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Ask any baby boomer "Where were you when JFK was shot?" and they will be quick to give you an answer. On Friday, November 22, 1963 the United States of America was caught up by national tragedy. Those who witnessed that event will always remember how they felt the moment they heard the news. Likewise, the question "Where were you on the morning of September 11th, 2001?" will be echoed for generations. On that morning the world stood still and watched in disbelief as the Pentagon burned and the Twin Towers came tumbling down. For three days following the attacks the major television networks suspended all of their scheduled programming  – not since the assassination of John F. Kennedy has any single event captivated the nation's attention in such a way.

This week, as we observe the anniversary of the September 11 attacks, most will acknowledge that the world we live in today is very different than it was seven years ago. The 9/11 attacks changed both our perceptions and our reality. In the weeks and months following the attacks many predicted that our nation would experience a broad revival and that Americans would turn back to the Word of God for guidance and comfort. Indeed, some have looked to Christ for answers, but those who hoped for national revival and repentance have been disappointed.

The blood shed on September 11, 2001 became the catalyst in the war on terrorism. That tragic event briefly united Americans in a common cause, however that unity has splintered. Growing differences in values and philosophy have driven a wedge down the middle of American society. We are a divided nation. We are divided by ideologies, worldviews, and politics. We are perhaps no stronger, no better equipped or prepared, today to take on the challenges facing our nation than we were seven years ago.

Sleeper Cells

Today the question looms: will terrorists strike us again on American soil? Some say the likelihood of another attack is almost certain, it is only a matter of time. One of the biggest concerns in the intelligence community are reports of Western-born operatives who have received training in Al-Qaeda camps in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Ted Gistaro, of the National Directorate for Intelligence, has warned that "Al-Qaida is identifying, training and positioning operatives for attacks in the West, likely including in the United States. These operatives include North American and European citizens and legal residents with passports that allow them to travel to the United States without a US visa." Some of these operatives are young Caucasian men that are unlikely to attract the attention.

Last week authorities arrested three German citizens in a bomb plot targeting American military personnel stationed in Europe. Police say the three men, two of which are ethnic Germans, were trained by Al-Qaeda in Pakistan. This latest incident is just one example of what intelligence officials say is a growing trend. Al-Qaeda is actively recruiting disaffected Americans and Europeans to join with them in Jihad. The US government believes that Al-Qaeda has trained dozens of Westerners that may even now be part of terrorist cells planning attacks in Europe and North America.

A Wake Up Call

It seems most Americans have closed their eyes to the challenges facing our nation. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair once aptly stated that: "September 11 for me was a wake up call. Do you know what I think the problem is? That a lot of the world woke up for a short time and then turned over and went back to sleep again."

It has been observed that nations and empires have "life cycles." This has been studied by many historians throughout the years and most have come to the same conclusion: a lifetime of about two centuries. And they all seem to go through the same life cycle: "from bondage to spiritual faith; from spiritual faith to great courage; from courage to liberty; from liberty to abundance; from abundance to complacency; from complacency to apathy; from apathy to dependency; from dependence back again into bondage (Alexander Tyler, 1750)."

Where are we in this cycle? We, too, have gone from bondage to spiritual faith; from faith to great courage which established our precious liberty, which, in turn, has given us unprecedented abundance that has made us the envy of the world. That abundance, however, has led to complacency and apathy. Ask almost anyone, "What is the biggest problem in America? Is it ignorance or is it apathy?" They are likely to answer, "I don't know and I don't care!"

This apathy will ultimately lead to dependency and then return us to the very bondage that this nation was founded to deliver us from. Robert Bork was right when he said that, "the only hope for America is a grass roots revival." Is America ripe for judgment? Billy Graham quipped many years ago, "If God doesn't judge America He will have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah!" Likewise, Thomas Jefferson summed it up when he said: "I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; and that His justice cannot sleep forever."

This year, on the anniversary of September 11, pray for our nation, pray for our leaders, pray for revival, pray for our enemies, and pray for guidance and correction in your own life. For more on this subject, check out Avi Lipkins briefing titled Sleeping In America: The Secret War.

Whether facing the threat of militant Islam in Iran, or outright slaughter in India, Christian persecution around the world has not gone away. Even as we pick through different versions of the Bible for our Bible study, pastors in other countries have to pay half a year's wages on the black market just to possess one copy of God's Word in their own tongues. We should keep up on the situations around the world, so that we can pray for our brothers and sisters and stand in the gap for them during their hours of great need.

India

Horrible massacres have been taking place in the Orissa state on India's eastern shore. An anti-Christian Hindu leader was assassinated on August 22, and since then Hindu mobs have been burning churches and homes. Unknown numbers of Christians have been slaughtered and their bodies burned. Others are burned alive. A pregnant woman and her one-year-old child were chopped up when she refused to convert to Hindusim. The brutality is unbelievable. It is estimated that 50,000 Christians have left their homes to save their lives.

Despite the horror, there is hope that this persecution will only lead to the growth of Christianity in the region. Gospel For Asia's leader in Orissa, Juria Bardhan, points out that the Christian population in the state has grown from 2 percent to 28 percent, and has had its most dramatic growth during times of persecution: "They don't understand that by doing this, the church will grow by leaps and bounds, and this will cause thousands to come to Christ."

