Biological Male Crowned Miss Silver State USA

Breitbar 18 Mar 2021

Kataluna Enriquez, a biological male who identifies as a woman, has been crowned Miss Silver State USA, which is described as the “biggest preliminary competition for the Miss Nevada USA pageant.”

Enriquez bested the biological females in the competition, putting him in the position to compete for the state’s competition, Miss Nevada USA, with hopes of competing in the bigger contests, Miss USA and Miss Universe.

“Miss Silver State was a great experience,” Enriquez told local outlet FOX 5, describing it as a “celebration of womanhood and diversity and this celebration of being your true self.”

Enriquez detailed his experiences competing in other pageants outside of the state, one of which asked for documents from a doctor. The competitor described the request as “invasive.”

Rapper Lil Nas X Unveils ‘Satan Shoes’ Containing Human Blood, Limited to 666 Pairs

Breitbar 27 Mar 2021

“Satan Shoes” are expected to be released on Monday, March 29. They contain “60cc ink and 1 drop of human blood,” according to the streetwear culture and news account, Saint.

In selling the sneakers, the rapper has partnered with MSCHF — a company that runs on “structured chaos,” and has been “creating some of the most absurd, cynical, and viral projects and products that have spread across the internet,” according to a report last year by Business Insider.

Moreover, the release of the satanic sneakers will arrive on the heels of Lil Nas X’s latest music video, “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” in which the rapper can be seen dancing on a stripper pole while descending to hell, where he subsequently gives Satan a lap dance. The title video, “Montero,” is a reference to the rapper’s real name, which is Montero Lamar Hill.

It is 100 seconds until “midnight"

NY Post January 27, 2021

The symbolic Doomsday Clock — designed by scientists to measure how close humanity is to an apocalypse — remains set dangerously close to disaster at 100 seconds until “midnight,” it was revealed Wednesday.

The annual end-of-days prediction remains the closest the clock has ever ticked toward catastrophe, based on threats including the coronavirus, climate change and nuclear catastrophe, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists announced.

Marking “a historic wakeup call,” its hands have remained in the same place since January 2020, the first time it ever moved closer than two minutes to midnight.

“[This year] revealed just how unprepared and unwilling countries and the international system are to handle global emergencies properly,” the group said in a press release.

“We are now expressing how close the world is to catastrophe in seconds — not hours, or even minutes. It is the closest to Doomsday we have ever been in the history of the Doomsday Clock. We now face a true emergency — an absolutely unacceptable state of world affairs that has eliminated any margin for error or further delay,” added Rachel Bronson, president and CEO of the group.

Jesus the Messiah alone is the Chief Cornerstone

Early Christians fully understood the symbolism of the demolished Temple, because Jehovah alone is referred to as a STONE hundreds of times in the Holy Bible. That is why they did not build stone churches until after the year 1000 AD.

He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: an Elohim of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he (Deuteronomy 32:4).

For who is Elohim save Jehovah? or who is a rock save Elohim? (Psalm 18:31).

Daniel the Prophet told King Nebuchadnezzar that the Stone cut out of the mountain was indeed Jehovah himself:

You (Nebuchadnezzar) watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away.so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth (Daniel 2:34-35).

Saint Paul—a Hebrew of the Hebrews—reiterated that Truth when he wrote that Christ was the Rock:

And they all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank of the spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ (I Corinthians 10:4).

The Exodus from Egypt is an end of the world scenario; Pharaoh and his followers are the inhabitants of Vanity Fair at the end of time.

Pharaoh Ramses II, died by drowning in 1533 BC.

10 times Jehovah demanded that Pharaoh let the people go, and 10 times he hardened his obstinate heart. Finally, at the last plague, his heart was as hard as the stones of the Great Pyramid. In a suicidal charge, he entered the Red Sea in pursuit of the Israelites, and he was drowned in the mighty waters.

Pharaoh and his chariots were drowned in the Red Sea.

The Jewish Rock promised to continue doing heart surgery until the end of time:

And I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26).

St. Peter was very explicit about who was the real Rock of Ages:

Wherefore it is said in the scripture: Behold I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious. And he that shall believe in him, shall not be confounded (I St. Peter 2:6, Douay-Rheims Version).              Reformation

Premonitions Of War

RT  20 Jul, 2020

In 2014, I wrote an essay about the possibility of World War III around 2030, arising out of a clash between the U.S. and China. Six years later I would make two corrections to that article. First, a Sino-American war now looks not just possible, but almost inevitable. Second, the situation preceding the US-China clash will not resemble the world of the early twentieth century, pre-WWI, with its rapidly growing prosperity due to what is now considered the first era of globalization. Rather, the atmosphere of the 2020s will be more akin to that of the 1930s, with the global economy in the doldrums and the rise of authoritarian and neo-totalitarian regimes. The most important question, though, is whether the US-China war will be a relatively limited one. If not, could it lead to a global conflagration, drawing in other players such as Russia, India, Japan and Europe?

The history of mankind has never lacked in conflicts over values and power, both within societies and among them. Yet the present moment is rather unique because of the convergence at one point in time of several profound and explosive societal contradictions, with the threat of pandemics and climate change as the background. China is perhaps the only major island of relative stability in the global tempest, which, incidentally, amplifies the fears that Beijing would try to reach for the scepter of global power.

