Recent news around the world has brought new meaning to the word terror.  Terrorists from across the ocean have tried to, and have, upset countries and families to the point that we will pull out troops from their countries. Headless corpses have been found in the country of Iraq, and Saudi terrorist cells have decapitated captives in front of cameras.  They parade and celebrate while displaying grotesque scenes in front of the public.  Truly this is an evil and Satanic thing which goes against everything moral and decent which I have ever heard of.  This even goes beyond the understanding of what normal warfare is all about. Civilians are being attacked, with no differences being made between men, women, or even children.  Today, Christians need to pray even more for our troops in foreign countries, our citizens and our leaders.  We must not allow terror to dictate diplomacy or to cause us as God's people to become timid in our cause. Remember that God is greater than any force of evil in this world.
   Jesus taught us to love even our enemies. That's hard to do when the evil done is so shocking and evil. However, these people need Jesus too!  Through all of the bloodshed, we must pray for our enemies too! I am reminded of a verse of scripture from the Old Testament that seems to fit the situation in which we are in.  The Israelites knew what it was to be terrorized back then as they do today.  The psalmist had felt the oppression of the enemy and now he calls to God. In Psalm 94 we read a prayer of the psalmist;  (Ps 94:1-11)
   O LORD, the God who avenges, O God who avenges, shine forth. Rise up, O Judge of the earth; pay back to the proud what they deserve. How long will the wicked, O LORD, how long will the wicked be jubilant? They pour out arrogant words; all the evildoers are full of boasting. They crush your people, O LORD; they oppress your inheritance. They slay the widow and the alien; they murder the fatherless. They say, "The LORD does not see; the God of Jacob pays no heed."Take heed, you senseless

ones among the people; you fools, when will you become wise? Does he who implanted the ear not hear? Does he who formed the eye not see? Does he who disciplines nations not punish? Does he who teaches man lack knowledge? The LORD knows the thoughts of man; he knows that they are futile.(NIV)
   The psalmist felt a need to take matters which he could not control to God. According to God's word, he will not let us down.  He will settle the thing for us in due time.  What we need to do is to remain faithful to our God even in the midst of persecution. Remember, this is a battle that God will settle.
   The people who attacked the world trade center were twisted. They killed innocent men, women, and children. The people who decapitate innocent victims and set off bombs on buses and shopping malls are also twisted.  Their sense of purpose is twisted if they think they are serving a god of any shape, form, or fashion by killing.  The God that I know teaches us to "love our neighbor as thyself."   We must not reduce ourselves to the same level by forgetting God's laws and becoming people who hate.  We cannot become haters of all Arab peoples because an attacker was Saudi-Arab.  We cannot hate all Egyptians. However, we can pray for God to lead us into battle and to be behind our country.  We can pray for deliverance from God.  We can evangelize this great nation and teach them the love of the Lord Jesus Christ. We can also trust God. His word is solid and sure.  He will avenge his people. He has always been behind Godly people and has led his own through countless battles. When Joshua led the people of Israel against Jericho, it was God who granted them the victory.  They circled the city seven times and shouted as the priests sounded their horns, and the walls fell.  May God grant the United States victory as he causes the walls of terror to fall.
In His Service,
Rev. David Chapman