The Influence Of Evil Forces In This Modern Age

"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."

Galatians 5:19-21

"There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch. Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee."

Deuteronomy 18:10-12

"Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord."

Acts 3:19

In this issue of the Last Trumpet Newsletter, we will examine today's current events and mankind's inclination toward evil things. At the heart of every man, woman, and child, there lies an innate desire to have a spiritual connection. While this desire can be a wonderful thing if it results in a man or woman seeking God, it can be disastrous to those who turn elsewhere in an attempt to find spiritual fulfillment. We must remember that Satan is a spiritual being, and as such he operates in a spiritual realm. When people seek to join this realm, they often become practitioners of the occult.

As many readers of this newsletter know, my father, Pastor David J. Meyer, was heavily involved in the occult world before his miraculous deliverance and salvation by the Lord Jesus Christ. As such, he would frequently use this newsletter as a platform to warn others about the occult influences that are so common in this world today. I do not write about such topics as often as he did, but I do feel compelled in this newsletter to warn everyone that witchcraft is still common today, and I believe the influence of occult practices is causing great spiritual damage in our country.

In this modern age, it is often difficult to convince people that witchcraft is any more than fantasy. Sure, they are familiar with the Harry Potter book series, but such material is brushed off as harmless fun. Real witches do not exist today, do they? Yes, witchcraft is real and it is thriving. In fact, if one were to travel to the East Village in Manhattan, New York, you would find the city's oldest witchcraft store. This store, which is known as "Enchantments," has been in operation for thirty-four years and specializes in carved candles used by customers for supposed "good magic" rituals. According to the store's owner, her clients come from many different professions and walks of life. "We get doctors, lawyers, bartenders, people who have been practicing pagans for 20 years and people who have never done any of this before in their life," the store owner said. She further went on to say, "I think with the current economic times people are looking for something that has a much more active feel to it, like, I can make things happen as opposed to some random force in the universe can make things happen." (1)

According to an article published by The Guardian in October 2013, witchcraft has been making a comeback in books, movies, and television programming in recent years. Such material has an especially strong appeal for teenage girls, because in the realm of Wiccan witchcraft, the female is always more powerful than the male. Recalling the trend toward witchcraft in the 1990s, social history professor Owen Davies of the University of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom was quoted as saying, "When Buffy and Charmed were at their peak, I would get letters from teenage girls, mainly from America, asking for help about where to look for spells. Those shows gave teenage girls a feeling of empowerment; there's something very appealing about magic and witchcraft. There have also been studies of girls who were interested in witch shows in the 1990s, following how many went on to become practicing Wiccans. It's not a huge number, but it's interesting that some of them watched the shows and thought, 'I want to know more.'" (2) Author Ruth Warburton, who has written a novel entitled "Witch Finder," openly admitted her intent to entice young girls into the realm of witchcraft. "Increasingly, we're trying to bring our daughters up to believe they can be the leader; they can have the adventure; they can do the cool stuff, and one thing about witches is that they allow you to explore that moment when girls become teenagers and realize the power they have as women and how exhilarating that can be," Warburton declared. (3)

Hollywood has certainly proven to be a powerful recruitment tool for occult practitioners. In fact, when a motion picture entitled Ouija was released in 2014, the sales of Ouija boards increased by a whopping 300 percent in the months following the film's release. (4)

One of the most significant occult movies to ever be released was a film known as "The Craft." I remember my father warning people regarding the dangers of this film when it was released in 1996, and since that time it has generated a considerable amount of interest in Wiccan witchcraft. In fact, a recently published article by MovieFone declared, "The Craft has been credited as the main influence on the growth of real-life teen interest in Wicca over the past twenty years." (5) The article also notes that at least one of the actresses featured in the film, Fairuza Balk, is a real-life practicing witch. (6) Furthermore, it was noted that unusual happenings occurred during the filming of this movie. For example, during a scene wherein an occult ritual is performed on a beach, a swarm of bats suddenly appeared out of nowhere and lingered. (7) In June 2016, it was announced that plans are underway to make a sequel to The Craft. Speaking of this development, film producer Douglas Wick said, "There will be callbacks to the original movie, so you will see there is a connection between what happened in the days of The Craft and how these young women came across this magic many years later." He further went on to say, "Here are some young women who once again discover the power of magic, and we explore their emotional lives, their wants, their fears, their longings, as they become empowered." (8)

