Embassy in Benghazi, Libya, on September 11, 2012, Hillary Clinton lied about the cause of the attack and stated that it was prompted by the publishing of an anti-Islamic video on the video sharing website known as YouTube. Yet that very night of September 11, 2012, Clinton sent an email to the Egyptian Prime Minister which stated, "We know that the attack in Libya had nothing to do with the film. It was a planned attack, not a protest." This violent attack claimed the lives of American Ambassador Christopher Stevens, Navy SEALs Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty, and Information Management Officer Sean Smith. (19) On another occasion, Clinton lied about the so-called financial struggles that she and her husband endured after Bill Clinton left the White House in 2001. Speaking during an interview with Diane Sawyer on ABC, Clinton said, "You have no reason to remember, but we came out of the White House not only dead broke, but in debt. We had no money when we got there, and we struggled to piece together the resources for mortgages for houses, for Chelsea's education. It was not easy." (20) It should be noted, however, that the Clintons purchased a home in Chappaqua, New York, for 1.7 million dollars in 1999. In the following year of 2000, they purchased an additional home in Washington, D.C., for 2.85 million dollars. (21)

Another individual who is seeking the presidential nomination from the Democratic Party is a man by the name of Bernie Sanders. Although he is technically an independent, this Senator from the state of Vermont caucuses with the Democratic Party. As it turns out, he is also a socialist, a fact that he openly admits. In fact, a report published on October 18, 2015, claims that Sanders is planning to give a "major" speech on democratic socialism to explain his political doctrine to the people. "I think there are a lot of people who, when they hear the word 'socialist' get very, very nervous," Sanders said. He later went on to say, "What we're probably going to do to begin with is hold a major speech in the not-to-distant future to define exactly what I mean by democratic socialism. To me democratic socialism means democracy. It means creating a government that represents all of us, not just the wealthiest people in the country." Sanders then suggested that the United States needs to emulate socialistic systems found in nations such as Norway, Denmark, and Sweden. "They may not be familiar with some of the very positive policies that those governments have developed for the middle class and working families. So I think that's a discussion we have to have," Sanders stated. (22) One fact that Sanders neglects to tell people, however, is that socialistic governments have extraordinarily high taxes. In fact, the Scandinavian nation of Denmark's top personal income tax rate is a whopping 60.2 percent. This rate applies to all incomes which exceed what would be the equivalent of 55,000 United States dollars. (23) Amazingly enough, Bernie Sanders has garnered a significant amount of support, particularly from young people who have been led to believe that socialism is good. However, I would rather not have the government take care of me, and I do not want the government to control the means of production in my country, which is exactly what happens in a socialistic society.

Thankfully, as God's children we understand that it is far better to put our faith in God rather than man. For as it tells us in Psalm 118:8, "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man." Ultimately, regardless of who is elected, God is still on the throne and He will never disappoint us.

A Migrant Crisis In Europe!

In this world we live in today, it seems there is always a crisis of some sort. At this present time, what has come to be known as "the migrant crisis" is causing great difficulty in Europe. As of this writing, 705,251 refugees and migrants have crossed the Mediterranean Sea and arrived in Europe this year. (24) Of these migrants, 53 percent have come from the war-torn nation of Syria, 18 percent have arrived from Afghanistan, and 6 percent have arrived from Iraq. (25)

As large camps of migrants spring up all over Europe, many locales are struggling to find adequate housing for them. This includes the town of Calais in France where 6,000 migrants are now living in tents. Although 750 police officers have been assigned to the camp to keep order, the mayor of the town has suggested more security personnel may be necessary. "Maybe the army should come to watch over the place," said Mayor Natacha Bouchard. (26) Meanwhile, the influx of migrants to the nation of Sweden has been unprecedented. "The current refugee situation lacks an equivalent in modern times. We see people literally walking through Europe," said Anders Danielsson who is Director-General of the Swedish Migration Board. It is estimated that 190,000 migrants will arrive in Sweden this year with another 170,000 following in 2016. (27) Germany, too, has become a home for many migrants with an estimated 42,000 people still living in tents even as winter draws closer. This has become a cause for great concern to officials in Germany. "Absolutely, we can manage this. But you can envision a worst case scenario where we have rioting over the winter. And that could shape the mood," said an official who remained anonymous. (28)

Much of the migration to Europe has been spurred by the ongoing civil war in Syria. As would be expected, most of these people are Muslims. Because of this fact, the Islamic population in Europe will rise exponentially in the coming days and has the potential to cause significant changes to the cultural landscape in that region of the world. In fact, the nation of Saudi Arabia has offered to construct two hundred mosques in Germany for the refugees who have arrived there. (29) Warnings have also surfaced which indicate that some of the migrants arriving in Europe are members of the terrorist group known as the Islamic State or ISIS, which has been wreaking havoc in Iraq and Syria. "You may have, let's say, two percent that are radicals. That is more than enough," stated Elias Bou Saab, the education minister in Lebanon. He further went on to say, "When the Lebanese army were kidnapped in Lebanon the people who kidnapped them came out of the camps. They kidnapped the soldiers and they took them to the mountains." (30) Here let it be noted that the Obama Administration plans to allow 10,000 Syrian refugees to come to the United States. Such an endeavor could prove to be dangerous, and American government officials have warned that there is no foolproof way to ensure that some of those refugees are not arriving with hostile intent. "The good news is that we are better at [vetting] than we were eight years ago. The bad news is that there is no risk-free process," said Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson. He further went on to say, "We may have someone who is not on our radar and someone may choose to do something bad after they get here. We can only query against what we have collected, so if someone hasn't made a ripple in the pond, we can check our databases until the cows come home but we have no record of that person." (31) It has become clear that we live in a period of time that is fraught with danger on every side. We must continue to watch and pray.

More Foolishness From The Scientific Community!

In Psalm 14:1 we find the following declaration, "The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God." Amazingly enough, scientists in recent days have performed a study which included experiments that were performed on individuals to see if their belief in God could be diminished. The experiments, which were performed by scientists from the University of York in the United Kingdom and the University of California in Los Angeles, involved the use of magnetic force aimed directly at the posterior medial frontal cortexes of their participants' brains. After performing the experiments, it was determined that belief in God among their participants was reduced by 32.8 percent. (32) One of the scientists responsible for the study described their procedures. "We wanted to find out whether a brain region that is linked with solving concrete problems, like deciding how to move one's body to overcome an obstacle, is also involved in solving abstract problems addressed by ideology. We decided to remind people of death because previous research has shown that people turn to religion for comfort in the face of death. As expected, we found that when we experimentally turned down the posterior medial frontal cortex, people were less inclined to reach for comforting religious ideas despite having been reminded of death," stated Dr. Keise Izuma of the University of York. (33) One can only wonder why scientists would be inspired to perform such experiments in the first place. I find it interesting that a procedure which intentionally disrupts a human brain's natural impulses, or in other words, causes temporary brain damage, can result in a loss of belief in God.

In closing, I urge every reader of this newsletter to keep your focus on God. In him we will find strength and a refuge from all the sin and wickedness in this world. For as we read in Psalm 62:5-8, "My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah."

Thank you all for your generous support of this ministry. We appreciate your kindness and pray that God will bless you. If you have any prayer requests great or small, please do not hesitate to send them our way. Each prayer request we receive is always given individual attention, and our intercessors will carry your petitions before the throne of the Almighty. Grace and peace be unto you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.