Volume 39     Issue Eight      August 2020
Last Trumpet Ministries, PO Box 806, Beaver Dam, WI 53916
Phone: 920-887-2626 Internet: http://www.lasttrumpetministries.org

Signs Of Trouble Ahead

"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."

"And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."

"Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown."

In this issue of the Last Trumpet Newsletter, we will examine the current events of our day and the signs all around us that tumultuous days are ahead. The disease known as COVID-19, which is caused by a new form of coronavirus, is said to be worsening exponentially by health experts. The United States is grappling with this disease, seemingly unable to contain it, and some states are rolling back efforts to fully reopen from shutdowns in April and May of this year. Cumbersome new restrictions are being implemented at a steady pace. In the state of California, many types of businesses have been shut down completely by order of Governor Gavin Newsome, including bars, restaurants, movie theaters, and museums. (1) Additionally, indoor fitness centers, malls, hair salons, and worship services have been forced to cease operations in many of the state's counties. (2) This order came just weeks after Governor Newsome made the controversial decision to prohibit people from singing during worship services at their churches. "Practices and performances present an increased likelihood for transmission of COVID-19 through contaminated exhaled droplets and should occur through alternative methods like internet streaming," the California Department of Public Health announced on July 1, 2020. (3) This troubling mandate directly contravenes Scripture which instructs in James 5:13, "Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms." Furthermore, if the authorities are bold enough to ban singing and worship, it is not inconceivable that they might try to ban audible prayer, too. After all, they could just as easily say that praying out loud spreads contaminated droplets of COVID-19!

Amongst the plethora of restrictions foisted upon the American people are new rules regarding interstate travel. While the summer road trip is a tradition that brings joy to many adults and children alike, it is no longer possible for us to travel freely. As an example, if I got into my car and decided to drive to the state of New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut, I would be forced to self-quarantine for fourteen days upon reaching my destination. Failure to do so would result in a hefty fine. The penalty for non-compliance in Connecticut is 1,000 dollars and up to 2,000 dollars in New York. (4) Numerous other states, including Alaska, Florida, Hawaii, New Mexico, Maine, Vermont, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island, have also implemented domestic travel restrictions. (5)

More than thirty American states now require people to wear face coverings in public spaces. (6) This requirement has been endorsed by American President Donald Trump who recently stated, "I have no problem with the masks. I view it this way: Anything that potentially can help, and that certainly can potentially help, is a good thing. I have no problem. I carry it; I wear it… and I'll continue." (7)

Without a doubt, medical experts are starting to panic. On July 24, 2020, Dr. Deborah Birx, who is the head of the White House COVID-19 taskforce, called upon eleven major American cities to take "aggressive" action to stop the spread of coronavirus. "What started out very much as a southern and western epidemic is starting to move up the East Coast into Tennessee, Arkansas, up into Missouri, up across Colorado, and obviously we're talking about increases now in Baltimore," Dr. Birx informed. She further went on to say, "So this is really critical that everybody is following this and making sure they're being aggressive about mitigation efforts." The eleven cities she identified as trouble spots are Baltimore, Maryland; Cleveland, Ohio; Columbus, Ohio; Indianapolis, Indiana; Las Vegas, Nevada; Miami, Florida; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Nashville, Tennessee; New Orleans, Louisiana; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and St. Louis, Missouri. (8) Other experts have called on governors and city officials to reimplement lockdowns. "I'm hoping that the governors use some common sense and close up again. It comes close to irresponsible, reopening, until we have absolute proof that the disease is under control," said Dr. Bob Lahita, a physician and medical professor at Rutgers University. (9) Additionally, a group of 150 medical doctors have joined forces and published a letter insisting that the United States return to lockdown mode. "Shut it down, now, and start over," the letter demands. The letter further states, "If you don't take these actions, the consequences will be measured in widespread suffering and death." (10)

Shocking developments are happening all over the country. This includes Starr County, Texas, which despite having only 100,000 residents, has been reporting a heavy surge in COVID-19 transmission. In an article published on July 23, 2020, it was announced that the hospital in the county had run out of beds in its intensive care unit. Thus, county officials say they are now forced to make difficult decisions about who is worthy of medical care. "Unfortunately, Starr County Memorial Hospital has limited resources, and our doctors are going to have to decide who receives treatment and who is sent home to die by their loved ones," said Starr County Judge Eloy Vera. (11) A year ago, it would have seemed unthinkable that something like this could happen in the United States. Who would have ever imagined that American citizens could be turned away from medical facilities and sent home to die?