In due time, the current contradictions and conflicts will run their course and be resolved. A new equilibrium will set in. Until it does, however, we will be living in very interesting times. Perhaps, not angst but, rather, excitement should be the main mood of our era.

'Onward' introduces the first LGBTQ character in Disney animation history

Yahoo. February 21, 2020

It’s been a long wait, but a Disney heroine finally has a girlfriend… and it’s not Elsa. Months after The Rise of Skywalker featured the first same-sex kiss in the Star Wars galaxy, the new animated film Onward introduces the first self-identified lesbian character into the Disney-Pixar universe. Her name is Officer Specter, and she’s a Cyclops cop voiced by openly gay screenwriter and actress Lena Waithe. While Specter’s inclusion in Onward is a major first for Disney, it’s treated almost matter-of-factly in the movie itself, which the filmmakers say is by design. “It just kind of happened,” Onward producer Kori Rae tells Yahoo Entertainment. “The scene, when we wrote it, was kind of fitting and it opens up the world a little bit, and that’s what we wanted.” Adds director Dan Scanlon, “It’s a modern fantasy world and we want to represent the modern world.”

Specter only appears in one scene in Onward, which opens in theaters on March 6, but her role is vital to the emotional arc of the story. Written by Scanlon, Jason Headley and Keith Bunin, the film takes places in a magical universe whose fantastical citizens — think elves, dragons and manticores — have lost their connection to the magical arts. Onward’s heroes are two elven brothers, Ian and Barley (Tom Holland and Chris Pratt), who lost their father at a young age before either had a chance to properly say goodbye. On Ian’s 16th birthday, their mother (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) hands them a present left behind by dearly departed dad, which turns out to be a 24-hour resurrection spell. Due to their limited experience with magic, the spell immediately goes haywire, forcing the duo to embark on a ticking-clock quest to find a replacement element before their father vanishes again. Meanwhile, Mom and her new boyfriend, centaur cop Colt Bronco (Mel Rodriguez), try to catch up with the boys to protect them from a curse that their mission threatens to unleash.

An Apocalyptic Climate

Last Trumpet December 2019

"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." Matthew 7:13-14

"But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer." I Peter 4:7

In this issue of the Last Trumpet Newsletter, we will candidly and factually examine the events of our time which show that the people of this world are moving further away from God and toward catastrophe. When we consider the widespread upheaval, economic uncertainty, natural disasters, threats of conflict, deadly diseases, shifting ideology, and the religious confusion now at work, it becomes abundantly clear that humanity is moving ever closer to "the end of all things" as spoken of by the Apostle Peter in his first epistle.

For those who care to read news reports these days, you might notice that the scenarios they describe sound like the end of the world. For example, a headline from November 6, 2019, informs, "11,000 scientists worldwide warn of untold suffering due to climate crisis." (1) In a move meant to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the very first World Climate Conference, a letter was released which states in part, "We declare, with more than 11,000 scientist signatories from around the world, clearly and unequivocally that planet Earth is facing a climate emergency." The letter further goes on to say, "To secure a sustainable future, we must change how we live, in ways that improve the vital signs summarized by our graphs. Economic and population growth are among the most important drivers of increases in CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion; therefore, we need bold and drastic transformations regarding economic and population policies." (2) The story was covered by numerous media outlets, including Bloomberg News, which wrote in their headline, "Earth Needs Fewer People to Beat the Climate Crisis, Scientists Say." (3)

The cries for population control are only growing louder, and if the United States soon finds itself under the leadership of radical progressives, most of which would heed the words of these scientists, it is not inconceivable that new policies meant to curb population growth could be put in place. Such leadership would likely encourage more abortion and a greater embrace of homosexuality since both of these sins hamper procreation.

Ironically, the aforementioned Bloomberg News, published a different story on October 30, 2019, less than one week before covering the population control story cited above. The article from October is simply titled "The Global Fertility Crash" and goes on to explain in great detail how much of the world's population is actually shrinking because people are not having enough children. The article begins by noting that the global fertility rate has fallen from five live births per woman in the 1960s to just 2.43 live births per woman in 2017. It then goes on to state, "While the world is expected to add more than 3 billion people by 2100, according to the United Nations, that'll likely be the high point. Falling fertility rates and aging populations will mean serious challenges that will be felt more acutely in some places than others." It is strange that we now see dueling contradictory catastrophes reported by the same source. It should be noted that Bloomberg also reported that in 2017, nearly one-half of all countries in the world have seen their fertility rates drop to below replacement levels. (4)

While scientists fret over global population growth, the actual sad reality is that the human race is starting to die out. The fact that there are a growing number of guilt-ridden, self-loathing young people pledging to never have children is only making the problem worse. Amazingly enough, a small but growing movement has emerged with people despising their lives so much that they wish they had never been born. They call themselves "anti-natalists." (5) This trend was reported by The Guardian on November 14, 2019, in a story that chronicles the philosophy of a twenty-something Indian man who attempted to file a lawsuit against his parents simply because they brought him into the world. Speaking of the anti-natalist movement, the man was quoted as saying, "It was not our decision to be born. Human existence is totally pointless." While his lawsuit was quickly thrown out of court in India, the man further stated that his intent in filing it was "to instill that fear among parents in general. Because now parents don't think before having a child." (6) The report also cites anti-natalist philosopher David Benatar who wrote, "it would be better if humans (and other species) became extinct." (7) The absurd core tenet of anti-natalism is that "creating new life is always wrong." (8)

