Many have asked how we, as Christians, should respond in conversation to what happened in America on September 11. And after much prayer and reading through God's Word, I'd like to share with you five thoughts God has placed on my heart, through the years, in response to the current affairs of our nation and the war on terrorism.
The first thing I want to tell you is to trust God. He will see us through this. His anchor will hold in the storm. Proverbs 18:10 says, "The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous run into it, and are safe." Psalm 20:7 says, "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God." America may go to war with man-made weapons, but our safety and ultimate victory comes from the Lord.
Second, we need to gather and pray. Gather your family and pray. Go to your neighbors and pray. We need to pray for God's kingdom to come and God's will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. God's word says, "I exhort therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, then giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and for all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty, for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior." (1 Timothy 2:1). We need to pray for and we need to work for peace.
Thirdly, all the prayer in the world is not going to do any good unless we repent. 2 Chronicles 7:14 says, "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 hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." We, as a nation, must repent. We, as Christians, who have stood back in apathy and allowed our nation to slide into a cesspool of immorality, need to repent for our sins, as well.
Fourth, we need to reach out in love. Let the terrible wickedness committed on September 11 be the dark velvet upon which the diamond of God's love can be seen in your life. This is an opportunity for you to share the love of Jesus with everybody — whatever their race, whatever their nationality, whatever their religion. This is a time for a mighty baptism of God's love. Romans 12:21 says, "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." There is no person on the face of this earth that you have the luxury of hating and no person that you can rejoice when he falls into misery.
Finally, we need to speak up. As the night grows darker, the saints need to grow brighter. The attacks on September 11 were based on a philosophy and we can't shoot down a philosophy with a bullet. The only thing that will overcome an idea is a better idea. And that is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
I challenge each and every one of you to move out of your comfort zone and into your neighborhoods to share the love of Jesus. Oh, that we would live the truth, tell the truth, speak the truth, believe the truth, love the truth.
We are all victims of 9/11, or rather, SIN. We need, with all of our heart and soul, to preach the glorious Gospel of Jesus to a lost and dying world. If all we're doing is enjoying our pursuit of happiness, we're just making America a better place to go to hell from. Each of us needs to go to our family, neighbors, friends, coworkers, and business associates — and get them lashed to the cross.
We need to help folks understand that there's a God in glory who rules over all, and come what may, "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."
Ricky