IN THE MORNING
Psalms 49:1-20
(1) Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world:
(2) Both low and high, rich and poor, together.
(3) My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.
(4) I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp.
(5) Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about?
(6) They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;
(7) None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:
(8) (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)
(9) That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption.
(10) For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.
(11) Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names.
(12) Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.
(13) This their way is their folly: yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah.
(14) Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling.
(15) But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.
(16) Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;
(17) For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him.
(18) Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself.
(19) He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light.
(20) Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.
I spoke with someone earlier today giving them the question, “Wonder what Ronald Reagan would do?”
So far in my lifetime, he has been the most influential man of Government I have known to this country.
Made you feel good to be an American
Made you feel secure in an en-secure time of the Cold War
Man of principals (Was against having school prayer taken out of schools)
He recognized God and claimed the Christian Faith
After a terrorist attack on American interests in the Middle East, Ronald Reagan said in March 1986,
"No one can kill Americans and brag about it. No one."
With these most recent terrorist attacks to the WTC & the Pentagon, these words still ring out to me.
Those were powerful words from a powerful man.
But Ronald Reagan will not be addressing the nation this time.
Ronald Reagan will not be giving direction for this country.
Ronald Reagan will not be walking through those doors behind you to give us a speech of encouragement.
Ronald Reagan’s days are behind him.
Our first look should not be to man anyway in a time of crisis.
Our very first look in a time of crisis, should be to God.
LOOK TO GOD
In these verses of scripture we read, we see the foolishness of one to think that he/she/they can do wrong and get away with it.
No one can escape the judgement of God.
There is coming a day when all men shall give an account.
Christians today are faced with sacrifices and losses.
But we know that our victory will come in the morning.
Psalms 30:5
(5) For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
Often we Christians suffer, but our Hope is in knowing that victory will come in the morning!
Jesus is coming back to set up his Kingdom and we will be a part of it.
Then will be a time of no more sufferings.
Today, Americans suffer a great loss.
Two hijacked planes hurled into WTC on Tuesday (911-01)
One hijacked plane thrust into the Pentagon
A fourth hijacked plane crashed apparently on route to either the Capital or the White House
266 people are assumed dead that were aboard the planes
41 known deaths so far accounted for in Manhattan, NY
1700 reported injured
78 police officers are missing
as many as 200 firefighters are said to have been killed
Between 100 to 800 believed dead at this time at the Pentagon alone
What a horrific act of terrorism.
But Judgement will come!
Be it today or in the morning!
It will come!
These terrorists are somewhere tonight celebrating the death of our citizens.
These cowards may have enjoyed the moment;
They may be celebrating their victory of destruction;
But Judgement will come, today or either in the morning!
These terrorists may not have listened to the law, but they will listen to judgement.
If they do somehow slip through our country’s efforts, they will still have to answer to God.
So the question now that many of us have is this, “Where do we go from here?”
“What do we do now?”
Answer: Pray.
IN THE DAY OF DISTRESS
WE MUST APPLY TO THE LORD BY FERVENT PRAYER.
The best things we can do in times of trouble are to pray.
Often it is only in times of distress that we (people) will pray.
Isaiah 26:16-21
(16) Lord, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.
(17) Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O Lord.
(18) We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.
(19) Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
(20) Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.
(21) For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.
Perhaps God has allowed this tragedy to come to our nation to steer us back to him.
Perhaps God has brought punishment upon our country.
Whatever the reasons are for this attack rest assured that God is in control.
God is in control.
Yes, we do want justice to come to those who are responsible for the loss of so many American lives.
I believe we should seek justice as a country.
But whether we issue justice or not it will come.
If not today, justice will come in the morning.
You do not do wrong and get away with it.
Sooner or later your wrong doings will catch up to you.
But if our country find those responsible or not;
If we miss enforcing justice today or not it;
It will come.
If not today, justice will come, in the morning.
© Rev. James W. Bryant
Wednesday, September 12th, 2001
Preached @ Dillon CH Church Wednesday Night Sevice 9-12-01