The prevailing societal angst is palpable. In fact, a word that has found its way into popular vocabulary is "apocalypse." A cursory search of the news will reveal a variety of stories about various apocalyptic scenarios, but oddly enough, the apocalypses they present are secular with no mention of God or His judgment on sinful man at all. As an example, a piece published by The Guardian on November 13, 2019, ominously announces in its headline, "Insect apocalypse poses risk to all life on Earth, conservationists warn." The story goes on to tell how bees, butterflies, and other insects are dying off in record numbers, including twenty-three species of bees and wasps that went extinct in the 1900s. Furthermore, the article cites data which claims that 50 percent of all insects have been lost since 1970, while 40 percent of known insect species today are facing extinction, too. (9) Regarding the crisis, Professor Dave Goulson of the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom was quoted as saying, "We can't be sure, but in terms of numbers, we may have lost 50 percent or more of our insects since 1970 - it could be much more. We just don't know which is scary. If we don't stop the decline of our insects, there will be profound consequences for all life on earth [and] for humans." (10) Bees and butterflies play a crucial role in the pollination of crops. Thirty-five percent of all crops require pollination to grow. (11)

The constant barrage of alarming stories have left throngs of people with a very gloomy outlook on life. This is evident in an article written by reporter Cara Buckley for the New York Times. In her November 15, 2019, piece, which is entitled "Apocalypse Got You Down? Maybe This Will Help," Buckley writes, "The barrage of cataclysmic planetary news, the galloping wildfires, the smack of 90-degree New York autumn days all felt so at odds with the regular tickings of human life that I often felt quite mad. I felt complicit by merely existing. After all, I belonged to the species that was taking most of the other ones down." In seeking a remedy for guilt-infused angst, Buckley then encourages her readers to "embrace the pain, but don't stop there. Seek out a spiritual path to forge gratitude, compassion, and acceptance…" (12) The author mentions Buddhism but neglects to disclose the real solution that can truly help people who are feeling lost and hopeless. The solution is faith in Jesus Christ. Yes, the world is going to end someday, and many people are now starting to catch on to this plain fact. What should we do? Jesus instructs us in Luke 21:28, "And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh."    More

Through divine strength Satan knows how easily he can be overcome if we resist and face him

Error is never harmless. It never sanctifies, but always brings confusion and dissension. It is always dangerous. The enemy has great power over minds that are not thoroughly fortified by prayer and established in Bible truth...

Satan is constantly at work, but few have any idea of his activity and subtlety. The people of God must be prepared to withstand the wily foe. It is this resistance that Satan dreads. He knows better than we do the limit of his power and how easily he can be overcome if we resist and face him. Through divine strength the weakest saint is more than a match for him and all his angels, and if brought to the test he would be able to prove his superior power. Therefore Satan's step is noiseless, his movements stealthy, and his batteries masked. He does not venture to show himself openly, lest he arouse the Christian's dormant energies and send him to God in prayer.

The enemy is preparing for his last campaign against the church. He has so concealed himself from view that many can hardly believe that he exists, much less can they be convinced of his amazing activity and power. They have to a great extent forgotten his past record; and when he makes another advance move, they will not recognize him as their enemy, that old serpent, but they will consider him a friend, one who is doing a good work. Boasting of their independence they will, under his specious, bewitching influence, obey the worst impulses of the human heart and yet believe that God is leading them. Could their eyes be opened to distinguish their captain, they would see that they are not serving God, but the enemy of all righteousness. They would see that their boasted independence is one of the heaviest fetters Satan can rivet on unbalanced minds. 

Man is Satan's captive and is naturally inclined to follow his suggestions and do his bidding. He has in himself no power to oppose effectual resistance to evil. It is only as Christ abides in him by living faith, influencing his desires and strengthening him with strength from above, that man may venture to face so terrible a foe. Every other means of defense is utterly vain. It is only through Christ that Satan's power is limited. This is a momentous truth that all should understand. Satan is busy every moment, going to and fro, walking up and down in the earth, seeking whom he may devour. But the earnest prayer of faith will baffle his strongest efforts. Then take “the shield of faith,” brethren, “wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.”

The worst enemies we have are those who are trying to destroy the influence of the watchmen upon the walls of Zion. Satan works through agents. He is making an earnest effort here. He works according to a definite plan, and his agents act in concert. A line of unbelief stretches across the continent and is in communication with the church of God. Its influence has been exerted to undermine confidence in the work of the Spirit of God. This element is here and is silently working. Be careful lest you be found aiding the enemy of God and man by spreading false reports and by criticisms and decided opposition.

Through deceptive means and unseen channels, Satan is working to strengthen his authority and to place obstacles in the way of God's people, that souls may not be freed from his power and gathered under the banner of Christ. By his deceptions he is seeking to allure souls from Christ, and those who are not established upon the truth will surely be taken in his snare. And those whom he cannot lead into sin he will persecute, as the Jews did Christ...

