T.J.I.F.A.
Thank Jesus It's Friday Again!
September 6, 2002
Pass it on ...& On...&  ON  

SUBJECT: THE REAL TRAGEDY

September 11, 2001 brought down the Towers of New York and with it the loss of many lives.  The death count was estimated at greater than six-thousand souls , but as the weeks and months went on, instead of the count climbing it slowly decreased.  That's good!  Loved ones were found in hospitals or just trying to find their way home.  Then there were the shysters who claimed lost loved ones only to receive the money promised by the airlines and the government.  So once again the death count decreased.  

It has been a year since that great destruction.  A year of turmoil and confusion regarding how and when to begin our lives again.  It was prophesied by so many prophets that we would see a resurgence of souls back to the Church.  We did...for a few months.  It was said that our great Nation would now become that Christian Nation that we were supposed to be from the beginning according to our Fore Fathers.  We had hope in our tragedy that America would be all that it is supposed to be.     We glimpsed it.  

They recorded that September 11, 2001 was a day when there was no crime in New York.  No robbery, no shooting, no purses grabbed, no rapes reported, no domestic violence recorded.  This was the day that evil stood still.  Or did it?   

Did evil stand still?  Or did a more vicious evil enter? And the entrance of this evil did all other lesser evils stand still?  As if recognizing that a new player had entered the game with a bigger bat and a real hard ball.  The President calls this strange rule breaker who doesn't care about authority, "The Terrorist."  

The Terrorist breaks down walls that have been established for generations.  Walls that were built with firm foundations ordered by God and obeyed by His people.  The Terrorist slams into Sacred places and maims, rapes and kills.  He enjoys making the innocent scream.    His chief goal is to prove God wrong, so his antics are insatiable.

There is foundation to these accusations.  Let's look at the News.    It seems that in the past six to eight months there has been a rash of kidnaping .  Children have been snatched from their homes, while sleeping in their own beds, snatched from their own  front yards, even out of the front room, while their mother is in the kitchen cooking a meal.  Children of all ages, and all sexes.  Infants in cribs and toddlers in the back seat of cars.  What is this?  Is this the land of justice and liberty for all?   

One young mother called me and whispered, "The Spirit of Pharaoh  has been loosed on our Country!"   At first I thought that she was a little touched, but when I reconsidered...She's Right!  

Remember how Pharaoh wanted the Hebrew children killed?  Well the very threat that he made to the Hebrew children became his own legacy.  The Pharaoh before him had killed all of the male children of the Hebrews and Moses' mother hid him during that awful siege.  "He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt I trust."  Psalms 91.  

Women have become targets also, of cowards who snatch purses.  Others are victims of car theft, where the car is taken while the woman is operating it, and becomes the victim of assault, battery and rape.  Others are found murdered in their own automobiles.  

Cars are being used as weapons to drive into peoples living quarters.    The sanctuary and privacy of homes is being interrupted...just as the security and life   styles of many American families were disrupted on September 11, 2001., leaving a trail of sorrow, tragedy and most regrettably ...fear.  

But GOD!

In the midst of killing, stealing and destroying, there is a Standard, which didn't wait to be raised after the onslaught of tragedy.  That standard is Jesus Christ, Him crucified, dead, and buried...but...Raised again on the third day.  

Not all of the souls who were eliminated from our view on September 11, 2001 were unsaved.  Not all were saved.  The ones who weren't saved on that day their fate was sealed in the tragedy.   But the souls who were saved...THEIR FAITH SHIELDED them from utter eternal destruction.  

What is the Real Tragedy?  


The real tragedy is the tragedy of unbelief, faithlessness and the putting aside of the only true standard...Jesus Christ.  

