Saturday, April 19, 2008

JESUS IS COMING AGAIN

JESUS IS COMING AGAIN

Lift up the trumpet, and loud let it ring:
Jesus is coming again!
Cheer up, ye pilgrims, be joyful and sing:
Jesus is coming again!

Refrain

Coming again, coming again,
Jesus is coming again!

Echo it, hilltops; proclaim it, ye plains:
Jesus is coming again!
Coming in glory, the Lamb that was slain;
Jesus is coming again!

Refrain

Heavings of earth, tell the vast, wondering throng:
Jesus is coming again!
Tempests and whirlwinds, the anthem prolong;
Jesus is coming again!

Refrain

Nations are angry—by this we do know
Jesus is coming again!
Knowledge increases; men run to and fro;
Jesus is coming again!

Refrain

Words:
Jess­ie E. Strout, 1872.

Music:
George E. Lee (MI­DI, score).

Source: http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/j/i/jicoming.htm

IN HOLINESS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS BEFORE HIM

Luke 1

1Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,

2Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;

3It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,

4That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.

5THERE was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.

6And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

7And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.

8And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course,

9According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.

10And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.

11And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

12And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

13But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

14And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.

15For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.

16And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

17And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

18And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.

19And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.

20And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.

21And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.

22And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.

23And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.

24And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,

25Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.

26And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

27To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

28And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

29And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

30And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

31And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.

32He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

33And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

34Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

35And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

36And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.

37For with God nothing shall be impossible.

38And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

39And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;

40And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.

41And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:

42And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

43And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

44For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.

45And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.

46And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,

47And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

48For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

49For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.

50And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.

51He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

52He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.

53He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.

54He hath helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;

55As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.

56And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.

57Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.

58And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her.

59And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.

60And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.

61And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.

62And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.

63And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all.

64And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God.

65And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.

66And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.

67And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,

68Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,

69And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;

70As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:

71That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;

72To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;

73The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,

74That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,

75In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.

76And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;

77To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,

78Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,

79To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

80And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.

Friday, April 18, 2008

"HD TV"


"HD TV"


Finally, I understand what HD TV is. It's Hillary Debate Television.


Are 20 something debates enough? When do you deceide that it's not left or right that matters? But, that you know your right from your left. And frankly, she has left a bad taste in my mouth. You know that's right!


Just give it a rest Hillary. Stop with triffling about bitter, Obama's religion, etc. What you really want to do is tell him that you're the one who's fit to live in the WhiteHouse, right? The last time you were there you left with property that wasn't yours, right?
so, please Hillary stop with the charade, the shenanigans, and get off the stage already.
Obama, don't feed into this character assasination side-show, and let the bearded woman have a dose of her own medicine. Ask about her about what happened to Vince Foster.v
Obama, even if you don't stand a chance in a million.
And another thing. What is George Stephanapoulos doing interviewing Hillary in these 'mock' debates?
Wasn't he the press secretary of Bill Clinton?
Flashback:

Clinton administration

Stephanopoulos was, along with David Wilhelm and James Carville, a leading member of the 1992 Clinton campaign. His role on the campaign is portrayed in the documentary film The War Room.[2] At the outset of Clinton's presidency, Stephanopoulos served as the de facto press secretary, briefing the press even though Dee Dee Myers was officially the White House Press Secretary. Later, he was moved to Senior Advisor on Policy and Strategy, when Dee Dee Myers began personally conducting the briefings and David Gergen was brought in as the new White House Communications Director. The move was largely viewed as a rebuke to Stephanopoulos' handling of public relations during the first six months of the Clinton Administration.1

Is there a conflict of interest here, or what? Not everyone has the attention span of 4 years.
George and Reverend Robert Stephanopoulos
George and his father Rev. Robert Stephanopoulos being honored at St. John University SJu.

Reverend Robert G. Stephanopoulos opening statement:
I’m delighted to be here, of course, and to follow George’s footsteps. There’s a saying in Greek about growing sweet basil in a pot and when one does that, the adage goes, ‘along with the basilico getting water, so does the pot.’ I’m the pot, but I’m very grateful for the privilege being granted to both of us from St. John’s University, which I consider to be an excellent school. I’ve been with the faculty for years now and I see some of my already distinguished graduates.

I’m also grateful for the honor that has been awarded me with George from the University granting a degree of recognition for years of service and dedication not simply to an institution of higher education, which this is, but also to the public at large. That’s the field that we selected, I thought, as he mentioned already, that George should have gone into law, but what he’s done in fact, as his book will indicate, has applied all of the requirements of a good priest to public service. He’s done that very well, he communicates very effectively, that’s one of the responsibilities of a priest and a preacher and I know that that kind of service is an inspiration to many people who have come into contact with us and who we represent as a model and inspiration for your lives and others as well.

I’m grateful to the University and Father Harrington for the recognition he’s given us.2

On "HD TV", those with H.D.: His Discernment can see that "HD" really stands for Hillary's Deceptions.

Reference:

v http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vince_Foster

1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Stephanopoulos

2 http://www.stjohns.edu/academics/pr_uni_070513c.sju

Note: Highlights and Bolds added for emphasis. Blogman

OIL HITS $116 AFTER NIGERIAN PIPELINE ATTACK

Oil hits $116 after Nigerian pipeline attack

Oil prices hit new trading record in New York. Price at the pump climbs 2.7 cents overnight.


Last Updated: April 18, 2008: 11:41 AM EDT

crude oil.mkw.gif

NEW YORK (AP) -- Retail gas prices set new records Friday on their seemingly relentless march toward $3.50 a gallon, and diesel prices pushed further above $4 a gallon.

Oil futures, meanwhile, surged to a new record over $116 a barrel after a militant group in Nigeria said it had sabotaged a major oil pipeline operated by a Royal Dutch Shell PLC joint venture and promised further attacks on the country's petroleum industry.

At the pump, the national average price of regular gas rose 2.7 cents overnight to a record $3.445 a gallon, according to a survey of stations by AAA and the Oil Price Information Service. Diesel fuel added 2.2 cents to a record national average of $4.168 a gallon.

