Call to Prayer, regarding the terrorist attacks

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Call to Prayer, regarding the terrorist attacks this morning, September 11, 2001:

No words can express our feelings in this moment of national tragedy and mourning. At a time like this, the scripture that comes to mind is Romans 8:26,

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.

As you must know, 4 airliners were hijacked this morning by terrorists who used them for suicide strikes against the two World Trade Center towers in New York City and the Pentagon, outside Washington D. C. A total of 266 innocent people on board those planes, and the likelihood of thousands more in the targeted buildings and surrounding areas have lost their lives in this evil and cowardly action.

We urge you to go to our Heavenly Father immediately and ask him to grant His grace, comfort and strength to the families of those who have died this morning. Pray for emergency workers who continue to put themselves in harms way in their efforts to rescue and heal survivors.

Ask God to give wisdom, courage and patience to President Bush and the other leaders of the United States and other nations as they decide how to respond. Pray for the people of the United States as we react to these events, that we would not persecute innocent minorities in our midst because of the evil of others who may look like them.

Pray for those who are responsible for these atrocities. Ask God for justice to be done on earth. Pray also for the salvation of those who are still alive, that the Holy Spirit would convict them of their sin and turn them to Himself. Please stand in prayer against Satan and his demonic realm as he continues to deceive many into confusing evil with good, and death with life.

This is a dark day for not only America, but for the world. But let us remember that no matter how dark the circumstances, God is at work in ways that we cannot comprehend to turn that which is only evil, into an instrument for blessing. May we, through our lives and prayer, be His willing instruments.

Trusting in Christ alone,
Pastor Jerry Cooper

P.S. Our Wednesday Evening Prayer meeting at 7pm (9/11/01) will be specifically focused on prayer surrounding this tragedy, the people affected and its continuing affects.

Note: See also Current Events: Interfaith Dialogues.