Stranger Than Fiction

Volume 45 Issue Eight August 2026

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

“The way of man is froward and strange: but as for the pure, his work is right.” - Proverbs 21:8

It is sometimes said that the truth is stranger than fiction. When we consider the many extraordinary things happening in this modern age, this idiom certainly rings true. Some of the things you are about to read are going to sound unbelievable, and maybe even impossible. Yet, we live in an age when the science fiction of decades past resembles the reality of our present time. Our sources for the information provided in this newsletter will all be listed in our references section. We invite you to investigate them for yourself if you feel inclined to do so.

I recall hearing an urban legend in the 1990s claiming that Kentucky Fried Chicken, sometimes known as KFC, was growing headless chickens in a laboratory and harvesting them for meat, which was then supposedly sold to unwitting customers in their iconic buckets. To be clear, this legend was not true. Yet while the premise once seemed far-fetched, lab-grown synthetic meat has existed for years, and various companies are working to perfect cultivated meat grown from stem cells.

The first cultivated beef burger ever was prepared and consumed at an event in London, England, in 2013. (1) At the time, food critic Josh Schonwald, who was one of the first people to taste the lab-grown burger, said, “The mouthfeel is like meat. I miss the fat, there’s a leanness to it, but the general bite feels like a hamburger.” Professor Mark Post of Maastricht University in the Netherlands, the scientist who developed the lab-grown burger, commented, “It’s a very good start.” (2) About seven years later, Singapore became the first country to allow cultivated meat to be sold to consumers. (3) The United States would follow suit on June 30, 2023, when the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food Safety and Inspection Service issued approval to GOOD Meat and UPSIDE Foods to sell cultivated meat products in the United States. (4)

The lab-grown meat remains expensive to manufacture and is not typically available for purchase in the U.S. yet. Cultivated meat producers have also faced considerable backlash from lawmakers. According to an article published by U.S. News & World Report in December 2025, seven states – Alabama, Florida, Indiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, and Texas – have banned the manufacture, sale, and distribution of lab-grown meat. (5) However, Elliot Swartz of the Good Food Institute in Washington, D.C., believes we may begin to see a few cultivated meat products become available in supermarkets over the next five years. “There might be local retailers that have a few products on store shelves, but there won’t be a nationwide Walmart, Costco-type of cultivated meat product within the next five years in the United States,” he estimated. (6)

As for that urban legend, it turns out it was just ahead of its time. But lab-grown meat is far from the strangest thing happening in these very strange days.

Seismic Shifts

Volume 45 Issue Seven July 2026

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

Seismic Shifts

“And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire.”

Hebrews 12:27-29


When an extraordinary change occurs, whether culturally or politically, it is often called a “seismic shift.” For example, when Donald Trump won the presidential election in November 2016, The Washington Post published a story with the headline, “Trump maps out a new administration to bring a seismic shift to Washington.” (1) An entry for the term found in YourDictionary defines “seismic shift” as meaning “a fundamental reorientation of a state of affairs.” (2) Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary simply defines it as meaning “a great change.” (3) While “seismic shift” is often used by the media to report a life-altering story, the term itself originates from the study of earthquakes. “Seismic” means “of, subject to, or caused by an earthquake,” (4) and “seismology” is “a science that deals with earthquakes and with artificially produced vibrations of the earth.” (5)

As we move past the halfway point of 2026, the world is experiencing rapid changes that could be aptly described as a series of seismic shifts. The political landscape in the United States is changing in ways that could have profound implications for the country's future. International relations are being reshaped by war, potentially leading to a major transformation of the Middle East. But we can also consider seismic shifts in their most literal sense: in recent weeks, there has been a notable uptick in earthquake activity.

The Beginning Of Sorrows

Earthquakes have long captured the attention of Bible-believing Christians. Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ specifically mentioned them in his Olivet Discourse found in Matthew 24. In Matthew 24:7-8, Jesus warns, “For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.” Even now, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda are battling a deadly outbreak of the Ebola virus, which can rightly be called a pestilence. The Middle East is still in a volatile state as a shaky ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran is sputtering like a lawnmower engine deciding if it wants to start. The war between Russia and Ukraine is still ongoing, with recent reports indicating that Ukraine is causing trouble for Russia with its massive fleet of drones. Officials at the United Nations are warning that disruptions of the global energy supply caused by a three-month closure of the Strait of Hormuz could worsen famine. It is only fitting that these days of turmoil should also be marked by earthquakes.

War, famine, pestilence, and earthquakes are not new, but when Jesus describes them as “the beginning of sorrows,” he likens these events to the birth pangs of a woman in labor. According to Strong’s Concordance, the original Greek for the word translated as “sorrows” refers to “the pain of childbirth, travail pain, birth pangs.” Thus, the implication is that as we move through time and draw closer to the return of our Saviour, these troublesome events will become more frequent, just as a woman’s contractions during childbirth grow closer together.

The Earth Shall Wax Old

Volume 41 Issue Eight August 2022

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

The Earth Shall Wax Old


“Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.”

Isaiah 51:6

“Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.”

