Daily Devotional for Thursday September 9, 2010

THe Opening of the 9-11 Christian Center - Part Two

(John 3:16, 14:6)

THE OPENING OF THE 9-11 CHRISTIAN CENTER Part Two of Two

Watch these powerful video clips from Ground Zero and the opening message at the "9-11 Christian Center at Ground Zero": http://www.liveprayer.com/090910.cfm

Video from ABC News New York Sunday, September 5th: http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/video?id=7651573&pid=7651461

Article on opening of the 9-11 Christian Center from the Christian Post: http://www.christianpost.com/article/20100906/fiery-preacher-takes-on-project51-with-launch-of-christian-center/index.html

On Tuesday, I shared with you Part One of the opening of the "9-11 Christian Center at Ground Zero" this past Sunday. If you missed it, you can read it at ( http://www.liveprayer.com/ddarchive3.cfm?id=4182 ). Today, I want to share with you my personal observations on that opening service.

Probably most important, is what I hope to accomplish at the "9-11 Christian Center at Ground Zero." In the coming weeks and months, the press infatuation with what we are doing will wane, and we will be there faithfully doing the work of the Kingdom We will have a place where people who are hurting, looking for hope in desperate times, can come to find some peace and answers through the Word of God. Ultimately, our goal is to lead souls to faith in Jesus Christ and get them plugged into a local church where they can grow in their new faith.

What has been clearly illustrated in the opening service, is something I have written about and challenged those in the Liveprayer family regarding since we started over 11 years ago. Because the church extracted itself from the marketplace over the past 40 years, being content in the Christian subculture they established over that time, the wolves of satan have been able to run free and ravage the growing number of innocent souls who have grown up out of church and with no faith background. Whether it be people taken in by the lies of the cults, false religions, new age philosophies, atheist movement, or those simply being guided by the Godless culture, the better percentage of two full generations now have never been to church and tens of millions have gone, and will end up needlessly in hell for all eternity.

The vitriolic hatred that has been directed towards me was directed at my message, not at me personally. People don't even know me. They are responding to the message. I have been demonized, not because I am such a horrible human being, but because even the most basic Biblical message is now seen as extreme, hateful, and intolerant. The Truth of the Bible has been out of the mainstream culture for so long now, that anyone who dares to call sin sin, is classified as a hate monger. What makes it even worse is that you now have a generation of gutless pastors who are afraid to preach the truth.

High-profile mainstream Christians like Joel Osteen are nothing more than motivational preachers, afraid to deal with the real issues in society because it might offend someone. Many people are in churches due to watered-down seeker/purpose driven/emerging church marketing plans meant to full churches with warm bodies, not converts to the faith. Additionally, there are numerous mainstream denominations that now accept gross sins like killing babies, gay marriage, and the homosexual lifestyle.

So is it any wonder when someone like me is crazy enough to obey the Bible, the commandments of our Lord, and go into the marketplace to bring the Good News to the lost and hurting masses, and is savaged by non-Christians, and even sadder, by many who identify themselves as Believers. I wish I could tell you the number of emails I have received over the past few days from people who identify themselves as a Christian, ripping me pillar to post for having the audacity to tell those who do not put their faith in Jesus Christ that they will burn in hell. I thought this was the most basic message of the faith? I learned this FACT in my first grade Sunday School class. Isn't the purpose we preach the Gospel to warn people of their pending eternal doom if they reject the love of Christ and His finished work on the cross?

I love those who tell me Jesus would never say such harsh things, that He loved people. Huh? Do people not read ALL of the Bible, ALL of the words our Lord spoke? I didn't sit in some cave and dream up the Bible, and I certainly didn't come up with the plan of salvation. God Himself did that! Jesus was very eloquent and clear in stating the eternal peril of someone's soul who didn't put their faith in Him. He didn't ask us, but COMMANDED us, to tell people the Truth of the Bible and share with them the plan of salvation.

Telling a person they will die and end up in hell is not intolerant, it is not based on fear. Quite the contrary. Telling someone the truth about their eternal fate is based on the FACT that everyone will die one day and at that moment, stand before God. What they believe about Jesus will determine their eternal home. God's plan of salvation could not be more tolerant, since it is available to ALL men. It is not something you have to buy, or work for, but is available to anyone through a simple act of faith.

Probably most sad however, has been the fact that through Wednesday night, after being in the local New York, national, and international media for 3 straight days, I have yet to hear from ONE pastor anywhere, expressing his support for our efforts at ground zero. Not one! Am I upset? Not really. But it would have been nice to hear just one pastor express his support and prayers for what we are doing for the Lord. I have spent my 20 yrs of ministry on the front lines, stayed out of the church politics and the Christian subculture most hide out in, but with the incredible amount of worldwide media coverage our opening has received, it would have been nice to hear from at least one pastor who let me know they were there praying for our efforts for the Kingdom.

