Of Hurricanes, Judgment, Climate Change and Repentance

Hurricane Irma is weakening, yet still moving across a nine hundred mile swath on the east coast. Millions of people lost power and the Texas clean-up from Hurricane Harvey is just beginning.

It seems like 21st century folks have a hard time thinking about God and hurricanes in the same sentence, although, one generation ago (and still on most insurance forms), natural disasters were called “acts of God.”

A number of people unsubscribed when I dared to link God with natural calamities. Why does this idea offend modern people? Here are some random thoughts on hurricanes, judgment, climate change, and need for repentance in our world.

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Signs in the Heavens–and Houston Hope

My wife asked me to step outside last night and take a look at the moon. We stood on our enclosed deck and looked up at an orange-red ball that we’d never seen before in the Port Orchard sky.

This morning, we woke up to a reddish sun and tiny particles of ash falling from the heavens due to some immense wildfires burning nearby.

Hurricane Harvey has already ravished Texas. Irma is on the way toward the Atlantic coast.

Are these signs in the heavens, and how do they point to hope?

A number of books have been written on “blood moons” and “heavenly signs” that indicate either prophetic events on God’s calendar or the ushering in of the End Times. I find these writings fascinating, but always read them cautiously. Read More

Messages from Houston

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 3:22).

For the past few days, one of the largest hurricanes ever to enter the U.S. mainland pummeled the Gulf Coast of Texas–reeking havoc on Houston–America’s fourth largest city. Ten people have died, thousands needed courageous rescues, scores of thousands are in temporary shelters, and billions of dollars are needed to rebuild after the rains cease and water recedes.

Living in the Northwest, my family didn’t experience Harvey first-hand, but our hearts go out to those who lost loved ones, homes or businesses. We have a number of YWAM bases in Texas and we will certainly assist their efforts to help their neighbors emerge from the devastation.

What are the messages being sent via Hurricane Harvey?

Houston is an interesting city–one that sports a number of extremes.

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