The spike in the cost of fuel is hurting consumers already feeling the effects of a slowing economy, a sluggish job market and falling home values. Soaring prices of diesel, which runs most of the world's trucks, trains, ships and heavy equipment, is a major factor pushing food prices higher.

Some analysts call for prices to peak near $3.80 a gallon; the Energy Department, in a recent forecast, said prices could average $4 a gallon nationally at times.

Meanwhile, oil continued pushing to new records, pulling gas prices higher despite the fact that demand for the expensive fuel has fallen this year. On the New York Mercantile Exchange on Friday, light, sweet crude for May delivery rose to a new record of $116.10 before retreating to trade up 58 cents to $115.44 a barrel. To top of page

CITIGROUP PLANS 9,000 MORE JOB CUTS IN 2Q



Citi Plans 9,000 More Job Cuts In 2Q




NEW YORK-(Dow Jones)- Citigroup Inc.(C) plans to cut 9,000 more jobs during the second quarter, according to Gary Crittenden, the bank's chief financial officer.


Crittenden said the new round of layoffs will come on top of the 4,200 job cuts that Citi made in the last quarter, Crittenden said during the New York bank's quarterly conference call to review its first-quarter earnings, which it reported Friday.


"We're focused on expense management," Crittenden said.


One day ago, the Financial Times published an interview with Citi's Chief Executive Vikram Pandit in which he said the bank could cut its expense base by as much as 20%, which suggests that more rounds of job cuts could be in the offing throughout 2008.


Citi announced on Friday that it lost $5.1 billion during the first quarter as a result of nearly $14 billion in asset write-downs that stem from high delinquencies in subprime mortgage and consumer loans.


Citi shares recently were up 6% to $25.47.


-Marshall Eckblad, Dow Jones Newswires; 201-938-4306; marshall.eckblad@ dowjones.com


  (END) Dow Jones Newswires

04-18-08 0953ET

Copyright (c) 2008 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

Source: http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200804180953DOWJONESDJONLINE000717_FORTUNE5.htm

AT&T TO CUT ABOUT 4,600 JOBS,...



AT&T to cut about 4,600 jobs, sees $AT&T to cut about 4,600 jobs, sees $374 million 1Q charge

NEW YORK (AP) — AT&T Inc. on Friday said it plans to cut about 4,600 jobs, or 1.5 percent of its work force, to shift resources to growing parts of its business.

The nation's largest telecommunications provider said most of the layoffs will be among managers, particularly in wireline operations, including local phone service and service for large corporate customers. Jobs in corporate functions in like finance will also be cut.

"Even with the reductions announced today, we expect our head count overall to remain stable this year as we hire additional employees to support growth areas like wireless and TV," said spokesman Michael Coe.

The San Antonio-based company said in a regulatory filing that it plans to take a $374 million first-quarter pretax charge against earnings due to the job cuts. The company reports first-quarter earnings on Tuesday.

The company had 309,500 employees at the end of last year. When it announced the acquisition of BellSouth Corp. in 2006, it has said it would cut 10,000 jobs over three years from the combined company to eliminate overlap. The cuts announced Friday are not part of that reduction, and is the largest announcement of job cuts by the company since then.

Despite the layoffs associated with the BellSouth acquisition, the combined work force grew by 7,000 last year, as the company built up its growing wireless and TV divisions even as land lines shrank in the face of competition from wireless and cable phone service.

Its shares rose 20 cents to $37.77 in morning trading Friday.

ILLINOIS QUAKES 5.2 AND 4.5 MAGNITUDE,...



Illinois Quakes, 5.2 and 4.5 Magnitude, Shake Midwest (Update5)

By Demian McLean

April 18 (Bloomberg) -- Illinois residents were shaken from sleep this morning by the state's second-largest earthquake on record, a 5.2 temblor that rattled houses and knocked pictures from walls. A second, smaller quake struck several hours later.

The first quake was reported at 4:36 a.m. local time and was just 7 miles (12 kilometers) below the surface, the U.S. Geological Survey said. It was centered 5 miles northeast of Belmont and 128 miles east of St. Louis, according to the agency.

``You could hear a roaring sound, and the whole motel shook, waking up the guests,'' Vibha Ambelal, manager of the Super 8 Motel in Mount Carmel, said in a telephone interview. ``We had pictures in the rooms fall down and some drawers open, but no major damage.''

Quakes are typically rarer and smaller in the Midwest than in the western U.S. Today's was in the Wabash Valley Seismic Zone, an area that straddles the boundary between Illinois and Indiana. It was felt in towns as far away as Janesville, Wisconsin; Campbellsville, Kentucky; and Lawrence, Kansas, residents said in e-mails.

The second quake struck about five hours later in same area and measured 4.5, the USGS said.

``At the office, computer monitors shook pretty good,'' said Patrick Forkin III, a senior analyst at Tejas Securities Group Inc. outside St. Louis.

Minor Damage

There were scattered reports of damage to Illinois homes, including toppled chimneys, and to grain elevators, said Patti Thompson, spokeswoman for the state Emergency Management Agency.

``All we know is we felt a little something here; we had some rattling in our house,'' Thompson said in a telephone interview from Springfield.

Chicago is home to the Sears Tower, the tallest building in the U.S. While some residents felt the quake, there was no damage to the tower or other buildings, said Earl Zuelke, a spokesman for the city's Office of Emergency Management and Communications.

The temblor also shook neighboring Indiana.

``It knocked some knickknacks off the wall and woke me up,'' said Sue Jacoby, who lives in Evansville, about a half-hour drive from the quake epicenter. ``There's no other damage that I can see.''

The Indiana Homeland Security Department didn't return a call requesting details about statewide conditions.

Illinois's largest recorded quake was a 5.3 temblor that struck in 1968, causing minor damage to homes and buildings, according to the USGS.

Worse Than 1906

Some of the largest U.S. temblors ever recorded, along the nearby New Madrid fault, struck the Midwest about two centuries ago in what is now southeast Missouri. Four quakes, measuring as large as 8.1, hit between December 1811 and February 1812. They leveled towns and created waves on the Mississippi River so large that observers reported the waterway was running backward, according to the USGS.

