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September 11th, 2001

 Without Any Warning

Tuesday, September 11, 2001, dawned like any other day. Thousands of Americans woke up, went about their normal morning routines, and went to work as usual in their offices in the twin towers of the World Trade Center on Manhattan Island. Who could have guessed that without a moment's notice a monstrous jet would slam through the offices of one tower in a roaring deluge of flame? And then that the horrific scene would be repeated at the other tower! Before the morning was over, thousands lay buried beneath the enormous rubble of what had constituted two one-hundred-ten-story buildings. Thousands of souls had been catapulted into eternity. 

The enormity of this tragedy has welded together the peoples of the world in moral outrage and grief, and has given us a new perspective on the fragility of our grip on life. Life is short, and disaster is beyond our control and can strike without any warning. 

This brings to mind two stories in the Bible. One is the record of the unsuspecting souls just before the great universal flood of the time of Noah. In the book of Matthew, Jesus refers to that history and tells us that "...as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and (they) knew not until the flood came, and took them all away..." (Matthew 24:38-39) These people were clearly unaware of the impending destruction that was to overwhelm them. Unlike the unprovoked attack on the towering buildings in Manhattan, however, this flood came as a direct result of man's offense to God, for "God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." (Genesis 6:5)

 Jesus uses the account of the flood to forewarn his hearers of another world-wide destruction at the end of this age. He tells us "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no not the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be." (Matthew 24:35-37) 

Later, the apostle Peter reiterates this warning: "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat; the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up." (II Peter 3:10) Because of man's sin, the time is coming when the earth will again face the sudden and cataclysmic judgment of God. 

But Peter goes on to tell us the Good News: "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (II Peter 3:9) This is what has kept back the wrath of God -his patience in waiting for us to repent. Jesus said repeatedly, "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." (Luke 13:3, 5) This is God's word to you. 

But what is repentance? Does it involve great deeds of penitence to pay for our sins? Or is it just an emotion? True repentance is a turning point -a fundamental change of mind that results in a turning from our sin and a turning to God. Repentance and faith is the way to God. This is the message that the apostle Paul brought to the peoples of the world. He tells us in Acts 20:21 how he was "testifying both to the Jews and also to the Greeks (the non-Jews) repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." Yes, he especially wanted his own people, the Jews, to come to faith in their long-awaited Messiah, the Lord Jesus. Repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only way to come to God. 

The apostle John has wonderful words of assurance for us: "And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." (I John 5:11-13) 

We can have eternal life! The God of heaven and earth has promised us that we can know that we have eternal life! We don't have to suffer the wrath of God for our sin. God's Son, the God-Man who alone could live a perfect, sinless life, came to earth two thousand years ago -just as the Scriptures had foretold hundreds of years before that - in order to die as our Substitute to pay for our sins. He died in agony on that Roman cross and then was buried in a borrowed tomb-just as the Scriptures had foretold. Three days later -again, just as the Scriptures had foretold -God raised Him from the dead, and He appeared to hundreds of His followers to prove that He had conquered the power of death. He had suffered in our place, and had completed the work necessary to bring us salvation from our sins. There is nothing left for us to do. He has done it all! 

John tells us that "He came unto His own (the Jews) and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name." (John 1:11-12) This, then, is the way to eternal life; the way to avoid the great final disaster, "the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat." (II Peter 3:12) A loving God offers you complete forgiveness if you will repent and believe on His Son, the perfect Sacrifice for your sin. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16) What if your life should end without any warning? Would you enjoy eternal life with God, or would you suffer eternal punishment with all those who have refused to repent and believe on God's Son? If you will repent of your sin and ask this Jesus to be Lord of your life, He promises that "there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek (non-Jew): for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:12-13) Do you believe His promise? It is certain and sure, sealed with His blood. Come to Him now. He can transform your life, free you from fear of the future, and give you His unspeakable peace and joy. 

For more information, please contact us at Pritts@homeschoolpa.com. We would love to share with you the life-giving truths from God's wonderful Word.

If you are in our area and are looking for a church, we invite you to worship with us at Valley View Bible Church in Telford, Pennsylvania. 
Click here to view the church website: www.valleyviewbiblechurch.org