The Wrath of God; Hurricane Katrina

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Speaking of the complaint department......but seriously, maybe we should look at this event and the hardships that are sure to follow on its heels as directed not toward the godless and unregenerate, but at Christ's church for the sin of unbelief which we harbor.

From this morning's devotional:
Complaining Against God by C. H. Spurgeon


"And all the children of Israel murmured."
--Numbers 14:2

There are murmurers amongst Christians now, as there were in the camp of Israel of old. There are those who, when the rod falls, cry out against the afflictive dispensation. They ask, "Why am I thus afflicted? What have I done to be chastened in this manner?" A word with thee, O murmurer! Why shouldst thou murmur against the dispensations of thy heavenly Father? Can He treat thee more hardly than thou deservest? Consider what a rebel thou wast once, but He has pardoned thee! Surely, if He in His wisdom sees fit now to chasten thee, thou shouldst not complain. After all, art thou smitten as hardly as thy sins deserve? Consider the corruption which is in thy breast, and then wilt thou wonder that there needs so much of the rod to fetch it out? Weigh thyself, and discern how much dross is mingled with thy gold; and dost thou think the fire too hot to purge away so much dross as thou hast? Does not that proud rebellious spirit of thine prove that thy heart is not thoroughly sanctified? Are not those murmuring words contrary to the holy submissive nature of God's children?

Is not the correction needed? But if thou wilt murmur against the chastening, take heed, for it will go hard with murmurers. God always chastises His children twice, if they do not bear the first stroke patiently. But know one thing--"He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men." All His corrections are sent in love, to purify thee, and to draw thee nearer to Himself. Surely it must help thee to bear the chastening with resignation if thou art able to recognize thy Father's hand. For "whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons." "Murmur not as some of them also murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer."
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And also from today's devotional:
It is very easy for us to speak and theorize about faith, but God often casts us into crucibles to try our gold, and to separate it from the dross and alloy. Oh, happy are we if the hurricanes that ripple life's unquiet sea have the effect of making Jesus more precious. Better the storm with Christ than smooth waters without Him.--Macduff
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:pray2::pray2::pray2:
 
Originally posted by JKLeoPCA
Does anyone know if in Insurance terminology, is "Act of God" still in policies???

Just wondering
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I don't know how widespread the term "act of God" is in today's insurance industry. I see the term "force majeure" in use on occasion, including this week. Here is an article about Air Canada's invocation of the terms in 2003. I expect both terms will be in use quite a bit wrt Katrina. This article discusses cat bonds, or 'act of God' bonds, wrt to Katrina.
 
Originally posted by VirginiaHuguenot
Select examples of notable historical catastrophes (natural or man-made) which have been viewed as judgments of God and also inspired, by God's grace, many to repentance (cf. Gen. 50.50):

Fall of Jerusalem (70)
Eruption of Mt. Vesuvius Destroyed Pompeii (79)
Fall of Rome (410)
The Black Death (1357-1360)
Fall of Constantinople (1453)
St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre (1572)
Thirty Years War (1618-1648)
Massacre of Ulster Protestants (1641)
Great Plague of London (1665)
Great Fire of London (1666)
The Killing Times, Scotland (1680's)
Earthquake Destroyed Port Royal, Jamaica (1692)
Earthquake Destroyed Lisbon, Portugal (1755)
War Between the States (1861-1865)
WWI (1914-1918)
WWII (1939-1945)
Pearl Harbor (1941)
Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagaski, Bombing of Dresden, Germany (1945)
Terrorist Attacks on US (2001)
Four Hurricanes Hit Florida (2004)
Indian Ocean Tsunami (2004)
Click to expand...

Some sermons and tracts worth reading are:

Thomas Brooks, London's Lamentations: or, A serious discourse concerning the late fiery dispensation that turned our (once renowned) city into a ruinous heap. Also the several lessons that are incumbent upon those whose houses have escaped the consuming flames.

Matthew Henry, A Memorial of the Fire of the Lord: in a sermon, preached September 2nd, 1713, being the day of the commemoration of the burning of London, in 1666.

John Owen, National Sins and National Judgments

James H. Thornwell, Judgments, A Call to Repentance, A Sermon Preached by Appointment of the Legislature in the Hall of the House of Representatives, Dec. 9, 1854

James H. Thornwell, Sermon on National Sins, Nov. 21, 1860

Patrick Gillespie, Rulers Sins The Causes of National Judgments, Or, a Sermon Preached at the Fast upon The 26th Day of December, 1650

Samuel Davies, Sermon on the Occasion of the French and Indian War, 1756: 'National judgments are inflicted for national sins, and therefore reformation from national sins is the only hopeful way to escape them.'

