Trust In God At All Times

Volume 43 Issue Eleven November 2024

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


Trust In God At All Times

“In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.”
Psalm 62:7-8


As I write this newsletter, we are just days away from Election Day in the United States of America. On November 5, 2024, millions of Americans will cast their ballots for either Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Donald Trump as their choice for the 47th President of the United States. It is one of the most pressing concerns on people’s minds, and it is the main topic of concern on major news outlets. Every news channel, newspaper, and news website is talking about the election, and mailboxes all over the United States are being bombarded with mailings urging us to vote for Trump or Harris. This constant noise and endless barrage of campaigning is taking its toll on the American people.

According to a piece published by StudyFinds on October 25, 2024, a recent poll reports that over 60 percent of respondents said the 2024 election is damaging their mental health. (1) The poll found that 46 percent of respondents said they “have feelings of anxiety,” 37 percent are “stressed out,” and 31 percent are “experiencing fear” regarding the election. Additionally, 28 percent of respondents said negative emotions regarding the election affect their performance at school or work. (2)

There is no question that people are feeling the pressure of the upcoming election. Polls suggest that the contest is a toss-up. The New York Times reported on October 28, 2024, that Kamala Harris has less than a one-point lead over Donald Trump. (3) Assuming the polls are accurate, most people have no idea how the election will turn out. What is clear is that no matter who is placed in the White House in Washington, D.C., a large segment of the American population will be profoundly unhappy. Those on the left worry that another Trump presidency would result in the end of democracy, while those on the right fear that a Harris presidency will lead the country down the road to communism.

 
While there is much anxiety and hand-wringing over what the near future may bring, it is important for us to remember that, ultimately, God is in control. The Scriptures make it clear that people in power only have that power because God allows them to have it. Daniel 4:17 declares, “This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.” Whether it be a monarch, a president, or a head of state, it is a position that is subject to the will of God, and sometimes God will give a nation a good leader as a means to bless the people, or He might give a nation a hard leader as a means to punish the people. For example, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon invaded Jerusalem in 586 BC and carried many of the city’s residents off into captivity. Yet, God spoke through his prophet in Jeremiah 27:6 and referred to Nebuchadnezzar as “the King of Babylon, my servant.” The question then remains: what kind of leader will God allow the United States of America to have in 2025? One thing is sure, regardless of who occupies the White House, Jesus Christ is still King of Kings and Lord of Lords.



The Threat Of Political Violence



According to a recent YouGov survey, a quarter of the American people fear there could be a civil war in the United States after the election. Twelve percent of survey participants said they know someone who might take up arms if they thought Trump was cheated in a rigged election, while 5 percent said they know people who would do the same if they thought Harris had been cheated. (4) Meanwhile, a new poll conducted by Scripps News/Ipsos found that 62 percent of Americans worry there could be post-election violence in the United States. Fifty-one percent of respondents said they would favor “using the U.S. military to prevent election day unrest.” (5) Considering the fact that Donald Trump has survived two assassination attempts in 2024, it is not a surprise that there is so much concern about political violence in this country. The volatility of modern day America has caused an increasing number of Americans to arm themselves. So who’s buying the guns? It is not always the people you’d expect.



The United States is well-known for its affinity for firearms. The right to bear arms is enshrined in the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution, and many people take this right very seriously. According to findings published by Pew Research in July 2024, about four in ten American adults say they live in a household with a gun, while 32 percent say they personally own a firearm. (6) What may come as a surprise, however, is that many liberals have purchased firearms in recent months. The Wall Street Journal reported on this growing trend in a September 2024 piece entitled, “The Most Surprising New Gun Owners Are U.S. Liberals.” (7) One of the reasons some liberals are arming themselves is because of concerns over political violence. “Domestic politics have grown increasingly acrimonious,” explained one new gun owner who happens to be a Democrat. Jennifer Hubbert, an anthropology professor at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, commented on this growing trend. “It’s a group of people who five years ago would never have considered buying a gun,” she said. (8)