The New Madrid shocks were greater than the 7.9 quake that almost leveled San Francisco in 1906, and the tremors were felt as far away as Washington, D.C.

To contact the reporter on this story: Demian McLean in Washington at dmclean8@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: April 18, 2008 11:51 EDT

Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601082&sid=aeUlrMapERq8&refer=canada

THE SON OF PERDITION

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.

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 (King James Version)

BABYLON'S QUEEN OF HEAVEN



Jeremiah 44


1The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews which dwell in the land of Egypt, which dwell at Migdol, and at Tahpanhes, and at Noph, and in the country of Pathros, saying,

2Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Ye have seen all the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, and upon all the cities of Judah; and, behold, this day they are a desolation, and no man dwelleth therein,

3Because of their wickedness which they have committed to provoke me to anger, in that they went to burn incense, and to serve other gods, whom they knew not, neither they, ye, nor your fathers.

4Howbeit I sent unto you all my servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, saying, Oh, do not this abominable thing that I hate.

5But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to turn from their wickedness, to burn no incense unto other gods.

6Wherefore my fury and mine anger was poured forth, and was kindled in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; and they are wasted and desolate, as at this day.

7Therefore now thus saith the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; Wherefore commit ye this great evil against your souls, to cut off from you man and woman, child and suckling, out of Judah, to leave you none to remain;

8In that ye provoke me unto wrath with the works of your hands, burning incense unto other gods in the land of Egypt, whither ye be gone to dwell, that ye might cut yourselves off, and that ye might be a curse and a reproach among all the nations of the earth?

9Have ye forgotten the wickedness of your fathers, and the wickedness of the kings of Judah, and the wickedness of their wives, and your own wickedness, and the wickedness of your wives, which they have committed in the land of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem?

10They are not humbled even unto this day, neither have they feared, nor walked in my law, nor in my statutes, that I set before you and before your fathers.

11Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will set my face against you for evil, and to cut off all Judah.

12And I will take the remnant of Judah, that have set their faces to go into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, and they shall all be consumed, and fall in the land of Egypt; they shall even be consumed by the sword and by the famine: they shall die, from the least even unto the greatest, by the sword and by the famine: and they shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach.

13For I will punish them that dwell in the land of Egypt, as I have punished Jerusalem, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence:

14So that none of the remnant of Judah, which are gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, shall escape or remain, that they should return into the land of Judah, to the which they have a desire to return to dwell there: for none shall return but such as shall escape.

15Then all the men which knew that their wives had burned incense unto other gods, and all the women that stood by, a great multitude, even all the people that dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying,

16As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the LORD, we will not hearken unto thee.

17But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil.

18But since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine.

19And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings unto her, without our men?

20Then Jeremiah said unto all the people, to the men, and to the women, and to all the people which had given him that answer, saying,

21The incense that ye burned in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, ye, and your fathers, your kings, and your princes, and the people of the land, did not the LORD remember them, and came it not into his mind?

22So that the LORD could no longer bear, because of the evil of your doings, and because of the abominations which ye have committed; therefore is your land a desolation, and an astonishment, and a curse, without an inhabitant, as at this day.

23Because ye have burned incense, and because ye have sinned against the LORD, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD, nor walked in his law, nor in his statutes, nor in his testimonies; therefore this evil is happened unto you, as at this day.

24Moreover Jeremiah said unto all the people, and to all the women, Hear the word of the LORD, all Judah that are in the land of Egypt:

25Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying; Ye and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, and fulfilled with your hand, saying, We will surely perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her: ye will surely accomplish your vows, and surely perform your vows.

26Therefore hear ye the word of the LORD, all Judah that dwell in the land of Egypt; Behold, I have sworn by my great name, saith the LORD, that my name shall no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, The Lord GOD liveth.

27Behold, I will watch over them for evil, and not for good: and all the men of Judah that are in the land of Egypt shall be consumed by the sword and by the famine, until there be an end of them.

28Yet a small number that escape the sword shall return out of the land of Egypt into the land of Judah, and all the remnant of Judah, that are gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, shall know whose words shall stand, mine, or their's.

29And this shall be a sign unto you, saith the LORD, that I will punish you in this place, that ye may know that my words shall surely stand against you for evil:

30Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will give Pharaohhophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies, and into the hand of them that seek his life; as I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, his enemy, and that sought his life.

DAUGHTER OF BABYLON



Isaiah 47


1Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground: there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate.

2Take the millstones, and grind meal: uncover thy locks, make bare the leg, uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers.

3Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen: I will take vengeance, and I will not meet thee as a man.

4As for our redeemer, the LORD of hosts is his name, the Holy One of Israel.

5Sit thou silent, and get thee into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called, The lady of kingdoms.

6I was wroth with my people, I have polluted mine inheritance, and given them into thine hand: thou didst shew them no mercy; upon the ancient hast thou very heavily laid thy yoke.

7And thou saidst, I shall be a lady for ever: so that thou didst not lay these things to thy heart, neither didst remember the latter end of it.

8Therefore hear now this, thou that art given to pleasures, that dwellest carelessly, that sayest in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children:

9But these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood: they shall come upon thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy sorceries, and for the great abundance of thine enchantments.

10For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me.

11Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know.

12Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail.

13Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee.

14Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it.

15Thus shall they be unto thee with whom thou hast laboured, even thy merchants, from thy youth: they shall wander every one to his quarter; none shall save thee.

PHILOSOPHY AND VAIN DECEIT



Colossians 2


1For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;

2That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;

3In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

4And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.

5For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.

6As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:

7Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

8Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

9For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

10And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

11In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

12Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

13And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

14Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

15And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

16Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

17Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

18Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

19And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.

20Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,

21(Touch not; taste not; handle not;

22Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?

23Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body: not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

Thursday, April 17, 2008

AMERICA - SLEEPWALKING INTO HELL!

Volume XXVII Issue IV April 2008
Last Trumpet Ministries, PO Box 806, Beaver Dam, WI 53916
Fax: 920-887-2626 Internet: http://www.lasttrumpetministries.org/

America - Sleepwalking Into Hell!