Probably just as sad has been the deafening silence from high profile Christians about Islam and the proposed victory mosque. I understand that it is bad for their "business" to speak out, but if they don't who will? It has been a very lonely place, but a place I have often found myself. Over the years, especially the past few months, I have tried to warn people about how dangerous Glenn Beck was and the truth of the Mormon cult. I was all alone on that issue for a long time, taking the punches for telling the truth, until the past few weeks when more and more Christians are now speaking up and telling people the truth about Beck and the Mormon cult.

IT IS OUR SILENCE THAT HAS CAUSED THIS NATION TO SLIP INTO THE SPIRITUAL ABYSS IT IS CURRENTLY IN, AND IT WILL ONLY BE OUR VOICE THAT CAN LEAD US BACK TO GOD AND HIS TRUTH!

I love you and care about you so much. While I have not heard from any pastors, I have heard from so many of my dear friends in the Liveprayer family. It has been your love and prayers that have sustained me these last few days, as they have over the last 11 years. I am more determined than ever to see our work for the Lord at ground zero fulfilled, millions find hope in their time of need, and souls won for the Kingdom.

Despite over a dozen death threats, people seeing me on the street and cursing at me, spitting at me, calling me every name you can imagine, I will not waiver and will stand tall for the Lord. Yes, we have walked into satan's den, but it is not the first time I have been there. Satan is a liar and a loser. We know from the end of the Book that our God reigns. Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Until God calls me home, I will not stop in the work He has called me to.

My friend, now more than ever I need your prayers, and I need your help. I have no problem going to ground zero to take a stand for Christ, but I can't do it alone. I desperately need your help today. I have walked by faith, used all of the wisdom God could give me, but really need a few people to make the sacrifce to stand with me today. Our weekly costs in NYC are $7,000. I still need to cover those costs for the next 3 weeks. I am praying for one or two people to step up today to help me insure those costs are met by this Friday.

We still have just under $10,000 from August that needs to be covered today. I need one person to pray about helping me by wiring those funds to us by 3pm. Lastly, we still have the last $20,000 of the $100,000 we accrued in shortfalls during 2009, and am asking for 4 people to share this burden with me. Those expenses are long overdue and need to be taken care of immediately.

In the face of these serious financial needs, the death threats, the never-ending hate-filled emails and letters, most would say I am crazy to keep doing this. I AM CRAZY..CRAZY FOR THE LORD!!! I am not going to let a few dollars or a few nasty words stop me from completing the task the Lord has given me to do. Over 11 years now, I have stood on the front lines, and because so many dear friends stood with me, we have impacted tens of millions of lives for the Lord!

We are on the verge of our greatest accomplishment yet for Christ, in establishing a place where His Word would freely flow by that hallowed ground in NYC. It was a place of horror for so many 9 years ago, but because of the "9-11 Christian Center at Ground Zero," it will become a place holy place where millions will find hope and everlasting life through faith in Jesus Christ.

Please pray today. I desperately need your prayers, and I desperately need a few people who God has blessed to make the sacrifce to help me today. Satan can not and will not win this battle. God's Word will not be silenced. We have this incredible opportunity with the world watching. Now is the time, this is our moment, may each of us be found faithful as we bring HIS Truth and the hope and love of Christ to the lost and hurting world!

*God is speaking to several people today to make the sacrifice to help me in these efforts for the Lord. Please open your heart and be obedient to what the Lord is asking you to do to help me today. I really need several God has richly blessed to step up today and stand with me. You know my heart and the fruit of this ministry for two decades, it is the best investment of your resources you could make in the work of the Kingdom! I am trusting God today by faith for His provision!

--->Will a couple of people step up to help me today?

You can make a gift to Liveprayer on your major credit card at our website www.liveprayer.com under the "Donation" button, or you can give from your PayPal account by using my email address, bkeller@liveprayer.com , or you can mail a gift to: Liveprayer 6660 46th Avenue North St. Petersburg, Florida 33709 *For a gift to the 9-11 Christian Center, please mark 9-11 on your check, or put (9-11) next to your name on the credit card or PayPal form. All gifts to Liveprayer are 100% tax deductible.

---> If you are able to send a gift of $5,000 or more, I would be happy to give you our bank wiring instructions or FedEx account information. Just email me at: bkeller@liveprayer.com for that information.

Thank you for taking your stand with me and with Jesus!!!

In His love and service, Your friend and brother in Christ, Bill Keller