2

How infinite Your grace for us

As You’ve prepared a place

Beyond our mere imaginings

With no familiar trace.

We’ll find our custom-built abode

Beyond the pearly gate,

Step-by-step down streets of gold,

Oh, I can hardly wait!

Yet Lord, I feel I must express

What heaven means to me.

It’s not the mansion of my dreams

That I receive for free.

You see, Lord, if You’d given me

A hut beneath a tree

Or led me to a country shack

Where I’d forever be,

I’d make my home there happily

For always and a day

If You’d make just one promise:

You too would come and stay.

Because, my Lord, one thing is sure,

So search my heart and see –

It’s not reward my heart leaps for:

You are heaven to me.

Dear Friends, As the potential war in Iraq heats up, we sense another of the birth pangs of the end of days. Life goes on, but we must not become insensitive to the fact that Jesus Christ is indeed returning soon . Our heads must be in the clouds and our feet on the ground so to speak. May each of us be fully prepared to meet our Lord. As much, if not more, than any issue, this one posed personal challenges to us. Our pursuit of holiness must be fueled by love, bounded by grace and mercy and ultimately the work of God in us and through us. Daily, we relate to Isaiah when, upon seeing the Lord cried, “Woe is me for I am undone!” Our prayer for all of us is that more than ever, we will be fruitful in our Heavenly Mindedness and that when our dear Savior appears, we will be found acceptable, yes even pleasing to Him. May God bless and keep you all in the coming weeks and may He shine His beautiful face upon you. Maranatha, Lord! Love in Jesus, John and Darlene

Beth Moore

Heaven

HHeeaavveennllyy Minded

You’re of no earthly value unless you’re …

Vol. 2 Issue 9

World News * Uncrossable! * Peace Like a River * Heaven

…seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above… Col. 3:1,2

Uncrossable! I was a goner. All it took was one look and WHAM-O; yep, when I first met my wife, I was instantly attracted to her (we won‘t get into what she first thought about me.) And it was a unique attraction. She wasn‘t (and isn‘t) just pretty – she seemed to me to be glowing, radiant in beauty. Her voice was like a song and her eyes like deep mysterious pools. She danced as she walked. Forty-five minutes later, I asked her to marry me. That was 30 years ago. And what does that have to do with holiness? A LOT. Hang with me now – you‘ll see what I mean. Holiness is from the Hebrew word pronounced ‗qadash‘ and it means to be separate, set apart and sacred. Importantly, it is derived from the word meaning to be or to make clean. Thus, it is far more than simply a separateness; it points to a quality or essence of being that is absolutely without imperfection, without the slightest hint of impurity. But this definition is a mere shadow of the reality and a fuzzy one at best. Let‘s search the scriptures to better understand it. “Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy.” (Rev 15:4) God alone is holy in and of Himself. Seventy people, places or items are declared in the Bible to be holy. But, anyone or anything in scripture that is declared truthfully to be so derives that attribute solely because of a relationship with God Almighty.

Scripture clearly portrays that although there is a ‗binary‘ status with holiness (either someone or something is or isn‘t – see Lev 10:10 as an example), there are also ‗degrees‘ of holiness. This is pictured quite clearly in the design of the tabernacle and later, the temple. While in the wilderness, the congregation of Israel camped outside the tabernacle. Within the outer court area of the tabernacle, came those seeking to worship. Within this court, was the Holy Place in which the priests alone ministered. Then, within the Holy Place was the Holy of Holies into which the High Priest alone could enter and that only once per year. So as you can see, there is portrayed in its design a greater and greater association with holiness moving from the camp to the Ark of the Covenant in the Most Holy Place (i.e. the presence of God). At this point though, the holiness ‗curve‘ takes an asymptotic turn and shoots right off the graph so to speak. Let me explain… Occasionally, we find double-declarations in the original languages for emphasis such as ―peace, peace‖ (Isa 57:19) or ―grace, grace‖ (Zech 4:7) or ―Truly, truly‖ (John 1:51, 3:5, 5:24) but there is only one triple-declaration in all of scripture – ―Holy, holy, holy‖ (see Isa 6:3 and Rev 4:8). God‘s holiness isn‘t just perfect; it‘s in a class by itself. And so, conceptually or pictorially, within the congregation of believers (the camp) is found the holy place of worship (the court) within which is found the even more holy place of ministry to God (the Holy Place) within which is found the intimate place of one on one fellowship (the Holy of

Holies) with the only One who is Holy, Holy, Holy. “God‟s holiness is not simply the best we know infinitely bettered. We know nothing like the divine holiness. It stands apart, unique, unapproachable,incomprehensible and unattainable. The natural man is blind to it. He may fear God‟s power and admire His wisdom, but His holiness he cannot even imagine.” A.W.Tozer) This fundamental point must be accepted and underscored – God alone is holy. Nothing, no one, no place is holy apart from its connection to God‘s presence, His Spirit. If you don‘t hold to that, your understanding of holiness will be superstitious and misled. Now, here‘s a stunning and breath-taking truth: God, contrary to what Satan suggested in the Garden of Eden, WANTS you to be a partaker of His holiness (1 Pet 1:15,16). This does NOT imply hair-buns or black hats. I‘m not knocking those expressions – you simply cannot equate them with the divine holiness. When you catch your breath, consider how significant this is – God wants you to share in the characteristic which mesmerizes the highest of His created beings. “The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!” (Rev 4:8) You see, God calls His people a holy people and a holy nation. (See Deut 7:6, Ex 19:6) and this

serves at least three great purposes: First, To testify to the world -- set apart and clean from the world, we are to be a visual display of what our Lord and His heavenly home are like in character. Thus, when the church is indistinguishable from the world, it is failing. When we are consumed with self-gratification, we only betray the gospel no matter what T-shirts we wear, which church we attend or ministries we pursue. Now, being distinguishable from the world doesn‘t necessarily mean being ‗weird‘ (though the only man in the Bible apart from Christ who is specifically named as holy was clothed in camel‘s hair and ate bugs – John the Baptist). Holiness may seem strange to the world of the spiritually blind, but it‘s not because of our trying to appear outrageous. I was recently told by a pastor in France that a wide spread perception of the evangelical church there is as a bunch of ‗crazies looking for a comet to be beamed up to‘ – that‘s clearly a misrepresentation, and it‘s certainly not the distinguish-ability of holiness. But the world, when it sees true holiness, is utterly convicted and reacts by either accepting or rejecting it. Second, This is intended to bless and protect us individually for in partaking of God‘s holiness, we remain ‗salty‘. That is, the continual work of His Spirit in separating us and cleansing our hearts creates an inward condition suited to spiritual growth like a weed-free garden; in addition, it frustrates and ‗de-fuses‘ the attempts of the enemies of our