Interestingly enough, even some members of the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) cohort have begun to arm themselves. In February 2024, Washingtonian Magazine published an article with the headline, “LGBTQ+ Gun Owners Are Breaching The Right-wing Arms Bubble.” The piece quotes an individual who identifies as transgender saying, “It’s kind of difficult to believe capitalism should be fought by any means necessary and also be against guns.” (9) The movement resulted in the formation of a gay gun club known as The Pink Pistols. The Pink Pistols now boasts twenty-five chapters across the United States. Some LGBTQ gun owners have also joined The Socialist Rifle Association. (10)



In another strange twist, the Democrat presidential candidate, Kamala Harris, and her running mate, Tim Walz, are both proud gun owners. In fact, Harris told Oprah Winfrey this past September, “If somebody breaks into my house, they’re getting shot.” She then admitted, “I probably shouldn’t have said that, but my staff will deal with that later.” (11) As for Walz, the current governor of Minnesota and Vice Presidential hopeful, he is said to be an avid hunter. However, a much-publicized hunting excursion in mid-October called into question his proficiency with a firearm. According to reports, Walz struggled to load his shotgun and didn’t fire a single round throughout the entire hunt. (12) One cannot help but wonder if Walz truly is an experienced hunter or if we are simply being told this to make him more appealing to voters in the Midwest.



As emotions run hot this election season, we would all do well to remember that God’s people are called to fight spiritual battles through prayer and by the prompting of God’s Spirit. The Apostle Paul wrote in II Corinthians 10:3-4, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.)” Ephesians 6:11-18 explains how we are equipped to fight spiritual battles. These verses tell us, “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.”



Life On The Line



Abortion is a hot topic these days. The practice, which involves the premature termination of a pregnancy, was first legalized in the United States in 1973 in a Supreme Court decision famously known as Roe v. Wade. The left considers abortion a fundamental right for women and often refers to it as “reproductive freedom” or “reproductive health.” Meanwhile, conservatives, and especially Christians, have long opposed the practice because we believe in the sanctity of life. Every baby in the womb is a work of art meticulously designed by God Himself. This is verified in Isaiah 44:24, which declares, “Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself.”



In 2022, the United States Supreme Court, led by a conservative majority, overturned the Roe v. Wade decision of 1973. Suddenly, for the first time in nearly five decades, abortion was no longer a federally protected “right” in the United States. Yet, this shocking development, which for many years seemed impossible, did not outlaw abortion outright. Instead, it became an issue for each state in the Union to decide individually. So began a slew of battles in many states that continue even to this day.



As of this writing, abortion is banned in almost all circumstances in Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia. Other states, including Florida, Georgia, Iowa, South Carolina, Nebraska, North Carolina, Arizona, and Utah, have enacted restrictions on abortion. In Montana and Wyoming, abortion bans have been blocked by the courts. (13) The legal status of abortion in the United States could dramatically change after the 2024 election, however. On November 5th, ten states have abortion related initiatives on the ballot, and the states of Arizona, Florida, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, and Nevada will decide whether or not to allow abortions up to 24 weeks into pregnancy. (14) Presidential candidate Kamala Harris is widely known for her support of abortion and has pledged to restore the Roe v. Wade decision of 1973 if she is elected President. (15)



The Dobbs v. Jackson case of 2022, which led to the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, has revealed the true attitudes of the American people regarding abortion. According to a recent study published by Pew Research, 63 percent of Americans say abortion should be “legal in all or most cases.” (16) Another piece published by the New York Times on October 22, 2024, reveals that abortions in the United States have increased since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. This increase includes states with near-total abortion bans where women get around the bans by ordering abortion pills online from other states where they are legal. The only states where abortions decreased in 2023 were Texas, Idaho, and Oklahoma. (17) According to National Public Radio, there were 1,026,700 abortions throughout the United States in 2023. It was the first time abortions exceeded one million since 2012. (18)



Although Donald Trump promotes himself as the “most pro-life President in history,” his pro-life stance is not shared by his wife, Melania. In her recently released memoir, Melania Trump wrote, “Why should anyone other than the woman herself have the power to determine what she does with her own body? A woman’s fundamental right of individual liberty, to her own life, grants her the authority to terminate her pregnancy if she wishes.” She then continues, “Restricting a woman’s right to choose whether to terminate an unwanted pregnancy is the same as denying her control over her own body. I have carried this belief with me throughout my entire adult life.” (19)



Legacies Lost



More than 63 million babies were aborted in the United States between 1973 and 2022. (20) The impact of this tremendous loss of life on our nation is immeasurable. It stands to reason that many of those 63 million people, if they had been born, would have gone on to have children of their own. Those children would have had children, too, so the loss goes well beyond 63 million souls. God only knows how much larger the American population would be today if abortion had never been legalized.