 

Satan hopes to involve the remnant people of God in the general ruin that is coming upon the earth. As the coming of Christ draws nigh, he will be more determined and decisive in his efforts to overthrow them. Men and women will arise professing to have some new light or some new revelation whose tendency is to unsettle faith in the old landmarks. Their doctrines will not bear the test of God's word, yet souls will be deceived. False reports will be circulated, and some will be taken in this snare. They will believe these rumors and in their turn will repeat them, and thus a link will be formed connecting them with the archdeceiver. This spirit will not always be manifested in an open defiance of the messages that God sends, but a settled unbelief is expressed in many ways. Every false statement that is made feeds and strengthens this unbelief, and through this means many souls will be balanced in the wrong direction...

I greatly fear for the church. As Paul expressed it: “I fear lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.” Paul then explains that it is by means of corrupt teachers that the enemy will assail the faith of the church. “For such are false apostles,” he says, “deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness.”  

The more we learn in reference to the early days of the Christian church, and see with what subtlety Satan worked to weaken and destroy, the better we shall be prepared to resist his devices and meet coming perils. We are in the time when tribulations such as the world has never yet seen will prevail. “Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.” But God has set bounds that Satan cannot pass. Our most holy faith is this barrier; and if we build ourselves up in the faith, we shall be safe in the keeping of the Mighty One. “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.”   5T pp. 293-297

Forget Great Depression, the Greatest Ever is Coming

The day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.

² For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

³ For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

⁴ But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

⁵ Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

⁶ Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

⁷ For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.

⁸ But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

⁹ For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

¹⁰ Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.                      1 Thessalonians 5:1-10

Xi Jinping calls on China's army to be battle-ready

Asiaone   Jan 05, 2019 

SHANGHAI - China's armed forces must strengthen their sense of urgency and do everything they can to prepare for battle, President Xi Jinping told a meeting of top brass on Friday (Jan 4).

China is keen to beef up its armed forces amid territorial disputes in the South China Sea and escalating tension with the United States over issues ranging from trade to the status of Taiwan.

The official Xinhua news agency said Xi told a meeting of the top military authority that China faced increasing risks and challenges, and the armed forces must work to secure its security and development needs.

Xi, who is also chairman of the Central Military Commission, said the armed forces must devise strategies for the new era and take on responsibilities for preparing and waging war.

"The world is facing a period of major changes never seen in a century, and China is still in an important period of strategic opportunity for development," he was quoted as saying.

He said the armed forces needed to be able to respond quickly to emergencies, needed to upgrade their joint operations capabilities and nurture new types of combat forces.

Xi's comments followed his remarks on Wednesday that China still reserved the right to use force to achieve "reunification" with Taiwan and prevent the island's independence.

Xi's Taiwan speech came just days after US President Donald Trump signed the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act into law, reaffirming the US commitment to the island's security.

7 Headed Beast of Revelation

10 numbers that prove America’s current financial condition

The Economic Collapse 

America’s long-term “balance sheet numbers” just continue to get progressively worse.  Unfortunately, since the stock market has been soaring and the GDP numbers look okay, most Americans assume that the U.S. economy is doing just fine.  But the stock market was soaring and the GDP numbers looked okay just prior to the great financial crisis of 2008 as well, and we saw how that turned out.  The truth is that GDP is not the best measure for the health of the economy.  Judging the U.S. economy by GDP is basically like measuring the financial health of an individual by how much money he or she spends, and I will attempt to illustrate that in this article.

#1 U.S. consumer credit just hit another all-time record high.  In the second quarter of 2008, total consumer credit reached a grand total of 2.63 trillion dollars, and now ten years later that number has soared to 3.87 trillion dollars.  That is an increase of 48 percent in just one decade.

#2 Student loan debt has surpassed 1.5 trillion dollars for the first time ever.  Over the last 8 years, the total amount of student loan debt has shot up 79 percent in the United States.

#3 According to the Federal Reserve, the credit card default rate in the U.S. has risen for 7 quarters in a row.

#4 One recent survey found that 42 percent of American consumers paid their credit card bill late “at least once in the last year”, and 24 percent of Americans consumers paid their credit card bills late “more than once in the last year”.

#5 Real wage growth in the United States just declined by the most that we have seen in 6 years.

#6 According to one recent study, the “rate of people 65 and older filing for bankruptcy is three times what it was in 1991”.

#7 We are in the midst of the greatest “retail apocalypse” in American history.  At this point, 57 major retailers have announced store closings so far in 2018.

#8 The size of the official U.S. budget deficit is up 21 percent under President Trump.

#9 It is being projected that interest on the national debt will surpass half a trillion dollars for the first time ever this year.

#10 Goldman Sachs is projecting that the yearly U.S. budget deficit will surpass 2 trillion dollars by 2028.

An End Times Ambiance

"And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh."

Luke 21:25-28

"And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows."

