Is 14:26-27
26 I have a plan for the whole earth, a hand of judgment upon all the nations. 27 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has spoken—who can change his plans? When his hand is raised, who can stop him?”

God has always been in control of history.. It is true that there is a cause and effect reality to many things that occur through out time. It is true that there is judgement for sin. God’s judgment, however, is never separated from his mercy. It is convenient for us to misquote scripture and say that “All things happen for a reason”, implying that God would choose to use our suffering to bring about his perfect will. This is not scriptural nor true! God is a God of order, and will not suspend that order even for the good of his people. But, what is true is that in all things, weather horrible or wonderful, Gods plans still stand, continue to move forward and always come to fruition! He, his love, and his will for the earth, and all of us who inhabit it, is unstoppable! What the bible actually says is this in Romans 8:28 “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them”.
Right now, in whatever trial you find your self in, or, maybe, as you look at the horrific images coming out of Japan, don’t ask “How could God have let this happen”?.. but rather this, “How is God going to use this to bring about his will”?

So thankful for the unstoppable love of God,
Pastor Josh

Romans 8:38
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.