Volume 40 Issue Seven July 2021
Last Trumpet Ministries · PO Box 806 · Beaver Dam, WI 53916
Phone: 920-887-2626 Internet: http://www.lasttrumpetministries.org
“For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?” I Cor. 14:8
Risks And Dangers Ahead
“Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.”
James 5:17
“And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.”
Revelation 16:8-9
When Elijah, the prophet of God, came on the scene in ancient Israel during the reign of King Ahab, he immediately pronounced God’s judgment upon the land in the form of a years-long drought. This drought was a consequence of Israel’s national sin, which included the worship of other so-called gods, the implementation of occult practices, and the slaughter of God’s prophets by order of the wicked Queen Jezebel. As the drought lingered on and water stockpiles languished, the people of Israel desperately searched for any water they could find. But, true to God’s word spoken by his prophet, it did not rain in Israel for a span of three and a half years.
A drought lasting for more than three years would certainly make life difficult. However, what is happening now in the United States of America could prove to be even more troublesome than the Biblical drought we read about in I Kings, chapters 17 and 18. As of this writing, an astonishing 47.67 percent of the continental United States is experiencing drought. These dry conditions, which are primarily afflicting the western portion of the country, are affecting 76.5 million acres of crops and impacting the lives of 92 million people. In total, thirty-one states are suffering from moderate drought or worse. (1) According to reports, the situation is likely to worsen in the coming months. In fact, an article published by The Guardian on June 18, 2021, claims that the United States could experience its worst drought in 1,200 years! (2) Daniel Swain, who is a climate scientist at the University of California Los Angeles, did not mince words. “As far as drought goes, this is the big one, especially if we are talking about the broader drought across the whole Southwest. By a lot of metrics, it is the most severe drought on record,” he said. (3) Elizabeth Klein, who is the senior counselor to the Department of the Interior, also sounded the alarm stating, “We have never seen drought at the scale and the intensity that we see right now, and it is possible that this may be the baseline for the future.” (4)
As would be expected, the present drought poses a grave risk to the water supply of this country’s western states. Nestled between the borders of Nevada and Arizona, we find Lake Mead, the United States’ largest reservoir. This lake came into existence when the Hoover Dam was built in the 1930s. When full, it has the capacity to hold more than 26 million acre-feet of water. (5) Lake Mead is a crucial water source for the American West. Twenty-five million people in the states of Nevada, California, Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico rely on it. (6) However, the precious water source is now at only 36 percent of its capacity, and scientists worry that it may never be full again. “This [rapid decline] scares me. It’s dropping so fast that it may be overreaching our ability to cope with the problems. I did not anticipate the bottom to drop this quickly, and we’re only talking about Lake Mead,” warned John Fleck, who is the director of the Water Resources Program at the University of New Mexico. (7) The last time Lake Mead was full was in the year 2000. Since that time the reservoir has lost 5.5 trillion gallons of water and has dropped 143 feet lower. (8) Remarkably, the Lake Mead area has suffered twenty-two years of drought. (9)
Given the exceptionally dry conditions, the state of Nevada is taking steps to mitigate the damage caused by the persistent drought. In fact, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak announced in June 2021 that he had signed a law that bans “nonfunctional turf.” In other words, the new law, which is set to take effect in 2027, prohibits Nevada’s citizens from growing grass in certain situations. “It’s incumbent upon us for the next generation to be more conscious of conservation and our natural resources – water being particularly important,” stated Governor Sisolak. (10)
Meanwhile, California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency related to the drought in forty-one counties in his state. (11) The drought has gotten so bad that a hydroelectric power plant at Lake Oroville could soon be shut down because of a lack of required water flow. The lake, which is California’s second-largest reservoir, is capable of generating enough electricity for 800,000 homes when operating at full power. (12) Additionally, the California government has resorted to carrying salmon by truck to the ocean. Under normal circumstances, these fish swim up rivers to the ocean where they can mature and reproduce, but many of the streams and rivers in California have dried up. (13) Without a doubt, the drought is causing problems for California’s agriculture sector. According to a report by Reuters, some farmers are leaving their fields unplanted because there is not enough water to go around. “There’s not very much being grown out there, just because there’s no water. There’s literally no water,” said one farmer. He further went on to say, “The years when it rained a lot, there were a lot of beets, saffron, all that. There was no unplanted land. It was very pretty, and now, wherever you look, you see all this wasteland.” (14) The article further warns that we could see shortages of certain produce at the grocery store next year. (15)