Mark 13:7-8

In this issue of the Last Trumpet Newsletter, we will examine the events of recent weeks which have left a foreboding impression that the world we live in is facing great peril in the days ahead. It is truly remarkable how much has happened in just the short time since I wrote the September issue of this newsletter. Against the backdrop of devastating hurricanes, heatwaves, massive wildfires, powerful earthquakes, and a growing possibility of war between the United States and North Korea, many people are starting to wonder if we could be living in the end times. In fact, even the New York Times published an article on September 8, 2017, with the headline, "Apocalyptic Thoughts Amid Nature's Chaos? You Could Be Forgiven." (1) The article cites science fiction writer John Scalzi who recently wrote that it "feels like the end times are getting a few dress rehearsals right about now." (2) Richard Hecht, a professor specializing in religious studies at the University of California in Santa Barbara was also quoted by the Times. "End of times fantasies have been a central part of American religiosity since the beginning, so it shouldn't be any surprise," Hecht stated. He further goes on to say, "It's one thing to believe the ministers' or preachers' calculations of the end of days. But now you have objective truths: Charlottesville, the solar eclipse, Hurricane Harvey, the earthquake in Mexico, Hurricane Irma. These are events no one can dispute. It's not the same order of a preacher saying that on September 8, at 10 o'clock, the world will end." (3) While the point of the article is to reassure the reader that the world is not really ending soon, the fact that it was written at all is indicative of the end time ambiance that many people are feeling today.

In Luke 21:25-28 we are warned by our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, "And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." We are also told in Mark 13:7-8, "And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows." Jesus specifically told us to watch for "the sea and the waves roaring," "men's hearts failing them for fear," nations rising against nations, and earthquakes in divers or various places in the days leading up to His return. All of these things are happening now, and while we cannot say with any certainty that the world as we know it will end in the next five, ten, or even twenty years, it certainly feels like it could. In Matthew 24:35-36 we are told by Jesus, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." Therefore we continue to watch, pray, and wait for the great and notable day of our Lord's coming.

The Sea And The Waves Roaring

The rapid succession of tropical storms and hurricanes forming in the Atlantic Ocean over the last four weeks is a cause of great concern to scientists. While such storms are a normal fact of life and regularly appear each year during hurricane season, news outlets are reporting that these storms appear to be intensifying. First there was Hurricane Harvey, which became especially active in late August 2017, followed by Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Jose, Hurricane Katia, and Hurricane Maria, all within the month of September 2017. (4) In fact, the month of September was so active for hurricanes that Irma, Jose, and Katia were all churning at the same time. (5) Regarding the recent spate of hurricanes, meteorologist Bob Henson was quoted as saying, "The season has been an overachiever by almost every index. We've had more than a year's worth of named storms when you look at the long-term average, and that's being just past the midpoint of the season." Mr. Henson then warned that there will probably be more storms. "I would be shocked if we didn't get at least two more," he said. (6)

Hurricane Harvey, which first made landfall in Texas on August 25, 2017, as a Category 4 hurricane with 130 miles-per-hour winds, (7) was truly a storm of Biblical proportions. In fact, the storm dumped a trillion gallons of water on the state of Texas with Cedar Bayou, a city about 30 miles from Houston, receiving a record-breaking 51.88 inches of rain. (8) At least 82 people were killed in the storm (9) and between 30,000 and 40,000 homes in the Houston area were completely destroyed. (10) In total about 100,000 homes were damaged by the storm, which prompted Brock Long, the administrator for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, to say "The state of Texas is about to undergo one of the largest housing recovery missions the nation has ever seen." (11) The damage in economic terms is also mind-boggling. According to Accuweather founder Dr. Joel N. Myers, the losses caused by Harvey could reach a whopping 190 billion dollars. "This is the costliest and worst natural disaster in American history," Dr. Myers opined. (12)

On September 10, 2017, Hurricane Irma made landfall in the state of Florida. This storm is notable for many reasons. With Hurricane Harvey previously hitting Texas, the arrival of Irma marked the first time since records have been kept that two Category 4 Atlantic hurricanes have hit the United States mainland in the same hurricane season. (13) Prior to hitting the United States, Hurricane Irma gained force and became a Category 5 hurricane after reaching a sustained wind speed of 185 miles-per-hour. This wind speed was the second highest ever recorded for an Atlantic hurricane, trailing only behind Hurricane Allen of 1980. (14) Not only did Irma have a wind speed of 185 miles-per-hour, but this speed was constant for 37 consecutive hours, which is another record. (15) Irma was enormous too. At its peak, the storm covered a distance of 800 miles. Irma made its way through ten different Caribbean countries and caused great devastation. According to the Prime Minister of Barbuda, Irma left the island "barely habitable" with 95 percent of its buildings suffering damage. (16) The island has been completely evacuated in the wake of the storm's destruction. "The damage is complete. For the first time in 300 years, there's not a single living person on the island of Barbuda - a civilization that has existed on that island for over 300 years has now been extinguished," the island's Ambassador to the United States Ronald Sanders lamented. (17)

In total, this brutal storm caused the death of 73 people in the Caribbean and the American states of Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. (18) Amazingly enough, Hurricane Irma weakened significantly after making landfall in Florida. Although the state still suffered significant damage, the storm was diminished to a Category 1 hurricane by the time it reached the city of Tampa. (19) It could have been a lot worse, and I know that many of God's people were praying.