Officially, the reported cases of COVID-19 have now surpassed four million in the United States. (12) It should be noted; however, that number is likely inaccurate. It is a common suspicion amongst the American people that government authorities are overcounting COVID cases. This view is shared by Daniel Spitz, the Chief Medical Examiner in Macomb County, Michigan. Regarding the number of COVID cases, he was quoted as saying, "Are they entirely accurate? No. Are people dying of it? Absolutely. Are people dying of other things and coronavirus is maybe getting credit? Yeah, probably." (13) Nevertheless, officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced in July 2020 that they believe cases of COVID-19 infection are being massively undercounted. Using data from antibody tests, they claim that the true number of coronavirus infections in some areas could be ten times higher than reported. (14) God only knows the true number of cases. What does seem obvious from all of these reports is that the coronavirus crisis, which has upended the world, is not going away any time soon. In fact, a survey conducted by OnePoll found that 75 percent of American respondents confessed that they are afraid that life will never return to normal. (15) In any case, we will all face challenges in the days ahead. It will take great determination and resolve to get through, but we know that our strength comes from above. Psalm 28:7-8 declares, "The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him. The Lord is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed."

China Is Flexing Its Might

While much attention has been focused on the coronavirus crisis and racial tension in the United States, numerous news reports show that we should be paying closer attention to what China is doing. In recent years, China has increased its global influence with Chinese President Xi Jinping making it clear that the communist country seeks to become a global superpower. In fact, in 2017, the Chinese President declared that China must "take center stage in the world." (16) The ambitious Chinese government has made considerable efforts to revamp and modernize its military. According to a report from 2019, military spending in China has increased for twenty-four consecutive years and reached 175.4 billion dollars last year. Only the United States spends more on its armed forces. (17) Today, China has the largest standing army in the world with approximately 2.18 million active military personnel. (18) Activity in the past weeks and months suggest that the Chinese regime might be getting ready to use its considerable military resources.

On July 13, 2020, a story was published by CNBC with the headline, "China is stepping into global leadership vacuum as U.S. struggles with coronavirus." (19) The article cites former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd who believes that China senses weakness in the United States as the coronavirus crisis worsens. It is his belief that the Chinese regime is using the crisis as an opportunity to exert its influence and assert itself as a global leader. "From Beijing's perspective, this represents an open door and the Chinese - opportunistically or otherwise - they walk straight in." (20)

Actions by the Chinese suggest that its leaders have grown bolder. In late June 2020, Chinese lawmakers approved a new national security law that will greatly curtail the freedoms of the semi-autonomous city of Hong Kong. (21) Hong Kong, which was controlled by the British until 1997, is supposed to be governed under a special system that affords its citizens more freedom than those who live in mainland China. This agreement does not expire until the year 2047, but protests throughout the city last year raised the ire of the Chinese government who now seeks to diminish those freedoms earlier than allowed by the agreement. The new law, which outlaws "any act of treason, secession, sedition, [or] subversion," was passed by the Chinese government without any input from Hong Kong's Legislative Council and also allows the creation of a new Chinese security arm in Hong Kong. (22) This law was no doubt enacted to silence detractors in Hong Kong.