Psalm 102:25-27

When people hear the word “apocalypse” they often think of the Book of Revelation. This is fitting because the word apocalypse is taken from the Greek word “apokálypsis;” which means “revelation.” (1) In particular, the word apocalypse is usually associated with revelations regarding end-time prophecy and events. While the book of Revelation contains many Scriptures regarding the world’s final days, there are an abundance of other apocalyptic messages found throughout God’s Word. For example, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ spends the entirety of Matthew, chapter 24, describing both the destruction of the Jewish temple in 70 A.D. and also the end of the world. The Apostle Paul devotes II Timothy, chapter 3, to the “perilous times” (verse 1) that would occur in “the last days” and even warns that “evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived” (verse 13.) The Apostle Peter wrote of the end times in II Peter, chapter 3, warning in verse 3; “There shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts.” He then offers a vivid description of God’s judgment upon the earth by writing in verse 10, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.”

How is it that God, who lovingly and meticulously created this world and then proclaimed His creation to be “very good” in Genesis 1:31, could ever allow this world to be burned up? Over time, this planet has been ravaged by sin, suffering the effects of greed, selfishness, unbridled lust, hatred, and a lack of regard for Almighty God. When God decides it is time for this world to be destroyed, much of the damage will have already been inflicted by mankind. Thus, as a property owner might find a dilapidated and unsound building condemned and subject to demolition, God, too, will demolish this world.

Scriptures in the Old Testament tell us that the world we now occupy will eventually wear out and “wax old like a garment.” Isaiah 51:6 declares, “Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.” A remarkably similar passage can be found in Psalm 102:25-27, which tells us, “Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.” Even as these verses reveal the ultimate demise of our world, we see the promises that not only will God Himself endure for all eternity, but His salvation, too, will endure for all eternity. It is for this reason that Jesus promises in John 5:24, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” As the forthcoming content of this newsletter will reveal, our world is facing astonishing trouble in the days ahead. As such, the promises of God are exceedingly precious to His people, and we will need His mercy and grace to endure the coming months and years.

DISRUPTION

Volume 45 Issue Five May 2026

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

“In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.” - Psalm 71:1

As we enter May 2026, the United States is still at war with Iran. The events surrounding this conflict have taken many twists and turns in recent weeks. Although the fighting itself has quieted, there remains great uncertainty about when, or if, it might resume. Nevertheless, the consequences of this war are being felt around the world and threaten to disrupt everyday life in unprecedented ways. In this edition of the Last Trumpet, we will look back at these recent events and consider their potential implications for the future.

A Close Call

As April began, the coalition between the United States and Israel was heavily involved in combat operations against Iran. From the start of the war, coalition forces have mostly imposed their will over Iranian territory without significant resistance. However, on April 3, 2026, an American F-15E fighter jet was shot down over Iranian territory. The two crew members onboard were forced to eject from the plane, leading to the dire possibility of American soldiers falling into the hands of the Iranian regime. For the first time since the war began, American forces would set foot on Iranian soil to conduct two daring rescue missions in a high-stakes race against time. (1)

The pilot was located and found within hours, but the whereabouts of the weapons systems officer remained a mystery. (2) To pinpoint his location, the U.S. military enlisted the help of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The CIA used its secret technology to locate the missing soldier who had been stuck behind enemy lines for more than 24 hours. “This was the ultimate needle in a haystack, but in this case it was a brave American soul inside a mountain crevice, invisible but for CIA’s capabilities,” an unnamed U.S. official told Axios. (3)

The search was conducted with great urgency. Not only were the Americans looking for the soldier, but so too were the Iranians. “This brave warrior was behind enemy lines in the treacherous mountains of Iran, being hunted down by our enemies, who were getting closer and closer by the hour,” wrote American President Donald Trump. (4)

In an effort to find the American soldier before he could be rescued, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps offered a reward of about $66,000 to any Iranian citizen who could locate him. (5) This is a tremendous amount of money for an Iranian citizen, and many were no doubt highly motivated to find the missing airman.

With the soldier safely recovered, Trump recounted some of the details of the rescue mission to Axios. He explained that the military aircraft had been hit by a shoulder-fired missile. “They got lucky,” Trump admitted. He then explained that American officials were worried at first that the soldier had already been captured by the Iranians because of an unusual final radio message. “God is good,” the airman said as he ejected from the aircraft. “What he said on the radio sounded like something a Muslim would say,” Trump opined. However, those who knew the soldier told officials the man was religious, and so they moved forward with a rescue mission involving two hundred soldiers. (6) Had Iran been successful in its endeavors to locate the airman, it could have changed the trajectory of the war. Capturing the soldier would have given the regime leverage in negotiations and could have easily resulted in the American being imprisoned, tortured, or killed. Thankfully, he was rescued before Iran got their hands on him. God is good, indeed.

The War Report - Part 2

Volume 45 Issue Four April 2026

Last Trumpet Ministries ∙ PO Box 806 ∙ Beaver Dam, WI 53916

Phone: 920-887-2626 Internet: http://www.lasttrumpetministries.org

The War Report - Part 2

“Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.” - Mark 13:33

The United States and the State of Israel are once again at war with the Islamic Republic of Iran. Given the fluid nature of the conflict, it is uncertain what the future may hold. By the time this issue is in your hands, the war may be over, or it may have expanded. This special edition of the Last Trumpet is titled “The War Report - Part 2” because it is a natural sequel to the July 2025 issue, published shortly after the conclusion of the Twelve-Day War last year. If you have not read this previous issue, we are happy to mail you a copy free of charge. It is also available on our website. Our goal in this issue is to report, as accurately as possible, what happened, not to tell you what to think. Nevertheless, these events are already reshaping history and have the potential to change the world forever.

