The Wake Up Call Of 9-11
by Alan Honea
September 11, 2001 God’s protective hand was lifted for a brief moment and
our enemies struck a swift blow. Suddenly we were aware of just how vulnerable
we as a nation are. America seemed in an instant to remember that we were
indeed, “a Nation under God.” Selfishness & greed seemed to subside and a humble
Congress was in prayer. We were admonished by our President to kneel to God and
seek His protective Grace. But what of this “revival”. A recent New York Times
story reported that the sudden increase in church attendance had all but
subsided. This so called revival seemed to be nothing more than a single ripple
in a spiritually dead pool. A quick military success and we seem to have
forgotten that, but for the grace of God we all perish.
As we examine Israel’s history one can but surmise that a nation’s rebellion
against God will not go unchastised. America has been on a long downward spiral.
God was our very foundation, we depended on His grace at our founding and sought
His forgiveness at our stumbling. And now a nation that once sought His favor,
turns the other way when it would dare be suggested that our success was
anything but our own. Those that would be offended at the very mention of God on
our currency, have found their voice. The ever lengthening fissures of sedition
threaten our very freedom. But I do not believe the events of Sept 11 were the
chastisement of our Lord, but rather God lifting His protective hand but for a
moment. I do believe it was a warning, a wake up call, if you will.
Our memory is short, and our rebellion is deep. Is the chastisement of a holy
righteous God inevitable? If Israel could not escape their just desserts how
shall we? If this country does not have a genuine heaven sent revival I believe
our demise is certain. To think a nation so blessed as we; should turn their
back on the very God that breathed it into life and escape His wrath is
arrogance unsurpassed.
If 3000 + perishing in one day, and two national landmarks reduced to rubble is
not enough to usher in a Heaven sent revival, what is? The prospect of what it
may take should cause us to tremble. What will become of us if we shall continue
on the path we are on?
Is it to late ? And if it is not to late what will turn this country from the
chastening hand of almighty God? Whose responsibility is it to turn this country
back to God? Does it rest on the shoulders of government? Or perhaps the
so-called religious establishment. The answer lies not in any of the above but
rather can be found in 2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my
name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their
wicked ways; then will I hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will
heal their land.
I sincerely believe God eagerly awaits His chosen ones to act, to seek His face,
to humble themselves, to cry out to Him for deliverance. Surely Our Lord is
sickened by our response to sin, which usually manifests itself with either
posturing, or cowardice.
I believe there to be, at the very least, a modicum of truly saved people in
Christ professing denominations. But I have to believe as well, they are so
spiritually blinded by the heresy and deception carried out by those
denominations, that they will not even be effective until their blinders are
removed. And how will the blinders be removed unless another “Great Awakening”
occurs. How will such occur under the spiritual condition we find ourselves in?
We as Missionary Baptists; proudly proclaim experimental knowledge, and a
lineage to Jesus Christ. Not to mention a blood bought, tear stained heritage of
martyrdom. We find ourselves in a sad state of affairs. Small, weak, and
battered by the seemingly unending tide of religious compromise. Many girded &
pacified by non-fellowship, fearing spot and blemish; as if they are the last
bastion of Baptist purity. All the while oblivious to the hordes of lost
perishing about them. The rest of us discouraged & cowering to a flood of
modernism, and the callused masses with their aversion to truth. If the
responsibility rests on our feeble shoulders; is it even possible that a revival
could sweep this Nation?
Of the following; I most assuredly believe : That if we ask for a burden, God
will impart to us a burden. If we humble ourselves, seeking the face of God; our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will take our petition to the Father, and He will
hear our prayers, and heal our land. The only healing of our land will be a
revival. The only obstacle that stands in our way of Heaven sent revival is our
lack of a burden. We cannot of ourselves conjure up such a burden as would be
needed. This comes from the throne. We will have not if we ask not. The real
question is, do we as a people have the fortitude to petition the Father for
such that would threaten our comfort, and wrest us from our ease?