Tragically, when women abort their babies, they are destroying not only another human life, but also a part of themselves. Children carry on the legacies of their parents. Today, we are seeing the consequences of millions of legacies being lost. In April 2024, The Wall Street Journal reported that the fertility rate in the United States had fallen to a record low. At 1.62 births per woman of childbearing age, this fertility rate falls well below the replacement level, which is required to maintain a country’s population. (21) The current population growth in the United States is because of migration. “Persistently low fertility will make the balance of births minus deaths negative. A positive, albeit, declining population growth rate will be sustained, however, because of sustained positive net immigration,” states a report from the Wharton School of Business published in March 2024. (22)



The Wharton paper also warns of another issue that is worsened by the low fertility rate. “The shift of Baby Boomer workers into retirement portends a decline in the worker-to-retiree ratio from 3.0 today to 2.0 by 2075. A faster immigration rate, equal to about 3.5 times the current rate, would be required to restore the ratio over the long term,” the paper informs. (23) In other words, as more and more Baby Boomers retire, there is a void in the workforce. About 4.1 million Americans will reach age 65 in 2024. This trend, which will continue through the year 2027, amounts to 11,200 workers reaching retirement age per day. (24) “The retirement of the Baby Boomers is a structural change, not a cyclical one, and the declining labor force participation of younger generations will be difficult to reverse,” states a report from labor analytics firm Lightcast. (25)



One area in particular that will continue to face worker shortages is the healthcare field. According to projections from The Bureau of Labor Statistics, the country will face a shortage of 195,400 nurses by the year 2031. Another projection from 2019 estimates that there will be a shortage of 124,000 physicians in the coming years. (26) These labor shortages will occur even as the need for medical care rises due to an aging population and the prevalence of chronic diseases in the United States.



Today, society often views children as a burden rather than a blessing. Yet, the Scriptures equate children with prosperity. Psalm 127:3 declares, “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.” In the years to come, we will see the consequences of millions of legacies lost.



Perilous Times



Although the majority of the American people are preoccupied with the impending election, there are other important topics of discussion that are not getting a lot of attention in the news media. The world remains dangerously close to war as conflicts and potential conflicts continue to emerge. In fact, research released by StudyFinds on October 8, 2024, indicates that 80 percent of Americans fear that World War III may be imminent. (27) Are these concerns justified?



Recent comments from Chinese President Xi Jinping suggest that his country is actively preparing for war. In a speech made to Chinese troops, Xi instructed his military to “comprehensively strengthen training and preparation for war, (and) ensure troops have solid combat capabilities." (28) These preparations now underway indicate that China may soon attack Taiwan. In mid-October, a Chinese aircraft carrier sailed to the south of Taiwan even as China’s military published a video claiming it was “prepared for battle.” (29) On September 25, 2024, the Chinese military fired an intercontinental ballistic missile into the Pacific Ocean. It was the first time China had fired a test ICBM into the Pacific since 1980. The maneuver was widely regarded as an intimidation tactic and a warning to the United States. (30) In October 2024, American President Joe Biden approved an additional 567 million dollars in military support for Taiwan. (31)



Meanwhile, North Korean troops are now present in Ukraine fighting on behalf of Russia. (32) This new development threatens to expand the conflict and involve a greater number of countries. France had earlier warned that North Korean troops in Ukraine would be a serious “escalation.” “It would be serious and push the conflict into a new stage, an additional escalatory stage,” said France’s foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot. (33) On October 1, 2024, Newsweek reported that France’s Minister for European Affairs had not ruled out sending ground troops into Ukraine. (34)



Tensions in the Middle East also continue to escalate. On October 1, 2024, Iran launched about 180 ballistic missiles at the State of Israel (35) in retaliation for the killing of Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah. Although the attack caused negligible damage, Israel immediately promised to retaliate against Iran. On October 26, 2024, Israel made good on its promise and launched what they called “precise and targeted” airstrikes in Iran. The strikes reportedly hit about twenty targets. Regarding Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was quoted as saying, “This regime must understand a simple principle: whoever hurts us, we hurt him." (36) What happens next? Iranian Major General Hossein Salami said Israel will face “bitter and unimaginable consequences” for the attack. Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei also chimed in, stating that Iran is “duty-bound to respond firmly.” (37) It seems unlikely that this volatile situation in the Middle East will calm down any time soon.



