Lori's Thoughts

My heart belongs to Jesus first. My belief in God is important to me. In that belief I strive to present my Savior to the world. He belongs to the world. In these trying times it seems the world needs Him more than ever before, and I see a great and mighty revival erupting. My prayer is for all to find their knees on the floor and to ask Jesus to come into their hearts. Young, old, black, white, red, yellow and brown. Jesus shed his blood for all generations until His triumphant return.

Since the tragic events on Sept. 11, 2001, my heart has been full of anguish and empathy for the victims and their families. I pray for the comforting hand of the Lord and for his angels to wrap their wings about those who mourn the loss of their loved ones. But in my prayers, I ask God to do His great will and perform his righteous anger upon those who would steal the breath of those innocent lives.

When each of those souls arose on the morning of Sept. 11, they assumed they would live out that day as any other day. They went to school, they went to work, they went shopping and they thought they would be coming home. They had plans to stop by the store. They had plans to stop by the church. They had plans to pick up  their children at the day care. They had plans to go to dinner, watch a movie and play with their children. Each soul that was taken had no time to update their wills. Their pets waited for their masters to come home so they could greet them happily at the door. Most did not have a chance to call home to England, Asia or France. Didn't they all think they had time? Didn't they deserve the chance to live out their lives and live free of terror?

As the days have passed, I've tried to imagine what may have gone through some of the minds of the passengers and crews of those fated flights. A pilot taxis off the runway. He's concentrating on his job and doing it well. The plane lifts off the ground and the landing gear disappears into the belly of the craft. The pilot can relax a bit now and he's already made contact with the destination tower. He remembers it's Tuesday and it's the night he and his wife go out to dinner at their favorite restaurant. It's date night. And even though they go almost every week, it's always special because they love each other so much. He's thinking to himself, "I think I'll order that prime rib tonight. I should pick up a little gift for her. Shouldn't be gone so much." But then, a man with a foreign accent bursts into the cabin. He's already got some blood on his hands. The screams begin and this pilot's dreams are over.

The evil-doer begins his terror and the rest is history. These are the memories the terrorists and their organizations want us to re- member. But their memories will be filled with pain and surprise. Their last breaths will be the beginning of their everlasting pain. Their deeds will not go unpunished.

A passenger looks out the window of the plane's cabin. She's been on this same flight before. She knows the terrain and she knows how long it will take. But now the plane begins to bank off a different direc- tion. She anxiously looks for a flight attendant to inquire about the change. "Did I get on the wrong flight?" she thinks to herself. She pushes the service button several times but no attendant comes. She nervously flips through a magazine in the back of the seat in front of her. But she finds it hard to concentrate. She overhears the child sitting in front of her. "Mommy, why is that lady bleeding up there? Did she cut herself fixing our snack?" The woman peaks around the seat in front of her and sees an attendant swagger and fall to the floor. The terror has begun and none of the passengers arrive at their destin- ations that day.

The man in 21A will miss his meeting that day. The woman in 42B will not make it to her granddaughter's recital. The young couple in first class will not begin their honeymoon. The little girl in 11C won't get to meet her new parents. Someone in a foreign country has de- cided that their lives are meaningless. A group of self-proclaimed god- ly men have decided that anyone who does not believe what they believe in, does not deserve to roam the face of this earth. Their only agenda is to rid the planet of every human soul who does not support their political/religious beliefs.

As we embark on a new dark era, we absolutely must continue to fight for our freedoms. We MUST continue to protect our way of life and support our military, emergency personnel and governments. I speak not only to the citizens of the United States. This plea is in- tended for freedom-loving citizens all across the planet. Freedom and terror are polar opposites. We thank God for the many allies who join us in this new fight. In the last days, wars and rumors of wars will come. How we react and how we hold onto our faith in God is vital. The future is painted differently now. Our priorities and our goals may now change because of that one day in September. We woke up to a different world on Sept. 11, 2001. How we live our lives and how we treat others has already changed. I pray it's for the better. I pray that God would send in his mighty heavenly warriors to protect our service men and women as they protect us. God bless America. God bless every country who fights for freedom.

Hebrews The Son Superior to Angels "1In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. 3The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. 4 So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs. 5For to which of the angels did God ever say, "You are my Son; to day I have become your Father"? Or again, "I will be his Father, and he will be my Son"? 6And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, "Let all God's angels worship him." 7In speaking of the angels he says, "He makes his angels winds, his servants flames of fire." 8 But about the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom. 9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy." 10 He also says, "In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foun- dations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. 12 You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment theywill be changed. But you remain the same, and  your years will never end." To which of the angels did God ever say, "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet"? 14Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?"