The real tragedy is prayerlessness in the body of Christ.  The real tragedy is thinking  that this couldn't happen to you, therefore, compromising your belief system to gain monetarily or to gain popularity.  "What good is it to gain the whole world and lose your Soul? Mark 8:36

These tragedies do not describe the World or the Terrorist.  These descriptive words are synonymous only to The Christian Believer.    Why?  Because only the Christian Believer has access to the POWER of GOD!   John 1:12

After the 911 tragedy, you couldn't purchase an American Flag...all sold out!   And even now, I'm sure that on the anniversary once again the popularity of the American Flag will surge, and that's good!  But Christian, you must remember "The Blood Stained Banner" of Christ and its ruling standard in our lives.  

We are in the world, but we are not of the world. John 15:19 The News shouldn't make us gasp and gape, but fast and pray.  While everything else is coming out of the closet, We have a mandate from GOD to GO INTO THE CLOSET, AND PRAY!   We don't step aside for the newcomer with the big bat and real hard ball.  Instead, we step up and tell him...my Father's Bigger than yours.  


Noteworthy:

The Following are attributes of; POSITIVE PEOPLE

They believe in themselves.
They look for the best in others, and usually find it.
They see opportunities everywhere.
They focus on solutions.
They look for ways to give back.
They are persistent.
They take responsibility for themselves.

These seven points were described in detail in "The Word for You Today"  October 2002 Submitted by SLC  

In The Mirror:

I heard this little story on Christian T.V., and I thought it was worth repeating, especially with the subject that we have dealt with this week.  Enjoy a little laugh.  TER

There was a very rich man who owned every kind of luxury.  This man wasn't brought up with this much, he had earned his life style.  So he decided that he would give his son a look at poverty and also in the experience he hoped that the young boy would become more appreciative of what he had,
So, one day he went to the orphanage and brought home a little boy who had nothing.  Now this rich man wasn't aiming at humiliating the poor child, only enhancing both children.  He hoped that the little poor boy would have the experience of knowing that he, too, could some day own and share his wealth.  

After talking to the young boys, he left them for a while to get acquainted with one another.  

The Rich Boy arrogantly boasted, "My father has a limousine."
The Poor Boy nodded his head, "That's nice."
The Rich Boy continued, "My father owns a Yacht with twenty two cabins and three decks."
Again, the Poor Boy nodded  and repeated,  "Oh, That's nice!.
The Rich Boy was on a roll, "My father owns an airplane.  It's a Jet and we have an apartment in it so that when we travel we stay in our airplane."  
With an impressed smile the Poor Boy once again nodded his head, but this time he asked, " How many people can he carry in his plane?"  
With a proud look and ever increasing voice tone he said,"We can transport twenty five people, six dogs twelve cats and a ton of luggage.  And a small car."
The Poor Boy just looked out over the huge swimming pool and said, "That's like a small town.  Do you go to Church?"
The Rich Boy even more proudly said, "We don't have time for such nonsense Do you know your father?"
The Poor Boy stood up, Do  I know my Father?  Of course I know my Father."
The Rich Boy replied, "I thought I heard that you were an orphan. So, tell me about your Father."
Standing up, the Poor Boy said, "I didn't want to interrupt you while you  were talking about your father, but since you asked, "My Father owns Water Works and He owns the River that your father's Yacht floats on.  My Father controls the air flow and pressure that allows your father's plane to soar in the sky.  My Father owns the oil that your father puts in his Yacht, his plane and his stretch limousine.  My Father owns a thousands cattle on a thousand hills.  My Father is a rich and powerful man.  He tells me not to brag or boast to others who don't have as much.  He told me that would be wrong.  My Father told me that one day we're going on an extended vacation, where the streets are paved with gold, and everything there is new.  He said that we didn't need an airplane .  We will float along with thousands upon thousands up in the sky.    You have a
nice house.  In my Father's house are many, many mansions." The Rich Boy interrupted, "How can there be mansions in a house?" The Poor Boy answered,  His house is real, real, real, big.  "
The Rich Boy just sat there in wonderment, then all of a sudden he jumped up and ran to his father.    Excitedly he yelled, "Father, we must go to Church!"      We must meet The FATHER, who is greater than you."    TER