The Produce of a Hurricane

I am not sure if Isaac was ever really announced as a hurricane or not; however, we are sure benefitting from the storm.  It has been raining since before I got up this morning around 3 a.m. and before.

It is a wonderful blessing.  I pray the people along the coast were not harmed, and that everyone benefitting from the rain realizes the blessing that it is to so many.

Thanksgiving belongs to the One who gives all good things to us.  He is the Lord of all.  Thank YOU LORD.

-tim

From my Journal

This is part of what I wrote in my journal for today.

On this day in 2001 at around 7:30 a.m. Central time the U.S.A. was attacked by the enemy with ties to Islam.  There were four groups/teams who hijacked four different passenger  planes.  The first was directed as a bomb into the North tower of the World Trade Center in New York City.  The second, like the first was flown directly into the South tower.  The explosions were massive, and the destruction was horrific.

A third plane was directed at the Pentagon, a government building where military plans and personnel are housed.  The fourth plane was on a direct path toward Washington D.C., but did not reach its destination.  The passengers on board, upon finding out the intentions of the terrorists caused the plane to crash into a field in Pennsylvania killing all on board, but probably saving many more lives..

In total more than 3,000 people died that day.  Because of God’s intervention – Divine Providence – there could have been many more perishing in the fall of the towers that day.

In my heart I believe that was a warning to our nation of our departure from the Lord of all.  A message to the Christians especially. Judgment was beginning to increase.

Thankfully, we had a President who was a confessing Christian and appeared to trust the Lord at that time.

That has been ten years now, and there have been many destructive storms of “Nature” hit our nation.  One was hurricane “Katrina” which hit the Gulf Coast nearly destroying New Orleans, LA..  Just this past Spring tornadoes  hit the South nearly destroying the city of Tuscaloosa, AL.  Maybe I should say “destroying the city…”.  That happened in April and over 300 were killed in the South tornadoes.  On May 22, 2011 a tornado hit Joplin, MO. killing 160 and leveling a large part of the city.  Destruction of homes, businesses, hospitals and schools were recorded on video as it happened.

There is a need for repentance among the people of God today.

Much of that is word for word from my journal.  If you are a Christian stop approving of sin; and speak out against it. Live against it. Repent of it; in other words; AGREE WITH GOD.

Though I may live in Jenkins, MO and along the banks of Flat Creek;  I am not blind or ignorant of the world’s greatest need; and that is Christ Jesus.

-Tim

Disruptions, or Designed by Faith

There has been an abundance of hurricane problems lately, especially for the folks along the coastal areas, and the Gulf. If you live in those areas know that I think and pray for you, and your faith to grow.

Living in Southwest Missouri we have our storms, tornadoes, etc., and we do receive some of the benefits and troubles of the hurricanes, when they come up from the Gulf.

Last evening when my wife and I went to bed for the evening, and rest, there was a calm rain coming down from the residual affects of hurricane Ike. Like I said it was a calm, mild pouring rain; no troubles right?

About 2:30 a.m. I awoke to complete darkness, similar to being in a cave with no lights on. Our house has never been so dark. Our electric power was off, the air was not on, nothing was running, no refridgerator, or freezer, and worst of all no light. I needed to get up for a little while, so I got out of bed found the wall with my hands, and worked my way to where I knew there was a flashlight. I got the flashlight, turned it on. Oh, how good it was to be able to see. Oh, how good it is to know that God has given me that ability to do so. I pray that I never lose the heart of thankfulness for my eyesight, or anything the Lord has given me.

When I got up this morning about 5:15, the power was back on. I am thankful; for I know that there are millions in Houston today who do not have power, and will not have it for a few days, maybe weeks; let us pray for these good people.

The water which crosses our road after we get out of our driveway was up over the road, and deeper. When we needed out to go to worship our Lord, it was down enough to cross it. That is when I saw that it had risen higher than it had been before, to my knowledge since we have lived here. We wouldn’t have been able to get out at the depth it had reached.

We arrived at our church, had no Bible Study class, and we had three people present; including my wife and I. We had a hymn, read the fifteenth chapter of John, had prayer and came home.

I ask was this storm a disruption, or was it a design for faith. I choose to make it a design of faith. God always knows what He is doing. The prophet Nahum has written, “The LORD hath His way in the whirlwind, and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet.” 1:3 (KJV).

We must learn to trust Him through every storm. The one’s which are made up of wind, lightning, rain, and tornadoes and hurricanes; and the one’s which are made up of our troubles, trials, fears, and sicknesses and diseases. Even these are in His hands, and He brings us through them, prepares us for the glory that is ahead.

-Tim A. Blankenship