One of the driest states in the country at this present time is Utah. In early June it was reported that the entire state is considered “abnormally dry,” More than 90 percent of the state is experiencing an “extreme drought,” and 62.2 percent of the state is suffering from “exceptional drought.” (16) In desperation, Utah Governor Spencer Cox resorted to asking the people of his state to pray for rain. “By praying collaboratively and collectively, asking God or whatever higher power you believe in, for more rain, we may be able to escape the deadliest aspects of the continuing drought. Please join me and Utahns, regardless of religious affiliation, in a weekend of humble prayer for rain,” the governor requested. (17)
The catastrophic drought in the United States is being worsened by extremely high temperatures. Summer days are often hot, and June 16, 2021, was no exception to the rule in Death Valley, California. On this day, the temperature reached a sweltering 129 degrees Fahrenheit (53.8 degrees Celsius). (18) Death Valley is one of the hottest places in the world, so this temperature is not terribly surprising. However, various locations around the United States have been suffering higher than usual temperatures in recent weeks. Phoenix, Arizona, which certainly can be very hot in the summer months, reached new heights in mid-June 2021 when the temperature reached or exceeded 115 degrees Fahrenheit (46.1 Celsius) for six straight days. (19) Las Vegas, Nevada, reached 114 degrees; Omaha, Nebraska, peaked at 105 degrees; and Denver, Colorado, hit the 100-degree mark three days in a row. (20) As I write this newsletter on June 27, 2021, the Pacific Northwest region of the United States is roasting hot. Portland, Oregon, reached 108 degrees today, which is an all-time record. Seattle, Washington, hit 102 degrees, which is the highest temperature ever recorded there during the month of June. (21) It is highly unusual for it to be so hot in so many places at once, and it is especially unusual for it to be so hot in the month of June. July and August tend to be the hottest months in America.
As would be expected, scientists, meteorologists, and politicians are in full-blown panic mode as they warn the world about climate change. A four-thousand-page draft report composed by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change presents a rather gloomy outlook. “Life on earth can recover from a drastic climate shift by evolving into new species and creating new ecosystems. Humanity cannot,” the report claims. It further goes on to say, “The worst is yet to come, affecting our children’s and grandchildren’s lives much more than our own.” (22)
Thus, we see that most of the experts agree that the world will grow increasingly hotter as we progress through time. What if they are misinterpreting the cause of this problem? Revelation, chapter 16, describes what will happen to the earth in the latter days before the return of Jesus Christ. Verse one of this chapter starts out by declaring, “And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.” Verses eight and nine of this chapter further inform, “And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.” Interestingly enough, it is believed that as the world grows warmer and drought intensifies, we will also see more wildfires. Why is it that humanity will still refuse to repent even as the planet’s occupants are scorched with great heat? I suspect that most people will believe that this act of judgment is merely the manifestation of climate change.
The Great Vaccination Campaign
Since that fateful day in November when Pfizer announced that it had produced an effective vaccine against Covid-19, the push to vaccinate the global population has been underway. President Biden has been especially emphatic about vaccinating the American people and millions of them have received the shots so far. As of this writing, 153 million Americans are fully vaccinated. This accounts for about 46 percent of the American population. Amongst the population over the age of eighteen, the percentage is even higher with nearly 57 percent of adult population fully vaccinated. (23)
The rollout of the Covid-19 vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson has not been without complications. The point is highlighted in a recent piece published by The Wall Street Journal on June 22, 2021, with the headline “Are Covid Vaccines Riskier Than Advertised?” (24) The article goes on to reference the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, or VAERS, which is maintained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA.) Evidently, the most commonly reported “adverse events” experienced after the administration of the vaccines are thrombocytopenia, described as low blood platelets; noninfectious myocarditis, described as heart inflammation; deep-vein thrombosis; and death. The report then goes on to note, “Prior research has shown that only a fraction of adverse events are reported, so the true number of cases is almost certainly higher.” (25) These admissions are startling, especially since they are coming from a mainstream news source.
