While we're on the topic of doing things with our churches besides complain, we have a bevy of readers in Atlanta who are about to run out of water, and we have a significant contingent in SoCal who are getting smoked out like bees.
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18 comments:
Whatever it may be, God in His Providence is indubitably up to something good in these situations for those who love God who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). I will certainly be storming the Throne of Grace with my prayers! Thanks for posting this Frank.
Atlanta: just?
SoCal: unjust?
Just checkin'.
Seriously, our church is sending a team down to Mexico today to build a house. Pray that they can get through, and that Tijuana hasn't burned down too. There are reports.
For those who want to pray a bit more specifically, a good Christian author and her family lost their home in the fires. Two other authors have husbands who are pastors whose churches are open to the evacuees.
It's hard to see what's happening here in San Diego. Only weeks after our mayor decided to give his vote of approval to gay marriage have we had landslides, watermain breaks, sink holes, and now these fires all over the region. It's hard not to think that the Lord is letting us reap our reward for turning our backs on Him, while at the same time mercifully warning and giving time time repent...
I have confidence that there are at least 10 good men in Sodom, by God's grace. Let's pray at least for their sake, if not for the sake that God's mercy in this thing would turn men's heart to him.
Women, too. :-)
I don't know...there are a lot of cities that are probably a lot more decadent than San Diego that are not being plagued by natural disasters. Folks were saying similar things about New Orleans, and I have trouble with that as well—although in that case, a case could be made for arrogance against God's power over natural phenomena, in building this enormous city below sea level.
I've thought about those place that are "probably a lot more decadent than San Diego," and wondered why this stuff is happening here. I wonder if it's because there are so many Christians here as well. I know a lot of us have been praying that God would wake the sleeping church and call he unsaved to Himself. There's a lot of prayer for revival - but who said revival always starts out pretty? I dunno, I'm just a 26-year-old kid who's only been a Christian for 8 years so I'm definitely open to being wrong on this. God bless, and thanks for keeping us in your prayers.
SDCorrine, that's actually a more intriguing perspective to me. May those who have been affected by this tragedy see God's grace, even in the midst of despair.
He does answer our earnest prayers for others, and not always in the way we expect. Before I was saved, I prayed for God to touch my wife's heart—six days later, without expecting it, I myself was born again—obviously a necessary step. Now I'm praying for His completion of my request.
As I said on my blog, the problem isn't only in the pagan cities in the Bible, you know. Why did God send drought according to Haggai 1?
Get the idea? Ten good men...sure, but it's what the ten men are or aren't up to that may at times figure into the equation. We should always be aware of that too.
That said, I want to add:
1. There's student from my church @ Master's right now. Pray for the students @ Master's College and Seminary. They are helping minister to the needs there.
2. It rained up to 7 inches today just west of here! It's at close to 3 inches here right now, an inch or more is expected! I don't know what is happening in RDU or Atlanta. Nathan White told me yesterday that in had begun raining in Atlanta and had, at that time, not stopped.
By the way, as I understand it, Lake Lanier receives water from upstream in North GA/Southern TN, so while praying for Atlanta, to be specific, keep those areas on mind too.
The Lord has heard our prayers this week and answered us! Let us thank Him profusely and, as we do, continue to pray for the SEast and in the fires out West.
I think this blog dovetails very well with that of today's old truth blog.
It is difficulte to imagine being without water or homeless - especially in this country.
Understanding God's sovereignty sure helpt to eliminate the scizophrenic element from such problems.
Joel and Victoria Osteen's take on the fires in California:
Joel & Victoria Osteen on Finding Faith and Dealing with Calif. Wildfires
Is what they say true?
Do they need prayer too?
In addition to my big "thank you" for your prayers, for those of you unaware of the tropics forecast, our news here is reporting that there is a tropical system around the Caribbean that is showing signs of development. It at this time forecast to enter the Gulf and then flow up through the Southeast, through FL, AL, GA, SC, and NC. These are the areas that greatly need it. So, if you want to be specific in your prayers, there you go, brothers and sisters.
I'd also point out that today, what looks on the radar like a big "hole" of dry High Pressure has hovered over upper AL and GA. Pray the Lord would move this and replace it with rain.
I know five families that only have three days clothes with them now from Escondido area.
Pray the Lord will use this to help them to cling to Him more and find Him as thier portion as we try to minister to them, to to all the Christians invovled, and that He would use it amongst non-Christians to drive them to see thier need of a Saviour.
SDCorrine:
In Luke 13:1-5 Jesus, responding to those who ask what sins were committed by those swept into death by disaster, says, "I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." In other words, no human deserves a peaceful end to life. It is by God's grace alone we haven't had similar God ordained calamity visited upon us- and there is no guarantee that the future holds otherwise.
When tragedy strikes, whether something like Katrina, the MN bridge collapse, the Socal Fires, or the thousands of people who are violently killed everyday in traffic accidents; it is by God's grace alone, and no righteousness on our own accord, that we are not likewise swept into disaster.
And remember God poured out his wrath for sin on his son. If it was not for that, none of us would escape wrath. And while we still live under the curse of sin, I think there is a tinge of self-righteousness when we view mass tragedies as God's judgment on the city of man, wondering- what did THEY do?
If anything, we should see it as God's mercy, chastening people so that they would release false gods and be stripped of the blinders of self-righteousness and be turned to that which will ultimately satisfy them, being freed to value that which is supremely valuable- Jesus.
C.S. Lewis famously said, "Pain is God's megaphone to rouse a deaf world." That is mercy and grace, not wrath and judgment.
I often wonder if relative peace, safety and prosperity isn't a CURSE on our nation, as opposed to thinking it is our reward.
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My co-blogger (in hiatus), Jeremy Felden, and his wife had to leave their home at the start of the week. I have several former students who have lost homes and many family members who have yet to hear what has happened to their homes. Westminster was evacuated on Monday. The effects of this calamity is going to last a very long time.
Garet, that's actually kind of what I was getting at in both my posts...
-CoRiNNe
sdcorrine:
I apologize- I think I must of misunderstood the direction of your statements. My fault for too quickly reading and reacting.
One thing that we sometimes fail to remember is that actions have consequences. If you build your house in an area that is subject to fires, it might burn down. If your city wastefully uses water (Atlanta), you might run out. See my comment on Burn, Hollywood, Burn for more.
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