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Chapter 1

The Fight for Friday

Wednesday, February 13–MD minus 26 days

Everything accelerated in the visible and invisible worlds as America careened toward the fast approaching MD date. Powers wrestled over events they could see coming, from the planning for the Thursday attack on Kingdom Daycare to MD now scheduled for March 11th. As important as these events would be, the only day of true significance was Friday when America and Americans would be required to consciously choose whose side they were on. It was D-Day, “Decision Day,” and America’s future depended on those decisions. Unfortunately, few truly understood what was at stake.

Some had already decided. The president had made his choice and issued the call for America to follow him in prayer and humbly choose God. The Senate majority leadership had made their decision; they would ignore the president’s call and continue with business as usual. For them, religion was a “private matter” that should not interfere with their politics. At that moment in history, they saw what they perceived to be a vulnerable president and were circling in for the kill.

Businesses had to decide whether they would allow their employees a day off on Friday — the day for national prayer. Workers had to determine what they were willing to do and at what cost. Churches had to decide whether they wanted to have services on Friday where people were to gather and confess sins. The word “sin” had become the most unpopular word in modern American Christianity. Who could lead such a service since those who called themselves Christians were not in agreement on what was sin? But then again, many of them weren’t born again, so how could they know? Those without the guidance of the light inside argued over what was acceptable, ignoring what the Bible called sin. For them, confession would be impossible because they didn’t consider their conduct to be wrong.

The battle in the invisible world centered in America, for the forces of darkness recognized the opportunity to turn America further away from God. The hoard of Keepers and Tempters were released in all directions in an attempt to influence every person in America to reject the president’s call as unimportant and inconvenient. He was pictured as a “good man” who was becoming a little fanatical about his religion. After all, hadn’t the so-called leader of the enemy offered to meet and discuss peace? There was really no need to call out to God to help America. He was obviously already helping.

Likewise, Guardians and Providers acted to draw every person in America to join with the president, or at least make a reasonable choice whether to stand before the Lord with some understanding of its importance. The battle raged person by person; dividing homes, families, and friends. It was like oil and water as the two views found no place to compromise. Either it was important to stand before God and seek forgiveness for offenses to God, or it was neither important nor necessary. There was no middle ground.

Turning to Barnabas as they had gathered over Williams with others of the forces of light, Lucius observed, “This is one of those moments of choice which Jesus warned would come when He walked the earth. Do you remember?”

“Yes,” Barnabas answered, “these people — although made in His image — have never really understood the reality of choice. They have fallen for the Dark Master’s deception that Jesus was a man of tolerance, peace, and love and thus they should expect to be able to live as they wish in complete harmony with others who live as they wish, all under the blessing of God. And when they die, so the fable goes, they will all go to ‘a better place.’

“They think they don’t have to make a choice; that God accepts them where they are and as they are. I have difficulty understanding how they can be so foolish. God would not be God if that were true. The people would be God because they could dictate what was is right and wrong.”

“There is nothing worse than the result of people not reading the Bible,” Lucius answered. “The deception and half-truths are more dangerous than the lies. The teachings of Jesus are taken out of context, and thus He is pictured falsely. Jesus didn’t call Himself a man of peace, although in Him is peace. What He actually said was that He was God1 and therefore you must choose who you will follow and obey. He warned that the wrong choice would bring conflict into every part of the life of those who made the wrong choice. He said:

Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law–a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.2

“For centuries, nations and societies have sought to hide the sword — the division of choice — in secrecy and increasingly in the modern idea of tolerance and compromise, to maintain ‘peace and unity’ at any price,” Lucius continued soberly. “It is sad what that deception has produced as God’s word is ignored and people are encouraged to live their lives in direct rebellion to God’s teachings. They have had their way these past decades, but the choice now hangs over America, and this time they will not escape making that choice.”

Below the celestial gathering in the city proper, a small group met in Chaplain Forrest’s office. It was the chaplain, Pastor Wilson, Pastor Scribes, the Bookseller, and Paul Phillips. As they prayed together, the light within each of them burned brightly as the Holy Spirit sought to unite them with the will of the Father. Their eyes had been opened to the significance of Friday’s call, and they sought God’s wisdom to know what they were to do in order to share what they had been shown.