Yes, it has become clear that the occult, whether it be Wiccan witchcraft, Satanism, or other forms, is popular in Hollywood right now. In fact, a horror film known as "The Witch" has been a surprise hit, and has even been endorsed by The Satanic Temple. "The Witch is not only a powerful cinematic experience, but also an impressive presentation of satanic insight that will inform contemporary discussion of religious experience," wrote Jex Blackmore, a spokesman for the group. (9)

You can even find witchcraft on the Hallmark Channel. This network, which is owned by the same company known for its famous line of greeting cards, is generally considered to be a family friendly television network. Yet, it was announced in June 2016 that their program known as "Good Witch" has been renewed for a third season. "Fans are enchanted by the magical adventures of Cassie, Sam, and Grace - charming characters who have inspired our viewers to believe in the magic that can be found in our everyday lives. We're excited to see this captivating adventure continue with a third season," stated Michelle Vicary, who is the Executive Vice President of Programming and Network Publicity at Crown Media Family Networks. (10)

Despite the popular perception of many people, there is no such thing as good witchcraft. It is condemned numerous times in the Scriptures, both in the Old and New Testaments. In Deuteronomy 18:10-12 we find the following warning, "There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch. Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee." In like manner, we are told in Galatians 5:19-21, "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." Any movies, books, or television shows which portray witchcraft in a positive light should not be embraced by God's people. There is no doubt in my mind that this prevalent occult activity unleashes unclean spirits all over the world. This is one of many reasons that the United States of America is in so much trouble today.

The Evil Spirits Of Hillary Clinton!

Amazingly enough, the next President of the United States could be a woman who is actively involved in occult practices. Former First Lady of the United States, Hillary Clinton, who is now the Democratic nominee for President in the 2016 American election, is known to have conversations with the dead. According to reports, Clinton is known to have spoken with the deceased Eleanor Roosevelt in the White House with the assistance of her New Age advisor Jean Houston. (11) Such activity is a form of witchcraft known as necromancy, and it is forbidden in the Scriptures. Although Houston would later try to pass off this activity as a mere "brainstorming" session, Hillary Clinton's obsession with Eleanor Roosevelt is widely known. In fact, a speechwriter by the name of Ted Widmer, who worked for Bill Clinton, recalled, "We talked about history all the time. We felt like Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt were friendly spirits." It is also interesting to note that Bill Clinton made a rather bizarre statement at an event in 2012. At this event, Bill told his audience, "As you famously learned when I served as president, my wife, now the Secretary of State, was known to commune with Eleanor on a regular basis. So she called me last night on her way home from Peru to remind me to say that: That Eleanor had talked to her and reminded her that I should say that." Although Bloomberg News made the claim that the former president was merely telling a joke, (12) I suspect that he was being more truthful than people realized.

Hillary Clinton has also expressed great admiration for Margaret Sanger, the woman who founded the organization which eventually became Planned Parenthood. History records that Margaret Sanger despised children. She believed in the purification of races by the process of eugenics and is known to have given speeches to groups affiliated with the Ku Klux Klan. It should be noted that Hillary Clinton was given the Margaret Sanger Award in 2009 for her efforts in furthering abortion. In her acceptance speech, Clinton told the audience, "I admire Margaret Sanger enormously, her courage, her tenacity, her vision. I am really in awe of her, there are a lot of lessons we can learn from her life." (13) Of course, Clinton is proud of her association with Planned Parenthood, and in a recent speech, she dedicated her campaign to the evil organization. "I'm grateful to the entire Planned Parenthood family. You made this campaign your own. It belongs to the staff, the donors, and to the providers," Clinton declared. She later went on to say, "I've been proud to stand with Planned Parenthood for a long time, and as president, I will always have your back." (14)

