Alpha is coming!

[Dark Virtue]

Im not saying that this is THE sign, but these are THE birth pains. Just like a woman giving birth they come closer and closer together as the time of birth draws closer. There is no ONE sign, it is a combination of all of them occuring with more and more frequency. Just as with labor pains you can tell when the baby is about to be born. Now whether or not Jesus is going to come at the end of those labor pains, or right before they end or whenever, that is not known, but we can get a pretty good idea that it will be sooner than later if we are to follow His association with the labor pains.

Sheesh, 2,000+ years is a long time to be in labor.

 

[Dark Virtue]

4. Natural disasters are often a call to repentance from a righteous Judge.

Can you explain this one please?

You said OFTEN, so I assume you mean that not ALL natural disasters are a call to repentance. How do you know which are and which aren't? If they are designed and created as some sort of persuasive force by God, wouldn't it be erroneous to refer to them as "natura" disasters? I posted a pretty big list of natural disasters, which of those were calls to repentance?

 

[Arkanjel]

You know, you haven't left a chink in this big enough to fit a credit card in, have you?

If everybody agrees with you - then the end times are coming.
If nobody agrees with you - then the end times are coming.

This is like some weird drinking game.

Here is an old southern saying that im kind of fond of Eon.
"The Lord works in mysterious ways!"

 

[[toj.cc]WildBillKickoff]

Can you explain this one please?

You said OFTEN, so I assume you mean that not ALL natural disasters are a call to repentance. How do you know which are and which aren't? If they are designed and created as some sort of persuasive force by God, wouldn't it be erroneous to refer to them as "natura" disasters? I posted a pretty big list of natural disasters, which of those were calls to repentance?

How am I supposed to know? I'm not God, so I can't speak to what his intentions were. I know that His ways are His ways, and we have instances in the Bible where God wanted a certain group of people dead (like Sodom and Gomorrah), and they became dead. I know of other instances (like the example of the 42 young men cursed by Elisha and mauled by the bears) where God used the action as a call to repentance, giving people (in that case, the people of Samaria) a chance to repent before their demise.

As far as "natural disasters" go, it's a term synonymous with "act of God". The two can be used interchangably, Captain Semantics.

 

[Marcylene]

Captain Semantics

DV is now part of the family!! We really need to give him a title! Moderator will you be kind enough to change DV's title of member to Captain Semantics? I love it!!!!!!!

 

[Eon]

Here is an old southern saying that im kind of fond of Eon.
"The Lord works in mysterious ways!"

Yes, well, that sounds a little too much like Saint Augustine's answer to me. I didn't accept "Just because!" when I was a five year old, either...

 

[Icthus]

How am I supposed to know? I'm not God, so I can't speak to what his intentions were. I know that His ways are His ways, and we have instances in the Bible where God wanted a certain group of people dead (like Sodom and Gomorrah), and they became dead. I know of other instances (like the example of the 42 young men cursed by Elisha and mauled by the bears) where God used the action as a call to repentance, giving people (in that case, the people of Samaria) a chance to repent before their demise.

As far as "natural disasters" go, it's a term synonymous with "act of God". The two can be used interchangably, Captain Semantics.

I want to begin by saying I am not endorsing anyone in this thread. I have my own feelings that cannot be summed up in a post. In my Master Degree we wrote pages and pages on this stuff.

But, for DV and explaining how natural disasters are a part of "judgement".

All natural disasters are due to the sin of man. That is a standard doctrine of all Christianity. Whether you call it global warming or orginal fall in the garden of eden. Therefore, any major climatic or some other "act of God" can point to the fact that humanity has sinned against God. So, every time we see disease or disaster we are reminded that God wanted us to live in peace with Him in paradise (Eden). But, humanity chose to try its own way.

Therefore, one could say that natural events are God's general judgement on humanity. One could also use specific events, such as famine in the Old Testament, to show God judgement on people groups as well.

This is just a glimps of a larger issue. I hope it gives some insight. Now do not pick this apart as if it is a treatise on natural disasters. It can also bring up the how can a loving God allow humanity to sin. But that is a topic for another day.

 

[Jeshurun]

Jesus will return in the same way He departed. Watch and see. Always be aware and be ready. We came into this world with nothing but we leave with the gift of eternal life. To be unified in love is to have eternal life. Psalm 133:1-3 ..... O see the cloud --Exodus 16:10, Revelation 16:15, Revelation 3:18, Romans 13:14, Galatians 3:27, Luke 24:49, Isaiah 61:10, Job 29:14, Revelation 14:14, Revelation 1:7, Mark 13: 26-27, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, Luke 21:27-28. Well there you have it and in my heart I believe that God our father in heaven is surrounded by the thick darkness of a black cloud, and around Him is a tempest that blows very cold, and his breath produces ice, and a fire devours before Him. His way is in the wirlwind and the storm.