It's time to remember on this edition of Key Life. That was Steve Brown, and this is Key Life, a no-nonsense approach to God's work. If you have a Bible, get it, and let's see how it applies to real life. Thanks, Mike. I don't know about you, but it seems only yesterday when our lives changed, when we were watching television, and we looked in horror at what was happening, but it's been a year, and this is the anniversary, and I decided to take a break from our Old Testament survey, and today to just talk to you from my heart about 9-11, about what's changed, about what hasn't changed. Before I forget, and if you listen to the end of the broadcast, I'll tell you how we'll send this booklet to you free. We have a booklet called Never Forget Discovering Hope in the Aftermath of Tragedy, and I'd like for you to have this, and I'll talk a little bit about it at the end of the broadcast, and I think every American ought to have a copy of this, certainly every Christian in America. So if you'll listen at the end of the broadcast, I'll tell you how you can get it. Let me call to memory the words of President George W. Bush on September 11th a year ago. Among other things, this is what he said. Today, our nation saw evil, the very worst of human nature, and we responded with the best of America, with the daring of our rescue workers, with the caring for strangers and neighbors, who came to give blood and help in any way they could. America and our friends and allies joined with all those who want peace and security in the world, and we stand together to win the war against terrorism. Tonight I ask for your prayers for all those who grieve. For the children whose worlds have been shattered for all whose sense of safety and security has been threatened, and I pray they will be comforted by a power greater than any of us, spoken through the ages in Psalm 23. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me. This is a day when all Americans from every walk of life unite in our resolve for justice and peace. America has stood down enemies before, and we will do so this time. None of us will ever forget this day, yet we go forward to defend freedom, and all that is good and just in our world. I remember almost as if it was yesterday when our president spoke those words, but a year has passed, and this year has been a year that has changed all our lives. During this past year I spoke at the Encourage America rally at Carnegie Hall. When I was in New York I stood at ground zero, and I felt the awesome and solemn pathos of that place. I walked around the fence of the church next to ground zero where there are thousands and thousands and thousands of prayers, and mementos and pictures and flowers and messages hung there by people from all over America and around the world, and like everybody else I felt sad. I guess the way everybody else did I ask questions, and I even wondered about God and how this could have happened. Now the days have blended into weeks and the weeks and the months and the months into a year, and here we are. The anniversary, an anniversary of horrible pain and anniversary of great loss and anniversary of blinding and shattering reality. You know, there's perspective that comes in a year. Now it's not the perspective that you'll get in ten years or a hundred or an eternity, but after a year of thinking and of sometimes mourning and of sometimes asking questions, if you're a believer there's perspective, this time has shaken you, but you have a bulwark, and you have God's message from his word, a year has passed, a whole lot has changed over that year, but there's some things that haven't changed, and I want to remind you as you remember. First there's a God that hasn't changed. It felt like at times there's a God who controls and who sovereign over everything that hasn't changed, and He is still in control and that hasn't changed. Let me read to you some forty-six. God is our refuge and our strength. He is a very present health and trouble, therefore we will not fear the earth gives way. Though the mountains be moved in the heart of the sea, though the waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling, there's a river who streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved. God will hope her when mourning dawns. The nation's rage. The kingdom's totter. He utters His voice, the earth melts. The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our fortress. Come behold the works of the Lord, how He has brought desolations on the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear. He burns the chariots with fire, be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our fortress. I don't know about you, but in this year of questions I have run to Him. When I stood at ground zero and the tears welled up in my eyes, I didn't have any place to go. I couldn't go to a bar. I couldn't go to a party, so I ran to Him. During the year, when I have asked questions, and even at the rally at Carnegie Hall before I spoke, I thought, God, how can I say anything? I don't have any answers. And even then, because I didn't have any place to go, I went to Him. And if you're a believer, that's where you've gone. Because the clichés didn't work anymore. You went to Him. And He was there. A lot has changed over this year. But God hasn't changed. He's the same yesterday and today and forever. He's in control. He always was in control. And He is in control. And He will be in control. That hasn't changed. I'll tell you something else, as I thought about 9-11. There's truth. It hasn't changed. And sometimes that truth isn't very pleasant. In Psalm 43-3-5, the Psalmist writes, send out your light and your truth. Let them lead me. Let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling. Then I will go to the altar of God. To God, my exceeding joy, and I will praise you, O God, my God. Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you in turmoil? Hoping God, for I shall again praise Him, my salvation, and my God. You know, we've had a tendency before 9-11 when we read the Bible to get clichés and nice sweet things when the Bible. But I don't think any of us will ever do that again. I mean, if you're a Bible believer, you always knew that we lived in a bad world, but not really. I've always known that people were sinners and bent, but not really. I've always known that our country couldn't forever be the exception, but not really. But now, I know. There's an easy way to believe, and we've done that too long. Where the truth was true, but we never internalized it, but we have now. And God has brought us away from the denial and the empty sweet praises, and we've looked at the world the ray it really is, a world for which Christ died. A world that is bent and sinful, a world where evil is real, a world where bad things happen to Christians, and we will never be the same. We will be better, because we have the truth of God's word. God has never lied, and then, finally, God is the same over this year. The truth is the same over this year, and there is still hope, and that has not changed. We live in a dangerous bent and frightening world. The Bible says, very clearly, from Peter, for instance, don't be surprised by the fiery ordeal when it comes to you to test you. Paul said the days are evil. Jesus said in this world, you're going to have tribulation. But Jesus said, be of good cheer. I have overcome the world. The truth is there is a future. The truth is that if you're a Christian, you ought to have questions, you ought to shake a little bit, you ought to cry some. This has not been an easy year, and if you've lost a loved one, I know that has got to be painful. But don't forget about home. Revelation 21 and I John saw a new heaven, and a new earth for the first heaven, and the first earth were passed away, and there was no more sea, and I John saw Holy City. A new Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, behold, the Tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away old tears from their eyes, and their shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither there shall be any more pain, for the former things are passed away. Don't forget, and think about that. I mentioned this. We began this broadcast that we have a booklet that you're going to love, and it kind of scares me to offer this free, because it's a little bit more expensive than the premiums we generally offer, but it's a wonderful book. And I'll send it to you, if you'll let me know. But if you can possibly help us financially with the cost of this, I think this booklet ought to be in the hands of every Christian in America. It's a compilation of some of the work, President George W. Bush's speeches there, Max Locato, Charles Swindall, Ann Graham Lotz, Jack Hafer, Charles Stanley, on right now, and it's called Never Forget Discovering Hope in the Aftermath of tragedy. And be sure and get this. You can call 1-800 key life, and you can do that 24 hours a day. Or you can write key life, post office box 5,000 Madeleine Florida, 3-2794, or key life Canada, post office box 3-2150, Cambridge Ontario, in 3-8-5-3. Or you can email us at keylife.org with your regular mailing address. And I'll send you Never Forget Discovering Hope in the Aftermath of tragedy. And again, if you can help us with some of the costs of this is going to be a big expense, I sure would appreciate it. Hey listen, I've got to go. Key life is a listener-supported production of key life network.