I suspect that Hillary Clinton is a woman infested with many evil spirits. In fact, former Secret Service agent Gary Byrne has reported in a new book that Clinton is often overtaken by inexplicable fits of rage. "The First Lady had a different sort of liveliness. She once threw a Bible at an agent on her detail, hitting him in the back of the head. He bluntly let her know it wasn't acceptable. He told me that story himself," Byrne wrote in his book, which is entitled Crisis of Character. Byrne further wrote in his book, "Most of us knew to brace for her inevitable eruptions. They didn't happen every day, but behind closed doors we learned about them fast. In public, she was everyone's best friend. Privately, she was her normal self." Additionally, Clinton was known to verbally hurl obscenities for no discernable reason at the agents charged with protecting her. (15)

In review, Hillary Clinton is involved in the occult practice of necromancy. She absolutely loves to see babies slaughtered by the barbaric practice of abortion, claims Margaret Sanger as an inspiration, and is abusive towards people who work for her. Of course, she is also known to be a habitual liar, and I have no doubt in my mind that she is one of the wickedest women alive today, and yet, it is a very real possibility that she could be the next American President.

Will Donald Trump Save America?

By now, we should all be able to see that Hillary Clinton would make an awful president, but what about Donald Trump? At this point, I would like to say that I am well aware that many of our readers support Donald Trump and hope that he will be the next president. I certainly hope that if he is given the presidency that he will bring about positive change to this country, but in all honesty, I have misgivings about the man. For one thing, in the not so distant past, Donald Trump was not only a registered Democrat, but was a very liberal man in word and deed. In 1999, Trump appeared on the television program Meet the Press, and stated that he was "very pro-choice." (16) Since that time, he has claimed to have had a change of heart and says he is now pro-life. If his change of heart is sincere, that is a wonderful thing, as abortion is a very grievous sin which has brought a great curse upon this land. I just hope his conviction is genuine, and that he is not simply saying what conservative audiences want to hear. Also in 1999, he told talk show host Larry King that he was "very liberal when it comes to health care" and further stated that he supports "universal healthcare." (17) Trump has also donated large sums of money in the past to the woman who is now his opponent, Hillary Clinton. They had a very cordial relationship, insomuch that Hillary Clinton and her husband Bill sat in the front row at Trump's wedding in 2005. (18) Donald Trump has switched political parties on more than one occasion. In 1999, he left the Republican Party and became an independent, then switched to the Democratic Party in 2001, and finally switched back to the Republican Party in 2009. (19) Regarding the homosexual lifestyle, Donald Trump has always been in favor of it and still is today. "I live in New York. I know many, many gay people. Tremendous people," he said in 2011. (20) Trump's support for homosexuality recently prompted Gregory T. Angelo, president of the Log Cabin Republicans to say, "He's the most pro-gay nominee that the party has ever had for president." (21)

Donald Trump's lack of understanding on spiritual matters is also troubling, especially since he professes to be a Christian. According to his own words, he has never repented of his sins. In late 2015, when he was asked if he ever asked God for forgiveness, Trump's reply was, "I am not sure I have. I just go on and try to do a better job from there. I don't think so. I think if I do something wrong, I think, I just try and make it right. I don't bring God into that picture. I don't." (22) As another reminder of the man's checkered past, a photo taken in June 2016 featured Donald Trump, Jerry Falwell Jr. (the son of the famed evangelical pastor who started Liberty University), and a backdrop with a wall of magazines featuring Donald Trump on the cover. One of the prominently displayed magazines on the wall is none other than Playboy. It has been noted that in the interview featured in this filthy magazine, Trump was quoted as saying that Mother Teresa and Jesus Christ had "far greater egos than you will ever understand." (23) One thing is certain, Donald Trump needs prayer. It would be wonderful if he truly repented of his sins. In Acts 3:19, we are told by the Apostle Peter, "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord." We should also be mindful of the fact that we have only one Saviour, and He is the Lord Jesus Christ. We must put our faith, hope, and trust in God, and not in a mere mortal man.

Intensifying Violence In The United States!

For those who follow the news, it is easily discerned that we live in a violent world. For example, there is certainly no shortage of violence in the Middle East where multiple conflicts are in progress each and every day. There is always trouble and strife in various regions of Africa. The South American country of Venezuela is also in turmoil where an astounding 87 percent of the population has no money to buy food. (24) As would be expected, this has caused widespread rioting and looting, and sadly, the murder rate has increased exponentially. So what about the United States of America?