On September 18, 2017, Maria, another Category 5 hurricane, made landfall at the Caribbean island of Dominica. (20) The devastation was swift and severe. "The country is in a daze - no electricity, no running water - as a result of uprooted pipes in most communities and definitely no landline or cellphone services on island, and that will be for quite a while," said Hartley Henry, who is principal advisor to the island's prime minister. Henry then went on to say, "In summary, the island has been devastated." (21) Maria became the third hurricane to wreak havoc on the United States this year when it made landfall at the American territory of Puerto Rico on September 20, 2017. (22) So widespread was the damage that the entire island lost access to electricity. (23) In the aftermath of Maria's destruction, Puerto Rico's Resident Commissioner, Jennifer Gonzalez, was quoted as saying, "The devastation in Puerto Rico has set us back nearly 20 to 30 years. I can't deny that the Puerto Rico of now is different from that of a week ago. The destruction of properties, of flattened structures, of families without homes, of debris everywhere. The island's greenery is gone." (24) The hurricane season of 2017 will be remembered for quite some time. Without a doubt, the sea and the waves have been roaring.

A Scorched Earth

For those who live in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States, the wildfires of this year have been unrelenting. In early September 2017, it was reported that 137 significant wildfires, covering an area of 7.8 million acres, were burning out west. (25) These fires covered the entire state of Washington in smoke, while residents in Portland, Oregon, reported that it was "snowing ash." Emergencies were declared in California and Washington due to the hazardous air quality imposed by these cruel blazes. (26) To further worsen matters, there were 153 active wildfires in British Columbia, Canada, as of September 2017. Incredibly, smoke from the fires in the United States and Canada has even reached Europe in recent weeks according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or NASA. (27)

Europe has been contending with devastating wildfires too. These fires have thrived because of a scorching heatwave that Europeans have nicknamed "Lucifer." In an article published in August 2017 by Popular Science Magazine, we are told, "If you load up the European Commission's fire map, it looks like the end of the world, especially in Italy and Romania." (28) This same article states that wildfires have also afflicted the Siberian region of Russia. (29) It is interesting that Popular Science would mention "the end of the world" in their report. In Revelation 16, we are told that one of the end times' punishments of God upon mankind will be a scorching heat. Revelation 16:8-7 declares, "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." While the current wildfires and heatwaves now happening may not be precisely what these verses are speaking of, the present affliction of fire and heat are a preview of things to come. When that vial of judgment is poured out, I do not believe that mankind will even recognize it as judgment. Rather, the great heat by which men are scorched will be blamed on climate change and global warming. Perhaps the people of earth should ask themselves: What if the coming disasters attributed to climate change are in reality the fulfillment of Bible prophecy?

Planet Earth Is Rumbling

Students of the Bible have always taken a keen interest in earthquakes. It is a sign that Jesus Christ specifically told us to watch for, warning His people that there would be "earthquakes in divers places." Earthquakes have become so common in this modern age that few people even take notice of them anymore. News reports will cover significant earthquakes, but the vast majority of seismic events that happen every day are never mentioned. According to the US Geological Survey, there have been 1,764 earthquakes in the last thirty days as of September 25, 2017. This amounts to nearly sixty quakes per day! (30) Some areas of the world are especially prone to seismic shakings. For example, New Zealand suffered a record-breaking 32,828 earthquakes in 2016. (31) Unless you happen to live in New Zealand, you probably did not hear about most of them.

Unfortunately, human civilizations have a propensity to build large cities in areas that are prone to earthquakes. This holds true of Mexico City in Mexico, which was originally called Tenochtitlan by the Aztecs upon its founding in 1325. The site was chosen based on a superstitious Aztec prophecy which asserted that the location of their new city would be marked by an eagle aloft a cactus eating a snake. (32) As it turns out, this is a dangerous location for a large city. On September 19, 1985, a powerful earthquake measuring 8.1 in magnitude, shook Mexico City and killed thousands of people. Oddly enough, exactly thirty-two years later, Mexico City suffered another devastating earthquake on September 19, 2017. (33) The powerful temblor, which measured 7.1 in magnitude, has claimed the lives of at least 320 individuals in Mexico City and the surrounding areas as of this writing, while leaving thousands upon thousands of people homeless. (34) The Mexico City quake came just days after an 8.2 magnitude earthquake shook the southern region of Mexico on September 7, 2017. The quake in southern Mexico was said to be the most powerful earthquake to strike the country in 100 years. (35) According to the National Seismological Service in Mexico, there have been an astonishing 4846 aftershocks in the region as of September 25, 2017. (36) At least 96 people died and 16,000 homes were destroyed in the Mexican states of Chiapas and Oaxaca. (37)

How Technology Will Induce Subservience

In recent issues of this newsletter, we have covered the topic of microchip implants in-depth. I still find it an amazing thing that American citizens are being microchipped today, and it is even more incredible that it is happening in my home state of Wisconsin. The announcement made in July 2017 that a company from River Falls, Wisconsin, known as Three Square Market, would begin microchipping its employees in August of this year was big news, making headlines all over our state and sending shockwaves throughout the nation. On August 23, 2017, I was stunned to find that our local newspaper, the Daily Citizen, had republished an article originally from the Chicago Tribune which extolled the so-called virtues of these new microchip implants. "Imagine walking into the bank and not wracking your brain for your ATM pin code. Or never wondering where you left your credit card, transit pass, or ID. Imagine sailing through airport security without producing a driver's license or passport. Or through your security gate at work without fumbling for an ID card that you left in your other jacket," wrote the article's author, James Brooks. He later went on to write, "No more wallets, keys, credit cards? Everything available with a flick of the wrist? Sounds great." (38) The author also claimed that these chips would be a wonderful safety device for young children and people with memory issues, (39) which is something I predicted would be said when I wrote about this topic in the August 2017 issue of the Last Trumpet. Sadly, if this article is any indicator, there are many men and women in this country who will not only accept these microchip implants, but are eager to do so.