Freedom tastes sweeter to those who know the price. The seeds of freedom have
been planted in the ashes of war, fertilized by thousands of Americans; who laid
down their lives on beaches, forests, jungles, and seas. And to those who have
fought the good fight, it is a grievous matter to see our liberties compromised
by the very benefactors of their sacrifice.
We as Baptists have a blood bought heritage as well. Our ancestors have been
slain by the millions. They were beaten, feed to lions, burned at the stake, and
beheaded. They were hunted like animals. They hid in caves, and met in secret.
And though they feared for their lives they knew the glorious Gospel of our Lord
and Savior was worth the price. What a wonderful vision the early settlers must
have had as they boarded dank and cramped ships; dreaming of a land where they
could worship in freedom. The months at sea, the loved ones lost, the peril that
awaited, was worth the price. Throughout history, freedoms toll was eagerly paid
by those who dreamed of a better Nation for their ancestors. And as grand as
freedom is; the Gospel is much more so. What is worth more than to be redeemed
by the Son of the living God. Matt 16:26 “For what is a man profited, if he
shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in
exchange for his soul”.
What Satan could not accomplish through the heavy hand of persecution, he has
done with compromise and apathy. Satan has turned the very blessings of God
against us. We are choked by fatness and blinded by prosperity. This Gospel that
was once worth dying for; is now just an addendum to our busy lives. In Rev 6:
10 The souls of the ones slain cry out to God to avenge their blood that was
spilled. Oh, to look them in the eye and answer as to why we as a generation did
not see fit to humble ourselves before the Father and cry out for revival. How
would we explain that we were to busy, to affluent, to callased, to rise up &
fight the spiritual fight. How would we explain that we feasted on the abundance
of their fruit, but refused to labor in the vineyard.
We hear and rejoice when we hear of the many saved in Trinidad, and Africa. We
marvel and wonder what it would be like to see the Holy Spirit move upon a
people in so great a fashion. With our faith stained with apathy it is but a
dream. Each “revival season” we experience a few being saved, (and certainly
rejoice upon every profession), but then we are satisfied as if we have done
enough for the year. Is the hand of the Lord shortened that He cannot save in
masses. If God will save masses in Africa why not here?
If a people chastised by God, could humbly seek the face of God and find His
favor as did the Children of Israel, and If God receives glory from those that
have suffered; and then turned from their evil ways. How much more glory does He
receive from those who have everything, and turn away from their own affluence
and humbly seek His face to the healing of their land, and the saving of souls?
Time is running out. America has been falling to long. I am no prophet, but you
tell me how shall we escape the wrath of Almighty God in whom we have turned our
backs? Until we have a burden that wakes us from our sleep, until the Lord’s
Churches are spending hours on their faces humbly seeking the Lord, until
revival is our utmost priority we will still be in peril. The men & women that
gave their lives in this Nation’s wars, had no guarantee of victory. But they
paid the sacrifice anyway. What does that say for us? The Lord has promised us
victory. He has promised to heal our land. He has promised revival. But once
again, our faith is stained with apathy. It matters not that Americans as a
whole do not embrace the truth, It is not our job to make them interested. Our
job is to be concerned enough to carry a burden. Dare they stand against the
Almighty when He blesses the elect?
I thank God for the men and women that paid the ultimate price for freedom by
laying down their lives for this country. But I am here to tell you that the
Christian that bears a deep burden, and humbly clings to the promise of
deliverance is no less a patriot. The future of this country rests on our
shoulders. It does not matter how powerful our military is. It does not matter
how strong our economy is. If we as a Nation do turn to God it will all be for
naught.
Ezekiel 22: 30 “And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the
hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy
it, but I found none.”
The blood of the masses, and the ruins of this Nation will be laid at the feet
of those; who, choked by fatness and blinded by prosperity refused to stand in
the gap.