On June 17, 2021, it was reported by NBC News that more than 300 cases of myocarditis, or heart inflammation, had been found amongst young people after they received their Covid vaccinations. (26) By June 23, 2021, CNBC reported that the number of cases had risen to over 1,200. (27) In response, the FDA plans to add a warning to the fact sheets of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines regarding this possible complication. (28) As more problems become known, some are now warning that it might not be worth it to vaccinate children and young adults since they so rarely suffer life-threatening complications when they contract Covid-19. This includes Dr. Robert Malone, the man who invented mRNA vaccines, which is the technology used by Pfizer and Moderna. “One of my concerns are that the government is not being transparent with us about what those risks are. And so, I am of the opinion that people have the right to decide whether to accept vaccines or not, especially since these are experimental vaccines,” Dr. Malone said. (28) He makes a valid point since these vaccines now being distributed are being used under emergency authorization and have not yet been fully approved by the FDA. He later went on to say, “I can say that the risk-benefit ratio for those 18 and below doesn’t justify vaccines and there’s a pretty good chance that it doesn’t justify vaccination in these very young adults.” (29) Even more surprising, the World Health Organization, or WHO, has officially gone on record recommending that children not be vaccinated for Covid right now. “More evidence is needed on the use of the different Covid-19 vaccines in children to be able to make general recommendations on vaccinating children against Covid-19,” the WHO said on its website. (30)
Nevertheless, the American people have been forced to take the vaccines in certain situations. Many colleges and universities require them before students are allowed to attend classes including Indiana University. The school not only demands that students receive the Covid shots, but also employees. If they refuse to do so, their employment is terminated. In response, a group of students and parents have filed a lawsuit against the university. (31)
Covid-19 vaccine mandates can be found elsewhere besides educational institutions, too. For example, at Houston Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas, 153 employees have either resigned or have been fired for not receiving the vaccines. (32) San Francisco, California, Mayor London Breed announced in June 2021 that all city workers would be required to receive the Covid inoculations. “I had to think about our workforce; I had to think about the public and what I was subjecting the public to and it was important for me to make sure that we set an example with our workforce,” Breed disclosed. (33) As of June 1, 2021, all employers in California’s Santa Clara County are required to ask employees if they have received the Covid vaccines. If they say they have not or refuse to answer, the employees are required to continue wearing face coverings. The burdensome mandate further requires that employers ask their unvaccinated employees every fourteen days if they have been vaccinated yet. (34)
It is completely unethical to mandate that people receive a vaccine that is capable of causing harm. Yet, that is precisely what we are seeing in the United States and elsewhere around the world. Thankfully, the vaccines are not mandated by the government in the United States at this time. However, those seeking to attend concerts, sporting events, or college classes often find that they must be vaccinated to do these activities. Employers are also firing employees, and it is highly likely that the shots will be required before Americans can travel internationally.
Needless to say, there is a lot of concern regarding these vaccines, and there is still a large segment of the American people who refuse to receive them. But, interestingly enough, the Covid vaccines could lay the groundwork for something potentially very dangerous. Dr. Euan Ashley, who is a professor of medicine and genetics at Stanford University, has announced that he is working on a new vaccine which he claims will be able to offer lasting protection against heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, and liver disease. Such a vaccine, he claims, would reduce the risk of premature death by 50 percent. The vaccine is said to work by modifying human DNA. As such, those who receive it would become genetically modified human beings. “We will soon have the genetic engineering tools to repair, tweak, and improve DNA associated with a host of life-limiting diseases, to make us all less prone to developing these illnesses across our lifetimes,” Dr. Ashley said. He further went on to say, “Advances in DNA modification mean the number of people with ‘superhuman’ genes – those who are more disease resistant – is no longer science fiction, but in the coming years, absolute science fact. Potentially, millions of people could be impacted by this technology – a superhero jab, for want of a better description.” The so-called superhuman vaccine, which is capable of dramatically altering human DNA, could enter clinical trials as soon as the year 2026. Dr. Ashley estimates that it could be ready for the general public in as little as ten years. The vaccine will use the same delivery technique as the Pfizer Covid-19 shots. (35) Will this vaccine be mandatory someday? God only knows.