Maximum Pressure

Iran’s ambitions to develop nuclear technology have long been a point of contention with the United States and the State of Israel. Iran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, but the U.S.-Israeli alliance is highly skeptical of this claim. Shortly after American President Donald Trump returned to the White House in 2025, he made Iran a top priority. On February 4, 2025, Trump signed a National Security Presidential Memorandum promising to restore “maximum pressure” on the Islamic Republic of Iran. An accompanying press release published by the White House insists that “President Trump will not tolerate Iran possessing a nuclear weapons capability, nor will he stand for their sustained sponsorship of terrorism, especially against U.S. interests.” (1)

Just days after Trump signed his memo reasserting his focus on Iran, a piece by the Wall Street Journal was published on February 12, 2025, which indicates that the State of Israel was seriously considering military action against Iran. The piece quotes Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz as saying, “Iran is more exposed than ever to strikes on its nuclear facilities. We have the opportunity to achieve our most important goal—to thwart and eliminate the existential threat to the State of Israel.” (2) Thus, we see that the concerns about Iran’s nuclear program are rooted in a fear that Iran might use nuclear weapons to destroy Israel. Given that Trump has positioned himself as a staunch ally to Israel, many wondered at the time if the United States would assist its partner in the Middle East with its operations against the Iranian regime.

As It Was In The Days Of Noah

Volume 44 Issue Ten October 2025

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

As It Was In The Days Of Noah

“But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”

Matthew 24:37-39

“The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.”

Genesis 6:11-12


April 20, 1999, is often regarded as one of the most consequential days in American history. On this fateful day, two armed students entered Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, and went on a shooting rampage that claimed the lives of twelve students and one teacher before taking their own lives. I was fifteen years old when this attack occurred, and I distinctly remember how much this horrific event stunned the entire country. Although school shootings had happened before, none had ever been as severe as Columbine, and the subsequent days were filled with grief, disbelief, and dismay as this tragic event dominated public discourse for weeks.

The “Golden Age” Of AI

Volume 44 Issue Three March 2025

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

The “Golden Age” Of AI

“There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.”
I Samuel 2:2


In the days following the 2024 election, some of the most notable figures in American technology began to visit President Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. Men such as Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, Apple CEO Tim Cook, and even Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos visited Trump before he took his office as the 47th President of the United States. What was the purpose of these meetings? Without question, these powerful men were seeking to curry favor with the President in their quest for more power. “Trump’s first administration often regulated companies based on how nice the company was to him personally,” opined Adam Kovacevich, the CEO of a tech coalition known as Chamber of Progress. “I think what you’re seeing is companies wanting to get on Trump’s good side." (1) Trump noted the positive attention he was given when he remarked, “The first term everybody was fighting me. In this term, everybody wants to be my friend. I don't know. My personality changed or something.” (2) Even Bill Gates, the liberal co-founder of Microsoft who now spends much of his time promoting vaccines, met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago and dined with him for three hours. “I felt like he was energized and looking forward to helping to drive innovation. I was frankly impressed with how well he showed a lot of interest in the issues I brought up,” Gates said. (3)

Gates, who supported Democratic Presidential candidate Kamala Harris, later expressed surprise at Trump’s newfound support in the tech industry. “I always thought of Silicon Valley as being left of center. The fact that now there is a significant right-of-center group is a surprise to me,” he told the New York Times. (4) This marks a striking shift from Trump’s first term as President. Back then, he was banned from social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter and blocked on the Google-owned video-sharing site YouTube. Now, the chief executives of these same companies are praising him—and in some cases, donating substantial sums of money.

In the days following the election, a slew of tech moguls, including Bezos, Zuckerberg, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman each donated one million dollars to Trump’s inaugural fund. (5) This was a remarkable about-face for Altman, who said in 2016 that Trump was “an unacceptable threat to America.” Altman’s company, OpenAI, is one of the leading forces in the development of artificial intelligence, and its flagship product is the highly popular generative artificial intelligence chatbot known as ChatGPT. In December 2024, Altman gushed over Donald Trump, stating, “President Trump will lead our country into the age of AI, and I am eager to support his efforts to ensure America stays ahead.” (6)

When the big day arrived on January 20, 2025, Trump’s new friends were on hand as he took the oath of office and delivered his inaugural address. Apple CEO Tim Cook was seated alongside the new Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem. (7) Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Sundar Pichai, and the world’s richest man, Elon Musk, were seated together in a row that had a combined net worth of more than 849 billion dollars. (8) With these tech giants positioning themselves as friends and collaborators with the President, we could see technology advance at an unprecedented rate in the years to come —for better or worse.

Disruption

Volume 44 Issue Two February 2025

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



Disruption

“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.”