"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them."
Luke 11:44

"But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night."
I Thessalonians 5:1-7

"But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? From whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this….."

Matthew 13:25-28

In this issue of the Last Trumpet, we will focus on the lateness and urgency of this present time. We will see that we live in a nation and a world that is on the very brink of eternity. Never before has it been like it is now! Every day is eventful in the light of Bible prophecy, and there have never been so many certain and notable signs of the times as are now appearing. With all that is happening, one would certainly think that there would be a great spiritual awakening among the people. It seems, however, that the reverse is true. In America, people are sleepwalking spiritually. This spiritual somnambulism, or sleepwalking, is highly dangerous, because the people are in a state of unawareness that will lead to their ultimate destruction.

In the first Scripture above, the Lord Jesus gave a warning regarding people in a state of unawareness who are walking over unmarked graves. That continues to be the case, for the churches of men will never wake the people up spiritually. In fact, the spiritual somnambulism is religiously induced, and we know that when the blind lead the blind, they all fall into the ditch.

It is while men slept that the enemy came in and sowed tares in the good field of wheat. We are now a nation that is overrun with weeds spiritually. It is the purpose of this prophetic newsletter, which is now in its 27th year of publication, to bring people fully awake to what is happening all around them. Sometimes this awakening can be frightening, like a sleepwalker who wakes up suddenly and finds himself on the ledge of a high building. It is better to wake up and cry out for help rather than fall to your death. It is my hope and prayer that many people who are sleepwalking over graves in the spiritual sense will come fully awake and cry out to the Lord Jesus in repentance. The Saviour is ready to forgive you, and he will transform you into a child of His Kingdom. Repent now, while there is still a little time. Eternity is nearer than you think!

Proofs of an Illuminati Conspiracy!

As a former occultist and a researcher of history and current events for the past twenty-seven years, I can assure you that there is an Illuminati conspiracy of elitists who have one scheme in common. From its very inception on May 1st, 1776, the Illuminati directors have worked to bring forth a one-world government under the direct rule of their god Lucifer from whom they derived their name. Lucifer, who became Satan according to Isaiah, chapter 14, sought to be like the Most High. He was thrust out of heaven, and since then he has sought to be the god of this world. The name Lucifer means the bringer of light or son of the morning. The word Illuminati means holders of the light. In 1776, the Rothschild bankers retained Dr. Adam Weishaupt, a son of a Jewish rabbi who converted to Roman Catholicism, to devise a secret conspiratorial society and blueprint to gain control of the entire world for Lucifer. Powerful men were to be seduced to join it, and it was to hide within the Masonic Lodges of the Grand Orient. Wars and revolutions were to be used, as well as treaties, to reshape the world and bring forth a new world order. If you have ever wondered why we have had two world wars and another one is forthcoming, you have your answer. Some powerful and hidden people wanted those wars to happen, and they had the power to foment them. Manipulation of economies has been the chief device on the control panel of this operation.

When the Illuminati was formed, Dr. Weishaupt and four other men conspired together in a cave near Ingolstadt in Bavaria. Weishaupt later wrote of this and stated that they were visited by a force called the controlling unknown. Most historians admit that there was an Illuminati, but they say it is long gone. The Masonic Lodge, Skull and Bones, and numerous other secret societies have conspired together with Hollywood, television producers, and talk show radio personnel to make a big joke of it all. Why do they protest so much? They continue to infer that only an idiot and a nut would believe there is a conspiracy. The evidence, however, remains to this very day.

According to a recent article by Trudy Rubin, who has attended the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, for the past eleven years, the most recent of those forums was different than all previous ones. The United States had always been the star of the show and the great world and economic power. This time it was different; the once mighty America with its once powerful currency, faded into the background. She reported that the forum is now searching for a global leader. (1)

On the 13th day of February 2008, the San Diego Union-Tribune featured a story regarding the U.S. Federal Government's recent campaign to destroy all conspiracy myths about the secret symbology contained in the seals on the reverse side of the U.S. one dollar bill. The exhibition to "debunk the conspiracy" was opened by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. She was announced as the 66th and current Custodian of the Seal. (2)

Other strange things are going on presently as we see an acceleration of final one-world projects. On February 14th, also known as Lupercalia, the "day of the wolf", and as St. Valentine's Day, a special meeting was held in the Palladium Theater in Rome. The subject of the meeting was the construction of a new building in Rome to be called United Religion. It is to be a place where all the religions of the world can meet. The two men who would preside over these meetings are the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Pope, according to speaker Walter Veltroni. (3)

On March 4th and 5th, meetings were held in Rome with five representatives each from the Roman Catholic and Moslem religions. This was in preparation for a meeting with Pope Benedict later this year. Benedict has been trying to appease the Moslem world, and he even visited Turkey's Blue Mosque, where he prayed toward Mecca with its Imam. (4)

As we watch the worldwide empire of the Beast rising and the nations being realigned so the earth can receive her satanic king, we also see the noose tightening around the neck of freedom and privacy. On the 13th day of February, 2008, the Lockheed Martin Corporation was given a one billion dollar contract by the FBI to develop high-tech biometric equipment. This includes high-tech fingerprint scans, iris scans, and surveillance equipment. (5) I am made to wonder where the FBI is going to come up with one billion dollars in the light of the fact that they can't even pay their telephone bills. According to an Associated Press report earlier this year, over half of the FBI's 990 telephone bills were unpaid, and the unpaid bills were so late that the phone companies disconnected their phone lines and wiretaps. (6)

Another thing that is now happening involves the collectivism of society. People are being discouraged from living in rural areas to the extent that over fifty percent of the world's population will be living in cities by the end of 2008. This is a first in all recorded history. (7) People are much easier to watch and control in concentrated areas. That is the very logic used when concentration camps were and are constructed by oppressive governments. High technology has made personal privacy a thing of the past. The new surveillance camera, known as the T5000 uses electromagnetic rays known as Terahertz or T-rays, and it can see through clothing from sixty feet away. This camera was developed by ThruVision, Inc. and is expected to be used by governments everywhere. (8) We must remember that Satan is a control freak and will not stop short of total oppression. We also know that America has become a nation of incarceration. The United States now locks up one of every one hundred adults. Nearly two and one-third million people are now behind bars in America. (9)

