[BuckeyeTexan]

Yes, God decides what He wants to do with His creations. But people forget that Satan has power too. God allowed Job’s misery. He didn’t command it.

There’s a difference between God allowing Satan to use his power against God’s creation and God using His power on His creation. One is God giving His consent and not taking action. The other is God directly taking action.

A tornado could be either one, IMO.

[jboot]

I won't disagree with you. But from God's perspective both the acts that He decrees and the acts that He permits serve a singly purpose: the working of His will in creation.

Put another way, nothing happens without God. Hence Piper is correct. The tornados were not random. Perhaps more to the point, they were not without divine purpose.