Psalm 46:10-11


As the United States prepared to ring in a new year on December 31, 2024, something remarkable happened. Four of the most iconic structures in the country were all struck by lightning on the same day. In New York City, New York, the Empire State Building and the One World Trade Center received lightning strikes. About 230 miles away, a storm was brewing in our nation’s seat of government, too, as lightning struck the Capitol Building and the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C. (1) Although it is not unusual for tall structures to be struck by lightning, it is quite extraordinary that these strikes all took place on New Year’s Eve as our country was preparing to enter what is likely to be a profoundly consequential year. Was it just a coincidence, or is it a sign that change is in the air? Mike Lee, a Republican Senator from the state of Utah, posted a video of the Capitol Building strike on X and wondered if there was a deeper meaning to be gleaned from this amazing sight. “Feels like an omen. What’s it telling us?” he wrote alongside the video. (2)



There’s just something special about lightning. It is a visible demonstration of God’s majesty, power, and sovereignty. Psalm 135:6-7 declares, “Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places. He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain; he bringeth the wind out of his treasuries.” No human being can say for certain when and where lightning will strike, but God knows. Thus, lightning is a reminder that God is in control and His will will be accomplished. Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ also associated lightning with His sudden and unexpected return when he told his disciples in Matthew 24:27, “For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Just as no one knows when lightning will strike, no one knows the day or the hour of our Lord’s return. We do know, however, that each moment that passes draws us closer to that fateful day. In any case, the lightning strikes in New York City and Washington, D.C., serve as a salient metaphor for the many surprises and disruptions that are coming in the days ahead.

New World Disorder

Volume 44 Issue One January 2025

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

New World Disorder

“Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.”

II Thessalonians 2:1-4

When people think of September 11th, the events of 2001 usually come to mind. Yet, another significant historical event occurred eleven years before the World Trade Center fell. On September 11, 1990, former President of the United States, George H.W. Bush, mentioned a “new world order” for the very first time. Speaking to a joint session of Congress, President Bush said, “We stand today at a unique and extraordinary moment. The crisis in the Persian Gulf, as grave as it is, also offers a rare opportunity to move toward a historic period of cooperation. Out of these troubled times, our fifth objective — a new world order — can emerge: a new era — freer from the threat of terror, stronger in the pursuit of justice, and more secure in the quest for peace. An era in which the nations of the world, East and West, North and South, can prosper and live in harmony.” (1) His speech came at a time when the world was changing in profound ways. The Berlin Wall had recently fallen, and the Soviet Union would soon collapse. Months later, President Bush again mentioned a “new world order” when he gave his State of the Union Address on January 21, 1991. (2) Nearly three and a half decades later, the promise of global peace and prosperity remains unrealized. Yet, the world again finds itself at a crossroads and on the cusp of another “new world order.”

What exactly is a “new world order” though? For some, it merely refers to the rebalancing of global powers wherein new countries emerge as leaders and others recede into the background. But what if that rebalancing of power ultimately results in a consolidation of power in the form of a global government? Would this global government be led by one man? The Holy Scriptures indicate that a day is coming when a powerful imposter would rise up purporting himself to be god. II Thessalonians 2:1-4 declares, “Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.” People often refer to this forthcoming “man of sin” as the Antichrist. However, I find it interesting that he is called the “son of perdition.” In John 17:12, Jesus Christ also referred to his betrayer, Judas Iscariot, as the “son of perdition.” This verse declares, “While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.” We also learn in John, chapter 13, that when Judas received the sop at the Last Supper, Satan entered into him. Thus, the man of sin is also called the son of perdition because Satan himself will dwell inside him. Although we do not yet know who this man of sin will be, the Scriptures tell us that he is revealed. Thus, when the time comes, God’s people will be guided by God’s Spirit and will not be deceived even as the rest of the world is. Nevertheless, every effort to establish a new world order indicates that we are growing closer and closer to that moment of revelation. Yet, when we consider the chaos of our time, it might be more accurate to say that a new world disorder is unfolding before our eyes.

What Happens Next?

Volume 43 Issue Twelve December 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

What Happens Next?


“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”

Matthew 6:9-13


Amid great anxiety and trepidation, the American people went to the polls on November 5, 2024, to elect the 47th President of the United States. The candidates, former President Donald Trump and current Vice President Kamala Harris, were said to be neck-and-neck in the polls in the weeks leading up to Election Day. An article published by Forbes Magazine in the early morning hours of November 5 claimed the candidates were essentially “deadlocked” with Harris holding a very slight edge over Trump. (1) The polling website known as FiveThirtyEight predicted there was a 50 percent chance that Harris would pull out the win while Trump had a 49 percent chance of emerging victorious. (2)

Given how close the polls were, there was a general expectation that the election would be very close and that it could take days or even weeks to tally every vote and determine a winner. The reality was much different from that expectation. In the end, Donald Trump won the election decisively, earning 312 electoral votes compared to Harris’ 226. This total put Trump well over the 270 electoral votes needed to secure the win. (3) Remarkably, Trump flipped the hotly contested states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgia, Arizona, and Nevada, which had all been called for current President Joe Biden in 2020. (4) To make matters worse for the Democrats, the Republican Party retained control of the House of Representatives and took control of the Senate, which, in theory, should allow Trump to achieve many of his goals as President. (5)

In the days following the election, talking heads all over television and on the Internet offered their hot takes on why the Democrats performed so poorly in the 2024 election. A piece published by Axios on November 6, 2024, put it bluntly, declaring in its headline, “Democrats start clawing each other’s eyes out.” (6) Senator Bernie Sanders, the proud socialist from Vermont, lambasted the Democratic Party, stating, “It should come as no great surprise that a Democratic Party which has abandoned working class people would find that the working class has abandoned them.” He then continued, “First, it was the white working class, and now it is Latino and black workers as well. While the Democratic leadership defends the status quo, the American people are angry and want change. And they’re right.” (7) Democratic strategist Julie Roginsky also lashed out, stating in a segment on CNN, “I’m going to speak some hard truths to my friends in the Democratic Party. This is not Joe Biden’s fault. It’s not Kamala Harris’ fault. It’s not Barack Obama’s fault – it is the fault of the Democratic Party in not knowing how to communicate effectively to voters. We are not the party of common sense, which is the message the voters sent to us.” (8)

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.