This little band had not been spared the Dark Master’s attacks. God had placed limits, but within those limits, every possible means had been used by the forces of darkness to discourage, tempt, divide, and deceive. The Bookseller had been approached by other networks and publishing companies that offered him a quick fortune for a signature that would have made him their exclusive property and enabled them to control his access to the world stage. The forces of darkness had orchestrated this effort, and they followed up by flooding his mind with the deception of all “the good” that could be accomplished for God’s service with the millions he was being offered. Fortunately for America, the Bookseller responded even as Jesus did when tempted by Satan and rejected the lie as a lie.3

“Mr. White,” Pastor Wilson spoke quietly when there was a pause in their prayers. “I sense that God wants to use you further to open people’s eyes to the importance of Friday and to draw people to Him. We have this website that is available worldwide and through which God has been working amazingly.4 We have reports from numerous nations that when believers go to this website, they have been able to understand it even though it’s not in their own language. God is working mightily! Perhaps posting a message from you is what God would have us do. After all, from the first day, you understood that the issue is for believers to decide. The question is whether they will return to the Lord so that He may bless and protect America. He has made communication with believers possible through this website, and has called you to be His spokesman.”

“Why me?” the Bookseller asked, sincerely humbled, much like Moses.5 “I am nothing, just an old man who has struggled with his faith at times just like other people. I have no great following, and for the most part, I have been rejected throughout my ministry. There are so many others who appear much more capable than I to be out-front calling the people back to the Lord. No one on earth wants to be used by God more than me, but I am not special.”

“That is true,” Pastor Scribes observed, “it is true for all of us, but the Lord does not look on a man as we do. God looks at the heart, and as He took David as a simple shepherd from the hills of Judea to become the great king,6 He has obviously called you. The key is for you to keep the heart of David. Remember what God said about David’s heart? ‘I have found David son of Jesse a man after My own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’7 He knows your heart, and thus He can and will use you.

“I agree that God wants us to put something out on the website. Let me pray, and then I will write. Perhaps God will provide me another opportunity on ITN to speak to the nation before Friday. I sense that is a possibility. Whatever He wants.”

“Then call them, Mr. White. They have made it very clear that they would be glad to have you on again anytime,” Paul said excitedly.

“No, no. It is not for me to seek an opportunity to speak,” the Bookseller responded quickly. “That is God’s providence. If he wants me to have that opportunity, He will provide it. My place is to be ready to speak what He gives me to say boldly if He gives me the opportunity.”

“I am confused by how God works and how I am to work for Him,” Paul answered.

“Good, welcome to the crowd,” Chaplain Forrest answered. “I am fifty-two years old, and I don’t know either. He acts as He will simply because He is God and we are not.”

“Listen, Paul, often the most active place for us is not in doing something, but in waiting for God to show us what He would have us do and how He wants it done. His work is too important to simply do something that seems logical or reasonable based on our knowledge and experience. God is not limited by logic, reason or our experience, and what we may do ‘for Him’ because it seems right to us could mean we miss what He really wants us to do. We could actually be in rebellion against God while thinking we were doing something for Him. That verse where Jesus says, ‘My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me’8 means just what it says. Listen, and then follow. We never lead in any way other than by following Him.”

“Wow,” Paul responded, “that is a head full. I have so much to learn.”

The Game Begins

In Washington, the majority party reacted with glee when they heard the newly broadcast tape recording of the Sheik acknowledging their acceptance of his invitation to meet and discuss the causes of hate. Former President Cox was instructed to check into the Cham Palace Hotel in Damascus, Syria, by March 7th, at which time he would be given instructions on the location of the meeting. Their apparent good fortune encouraged the majority party to step up their hearings on the amendment to the Hate Crimes Act and the investigation of the administration’s interference with Harkins College. Only one fly in the ointment appeared. The Together Tomorrow crowd was insistent that the open roads proposal had to be effective by March 7th or they were through funding campaign activities.

“I don’t get those folks,” Senate Majority Leader Howard said, expressing his frustration. “Who really gives a flip about trucks coming into and out of Mexico and Canada? Why does it have to be by March 7th? If these people didn’t have real money, I’d investigate them.”

