September 11th will always mean something to Americans and perhaps the world.  It certainly continues to mean something to me.

In fact, much like those from the WWII generation who remember exactly where they were when Pearl Harbor was attacked, so I recall exactly where I was when the Twin Towers fell.  I remember my shock, disgust, and dismay as I watched the second plane hit.  (I was in class when the first plane struck.)  I also remember thinking, as you probably thought, that the world would never be the same. Indeed, the world has changed forever.

And as we memorialize the victims of 9/11 words like "evil" and "justice" get thrown around by politicians and moms & pops alike.  In the midst of this discussion of true evil and right and wrong, one shocking and uncomfortable truth often goes unmentioned: most of you are in the same boat as the folks that took down the Twin Towers in NYC on 9/11. 

No, you're probably not mass murderers.  But you are likely in the same predicament as Osama Bin Laden and friends in that you have fallen short of God's perfect standard.

Did you know, when you face God it will not matter that terrorists are cold-blooded killers and you are not?  It also won't matter that you've tried to live and let live.  It won't even matter if you've been to church more than once this year.

The reason all that won't matter is simple.  God is perfect and just and because he is perfect, God requires all those who come to him to be perfect.  Unfortunately for Mohammed Atta, the other hijackers, and us, "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." Sin is missing God's mark like an archer misses the bullseye on a target. You, me and everyone else, in and of themselves, fail to measure up to God's perfection.

Come on, man?  I'm not perfect but I try to live a good life and help people.  Doesn't that count for something?

In a word: no.  In fact, you may not realize it but God sees you as a rebel fully deserving his punishment.  Paul, one of Jesus' early followers quoted the Old Testament when he said, "All have turned aside; all have gone astray...No one seeks after God, no not one." If God is knocking on the front door, you are running out the back.

And God also spoke through Paul saying, "The wages of sin is death."  As in, what you earn for your missing God's mark and not seeking him is eternal death--separation from God's presence forever.

Well, what kind of God is that?  He's perfect and he wants all of us to be perfect, and He's willing to send us to hell forever, even though he knows we can't measure up.  Is God twisted or something?

Nope.  While God knows that you can't meet his standard, the good news is that in addition to being the just Judge of all and in control of the entire universe, God is unbelievably loving.  In fact, God has graciously given His only Son Jesus Christ to pay the penalty for your missing God's mark.  In fact, God says through Peter, another of Jesus' first century disciples, "For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that he might bring us to God."

Even though the folks who blew up the Twin Towers, you, and me all deserve God's wrath, God decided to allow Jesus to take the place of all who simply believe in Him.  What a gift!

Fine, Bible boy. How exactly do you propose I accept God's incredible gift of His Son?

Believe.  That's it.  No doing a thousand good deeds that won't save you from God's punishment, anyway.  No going to church so that God will look the other way.  There is only one way to meet God's perfect standard and to know Him forever: simply believe in Jesus Christ and follow Him.

Believing in Jesus Christ entails accepting all that Jesus claimed about Himself and proved by rising from the dead--that he was the Messiah (or Christ) prophesied for thousands of years, that he was God in the flesh, and that he would return again to judge and to reign over his creation.  (Did you know that Jesus fulfilled over 300 specific prophecies when he came to earth, many of which he didn't have any control over?)

Believing in Jesus also means making him Lord of your life.  You must turn from your own path and follow him completely.  As Jesus said, "If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me."  Taking up your cross means you die to yourself. 

From here on, what you want is out the window.  The only thing that matters is what Jesus Christ wants from you.  This doesn't mean that you become a robot and cease to be you.  God made you wonderfully and he has designed you to specifically serve his purpose.  But you must first deny yourself, die to yourself, and follow God through Jesus Christ.

And what's the reward for simply confessing Jesus as the payment for your sins and following him as your Lord?  Life forever with him!  As God said through Paul, "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you shall be saved." (If you don't believe that Jesus rose from the dead, consider this: he appeared to over 500 witnesses after he came back to life and Jesus even ate breakfast with some of his disciples after his resurrection!) 

Right now, you literally have the chance to know God and befriend Him forever. But only on His terms.  Being less evil than terrorists who blow up buildings will not change your status as a rebel from God nor will it help you when you face God after you die.  The only means by which you can know God is Jesus Christ, as Jesus himself said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father but by Me."

If you want to know God through Jesus Christ, simply talk to him today.  Even though you can't see God, He will listen and answer.  Confess that you haven't met God's standard and that you believe Him when he says that not meeting His standard rightly earns you eternal death--separation from God forever. 

Then confess God's gift of Jesus Christ--who was God in human flesh and God's promised Savior of mankind, proving it by rising from the dead. Tell God you believe what He said through Peter: that Jesus died and took on our sin so that we might know God.  And tell God that you want to do a 180 from the road you're on and make Jesus Lord of your life.

Trusting in Jesus Christ right now is the first step in a long and amazing road with God.  Next you'll want to head to a bookstore and pick up a New American Standard Bible. Or you can simply visit www.biblegateway.com. The NASB, as its commonly known, sticks closely to the original languages the Bible was written in (Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek), and is easy to read. 

First read the book of John. It's a great intro to Jesus Christ--what He claimed about Himself, what His life meant, and what it means to you.

Never forget the folks who died on 9/11.  More important, understand that without Jesus Christ you are a rebel from God and fall short of his standard, just like the terrorists who struck on 9/11.  Then trust Jesus Christ and follow Him, with all the incredible, eternal rewards that come with it.

As you think about all this, feel free to drop us an email at info at myluckyrock.com.  We'll be happy to help you with any tough questions that you have and to encourage you as you seek God.