The Struggle For Peace

Volume 43 Issue Ten October 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

The Struggle For Peace

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

John 14:27

The United Nations has an image problem. Founded in 1945 while the world was still reeling from World War II, the organization was touted as a means to bring peace and security to the world. Considering how many wars have been fought since then, it is a fair statement that the United Nations has not made the world more peaceful. A partial list of wars since the United Nations came into existence includes the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Soviet-Afghan War, the Gulf War, the Yugoslav Wars, the U.S. War with the Taliban in Afghanistan, the Iraq War, the Syrian Civil War, the Yemeni Civil War, the war in Sudan, the Russo-Ukrainian War, the Israel-Gaza War, and a conflict with Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, which could soon escalate into a full-scale war involving multiple countries. Against the backdrop of an increasingly volatile world, the United Nations has developed a reputation as an ineffectual entity on the geopolitical stage.

The growing dissatisfaction with the UN is evident in a piece published by Bloomberg News last year. The September 2023 piece declares in its headline “World Disappointed by the UN Now Look Elsewhere for Answers.” (1) The piece notes that China has offered to spearhead efforts to establish an alternative entity to the UN. Speaking at a speech given to the BRICS alliance, Chinese President Xi Jinping told his audience, “We should help reform global governance.” BRICS is an acronym for an intergovernmental organization that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. (2) In early 2024, the group expanded, adding the nations of Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. (3) In September 2024, Turkey announced its intention to join BRICS as well. (4)

The United Nations claims to be an entirely secular organization. The UN Charter contains no mention of Jesus Christ, and this explains why they have been unsuccessful in bringing peace and security to the world. You cannot have genuine peace without the Prince of Peace. In John 14:27, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ tells us that the peace that comes from Him is different from the false peace of the world. This verse declares, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

An Era Of Shocking Events

Volume 43 Issue Nine September 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

An Era Of Shocking Events

“Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.”

Mark 13:35-37


On August 19, 2024, the elitist World Economic Forum published an article on its website warning of the danger and volatility in our world today. The list of threats runs the gamut from the ongoing outbreak of mpox, global wars, climate change, and technological disruptions with the potential to upend our everyday lives. The article contends that we could soon see “an era of shock events.” (1) One could argue, however, that we have already seen our fair share of shocking events in recent years. The Covid-19 pandemic, lockdowns, and vaccine mandates were all shocking. The ensuing supply chain disruptions were shocking. The inflation crisis, which made groceries, automobiles, and housing unaffordable, was shocking. We’ve seen the shocking brutality of war on full display in Ukraine, Sudan, and the Middle East. We have just watched the Hollywood elite collude and conspire with the news media to steal a presidential nomination from Joe Biden and bestow it upon Kamala Harris. Someone tried to assassinate presidential candidate Donald Trump and nearly succeeded. Can we infer from the aforementioned article that what is coming will be worse than the shocks we’ve already seen? It’s hard to imagine.

The Apostle Paul warns in II Timothy 3:13, “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.” Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ also warned that shocking events would come upon the earth. In Luke 21:25-26, we read, “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.” This indeed sounds very much like an “era of shock events.” The most shocking event of all, however, is described in Luke 21:27, which declares, “And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” No one knows the day or the hour of our Savior’s coming, but we should always be ready to meet Him. In Luke 12:40, Jesus admonishes, “Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.” He further instructs us to watch and pray as we await His return. Mark 13:35-37 tells us, “Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.” If we follow His instructions, He will give us the strength to endure to the end, even as shocking events unfold all around us.

Chaos

Volume 43 Issue Eight August 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



Chaos

“For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

Titus 3:3-7


What a month! As we finally say goodbye to July 2024, many frazzled Americans might be asking themselves, “What just happened?” From start to finish, the month was a whirlwind that brought us one chaotic event after another. We are living in a time that stands apart from any other time that we’ve known before.

We began the month with record-breaking Hurricane Beryl, which was the earliest Category-4 and Category-5 hurricane ever recorded during a hurricane season since records have been kept. On July 1, 2024, this monster storm made landfall on Grenada’s Carriacou Island and promptly flattened hundreds of buildings (1) before strengthening to a Category-5 hurricane with sustained wind speeds of more than 160 miles per hour. (2) The storm also made unwelcome visits to Jamaica and southern Mexico before slamming the American state of Texas as a Category-1 hurricane on July 8, 2024. More than two million people were without power in Texas the morning after the storm’s arrival. (3) The hurricane’s remnants then went on to spawn sixty-five tornados between July 8-10 in the states of Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Kentucky, Indiana, and New York. (4) Hurricane Beryl served as a salient metaphor for the stormy month that was about to unfold.