souls (the devil, the fallen world and our own sin nature) to seduce, intimidate or otherwise extinguish our distinguish-ability. Third, it just amazes me that God would actually enjoy my fellowship (hey, you don‘t need to agree with me so quickly!) But He does! Yours too! He wants us to see Him and know Him as He is, but it‘s not a casual deal. The Bible tells us to “Pursue peace with all people and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.” (Heb 12:14) That word ―pursue‖ is actually a very aggressive word meaning to chase down in an almost violent manner, to run swiftly in order to catch a person or thing. You see, if it were solely a matter of being saved and thus being holy, we would have no command to chase it. However, in partaking of His holiness to greater and greater degrees, the Lord becomes more ‗visible‘ to us and in us and thus more impressive. As with the tabernacle illustration, the closer we progress from the camp toward the One who is Holy, Holy, Holy – the more intimate our fellowship with Him will be. When the temple veil before the holy of holies was torn apart from top to bottom at the end of Christ‘s crucifixion, God was saying that the way into His presence is now open – the entire way – all because of Jesus. He WANTS you in His presence! So, practically, how does this happen? What is this pursuit, this swift running after holiness? Is it a matter of how intense you appear spiritually or of some secret ‗deeper

truths‘ or the result of going to the right conferences? NO. First, it‘s ‗binary‘. By accepting the gracious gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, you become one of God‘s children – adopted into His family and therefore, by association with the only One who is holy, you are a partaker of His holiness. However, there is this issue of pursuit. It‘s not an issue of salvation, no addition whatsoever to the finished work of the cross. It is, rather, a matter of desire as in, “Let us know, let us pursue the knowledge of the LORD.” (Hos 6:3) A careful word-study reveals that of the 669 mentions of the word ‗holy‘ or ‗holiness‘ by the 40 men used by the Holy Spirit to pen the scriptures, nearly two thirds of the mentions come from just five of the 40. Five of these guys seem to be really ‗into‘ the Lord‘s holiness – Moses, Isaiah, Ezekiel, John and Paul. Why? Each of these men witnessed the awesome glory of the Lord (see Ex 34, Isa 6, Ez 1, Rev 1, Acts 9). They had personal encounters with our Holy God and it clearly impacted their appreciation of the holy. Based upon their testimonies, it‘s obvious that once you‘ve witnessed it, true holiness is simply not something you can be ‗casual‘ about. As you draw nearer to the Lord, pursuit of personal holiness becomes a priority along with your appreciation of the divine. Yet personal holiness does not and will not come from works – we must not confuse holy conduct with holiness itself. The latter results in the former and not the other way around. Peter wrote, “but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Pet 1:15,16)

Unfortunately, we can miss that this word ―be‖ as in ―be holy‖ is actually ―become‖. It is a puncticular action without regard for beginning or ending – we are to become holy in our conduct. How‘s that work? – Four ways: First, The Focus! “When we put our focus on this world, it is hard not to be conformed to the world. We can still fall prey to the lust that enslaved us while we were ignorant of the devil‟s deception. We need to look ahead toward the grace that is being stored up for us. If our hope is in this life, we will be disappointed. I do believe that God wants to bless us, but that is not my hope. I don‟t know when or how God will bless me, so if my hope in is the blessing, I will be disappointed when God doesn‟t fulfill my expectations. My hope is in the fact that anything I lack in this life is grace stored up for me in the life to come. It is better to lack here because God will right every wrong and fulfill every shortfall if my faith endures until the end. If my hope is in the world – even if I am using the promises of God as my foundation, I will not be satisfied. God‟s promises are not for us to bind God, but for God to teach us to trust Him.” “When my hope is in heaven and in the coming revelation of Jesus Christ, I will be drawn into the holiness of God. My focus is on Him and reaching the finish line. Those who hope in the world will hope in His delay and neglect their call to holiness.” (Eddie Snipes)

Second, The Anointing! In Exodus 29:36, we have a wonderful illustration of holiness as we find the Lord giving instruction regarding the altar of sacrifice. In this passage, there are two actions specified. The first is a cleansing which comes from the blood. That is, the altar was made clean or ‗righteous‘ by the blood of atonement. Next, the Lord says to anoint it in order to make it holy. Recall that anointing is done with oil and is always a picture of the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Here we see then an important lesson – righteous standing is the result of the blood while holiness is due to the anointing of the ‗oil‘ or Spirit of God. Upon receiving salvation, accepting the atonement of Christ‘s indescribably precious blood shed on Calvary, we are covered by His righteousness, and because we receive at the same time the indwelling of His Spirit, we are made holy – that‘s why the Bible calls those who are saved saints or holy – same words in the original languages for both. Paul put it this way, “…God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.” (2 Thes 2:13) Upon being saved, we are sanctified or made holy by the Spirit taking up residence in our hearts and as a consequence, our conduct or manner of life is to become more holy. Subsequent to the indwelling, the anointing and out-working of the Spirit‘s influence in our lives should be more and more evident. Third, Dieing Daily! Romans 12:1,2 says, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies

