The problem of Global Warming

What's the real problem of Global Warming?

Arrogance.

Here in California where I am, you can no longer build a house with a fireplace.  At least "regular" people can't.  I'm sure that with enough money and loopholes, the rich people can do it.  But the average person can't.  Because we will make global warming worse.

There are also days when those of us in old houses that do have fireplaces are told we can't use them.  Because we will make global warming worse.

I'm waiting for the day when we're told we can't use our outdoor BBQ any more either. Because we will make global warming worse.

Arrogance.

Seriously.

Look at this picture:

 

This is a picture from a forest fire raging in Alberta Canada as I'm writing this.
Now - ask yourself - does this contribute to global warming?

Does it maybe contribute to global warming more than some fireplaces and bbqs?

And it's not like this is the only fire.  There are lots of them.
When I was in school - we used to be taught that things like forest fires were "nature's" way of taking care of those forests.  The old / dead stuff was burned off so that new growth could take place.  

 

Now - forest fires are the result - not the cause - of global warming.

What changed?

Arrogance!

There was a time when we believed - and taught - that God created everything.

Ge 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Then there came a time where this happened -

Ge 3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

That didn't end well at all.  Adam & Eve fell for the trick question and that's how we got where we are.

But was Satan satisfied with that state of affairs?  No.  Not at all.

Then the question turned into -

“Did God really say, " <fill in the blank> "?

Next thing we knew - or maybe more correctly too many didn't realize - more and more things were questioned.  And more and more things that God called good, got thrown by the wayside.

And now - the question has turned into -

Does God really exist?

And for way too many people - the answer is no, he doesn't. 
And for too many others - the answer has been turned into yes, he does, but I have redefined him to be a very small god with little or no actual power over me.

And now?

Now - we've reached the point where anyone who even tries to say that maybe God has caused something gets blasted.

So - let's go for it.

There are many, many times in the Bible where fire is an indication of either God's presence - or something that God has done.

Furthermore - there are times when the presence of fire is good - and some times where it's bad.

The word "fire" is in the NIV translation of the Bible 424 times.  I invite you to check some of them out to verify what I've written.  I don't plan to put them all in here.

In any case - the point is - there are times when things happen that are beyond our control.
I think a lot of people get "lost" in the difference between God having "control over everything" and God having "the ability to control everything".  Sometimes, He allows things to happen, and we may or may not be able to "control" them.  Sometimes He causes things to happen - and we may or may not be able to "control" them.  But in all cases - we do have the free will to decide how we will "respond" to them.
Translation - sometimes God allows or causes things to happen to wake us up.

Sometimes God allows or causes things to happen to let us know -

He really does exist.
And
He really did say the things in the Bible.

So what does this have to do with global warming?

Consider these words from Paul -