A Disastrous Debate

Politicians, celebrities, journalists, and pundits are telling us that the 2024 presidential election is the most important election this country will ever have. It has been presented as an existential fight for democracy that will ultimately decide the fate of the United States of America. Of course, they said the exact same thing about the 2020 election. Nevertheless, as a result of this frenetic and desperate election cycle, panic has already ensued, which spawned drastic and unprecedented events.

On June 27, 2024, CNN broadcasted what was supposed to be the first of two debates between former President Donald Trump and current President of the United States Joe Biden. While the debate went on, Democrats watched with stunned disbelief as their candidate, Joe Biden, delivered a performance so poor that it led to immediate calls from his own political party for him to drop out of the race.

As I watched the panic unfold, I couldn’t help but wonder: “Hasn’t anyone been paying attention?” The debate went exactly as I expected it to as Joe Biden's cognitive decline had been evident for years. In fact, I wrote about this problem in the February 2023 issue of the Last Trumpet. One of the things I noted in that issue is that Biden had referred to his Vice President Kamala Harris as President on multiple occasions, even going as far as to call her a “great president” on October 24, 2022. (5) Perhaps he was just jumping the gun a bit?

Throughout his presidency, Biden’s appearances have been carefully planned and controlled. Press conferences have been rare, and it was decided in advance which reporters, if any, would be called on by the President. When he was interviewed on radio or television appearances, Biden’s team would give the questions to the interviewer in advance. Despite all of these efforts to carefully prepare the President and control his environment, he still made one mistake after another throughout his presidency. For example, at a recent NATO summit, President Biden introduced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as “President Putin.” (6) (Vladimir Putin is the President of Russia.) At a campaign stop in Las Vegas, Nevada, Biden seemingly forgot the name of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and called him “the black man” instead. (7) In perhaps the most bizarre gaffe of his career, on July 5, 2024, he referred to himself as a black woman. “By the way, I’m proud to be, as I said, the first vice president, first black woman, to serve with a black president.” (8)

Given his history, why were people so surprised by his debate performance? Perhaps one of the reasons that liberal Americans were caught off guard is because left-leaning media outlets made a concerted effort to hide Biden’s diminished mental acuity. In a piece published by CNN on July 2, 2024, an anonymous member of the White House Press Corp was quoted as saying, “The right-wing media was calling him senile from day one, and that wasn’t true. Then whenever you report on the age you were in some ways solidifying, giving credence to some people that were actually of bad faith.” (9) In other words, reporters weren’t doing their jobs and reporting the truth because it would have made the President look bad.

Alex Thompson, a White House reporter for Axios, blamed the White House for the cover-up. “The White House’s response every single time it has come up for three-and-a-half years has been to deflect, to gaslight, to not tell the truth – not just to reporters, not just to other Democrats, but even at times to themselves about the president’s limitations at his age,” Thompson said. (10) Famous sports broadcaster Bob Costas also accused the Democrats of deception. In reference to Biden’s poor showing at the debate, Costas said, “That one atrocious night was simply writ-large what could be seen for years and years, that he is in serious decline.” He then added that it “makes you wonder whether we’ve been gaslit by the Democrats.” (11) For those unfamiliar with the term, “gaslight” means “to cause (a person) to doubt their judgment, memory, or sanity through the use of psychological manipulation” or “to deceive (a person or group of people) through repetition of a constructed false narrative.” (12)

What Is Truth?

Volume 43 Issue Seven July 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

What Is Truth?

“Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.”

John 18:37-38


We hear a lot about disinformation and “fake news” these days. Yet, this is not a new problem. In fact, the very first disinformation campaign occurred in the Garden of Eden when the serpent beguiled Eve, enticed her to eat the forbidden fruit, and told her lies that she chose to believe. What were those lies? Genesis 3:4-5 explains, “And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” Humanity has suffered the consequences of these lies since the fall of man.

By the days of Isaiah the Prophet, conditions had only worsened. Isaiah 59:4 laments, “None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.” The prophet further tells us in Isaiah 59:14, “And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.” This verse describes a societal condition in which there is such little regard for the truth that it is cast out into the street like refuse and trodden underfoot.

When Jesus Christ came to this world, He, too, encountered a culture that stood in opposition to the truth. In fact, Jesus was hated because He only spoke the truth. In John 8:45, Jesus told His opponents, “And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.” Since the early days of humanity, people have embraced lies and disregarded the truth. The irony, of course, is that if Jesus had spoken lies, He would have been accepted by His opponents. The scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees would have loved Him!

Our Saviour’s ministry revealed many important truths. He taught us that we who have sinned must repent. For example, Matthew 4:17 tells us, “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” In Luke 13:3, He again preached repentance, warning, “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” Jesus revealed that the religious structure of His day, led chiefly by the Pharisees, was rife with hypocrisy. In Luke 12:1 He admonished, “Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” Our Lord and Saviour also taught us the essential truth that love is one of the defining characteristics of God’s people. John 13:34-35 declares, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” He further reveals to us the most important truth of all: That Jesus Christ is the way to salvation. John 14:6 declares, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Every word ever spoken by Jesus Christ is absolutely true. If you ever feel lost in the maze of confusion that this modern world has become, you can always look to Jesus to find the truth. It is for this reason John 8:31-32 tells us, “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” If you have not yet repented of your sins and dedicated your life to God, I urge you to do so now.

