Posted on 02/17/2003 9:12:05 PM PST by truthandlife
We have had a major snowstorm this weekend in Washington D.C. and New York City and outlying areas. It was one of the largest snowfalls in Northeast U.S. history.
Parts of Northern Virginia around D.C. and the area north of D.C. in Northern Maryland experienced their largest snowfall in recorded history. The National Weather Service reported the highest snowfall total in northern Virginia was 35 inches near Front Royal. Northwestern Maryland’s Garrett County reported 49 inches with drifts up to 30 feet. “Its no-man’s land out there,” said Garrett County state highway supervisor Paul McIntyre. “It looks more like Siberia than Maryland. It’s hard to describe. You almost have to see it to believe it.”
"Historically, this does not happen," said AccuWeather meteorologist John Dlugoenski. "Something always prevents it from getting above 20 inches."
Leading up to the weekend, they said, any number of things could have defused the major winter storm. Cold, high pressure could have pushed down further south, or the wild, warm, moist air moving up from the South could have veered off to sea. Countless other smaller things could have thrown off the whole thing. But they didn’t.
“Everything has to come together for it to be a perfect snow storm,” said Dlugoenski. "In 150 years, we’ve had only two storms over 20 inches besides today.”
The Washington Post stated the biggest snowstorm to hit Washington in decades blanketed much of the metropolitan area with more than 18 inches of dry, grainy flakes yesterday, paralyzing roadways and mass transit and turning the region's attention from the threat of terror to the wonder of winter and the near-impossibility of getting around.
Did this record-setting snow event stop a major terror event from happening in Washington D.C. and New York City?
One of our readers, Carol Johnson, sent the following scripture to me yesterday:
"Job 38: 22-23 (KJV) Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? Or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?"
Barbara Richmond spoke of the same scripture and used an example in Israel in her “For Your Glory” e-mail today: “I remember 2-3 years ago in February there was an unusual snowstorm, during which the Israeli police went to the aid of a stranded car that had slid off the road, only to discover that the car had explosives and the driver was enroute to conducting a terrorist attack, but the snowstorm thwarted his plans.”
While the storm may be supremely inconvenient for many, perhaps it is in fact a blessing in disguise. Are we not always correct in being thankful to God for all things, even unusual snowstorms!
Late Friday afternoon here in Washington, D.C., I experienced a heaviness in my spirit identical to the one I experienced the night of 9-10-2001. I am not an overly emotional person, but on the night of 9-10 I was fighting back tears, not knowing why, as I was praying with two friends at 10:00 PM. Then the 9-11 event transpired the next morning. Within minutes of the Pentagon terror attack I could smell the smoke of the fire. I watched as the military helicopters flew along the banks of the Potomac River and fighter jets escorted the final few commercial jets coming into Reagan National Airport before it was closed. America was under attack!
Last week people in the Washington, D.C. area were stressed and tense over the major terror warnings -- especially those dear people who don’t have a relationship with the Lord.
Also, today was President’s Day -- a very symbolic day for America.
No Recent Emphasis on Israel by President Bush
Thankfully, President Bush has put the Israeli-Palestinian talks aside as he focuses on the pending Iraq War. As you recall, he did mention Israel in his State of the Union speech. All he said was, “In the Middle East we will continue to seek peace between a secure Israel and a democratic Palestine.” He made no mention of the Quartet plan or Israel’s election.
Bush also didn’t mention Israel's land or the Quartet Plan in his February 6 address to the National Prayer Breakfast, the National Broadcasters Convention in Nashville on February 10 or any other event in the last month.
Continued Prayers
We would appreciate your continued prayers for us in Washington D.C. and New York City.
Also, please continue to pray for President Bush, Vice President Cheney, members of his cabinet, members of Congress, our armed forces and our nation.
Even in its darkest moments with two World Wars, the Korean conflict and the Viet Nam War, we were never attacked on our own shores. It became altogether too easy for us to take our national security for granted. Some Christians knew, however, that God had His hand of protection over our predominately Christian nation and that He was blessing us for our standing with Israel.
Many of us have been through extraordinary testing the last few years, at times we were hard pressed to understand the meaning in all of the tests and challenges. But, could part of this been preparation for the tough days ahead? Could there be a time in the near future when the physical, financial and spiritual areas of our life become disrupted? Was what we have suffered in the past the perfect preparation for bringing the hurting and fearful to their only hope and healing through His Son?
The 9-11 terror events and the following anthrax crisis have changed life in America. Seven out of ten Americans experienced depression in the weeks to months after observing the horror of those fearful times.
We saw some of the most seasoned news anchors in the United States -- Dan Rather, Peter Jennings and Tom Brokaw -- fighting back tears and/or becoming emotional as they spoke of the anthrax-laced letters found in their and others’ offices in October, 2001, and as they reflected back on our nation being under attack on 9-11.
I saw two very experienced reporters with CNN and Fox fight back tears as they reported the American Airline shoe-bomber incident in December, 2001, which was fortunately averted by the Almighty God through the help of passengers. I asked the Lord, “Why are these news professionals uncharacteristically emotional?” The Lord put this response on my heart, “This is an example of how fragile America is.” I have pondered this thought many times since. It has proven to be so true, as we watch people react to the recent terror warnings while they themselves ponder the next national terror warning and continue to experience post-9-11 trauma in America.
