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We live in a world which in the words of C.S. Lewis was "bent" when Adam chose to believe and obey the enemy rather than God. In my own life... it is not a natural disaster I have had to face, it is illness but in many ways... it is the same thing. 
I cannot tell you how often I have wept because Christians both here and at home have been certain that God was punishing me for something or other. That was why I got cancer, according to them and if I had enough faith... I wouldn't have had to have had surgery or gone through treatment.
It is interesting. No one is saying that about my brain aneurysm. Presumably it is because people don't generally survive brain aneurysms and if they
do, they suffer brain-damage and generally cannot continue "business as usual". Funny... no one questioned my faith this time around.
Oh but then there were others... oh, how they gently came up along side me and simply loved me. They continue to walk with me, bless me and encourage me. They continue to minister to me as the precious hands and feet of Jesus in this world!
So, how are we going to respond to a hurting and broken world? Beat them with a stick or allow the love of God to be manifested through us so that they might see Christ in us and come to know Him? I know how I want to respond. Thanks for this reminder, Harkrider.
Blessings!
K 
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Posted 02/06/2010 03:43pm
Author: kreynolds
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Thank you,
Sometimes there is nothing more to be said.
You show how confused we are as Christians on this subject very well.
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Posted 02/12/2010 09:30pm
Author: harkrider
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HR,
Man's cute comments cannot contain our Almighty God. They just show the disparity between man and God. He transcends man's thoughts.
ptl2008
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Posted 02/06/2010 04:22pm
Author: ptl2008
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Put better than I could ever say.
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Posted 02/12/2010 09:31pm
Author: harkrider
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People should be more buried in the WORD.
This is not a time of judgment but a time of GRACE. Judgment will come but it is not now. There is a prince of the power of the air and an evil one who roams the earth seeking ways to destroy all in his path. He is the responsible one . . . not God.
We are not called unto wrath but unto salvation. It is God who brought in the dispensation of Grace and the Church Age. God will honor it. God will pour out "natural disasters" on earth but it will not be until after the Church is out of harms way.
Good point brother ... God does use the ill will of the evil one to bring Glory to Himself through those who show LOVE to others who are in need.
Don't blame God . . .we should bring God Glory through helping them in any way we can.
Great blog brother,
Tch
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Posted 02/06/2010 05:03pm
Author: tchable
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Yes, we do seem to have the judgment misplaced and forget grace and peace.
Thank you brother for saying it right.
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Posted 02/12/2010 09:33pm
Author: harkrider
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HR, I could come up with an awful lot of questions here, on both ends. I think I will just keep my opinions to myself, mainly because God has not told me why a lot of things have happened in the world, and other things have not. Like TCH said, we need to concentrate on the WORD. And like you said, if we judge in house (Christ' body of believers), that will keep us occupied, starting with self.
I will be honest, I struggle when the innocent suffer, specifically, the very young children, or very elderly. It is hard to understand, sometimes. But, since I have the Spirit of the living God inside of me, I know where the compassion comes from. Deep subject, my respects to you, billy
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Posted 02/06/2010 05:46pm
Author: billyb
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Billy,
I too suffer the innocent and cringe at the thought of their pain. i would like to remind you that our Lord uses labor pains as a description for some who suffer His coming. My wife has had three children and not once was she able to deaden the pain, (there was always a reason why), and though she went through the worst pain i could imagine she never remembered it. So i'm thinking maybe that after He takes us all home the reward will erase the pain.
bubba
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Posted 02/07/2010 07:22am
Author: bubbavela
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It is hard to understand and good to have compassion.
The understanding is possible and never fear with asking questions or sharing your view that is how we each learn and grow. The WORD and each other in the Spirit.
Be of good cheer one day we all will know and see the TRUTH as He is.
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Posted 02/12/2010 09:41pm
Author: harkrider
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Thank you!
So have we all my friend, so have we all.