In California, home schooling is under attack. On March 7th, 2008, an appeals court ruling contrary to home schooling parents left 166,000 children in a state of potential truancy. The state of California is now reviewing the home school situation for revision. (10) There is a powerful spirit of oppression that is rising in the United States, and even the Republican Presidential candidate John McCain made a startling admission. On March 7th, 2008, McCain said the following on NBC4.com.: "In case you haven't noticed, we in Washington aren't functioning as we should be. It's getting harder and harder to do the Lord's work in the City of Satan." McCain said this while speaking to a crowd in Atlanta, Georgia. (11)

The masterminds of the great conspiracy of illuminism are continually at work, because they know that time is running out. In Revelation 12:12 we read about Satan's reaction to the shortness of time as follows: "Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabitors of the earth and of the sea! For the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time."

We know that one of the signs of the end is the rising of the Kings of the East, according to the 16th chapter of Revelation. On February 28th, 2008, Red China opened an ultra-modern air terminal, which is now the largest covered structure in the history of the world. The building itself is two miles long, and it covers 245 acres of land. The airport with this mammoth building is in Beijing and is shaped like a giant dragon! (12)

In the Middle East, the Israeli Air Force has transformed its Nevatim base into a new wonder of the military world. It now has the longest landing strip in the entire Middle East with a paved runway 2.5 miles long. The new air base and military terminal was built at a cost of $658 million dollars, and much of the base, including hangars, is underground. (13) Truly, the Bible teaches that World War III will begin and end in the Middle East, and this region remains a massive powder keg waiting to go off. More strife recently erupted in the State of Israel when German Chancellor Angela Merkel was invited to speak to the Israeli governing body known as the Knesset. Many were outraged when they heard her give the entire speech in her native German language. Major protests followed. (14)

On January 1st, 2008, another major event took place which received almost no publicity. The GCC Common Market became a reality. The six-member Gulf Corporation Council combined into one economy with a strength of $715 billion dollars. These GCC countries are Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates. (15) As the United States becomes weaker and weaker, others areas of the world are flexing economic and military muscles such as never before. One example of this is the city of Dubai, which in 1990 had only a few moderately sized buildings and was unimpressive. By 2003, only thirteen years later, Dubai was a sprawling megalopolis with massive skyscrapers. The area also features the World of Islands, which is made of 300 artificially created islands in the shape of the world with all its continents. Dubai also features the Hydropolis, which is the world's first underwater hotel. The greatest landmark, however, will be finished this year. It is an amazing tower that will be the tallest tower in the world. It will reach 800 meters, or 2,624 feet high, which is nearly one-half mile into the air. This is about twice the height of the erstwhile World Trade Center in New York City. (16) It is like a modern day city of Babylon with a Tower of Babel, whose top seems to reach to heaven. Where has the wealth of the United States gone? It is scattered among the nations of Islam. To whom is the United States hopelessly indebted? It's indebted to the Red Chinese and the Kings of the East!

The American Economy Gasping for Breath!

It is no great secret that the American economy is in very sad condition. Even the greatest optimist must admit that something is terribly wrong. Confidence is plunging as the inflation rate rises continually. (17) The price of gold continues to rise against the dollar. Only a few short years ago, you could buy an ounce of gold for $335 dollars. Now it takes over one thousand of those dollars to buy one ounce of gold. (18) The Federal Reserve chairman, Ben Bernanke, continues to cut interest rates, but nothing seems to help. In August 2007, the rate was 5.25 percent. Currently, it is three percent, and another cut is expected on Tuesday, March 18th, 2008. (19) Even though the financial trend is now as it was before the market crash and depression of 1929, President Bush continues to insist that the United States is not headed for a recession. (20) Recently, Financial Times featured a story entitled "America's economy risks the mother of all meltdowns." The story included a list of twelve reasons why our economy cannot survive, and this list was compiled by Professor Nouriel Roubini of New York University's School of Business. The report tells of sharp declines and losses, such as the worst housing recession in U.S. history. It also tells of losses exceeding $300 billion dollars in subprime mortgages, massive losses in unsecured consumer debt, a wave of corporate defaults, forced liquidations, and the failure of major banking systems. (21)

We are also contending with President Bush's new budget of $3.1 trillion dollars with vast amounts of money designated for current and future wars. (22) We also know that Boeing Aircraft was rejected by our government regarding a $35 billion dollar contract, which was awarded instead to Europe's Northrop Grumman/EADS. This is another huge disappointment for American workers. (23) We also know that the giant auto maker General Motors reported a loss of $38.7 billion dollars for 2007. This is the biggest annual auto loss in U.S. history. (24) Meanwhile, food prices continue to rise sharply as the world's grain stockpiles dwindle to the lowest levels in decades. Wheat is now listed as precious, and many nations are bidding high for American food. (25)

More and more Americans are out of work and facing massive debts. Conditions are so bad in Greenburgh, New York, that the city is allowing senior citizens to "work off" their property taxes at a rate of $7.00 per hour. (26) Meanwhile, gasoline prices continue to rise dramatically, driving up all transportation costs. In some areas, gasoline and diesel fuel are over $5.00 per gallon. The price of crude oil is now well over $100 dollars per barrel. (27) However, it seems that oil is one industry that is doing very well under President George "oil man" Bush. Shell oil posted a profit of $8.47 billion dollars for the 4th Quarter of 2007, which was a sixty percent increase. Exxon-Mobil reported the largest annual profit for a U.S. company for 2007 to the amount of $40.6 billion dollars. (28) One thing is for certain: even if the American people refuse to believe there is a conspiracy working against them, they are still going to feel the full and deadly effects of that conspiracy as they continue to be used, misused, and abused.