Bush addresses UN General Assembly

of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” Paul picks up on the illustration of the altar of sacrifice and tells us, “…present your bodies a living sacrifice…” one that is holy and clearly different from the deathly avarice of the world. Yes, this living sacrifice is holy and it has nada, nothing, to do with somberness, monasticism or self mastication. As with salvation, personal holiness is a responsive choice on our part. God initiates, and we get to participate, but fundamentally, it is always Him at work in us by His Spirit. Fourth, How Far, How Deep? The question becomes – how deep are you going to go? Just how much control are you really giving Him? – not just with the ‗biggies‘ like ‗should I take that new job?‘ or ‗help me get through this trial.‘ But will you surrender each thought, word and deed? Go ahead and read Ezekiel 47:1-12. Most scholars consider this passage as pertaining to the millennial period yet among other things, it speaks of the sanctifying work of God‘s Spirit. This mighty, life-giving river is a miracle in and of itself. It starts as a small rivulet flowing from south of the altar of sacrifice and without any tributaries becomes a deep uncrossable river. The altar points to the shed blood of Christ and thus His gift of salvation – righteous standing before God. But the stream, the flowing water (literally living waters) speaks of the Holy Spirit. It‘s a small

rivulet to start with and typifies the deposit of God‘s Spirit made in our hearts upon salvation. But, Ezekiel is led down this rivulet‘s path a thousand cubits and is escorted across it. It‘s larger now, and the water comes up to his ankles. In like manner, as we follow the Son of Man, Jesus Christ, we are led to ‗walk the talk‘ – ankle deep so to speak. The Holy Spirit begins to change us and our walk is refreshed in His living waters. Next, the prophet is led another 1000 cubits further downstream and again crosses it. Here, it is knee deep which speaks of humble worship and prayer. As we grow in the Lord, sincere worship and communication with Him become increasingly refreshing, cleansing and Spirit-led activities. After this, Ezekiel is brought another 1000 cubits and again across the river which is now up to his waist. The mid-section of the body was always considered by the ancients as the seat of the soul, the inner man. As such, this pictures the disciple‘s life as progressing with the Lord to the point that he/she is surrendering the thoughts and intents of the heart to the Holy Spirit. As David prayed “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, Oh Lord…” (Psa 19:14) Finally, he is brought another 1000 cubits and being led into the river, he finds it uncrossable – over his head. Here, he is purely ‗in the flow‘ -- submerged. His guide brings him back to shore where he now finds the banks filled with fruit- bearing trees. The river heals and brings life wherever it flows.

At some point, full surrender, absolute emersion in the living waters is going to happen in the life of every true disciple of Christ – maybe here in this life, but absolutely in heaven. The living water gets deeper and deeper to the point where its current is uncrossable and that is the point we see its life-giving force. Partaking of God‘s holiness gets to be more and more of a ‗current‘ in the life of the sincere follower of the Son of Man. Every action, every word, every thought fully submitted to its ‗flow‘ is life-giving and healing. You don‘t cross it anymore; you can only go with it. “What are the qualifications of those who learn to experience Christ in the Holy of Holies? Those who are unafraid to let Him display His awesome resurrection power before their very eyes. Those who can shake off the grave clothes of the former life and enjoy the freedom of the resurrection. Those who are not satisfied with the seen things of this world. Those who are willing to have all earthly perspectives stripped away and to allow God to renew their minds to a fresh capacity for understanding. And those who are willing to fellowship in His suffering. Yes, as hard as it may be to accept, if you stop short of a willingness to fellowship in His sufferings, you stop short of the indescribable experience of His Holy of Holies.” (Beth Moore) Yes, it‘s a CHASE -- “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not

touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you and you shall be My sons and daughters,” says the Lord Almighty. Therefore, having these promises, beloved let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Cor 6:17 – 7:1) Perfecting holiness literally means to finish it, to complete it. But notice the ―let us…‖. In other words, it‘s voluntary. It‘s a matter of how ‗deep and far‘ you‘ll go in this divine ‗river.‘ In conclusion, what does holiness look like any way? The Bible uses just one word to describe the indescribable – we roughly translate it ―beautiful‖ (Psa 29:2, 96:9) It can also mean pleasant, lovely or delightful. What you may never have considered is that our Holy, Holy, Holy God is thus indescribably beautiful, pleasant, lovely, delightful. Absolutely nothing compares, nothing even approaches. His holiness is a beauty that fills eternity with awe, that makes the highest sinless angels blush, that makes life…life. And as we draw near to Him, this holiness is increasingly measured unto us and the result is just beautiful. So you see, when I first met my dear wife, the work of God‘s Spirit is what I saw – and I recognized it immediately. Likewise with holiness, when you see it flourishing in someone‘s life, you know it and there‘s nothing more lovely.

Middle East Palestinians offer detailed plan for state to international 'quartet'

World Tribune 8/21/02 RAMALLAH —The Palestinian Authority has presented what is being termed the most detailed plan for reconciliation with Israel and the establishment of an independent state. Palestinian sources said the plan includes new elements meant to overcome Israeli security objections regarding a Palestinian state. They said this includes a clause that would allow Israel to retain parts of the Jordan Valley for an unspecified interim period. The plan was drafted in consultations with such Arab allies as Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. The sources said the Bush administration is studying the plan and has raised objections. The plan has been promoted by Mahmoud Abbas, known as Abu Mazen, the secretary of the PLO Executive Committee. Abu Mazen toured several Arab countries and hopes to present the plan next month to the so-called "Quartet," composed of the U.S. secretary of state, the foreign ministers of Russia, the European Union policy chief and the United Nations secretary-general. Under the proposal, the Palestinians would be given an independent state in 2005 that would include the entire West Bank, Gaza Strip and eastern Jerusalem. The state would be declared with Israel's endorsement and be admitted to the United Nations.

Syrian army chief: U.S. aims to redraw Mideast with Iraq strike

Reuters 8/27/02 BEIRUT - Syria's Chief of Staff said in remarks released on Monday that Washington's ambitions to oust Iraqi President Saddam Hussein were part of an attempt to rearrange the Middle East region to U.S. and Israeli interests. In his first public comments, Hasan Turkmani told Army magazine in comments to be published next month, that Washington was using allegations of terrorism to pressure Arab governments. "There are security and military alliances fostered by the United States...that now interfere in the domestic affairs of Arab countries and others with the excuse of fighting terrorism," said Turkmani, whose country is on a U.S. list of state sponsors of terror for hosting radical Palestinian groups and backing Lebanon's Hezbollah guerrillas. Syria, which has growing economic ties with Iraq, is a vocal critic of a strike on Baghdad and fears it could be next. Saddam to be target of Britain's 'E-bomb'

The Telegraph 8/27/02 The Pentagon is planning to use a British weapon that can disable electronic and electrical systems without killing anyone to attack Saddam Hussein's chemical and biological weapons sites. The "radio frequency weapon", or E-Bomb, developed at a secret site in south-west England, sends out a high-intensity

radio wave with similar effects to the electromagnetic pulse from a nuclear blast. It is also able to penetrate the underground bunkers where Saddam's chemical and biological weapons are stored as protection from allied bombing. The radio pulse will travel easily down the bunkers' power and ventilation ducts. One of the biggest problems facing allied troops if they were sent into Iraq would be that, with any attack aimed at removing him from power, Saddam knows he has nothing to lose in using his weapons of mass destruction. Bombing the sites would only spread the chemical or biological agents, killing innocent Iraqi civilians and threatening invading forces. By using the E-bomb to cripple the plants' refrigeration and computer systems, the allies would ensure that the weapons could not be used in any effective way. The weapon can also bring civil infrastructure to a standstill, closing national electricity grids, stopping telephone, radio and television systems.

