Hi Lotis, you said........"Lets all pray that everyone gets in a terrible accident so they can reflect properly on their need for a savior? This is a sickening thought"Have you considered the words of our Saviour? Mar 9:43 And if your hand offends you, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than to have two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched Mar 9:44 where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched. Mar 9:45 And if your foot offends you, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life lame than to have two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched Mar 9:46 where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched. Mar 9:47 And if your eye offends you, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes to be cast into hell fire If indeed a terrible accident brought about the salvation of a mans soul, would that not be better than that man living a " good life," and then spending an eternity in hell? Would not that very accident be seen as the greatest blessing one could wish for if it brought about eternal salvation ? Would God not have it that all men would simply bow the knee to His Son Jesus? Yes, I believe He would for the Word says that God would ahve that none should persih but that everyone would come to a saving knowledge. That is the heart of God. Yet, what is the heart of man? Rebellion, stiff-necked, idolotry and on and on. Mans pride blinds him to the truth and yet God continues to strive with men, praise God for HIs love and His mercy and His justice. Let God be true and all men be liars............brother Frank
No one responds to the question of why Joplin was judged for Washington's mistakes? Why is Obama alive (the apparent cause of all this) while families are crushed in JOPLIN, MO (a town I had never even HEARD OF before this). If tomorrow my house is destroyed in a storm is it because somewhere out there in America someone is sinning? Please people, this argument isn't even logical. Do you beat your child for your neighbors child's sin? Under the Old Covenant God would have spared Sodom for TEN righteous, and now that we're under a NEW AND BETTER covenant of MERCY AND GRACE, he wont spare JOPLIN, MO (which I couldn't point to on a map) because of Washington DC's sin? SURELY you see how absolutely ABSURD this sounds at its core?My concern here is that the god being lifted up in this thread is not Jesus. The majority of these posts are lifting up a murderous destroyer that looks absolutely nothing like Christ. My concern is that what we are promoting and projecting with this thread is a god who destroys small towns simply because he can, frankly I have yet to see anyone provide any evidence as to a REASON he would destroy Joplin, MO specifically. This is not my Jesus, he will come one day riding a horse with a sword in his hand and there will be a great judgement where all men will give an account for what they've done. Today it seems at least so far, is not that day.
_________________John
Count to 10 [pray] before reading this about "Westboro" - On its website, the church writes, "Thank God for 125 dead in Joplin."http://ozarksfirst.com/fulltext?nxd_id=461407
Hi White_Stone,
Chris, I am 100% certain the tornado was an act of God, NOT a random act of so-called nature.
When you say the acts which are foretold in The Revelation of Jesus Christ, you say they will be beyond the 'natural order.' It appears to me as if God is conditioning the ungodly to accept bigger and bigger 'natural' disasters. There is little doubt in my mind that they will eventually accept a meteor strike that will wipe out a whole continent and still not give God Almighty credit or reverence - they will not repent.I can see this Country marred by tornadoes and other disasters to the point it will appear as the background for the movie 'Mad Max' and people will still not repent. And as long as most of them still have their creature comforts they will not consider their ways. Perhaps it is a mercy of God to remove the creature comforts and bring the people to where they HAVE to lean on Him. If you think of that it is possible to view the tornado in Joplin and the others, as well, as a great blessing.
Chris, Chris, Chris, don't you see, to the one who these acts fall upon it is just that, an act of Judgment. Being in a life threatening car accident and being incapacitated for a long time gives a soul the opportunity to reflect on their life and their relationship with God. It is too easy to not reflect when there is a constant supply of food and comfort and entertainments. I do not pray for any accident to befall those for whom I pray but I pray God's will be done.
_________________Christopher
Chris said:
This is why I have the concern that we might be meandering into the folly of Job's friends when we start assigning blame or a cause/effect relationship between this particular Joplin tornado (one of MANY on that day -- most of which did not kill anyone) and some motive by God to destroy the town and kill 125 or more of its people.
_________________Janice
You influence people to stay asleep with that talk. Your much learning has made you mad. Your comfortable life has allowed you to become insulated. Wake up, please, wake up. Go out into the streets and deal with flesh and blood people not ideas in books.
White_Stone,
Standing upon one's faith and testifying of what one believes can not be considered meandering.
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Everything that was made was made by Him. There is nothing that He can not do.I believe he considers every believer and orders their path 24/7. Nothing happens by chance (or, as you believe, the natural order of nature) to a saint.
This tornado is only the beginning of what is to come. This is the Birth Pangs. It is you who are making light of this by passing it off as 'weather patterns.' You influence people to stay asleep with that talk. Your much learning has made you mad. Your comfortable life has allowed you to become insulated. Wake up, please, wake up. Go out into the streets and deal with flesh and blood people not ideas in books.
TAKE THIS WORLD BUT GIVE ME JESUSby Fanny Crosby, 1872Take the world, but give me Jesus,All its joys are but a name;But His love abideth ever,Through eternal years the same.RefrainOh, the height and depth of mercy!Oh, the length and breadth of love!Oh, the fullness of redemption,Pledge of endless life above!Take the world, but give me Jesus,Sweetest comfort of my soul;With my Savior watching oer me,I can sing though billows roll.RefrainTake the world, but give me Jesus,Let me view His constant smile;Then throughout my pilgrim journeyLight will cheer me all the while.RefrainTake the world, but give me Jesus.In His cross my trust shall be,Till, with clearer, brighter vision,Face to face my Lord I see.Refrain
I'D RATHER HAVE JESUSby Rhea Miller, 1932Id rather have Jesus than silver or gold;Id rather be His than have riches untold;Id rather have Jesus than houses or lands;Id rather be led by His nail-pierced handRefrain:Than to be the king of a vast domainAnd be held in sins dread sway;Id rather have Jesus than anythingThis world affords today.Id rather have Jesus than mens applause;Id rather be faithful to His dear cause;Id rather have Jesus than worldwide fame;Id rather be true to His holy nameHes fairer than lilies of rarest bloom;Hes sweeter than honey from out the comb;Hes all that my hungering spirit needs;Id rather have Jesus and let Him lead
I would hope that we can tone this down a bit and ask that we try to focus on praying for the families of those that have been touched by this horrific tragedy. There are still families that have not been able to find their loved ones. Many of us are aware of the horror stories. Please remember to pray as well for the churches that were destroyed and their members homes. Our Indian Missions director of many decades, having built many churches on the reservations along with his wife lost near everything. Tremendous man of God. Please keep these and all the rest in prayer as they navigate this disaster.
_________________Robert Wurtz II
Thank you, brother Robert. I do hope that I haven't offended anyone for encouraging caution in this tragedy. At the same time, I agree that we should pray for the people of Joplin an the surrounding area. There are many hurting people right now.
On another forum a man from Joplin posted that they have been told the residents have 8 days to dig out all they can salvage and then the machinery comes in to move it all to the dump. It seems kind of cold to have such a short time limit but I imagine it is for health reasons more than anything else.Personally, I could not watch the pile of debris that used to be my home get bulldozed. I hope they have set up at least tent cities for all those people. They do need our prayers and support more now than ever.ws