A Great Foreboding

Volume 43 Issue Six June 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


A Great Foreboding

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”

Matthew 24:29-30

“Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.”

Revelation 1:7


I remember my father preaching many sermons about the last days and the end of the world when I was a young boy. Indeed, this was one of his chief concerns and is the reason he chose to call his ministry Last Trumpet Ministries. Our ministry’s name was inspired by I Corinthians 15:51-52, which tells us, “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” These verses are clarified by Paul’s writings in I Thessalonians 4:16-17, which further exhorts, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” As such, the day when the last trump will sound has been a point of emphasis for this ministry for the last forty-three years.

Many of my father’s critics would deride him for his focus on the end times and scoff at the notion that the end is near. Yet, in recent years the attitudes of the people have changed. I believe this gradual transformation started in 2001 when the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City collapsed on September 11, 2001. The United States and much of the world would endure further trauma in 2008 with the devastating and demoralizing arrival of the Great Recession. The effects of this economic collapse would be felt for years. Then, just when it seemed as if the country had finally recovered from the recession, the world was blindsided by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. These world-changing events, along with the ongoing wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, plus fears about climate change, and the rapid development of artificial intelligence, have made it socially acceptable to talk about the end of the world. Against the backdrop of so much calamity, it no longer seems far-fetched or difficult to imagine.

This change in attitude is highlighted in a fascinating piece published by Study Finds on May 3, 2024, which declares in its headline, “Apocalypse goes mainstream: The end of the world is becoming normal conversation.” (1) One of the findings of the report is that the use of the word “apocalypse” has become especially common. In fact, the researchers who wrote the piece carefully studied news reports published between January 1, 1980, and December 31, 2023, by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post. Their research found that these three newspapers published articles about “apocalyptic concerns” 9,380 times within this time period. Interestingly enough, the research found that there are four prominent apocalyptic concerns commonly featured in mainstream news. These concerns are nuclear war, disease, climate change, and artificial intelligence, or AI. (2)

Drastic Measures

Volume 43 Issue Five May 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


Drastic Measures


“But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?”   -Jonah 3:8-9


The American people have many concerns in this modern age. In recent years, the cost of living has skyrocketed, inflation refuses to go away, the housing market is unaffordable, the national debt is soaring, a contentious election looms, there are wars in Europe and the Middle East, and bird flu is not only sickening birds but also cattle and other animals. However, if you read the news, it quickly becomes evident that the media, scientists, politicians, world leaders, and even religious figures such as Pope Francis believe the biggest concern on everyone’s mind should be climate change.

For his part, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church lashed out against climate skeptics in a recent television interview. “There are people who are foolish and foolish even if you show them research, they don’t believe it. Why? They don’t understand the situation or because of their interest, but climate change exists,” Pope Francis told CBS News. (1) On April 22, 2024, which was celebrated as Earth Day, the Pope doubled down on his message when he posted on X, “Our generation has bequeathed many riches, but we have failed to protect the planet and we are not safeguarding peace. We are called to become artisans and caretakers of our common home, the Earth which is ‘falling into ruin.’” (2)

In March 2024, after it had been reported that 2023 was the hottest year on record, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres proclaimed, “Earth’s issuing a distress call. Fossil fuel pollution is sending climate chaos off the charts.” He then insisted, “Changes are speeding up.” (3) Celeste Saulo, who is the Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization, also expressed her displeasure when she said, “I am now sounding the red alert about the state of the climate. 2023 set new records for every single climate indicator.” (4)

The Next Generation

Volume 43 Issue One January 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


The Next Generation

“Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.”

Psalm 90:1-2


If you are a Baby Boomer - born between 1946 and 1964, part of Generation X - born from 1965 to 1980, or even a Millennial - born between 1980 and 1994, you might feel far removed from the way of life embraced by the current generation of young adults known as Generation Z, born between 1995 and 2009. Although it may seem that we have barely had a chance to know Generation Z, they, too, have a new generation nipping at their heels. All children born since 2010 are part of a cohort that has come to be known as Generation Alpha. The oldest members of Generation Alpha will soon enter high school, and the very last Alpha baby will be born on December 31, 2024. In this edition of the Last Trumpet, we will take an in-depth look at what life is like now for Generation Alpha and what it might be like in the future.

Digital Natives

In 2010, just as the very first Alpha babies were being born, Apple released a new tablet computer called the iPad. (1) This would be a timely decision by the technology giant because the iPad would go on to become one of the favorite devices of children in the 2010s. According to the United States Census Bureau, a study conducted in 2021 revealed that 81 percent of American households with young children owned tablet computers. (2) The government publication also noted that a 2020 study by The National Survey of Children’s Health found that 26 percent of children spent four or more hours per day in front of a screen. (3) Furthermore, a 2020 report from Common Sense Media found that more than two-thirds of children aged five to eight have their own mobile devices. (4) Exposure to mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablet computers, comes at a shockingly young age. According to a report published nearly nine years ago by Time Magazine, more than one-third of infants under one year of age have used a smartphone or tablet. (5)

Societal Malaise

Volume 42 Issue Twelve December 2023

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

Societal Malaise

“And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity. And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD.”