The discovery that Russia was close to producing the E-bomb sparked a race to build similar weapons and counter-measures to protect against them in

which Britain has become the world leader. Iraq has admitted that before the Gulf war it manufactured 100 botulinum bombs, 50 anthrax bombs, and seven aflatoxin bombs. Five missile warheads were filled with anthrax, 16 with botulinum, and four with aflatoxin. The Iraqi chemical warfare arsenal is known to include: The nerve agents Sarin and VX. Colourless and

tasteless, they cause death by respiratory arrest in one to 15 minutes. Blister agents such as mustard gas. Severely incapacitating, they damage tissue, causing extensive large blisters. Psychoactive agents such as Agent 15. Symptoms include dizziness, vomiting and hallucinations lasting for days. Biological warfare agents produced by Iraq include: Anthrax. Symptoms initially resemble that of a common cold and are only identifiable in the fatal phase. Once this begins, vomiting, severe head and joint pain, and respiratory distress will lead to death in one to three days.

World News with an eye on Biblical Prophesy

Like a mighty unstop-able river, the course of world events is moving in harmony with the scriptures. Herein, we present the articles of the last month that best portray the „current‟ of last day‟s events. As a reminder, the Bible speaks of the final chapter of this age, the time immediately preceding Christ‟s return as including: the rise of a dominant world power out of the former Roman Empire, the rule of this power by a charismatic individual known as the Anti-Christ, the attack of many nations against Israel led by Russia, the rocketing of human knowledge, the establishment of Israel and the return of the Jewish people to it, and much, much more. Take heed and read your Bible!!

Mural in Baghdad „glorifies‟ Saddam

Botulinum. Causes botulism. Symptoms include nausea, diarrhoea, paralysis of the throat and convulsions, followed by death due to respiratory arrest. Aflotoxins. Poisons produced by fungi and mould, they have the capacity to cause liver cancer. Ricin. Inhalation leads to weakness, fever and pulmonary oedema within 24 hours followed by death. Clostridium perfringens. A bacterium which causes gangrene. U.S. general tells Israelis war will start by late November

World Tribune 8/30/02 TEL AVIV — The United States has told Israel that it will attack Iraq before the end of November. Israeli military sources said a a senior U.S. military visited Israel earlier this week and toured facilities where the U.S. military has prepositioned equipment and weapons for an emergency in the Middle East. The sources quoted a visiting U.S. general who heads army logistics as saying that Washington intends to strike the regime of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein by late November. The Israeli sources said the two countries discussed Israel's role in any

U.S. military attack, Middle East Newsline reported. In joint military discussions earlier this summer, Pentagon officials said Iraq would be only the first stop in the U.S. war on terror, an Israeli parliamentarian said. "Iraq is the key but not the last stop [in the U.S. effort]," Steinetz said. "It is the first stop. After that there will be massive [U.S.] pressure on Syria and Iran to halt weapons of mass destruction programs and Syria's occupation of Lebanon."

U.S. military sources and analysts said Washington has sent tens of thousands of soldiers and military personnel to Gulf Arab states, Central and South Asia and the Levant. They said the force includes at least 1,000 military planners who have prepared for a rapid airlift of forces in case Washington decides on a war against Iraq. Tehran Plots Second Anti-US War Front Deploying Syria, Hizballah, Palestinians

Debkafile 9/4/02 Iran has drawn up an elaborate war plan of its own to counter the approaching US campaign against Iraq. Syria, Lebanon, the Hizballah and the Palestinians have been enlisted to provoke a massive confrontation with Israel that will serve as a second front and hamstring the US offensive. This is revealed exclusively by DEBKAfile ‘s Iranian and Middle East

sources, in the wake of a secret visit that Iran‘s deputy foreign minister for Arab and African affairs, Mohammad Sadr, paid to Syria and Lebanon this week. The Iranian visitor found the door wide open. The Iranian game plan as revealed to DEBKAfile was charted step by step: A. Iran‘s hardline spiritual leader

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei set up a supreme security council to formulate a plan to

prevent or foil the American assault on Baghdad. Their fundamental conception was that were the United States and Israeli to decide that war on Iraq bears too high a price, Washington would drop its anti-Saddam offensive. B. To ensure that both these foes felt

threatened, the Iranian planners proposed ordering the Hizballah to launch massive pre-emptive assaults against Israel on a scale bound to drag the Israelis into military retaliation against Syria, as well as Lebanon. This action, the Iranian tacticians believe, would lead the Americans to halt their war preparations. Even if they were well into their offensive, the Israel-Syrian war would stop the Americans in their tracks or slow them down. C. In the middle of last week,

Khamenei approved the plan for immediate execution. D. The security council in Tehran

thereupon dispatched deputy foreign minister Sadr to Syria and Lebanon to bring its plan to fruition without delay. According to our sources, the Hizballah greeted their new directives from Tehran with enthusiasm and are preparing very shortly to launch a fresh wave of anti-Israel military operations to begin in the region of Ajar, a border village straddling the Lebanese-Israeli border. The Lebanese terrorist group will claim it is thwarting Israeli moves to interfere with Lebanon‘s exploitation project for the WazzaniRiver sources. From this drummed up pretext, the Lebanese Shiite group will branch the action out into a massive assault. U.S. has 100,000 troops ready to strike Iraq 1,000 military planners

GeoStrategy Direct Intelligence 9/4/02 (courtesy of WorldNet Daily)