A Conflict That Could Change The World
About 100 miles east of mainland China sits a very important island known as Taiwan. When a civil war ended in China in 1949, the losing side retreated to this island and set up a new government independent of the Communist forces that control mainland China. In the decades that followed, the Chinese government has never acknowledged Taiwan as an independent country but rather regards the island as a rogue province. (36) Chinese President Xi Jinping has made it clear that he regards Taiwan as China’s property. In 2019, Xi insisted that his country would never acknowledge Taiwan’s independence and demanded that the island must be unified with mainland China. “We are willing to create a vast space for peaceful unification, but we will never leave any room for any sort of Taiwan independence separatist activities,” Xi said at the time. The communist leader also said that China would not rule out the use of force against Taiwan. (36)
Since that time, relations between China and Taiwan have been tense. On many occasions, Chinese military forces have encroached on Taiwan’s territory. This trend continued in June 2021 when twenty-eight planes, which included fighter jets and bombers, flew over Taiwan’s airspace. (37) This act of aggression prompted Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu to warn of the need to prepare for a military conflict with China. “As Taiwan’s decision makers, we cannot take any chances. We have to be prepared. When the Chinese government is saying they would not renounce the use of force, and they conduct military exercises around Taiwan, we would rather believe that it is real,” Wu declared. (38) Officials in the United States believe that China might be preparing to attack Taiwan. In March 2021, Admiral Philip Davidson, commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, told a Senate committee that China could invade Taiwan within the next six years. “Taiwan is clearly one of their ambitions… And I think the threat is manifest during this decade, in fact, in the next six years,” the Admiral said. (39)
If China does attack Taiwan, this conflict could have ramifications for the entire world. Why? As it turns out, Taiwan is the world’s biggest producer of microchips. In fact, the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company makes 92 percent of the world’s supply of advanced microchips required in modern devices such as smartphones. They also produce 60 percent of the global supply of microcontrollers required by modern cars. (40) Thus, if China attacks Taiwan, it could result in worldwide shortages of smartphones, computers, electronics, cars, and anything else that requires a microchip. Such shortages could wreak havoc on communications systems, the manufacturing sector, and even transportation. Thus, seizing control of Taiwan could prove to be an important part of China’s quest to become the world’s premier superpower. President Xi has hinted at China becoming a “world leader” or superpower for years. In 2017 he said, “The Chinese nation… has stood up, grown rich, and become strong – and it now embraces the brilliant prospects of rejuvenation. It will be an era that sees China moving closer to center stage and making greater contributions to mankind.” (41) U.S. Pacific Air Force Command chief Kenneth Wilsbach is especially wary of China. “They don’t believe there can be multiple superpowers, they believe that there can only be one, and they want to return back to the glory days of [imperial] China where everybody else was a vassal state and everybody [kowtowed] to the emperor. And the emperor now is the Chinese Communist Party,” the general said. (42) In last month’s issue of this newsletter, I reported a startling quote from President Joe Biden who said regarding Xi Jinping, “He firmly believes that China, before the year 2035, is going to own America…” (43) As we learn more about China’s ambitions and activities, this quote becomes all the more ominous.
A Precarious State
Humanity’s reliance on technology in this modern age has put our country in a precarious state. This simple fact was demonstrated in May 2021 when hackers breached the computer systems at Colonial Pipeline and locked out the owners. In the end, the company paid the hackers 4.4 million dollars to regain control of their systems, (44) but during the downtime, chaos ensued as panicked consumers hoarded scant fuel supplies. Less than a month later, hackers struck again and gained access to the computer systems at the meat processing company known as JBS. This massive breach led to shutdowns in Australia, Canada, and the United States. In desperation, the company paid the hackers 11 million dollars. (45) A prolonged shutdown could have easily sent the price of meat skyrocketing in the affected regions. Thus, we see these hacks have already threatened our nation’s transportation infrastructure and food supply. Government officials are gravely concerned.
A letter written by White House cyber adviser Anne Neuberger contained a very frank warning to business owners. “All organizations must recognize that no company is safe from being targeted by ransomware, regardless of size or location,” she wrote. (46) FBI Director Christopher Wray also expressed his concern stating, “The scale of this problem is one that I think the country has to come to terms with.” He also suggested that the recent hacks have given the American people a heightened sense of awareness. “Now realizing it can affect them when they’re buying gas at the pump or buying a hamburger – I think there’s a growing awareness now of just how much we’re all in this fight together.” (47) It is believed that the hackers are of Russian origin. (48) Whether that is true or not, I cannot say, but the simple fact remains that in the event of a war with Russia, China, North Korea, or Iran, it is a safe guess that hackers will launch massive cyber attacks against the United States. Unless significant steps are taken to improve the security of our nation’s computer systems, the infrastructure of our country is at risk. A well-coordinated cyber-attack could prevent the American people from filling their cars with gas, paying for groceries at the supermarket, or withdrawing money from their bank accounts. Life as we know it would very quickly screech to a halt.
Without a doubt, we are living in perilous times. New vulnerabilities are surfacing at a more frequent pace than ever before both in the United States and the entire world. There are many risks and dangers ahead. I believe that altering the course of global affairs for the better would require sincere repentance and humble prayer. As the world grows increasingly wicked, it is unlikely that we will ever see repentance at a national level, but we as individuals can seek God now, and if we do so, He has promised to have mercy upon His people. Isaiah 55:6-7 declares, “Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” If you have not yet repented of your sins and dedicated your life to God, I urge you to do so now.