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Posted 02/12/2010 09:42pm
Author: harkrider
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HR, Good blog calling out those that like to analyze God, do His thinking for Him and stand around doing a lot of finger pointing. The only problem when someone is pointing at something is...we have 3 fingers pointing back at ourselves 
In all His Majesty, with a snap of a finger don't we think He could just make the earth move in a way that it could mend all the earthquake faults??? Couldn't change the weather patterns so that it doesn't form hurricanes and tornadoes??? Then mankind wouldn't have to deal with disasters at all. But if we truly believe that God created the earth...ALL of it, then we have to believe that He has a hand in everything that happens...bad and good. Before I get stoned, remember Job. It makes me angry when people point fingers and say or think, "Well, you must have done something to make God mad!" when disaster or illness strikes. Prayerfully we don't respond like Job's wife! Remember however, the enemy has to get permission from God before He can do anything against man, right? More importantly, like Job, it ONLY occurs to strengthen our faith.
That doesn't forbode the concept that we as humans, like many we read in His Word, can do things that are not pleasing to Him. We still need to take things into consideration - like if someone's health becomes disastrous and deadly because they weigh 100 or more lbs over what's healthy (other than issues of inheritance perhaps-that's a totally different set of circumstances) then it's not God who made them eat themselves into having to use two seats on an airplane!!! That wasn't God that made them sick!!! Man has a choice in everything he does. Does He call on things to happen to us. Absolutely not! He has made many promises...and He keeps them. More to the point, has mankind kept his promise to God? Have we taken inventory in our spiritual closets. What happens to a building if maintenance is never kept up on it?
God expects all of us to step up to the plate and bat when anyone is in need...believer or not.
Yet, there is a middle. As we all know too well, Jesus, sent by God, came for the explicit purpose of salvation for all mankind. Yet, we read in the old testament how God dealt with mockery, ridiculing His commandments and raising 'his chosen' to an elevation in life that suited Him. And as His word says, He is the same yesterday, today and forever. His will for His children to worship only Him will never change.
So instead of wasting time trying to analyze why God would or would not allow anything to happen...we need to concentrate on being His body to reach out to all those in need...not just on foreign lands when disaster strikes. It might be in your backyard tomorrow...
Perhaps my blog written a while back in response to someone else's comments on the aspect of Haiti, might be of interest from a historical point. "Vodou Voodoo Christian What Say You?"
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Posted 02/06/2010 08:30pm
Author: 2gvhmpraz
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You make and raise important statements and questions here, some I don't think we think about to their fullness of meaning in scripture.
I didn't read that blog but I will.
Think you for a great comment.
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Posted 02/12/2010 09:48pm
Author: harkrider
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It is interesting that many of us choose to throw stones at those that we consider the sinners. Its also interesting how often evil plays havoc in our lives and we consider ourselves martyrs. But it is also true that sometimes the calamities in our lives bring us closer to our Lord. I often wonder why and question the process, and it is important for us to focus on these events and ponder the reason. In the book of Revelation John brings to our attention how life will end for the evil and how many will suffer. There are many who expect that the Christians will be raised in the rapture before then. I've not unfolded the answers to many questions but i have found a pattern that seems to run true. The further the world gets from the understanding of our Lord the more He tries to correct us. It is obvious whether we want to except it or not that our Lord has caused earthly disasters as a tool to correct us. Its also obvious to me that He intends to use disasters in the end time to bring us closer to Him. It is just that man as a whole will become stubborn and hard headed and deaf and blind to this form of communication from Him. Might i remind you of the plaques that was placed upon Egypt yet they refused to believe there significance. In the end His people were freed. I suppose that we will be given every chance to come to him in the end. Disasters upon disasters will be thrust upon us until many will come to him, still the hardened will fall further away with each event, always asking the question what kind of God...?
Our Lord is a consuming fire and He will stop at nothing to bring us closer to Him. Most of mankind will only seek after our Lord when there is nothing left to save them. Through the process of these disasters there will be many revelations, at least i'm hoping there will be.
bubba
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Posted 02/07/2010 06:28am
Author: bubbavela
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I don't disagree in the whole of what you say, I simple think we have somethings confused of how's and when's and what's.
I speak in general for reasons of the many varying teachings on the subject, in truth I could, would and have questioned my own denominations belief on this subject.
Some things are old some things are new and some things are future we must be careful to keep each in prospective.
Again, like above, you raise the questions we must consider an answer too.
Thank you.
