911
Comment and Sermon by Craig Emerson Strain.
911, the symbol for calling for help and assistance, has a new significance. September 11th, or 9/11.
Some people remember what they were doing the day President Kennedy was shot, others remember the cold clear morning when the Challenger exploded. Now a new generation will always remember the day, 9/11, when the World Trade Towers were destroyed by a cowardly terrorist attack.
The loss of friends, coworkers, family members and rescue workers, far outweighs the loss of two tiny landmarks of steel. But the terrorist who didn't consider the lives of the thousands of people as of any significant value, choose the landmark of steel as some kind of great value to show their resolve.
Our resolve should be greater. The terrorists willingly gave their lives for their cause, but do you willingly exercise your freedom and take the time to pray for God to intervene? Do you need a flagpole to pray? Forget about prayer in school, do you have prayer in your own kitchen? When you awake at night at 3:45 am. Do you consider it loss of sleep, or do you realize it is a good time to get up, go into some secluded place in your home and pray?
Mat
6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when
thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy
Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
Mat
26:40 And he (Jesus)cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them
asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not
watch with me one hour?
So many people have their faith in their 401K. They have their faith in their jobs or their abilities, their knowledge, their seniority, tenure, portfolio, or savings. But these are of the world and will pass away.
Psa
121:1 A Song of degrees. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills,
from whence cometh my help.
Psa 121:2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven
and earth.
America has changed, and we have all allowed it to change. When our goals was a better life for our families, we equated it to things. Positions, status, or acceptance. Homes, business's, soccer fields and T ball. But is bending a knee in humility before Jesus, in a simple humility of worship from your heart, is it a true part of your life?
2 Chr 7:14 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.
Oh, but you say, "where do we have sin or have wicked ways?"
I have watched the desire for wealth, by people of this nation, plant their savings into the stock market. There are as many financial news stations on television as there are sports channels. With the new money funding these corporations, these corporations buy out smaller companies and then lay off and "downsize" their newly acquired companies to make their corporation more profitable so that the stock holders will receive a return on their "investment" and that other people will buy stock in their corporation because they are a "good" investment. Hours for the workers are dropped, benefits are dropped health care is dropped. And then they will scream that the government should help. It is the incessant desire for wealth that fuels this drive. Good people loose good jobs. We are robbing God!
Mal
3:7 Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine
ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return
unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?
Mal 3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But
ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
Mal 3:9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed
me, even this whole nation.
We rob ourselves when going fishing on a Sunday morning, or just sleeping in on Sunday morning because "it is your only day of rest", instead of gathering the family up and going to Church.
Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
This is not a call of personal condemnation. 2 Pet 1:10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
James
5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another,
that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man
availeth much.
James 5:17 Elias was a man subject to like passions
as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it
rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.
James 5:18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain,
and the earth brought forth her fruit.
I could stop here, and you may stop reading at this point, but let us look at this great symbol of steel and strength that these terrorist thought is the strength of our nation. These two towers of steel are the "god" of many people in this nation and world.
Exo 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Pray. Pray... Pray...... Either you do or you don't. God knows if you do..... God knows if you don't. I will conclude with a chilling similarity from the Bible to what has happened to this symbol of steel in New York City. This is found in the book of Revelation, the18th Chapter.
Rev
18:10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying,
Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour
is thy judgment come.
Rev 18:11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and
mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:
Rev 18:12 The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious
stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet,
and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels
of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,
Rev 18:13 And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense,
and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and
horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.
Rev 18:14 And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are
departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed
from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.
Rev 18:15 The merchants of these things, which were made
rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping
and wailing,
Rev 18:16 And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that
was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold,
and precious stones, and pearls!
Rev 18:17 For in one hour so great riches is come
to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors,
and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
Rev 18:18 And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning,
saying, What city is like unto this great city!
Rev 18:19 And they cast dust on their heads, and
cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein
were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness!
for in one hour is she made desolate.
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