The United States continues its military buildup in and around the Persian Gulf with analysts estimating up to 100,000 troops within striking distance of Iraq… U.S. military sources and analysts said Washington has sent tens of thousands of soldiers and military personnel to Gulf Arab states, Central and South Asia and the Levant. They said the force includes at least 1,000 military planners who have prepared for a rapid airlift of forces in case Washington decides on a war against Iraq. The U.S. Defense Department has been bolstering its transport ship fleet as well as preparing its air cargo fleet to defend against Islamic insurgents and Iraqi forces. The Washington-based Center for Defense Information said the U.S. troop deployment effort has been muted and taken in cooperation with host countries. The center said in a report that the cooperation is meant to keep the airlift out of the public eye. "Notably, the command posts throughout the southern Gulf states and their implication of offensive operations are as politically sensitive as ever," the center said in a report authored by Ret. Rear Adm. Stephen Baker and Colin Robinson. "The U.S. 'footprint' in each country requires actual personnel numbers, amount of pre-positioned equipment and support/cooperation agreements made with each country to be kept out of the public‘s knowledge." Currently, the U.S. 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit is exercising with Jordanian forces and the center did not rule out that the maneuvers comprise a cover for pre-positioning forces at well-sited forward staging posts. New Intelligence Exposes Iraq's Nuke Push

Fox News 9/6/02 WASHINGTON — Intelligence on Iraq that the Bush administration will present

Suspected chemical plant in Iraq

to Congress includes information on how dangerously close Saddam Hussein has come to developing a nuclear weapon, Fox News has learned. Sources told Fox News that there is also new information indicating that Iraq has developed new methods of chemical- and biological-weapon delivery, and also of contact between Baghdad and Al Qaeda before and after the Sept. 11 terror attacks. From Vienna, the head of the U.N. nuclear inspection team said Friday that satellite photographs shows unexplained recent construction at Iraqi nuclear sites. Afterward, Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., spoke to Fox News and said: "It was an important briefing -- there was some new information included in it. ... Is there evidence that he is getting prepared to be able to use biological, chemical and nuclear weapons and be able to deliver them? Yes!" Republican House Speaker Dennis Hastert seemed dour as he left the meeting -- and he also confirmed to Fox News that new intelligence about Saddam's threat and pursuit of weapons of mass destruction had been provided. Scuds turned on Israel as Saddam girds for war

Sydney Morning Herald 9/10/02 The four trucks moved under the cover of darkness, each hauling the block-like shape of a mobile Scud missile-launcher into the western deserts of Iraq, from where they could target Israel. As the Herald drove from Baghdad to

Amman on Friday night, the convoy of Saddam Hussein's most feared missiles loomed out of the night as another piece of his defence plan being set up in the face of an imminent United States attack. At the end of the 1991 Gulf War international forces set about destroying all of the Iraqi President's long-range Scud missiles, but he is thought to have retained about 20 of them and dozens of chemical and biological warheads which,

on their mobile launchers, are difficult to track. Visits by the Herald to the north-west,

west and south of Iraq in the past two weeks have revealed frenetic defence preparations, including construction of hardened concrete shelters at a remote airbase in the desert near the Syrian border. A dozen jet fighters were parked at the base as our Russian-build helicopter put down for fuel. That flight, and a subsequent road journey to Basra in the south, revealed major earthworks along highways and around vital facilities, providing cover for tanks facing any force moving on Baghdad. As well, emergency fuel dumps, military vehicles and supplies were being placed in extensive excavations that appeared to have been freshly dug on the outskirts of the capital and other centres. The Iraqi preoccupation is with Baghdad, where diplomats report that members of the regime are now stockpiling food, medicine and fuel. SAUDIS OFFER BASES FOR IRAQ STRIKE BBC 9/15/02 Saudi Arabia has made what appears to be a major shift in its policy on Iraq, indicating that it could allow U.S. forces access to bases on its territory from which to launch military strikes on Baghdad. Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal told CNN that such action would have to be endorsed by the United Nations and remained a last resort. And he repeated calls to Iraq to agree to the return of UN weapons inspectors. Senior U.S. officials have been exerting intense pressure on the UN to force Iraq to comply with UN resolutions as soon as possible to avert the threat of war.

Europe EU-WIDE SURVEILLANCE A POSSIBILITY SOON EU Observer 8/20/02 Records of personal communications, including all emails and telephone calls, will be stored for at least a year according to a proposal the EU governments are to decide on next month. Under the plan, all telecommunications firms, including mobile phone operators and internet service providers, will have to keep the numbers and addresses of calls and emails sent and received by EU citizens. The information, known as traffic data, would be held in central computer systems and made available to all EU governments, the Guardian reports. ‗The traffic data of the whole population of the EU - and the countries joining - is to be held on record. It is a move from targeted to potentially universal surveillance,‘ editor of Statewatch, Tony Bunyan warns. ‗EU governments claimed that changes to the 1997 privacy directive would not be binding on member states - each national parliament would have to decide. Now we know that all along they were intending to make it compulsory across Europe,‘ Bunyan said, according to the British newspaper… EU head wants Palestinian state in 2005

Reuters 8/28/02 COPENHAGEN - Denmark, the current holder of the EU presidency, has suggested the creation of an independent Palestinian state in 2005 as a part of a plan aimed at reviving the shattered Middle East peace process. Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Moeller will present the plan to his 14 European Union colleagues when

they gather for an informal meeting in the country later this week. Moeller said he believed it was impossible for the Palestinians to carry out institutional reforms demanded by the international community and stop suicide bombings without having a clear

goal in front of them. "It is necessary through parallel progress on security, economic and political matters to strengthen the Palestinians' faith that an independent state is within reach and Israel's faith that they can finally achieve security within their own borders," Moeller said in a statement on Wednesday. Moeller said peace brokers in the Quartet -- made up of the United States, Russia, the United Nations and the EU -- should agree as soon as possible on a road map stating phases, time frames and obligations for the two parties in the process towards a Palestinian state. "At the informal foreign ministers' meeting we will work on the road map which can be presented to the Quartet in New York in September," Moeller said. British parents want microchip to track their kids

Sun Sentinel 9/2/02

President Bush first learns of 9-11 attacks

LONDON -- A British scientist said on Monday he had been inundated with requests by panicked parents to implant a tracking microchip into their children after the recent murders of two 10-year-olds in a quiet English town. Cybernetics expert Kevin Warwick from Reading University near London believes he can allay parents fears with a tiny microchip that may prevent an abduction from becoming a murder. The controversial robotics scientist gained fame in Britain after he wired his own nervous system to a computer in an experiment he hopes will eventually give paralysed people more control over their own bodies. ``A number of families have contacted me after the murders of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman with the possibility of using an implant for their own daughter,'' Warwick told Reuters in a telephone interview. A spate of recent abductions in the United States have put parents there on edge as they worry about their children, but Warwick believes it is for society to decide if a microchip implant is the ethical way to combat such fears.

