One Nation Under God...
Copyright 2001 by Thomas Miles, Sr.

Psalm 91: "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation."

No words can explain the feelings of people across this vast country today. Hearts are broken, lives are shattered, and fear prowls looking for that which it can destroy. God's people though know that HE did not have any thing to do with this horrific act of terror. This was not an act of God.

God did not make the decision to destroy lives and property. God did not decide to wreak havoc and terror on a nation. God may be angry, God may be saddened by a nation that rejects Him, but God does not go around killing people that turn from Him. 

John 10:10, "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." 

Satan is the one that comes to kill and to destroy. Christ came so that we may have life. Life is what we need. CHRIST is what we need. Join together believers across this nation in prayer to the ONE TRUE GOD. Do not blame God for this disastrous deed committed by cowardly imps. Stand strong, stand tall, and stand united in prayer for peace. Stand together as a nation of love and peace not as a nation of hate and violence.

Over the next few hours and days tempers will rise and fall. Pray before you act. This great country called the United States of America is home to many nations. On our soil lives the heart of the world. Religious freedom reigns in America and houses many peoples and their cultures. Let us not lash out in anger towards any one simply because they are not like us. 

Let us not jump to conclusions that because a person living in this country comes from Pakistan, India, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan or some other country that they are open targets to vent our anger and suspicions. Let us not open our doors to terrorism within our own ranks. Let us go forward as a nation united under God, victorious through God, and compassionate to all people with God.

In the words of Red Skelton I offer this and pray that we as a country stand united in love, in Christ, one nation blessed by God not harmed by God for ALL!

* I -- me, an individual, a committee of one.
* Pledge -- dedicate all my worldly goods to give without self pity.
* Allegiance -- my love and devotion.
* To the flag -- our standard, Old Glory, a symbol of freedom. Where she waves, there is respect because your loyalty has given her a dignity that shouts freedom is everybody's job.
* of the United -- that means we have all come together.
* States -- individual communities that have united into 50 great states. Fifty individual communities with pride and dignity and purpose, all divided with imaginary boundaries, yet united to common purpose, and that's for love of country.
* And to the republic -- republic is a state in which sovereign power is invested in representatives chosen by the people to govern. And government is the people and it's from the people to the leaders, not from the leaders to the people.
* For which it stands, one nation under God -- The nation, meaning "so blessed by God"
* Indivisible -- incapable of being divided.
* With liberty -- which is freedom and the right of power to live one's own life without threats or fears of some sort of retaliation.
* And Justice -- the principle or quality of dealing fairly with others.
* For all -- which means, ladies and gentlemen, it's as much your country as it is mine.

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Written by Pastor Thomas Miles, Sr., founder and editor of Living Vine Ministries