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Posted 02/12/2010 09:58pm
Author: harkrider
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Harkrider,
Thank you for this timely entry. I agree with you. We have no place judging the people of Haiti, pronouncing judgement or proclaiming that they deserve curses upon their land. To further try to prescribe the right thing to do is as if we are telling them that it was their failing. It is just callous and sad. What Haiti needs is simply for us to pray for the country and their people. For some of us to help them with our resources if we we felt led to and to just show them love - not give judgement. Why sit and judge and say they should have done this or that? Please instead, go and help, go and share the gospel in Haiti (if you feel called to do so). Do as we were commissioned to do - otherwise, just pray for the people, pray that God sends people to the harvest and leave the judgement to God...
I am certain that there are Christians in Haiti who have been praying for a long time for their country. I am also quite sure that missionaries and intercessors have joined them in prayer. We cannot assume that there has been no prayer in Haiti. We cannot assume that there is no one in Haiti who is righteous and washed by the blood of Christ. That would be making the assumption that God did not send or call upon a single soul to stand in the gap for Haiti. Where then is our faith in God's greater plan? Is He not able to call upon His people and use us in times of need?
Those of us who are on the outside are probably unable to appreciate how God is working in Haiti now. We only see what is reported on the international media. We do not hear the testimonies that are happening. When I went to Myanmar for missions after the cyclone, I was constantly amazed by the testimonies, the increased rates of conversion and the faithfulness of God towards the people who have called upon His name. The trust that Burmese Christians had in God despite destruction around them was humbling. Yet I am also sure that there were Christians somewhere who were thinking that Myanmar brought the cyclone upon themselves...
Something is happening in Haiti and I am sure it is all going to work out for the good of the people who love Him...
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Posted 02/08/2010 12:35am
Author: doulos
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Thank you Doulos for your insight and wisdom.
There are many here I enjoy learning and sharing with, of those you are in the upper class.
Always good to hear from you.
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Posted 02/12/2010 10:03pm
Author: harkrider
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In my limited comprehension of the Bible prophecies, in relation to tragic events that occurs in our days today, like that of Haiti, that can be related to "The End-time Events".
However, the God of love is not responsible to this evil act that destroyed many lives.
There is no such truth about that term misused by insurance company as, "Acts of God", referring to earth quake, tornado, flash-flood, and other natural disaster.
This world, under the dominion of the enemy of peace and righteousness will continue to be under-sieged, until the God judgement will arrest that alleged murder-suspect Satan.
And that day is the blessed hope of deliverance of the suffering humanity!
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Posted 02/12/2010 04:36am
Author: biblebeyond
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Good to read your comment.
You are right to many of us forget who's dominion this is.
We live in a foreign land as ambassadors for the King.
It is a Blessed Hope.
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Posted 02/12/2010 10:06pm
Author: harkrider
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harkrider
It is obvious that your blog was written in response to the blog I wrote. I have read and reflected upon your blog and the comments provided by others and do appreciate the discussion.This weekend I am publishing the first of at least two follow-ups to the blog I wrote which will add some clarity and will further look at remedy for Haiti. This first follow-up does provide an answer to the question you posed at the beginning of your blog. With regard for your thoughts and perspective, revgenlink
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Posted 02/12/2010 08:08pm
Author: revgenlink
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Yes I read your blog.
This is not in response to it alone but to the many on the radio, tv and churches I hear daily.
Please do not be offended but I have heard and dealt with your teachings my whole life.
The City I grew up in has some of the greatest and biggest faith and healer teachers in the World.
I do believe God can heal you, I have seen it, I don't think someone isn't healed because of a lack of faith.
I think God is bigger than that.
I know the Spirit works daily in the life of a believer.
And the Spirit is at work in many an unbeliever to choose.
I think we are confused, for many reasons, of what God knows - foresees and predestines.
I think we have confusion of what God has done, is doing and going to do.
And I really think to many of us fail to understand we are no longer under the wrath of God because of the work on the cross by Jesus not because we are Christians.
Yes, there is a time coming He will pour out His wrath once more.
Those are my main points if they help in your blogs all the better.
Thank you for the comment and I'm really not just picking on you. 
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Posted 02/12/2010 10:38pm
Author: harkrider
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Hark,
These words you wrote burned in my heart:
Oh, I do too! This... this is what I have been trying to say nearly all of my life for this was something God taught me when I was a new Christian and about eight years old. Some older boys attacked me and one of my friends. I got away but... I could hear her screams and I went back for my friend .