Russia/China Washington concerned over Russia-Iraq deal

Financial Times 8/18/02 Russia is to forge a five-year trade deal with Iraq worth $40bn, raising fresh concerns in Washington about the response of President Vladimir Putin to US efforts to unseat Saddam Hussein. The deal with Iraq increases the economic interests in the two countries for which Russia could later demand protection or compensation, potentially increasing Moscow's interests in supporting the regime. Mr Putin is simultaneously building relations with the other countries that make up what George W. Bush, US president, has called an "axis of evil". Last month, Russia proposed a 10-year

economic programme with Iran that would include the supply of five more nuclear reactors in addition to one already under construction. Russia will this week host a visit by Kim Jong-Il, the North Korean leader, his second in a year. Iraq will want Russia to use its veto in the UN Security Council if Washington seeks UN support for a military strike on Iraq. The agreement will help Iraq counter US arguments that Russia could gain economically from a regime change in Baghdad. A nuke scandal is gathering steam

Pravda 9/13/02 Pyotr Simonenko, the leader of the Ukrainian Communist Party released a sensational statement on Wednesday. In his words, there were 2400 nuclear warheads in Ukraine, although the export of only 2200 of them was officially documented. Simonenko claimed that nobody knows where 200 Soviet-era nukes in Ukraine are. The official reaction followed the next day, but it was a rather weak one. Deputy chief of the Ukrainian Army Headquarters, Nikolay Goncharenko, declared that Simonenko‘s statement regarding the disappearance of the nuclear weapons from the territory of Ukraine was absolutely groundless. The high-ranking military official stated that all weapons of the trilateral agreement concerning the execution of the contract for strategic offensive arms had been handed over to Russia. Ok, but how come the leader of Ukrainian communists counted 200 nukes? It seems that the nuke scandal will continue.

United States Rumsfeld: Attack Can't Wait

FoxNews 8/20/02 WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Rumsfeld told Fox News we can't afford to wait before dealing with threats from places like Iraq in an exclusive interview

Monday, and warned that U.S. intelligence about Saddam Hussein's development of weapons of mass destruction may be years behind. "Waiting to be attacked in a Pearl Harbor-like attack where several thousand people were killed results in several thousand people being killed," Rumsfeld said. "Waiting to be attacked by someone who has been developing and has used weapons of mass destruction where you're looking at risking not several thousand of people but potentially several tens of thousands of people or hundreds of thousands of people is quite a different thing." Rumsfeld, without referring to Saddam or Iraq by name, said it's time to act, and act now, adding the U.S. can't afford to let countries like Iraq get any closer to building chemical, biological or nuclear weapons. Air Force's Special Team Readies for War

Fox News 9/4/02 MIAMI — The Army has its Special Forces, the Navy its SEALs. They're the elite, highly-trained troops who carry out some of the most dangerous and secret missions of war. But what about the Air Force? The Air Force's Special Tactics squad flies so far below the military's regular radar, some in its own service don't even know it exists. "Not a whole lot of people know about us and in a way it's kind of nice because it enables us to do things that people aren't really aware of," said Tech Sgt. Calvin Markham, a special tactics operator. Military law allows only men into this stealthy group of front-line combat fighters, who are sworn to do whatever it takes to accomplish the mission. There are only about 800 operators and support staff in the elite group worldwide.

Less than 1 percent of all recruits actually make it through special tactics training. So far, only two classes have completed this course and when the next group graduates, they will be combat-ready, and could be headed to straight to America's war on terror. U.S. reprisal to be 'annihilation'

Washington Times 9/10/02 Vice President Richard B. Cheney said yesterday that Saddam Hussein is "actively and aggressively" trying to build a nuclear bomb, and two key senators disclosed that U.S. officials have warned the Iraqi dictator that he and his country face "annihilation" if he deploys a weapon of mass destruction. "We have recently let Saddam Hussein know what the consequences of his use of a weapon of mass destruction — chemical, biological, or, if and when he acquires it, nuclear — against any of his neighbors, and that would be annihilation," Sen. Bob Graham, Florida Democrat and chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said on CNN's "Late Edition With Wolf Blitzer." Mr. Graham said it has "been conveyed to Baghdad" that using a weapon of mass destruction would result "not only in the annihilation" of Saddam, "but of much of his society." Sen. Richard C. Shelby, Alabama Republican and vice chairman of the intelligence committee, who was also on "Late Edition," when asked if Saddam has been "formally warned" of extinction if he uses such a weapon, said: "Absolutely. We've done that before. The first President Bush in 1990, '91 did that. I think it was clear, unmistakable language." Arabs quietly strike deals with U.S. on Iraq Statements opposing war meant to calm public opinion, clerics

WND 9/11/02

Arab statements opposing a U.S. war in Iraq were made to calm public opinion, reassure the radical clerics and prevent domestic unrest, according to Geostrategy, the global intelligence news agency. Behind the scenes, Arab diplomatic sources said, the United States is sewing up deals with almost all of its Arab allies. They include Jordan and the Gulf Cooperation Council states. The GCC is a six-member group composed of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia? The sources assert that Riyadh and Washington are reaching or have arrived at a deal over the use of the kingdom for a strike against Iraq. The deal would allow U.S. aircraft to use Saudi air space in defensive and support missions over Iraq. Last week, about 25 U.S. aircraft flew from Saudi Arabia to support a massive air strike on suspected missile and weapons of mass destruction facilities in western Iraq. The attack was one of the few near the Jordanian border over the last decade. Under the agreement drafted, Riyadh also has pledged to provide intelligence and logistical support to the United States. The other GCC countries and Jordan also have done their bit. Bahrain has pledged to allow for expanded use of Manama for the U.S. Fifth Fleet. Qatar is allowing the United States intensive use of its Al Udeid air base. Kuwait has been receiving new weapons and soldiers to prepare for a strike against southern Iraq. Oman has been providing Britain and the United States with its desert areas for training and logistics. The diplomatic sources said the Arab allies of Washington will use the next few months to prepare public opinion for the U.S. war against Iraq. They said the allies will highlight the Saddam threat and acknowledge that just like Iraq, the Arab countries will be powerless to oppose the United States.

