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Always be ready!

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"Yesterday, December 7, 1941--a date which will live in infamy--the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan."

—President Franklin D. Roosevelt, addressing the US Congress the day after the attack

Pearl Harbor, on the Island of Oahu, Hawaii, was attacked by the Japanese Imperial Navy Sunday morning, December 7, 1941. The surprise was complete. The attacking planes came in two waves…the first hit its target at 7:53 AM.

At approximately 8:10, the USS Arizona exploded, having been hit by a 1,760-pound armor-piercing bomb that slammed through her deck and ignited her forward ammunition magazine. In less than nine minutes, she sank with 1,177 of her crew, a total loss. The USS Oklahoma, hit by several torpedoes, rolled completely over, trapping over 400 men inside. The California and the West Virginia sank at their moorings, while the Utah capsized with more than 50 of her crew.

By 9:55 it was over. By 1:00 the Japanese aircraft carriers that launched the planes from 274 miles off the coast of Oahu were heading back to Japan. The attack was devastating. American casualties totaled 2,403 dead, 1,178 wounded, and 640 that were never accounted for. One hundred eighty-eight planes were destroyed, 158 more damaged and 21 ships in the US Pacific Fleet either crippled or destroyed. Military leaders said it was the most disastrous defeat that our armed forces had ever suffered in a single day.

Sixty years later, a sober America looks back and salutes those who gave their lives at Pearl Harbor that infamous day.

But "lest we forget"…we should take time now to honor their memories. These men died defending their nation to ensure our precious freedom.

Now if only our personal lives were that secure! Our own "ships" never seem quite ready for the attacks that sickness, acci- dents, or broken relationships can inflict on us. Even the inevitable attack in our future…death...seems to catch many of us by surprise.

In the Bible, Jesus warned His disciples to stay alert for His final return…"No one knows about that day or hour…Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come…" (Mark 13:32-33).

Do you want to be ready for your eternal future and prepared to withstand the attacks of life until then? No one can better prepare you than God’s Son, Jesus Christ, because He too laid down His life on your behalf.

The Bible tells us…

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 1 John 3:16

God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

If you would like to turn your life over to Christ, you can do so through a prayer like this:

Dear Jesus, I know I’ve lived a life that’s gone against everything You stand for. I am a sinner. I want a fresh start. I believe You died to pay for my sins and that You rose again to give me a new life. Thank You for forgiving me. Amen.

If you prayed this prayer, your sins are now forgiven, and you are a child of God. You may contact ATS at the address below to receive some free material about your new life as a Christian.

Resources: University of Arizona Library (www.library.arizona.edu/images/USS_Arizona/links1.shtml) Naval Historical Center, Dept. of the Navy (www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq66-1htm)