They left her and came after me... I won't go into it but although I got hurt, I was rescued. In the night though, I cried out in pain from my injury... Through my tears I cried out "Jesus, I hurt..." and I realized beyond a shadow of a doubt that He was there. He saw my pain, He saw my hurt and... He cared. Even though I was "wounded" He had NOT forsaken me... I was still tucked safely in His arms... for God is bigger.
Oh, that we would come to realize that God is indeed far bigger and greater than anything we will ever encounter. Oh, it is my prayer that these precious words will burn in the hearts of all who read them as they have burned in mine.
May we always remember that the VERY best is yet to be!
Blessings!
K
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Posted 02/13/2010 04:13pm
Author: kreynolds
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K, sorry I missed you.
The bestest of the bestest is yet to be.
Amen!!!
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Posted 02/27/2010 08:02pm
Author: harkrider
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I really appreciate your thoughts on this subject- I have been thinking a lot about the comments that have been made about this most recent disaster and katrina and others. It is just a real shame that the most destructive and judgmental voices in the christian church are the loudest.
What is most important now is how the rest of us respond- how do we show love and compassion to the people of haiti?
Thank you so much- I needed a reminder that we shouldn't presume to explain God's intentions and motivations...or lack thereof...
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Posted 02/21/2010 11:39pm
Author: revolutionarylove
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Thank you,
Much good is happening in Haiti and many other places.
Your question is one we all as brothers and sisters in the Lord need to seriously think on.
God bless you.
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Posted 02/27/2010 03:10am
Author: harkrider
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HR
In order to express your opinion so vehemently against Pastor Robertson's comments regarding Haiti, you are, in effect, accusing your brother-in-Christ. The enemy, Satan, is the accuser of the brethren (Rev 12:10) and I would caution you not to help the enemy in doing his job, unless, of course, you know your comments are Spirit-filled.
We, as Christians, do have the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16) through the revealing power of the Holy Spirit, and we do have the revealed will of God in the Holy Scriptures.
It's the UNREVEALED will of God, where we must rely on the Holy Spirit (through words of wisdom, words of knowledge, and spirit-filled interpretations) and through the prophets. I know Pastor Robertson believes he is a prophet of God and, unless you know for sure he is not, please be careful for your sake, when accusing one of God's children, especially if he may be one of God's anointed and a prophet.
Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm! (1 Chronicles 16:22 and Psalm 105:15)
Anytime we are told twice by God, we should probably take heed. Remember, also, we are called to unity in the faith and to be in one accord, not discord.
I do not presume to know the unrevealed will of God towards the people of Haiti. And I do not presume to know whether Pastor Robertson is a prophet of God. I do not walk in the office of the prophet and have not been given any words of knowledge or words of wisdom regarding Haiti or Pastor Robertson.
However, because we all have the revealed will of God in the the Holy Scriptures and we can have the mind of Christ, through the revealing power of the Holy Spirit, there are some things, we can know.
Satan, until our Lord's return, is the ruler of this world. (John 12:31, John 14:30, John 16:11, 2 Cor 4:4). Notice in 2 Cor 4:4, the devil is still called the ruler of this world, even after Christ's resurrection.
Satan is the prince of the power of the air. (Ephesians 2:2) (This pertains to the comments about Katrina and hurricanes)
It is Satan that comes to kill, steal, and destroy (John 10:10), not our Heavenly Father.
During this dispensation, Christ has come to save, not to lay judgment. (John 12:47)
Christ has come that we may have life and have it more abundantly. (John 10:11)
So what do we take away from all of this. We can take away that satan does have power and authority over this realm and over the sons of man, the unsaved, until Christ's return. If satan had chosen to destroy Haiti, it could still be within his authority and capacity to do so, especially if Haiti did not have adequate prayer cover and did not have spirit-filled prayer warriors standing in the gap staying the hand of the enemy. And it is certainly within the devil's character to kill his own children. After all, he hates mankind because God chose man over him. The heavenly hosts have always wondered why God was so mindful of man. (Psalm 144:3)
However, the enemy does not have authority over the children of God, the believers. That's why we must know our armor, our authority and power, and the voice of the Holy Spirit. Only then can we effectively stand in the gap as intercessors. We are in this world but not of it. As I once heard preached, we are an occupying army in a hostile territory waiting for the Lord's return. We are the body of Christ. Jesus is the head of the body. It is our responsibility to find out what the Head wants (His will) and to carry out the task as a cohesive body, implying unity. How can the left leg be going in one direction and the right leg in another direction?
