A horrific tragedy has taken place in our country.We’ve been assaulted by terrorism of the worst kind.People who operated in the name of their god have attacked our country, government, cities, buildings, economy and citizens.This tragedy has affected each American.It continues to affect us individually and as a country.

Questions, questions & more questions

Do you or your family have questions? Questions like:“What happened?Why did this happen?Why is there evil in the world?If there were a God – why would He allow such terrorism to take place?Where is God?What is He doing?”

Some want to know, “What will happen next?What can we believe in now?Where do we go for answers?Will there ever be peace?”

Some want vengeance!They want justice.They want to know “Will those who did this ever be found and captured?What will their punishment be?Will they go to Hell?”

How can we help?Where will the survivors & families turn for aid & assistance?Will things ever be the same again?

This newsletter is designed to help teenagers answer some of the many questions many Americans are faced with today.

Q.Why did this happen?

A. The most appropriate answer would be, because these terrorists are believers that their god will richly bless them if they give their lives in fighting the enemy (America).

Q.If there were a God, why would He allow such terrorism to take place?

A.There is a God.The Bible tells us God is the Creator of all things.He is a loving God, a God who does watch over us.A God who wishes that no one would perish.But, even God has enemies.Any evil is enemy to God.

Satan is an enemy to God.Satan even planned to ‘overthrow’ Heaven, but Satan wasn’t (and never will be) powerful enough to do so.

Throughout the Bible, there is war.Evil will always battle for position – all the way up until the return of Jesus.

Q. So, where is God in all of this?

A.God is omni-present.This means He is everywhere – all the time.He is even in the midst of war, terrorism, and tragedies of all kinds.God IS with us.Deut. 31:6 tells us: “for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

He is with us even when evil attacks us.

Q.So, where is God really?

A.1Cor.6:19 asks us: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?”

2Tim.1:14 – “Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you--guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.”

These verses testify that God, Himself, in the form of the Holy Spirit, lives within those of us who accept His Son as our personal Savior.God dwells in His children.God hasn’t forsaken us, He has not left us, He is not surprised by the events that have taken place. God is IN us!He’s here.

Q. What’s God doing now?

A.He’s grieving as we are.

Remember that it’s not His will that anyone would perish (or die).He wants everyone to know and love and follow Him.He wants to be a loving Father to everyone, and His heart grieves heavily over the evil that has taken place against His created one’s.

And… God is mobilizing His troops to spiritually fight the enemies of His people.He is calling Christians to unite in intercession and prayer.

Q.What will happen next?

A. This depends on the judgments and decisions made and carried out by our government, President and world leaders.We have a duty to pray God will give them direction and guidance as they make these life-changing choices.

Q.What can we believe in now?

A. Many have placed their faith in World Trade, finances, money, investments, etc.They have seen our financial structure literally burn and crumble.Many have placed their faith in the U.S. Military.They have felt the Military would always be there, ready, prepared and capable to protect innocent citizens and cause life, as we know it to continue daily.

Both of these assurances have been proven fallible.They’ve proven that nothing that man can institute is fail-safeIt can and often does fail us. 

Only God is perfect.God has been, continues to be, and will always be perfect.God never changes.He said in Mal.3:6 -"For I am the LORD, I do not change;”

And Jesus, our Savior also never changes.Heb.13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

Buildings will crumble.Finances will change.Military branches will shift & move.But our God remains the same always.He is the One in Who we should believe and place our faith.

Q. Where do we turn for answers?

A.Although extremely wise and very well informed, our American government does not have all the answers.They cannot see the end from the beginning.They cannot tell the future.They can only gather evidence, line it up with past events, and make educated guesses.

God’s Word is the place to begin looking for answers.His Word is true, Ps.33:4“For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.”Therefore, we should read His Word to find our answers.

And…We should seek God Himself to determine His heart on any given matter.His people recognize His voice, John 10:27“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”

It’s for this reason, we should pray for our President and leaders that they too, will hear and obey the voice and leading of God.

Q.Will there ever be peace?

A.Yes.But we must pursue it, 1Pet.3:11“He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.”

Peace CAN be found – perhaps not in the way we know and understand as a country.We all must realize peace is found only in God.1Thes.5:23“May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through.”

And it is only through God will our enemies be defeated!Ro.16:20“The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.”

So, first we must accept the personal peace only to found in accepting God’s sacrifice for our Sins – His Son, Jesus.This gives us the peace of knowing our eternity is sealed and He has rescued us from eternal Hell (the place He reserves for His enemies).

Secondly, we must learn that peace is made when we as God’s people begin to live the way He guides and directs us to live.This creates a harmony and peace in our families and with those around us.

And lastly, we must realize that only God can defeat the enemies of our lives – and He will crush those enemies, if we allow Him to.

Q.Will those who did this ever be captured & punished?

A.Is.35:4“…say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you."

God will not allow anyone to sin and get away with it.Whoever did this committed a great sin.God knows exactly who they are, and He knows where they are at this very moment.

God is a loving God, but He is a fair God.Vengeance belongs to Him, Deut.32:35“It is mine to avenge; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them."

God will see to it that one way or another, one time or another, those responsible for these tragedies will be punished!

Q. What will their punishment be?

A.If caught by our governing powers, we don’t know what their punishment will be.Ultimately their punishment will be eternal.