Lamentations 3:17-18

Reading the news can be quite exasperating. Those who set out to learn about current events will often find confusing headlines and mixed signals. For example, countless news stories are proclaiming that the American economy is surprisingly strong. This includes a November 3, 2023, piece by The Wall Street Journal with the headline, “The Improbably Strong Economy.” (1) The report notes that unemployment in the United States is low, average hourly earnings have been rising, and despite the many predictions from economists to the contrary, recession has been avoided in 2023. We’re even told that inflation is finally cooling down. (2) This all sounds like good news. Yet, the national mood in the United States tells a different story.

Despite the efforts of the mass media to convince us that everything is wonderful, the American populace remains unconvinced. A headline from CNN published on November 8, 2023, declares, “Americans think the economy stinks, but wages are up and so is spending. Economists and political strategists are baffled.” (3) The report goes on to cite a recent CNN poll that found 72 percent of respondents say “things in this country today are going badly.” Another poll from the New York Times and Siena College found that a mere 2 percent of respondents said the economy is excellent. (4) Why is there a disparity between what we are told by the media and how the American people feel? Is everything getting better and better every day as they suggest, or is the reality far different for people living in the real world?

One of the primary reasons the American people are so down on the economy is because of persistently high inflation. When inflation is high, it affects almost everything we buy. Every time we visit a supermarket, we’re reminded of the fact that we’re spending far more money on our groceries than we were three years ago. While reports indicate that inflation in October 2023 fell to only 3.2 percent, (5) the prices we pay still remain much higher than they used to be. In fact, the cost of groceries has risen on average by 25 percent since February 2020. (6)

One of the reasons economists say the economy is strong is because consumers have continued to spend gobs of money even as inflation remained stubbornly high. How is this possible? The American people have taken dramatic and sometimes desperate steps to maintain their standard of living. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Americans now owe a record-high 1.08 trillion dollars on their credit cards. (7) As credit card debt rises, the number of delinquent accounts is also increasing, which prompted The Wall Street Journal to report on November 25, 2023, “American borrowers are getting closer to maxing out.” The piece notes that households earning less than $50,000 per year with delinquent accounts are utilizing on average 80 to 90 percent of their available credit. (8) Thus, many who have been using credit cards to get by in recent years won’t be able to do this for much longer. Not only that, but getting new credit cards is becoming more difficult. “Tighter financial and credit conditions for households and businesses are likely to weigh on economic activity, hiring, and inflation,” the Federal Reserve said in a November 2023 statement. (9)

Is There Any Hope?

Volume 42 Issue Eleven November 2023

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

Is There Any Hope?

“That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast....”

Hebrews 6:18-19


In the early days of the 2020s as the world grappled with a global pandemic and the spread of a virus that came to be known as COVID-19, a new word crept into the English language. The term “doomscrolling,” which refers to the practice of obsessively reading or watching bad news online, especially on smartphones, first appeared on social media and soon appeared in news stories, too. Eventually the word became so common that it was added to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary in September 2023. (1) Over time, the obsession with the pandemic faded away only to be replaced with stories about economic woes, high inflation, failing banks, a war in Ukraine, the threat of nuclear war, wildfires, heatwaves, political scandals, climate change, climate change, and more climate change. For example, actor Morgan Freeman, appeared on ABC’s television program The View in October 2023 to warn viewers, “If we don't hurry up and change our ways, there's going to be a cataclysmic event that will wipe many of us off the face of the earth.” Freeman then attempted to offer a glimmer of hope, suggesting that the majority of the human race might be wiped out but “life” on earth would still continue without us. “How far back does life exist on this planet? And why does it still exist? It’s because life is tenacious. Life – we’re not talking about human beings here. We’re talking about the planet. She’ll stay.” (2) Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ does not agree with Freeman’s assessment. In Matthew 24:35 Jesus said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” Indeed, the Scriptures indicate that God’s people will live on even after the planet we presently occupy expires and is replaced. II Peter 3:12-13 declares, “Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”

As would be expected, Freeman believes the cause of the “cataclysmic event” will be climate change. Truthfully though, the ultimate cause of the planet’s impending doom is global sinning, not global warming. Every calamitous event attributed to climate change is rooted in the fact that we live in a fallen world that is bending and breaking under the weight of sin.

In decades past, people would often get their news from nightly television broadcasts or from a daily newspaper. The broadcasts would end after a short time and you could finish an entire newspaper in one sitting. Today, we not only have unprecedented access to information, but we also have constant exposure to it. You could spend every waking moment of every day reading news reports or streaming news online from sources all over the world and still never run out of material. Yes, it is important to know what is happening in the world. However, we must ensure that the news we consume is properly balanced in light of God’s Word. As we navigate these days of unprecedented danger, you won’t find much hope in the bleak headlines of mainstream news, but you will find hope in the Scriptures. It is for this reason the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 15:4, “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” The hope we find in Jesus Christ strengthens and anchors us. Hebrews 6:18-19 declares, “That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast...

This newsletter often covers difficult subject matter. However, it is not my desire that our readers feel discouraged or overwhelmed by the contents of these pages. Even as we “watch and pray” according to the command of our Saviour, we also know from Scripture that no matter what happens in this world, nothing can separate us from the love of God. Romans 8:37-39 proclaims, “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” If you have not yet repented of your sins and dedicated your life to God, I urge you to do so now.