Thank you for your kind support of this ministry. As we continue to celebrate forty years of publishing this newsletter, we thank God that He has strengthened and enabled us to continue this vital work for the cause of Christ. We are trusting God for great things in the days ahead, and we will endeavor to continue this ministry to the best of our ability in the years to come, however many or few they may be. If you have any prayer requests, as always, you are encouraged to send them our way. Our team of intercessors gives each request individual attention. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Samuel David Meyer
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Acknowledgments
01. Drought.gov, National Current Conditions, June 16, 2021 - June 22, 2021, http://drought.gov.
02. The Guardian, June 18, 2021, By Maanvi Singh, http://theguardian.com.
03. Bloomberg News, June 24, 2021, By Brian K. Sullivan and Elizabeth Elkin, http://bloomberg.com.
04. Ibid.
05. Accuweather, June 16, 2021, By Adriana Navarro, http://accuweather.com.
06. CNN, June 17, 2021, By Rachel Ramirez, Pedram Javaheri, and Drew Kann, http://cnn.com.
07. Ibid.
08. Ibid.
09. Accuweather, June 16, 2021, By Adriana Navarro, http://accuweather.com.
10. The Hill, June 7, 2021, By Joseph Choi, http://thehill.com.
11. Office Of Governor Gavin Newsom, May 10, 2021, http://gov.ca.gov.
12. CNN, June 18, 2021, By Alexandra Meeks, http://cnn.com.
13. AFP, June 5, 2021, By Laurent Banguet, http://afp.com.
14. Reuters News Service, June 18, 2021, By Norma Galeana, http://reuters.com.
15. Ibid.
16. Business Insider, June 5, 2021, By John L. Dorman, http://businessinsider.com.
17. Ibid.
18. CBS Local News Los Angeles, June 17, 2021, By CBSLA Staff, http://losangeles.cbslocal.com.
19. KTAR News, June 19, 2021, By KTAR News, http://ktar.com.
20. National Public Radio, June 19, 2021, By Eric Westervelt, http://npr.org.
21. The Washington Post, June 27, 2021, By Jason Samenow and Ian Livingston, http://washingtonpost.com.
22. Yahoo News, June 23, 2021, By David Knowles, http://news.yahoo.com.
23. Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, http://covid.cdc.gov.
24. The Wall Street Journal, June 22, 2021, By Joseph A. Ladapo and Harvey A. Risch, http://wsj.com.
25. Ibid.
26. NBC News, June 17, 2021, By Erika Edwards, http://nbcnews.com.
27. CNBC, June 23, 2021, By Berkeley Lovelace Jr., http://cnbc.com.
28. Politico, June 23, 2021, By Lauren Gardner, http://politico.com.
29. Fox News, June 24, 2021, By Charles Creitz, http://foxnews.com.
30. WFLA News, June 22, 2021, By WFLA 8 On Your Side Staff, http://wfla.com.
31. The Federalist, June 21, 2021, By Spencer Lindquist, http://thefederalist.com.
32. Fox News, June 23, 2021, By Edmund DeMarche, http://foxnews.com.
33. ABC 7 News, June 25, 2021, By Melanie Woodrow, http://msn.com.
34. Reuters News Service, June 21, 2021, By Tom Hals, http://reuters.com.
35. StudyFinds, June 25, 2021, By StudyFinds, http://studyfinds.org.
36. National Public Radio, January 2, 2019, By Ashley Westerman, http://npr.org.
37. Axios, June 16, 2021, By Rebecca Falconer, http://axios.com.
38. CNN, June 24, 2021, By Eric Cheung and Will Ripley, http://cnn.com.
39. NBC News, March 10, 2021, By Adela Suliman, http://nbcnews.com.
40. The Wall Street Journal, June 19, 2021, By Yang Jie, Stephanie Yang, and Asa Fitch, http://wsj.com.
41. The Independent, October 21, 2017, By The Independent, http://independent.co.uk.
42. The Washington Examiner, June 4, 2021, By Joel Gehrke, http://washingtonexaminer.com.
43. Fox News, May 28, 2021, By Morgan Phillips, http://foxnews.com.
44. BBC News, June 10, 2021, By BBC News, http://bbc.com.
45. Ibid.
46. The Washington Examiner, June 3, 2021, By Nihal Krishan, http://washingtonexaminer.com.
47. The Wall Street Journal, June 4, 2021, By Aruna Viswanatha and Dustin Volz, http://wsj.com.
48. Ibid.
To learn more about the history of our ministry and our founder, Pastor David J. Meyer, please visit http://pastormeyer.org.
If you would like to submit a prayer request, you may send email to prayer@ltmmail.org or mail it to our postal address.