In the future, microchips may not only be used to implement a global cashless society, but they may also be used to control the population of the world. In 2014 it was announced that Microsoft founder Bill Gates was funding the research of a contraceptive microchip. When implanted in women, this chip would have the capability to deliver birth control to their bloodstreams every day for up to sixteen years. A wireless remote control would allow for the microchip to be turned on or off at will, (40) although there is no guarantee that women who have these chips would have access to the remote control. Such technology could easily become a nightmare with Big Brother deciding who can have children and when they can have them.

Even as microchip implants are being given to American citizens, recent news reports indicate that there is a renewed interest in establishing universal basic incomes for the American people. In other words, every American would be given money each month simply for existing with no requirement for employment. We are told this will be necessary because so many jobs are being lost to automation and people in the coming decades will be left with no work to perform. For this reason, it was announced in September 2017 that lawmakers in the state of Hawaii have voted to research the concept of a basic income for their citizens. "Our economy is changing far more rapidly than anybody expected," said Representative Chris Lee of Hawaii. Lee further stated that it is important "to be sure that everybody will benefit from the technological revolution that we're seeing to make sure that no one's left behind." (41) An article published by CNBC on August 31, 2017, also promoted the universal basic income concept. Citing a report from the Roosevelt Institute, the article asserts that giving every adult in the United States a thousand dollars each month would grow the American economy by 2.5 trillion dollars by the year 2025. (42) While the idea of receiving free money likely sounds fantastic to a majority of the population, I cannot help but wonder if those who receive this monetary benefit will be required to receive a microchip implant first. It is an easy way to implement this invasive technology, and I am sure that many people would gladly accept it!

Meanwhile, the United States government seems determined to get driverless cars on American roads. In September 2017, the United States House of Representatives unanimously approved a new initiative that will allow up to 25,000 autonomous vehicles to be deployed all over the country without meeting existing safety requirem"The autonomous vehicle bill just passed by the House leaves a wild west without adequate safety protections for consumers. It pre-empts any state safety standards, but there are none at the naents. The plan calls for another 100,000 of these vehicles to be deployed on American roads each year for the next three years. (43) This new law, which must still pass in the Senate, was quickly panned by a group known as Consumer Watchdog. tional level," the group said in a statement. (44) Why the sudden rush to bring driverless cars to American roadways? Autonomous vehicles will be yet another way that the American people are forced to cede their independence. It is a technology, which along with microchips, would induce subservience to a global one world government.

Is The United States Dangerously Close To War?

In recent weeks, the rhetoric between the United States and North Korea has intensified. North Korea has continued to test ballistic missiles while threatening to develop nuclear weapons and attack the United States. American President Donald Trump and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un have insulted and threatened each other repeatedly. Could we be close to war? Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov seems to think so. Speaking of the bad blood between the United States and North Korea, Lavrov was quoted as saying in August 2017, "The risks are very high, especially regarding the rhetoric [between the two countries]. We hear direct threats to use force. At the same time, US Secretary of Defense Mattis stated once again, Yes, this will involve a huge number of human casualties, and yet talks about a pre-emptive strike on North Korea, talks in Pyongyang [North Korea], that it is necessary to strike the Island of Guam, where several US military bases are located, do not stop." (45) China, which is North Korea's strongest ally, also weighed in on the controversy. In August 2017, a Chinese newspaper known as The Global Times, which serves as a state-run mouthpiece for the Chinese communist government, indicated that China would stand by North Korea in the event of a pre-emptive strike by the United States on North Korean territory. "China should make clear that if North Korea launches missiles that threaten U.S. soil first and the U.S. retaliates, China will stay neutral," the newspaper said. It then went on to say, "If the U.S. and South Korea carry out strikes and try to overthrow the North Korean regime and change the political pattern of the Korean Peninsula, China will prevent them from doing so." (46) Simply put, the article indicates that if North Korea attacks the United States, China will stay out of it. However, the warning indicates that if the United States or its allies attack North Korea, then China will intervene. In which case, a war with North Korea could also mean a war with China.

In September 2017, Donald Trump's administration implemented new economic sanctions against North Korea. The two leaders then traded insults with each other. "Kim Jong Un of North Korea, who is obviously a madman who doesn't mind starving or killing his people, will be tested like never before," Trump wrote. (47) In response to a speech given at the United Nations wherein Trump heavily criticized North Korea, Kim Jong Un issued a statement calling Trump a "mentally deranged dotard." He then went on to say, "I will make the man holding the prerogative of the supreme command in the U.S. pay dearly for his speech. I am now thinking hard about what response he could have expected when he allowed such eccentric words to trip off his tongue. Whatever Trump might have expected, he will face results beyond his expectations." (48) I cannot help but imagine the North Korean dictator furiously studying a thesaurus before issuing his threat.