“Yes, but they do have real money, and a lot of it has ended up in this party’s coffers,” Chairman Crow responded. “We need their money, so they get to make the rules. That’s politics in America.”

“Fine, call the secretary of transportation and see if he is prepared to issue regulations that would effectively open the roads on March 7th,” the majority leader agreed reluctantly. “I am not sure it is 100% legal, but who cares if it works. We would never be able to accomplish that legislatively. We cannot get a bill passed in time, and if we did, it would only get vetoed. He can go public on the 7th after the trucks are rolling, and then it will be hard for the president to undo that which is already done. Even if he does, we will have demonstrated our willingness to comply, and his actions would prove we need the cash to get the White House and a super majority in Congress. If they are serious about their agenda, the cash will flow.”

“Life is sure going to be different when that boy in the president’s office has to retire. No more vetoes and no more of this religion crammed down everybody’s throats.”

“It can’t come soon enough,” Crow agreed, “but we have to defeat his protégé, this vice president.”

“That should be no problem since he has publicly aligned himself with religious excess and against peace,” Howard replied.

Elsewhere in Washington, Baqir Dawood arrived from Saudi Arabia with the envelope for Ahmad Habid from the Sheik. He had a flight already set up to take him to Phoenix, where he would arrive Thursday afternoon. For now, he had a few days to enjoy Washington in all its glory in the final days before MD.

The Search for Targets and Weapons Continues

Officially, Washington was a hub of activity as the Joint Chiefs, the Survival Commission, Senator Lieberman, Attorney General Rodriquez, David Barnes, Darrell Reed, Kayla Walker and others raced to find answers and prepare a response to the MD threat. It was non-stop activity after Darrell Reed’s interpretation of the meaning of the video message was heard. The window for preemptive action was rapidly closing. Time was short.

“Do you know how many refineries, power plants, dams and water and electric systems there are in the United States?” General Hedge asked with great frustration.

“How are we to know the specific targets? We can’t defend them all.”

“There are over 75,000 reservoirs and dams in the United States alone,” Barnes answered.

“Someone has been doing their research,” Tom Knight commented.

“I have, and I’ve learned a lot about the possible target list the Joint Chiefs have suggested,” Barnes continued. “I agree it is an impossible job without more intelligence on specific targets.”

“Don’t lose your focus,” the president interrupted. “Obviously, we prepare first for the largest and most critical of the possible targets, and we must have a national strategy. If their goal is to cripple the country, they have to hit us everywhere. Divide the country into manageable sections and prepare for the most damaging targets in each.”

“What about the weapons? How are they going to do that much damage?”

“I got a report this morning from Darrell Reed on the truck issue,” Barnes began again. “The terrorist training camp was an oil terminal operation; they were training on gasoline delivery trucks. I know from a source that some of the many calls to report suspicious activities involve large trucks being used to transport people throughout the US who have gotten across the Mexican border. Something is definitely going on with the trucks, and I am sure that is not all. Lest we forget, gasoline explosions and fires brought down the World Trade Center and also caused significant damage to the Pentagon. One cup of gasoline has the explosive power of two sticks of dynamite, and then it burns. Trucks, I believe, are one of the weapons.”

“You could be right,” General Hedge agreed. “We have been testing that possibility and the capacity of fuel trucks to do substantial damage if positioned properly. But how could they get that many trucks filled with gasoline, and what kind of explosive mechanism could be used for maximum effectiveness?”

“I don’t care how you divide this up,” the president said, “but I want answers to those questions and a way to protect the major possible targets from a gasoline bomb — whether driven over land or launched from the air.” Pausing in frustration, he said, “Look, we have to be missing something here. These people cannot possibly hijack enough aircraft and gasoline delivery trucks to do this. They have to have access to the vehicles and airplanes, but how? Also, have you looked into the ammonia bombs like the one that brought down the federal building in Oklahoma City?”

“Mr. President, we are looking at everything,” General Hedge assured him. “Can we have a minute to discuss troop deployments here and abroad? We have to reposition our forces to address what may happen here and in the Middle East on MD.”

“Absolutely, General,” the president said. “We want maximum flexibility to deal with the danger here and in the Middle East.”

“Eric, you need to be at this meeting to coordinate with Israel. The vice president will be called in when we have our plan in place.”

