What do you make of the tornadoes, earthquakes and cyclones happening in the world ?

[BenAdam]

another tachyon pulse

 

[He put me back together]

Well, since tornadoes, earthquakes, and cyclones have never occured on the earth before, I would say God must be angry at us.

 

[Mark2010]

As far as population goes:

Land area of US is approx 2.3 billion acres. World population is around 7 billion. That is approx 3 people per acre.

There is no over population of the earth.

It's not a matter of land. It's a matter of resources vs. consumption. How many mouths to feed, etc?

 

[pgp_protector]

I'd be more curious if there was a year with NO disaster anywhere on the globe.

 

[DestinyRain]

But I feel the intensity of natural disasters is becoming more frequent.. all within the same year of 2008.. it might be we are more in touch with disasters from the media, but the intensity and frequency is different from the past. -Eurasia


I agree with you. It's not just the strange weather there are other things that are going on in the world that indicate something more is happening.

 

[BenAdam]

It's not a matter of land. It's a matter of resources vs. consumption. How many mouths to feed, etc?

Much of the land of the us is able to be farmed. That still leaves the majority of the arrable (sp?) land in the world available for food production. Do you have any idea how much food you could grow on an acre?

 

[ydouxist]

I know the word Hurricane means "Evil Spirit"

They picked up the term from the Taino Indian word huracan.

 

[Deba]

Do you have any idea how much food you could grow on an acre?

I forget the quantity but I do remember reading that 7 times as much yield comes from an acre in PA as from an acre in Kansas.

But not many people want to live in Kansas, whereas Pennsylvania is being populated by Mcmansions.

 

[He put me back together]

But I feel the intensity of natural disasters is becoming more frequent.. all within the same year of 2008.. it might be we are more in touch with disasters from the media, but the intensity and frequency is different from the past.

I don't mean to demean your intuition, sister, as it would not be part of you if there was no use for it. When dealing with a subject of this nature, however, what we "feel" is meaningless. Guesses based on nothing but emotions and disaster footage prove nothing as to whether the events of the natural world today are any different from yesterday.

How did you find out that "the intensity and frequency [of natural disasters] is different from the past?" A statistical graph? Argumentative Research? Or are we simply supposing it is true?

I have yet to see anyone prove any trend of any kind citing this time as being any worse than any other time for natural disasters, in a thread of this nature, in a panel of clergymen, or in a camp meeting for that matter--save for the fact that more lives perish in such a disaster today, due simply to there being more lives to destroy.

 

[Strong in Him]

At church last Sunday, we focussed on Burma and only Burma - unless the Spirit prompted us to pray differently. We were asked to pray with our eyes open while we looked at some pictures of the aftermath of the cyclone.

I started thinking that a lot of people say they can't believe in God because he lets things like that happen; natural disaster, not man made.
Then I started thinking about their government witholding aid - which definitely is suffering compounded by the actions of man (humans) - and the situation in Zimbabwe; people choosing to inflict suffering on others because they don't like the way they've voted.

I still don't have any answers for the cyclone, but I was struck by how it must break God's heart to see his creation, people made in his image, choosing to add to the suffering in the world by inflicting pain, punishment etc on other people made in his image. And how we, on a much smaller scale, sometimes withold blessings, encouragement, information or whatever from others because we do not want to see them do well.
How tolerant and awesome he is, allowing this to happen so that some may have an opportunity to find him, and others grow into his image and likeness, when he could lose patience and destoy all of us immediately.

I'm not sure that this really expresses how I felt during those prayers, and I hope I haven't inadvertently been heretical. But it was probably the first time I have thought about seriously about these issues. I know that sounds bad, but a lot of the time I don't know how to pray for these places to which I've never been - other than a quick "Lord please bless them", which always seems completely inadequate.

 

[SharonL]

I don't mean to demean your intuition, sister, as it would not be part of you if there was no use for it. When dealing with a subject of this nature, however, what we "feel" is meaningless. Guesses based on nothing but emotions and disaster footage prove nothing as to whether the events of the natural world today are any different from yesterday.

How did you find out that "the intensity and frequency [of natural disasters] is different from the past?" A statistical graph? Argumentative Research? Or are we simply supposing it is true?

I have yet to see anyone prove any trend of any kind citing this time as being any worse than any other time for natural disasters, in a thread of this nature, in a panel of clergymen, or in a camp meeting for that matter--save for the fact that more lives perish in such a disaster today, due simply to there being more lives to destroy.

You mean you don't believe Al Gore Everybody knows he knows it all about climate change and he says that global warming has caused this cyclone...... purely sarcasam

 

[SharonL]

At church last Sunday, we focussed on Burma and only Burma - unless the Spirit prompted us to pray differently. We were asked to pray with our eyes open while we looked at some pictures of the aftermath of the cyclone.

I started thinking that a lot of people say they can't believe in God because he lets things like that happen; natural disaster, not man made.
Then I started thinking about their government witholding aid - which definitely is suffering compounded by the actions of man (humans) - and the situation in Zimbabwe; people choosing to inflict suffering on others because they don't like the way they've voted.

