I Remember That Day

Eight years ago today everything changed. I remember that day...

I sat on my chair in my living room actually getting ready to take a trip with my wife and son. As we were getting ready to pack and load the car, I turned on the television and got ready to make sure all was ready when I saw an alert on Fox News pop up...a plane had hit one of the towers at the World Trade Center. I thought, "Wow, what a mess that's gonna be. Some small plane guided by an obviously inexperienced pilot was involved in a terrible accident." I remember that day...

I remember watching the news report as an "expert" felt it was just an accident and we shouldn't be alarmed at all. That was at 9:01...I remember that day.

Then I saw a sight I could not believe. The fireball. The second plane had hit. I yelled across the house for my wife to get in the living room...this was no accident. Strangely, my first thought was "Bin Laden." For some reason I knew he was responsible. I had been to Kenya and seen what he and his thugs did to the embassy in Nairobi. I couldn't believe my eyes. We were actually being attacked on our homeland. I remember that day...

I had no idea what to think...especially when the Pentagon got hit. That's when I knew the world had changed. That's when I knew for sure this was more than just a few crazies. We were now at war. I remember that day...

My wife, our one-year-old son and I began to drive to our destination that morning. Every radio station was broadcasting the same thing. Not one plane was in the air. When we passed airports while we drove, all was incredibly silent. It was so eerie. Some gas stations raised their prices to $4 a gallon {that's before $4 was considered normal}. I remember that day...

I also remember the flags...they were everywhere that week. People would stand on overpasses just waving huge American flags to total strangers. There were no total strangers in America that week. We were all Americans. We were all patriots. Strangely, we were all Christians too. It changed everything. I remember that day...

All that I could write about that day and that week would take hours to compile, sort and rethink. This morning, I will be getting my now nine-year-old son ready for school. I pray the world is safer for him now and will continue to be. Yeah, I remember that day...

May God truly bless America and continue to protect her. May we not take for granted what happened eight years ago. I DO remember that day, and to be honest with you, as much as I would like to, I cannot afford to forget it.

Another Book Review -- Christianity in Crisis the 21st century

As I read the pages of Hank Hanegraaff’s Christianity in Crisis the 21st Century, I was reminded of his book by the same name around 10 years ago. Hanegraaff will most certainly research his topic more than any other author I have ever read. And for that, he is to be greatly commended. I found his material to be quite informative.

Hanegraaff and I differ quite a bit theologically but I choose not to let that get in the way of my assessment of his book. Although, I must say, his slant against Pentecostalism tends to come out subjectively rather than objectively in some of his arguments. While that was merely a minimal frustration with me, I found his book to be a very informative and I believe it is a great resource for me to have in my library.

I do not believe the targets of this book to be the individuals he ‘uncovers’ as much as the false doctrine the faith movement continues to regurgitate to the masses. And for that, I can be very thankful. Hanegraaff took great care in avoiding personal vendettas and holding up the Word of God and defending it. For that reason, among many others, I can recommend this book…especially as a resource to those who want a well-written work refuting the teachings of the faith movement. I applaud Hanegraaff for his work in this book!

Book Review -- Fearless by Max Lucado

Upon receiving FEARLESS in the mail, I was anxious to read Max Lacado’s insight on this subject. Little did I expect to find the introspective looks into my life as I read each chapter. Rarely do I feel like a book has “spoken directly to me.” This one not only spoke; but, it shouted, whispered, hugged and corrected me.

The timing of the release of this book is impeccable…our world is facing a number of critical situations and its citizens will choose to process those situations in a number of ways. Lucado takes the issue of fear and gives an amazingly intuitive look at the Word of God and really brings it home for us. This is more than powerful stories or applications. We get to see real fear in the Word of God in Jesus’ followers, His onlookers and even those who may have opposed Him. Regardless of who they were, we see God’s answer---to be fearless.

This book will provide a great source of help, encouragement, and courage to those that need it. {Not to mention the enormous amount of material this preacher will use in future sermons}. If you or someone whom you know is in need of a release from fear or anxiety, put this book in their hands. I can honestly say it will be life-changing for many. I laughed, cried and prayed all through it. I have a feeling you will too…fearlessly!