“Mr. President, before you leave, I want you to know that we have moved quickly to impanel a grand jury to investigate the Harkins student or faculty terrorist. Subpoenas have been issued. We have also noticed the deposition of Harkins’ president on an emergency basis for tomorrow, and have issued subpoenas for the records they will not give us. These records may disclose not only the identity of the J-14 leader but perhaps the whole gang if the plot really was hatched at Harkins.

“One more thing, we have found some unusual business activities in the US trucking and aircraft industry as well as in Mexico. We may be onto something about how they will get the weapons of choice without having to hijack them.”

“Great, everyone, stay with it,” the president said excitedly. “We have to find out before they can strike.”

“General, Eric, let’s retire to my office and discuss troop redeployment. After we are through, I would like a little time with you two,” he said, pointing at Tom Knight and David Barnes. Then he rose and excused himself for the next meeting.

Varvel Returns to Williams

Back in Williams on Wednesday, Carl Varvel was again on the move looking for the Bookseller. He had another message from Iran, and as he walked to the warehouse, he still wondered what this could possibly have to do with the National Security of the United States.

Opening the envelope, the Bookseller’s whole countenance changed. He understood immediately what was meant by the message from the Iranian brothers. “Margaret, come here and look at this,” he said, walking into his study away from the ears and eyes of the waiting Varvel.

“Every message is more intense and more direct. Whether this threat is against America, clearly it is increasing in urgency, and the battle for the hearts and minds of the people is where it will be won. There has never been a comparable period in our lifetime where the spiritual issue has so clearly been drawn. These messages from the Iranian brothers seem to affirm what God has been showing so directly that it almost appears to be from the hand of God Himself.”

“I think, you’re right, Samuel. This note seems to be clear guidance from God,” Margaret said as she read again:

Brother, the days are now much shorter, and God’s protection is essential to prevent disaster and open eyes to deception. Don’t believe what you see. Ezekiel 3:17, Jeremiah 8:11, 15.

“When I read this, I almost want to turn off all the news channels and throw away the newspaper,” the Bookseller responded.

“Don’t be silly,” she answered tenderly but forcefully as only a wife can. “You must hear and read what the public is hearing and reading to know how to pray and how God would have you respond when He gives you the opportunity to speak. How can you identify the deception if you hide in a cave? Clearly, this message refers to the false video offer of peace which some have already foolishly embraced, and the verses are instructions to you. Please don’t start the ‘why me’ stuff. It is you because God has called you.”

“I surrender to you and to God,” he responded. “The verses are clear. I am accountable to God as a watchman appointed to warn the people, and I am not to be out there like others saying ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace.

“The one that really troubles me is that last one, Jeremiah 8:15.” He read, “‘We hoped for peace but no good has come, for a time of healing but there was only terror.’ Hope is not going to get us through this time. God will protect us, or we are finished just like biblical Israel and Judah. Whose side is America on? That remains the question.”

Taking the paper, the Bookseller paused to pray as he prepared his response for return delivery to the unknown brothers in Iran. He marveled at how God used them to encourage him and hoped that the day would come when he would meet them in this life.

The note read:

My dear brothers, please pray as Epaphras in Colossians 4:12 that I be as the man described in Jeremiah 23:22.

Once again, Carl Varvel was off for the return trip to Iran.

Preparations for the Morrow

In the physical world, those under the influence of the competing powers moved for good or ill accordingly. What was seen in the Bookseller and others with the light inside was contested by the actions of those whose minds were directed by Keepers for the forces of darkness. From Cambridge, Massachusetts and major US cities, the leadership coordinators for MD made their way to Phoenix, Arizona. They traveled under the cover of the American Teachers Society’s annual convention which was being held at the Kierland Resort in Scottsdale. There, in a secret gathering, final plans would be made for the March 11th attacks.

In Washington, the president had made his final plans for the secret trip to Williams for the memorial service. The Secret Service had objected with all the authority and influence they could muster, but the president had reminded them who was president, and that was the end of the discussion. Covertly, David Barnes and Tom Knight were to travel with the president and Janet under the cover of darkness. The president was strangely at peace as the journey began, looking forward to an opportunity to finally meet the Bookseller, yet still unsure what he was to say at the memorial service.