It seems likely that the Chinese regime is testing the waters to see what they can do without being challenged. In fact, there is growing concern that China may soon attack Taiwan. The Chinese government considers the island of Taiwan to be its rightful property and could soon act to bring it under its full control. "Looking on the long-term trend, China appears to be gradually stepping up its military preparedness, especially in air or on the waters near Taiwan. What China is doing now is continuing to ramp up preparedness to solve the Taiwan issue. The threat is on the rise," warned Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu. He further stated that intrusions by the Chinese military in Taiwan's territory "happened almost every day" throughout the month of June 2020. (23)

China has also clashed with India in recent weeks over contested territory in the Himalayan region. On June 15, 2020, a skirmish between Chinese and Indian forces broke out. At least twenty Indian soldiers died while an estimated thirty-five Chinese soldiers perished in the fight, which was said to involve "vicious hand-to-hand combat." (24) China's behavior regarding Hong Kong, Taiwan, and India marks a departure from the norm according to Taylor Fravel, director of the Security Studies Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "It's clearly a new category of standoff. This time you have China deploying more troops in more places at the same time. Clearly, there is a change," Fravel opined. (25)

Amid China's assertive posturing, relations with the United States have soured considerably. To be sure, American President Donald Trump has a long list of grievances against China, including inequitable trade policies, the theft of intellectual property, China's claim to contested areas in the South China Sea, and the spread of coronavirus which first surfaced in Wuhan, China, before making its way around the world. Here let it be noted that United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo recently traveled to the United Kingdom in an effort to form a coalition to oppose China. "We want every nation to work together to push back against the Chinese Communist Party's efforts. We hope we can build out a coalition that understands this threat, will work collectively to convince the Chinese Communist Party it's not in their best interest to engage in this kind of behavior," Pompeo said. Officials in the United Kingdom expressed a willingness to work with the United States to counteract China's ambitions. "The U.K. is really clear that we need to work with our American friends and also with other partners together in the international system to protect our freedoms and interests and stand up - as we've shown, I think, on Hong Kong - stand up for our values," said British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab. (26) The United Kingdom has already taken various actions against China, including the dissolution of an extradition treaty with Hong Kong, and has banned the usage of equipment manufactured by Chinese tech company Huawei on its fifth-generation mobile phone networks. For these actions, the Chinese government has promised that the United Kingdom will "bear the consequences" for its defiance. (27)

In yet another indicator that all is not well between the United States and China, American President Donald Trump recently ordered the closure of the Chinese Consulate in Houston, Texas. On July 21, 2020, occupants of the consulate were ordered to vacate the facilities within seventy-two hours. China quickly protested the decision with Chinese Foreign Minister spokesperson Wang Wenbin stating, "This is breaking down the bridge of friendship between the Chinese and American people." (28) In response to Trump's decision, the Chinese government ordered the United States to close its consulate in Chengdu, China. "The current situation in Chinese-U.S. relations is not what China desires to see. The United States is responsible for all this," said the Chinese Foreign Ministry in a statement. It further went on to say, "We once again urge the United States to immediately retract its wrong decision and create necessary conditions for bringing the bilateral relationship back on track." (29) President Trump was undeterred, however, and hinted that he might close more Chinese consulates in the United States. (30)

With alliances being formed and consulates being closed, one cannot help but wonder if these circumstances are a prelude to war. At the very least, news headlines suggest that the United States and China are entering a "new cold war." This is reflected in a story published by Reuters News Service on July 22, 2020, which declares in its headline, "United States and China enter a new cold war." (31) In a similar fashion, the New York Times published a piece on the same day with the headline, "How the cold war between China and the U.S. is intensifying." (32) However, Oriana Skylar Mastro, who is an assistant professor at Georgetown University, insists what is happening right now is much different than the Cold War of past years. "The situation with China is nothing like the Cold War. On the positive side, we have extensive engagement. On the negative, there's a real possibility of a hot war between the two sides to a degree that never existed with the Soviet Union," she said (33) in reference to the conflict between the United States and the now defunct Russian Soviet Union that lasted from 1947 until 1991. While the prior Cold War was defined by proxy wars and subterfuge, the new conflict has the potential to be far more overt. An editorial published on July 20, 2020, by RT, which is a state-owned media outlet out of Russian and often regarded as a source of propaganda, pointedly states, "a Sino-American war now looks not just possible, but almost inevitable." (34) Only God knows what the future holds, but there are signs all around us that trouble is ahead.

