Yes It Was God

[AncientPaths]

Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson

If it's bad and it happens, did evil somehow trump God?
Did satan sneak a fast one behind God's back?
When the tornadoes struck Joplin, was God's master switchboard for earth malfunctioning?
When bad things happen here on earth, is God's Hands up in the air in exasperation declaring, "I just don't know what to do?"

Sinful world. Bad happens. It's not necessarily orchestrated by God nor intended for good.

[AncientPaths]

Originally Posted by AncientPaths

Sinful world. Bad happens. It's not necessarily orchestrated by God nor intended for good.

I do think that God does ultimately work things together for good to those that love him, but that doesn't mean every bad thing that happens is in his plan.

[Jermyn Davidson]

Originally Posted by AncientPaths

I do think that God does ultimately work things together for good to those that love him, but that doesn't mean every bad thing that happens is in his plan.

I don't get that kind of language.

His plan?

So when something doesn't go according to His Plan, was he unable to stop it?

GOD is the Creator of this world.
GOD is the Creator of all life.
GOD has all power in His Hands.
GOD has the power to do anything.
GOD has the ability to let anything.

This is what makes Him GOD-- different from you and I.

There are things that HE allows to happen when HE alone could have stopped them from happening.

We are to trust Him, even when we don't understand Him.

Is there any aspect of life where the Hands of the Creator are not present?

[AncientPaths]

Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson

I don't get that kind of language.

His plan?

So when something doesn't go according to His Plan, was he unable to stop it?

GOD is the Creator of this world.
GOD is the Creator of all life.
GOD has all power in His Hands.
GOD has the power to do anything.
GOD has the ability to let anything.

This is what makes Him GOD-- different from you and I.

There are things that HE allows to happen when HE alone could have stopped them from happening.

We are to trust Him, even when we don't understand Him.

Is there any aspect of life where the Hands of the Creator are not present?

God has the power to build a creation, put a world into motion and give man free will. We have the power to mess it up. So, is every deformed baby part of God's plan? Or does the curse of sin carry on through generations and genetics to manifest itself in such ways.

[sandie]

Originally Posted by OneAccord

Timmy,
I'm sorry for your loss, but, God didn't kill your brother with cancer. Cancer, the same thing that took my wife, killed your brother. I say that to say this: Bad things happen to all people. You know that as well as I do. And, bad things aren't a result of God's judgement. I'm afraid this "judgement" view of God is disturbing to say the least. For one thing, it portrays God as one who plays favorites. Job questioned that when he wondered why the righteous suffer, while the unrighteous seem to prosper. Life is as random as death. Christopher Reeves died as a result of his paralyzing injuries. His wife, who stood with him thru it all, died of lung cancer though she never smoked. No one knows why, thats why some resort to the "Cause and Effect theory". Their flawed reasoning, "This must have happened becaue THIS happened" is their way of trying to create order in a world full of chaos. I heard a preacher say "So and so died of a heart attack because he rejected God". The same preacher died of a heart attack and it was said of him, "He preached the truth, so the devil killed him". The order we try to create makes no sense.

The second reason I find this veiw disturbing is that it seeks to compell people to serve God out of fear rather than love. I talked to someone on the phone this morning that goes to church simply because she fears "what will happen to her if she don't". How sad is it that people see God as the vengeful God that is eager to destroy a mid-western city just because someone voiced his opinion. She told me about the death of a grandchild that happened "because she was out of church". How sad it is for people to see God as this vengeful, manipulative God.

Jesus taught the nation of Israel to love their enemies. To pray for those who persecute them. What kind of God would tell us to do that then turn around and smite the children of our enemies?

On 9/11 everyone, including Pres. Bush, assumed Iraq was behind the death and destruction in New York and Washington DC. I'll probably be lambasted for saying this, but America acted on an assumption. Pres. Bush justified his actions by saying "Sadaam Hussein MIGHT have weapons of mass destruction and MIGHT use them". So, Iraq was invaded. On an assumption. On vengence. No WMD were found and no proof of Husseins involvement was ever forthcoming. But yet, we wanted blood. And we got it
.
What I'm saying is this: Human beings act all too often on flawed logic. On flawed reasoning. God doesn't. And the God protrayed in this thread is a flawed God, that sends vengence on the righteous as well as the wicked. And, thats not the kind of God I wish to serve.

And please don't turn this around by saying OA doesn't support the troops. I most certainly do. They deserve and have my respect. And, on Memorial Day especially, I honor those who sacrificed their all, even though I may not wholeheartedly agree with the policy of a flawed, human government.

Well said, OA.
It's human nature to want to understand eveything that occurs and make sense of the sensless. It disturbs our own worlds and we want to bring order back and be rid of the chaos that has now invaded our thinking and being.

Jesus said there would be tribulation, but that we could be a good cheer because He overcame the world! Praise God!

[acerrak]

Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson

Whether He does or lets, this is our Father's world.


It's never good to blame God-- but let's not take His Hand out of everyday life.

People die everyday.
Everyday, His Hands are there.

We are to trust that when He hides His Hands from our situations that He knows what's best.

the bible states God knows when every sparrow dies, but the bible doesnt say he killed them. nothing escapes Gods attention. infact he knew the tornadoes would hit joplin before the world was made.

but they way you present it, is way off key. it raines on the just and the unjust, tragedy falls on the just and the unjust

[Scott Hutchinson]

I do believe God can use weather as a form of judgement,but I can't say these storms are acts of God's judgement as they could be,I don't rule that out,but I don't know in these cases if they are or not.

[acerrak]

Originally Posted by Scott Hutchinson

I do believe God can use weather as a form of judgement,but I can't say these storms are acts of God's judgement as they could be,I don't rule that out,but I don't know in these cases if they are or not.

if we look at every biblical record of Judgment. did not God send in men prophets etc to warn them?. Did they not preach repentance like johnna did at nineva, or isaiah and jeremiah to israel and judah.

we saw this alot God always wanted repentance. Look how many years noah preached while building that boat.

Just saying but i understand your perspective

[Scott Hutchinson]

Originally Posted by acerrak

if we look at every biblical record of Judgment. did not God send in men prophets etc to warn them?. Did they not preach repentance like johnna did at nineva, or isaiah and jeremiah to israel and judah.

we saw this alot God always wanted repentance. Look how many years noah preached while building that boat.

Just saying but i understand your perspective

No probelm,I appreciate what you have brought to the table.

[acerrak]

Originally Posted by Scott Hutchinson

No probelm,I appreciate what you have brought to the table.

and thanks for the link