One other industry that is doing very well is the "sin" industry. Investment advisor Jim Robinson recently revealed the huge success story of the U.S. based Advisors Advice Fund, managed by Charles Norton. This fund invests eighty percent in "sin" stocks, including the alcohol, gambling, and tobacco industries, and has an average return of 21.4 percent per annum. It has never ranked outside the top two percent for funds in the past five years. (29)

Is this entire living nightmare really happening? Is it as bad as all of that? Here let it be noted that recently the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or FDIC, has found it necessary to add staff members to handle the workload of the forthcoming failure of financial institutions. They have even called back twenty-five retirees to help with the crisis. (30)

Spirits of Blasphemy - A Sign of the End!

In the book of Revelation, chapter 13, verse one, we read as follows: "And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy." Blasphemy is one of the great signs of the end, and it is a spirit that ridicules and mocks the Almighty God and all things holy. Here let it be noted that on March 5th, 2008, the House of Lords in Britain voted to abolish the common laws against blasphemy! (31) This is the trend throughout the world at this time; almost everywhere we look, we find people blaspheming the Lord and his Word. This is especially true of churches and organizations professing to be "Christian." One example of this is Victory Church in Amarillo, Texas. Associate pastor Mike Eminger announced an event that he described as follows: "Our idea is that we want to provide Amarillo with an event similar to a fashion show they would see in big cities across our nation. The theme is 'Fashionably Loud', and we will be presenting fashion, hair, dance, a guitar battle, multimedia, lighting, music, a live hair cutting and styling segment, and much more…..We want to present the message of Christ's love in a way that people walk away thinking, 'Wow, that was amazing', and 'God is really an amazing God.'" (32) This is nothing short of blasphemy against our Saviour, who was "a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief", according to Isaiah, chapter 53. Modern day "Christians" so-called know nothing about true salvation and spiritual battles that bring victory over sin, death, and hell!

We are living in a time when Satan and his spirits of blasphemy are using modern "Christianity" and other religions as well to insult the true Saviour continually. The homosexuals, lesbians, transsexuals, bisexuals, transvestites, and other morally depraved people are all wearing crosses and claim to be fashionably "Christian." Recently, Benny Shanon, professor of cognitive psychology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, took matters one step further. Dr. Shanon clearly stated that Moses was high on drugs when he heard God give him the Ten Commandments and when he was at the burning bush. Dr. Shanon stated that he himself dabbled in certain drugs and had similar experiences where he was able to see sounds. (33) Is this an attempt to justify drug use?

Satan's anointed are standing up like never before to profane the true Gospel, which is the only hope and salvation of the soul. Presidential candidates are playing the same infernal game. In July 2007, Hillary Clinton gave an interview to the New York Times in which she stated that she believes in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. When the reporter asked if she believed that Christ is the only salvation and way to heaven, she danced around and dodged the question with the ambiguous answer that she was open on that issue! (34) The fact is that she is pro-homosexual and pro-abortion and her supposed "Christianity" is only a ruse! On February 27th, 2008, Hillary Clinton gave a campaign speech in St. Clairsville, Ohio. The Reuters news photo of her standing at her podium was revealing and appropriate, because next to her head was a Satan's head complete with horns that appeared on the wall behind her. (35)

The other Democratic candidate is clearly a false "Christian" as well. Barack Hussein Obama in a stump speech at Hocking College in Nelsonville, Ohio, stated the following: "My support for same-sex unions is rooted in the New Testament's Sermon on the Mount." Obama also told the crowd that his position in favor of legalized abortion does not make him "less Christian." (36) Obama's supporters are now being referred to as "disciples", and the crowds are going berserk over him. Throngs of women are seen weeping and swooning over him, and he is being called the "young savior", and the "new Messiah." On Super Tuesday, Obama cried out to his crowds, "We are the ones we've been waiting for." His rhetoric was also dripping with innuendos of resurrection, redemption, and second comings. (37) The truth is that Obama is a Moslem-at-heart. In 2006, Obama visited northwestern Kenya, Africa, and dressed himself in the traditional garments of Sheikh Mahmed Hassan, complete with white robes, shoulder bands, and turban. (38)

Satanic Attack on the Human Body!

The Scripture warns us in Amos 7:17 that people who are idolatrous and reject the Word of the Lord will die in a polluted land. Truly it is so that countless thousands of people are dying in the midst of pollution every day. We must understand that pollution takes many forms, and some is relatively undetected. On March 10th, 2008, the Associated Press released a story regarding a probe that found numerous drugs in city drinking water. Although concentrations were small, there is concern over what effect these drugs would have on people who drink the water over an extended period of time. The drinking water in major U.S. cities from coast to coast identified a vast array of drugs, including antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers, and sex hormones. In Philadelphia, fifty-six pharmaceuticals were found in the drinking water. In San Francisco, sex hormones were prominent in the water. The list goes on and on nationwide. Drugs remain in human waste and are flushed into the systems that recycle water for drinking. Many drugs are disposed of by flushing them away, and they likewise enter the recycling chain. (39)

On March 6th, 2008, another Associated Press story revealed that 40,000 people were warned and urged to be tested for hepatitis B and C, and for HIV or AIDS. The testing was advised for all of these people, because a Las Vegas clinic reused syringes and vials. (40) This is something that frequently happens in third-world countries, and perhaps that is what our nation is becoming! Further inspections revealed that other clinics and surgery centers are also reusing syringes and other supplies designated for singular use. (41) We have also learned that dental patients are being urged to ask if their crowns, veneers, bridges and dentures were outsourced and made in foreign countries. People are being sickened from lead and other contaminants, because millions of dental prostheses are imported from labs in Red China, India, the Philippines, Mexico, Eastern Europe, Costa Rica, and elsewhere. (42) In another news release, hundreds of people became sick, and four died after using the blood thinner heparin. This happened because our FDA inspected the wrong plant in Red China where it was being made. The Red Chinese had two plants with exactly the same name. (43)

With all of the mistakes that are being made by our U.S. Government, they still have the audacity to want to regulate natural vitamins and supplements and make them available by prescription only. We are currently researching the Codex Alimentarius legislation and will report on it when we can verify all of the facts.

