On September 11, 2001, in one hour of destruction of such magnitude and lives forever gone, shook the entire world. Over 60 nations are represented by those thousands of people who worked in the World Trade Center in New York. The world grieves for the lost, the missing, the injured, and the many orphans who lost their parents. America cried in unison, we still cry. We still grieve, and cannot comprehend the magnitude of what has really happened. The pictures are indelibly etched in our minds and hearts.
We will never forget the day that Satan reared his ugly head and laughed, and rejoiced over the destruction. He was even so brazen as to display his ugly face in the smoke ascending from the fires. He wanted all to know that his influence on 19 terrorists was
by his making alone. His evil was so boldly displayed but he will not be the victor!

God is a loving and compassionate, and for this reason, for an hour he allowed what happened. He had nothing to do with the destruction. But what we must all realize is that His protecting hand was momentarily suspended. This was a warning to a nation who for many years has pushed God to the side, and by our actions spit in the face of God. He has turned His cheek so many times in the past several decades, not condoning the sins of our Nation. Instead He raised up godly men who have tried to warn us of the foolishness, of our disregard for the Supreme Ruler of the universe. We have murdered babies in the wombs, condoned immoral lifestyles, and neglected to teach our children moral and spiritual values. We made laws forbidding children to pray or make mention of Almighty God in schools, workplaces and in our government. We have taken the Ten Commandments and thrown them in the sewers of America.
We weep and wonder why children kill children, why children murder their parents. Now even parents murder innocent children and later have no reasons for their horrible actions.

We fear the violence that rages like fires out of control. We hid behind pastors who have forsaken the Truth of God's Word, who sugarcoat the Gospel to please their congregations, who think it is crude to make mention of Christ's blood atonement at Calvary. We go to psychics for knowledge of our futures when all we need do is open God's Word for the answers. We dabble in the occult and live as if we are gods in and of ourselves. Then we wonder how this nation has become a haven for Satan.

God has loved America and watched over Her and blessed America since its inception.
Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem and wanted so desperately to hold His own close to His breast. Unfortunately, they would not listen and they denied Him. How like them so many of us are today. We pushed Him aside as He looked over the portals of Heaven and wept for this once godly nation. But we refused to hear or see because doing own thing was much more important.

Some have said this tragedy was God's judgement. They are wrong. There is not even one example in the Bible when God allowed the righteous to be destroyed by His judgement of the unrighteous. God does not play games. Had it been His judgement, this nation would have been annihilated and become a land of ruin. God in His love to get our attention momentarily drew back His hand of protection as a warning, not as judgement. What Satan meant for our destruction, God has turned around for good. This horrible tragedy has sparked fires of revival and thousands of people are coming back to the God they have for so long forsaken. Hundreds who have never know the true and living God are seeking Him. Satan is not laughing now, because he knows that he realizes that He can never win over God. Satan's face in the smoke, the raging flames of fire, the death, grief, fear and devastation all speak of his evil works. What we saw on TV was the reflections of Hell. This is but a small taste of what the terrorists who brought about this destruction is now experiencing in the bowels of Hell. There are only two roads. One is a wide road of destruction and eternal death. The other is a narrow road paved with gold for those who love, believe in and serve the One True and Living God. In our world, there are many gods, but not even one of those gods ever resurrected after their death. Jesus Christ of Nazareth, resurrected on the third day after His death. He was seen of hundreds and history records His ascension back to Heaven from whence He came. He was and is the spotless, sinless, Son of God; the Creator of the Universe and everything contained therein. Each breath that we inhale comes from Him. Our protection comes from Him. And most importantly, Eternal life (a life unending in a perfect world) is only secured by Him. Some call Him just a teacher who lived and died, some call Him a myth. But I call Him, Jesus the soon to be reigning King of the entire universe. He has never once failed me. He is not a statue or an impersonal god. He is to all that love Him, their Heavenly Father, LORD, God and Savior. He does not commune with us from the dead, because He is alive and sits in Heaven. He is our personal friend who will never leave us nor forsake us. He laid down His life for you and for me because He was the only perfect One. He was man and God combined. He arose victorious over death, hell and the grave. He lives
evermore!

As the smoke rose above New York, many people around the world realized how fragile life is, how insignificant material things are in the face of tragedy. We spent too much time trying to achieve wealth, position, honor, and self-gratification. There is nothing wrong with these things as long as they are not your life's goal, your gods or your only hope for happiness. We as a people for the most part, have sought things that are perishable, things that time and evil can destroy. We as a people must now get our priorities in order and realize that there is a hell to shun, and Heaven to gain. We as a nation must repent (turn in the opposite direction) and reinstate the values, morals and Godly living that for so long made our Country great. Only then God will heal our land and His people. We now stand united and I pray we continue to do so. United we stand but divided we fall.

God is extending His hand of love and mercy to us. He has cried over the many we lost in this tragedy and is here to comfort and encourage the ones left behind. All we must do is reach out to Him. God bless America! -- Tara Hart (copyright 2001) all rights reserved.