Q.Will they go to Hell?

A.The Bible tells us that all who have sinned will spend eternity separated from God.God is holy, pure, and sinless, and so is His Son (1Pet.2:22"He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.").God cannot abide with sin.

He has plans for those who accept His salvation.Those plans include an eternity with Him in His kingdom.Those who choose not to accept Christ, cannot abide in that kingdom or in God’s presence.They choose to continue to sin, and the Bible teaches us in Ro.6:23“…the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Our President has set the example by asking each of us to pray.

2 Chronicles 7:14

oPray he will seek God’s guidance and wisdom in each and every decision he must make. (Prov.2:12-15Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse, who leave the straight paths to walk in dark ways, who delight in doing wrong and rejoice in the perverseness of evil, whose paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways.)

oPray for strength for him to get through his long days.

oPray he is able to receive all the rest he needs.

oPray God will surround him with wise counselors who also seek God’s wisdom.

oThat God would grant mercy in this time of need.

oThat God would cause us to unite as a country to help one another.

oThat God would cause revival to break out in our country as never before.

oThat God would place a hedge of protection around and about us to keep us from further attacks.

oThat we would not ever return to ‘life as usual’ but that we’d be forever changed for the better by all of these events.

oThat God would sustain the victims until they can be found.That He would stop any and all bleeding, that pain would be lessened or removed, that breathing would be cleared, and that they would have a peace and a sense of His presence.

oThat God would protect the workers from falling debris, diseases, further accidents and illnesses.That He would grant them supernatural strength to move the heavy steel and concrete.

oThat God would supply all of the needs and give them others to grant them some rest.

oThat God would ease their pain.

oThat God would cause new skin to grow and cover the burned and charred skin.

oThat He would miraculously heal these people.

oThat God would meet their needs and fill their supplies.

oThat God would give them words of comfort and assurance for victims and the families of victims.

oThat God would give them words of knowledge as how to help the hurting.

oThat God would send a steady supply of workers to keep them all fresh and alert.

oThat God would go before them, preparing the way.

oThat God would fight the battle for them.

oThat God would confound their enemies, and cause them to fight one another.

oThat God would keep them safe and meet all of their needs.

oThat God would equip them will all the necessary equipment.

oThat God would keep their families safe here at home, and meet the needs of their families.

7.The families of those who have died:

oThat God will somehow turn evil to good.

oThat God will comfort them.

oThat God will provide their needs and continue to hold them closely.

oFor those who don’t know Christ – to come to know the peace that’s found only in Him.

8.The churches of America:

oThat God would break dividing walls and we would become united.

oThat God would rise up His church to evangelize the lost so that none would ever perish without knowing of His saving grace.

oThat God would show us ways to reach out and help our communities deal with the tragedies.

oThat we’d continue to humble ourselves, pray, seek God’s face, and turn from OUR wicked ways, so that He may heal our land.

When people were shouting, “Oh my God!” it was definitely more than an explanation of horror.It was a cry.It was a cry to our Almighty God for help, mercy and peace!Let us all cry to Him together in unity.

KNOWING PEACE

The only way to protect ourselves against that evil; the only way to endure hardships, is through knowing God and having a personal, intimate relationship with Him.

The Bible teaches us that Satan himself, knows God.It teaches that Satan knows Scripture and even takes opportunities to use it against God’s people (like he did with Jesus).

Please understand thislife-and-death statement:

“Knowing ABOUT God isn’t enough. You must have a relationship with Him! You MUST be born again.”

If you want peace in your life, then you have to know the One Who’s in control.

How can you enter into a relationship with the One, True God?

He thought of everything!He loves you so much that He made; He created the way.

All that’s required of you is that you believe, repent, and accept His FREE gift of salvation.

How?By going to God in prayer.

Okay… so it’s been a long time since you prayed?It’s okay.God doesn’t expect you to sound like some Bible-quoting, scholar.He just expects you to come to Him with a sincere heart.

What should you say to God?Well, just let Him know that you believe in Him, that You believe He sent His only Son, Jesus – as sort of a bridge – to make a way for each of us to come to Him.Let Him know that you understand that you haven’t been the perfect person and that there was only one perfect Person – Jesus.Tell God that you believe Jesus died for all the things you did wrong.And that you accept His free gift.Ask God to send His Holy Spirit to live inside you, to guide you, comfort you and show you how you should live.

It doesn’t cost you anything but a few minutes of your time and a humble heart.But the reward is OH SO GREAT!

There are thousands who woke one morning to go about their day as usual and never came home.Their lives were whisked away.

Did they ever accept God’s free gift of salvation?Do we have the surety of knowing they are waiting for us in the presence of God?Can we be fully assured that they are now in a place of complete peace, no pain, no death, no suffering?

For some of the victims of this horrific tragedy, we may never know.

But you can know today – where you will spend eternity.You can know and your family can have the assurance that they will someday meet you in Heaven.

Will you make that decision today?

Will you literally cry out as our nation did, “Oh my God!”?And know with all your heart that we have a God who hears and listens to our needs?

There is a peace that passes understanding that comes only from God.There is a promise of the knowledge that Someone beyond our comprehension is in control of everything.

Do you have that promise?

You too will find strength, encouragement, love and acceptance in a true church of God.

“Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” Ro. 12:15

America,

we are praying for you.