Truly, this is the last generation before the return of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. We live in a country where one of every four teenage girls has a sex-related disease. Twenty-five percent of our young girls are carrying one or more sexually transmitted disease or diseases! (44)

Signs in Heaven and Earth!

The events in the heavens and in the earth continue to remind us that we are living in the last of the last days. The earthquakes continue daily and are significant in magnitude even though they are usually ignored by the news media. There have been 287 significant earthquakes within the past 30 days of this writing (March 18th, 2008). Even England had a rare 5.2 magnitude earthquake with the epicenter near Lincolnshire. This was reported by the U.S. Geological Survey on February 27th, 2008. Cleanup is expected to cost more than $20 million dollars. (45) The Pacific Rim is also continually quaking, and on February 25th, 2008, a massive 7.2 magnitude quake struck in Indonesia, (46) where Barak Hussein Obama went to school. In fact, the area has never stopped quaking since he began running for President of the United States.

In the United States, we have had massive swarms of tornadoes, bringing widespread destruction to many areas of our sinful land. These tornadoes leave behind mounds of rubble and loss of life. From Arkansas to Tennessee to Georgia, the resulting destruction looked like an atomic bomb had struck. (47) All of this is happening as a terrible winter is coming to an end. Record-setting blizzards and ice storms continued to hammer many areas of the United States for over fourteen weeks. In Wisconsin, so much road salt was used for so long that saline runoff into streams is threatening aquatic animals. (48)

Many strange things are happening in our world as time winds down to its final tick of the clock. Red China is preparing for the Olympic Games this summer, and continual problems have developed while preparing for this display of gross idolatry with its sun-ignited torch, five rings, and cauldron of fire. Water was already in short supply in that drought-stricken land when a large part of a major river system turned blood-red and foamy. (49) This is obviously another sign from the Almighty.

As scientists look upward with their space probes and telescopes, they have discovered that the planet Venus, known to the ancient people and witches as the "goddess of love" is now sparking and crackling with continual cloud-to-cloud lightning bolts so powerful as to stagger the imagination. These clouds are about fifty miles above the planet's surface. (50) Strange and new things continue to happen. Keep watching and praying!

In closing, I once again say thank you to all who support this end time prophetic ministry. God bless and keep you, and please remember that your prayer requests are always welcome. Grace and peace be unto you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

David J. Meyer

Acknowledgements

01. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Jan. 31, 2008, by Trudy Rubin, Davos, Switzerland.
02. San Diego Union Tribune, Feb. 13, 2008, AP, Washington, D.C.
03. AGI News, Feb. 14, 2008, Vatican City, Rome, Italy.
04. Reuters News Service, Mar. 3, 2008, by Philip Pullella, Vatican City, Rome, Italy.
05. The Exponent Telegram, Feb. 13, 2008, by Colleen Wright, Clarksburg, WV.
06. Associated Press, Jan. 11, 2008, by Lara Jakes Jordan, Washington, D.C.
07. Reuters News Service, Feb. 26, 2008, by Louis Charbonneau, United Nations, New York, NY.
08. Reuters News Service, Mar. 9, 2008, by Luke Baker, London, England, UK.
09. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Feb. 29, 2008, AP, Milwaukee, WI.
10. San Francisco Chronicle, Mar. 7, 2008, by Bob Egelko & Jill Tucker, San Francisco, CA.
11. MSNBC News, Mar. 8th, 2008, Washington, D.C.
12. AFP News, Feb. 28, 2008, Beijing, China.
13. Arutz Sheva News, Feb. 19, 2008, Negev, Israel.
14. Associated Press, Mar. 12, 2008, by Amy Teibel, Tel Aviv, Israel.
15. Arab News, Jan. 16, 2008, Abdul Ghafour, Jeddah.
16. Actual Photographs, Dubai.
17. Associated Press, Feb. 26, 2008, by Martin Crutsinger, Washington, D.C.
18. Bloomberg News Service, Feb. 27, 2008, by Claudia Carpenter, New York, NY.
19. Financial Times, Feb. 27, 2008, by Krishna Guha, Washington, D.C.
20. Associated Press, Feb. 28, 2008, by Terence Hunt, Washington, D.C.
21. Financial Times, Feb. 20, 2008, by Martin Wolf, New York, NY.
22. Associated Press, Feb. 4, 2008, Andrew Taylor, Washington, D.C.
23. AFP News, Mar. 1, 2008, Washington, D.C.
24. Associated Press, Feb. 12, 2008, by Dee-Ann Durbin, Detroit, MI.
25. New York Times, Mar. 10, 2008, by David Streitfeld, Lawton, ND.
26. Associated Press, Dec. 26, 2007, Greenburgh, NY.
27. Associated Press, Feb. 19, 2008, by John Wilen, New York, NY.
28. Associated Press, Jan. 31, 2008, by Toby Sterling, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
29. The Investment Advisor, Feb. 2008, by Jim Robinson.
30. The Wall Street Journal, Feb. 26, 2008, by Damian Paletta, Washington, D.C.
31. The London Times, Mar. 6, 2008, London, England, UK.
32. Amarillo.com, http://www.amarillo.com/stories/022308/fai_9666757.shtml.
33. AFP News, Mar. 4, 2008, Jerusalem, Israel.
34. CBN News, Mar. 6, 2008, by David Brody.
35. Reuters News Service, Feb. 27, 2008, by Shannon Stapleton, St. Clairsville, OH.
36. Prophecy News Watch, Mar. 6, 2008, http://www.cnsnews.com.
37. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Feb. 26, 2008, by Kathleen Parker, Orlando, FL.
38. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Feb. 26, 2008, by Leonard Pitts & Kathleen Parker, AP.
39. Associated Press, Mar. 10, 2008, Health, National, and Science News.
40. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Mar. 6, 2008, by Kathleen Hennessey, Las Vegas, NV.
41. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Mar. 9, 2008, Las Vegas, NV.
42. Newsday, Mar. 4, 2008, by Delthia Ricks, Newsday.com.
43. U.S. FDA, http.//articles.mercola.com.
44. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Mar. 12, 2008, by Kawanza Newson, Milwaukee, WI.
45. U.S. Geological Survey, Feb. 27, 2008, Washington, D.C.
46. U.S. Geological Survey, Feb. 25, 2008, Washington, D.C.
47. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Feb. 7, 2008, by Ryan Lenz, Lafayette, TN.
48. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Feb. 25, 2008, by Lee Bergquist, Milwaukee, WI.
49. Associated Press, Feb. 27, 2008, by Anita Chang, AP, Beijing, China.
50. Melbourne Herald Sun, Nov. 30, 2007, p. 47, Melbourne, Australia.