In Williams, another kind of final plan was being made. The three surviving terrorists from the original group of eleven were preparing themselves for what they hoped would be a series of attacks beginning in the morning at Kingdom Daycare. As they readied themselves to kill and die, darkness descended upon them, and anger and hate flooded their hearts. Their motivation was no longer their reward — they wanted only to hurt and kill and cause pain. Had they known of the president’s plans to attend the memorial service, they would have shifted their target, but they were ignorant even as the rest of America. Pastor Scribes, the Bookseller, and Paul Phillips had felt a strong compulsion from the light inside to guard their knowledge that the president was coming to Williams. The secret had been kept, and that alone would preserve the president’s life in the coming day.

Elsewhere, Susan Stafford still could not sleep. It was that sound again, the crying of the children. She could not shut it off. She had heard it before and knew what it meant, for The Curtain again had opened briefly, and she heard the sound of the children’s angels crying out to the Father for their protection. In her compulsion, she had called the office of the Citizen’s Militia and begged to be assigned to guard Kingdom Daycare. She sensed the risk was there, and that was her assignment from above. After much argument, Sam Will gave in and authorized her to be a part of a two-person team in the morning assigned to Kingdom Daycare. Knowing the physical limitations that resulted from her wounds, he assigned himself as the second member of the team and arranged to pick her up so they could travel together.

Susan had finished her letter. She sealed it in a plastic bag, then placed it carefully in an inside pocket of the new red jacket she had been given to replace the one in which she had been shot. She felt a sense of peace that was absurd when she considered her circumstances. She was a woman with no hope; a killer who now understood the full measure of the evil that had so dominated her existence in those months of the shooting spree. She deserved nothing but a slow and cruel death for all the pain she had caused. That she knew, but she no longer feared the second death, for she had come to believe that even she could be forgiven and be born again — and she did — the light glowed brightly in her heart.

In the invisible, there had been great rejoicing among the forces of light when God did that which only He could do and changed Susan’s heart by the new birth. “These humans do not understand God’s holiness or God’s love,” Barnabas began. “Because God is holy, all sin merits the second death, but when Jesus died, it was to offer the opportunity of forgiveness even to the vilest of all sinners.9 Remember Saul of Tarsus who became Paul. He was a lot like Susan. He killed and imprisoned innocents simply because they were believers, and yet God forgave and used him.10 God did the same for Susan because she, like Paul, came to the place of understanding her sin and God’s choice.11 She chose wisely.”

“Glory,” Lucius replied. “Even now I am still overwhelmed at God’s mercy which is available to all.”

“Yes,” Manaen replied, “but she still faces the earthly consequences of her sin. I wonder how God will allow that to play out?”

“We may see tomorrow,” Barnabas answered.

Another post had been completed earlier that day and was uploaded to the Together We Pray website. It had taken some time, but the Bookseller finally completed a short piece to send to the believers of the world. As he prayed and wrote, he was mindful of everything the Iranian brothers had said and the verses they had directed him to. He felt insufficient because he was insufficient, but he knew God was more than sufficient and that if he had been called, he would be enabled. So he released what he had done, and had peace resting in that knowledge.

The Defining Question

There was great activity in Heaven this night as the great cloud of witnesses joined with brothers and sisters on earth in bringing America in prayer before God. Their prayers were directed by the light within and paralleled the prayer offered by Daniel, who while living in captivity in Babylon had stood before the Lord and prayed for himself and for his nation. The prayer in the 9th chapter of the Book of Daniel had been the subject of the Bookseller’s posting. Daniel had prayed:

O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant of love with all who love Him and obey His commands, we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from Your commands and laws. We have not listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name…12

Daniel’s conclusion is the reason God was able to answer the prayer, for Daniel’s request reflected the truth that they were not worthy of an answer. He closed by praying,

Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of Your servant… We do not make requests of You because we are righteous but because of Your great mercy. O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For Your sake, O my God, do not delay, because Your city and Your people bear Your Name.13

America, the “Christian” nation, whose people had proclaimed to the world to be “one nation under God,” desperately needed to repent. The only question was, would they? America’s future hung on the balance just like the Jewish nation living in the Babylonian captivity, dependent upon their answer to that single question.