September 11, 2016

1 Timothy 2:3,4 NKJV "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth."

Yes, I know today is the 15th Year after 9/11.  I was there in New York City that day as I served as the Associate Pastor of St. Paul's House on W. 51st Street on Manhattan's West Side.  Our mission faced south and we were 4 miles north of the World Trade Center.  I have told my story before, so I'm not sharing it now.  But something about that day has always lingered in my mind.  That morning I rose as usual at 5:00 and went out and got a cup of coffee from a small deli on 8th Avenue.  Coming back to the mission I sat in the front office and prayed.  The thing that stands out is what I prayed for.

"Dear gracious Father, may your Word be brought to the people living in the 10/40 Window of our world.  That region seems so closed to the Gospel, but Lord, your Son died for everyone and that includes these people.  They need to hear about Jesus Christ and His salvation He has provided for them."  I won't say these were the exact words I prayed that day, but I can't help but wonder just how the Lord chose to answer my prayer (which is just one of many that Christians all around the world have prayed for that region of land and all the Muslims living there).

The aftermath of that horrible day brought our American forces into Iraq and Afghanistan, and some of our soldiers and sailors were Christian people!  Where Christians could not enter those lands before, after 9/11 many Christians walked those streets and roads and encountered thousands of Muslims.  And many of the saved in our armed forces shared the love of Christ with the people they met! 

Now, all I can say is that if Al Queda thought they were attacking America, they actually opened the door for our Christian young men and women to come into their countries with the love of Christ in their hearts and lives.  Yes, perhaps not too many Bibles, New Testaments, Gospels of John, or even tracts were distributed.  But think about this:  All those things weren't available to the New Testament Christians either.  They witnessed by their lives, and so did our Christian men and women!  Pray for the seeds planted, and still are being planted by these brave men and women, will take root in Spirit-prepared hearts and that many people living there will one day be living in Glory!