The United States is supposed to be a highly developed and civilized nation. Yet, reports have surfaced which indicate that violent crimes are on the rise, and law enforcement officials have no explanation for this development. Regarding the increase in violent crime, FBI Director James Comey was quoted as saying, "It's being reported on at local levels, but in my view, it's not getting the attention at the national level it deserves. I don't know what the answer is, but holy cow, do we have a problem." He later went on to say, "Sometimes people say to me, 'Well, the increases are off historic lows.' How does that make any of us feel any better? A whole lot more people are dying this year than last year, and last year than the year before. And I don't know why for sure." (25) I believe that violent crimes and murder at their very core are the result of demonic activity. When there is an increase in occult activity, such as I wrote about earlier in this newsletter, there is also an increase in demonic activity. Constant exposure to violent content in movies and on television is not helping matters either. In fact, it was reported in early June 2016 that a 19 year-old man was arrested in Indianapolis, Indiana, after he killed three people over the course of four nights. According to an article written by the Associated Press, the young man was inspired to commit these murders after watching a science fiction horror film known as "The Purge." (26)

One of the most violent cities in the United States is Chicago, Illinois, despite the fact that this city has some of the strictest gun control regulations in the country. It seems that every time there is a holiday, people in Chicago get shot. Over Memorial Day weekend in May 2016, six people were shot and killed in Chicago while 56 more were wounded. (27) The Chicago Tribune reported that this was the deadliest month of May the city had seen in 21 years. (28) In June 2016, violence broke out again over Father's Day weekend in Chicago when 13 people were killed and 42 more were injured. This violent weekend increased the total number of shootings in Chicago to 1,780 this year. (29)

The most notable violent event of recent days occurred on June 12, 2016, when a lone gunman entered a nightclub in Orlando, Florida, where he then proceeded to massacre 49 people and injure 53 more. The shooter, Omar Mateen, was also killed that night. (30) The nightclub where this bloody event occurred is known as "Pulse" and is patronized for the most part by homosexuals. According to media accounts, Omar Mateen, who is of Afghani descent, was motivated by his Islamic beliefs and even pledged allegiance to the terrorist organization known as the Islamic State or ISIS. It is interesting to note that Mateen had been investigated twice in the past by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was deemed to not be a threat. In fact, not only was he allowed to purchase weapons, but he also worked as a security guard. (31)

The facts as detailed above are all part of the official story. Nevertheless, there are certain things about this story that do not quite make sense. For one thing, a news report has surfaced which indicates that police officers arrived at the club just shortly after the attack began, but they were specifically told NOT to pursue the shooter for 15 to 20 minutes while they waited for a SWAT team to arrive. "We kept hearing people scream and shots fired," said Officer Brandon Cornwell. He then went on to say, "We just basically stayed there, waited for movement, and we just held our position until SWAT got there. Once SWAT got there they told us to retreat, that they'd take over because we were not really in tactical gear - we were just in our police uniforms." (32)

We have also been told that the shooter was motivated by a hatred for homosexuals and that he pledged allegiance to ISIS. Yet, according to witnesses, Omar Mateen had been seen at the nightclub on numerous other occasions and was known to be a homosexual himself. One witness was quoted as saying, "He'd come in for years, and people knew him." (33) "Sometimes he would go over in the corner and sit and drink by himself, and other times he would get so drunk, he was loud and belligerent" stated another witness. (34) CBS News has also reported that a man claiming to have been one of Mateen's lovers believes the shooting was actually an act of revenge rather than an act of terrorism. "He adored Latinos, gay Latinos, with brown skin, but he felt rejected. He felt used by them. There were moments in the Pulse nightclub that made him feel really bad. Guys used him. That really affected him," the man stated. (35) Obviously, not everything about this event is as it seems.

