Daily Devotional for Monday October 15, 2001

A War of Good vs. Evil

(Psalms 94:16-19)

The attack of the "evildoers", a war of good versus evil! Many have heard President Bush use this term to describe those who want to destroy our country. Did you know this was a Biblical term? It is used in Psalms 94:16 (NIV) to describe those who opposed God. It was important for me to re-air yesterday the Devotional that I wrote on the Holy War. While our government has been careful to say that the war we are engaged in is against terrorists, the fact is the Bible tells us clearly that our war is NOT of flesh and blood, but against the powers of this dark world and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. While there is relative peace and calm here on earth, there is being waged right this moment, a battle of epic proportions in the heavenlies. Make no mistake about it, it is a war of good versus evil!

Let me say right now, there will be additional attacks on the United States, on our soil. It is NOT a question of if, only when. While I have appreciated all of those in the "peace not war" movement that have inundated me with email the last week, the problem is that your Pollyanna world does not exist. The reality is, because of sin, there is gross evil in this world, evil that would love to destroy the works of Almighty God. We can feel safe today in the knowledge that our God reigns..and WINS! We know the final score. But only God is omniscient, and the enemies of God still think they have a chance. Because of that false thinking, they will continue to attack God through His most visible instrument, the United States of America. In the coming days, weeks, months, even years, we will be living with the reality of being attacked by people who oppose our way of life and would love to see our nation destroyed, people who would love to see the God of the Bible destroyed.

As I have pointed out over and over again since the 11th of September, how we respond is the key. As a nation, our government has the responsibility to protect the citizens of the United States, both here and abroad. Whatever actions they take to insure that safety MUST be taken. Additionally, while we would prefer to find peaceful, diplomatic solutions, the reality is we are facing evil people who have no desire to resolve whatever differences, real or perceived, peacefully. Their response is terror. Death. Destruction. Sadly, we have a right and a responsibility to the continuity of our nation, to respond in whatever manner is necessary to protect ourselves from these people. As Christians, the people of God, we have an opportunity like rarely before in human history, to lead people to an everlasting relationship with Christ.

Genesis 50:20 is our battle cry as people of God. What man meant for evil, God meant for good! While those evildoers out there plot and scheme to destroy our nation, we as Christians must plot and scheme to use this as an opportunity to lead many to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Listen, one day, we will ALL die. None of us will live forever. The only thing that matters is what we do during this time God has given us to serve Him. This is a golden opportunity. People pray all the time for revival, well, now is the time! Now is the time to see God move like He has never moved before. Now is the time to see God open the windows of Heaven and pour out His love and mercy over those hardened hearts we have prayed for so long.

NOW IS THE TIME!!! TODAY IS THE DAY!!!

I love you, and care about you so much. Never before in our lives have we had such an opportunity as this to see the hand of God working in the hearts of people everywhere. We must NOT be fearful of the coming attacks on our nation. We must NOT be fearful of the coming problems our nation will face due to the work of the evildoers. We must instead be focused on the golden opportunity God has given His children to share the hope and love of Christ in these last days. We are here for a reason, a purpose. God has given us this life, not for us to love the things of this temporary world, but to serve and glorify Him with our lives. Now is the perfect opportunity we have to do that...to serve God and glorify Him with our lives! As the evildoers work their evil deeds, as our nation faces the pain and heartache of the coming attacks against us, may we rise to the occasion and call on our God to allow us to boldly proclaim that He is our only hope, our only answer. May we boldly proclaim, like never before, that salvation is thru Jesus Christ. There is a nation of hurting, confused, scared people who are looking for answers, looking for hope, looking for direction in this time of peril. The only answer, the only hope, the only direction is in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ!

HE IS THE ANSWER!!!

As we face whatever the evildoers may try to do in the coming days, weeks, months, and years, lets us never forget, that our hope and faith lies in Jesus Christ. This is the same Jesus who said, "let your heart not be troubled, be of good cheer, for I have overcome this world!" May we each cling to that word today. No matter what may happen, know that Jesus has overcome this evil world we live in!!!