John Wesley, National Sins and Miseries, November 12, 1775

William Linn, A Discourse on National Sins, Delivered May 2, 1798, Being the day recommended by the President of the United States to be observed as a day of General Fast

C.H. Spurgeon, Fast-day Service Held at the CRYSTAL PALACE, SYDENHAM, On Wednesday, October 7th, 1857, by the REV. C.H. SPURGEON, Being the Day appointed by Proclamation for a Solemn Fast, Humiliation, and Prayer before Almighty God: in order to obtain Pardon of our Sins, and for imploring His Blessing and Assistance on our Arms for the Restoration of Tranquillity in India.

J.C. Ryle, The Finger of God

William Einwechter, Has Not the Lord Done It?

[Edited on 9-12-2005 by VirginiaHuguenot]
 
Originally posted by LawrenceU
Whilst it is true that New Orleans is a city with much sinfulness. So is every city in this nation. We should be EXTREMELY cautious in ascribing God's judgment to any natural disaster. Such talk smacks of spiritual arrogance.
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Tell me about it. I lived around Buffalo -- a city infected with the fatal but curable disease called Popery -- when the Blizzard of '77 hit. Out of school for a week.

My wife and I also had to evacuate for both Hurricanes Ivan and Dennis. The only thing we lost was our food when the power went out. Thus, both the righteous and the sinners are subject to whatever weather Almighty God throws at us. I hope that this is not arrogant, but it seems to me that Christians are given a better understanding of how things come together -- especially the weather.:detective:

Let me ask everyone this: could the handwriting be on the wall?:2cents:
 
Originally posted by VirginiaHuguenot
Originally posted by VirginiaHuguenot
Select examples of notable historical catastrophes (natural or man-made) which have been viewed as judgments of God and also inspired, by God's grace, many to repentance (cf. Gen. 50.50):

Fall of Jerusalem (70)
Eruption of Mt. Vesuvius Destroyed Pompeii (79)
Fall of Rome (410)
The Black Death (1357-1360)
Fall of Constantinople (1453)
St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre (1572)
Thirty Years War (1618-1648)
Massacre of Ulster Protestants (1641)
Great Plague of London (1665)
Great Fire of London (1666)
The Killing Times, Scotland (1680's)
Earthquake Destroyed Port Royal, Jamaica (1692)
Earthquake Destroyed Lisbon, Portugal (1755)
War Between the States (1861-1865)
WWI (1914-1918)
WWII (1939-1945)
Pearl Harbor (1941)
Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagaski, Bombing of Dresden, Germany (1945)
Terrorist Attacks on US (2001)
Four Hurricanes Hit Florida (2004)
Indian Ocean Tsunami (2004)
Click to expand...

Some sermons and tracts worth reading are:

Thomas Brooks, London's Lamentations: or, A serious discourse concerning the late fiery dispensation that turned our (once renowned) city into a ruinous heap. Also the several lessons that are incumbent upon those whose houses have escaped the consuming flames.

Matthew Henry, A Memorial of the Fire of the Lord: in a sermon, preached September 2nd, 1713, being the day of the commemoration of the burning of London, in 1666.

John Owen, National Sins and National Judgments

James H. Thornwell, Judgments, A Call to Repentance, A Sermon Preached by Appointment of the Legislature in the Hall of the House of Representatives, Dec. 9, 1854

James H. Thornwell, Sermon on National Sins, Nov. 21, 1860

Patrick Gillespie, Rulers Sins The Causes of National Judgments, Or, a Sermon Preached at the Fast upon The 26th Day of December, 1650

Samuel Davies, Sermon on the Occasion of the French and Indian War, 1756: 'National judgments are inflicted for national sins, and therefore reformation from national sins is the only hopeful way to escape them.'

John Wesley, National Sins and Miseries, November 12, 1775

William Linn, A Discourse on National Sins, Delivered May 2, 1798, Being the day recommended by the President of the United States to be observed as a day of General Fast

C.H. Spurgeon, Fast-day Service Held at the CRYSTAL PALACE, SYDENHAM, On Wednesday, October 7th, 1857, by the REV. C.H. SPURGEON, Being the Day appointed by Proclamation for a Solemn Fast, Humiliation, and Prayer before Almighty God: in order to obtain Pardon of our Sins, and for imploring His Blessing and Assistance on our Arms for the Restoration of Tranquillity in India.

J.C. Ryle, The Finger of God

William Einwechter, Has Not the Lord Done It?

[Edited on 9-12-2005 by VirginiaHuguenot]
Click to expand...

November 1 is the 250th anniversary of the Lisbon earthquake, one of the most powerful and deadly in human history (November 1, 1755).
 
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