I still don't have any answers for the cyclone, but I was struck by how it must break God's heart to see his creation, people made in his image, choosing to add to the suffering in the world by inflicting pain, punishment etc on other people made in his image. And how we, on a much smaller scale, sometimes withold blessings, encouragement, information or whatever from others because we do not want to see them do well.
How tolerant and awesome he is, allowing this to happen so that some may have an opportunity to find him, and others grow into his image and likeness, when he could lose patience and destoy all of us immediately.

I'm not sure that this really expresses how I felt during those prayers, and I hope I haven't inadvertently been heretical. But it was probably the first time I have thought about seriously about these issues. I know that sounds bad, but a lot of the time I don't know how to pray for these places to which I've never been - other than a quick "Lord please bless them", which always seems completely inadequate.

I know exactly how you feel - I feel so lost as to how to pray for these people with such corrupted governments who won't let anyone help them for fear of the world knowing how they treat their people. I can't believe what all these people have gone through - born into such corrupt societies, know nothing else but to worship false gods and no other way of life but to suffer.

But the Bible tells us that we do not need a teacher that the Holy Spirit leads us to the truth - I pray that the Holy Spirit can break through all that garbage they are taught and bring them into salvation.

 

[Leah]

Well, what about the outrageous gas prices now? $4.00 per gallon??!! Ya'll KNOW that's just crazy!

So because of that, prices are skyrocketing.

The economy is bad and saving money is becoming more difficult. Let's not forget the numerous housing foreclosures. And the thousands of people who're homeless in China.

So don't sit there and be insulting by saying that's something that's been happening since day one.

 

[Leah]

I know exactly how you feel - I feel so lost as to how to pray for these people with such corrupted governments who won't let anyone help them for fear of the world knowing how they treat their people. I can't believe what all these people have gone through - born into such corrupt societies, know nothing else but to worship false gods and no other way of life but to suffer.

But the Bible tells us that we do not need a teacher that the Holy Spirit leads us to the truth - I pray that the Holy Spirit can break through all that garbage they are taught and bring them into salvation.

You know, as I sit here and think about this, I can't help but feel that even if I gave money to help them, that still wouldn't be enough. These people need help not just with food, shelter and supplies but they NEED all those things spiritually. They're hurting, grieving, confused and angry. I, too, don't know how I ought to pray concerning things of this magnitude. But I also know that the Holy Spirit sees my heart and knows it goes out China and Burma. And their governement? Absurd!!

May the Holy Spirit, indeed, break through all that garbage they are taught and bring them to salvation.

 

[rushingwind62]

God's word says that there will be trials and tribulation in the last days. It also says that we will have natural disasters, famine, pestilences, and basically very hard times. I have been a christian since 1986 and many times during the years since, people have thought we are living in the last days and that things couldn't get much worse. But guess what?? It has gotten worse and I fear we ain't seen nothing yet!

I believe everything will get much worse. The storms and earthquakes will become more fierce than we see even now. Our economy will continue to plummet. And more people will die and suffer.

I decided a long time ago to stop looking at the end time signs and trying to predict when the Lord will come, or whether we will be post, mid, or pre trib rapture. Instead I chose to live everyday like it will be my last day on earth. Jesus is going to come when He comes. Since He died and was raised every generation has thought they are living in the last days. Fact is no one knows the day or the hour of His coming. One thing the bible teaches is to live one day at a time because we don't know what tomorrow holds. We could walk out our door and get hit by a car. If that were to happen what good would it have done to be worrying about whether or not we are living in the last days.

Most of the world has heard about Jesus and what He did for us. Yeah there are some who haven't. But with the technology of television most of the known world has heard. Many have made their minds up to either serve Christ and accept Him as Savior or not to serve Him. When disasters hits we can only pray they knew the Lord. We can support our missionaries that go to these third world countries, and we can donate to those organzations that can help when disasters hit. The only other thing we could do is leave our lives behind and go ourselves.

I am not sure what point I am trying to make here other than live for God every day. Do what He tells you to do, go where He leads you to go, and stop worrying about whether we are in the last days or not. Not saying that we aren't, we very well could be. But I think we focus too much effort on it and not enough of living day to day.

Sorry for ranting...I'll step down from the soapbox now...lol....God Bless Everyone!!

 

[Leah]

Thank you, Rushingwind.

That's a breathe of fresh air I'm certain some are in need of, myself included.

 

[prayergal]

Rushing Wind has the right answer in my estimation. This cyclone is an unprecedented tragedy of huge proportions. When I heard of the death toll I was stunned at such loss of life. But the country has opened itself up to other countries for foreign assistance and aid and this may lead to the spread of the gospel. Jesus said when you see these things happening look up because your redemption draws near. I believe that these sitations are a sign that the Lord whom we have waited for so long is returning. So I am trying to get my household in order lest He come and find me sleeping. I have so many unsaved loved yet. And so many in my local area are still without the Lord. So I am busying myself with attending the Lord's vineyard. And I do pray for all these poor families that have lost so much.

 

[Strong in Him]

Well, what about the outrageous gas prices now? $4.00 per gallon??!! Ya'll KNOW that's just crazy!

Not half as crazy as £5 per gallon, which is what it is here.

Not that I drive, but still.