Job 36:33

33 The noise [rea`] thereof sheweth [nagad] concerning it, the cattle [miqneh] also concerning the vapour [`alah]. KJV-Interlinear

33 'Its noise declares His presence; The cattle also, concerning what is coming up. NASB

There is not a person or animal, on the planet, nor in history, that does no look up when a storm is coming up.

The skies darken, the sounds of wind and thunder, even at a distance, announce the coming storm. The lightning flashes are seen even before the noise of a storm can be heard.

And so it is with life, with the difficulties of life, with the problems and the disasters of life. They are announced sometime prior to their arrival. And God makes His announcements, through doctrine, long before disaster strikes.

Animals are not dumb. They know the seasons, they know the changes in the weather. And yet man, who possesses a greater intellect, often times cannot see the nose on his own face.

We have often said in this study that there are but two opinions in life. There is Gods view and then there is everything else.

Well in life or in politics, there is the left view of liberalism, the right view of conservatism, and the center view which is some sort of balance between the two. Regardless of these views, they are all views of the world, each possessing some of the true views of God (if you happen to be in or near the center thinking group), and each possessing some views that are not.

And as you move further and further from the center, then those views begin to dabble in the bizarre.

Political views are not doctrinal views, but are views of the world. Doctrinal views are not political views, but certainly have an influence in the direction of the thinking of people.

In the temporal world, we do not have any gauges for measuring our spiritual strengths or weaknesses. Only from the spiritual side of life, can we observe the workings of the temporal side, and sometimes gain an understanding of the direction, or potential direction that life in this world is going to take. Like storms on the horizon.

None of us are prophets. We cannot say what the world will be doing in a month or in a decade, but we can guess as to its direction from generation to generation. And even that is a difficult guess. We do not know what technology the world will possess in the next generation, nor their troubles, nor their strengths.

But that all, only points to the frailties of humanity.

God can announce the lightning. God can announce the storm. God can point out those who are His friends, and those who are not. God can act on an individual level as well as on a worldwide generational level. We cannot.

We can study doctrine all of our lives and gain insight as to what is happening in the world, perhaps identifying patterns or trends, but we will never have perfect insight.

Certainly, people with doctrine will have a better insight than those who have no doctrinal foundation.

But regardless for your spiritual status, Gods always provides adequate warnings. Storm warnings.

And it is God who directs the storms' ferocity. Not by luck, not by chance, not by simple acts of nature, but by the will of God.

He can direct a single bolt of lightning to the nose of a single individual, with perfect accuracy.

Nothing in life, happens by accident. And while God does not coerce us into any trend of thinking, He always provides us with adequate information and warning systems such that we can stay clear of disaster, or at least be aware of its coming.

From that, you can either be caught up in the storms of life, or you can try to steer clear of them, or you can ride them out.

Sometimes we won't have much of a choice, since the would is far bigger than any of us, but we will always have the choice of spiritual preparation, and through that, we can place our destiny in Gods hands and through Him live through whatever storms life might come our way.

Certainly without God, you will be on your own when trouble strikes.

Now is the time to post a prayer.