N.Y. Lottery Draws 9-1-1 on 9/11 AP 9/12/02

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - On the first anniversary of the terrorist attacks, a date known as 9-11, the evening numbers drawn in the New York Lottery were 9-1-1. "The numbers were picked in the standard random fashion using all the same protocols," said lottery spokeswoman Carolyn Hapeman. "It's just the way the numbers came up." For the evening numbers game, the New York Lottery selects from balls numbered zero to nine circulating in a machine at the lottery office. Three levers are pressed, and three balls are randomly brought up into tubes and then displayed. Traders puzzled by eery 911 closing of S&P futures

AP 9/12/02 CHICAGO - In an ironic twist, the September Standard & Poor's 500 futures contract closed Tuesday at 911.00 — a day before the one-year anniversary of the terrorist attacks. "It was bizarre, it was strange, but it wasn't manufactured," said Richard Canlione, vice president of institutional financial futures at Salomon Smith Barney. "It was just the rules of coincidence ... That's just where the market was." Market players noted prices were already moving higher throughout Tuesday after two prior up days, so it wasn't as if an abrupt change in direction took place to achieve the numerical equivalent of Sept. 11. U.S. Moving Central Command Units to Qatar

Fox News 9/11/02 WASHINGTON — Soon after President Bush travels to the U.N. to lay out the case for ousting Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, elements of U.S. Central Command headquarters will begin moving from Tampa, Fla., to an air base in Qatar, highly placed U.S. military sources told Fox News.

The sources said Central Command (CENTCOM) headquarters will start shifting people and equipment to Qatar, a small Persian Gulf state bordering Saudi Arabia, beginning Friday. CENTCOM commands and controls America's military in 25 countries in Central and Southwest Asia, the Middle East and Northeast Africa. The moving of some elements of the headquarters to the Persian Gulf is a visible sign that the U.S. military is preparing for future operations against Iraq. Fox News has also learned that CENTCOM commander Gen. Tommy Franks on Tuesday outlined a "plan for Iraq" to the Joint Chiefs of Staff in a secure room at the Pentagon. Gen. Franks had already made a presentation to President Bush last week at the White House.

United Nations No war on Iraq unless the United Nations allows the use of force, top Vatican official says

Associated Press 9/9/02 VATICAN CITY - Military action against Iraq should only be undertaken if the United Nations authorizes it, the Vatican's foreign minister said Monday in the first statement on the issue by the Vatican. In an interview with the Italian Catholic newspaper L'Avvenire published Monday, Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran also warned the international community of the consequences that a war might have on both the Iraqi population and the stability of the whole region. "We can't impose the law of the jungle," Tauran was quoted as saying

by L'Avvenire. "Obviously we can't fight evil with evil." "Should the international community ...

conclude the use of force is opportune and justified, this should only happen with a decision made in the framework of the United Nations," the archbishop said. Iraq Says It Robbed U.S. of Reason to Wage War

Reuters 9/17/02 BAGHDAD - Iraq said Tuesday it had robbed the United States of any reason to wage war by agreeing to re-admit U.N. arms inspectors but U.S. and British officials were deeply suspicious of Saddam Hussein's latest move. Iraq said the decision to let U.N. inspectors resume their hunt for weapons of mass destruction, suspended in 1998, should stop any U.S. plans for an assault on the oil rich Gulf state. "All the reasons for an attack have been eliminated," Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz said in Baghdad. Iraqis in the street gloated over their government's sudden shift, but some feared it would not stop the United States from attacking.

Bush addresses the UN

UN Sec. Gen. Annan and Iraq‟s Deputy PM Aziz

Quartet on Middle East outlines three-phase roadmap for final settlement by 2005

UNISPAL 17 September – Members of the diplomatic Quartet on the Middle East - comprising the United Nations, European Union, Russian Federation and United States - today outlined a three-phase roadmap to achieve the shared vision of two States - Israel and Palestine - living side by side in peace and security. Following a meeting at UN Headquarters in New York, the Quartet's principals issued a communiqué in which they unveiled their plan, which aims to achieve a comprehensive final settlement within three years. The initial phase of the plan, from now until the first half of 2003, involves performance-based criteria for comprehensive security reform, Israeli withdrawals to their positions of September 2000 as security improves, and support for the Palestinians to hold free, fair and credible elections early next year. In the plan's second phase, next year, "our efforts should focus on the option of creating a Palestinian State with

provisional borders based upon a new constitution, as a way station to a permanent status settlement," said the participants: UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan; Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov; United States Secretary of State Colin Powell and Foreign Minister Per Stig Moeller of Denmark for the EU. Also taking part in the talks were Javier Solana, the EU's High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, and Chris Patten, the European Commission's External Relations Commissioner. In its final phase, from 2004 to 2005, the plan envisages Israeli-Palestinian negotiations aimed at a permanent status solution in 2005. "Consistent with the vision expressed by [US] President Bush, this means that the Israeli occupation that began in 1967 will be ended through a settlement negotiated between the parties and based on UN resolutions 242 and 338, with Israeli withdrawal to secure and recognized borders," the Quartet said.

Concerning reform of the Palestinian Authority, the Quartet welcomed "a number of significant achievements" realized "under very difficult circumstances," and pledged to continue supporting Palestinian efforts to prioritize reform benchmarks, particularly on the issue of elections, judicial reform, and the role of civil society. The Quartet also called on the Palestinians to work with the United States and other regional partners to reform the Palestinian security services, strengthen policing and law and order for the civilian population, and "fight the terror that has severely undermined the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinians." The communiqué stressed that the plan "will not succeed unless it addresses political, economic, humanitarian, and institutional dimensions." Progress between the three phases "would be strictly based on the parties' compliance with specific performance benchmarks to be monitored and assessed by the Quartet."