Iran

Fewer than one percent of Iran's 70 million people are Christians, but the numbers appear to be rising despite the country's hardline Islamic government. As in many countries, there are official Christian churches allowed in Iran. These, though, are not what concern the Iranian government. The underground, uncontrolled churches are sprouting up across Iran, and President Mamoud Ahmadinejad is determined to stop them.

According to Voice of the Martyrs' Todd Nettleton, "The people look around, they see the poverty, they see the discontent, they're not happy so they have questions. Why isn't it working out, we're doing it the Islamic way, why isn't our country great? So, they are ripe to hear a new way."

Gary Lane, CBN News International Correspondent, reports that Ahmadinejad has cracked down on house churches. Members are harassed and arrested and sometimes beaten. This summer, a house church meeting in the city of Isfahan was raided and the leader and his wife so severely beaten they both died.

As in India, the persecution does not stop the spread of the Gospel; it only adds to the Christians' resolve to be more like Jesus. Persecution also has the effect of moving people around. As Christians flee to other parts of the country, they take their faith with them and start new churches.

Christian broadcasting is reaching its Persian audience and is also having an impact. SAT-7 PARS, now broadcast 24-hours-per-day in the Persian tongue, tells Iranians about God's love and helps disciple believers. The station receives about 1000 viewer contacts per week. One message from Iran said, "In the past, through my studies, I came to the conclusion that Christianity was a heresy. However, when I started watching your programs on SAT-7 PARS, I realized that it is the most complete of all religions. It is a religion that shows happiness in this world and the world to come. Jesus raised people from the dead and gave them life. Blessed are those who are the followers of this religion."

China

Only one factory prints Chinese-language Bibles in China, and those are strictly for state-approved churches. Pastors are desperate for the Word of God in the native Chinese, and Bibles are not always available. China claims to have religious liberty, but that "liberty" is strictly controlled.

Vision Beyond Borders founder Patrick Klein freely delivered thousands of Bibles to the hungry Church in Asia, including China, until his last trip. Klein and his fellow missionaries were surprised when their 315 Bibles were confiscated from their checked luggage in the airport at the southwestern city of Kunming. A law passed in June 2007 put a bridle and bit on Bible distribution in China. Outsiders are no longer allowed to bring in large numbers of religious materials for distribution unless they get permission first. The Chinese officials returned the Bibles to Klein's group as they left the country, and the missionaries were able to hand out the Bibles in Laos. However Klein says "There's a waiting list of 400,000 pastors who need Bibles. The need is tremendous. If they were to buy one on the black market, it would cost six months' to a year's salary."

A Call To Prayer

As Todd Nettleton said of Iran: "We have to pray for them. That is their first request. Pray for us, pray for us, pray for us...and I challenge people to really pray for the Iranian government," Nettleton said. "Pray for Ahmadinejad to have a personal meeting with Jesus Christ. Imagine how that would change that country; imagine how that would change the world."

The most important thing we can do for our brothers and sisters around the world is to pray for them. The power of God moves through prayer, and when we kneel in solidarity with them, God does great things. Imagine how, if we were in their places, we would want others to get on their knees for us.

The People's Republic of China has announced that its third manned mission into space will launch a few weeks earlier than expected. The mission, in which the Chinese astronauts will attempt their first space walk, is scheduled to take off later this month. China is currently making the final preparations for the launch, which could take place as early as September 25th.

In recent years China has made great strides in its space program and it has ambitious plans for the future. In 2003 China became the third country to put a human in space. In October the Chinese launched a lunar orbiter that will make a three-dimensional survey of the moon's surface. The lunar orbiter will eventually be followed by two rover missions to investigate the moon's surface and collect rock samples. According to a white paper put out by the China National Space Administration, China has plans for a manned mission to the moon as well as the establishment of a manned lunar base.

The Chinese are also reportedly working on a new rocket that would enable them to launch their own space station. China formally requested to join the International Space Station in 2003, but the US is strongly against it. Since then, China has announced plans to build its own space station. China also has plans for deep space exploration, including a mission to Mars.

Experts say that China's space program serves both scientific and military purposes. In January of 2007, China used a ground-based ballistic missile to successfully shoot down a dilapidated weather satellite. The Chinese ASAT (anti-satellite) test was conducted without warning. It took the international community largely by surprise and raised fears of a space arms race. China is now the only nation, besides the US and Russia, that has demonstrated the capability to successfully target and destroy a satellite.

China's space program has already triggered an Asian space race. China, Japan, South Korea, and India have all announced plans to eventually put men on the Moon. This year South Korea completed construction on its Naro Space Center and sent its first astronaut into space by means of a Russian mission to the International Space Station. Meanwhile, India is scheduled to launch its first unmanned lunar mission next month. The Chandrayaan I orbiter will spend two years mapping and studying the moons surface. India is planning a second mission to the moon in 2011, the Chandrayaan II mission will include a rover to collect rock and soil samples. India hopes to send its first man into space by 2015.

In recent years there has been renewed interest in the moon as a possible source of Helium-3 and other resources. Helium-3 is a rare substance that could possibly someday be used as fuel for nuclear fusion power plants. It seems the need for new energy resources combined with growing national security concerns has spurred a new era in space exploration. Space technology is becoming an increasingly important strategic concern for countries worldwide, to learn more click on the links below.