Like the rest of the nation, we were shocked and numbed by the surreal
events of 11 September. How could this happen here? Why DID this happen
here? What will happen now? These are all valid questions that we will
address. We will look at this tragedy in three sections: where we have
come from, where we are now, and where we can go from here.
Where we have come from.
Despite the incessant claims of revisionist historians to the contrary,
God-fearing people who based their lives on Biblical principle settled
America. Our history is full of men like Christopher Columbus, who believed he was called of God to discover new lands to propagate the faith to. There is William Bradford, Governor of the Plymouth Plantation. Bradford, along with the other Separatists, signed the first governmental compact in the New World. This Mayflower Compact, which dedicated the new settlement “to the glory of God, and the Propagation of the Christian Faith”, began with these bold words:
In the name of God, Amen.
There is more. Patrick Henry, the famous Virginia orator, said, “This nation was founded on the gospel of Jesus Christ”. Inscribed on the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is a Scripture from Leviticus: “Proclaim Liberty throughout the land, to all the inhabitants thereof.” (Leviticus 25:10). John Adamswas known to have stated “We have staked our national future on our ability to follow the Ten Commandments.” OldHickory, Tennessee’s own President Andrew Jackson, called the Holy Bible,“the Rock on which our Republic rests.” President Abraham Lincoln, theGreat Emancipator, began the national observance of Thanksgiving byexecutive order as a “day of prayer and humiliation” in 1863, at thedeepest, darkest point of our nation’s War Between the States. Hisadministration also saw the addition of the national motto, “In God WeTrust”, to American coinage. This is a practice that continues to this
day.
In our own time, President Dwight Eisenhower, after being moved by asermon delivered in 1954 in the National Cathedral entitled “Under God”,added that phrase to the Pledge Of Allegiance by executive order.
President Ronald Reagan called the Bible “the inerrant Word Of God” and, declared 1983 The Year Of The Bible. As we can see, our nation has a rich spiritual heritage.
Where we are now
We do not need to rehearse the events of the 11th, nor do we need to
rehearse the gradual move away from our nation’s rich spiritual heritage
that has characterized the last few decades. We have even heard some in
the evangelical community claim that this is “evidence” that God has lifted His protection from America. Some even claim God sent this tragedy on this land to “chastise” us. We hold that such sweeping, categorical claims are spiritually irresponsible at best. Consider these Scriptures:
The thief cometh not but for to steal, to kill, and to destroy. I am come, that they might have life, and that more abundantly.
John 10:10, KJV
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh downfrom the father of lights, in whom there is no variableness, nor shadow of turning.
Jas. 1:17, KJV
It is also interesting to note that the Scripture refers to the devil as
“the prince of the power of the air” in Ephesians 2:2. Indeed, the basicteaching of Scripture is “Good God, bad devil.” Outside of these things, the VAST majority of foreign mission work originates in the U.S. For God to chastise those doing the majority of the Gospel work in the world isinconceivable. Why, then, do bad things happen? There is still a devil,, and he roams about as a lion, seeking those whom he may devour (I Ptr.5:8). Make no mistake of this, dear brother and sister. The attack on the
World Trade Center and the Pentagon Tuesday morning was far deeper thanan attempt by evil persons to influence American foreign policy. This was a literal clash of the kingdoms of God and darkness. The accuser of the brethren cannot stand the fact of the United States being the mostprolific force of world evangelism in the entire history of Christendom.
Literally hundreds of millions of souls have been brought into theKingdom of God by American evangelists. The attacks Tuesday morning were a direct attempt by the forces of darkness to intimidate this nation intowithdrawing from the Great Commission and world affairs.
Where we can go from here.
Contrary to what our friends in certain theological schools of thought
might tell us, this nation’s future is up to us. While we do not claimthe ministry of the prophet, nor the prophetic anointing, we see twochoices before the nation. First, we can continue as before and hopenothing else happens. The definition of insanity is to do the same thingand hope for a different result. We submit the wise path is entirely different. The time for an easy, Sunday-morning faith (if it ever was
appropriate) is past. No longer can we practice our faith, as long as itdoes not conflict with our schedule. No longer can we study the Scriptures when we have nothing else to do. No longer can we only pray asa last resort, or only pray for those government officials we prefer or agree with. Indeed, the wise path for the future is that spoken at the
dedication of the Temple by Israel’s King Solomon under the empowering of
the Holy Spirit:
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hearfrom heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
(2 Chronicles 7:14, KJV)
Dear reader, the Scripture says life is but a vapor, here and gone. We do not know what the future might hold, but we can know the One Who holds
the stars in His hand. If you have never asked Jesus into your heart, now
is the perfect time. Just pray, “Lord, forgive me. Jesus, I turn from mysin, and I ask you into my heart. Holy Spirit, come into my life and teach me how to live the Christian life. Thank you Lord, I am saved,right now, in Jesus’ Name. Amen. If you have grown cool with the Lord, ifyou’re not sure whether you’re right with God, pray this. If you meantit, God heard it, and you’re in the Kingdom. E-mail us and tell us ofyour decision so we can rejoice with you. Finally, be encouraged. God said He’d never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5)!
