Daily Devotional for Wednesday September 10, 2014
The Next Attack on the United States
(Isaiah 48:10; 1 Peter 1:7; 4:12, Matthew 24:4-8)
***ASK BILL: Pastor Bill, when bad words or thoughts come to mind, how do you "cast these down" and should you feel guilty after you dismiss them?
ANSWER: Satan puts all kind of impure thoughts in our minds. The key is to simple rebuke those thoughts by the name of Jesus, and don't feel guilty, since it is a way the enemy attacks everyone.
The next attack on the United States. As we prepare to remember the 13-year anniversary of the worst attack on our soil in the 238-year history of our nation, now more than ever we need to understand there is a very real enemy poised to strike us again. It is not a matter of if, only when.
In the NFL, you have 32 different teams like the Colts, Cowboys, Dolphins, and 49ers. They are all different teams but all part of the NFL. Islam has different terror groups such as Al Queda, Boko Haram, ISIS/ISIL, Hamas, Hezbollah, Al-Shabaab, Ansar al-Sharia, and others. They are all different organizations but ALL part of Islam!
There is a race going on right now for what amounts to the Super Bowl of Islam primarily between ISIS, Al-queda, and Al-Shabaab, to see who can produce the most destructive act of terror here in the US and claim victory as the greatest Islamic group. ISIS has the best chance because they are by far the most well financed, organized, weaponized, and militarized Islamic group ever complete with their own caliphate, or Islamic state to operate from.
The only real hope of protection we have from such an attack is God. This is the very God we mock, demean, blaspheme, and rebel against each day. It is like going to your neighbors house, knocking on the door, throwing a cup of water in his face, than asking for a $100 loan! Because of our sin and rebellion to God, we no longer have the right to expect His protection from those who seek to destroy us!
In the aftermath of 9/11, people desperately turned to God for answers. Churches were overflowing and prayer was everywhere. There was a spiritual awakening as people realized just how fragile this life really is, and countless lives were committed to Christ. However, just a few short months later, church attendance is back to where it was pre-9/11, prayer is not as important any longer, and people are focused once again on the things of this world without much concern for God and their spiritual lives. It is sad how it takes a real crisis to get people to pay attention to God. But people have not changed. When we read the Old Testament, we read how the children of Israel would run to God when their enemies attacked. God would help them gain victory, which would be followed by a season of peace and prosperity. It was during that time of peace and prosperity that the children of Israel would start to forget God and fall into all types of sin. Soon, their enemies would attack again, and they would once again run to God. It was an often repeated cycle.
Sadly, we are the same as the children of Israel. When the trials and tribulations of life come upon us, we run to God. We find solace in Him during our time of trouble. But soon the trouble passes, and there is a time of peace in our lives. Sadly, during the times of peace, we slowly move away from God and often end up involved in sin of some kind. The storms of life come upon us, and once again we run to the Lord for help. And just like the children of Israel, the cycle is repeated over and over during the course of our life.
I love you and care about you so much. My word for you today is to run to God NOW! Even if you are in that season of peace, stay close to Him. Just because people are not blowing up buildings and killing innocent people this moment does not mean that we can relax and put God on the back burner. There is just as much evil in the world as there was on 9/11, and just as many people lost, hurting, and looking for answers as there was in the aftermath of 9/11.
Only God knows the time of Christ's return. The Bible says it will be in the "twinkling of an eye." But the indicators Jesus gave us in Matthew chapter 24, and Paul gives us in 2 Timothy Chapter 3, and 2 Peter Chapter 3, all show us that we are living in the last days. The time is running out. That is why the people of God MUST NOT be passive at this time. We can't simply wait for the next act of terror to share Christ with this lost and hurting world.
If you had the knowledge right this moment, that the next attack on the United States would be at Disneyworld in Orlando, Florida one week from today, what would you do? No doubt you would call all of the proper authorities and when the date and time for the attack came, that entire area would be evacuated. Nobody would be killed because you cared enough to share the information you had!
Well, the fact is, the Bible clearly says that those who die without Christ will be destined to everlasting separation from God their creator. They will be lost for eternity. The people of God possess the information that can save people from everlasting darkness. Now if someone chooses to not listen, there is nothing you can do. But how can you not at least take the time to tell them? That is a responsibility EVERY child of God has and must take seriously.
I will pray today that you don't allow the peace that we are currently experiencing make you lazy, and forget those around you who are looking for answers in their life. I have no doubt that there will be future attacks on our nation, but I pray that we don't wait until the next crisis to be serious about sharing the hope and love of Jesus Christ with everyone God brings into our life. After all, that is what God has asked us to do.
Plan of Salvation: http://www.liveprayer.com/plan.cfm
In His love and service, Your friend and brother in Christ, Bill Keller