Our nation’s economy has seen $8 trillion in stock market capitalization evaporate. Our financial infrastructure is weak. The administration has been proposing tax breaks to stimulate more spending, while at the same time we are reading about projected record federal deficit levels in the next two years. It is God’s mercy that we still have a relatively low unemployment rate, even though many American have watched their assets diminish or wiped out.
America has the most powerful military in the world, the largest economy in the world, and many patriotic and resilient people. Yet many Jews and Christians don’t fully understand the fact that our blessings and security are from God not the federal government.
Only God can protect us through His love and restraining hand; however, there are those in the church who have reduced the Lord to an observer and not an active participant, and they are about to find out otherwise.
Is our Lord going to drive us to Him through more national trials, in hopes we will go to our knees in repentance for our personal and national sins and for the purpose of bringing more lost souls to Him through His Son, Jesus Christ?
Many flocked to American churches the weekend after 9-11, only to hear a majority of the nation’s pastors state God had nothing to do with 9-11. Fortunately, a few weeks later some national Christian leaders such as David Wilkerson, Bill Bright, James Dobson and Pat Robertson stated God was trying to wake up America on 9-11. Yes, God did not cause the terror events, but He did not restrain them as we have observed so many other times. The 9-11 terror events were America’s wakeup call.
George Barna of Barna Research, the leading pollster in the Christian community, stated last year that people flocked into American churches after 9-11 only to leave when they didn’t find Jesus Christ.
Our Lord has a redemptive plan for these days. He has a plan for the United States, too. Our nation has much to be proud of, but we have also seen 40 million-plus, pre-born children slaughtered in their mother’s wombs. We have watched the “in your face” gay agenda spread throughout America. We have watched as our television programs and movies have deteriorated to the lowest common denominator. We are also seeing God’s name and Word taken off buildings and out of the classrooms, as we have given Islam an open door to our schools, prisons and throughout our nation.
The name of Jesus Christ is considered by many to be fighting words. A White House press briefing closed two weeks ago after two journalists got into a heated debate over whether Jesus Christ was a pacifist. One of the journalists was trying to infer President Bush’s was not being a good Christian in planning for a war with Iraq when Jesus Christ was a pacifist. Needless to say that got a quick reaction from the four Christians the Lord had planted around this fellow, with one of the men becoming involved in a heated debate.
The name Mohammed is more comfortably spoken in many circles of influence than Jesus Christ, and Secretary of State Colin Powell wants to bring Muslim educators and politicians to America to share their religion.
We have the Catholic Church, the churches represented by the World Council of Churches and the National Council of Churches. Together they represent a majority of the American church attendees, 64% of the members of Congress, and a majority of President Bush’s top staff and cabinet members. Yet, these organizations are calling for Israel to leave the occupied land, speaking out against the U.S. going to war with Iraq and sponsoring world peace events. In all of this, they display no understanding of Bible prophecy or the fact that we are at a prophetically significant time in biblical history.
Friends, our Lord is going to wake up America. He is also going to destroy the false teachings, doctrines and prophecies of the American church. Those church organizations operating on weak foundations that don’t teach from the Word of God are going to be shaken to the very core. Their leaders will be under chastisement for leading their flocks astray.
What can we do as a nation? Repent, repent and repent, seek a closer and more intimate relationship with our Lord and then be there for those who turn to us in the days ahead.
Our Lord has a plan for these days. Let’s seek it. Let’s allow Him to initiate it. And, let’s be ready to be used by Him for His glory!
Well, I'm sure it happend then.
Late Friday afternoon here in Washington, D.C., I experienced a heaviness in my spirit identical to the one I experienced the night of 9-10-2001. I am not an overly emotional person, but on the night of 9-10 I was fighting back tears, not knowing why, as I was praying with two friends at 10:00 PM. Then the 9-11 event transpired the next morning. Within minutes of the Pentagon terror attack I could smell the smoke of the fire. I watched as the military helicopters flew along the banks of the Potomac River and fighter jets escorted the final few commercial jets coming into Reagan National Airport before it was closed. America was under attack!
Well, do us a favor and warn us then the next time you are PMSing.
Also, today was President’s Day -- a very symbolic day for America.
Really, I mean, it's not like it often snows in February.
Mysterious to you and me, but not Bill Koenig.
No. You don't understand. We had more than two feet of snow on the ground. If there was no one else on the streets, the terrorists couldn't get out on the streets either. The Metro (subway) hardly functioned (one train per hour) and it was impossible to drive even if one had been able to dig his car out. The terrorists could do nothing. Even now, 24 hours after the last snowflake, I have a very sick child in the house and I may have to don skis to carry him to a main road to get him to a place where an ambulance can pick him up. It's that bad.
I mean, it's not like it often snows in February.
Not like this. Not in Washington. Not in the past two centuries, at least.
Your thoughts were my thoughts exactly. I'm still wondering what will it take for the peoples of the world to recognize same. Yes, I can hear the naysayers right now ridiculing to the enth degree but even if there are but a handful that plead with the Almighty I'm sure He will listen.
That blizzard wasn't nearly as scary as an ice storm we had in the late '50s that knocked our electrical power out for a couple of days. Temperatures were around 19 degrees, and the only source of heat we had was the gas oven.
There have been several instances throoughout history where weather changed the tides of events; the storm which destroyed the Spanish Armada, saving England, comes to mind.
God does work in mysterious ways, and we may never know for sure if this storm saved us from attack. However, I do enjoy the thought of some terrorists stuck in a drift with their equipment, only to be pulled out by a Maryland State trooper who then halls them off to the hoosegow.
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