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re: Did we thank Him? - 9/10/2008 11:04:21 PM
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tcasboy
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If it is appropriate to thank God when a natural event does less damage then expected, is it also appropriate to be angry at God when a natural event is does horrendous damage and kills thousands or even hundreds of thousands of people?
I am thinking of the earthquakes in China and Pakistan, the Indonesian tsunami, and even the great flu epidemic of 1920.
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RE: re: Did we thank Him? - 9/11/2008 11:05:44 AM
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Calea37
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I believe it is appropriate to thank Him in all things. We don't know why He allows many of the things that He does but since He created all things, I suppose He can do whatever He wants. I don't mean we have to say, "Gee, thanks for allowing all those people to die, Lord! Yippie!" But that we can still thank Him for who He is and thank Him that he works all things for good for those who love Him. (Romans 8:28)
One of the biggest mistakes we make is assuming God owes us anything; including life itself.
Romans 9:20-21 "But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?' Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?" We are the creation; He is the Creator. We don't get to dictate how He uses His creation or what He allows.
God tells us His ways are not ours and His thoughts are not ours. Isaiah 55:8-9 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts," declares the Lord. So we can't always understand why things happen.
I don't think God minds us talking to Him and even asking why sometimes unless it is with an attitude of "how dare you?" Sometimes I think people tend to have that attitude and they forget that He is the Almighty God and He has His purposes for allowing things that sometimes we cannot understand.
_____________________________
Calea
Isaiah 2:22 Stop regarding man, whose breath life is in his nostrils; for why should he be esteemed?
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RE: re: Did we thank Him? - 9/11/2008 12:26:37 PM
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Kat_D
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16 "Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." - I Thessalonians 5
Check out the book of Job. He had a handle on thanking God even in the midst of the worst adversity. So did Paul, just look at what happened as a result...
25 "But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed. 27 And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. 28 But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, "Do yourself no harm, for we are all here." 29 Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 And he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31 So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household." 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. 34 Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household." -Acts 16
Great things happen when we can praise Him not only for the good but also during the blackest storms of life. If we can't see that, we have a myopic view of the Lord.
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~Kat
"...And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes...no more death, sorrow, nor crying."
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RE: re: Did we thank Him? - 9/11/2008 1:09:27 PM
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deermousie
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Well, Job (whom God said didn't sin in this) said, "Shall we accept good from God and not adversity also?" Rom. 8: 28, 29 (don't forget 29!) says God brings good out of things at the end, inferring that the middle part might be a bumpy ride. Verse 29 gives the reason for it.
I think thanking God that things weren't as bad as they could have been is good, because God is sovereign, and there are places in the Bible where God in mercy holds back on the bad things so they weren't as bad as they could/would have been.
It's amazing how believing or not believing in the sovereignty of God changes how you look at everything. Either God rules and works it for your good or you're at the "mercy" of an out-of-control universe that doesn't see you as it runs you over.
It's hard for us to explain why huge catastrophes could be good for anything, but then who'd expect any good to come out of the torture/death of an innocent Man 2000 years ago? And yet, it changed everything. God is a genius.
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Want to know where a certain word or phrase in the Bible is found? www.biblegateway.com Yay!
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RE: re: Did we thank Him? - 9/12/2008 1:06:29 PM
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KaseyTom
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My personal believe is God created the universe and the laws of physics that control it. He does not interfere with atmospheric dynamics and geologic phenomena. We simply have to take the bad with the good. For most of us that results in a very stable and safe place to live, as God intended.
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RE: re: Did we thank Him? - 9/12/2008 1:38:21 PM
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sparkleingsnow
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KaseyTom, you of course have the right to believe what you want.
It seems to me, that way of thinking limits God and what you think He can and would do. Why cry out to Him in a dark time, if you don't think He will answer or help? Why is He our refuge in times of trouble?
He tells us to thank Him in all things. As stated by others, He is all powerful and all knowing. We can't know everything, why He allowes some things and not others. So I will thank Him when He answers and I will thank Him when I don't see the answers I want, and I will thank Him when He takes action and I havn't even asked, for He is God.
_____________________________
Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is
within me, bless his holy name.
Psalm 103:1
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RE: re: Did we thank Him? - 9/12/2008 1:40:27 PM
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PureLight
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It rains on the wicked and the righteous =/
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RE: re: Did we thank Him? - 9/12/2008 2:20:51 PM
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raivyne
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The Casting Crowns song "Praise You in This Storm" comes to mind...
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RE: re: Did we thank Him? - 9/12/2008 2:24:06 PM
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mvic
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When we thank Him when things are bad (earthquakes, floods etc ...) we are not thanking Him because of what happened, we are thanking Him for still being in control of the situation.
We are acknowledging His supreme almighty power over the whole universe.
If it is His will, He will work things out for the good.
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RE: re: Did we thank Him? - 9/14/2008 10:33:47 PM
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SpiritualPowers
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AMEN
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