As a further escalation of tension between the United States and North Korea, the North Korean government has asserted that the United States has declared war, and as such, they claim a right to shoot down American planes. "The whole world should clearly remember it was the U.S. who first declared war on our country. Since the United States declared war on our country, we will have every right to make countermeasures, including the right to shoot down United States strategic bombers even when they are not inside the airspace border of our country." (49)

If a war with North Korea should break out, those who suffer the most will likely be poor North Korean citizens who will die as military offensives are carried out. This is truly sad, for if we believe the reports we have seen of the brutal North Korean regime, most North Korean people are hostages in their own country suffering through a meager existence with little hope for a better future. I feel compelled to pray for the North Korean people who are trapped in this mess. Perhaps God will intervene and topple the regime of Kim Jong Un in another way.

In closing, the world we live in today has become a messy place. We are feeling the pressure of the times we live in, and there truly is an end times ambiance right now. Yet, Isaiah the Prophet tells us of our God in Isaiah 25:4, "For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall." The best thing we can do right now is put our hope and our trust in God. If you have not yet repented of your sins and dedicated your life to God, I urge you to do so now.

As always, we are grateful to our readers and supporters. Thank you for your kindness which enables us to operate this ministry. If you have any prayer requests, great or small, please do not hesitate to send them our way. We give each prayer request individual attention. Grace and peace be unto you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Samuel Meyer - Last Trumpet

Acknowledgements
01. The New York Times, September 8, 2017, By Henry Fountain, http://nytimes.com.
02. Ibid.
03. Ibid.
04. Wikipedia, 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season, http://wikipedia.org.
05. The Daily Caller, September 6, 2017, By Michael Bastasch, http://dailycaller.com.
06. The New York Times, September 19, 2017, By Maggie Astor, http://nytimes.com.
07. Chicago Tribune, September 3, 2017, By Tom Skilling, http://chicagotribune.com.
08. ABC News, August 30, 2017, By Michael Edison Hayden, http://abcnews.go.com.
09. The Washington Post, September 14, 2017, By Eva Ruth Moravec, http://washingtonpost.com.
10. The New York Post, August 30, 2017, By Lia Eustachewich, http://nypost.com.
11. National Public Radio, September 1, 2017, By Pam Fessler, http://npr.org.
12. Accuweather, September 1, 2017, By Accuweather, http://accuweather.com.
13. The Weather Channel, September 10, 2017, By Chris Dolce, http://weather.com.
14. NJ Advance Media, September 7, 2017, By Len Melisurgo, http://nj.com.
15. Wired UK, September 11, 2017, By Matt Burgess, http://wired.co.uk.
16. Ibid.
17. Public Radio International, September 14, 2017, By TJ Raphael, http://pri.org.
18. The Weather Channel, September 21, 2017, By Sean Breslin, http://weather.com.
19. Slate, September 11, 2017, By Daniel Politi, http://slate.com.
20. The New York Times, September 18, 2017, By Azam Ahmed and Kirk Semple, http://nytimes.com.
21. USA Today, September 20, 2017, By Trevor Hughes, http://usatoday.com.
22. Fox 6 Now, September 20, 2017, By Tribune Media Wire Service, http://fox6now.com.
23. National Public Radio, September 20, 2017, By Doreen McCallister and Amy Held, http://npr.org.
24. Associated Press, September 24, 2017, By Danica Coto, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
25. Futurism, September 21, 2017, By Claudia Geib, http://futurism.com.
26. The New York Times, September 16, 2017, By Troy Griggs, K.K. Rebecca Lai, Jeremy Ashkenas, and Jugal K. Patel, http://nytimes.com.
27. Atlas Obscura, September 15, 2017, By Atlas Obscura, http://atlasobscura.com.
28. Popular Science Magazine, August 4, 2017, By Kendra Pierre-Louis, http://popsci.com.
29. Ibid.
30. US Geological Survey, September 25, 2017, http://earthquakes.usgs.gov.
31. Stuff News, January 2, 2017, By John Kirk-Anderson, http://stuff.co.nz.
32. The New Yorker, September 22, 2017, By Marcia Bjornerud, http://newyorker.com.
33. Ibid.
34. New York Daily News, September 25, 2017, By Reuven Blau, http://nydailynews.com.
35. The New York Times, September 8, 2017, By Paulina Villegas, Elisabeth Malkin and Kirk Semple, http://nytimes.com.
36. National Seismological Service, September 25, 2017, http://twitter.com/SismologicoMX.
37. Insurance Journal, September 12, 2017, By Christopher Sherman, http://insurancejournal.com.
38. The Daily Citizen, August 23, 2017, By James Brooks, http://wiscnews.com/bdc.
39. Ibid.
40. The Washington Post, July 17, 2017, By Dominic Basulto, http://washingtonpost.com.
41. Associated Press, September 4, 2017, By Cathy Bussewitz, http://hosted.ap.org.
42. CNBC, August 31, 2017, By Catherine Clifford, http://cnbc.com.
43. Reuters News Service, September 6, 2017, By David Shepardson, http://reuters.com.
44. Ibid.
45. Sputnik International, August 11, 2017, By Sputnik International, http://sputniknews.com.
46. Reuters News Service, August 10, 2017, By Reuters Staff, http://reuters.com.
47. The Washington Post, September 22, 2017, By David Nakamura and Anne Gearan, http://washingtonpost.com.
48. Ibid.
49. The Washington Post, September 25, 2017, By Carol Morello, http://washingtonpost.com.