A Perfect Storm Of Distress

There has never been a time quite like the present in America. We, the people, are now contending with a pandemic, high unemployment, economic uncertainty, racial tension, protests, and riots all at the same time. To make matters worse, the story seems to be the same in many of our country's major cities; violence is surging. In Atlanta, Georgia, murders over a four week period ending on July 11, 2020, were 240 percent higher than they were during the same period in 2019. This development prompted Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms to say, "I think it's just a perfect storm of distress in America." (35)

This problem extends far beyond Atlanta, however. Chicago, Illinois, is infamous for its pervasive violence where every holiday seems to bring more bloodshed. This trend held true for the Independence Day weekend of July 4th and 5th. Although the Chicago Police Department deployed 1,200 extra police officers to the streets for this period, there were still seventeen fatal shootings and more than seventy others wounded. This heartbreaking statistic prompted Chicago Police Superintendant David Brown to say, "We cannot get used to hearing about children being gunned down in Chicago every weekend." (36) Other cities, including Houston, Texas; Los Angeles, California; New York City, New York; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Portland, Oregon, have reported significant increases in violent activity.

Portland, specifically, has garnered a great deal of attention due to ongoing protests which have, on many occasions, devolved into violent riots. "Each night, lawless anarchists destroy and desecrate property, including the federal courthouse, and attack the brave law enforcement officers protecting it," complained acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf. (37) Remarkably, the Portland protests have now persisted for more than fifty straight days. (38) At times, the throngs of protestors have numbered in the thousands, and President Donald Trump has deployed federal officers to the city. (39) A news report from July 25, 2020, describes a scene that sounds more akin to a war zone than a protest. It describes how hundreds of people attempted to push or pull a fence surrounding a federal courthouse building, while some came armed with power tools they used to try to cut through the barrier. (40) I cannot help but wonder, what were these people planning to do if they got past the fence?

With no end in sight for the protests, President Trump announced plans to send more federal officers to other cities in the United States, including Chicago, Illinois; Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Kansas City, Missouri. All of this is happening as we are only months away from what could be the most contentious presidential election in American history. No matter who wins, whether it be Donald Trump or his adversary Joe Biden, people are going to be angry. With this anger comes the possibility of more social distemper, and we could certainly see more violence in the streets. Draw near to God and keep praying!

A Startling Admission From Planned Parenthood

In recent months, a lot of attention has been focused on systemic racism in the United States. Despite all of this chatter calling for reform, there is an organization with profoundly racist origins that continues to operate today, and it is a group that liberals absolutely adore. The group in question is none other than America's largest abortion provider, Planned Parenthood. I've written about Planned Parenthood's beginning before, and I have long said that the group's founder, Margaret Sanger, was a flaming hot racist. In fact, she was a proponent of eugenics, which is the belief that those with undesirable genetic traits should not be allowed to reproduce. It was one of the core principles of Nazi Germany, and yes, Sanger had ties to Nazism. In the April 1933 issue of her magazine, The Birth Control Review, Sanger published an article entitled "Eugenic Sterilization: An Urgent Need." It was written by a man named Ernst Rudin, who at the time worked as Adolf Hitler's Director of Genetic Sterilization. Sanger also had ties to the Ku Klux Klan. (42)

Amazingly enough, Planned Parenthood of Greater New York has now admitted that its founder was a racist! They further announced that they would be renaming their building in Manhattan, New York, known as the Margaret Sanger Health Center. "The removal of Margaret Sanger's name from our building is both a necessary and overdue step to reckon with our legacy and acknowledge Planned Parenthood's contributions to historical reproductive harm within communities of color," stated board chair Karen Seltzer. She further went on to say, "Margaret Sanger's concerns and advocacy for reproductive health have been clearly documented, but so too has her racist legacy." (43) Since there is now such a concerted effort to tear down racist institutions in America, is it not high time to abolish Planned Parenthood?

In closing, we can clearly see that we live in a troubling time, and we know that this world will continue to be troubled in the days ahead. It is my prayer that God will grant us all the patience and resolve to endure the perilous times in which we live. Thankfully, Jesus promised in Matthew 24:13, "But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." We can also find inspiration in I Thessalonians 5:21-23 which declares, "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." Finally, we find these encouraging words in Revelation 3:10-12: "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown."

Thank you all for your kind support of this ministry. If you have any prayer requests, great or small, please send them our way. Our team of intercessors always give each request individual attention, and there has never been a more needful time for prayer. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

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