Of course, the act of murder is never justified, and it is sad that so many people lost their lives. However, this does not change the fact that the homosexual lifestyle is sinful and that God abhors their behavior. This event has already been used by homosexuals to garner sympathy, and as such it will become even more perilous for the Christian people who hold fast to Biblical truth. Even Pope Francis has now said that the Christian people need to apologize to gay people. "I believe that the Church not only should apologize to the person who is gay whom it has offended, but has to apologize to the poor, to exploited women, to children exploited for labor; it has to ask forgiveness for having blessed many weapons," Pope Francis said. He then went on to say, "The church must say it is sorry for not having behaved as it should many times, many times - when I say 'the church,' I mean we Christians because the Church is holy; we are the sinners. We Christians must say we are sorry." (36)

In closing, I know that we are indeed living in perilous times. There are multitudes of people living under the influence of evil forces, and as such, we will face many challenges in the days ahead. Yet, we can draw comfort from the promises of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who assures us in Matthew 24:13, "But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." If you have not yet repented of your sins and dedicated your life to God, I urge you to do so now. In so doing, you will find that strength so desperately needed to endure until the end.

Thank you all for your support of this ministry. We at Last Trumpet Ministries are grateful to be able to serve you. It is my hope that God will bless you all mightily in the days ahead. If you have any prayer requests, great or small, we are here and ready to pray for you and whatever your needs may be. We serve an Almighty God with whom nothing is impossible. Grace and peace be unto you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Samuel David Meyer

Acknowledgements
01. The Guardian, June 11, 2016, By Olga Oksman, http://theguardian.com.
02. The Guardian, October 26, 2013, By Sarah Hughes, http://theguardian.com.
03. Ibid.
04. The Daily Mail, November 30, 2014, By Neil Tweedie, http://dailymail.co.uk.
05. Moviefone, May 2, 2016, By Gary Susman, http://moviefone.com.
06. Ibid.
07. Ibid.
08. Entertainment Weekly, May 3, 2016, By Gerrad Hall, http://ew.com.
09. People Magazine, February 17, 2016, By Drew Mackie, http://people.com.
10. Deadline, June 2, 2016, By Denise Petski, http://deadline.com.
11. Bloomberg News, June 13, 2016, By Emily Greenhouse, http://bloomberg.com.
12. Ibid.
13. Life News, September 23, 2014, By Steven Ertelt, http://lifenews.com.
14. Life Site News, June 10, 2016, By Ben Johnson, http://lifesitenews.com.
15. Breitbart News, June 20, 2016, By Matthew Boyle, http://breitbart.com.
16. The Washington Post, July 9, 2015, By Hunter Schwarz, http://washingtonpost.com.
17. Ibid.
18. Ibid.
19. Ibid.
20. New York Times, April 23, 2016, By Maggie Haberman, http://nytimes.com.
21. NBC News, June 18, 2016, By Rob Smith, http://nbcnews.com.
22. Business Insider, January 17, 2016, By Maxwell Tani, http://businessinsider.com.
23. RedState, June 22, 2016, By Ben Howe, http://redstate.com.
24. Breitbart News, June 20, 2016, By Frances Martel, http://breitbart.com.
25. Associated Press, June 5, 2016, By Lisa Marie Pane and Don Babwin, Chicago, IL.
26. Associated Press, June 2, 2016, By Associated Press, Indianapolis, IN.
27. Associated Press, June 5, 2016, By Lisa Marie Pane and Don Babwin, Chicago, IL.
28. The Chicago Tribune, June 2, 2016, By Alexandra Chachkevitch, Rosemary Regina Sobol, and Jeremy Gorner, http://chicagotribune.com.
29. The Atlantic, June 20, 2016, By Matt Vasilogambros, http://theatlantic.com.
30. The New York Times, June 13, 2016, By Mark Mazzetti, Eric Lichtblau, and Alan Blinder, http://nytimes.com.
31. Ibid.
32. The Washington Post, June 21, 2016, By Stephanie McCrummen and Abigail Hauslohner, http://washingtonpost.com.
33. The Orlando Sentinel, June 13, 2016, By Gal Tziperman Lotan, Paul Brinkmann, and Rene Stutzman, http://orlandosentinel.com.
34. Ibid.
35. CBS Local News, June 21, 2016, By CBS Local News, http://newyork.cbslocal.com.
36. National Public Radio, June 26, 2016, By Colin Dwyer, http://npr.org.             Last Trumpet