Christ already did His part when He went to the cross. All authority in heaven and earth has been given to Him and He delegated it to us, His body, when He said Go ye therefore! (Matt 28:18-19). We, as a unified body, should be seeking His face to find out what it is He would have us do corporately and what to pray for corporately.
When Pastor Robertson made the pact with the devil statement, I don't believe he was trying to say God had judged the nation. After all, in this dispensation, Jesus has come to save not to judge. Pastor Robertson could however have meant that God did not stay the devil's act, especially if some sort of pact had been made and there was not a large enough contingent of Spirit-filled believers, a remnant, to stand in the gap for Haiti.
Pastor Robertson also made a comment that a blessing could come out of this, if it brought the nation back to God. A similar thing happened in the Corinthian church. The Apostle Paul turned over one of his own congregation to satan, after the young man had been intimate with his father's wife,
1It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even £named among the Gentilesthat a man has his father's wife! 2And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you. 3For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed. 4In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord £Jesus.
(1 Cor 5:1-5).
I'm sure people were questioning Paul's walk and authority after declaring the young man should be turned over to satan. I wonder how many in Paul's congregation felt Paul was judging the young man? Frankly, the Apostle Paul probably had deeper revelation than any of us about God's grace and mercy and yet he still felt it necessary to turn the young man over to satan.
Based on the light of the scriptures, could Pastor Robertson's statements have validity? I believe I have scripturally supported at least the potential for their validity. If Pastor Robertson is a true prophet of God, he may know the will of God for Haiti and I would caution you in your criticism of him. After all brother, can you think of a single message from any of God's prophets that was well received by the world?
May God bless you and keep you brother. And may the love, joy, peace, grace, and mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ be multiplied to you and yours.
JustBelievingGod
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge(ignorance) Hosea 4:6
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Posted 02/24/2010 03:34pm
Author: justbelievinggod
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First I suppose I should welcome you to C.B.
Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts.
I enjoyed reading them though they have little to do with my content.
May God richly bless you.
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Posted 02/27/2010 03:04am
Author: harkrider
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Harkrider, you have captured my very thoughts. It seems that every time there is either a natural disaster (Haiti, hurricaine Katrina) or a man-made act of terrorism, many who profess to be children of God (like Robertson) come out of the woodwork to account for what they think God is doing. None of us earthly beings have the right to make that kind of determination. None of us are equipped with the ability to understand even a tenth of what God's plan is. In the end, God's ultimate plan is none of our business and none of us should be trying to read God's mind. Thank you for posting this blog. 
~ Jobez
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Posted 02/27/2010 12:27pm
Author: jobez
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Welcome to C.B. and thank you.
Truthfully I only used Pastor Robertson because someone had him as an example on their blog.
You are right we very much need to let God be God.
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Posted 02/27/2010 08:01pm
Author: harkrider
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Thank you for writing this. So many people want to say that the people in Haiti are responsible for what happened to them, but I want to ask a question of everyone. Are you capable of murder? You can either answer yes or no. By saying no you are claiming that you yourself are somehow a better evolved human and have a different nature than others. Now it may seem crazy to say that yes I am capable of murder but I just pose the question for thought. What makes Haiti deserve such things when no where else in the world is any better than those people according to God?
As humans we suffer from sin, but we so often overlook that the Earth is suffering from sin too!
Romans 8:19-22 - "The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time."
The "Natural Disasters" that happen on earth (tornadoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, etc.) should probably be labeled "un-natural disasters" because they were not part of God's original plain in Genesis 1 and 2. This scripture in Romans 8 shows us that all of creation is groaning in pain, as it too, awaits the second coming of our Lord Jesus.
So why did the earthquake happen? Becasue of sin. Creation is suffering from sin just like we are.
Maggie
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Posted 03/05/2010 12:43pm
Author: currencyofgrace
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Log Into Chatroom 
Creative Commons: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
Thank you God for your grace and compassion.