Science Bracelet to track kids by satellite

The Advertiser 8/25/02 Two United States companies have unveiled tracking bracelets that can locate a child within 60 seconds of a distress call being sent. The bracelets transmit a signal that is picked up by the Global Positioning System network of navigational satellites. The bracelets also can be set to sound an alarm if a child wanders beyond programmed limits. A spokesman for … Wherify Wireless, said interest had skyrocketed since the deaths of British schoolgirls Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells. But he dismissed claims the companies were cashing in on

parents' panic and invading children's privacy. "How can you criticise a device that helps parents monitor their children?" he said. Data Missing on Missing Children

Insight 9/2/02 By now the stories are all too familiar. A child is missing: vanished from the family's back yard, snatched from the bus stop or stolen from his or her own bedroom. The pictures on the evening news have become a ghostly reminder of childhood lost. These stories are heartbreaking for everyone; parents' grief is all but unbearable. Meanwhile, across the nation, parents fear their child could be next. Justice Department research indicates the risk of abduction by a stranger is relatively low for preschoolers, but increases through elementary school and peaks at age 15. Teen-age girls are considered most vulnerable. Frightened parents wonder how the society in which they are raising families got this way. Some blame the media for reporting these cases. The FBI charged that reporters were distorting the facts with fear-driven stories about monsters preying on children. The FBI, in fact, insists that child abductions by strangers actually have declined. In the 1980s the number of such child abductions averaged annually about 200 to 300, according to the FBI. In 2000, the number of cases dropped to 93 compared with 134 in 1999 and 115 in 1998, when the FBI first began tracking these statistics. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) also has tried to calm the waters by advising that most of the 725,000 children reported missing in 2001 were returned. Of that number, the NCMEC claims, 3,000 to 5,000 were nonfamily abductions or stranger-kidnapping cases with most being returned. NCMEC statistics don't match the FBI's compilation. About 6

Bush addresses UN General Assembly

Bush addresses UN General Assembly

Bush addresses UN General Assembly

percent of abductions by strangers result in murder. So how many children are missing, from where and what are their names? No one knows for sure. So far, no member of Congress has bothered to ask for an accounting of every missing child in the nation. As a result, there has been no national compilation of such rudimentary information as name, age, date missing and status of the case. Experts in the field explain that each jurisdiction defines crimes of kidnapping differently. Regardless of such problems, both NCMEC President Ernie Allen and the FBI insist that there are enough empirical data to indicate that child-snatching has declined, particularly abductions by strangers Meanwhile, Furedi insists, "The cumulative effect of the ceaseless exploitation of the issue of child-snatching by the U.S. media is to poison the relationship between adults and children. As far as American culture goes, adults and children need to be kept apart."

Religion They Hate Christians Too

Michael Freund 8/28/02 This past Friday, on August 23, Yemen's government-run television station broadcast a prayer sermon delivered at the Grand Mosque in Sanaa, Yemen's capital. Here is what the preacher had to say, "O Allah, destroy the Jews and their supporters and the Christians and their supporters and followers. O Allah, destroy the ground under their feet, instill fear in their hearts, and freeze the blood in their veins." This marked the third week in a row that official Yemeni TV had broadcast a sermon in which the preacher issued a chilling, and decidedly unpleasant, call for the destruction of both Jews and Christians.

Earlier this month, in a Friday prayer sermon broadcast live on official Qatari TV from the Omar Bin-Khattab Mosque in Doha, the preacher denounced what he termed the "vile Christians" and pleaded with Allah to annihilate them: "O Allah, destroy the usurper Jews and the vile Christians… O Allah, pour out Your anger on them. O Allah, destroy them." Bear in mind that the stations broadcasting this bile are owned, funded

and administered by their respective governments. Hence, the hateful messages they propagate are the full and undeniable responsibility of their leaders, the very same leaders now being courted by the US State Department in the hopes they will participate in the war on terror.

PEACE LIKE A RIVER When peace like a river, attendeth my way; When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul. It is well...with my soul... It is well, it is well, with my soul...

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control, That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate, And hath shed His own blood for my soul. It is well...with my soul... It is well, it is well, with my soul... He lives--oh, the bliss of this glorious thought; My sin, not in part, but the whole, Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, Oh my soul. It is well...with my soul... It is well, it is well, with my soul...

And, Lord, haste the day when our faith shall be sight The clouds be rolled back as a scroll, The trumpet shall sound, and the Lord shall descend; Even so, it is well with my soul... It is well...with my soul... It is well, it is well, with my soul...

In 1871, tragedy struck Chicago as fire ravaged the city. When it was all over, 300 people were dead and 100,000 were homeless. Horatio Gates Spafford was one of those who tried to help the people of the city get back on their feet. A lawyer who had invested much of his money into the downtown Chicago real estate, he'd lost a great deal to the fire. A year later, his one son (he had four daughters) died . Nevertheless, Spafford, who was a friend of evangelist DL Moody, ministered to the homeless, impoverished, and grief-stricken who had been likewise ruined by the fire. After about two years of such work, Spafford and his family decided to take a vacation. They were to go to England to join Moody and Ira Sankey on one of their evangelistic crusades, then travel in Europe. Horatio was delayed by business, but sent his family on ahead. He would catch up to them on the other side of the Atlantic. Their ship, the Ville de Havre, never made it. Off Newfoundland, it collided with an English sailing ship, the Loch Earn, and sank within 20 minutes. Though Horatio's wife, Anna, was able to cling to a piece of floating wreckage (one of only 47 survivors among hundreds), their four daughters--Maggie, Tanetta, Annie, and Bessie--were killed. Horatio received a telegram from his wife, with only two words: "saved alone." Spafford boarded the next available ship to be near his grieving wife, and the two finally met up with

Hizballah leader Nasrallah

Moody. "It is well," Spafford told him quietly. "The will of God be done." Though reports vary as to when he did so, Spafford was led during those days of overwhelming grief to pen the words to one of the most beautiful hymns we know, beloved by Christians lowly and great. When trajedies assault our lives, they are usually accompanied by a numbing detachment, a targeting anger and a cruel sense of insecurity concerning God or our relationship with Him. It is in these circumstances that if we cry out to the Lord and surrender our crushed, wandering hearts, that

we actually meet Him. It is only in these circumstances that we realize that He is greater than them – it‘s no longer theory. And so, broken people who love God look to heaven. Heavenly Minded people are enraptured with their Maker. They are ever conscious of His presence. They are motivated to do His pleasure with hearts unfettered by mixed motives. It is well with our souls as we look to our salvation – all will be made right, all you may think you‘ve lost will be found in Him. He‘s the Good Shepherd and He loves you more than you can imagine.

They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your

house, and You give them drink from the river of Your

pleasures. For with You is the fountain of life;