In II Timothy 3, we are warned that the world will face “perilous times” in the days leading up to the return of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We are clearly living in perilous times right now. Yet, Psalm 62:7-8 instructs, “In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.” If we trust in God “at all times” that certainly includes perilous times. No matter what the future holds, God remains a refuge for His people. If you have not yet repented of your sins and dedicated your life to God, I urge you to do so now.



Thank you to all of our dedicated and faithful readers who make this ministry possible. We appreciate your support more than words can convey. If you have any prayer needs, you are invited to send us your requests. We always give each request individual attention. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.



Samuel David Meyer



This newsletter is made possible by the kind donations of our supporters. If you would like to help us, you may send your contribution to our postal address or donate online at http://lasttrumpetnewsletter.org/donate.





Acknowledgments & References



01. StudyFinds, October 25, 2024, By StudyFinds Staff, reviewed by Chris Melore, studyfinds.org.

02. Ibid.

03. The New York Times, October 28, 2024, By Nate Cohn, nytimes.com.

04. The Times, October 23, 2024, By David Charter, thetimes.com.

05. Axios, October 24, 2024, By Ivana Saric, axios.com.

06. Pew Research, July 24, 2024, By Katherine Schaeffer, pewresearch.org.

07. The Wall Street Journal, September 20, 2024, By Cameron McWhirter and Zusha Elinson, wsj.com.

08. Ibid.

09. Washingtonian Magazine, February 29, 2024, By Andrew Beaujon, washingtonian.com.

10. Ibid.

11. BBC News, September 20, 2024, By James FitzGerald, bbc.com.

12. Fox News, October 13, 2024, By Michael Lee, foxnews.com.

13. The New York Times, October 7, 2024, By Allison McCann and Amy Schoenfeld Walker, nytimes.com.

14. ABC News, October 28, 2024, By Monica Potts, abcnews.go.com.

15. Ibid.

16. Pew Research, May 13, 2024, By Pew Research, pewresearch.org.

17. The New York Times, October 22, 2024, By Claire Cain Miller and Margot Sanger-Katz, nytimes.com.

18. National Public Radio, March 19, 2024, By Selena Simmons-Duffin, npr.org.

19. The Guardian October 2, 2024, By Martin Pengelly, theguardian.com.

20. Fox News, May 4, 2022, By Kyle Morris and Sam Dorman, foxnews.com.

21. The Wall Street Journal, April 25, 2024, By Jennifer Calfas and Anthony DeBarros, wsj.com.

22. The Wharton School of Business, March 22, 2024, wharton.upenn.edu.

23. Ibid.

24. The Wall Street Journal, February 6, 2024, By Clare Ansberry, wsj.com.

25. The Hill, October 25, 2024, By Aoibhinn McBride, thehill.com.

26. The Hill, September 28, 2024, By Alejandra O’Connell Domenech, thehill.com.

27. StudyFinds, October 8, 2024, By StudyFinds Staff, Reviewed by Chris Melore, studyfinds.com.

28. AFP, October 19, 2024, By AFP, barrons.com.

29. Reuters, October 13, 2024, By Reuters, reuters.com.

30. CNN, September 26, 2024, By Nectar Gan, cnn.com.

31. CNN, October 1, 2024, By Nectar Gan, cnn.com.

32. CNN, October 30, 2024, By Natasha Bertrand, cnn.com.

33. Reuters, October 19, 2024, By Max Hunder and John Irish, reuters.com.

34. Newsweek, October 1, 2024, By Brendan Cole, newsweek.com.

35. BBC News, October 28, 2024, By Tom Bennett, bbc.com.

36. Ibid.

37. USA Today, October 28, 2024, By John Bacon, usatoday.com.


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