Source: http://www.lasttrumpetministries.org/

WHEN THE FED GOES INTO THE INVESTMENT BIZ...


Saturday, April 12, 2008


When the Fed Goes into the Investment Business


by Rodrigue Tremblay



" The power to determine the quantity of money... is too important, too pervasive, to be exercised by a few people, however public-spirited, if there is any feasible alternative. There is no need for such arbitrary power... Any system which gives so much power and so much discretion to a few men, [so] that mistakes - excusable or not - can have such far reaching effects, is a bad system. It is a bad system to believers in freedom just because it gives a few men such power without any effective check by the body politic - this is the key political argument against an independent central bank."


Milton Friedman (1912-2006)



"The system of banking [is] a blot left in all our Constitutions, which, if not covered, will end in their destruction... The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people to whom it properly belongs."


Thomas Jefferson, (1743-1826), 3rd U.S. President



"If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their money, first by inflation and then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them (around the banks), will deprive the people of their property until their children will wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered."


Thomas Jefferson, (1743-1826), 3rd U.S. President



In 1989, the U.S. government created the Resolution Trust Corp., in effect nationalizing many savings and loans banks that were in financial difficulties. Similarly, on February 16, 2008, the British government nationalized the Northern Rock bank and rescued this bank with about £55 billion ($107 billion) in public loans and guarantees.



During the weekend of March 14-16, 2008, the Federal Reserve, a semi-public and semi-private American central bank organization, accepted to create a Delaware-based corporation in partnership with a (regulated) private bank, the JP Morgan Chase bank, in order to buy and manage $30 billion of distressed mortgage-backed securities acquired from a New York-based global but unregulated investment bank, Bear Stearns, about to go bankrupt. JP Morgan Chase put $1 billion in the new corporation, while the Fed invested $29 billion, an amount that was quickly transferred to JP Morgan Chase, the new owner of Bear Stearns.



In so doing, the Fed has de facto nationalized a portion of the portfolio of Bear Stearns, and become an "investor of last resort" rather than a "lender of last resort", besides facilitating the take-over of this investment bank by JP Morgan Chase. A private company, BlackRock Financial Management, was also hired to administer the new Delaware-based corporation and will attempt to liquidate the acquired securities gradually over time. The Fed could then recuperate part or all of its non-recourse "loan" to JP Morgan Chase, and would retain any excess amount on its unusual "investment", in the event there is a profit.



There you have it. For the first time since its creation in 1913, the Fed has turned itself into a government of the banks, and has invested risky public capital in a business that was in need to be saved quickly from bankruptcy and liquidation. Thus, the Fed has not only decided that it is its duty to solve "liquidity crises", but also "solvency crises" in the regulated and non-regulated banking sector. In other countries, such public investments to resolve a solvency crisis are decided and handled by the Treasury and the Government, and are later voted into law. Even in the U.S., that is the way the Resolution Trust Corp. was created by the Reagan administration in the late 1990's. In fact, the current banking crisis is very reminiscent of the U.S. Savings and Loan crisis of the 1980's and 1990's, although this time the banking crisis is much more severe and much more widespread.



I personally do not question the need for avoiding a panic liquidation of the subprime and other exotic assets of Bear Stearns, in order to avoid a contagious domino effect of bank failures and a worldwide credit crunch, which could have duplicated the failure of the Creditanstalt bank in September 1931, an event that precipitated the 1930's depression. After all, the Fed was established in 1913 to avoid banking panics. What can be questioned is the way this has been done, the end result being in effect to subsidize the U.S. banking sector by privatizing most of the profits derived from the rescue operation in the hands of a private bank, and nationalizing the most likely losses in the hands of the Fed and its backer, the U.S. government. The U.S. Treasury should have played a much larger role in this bailout, so as to protect the public interest.



Make no mistake about it. This transaction may turn out to be enormously profitable to JP Morgan Chase, if the actions of the Fed were to stabilize the market for mortgage-backed financial assets in the coming months, while the Fed guarantees that the new owner of Bear Stearns would not suffer any loss on a vulnerable portion of its acquired portfolio.



A more transparent and a more democratic approach would have called for the Treasury to establish the equivalent of the old Resolution Trust Corp. to acquire insolvent Bear Stearns and gradually liquidate its mortgage-backed and other risky financial assets over time. The salvaged investment bank could have later on be sold to an existing bank at a fair market value, or reinstated as an independent viable financial entity. The public good could have been protected by avoiding a financial panic, while simultaneously precluding a massive liquidation of jobs at Bear Stearns, and a possible private enrichment of a private entity under the umbrella of an unusually risky public investment by the Fed.



I have been an adviser to central banks over my career, and that is what I would have recommended.


_____________________________________________


Rodrigue Tremblay is professor emeritus of economics at the University of Montreal and can be reached at rodrigue.tremblay@yahoo.com


He is the author of the book 'The New American Empire'


Visit his blog site at: www.thenewamericanempire.com/blog.


Author's Website: www.thenewamericanempire.com/


Check Dr. Tremblay's coming book "The Code for Global Ethics" at: www.TheCodeForGlobalEthics.com/



Posted, Saturday, April 12, 2008, at 5:30 am


Email to a friend:


http://www.TheNewAmericanEmpire.com/tremblay=1085


Send contact, comments or commercial reproduction requests (in English or in French) to:



bigpictureworld@yahoo.com


N.B.: Messages may be published in our weblog, unless you request otherwise.


Source: http://www.thenewamericanempire.com/blog.html