Time with Jesus - 22 Oct 2013
Shortly after buying the reel to
reel recorder, cassette tape players were introduced. I was a bit dismissive of
them. How people would make use of cassettes if they could use a reel to reel was
my unanswered question. “How do you store those things?” I wondered. The fact
that storing reel to reel tapes was a problem for me, didn’t enter my mind.
Besides which, you needed a special player to play cassettes. So my reluctance
was not based entirely upon my resentment toward them. Sufficient to say that
within 18 months of their introduction, my reel to reel recorder had been
consigned to the “graveyard” of yesterday’s technology.
The next item that caught my eye
was the pocket calculator. “Nobody will buy them!” was my immediate comment.
All they could do, back then, was basic arithmetic functions along with square
roots. Now I could do all that with my trusty slide rule. It was a top of the
rage “Faber Castell” which was capable of doing far more than I needed. Also, it
didn’t need batteries! Once again I looked disdainfully at technology. These
were nothing more than “portable adding machines for babies”. They weren’t
terribly expensive so I categorised them along with “little toys for girls and
boys”. Things like marbles and plastic dolls.
This was my second technological blunder.
Within five years I’d lost my slide rule, scrapped my book of log tables and
had “discovered the “magic” of HP calculators. Suddenly, I didn’t have to worry
about “juggling” with the decimal point in my calculations. Furthermore, the
answer was correct to within 10 decimal places! Then in the late 1970’s,
Universities and other tertiary education establishment permitted the use of
calculators, provided there were no built in formulae to cheat the examiner. I
was so relieved. This new rule enabled me to get through my final engineering
examinations in 1980.
In 1976, I was moved from Kreil
Power Station to Eskom’s head office. Suddenly I had to learn how to produce
engineering minutes for the Plant Operations and Maintenance Department. The all-day
meeting was held once per month. Mostly, the topics were about issues affecting
power stations. They were a bit more complicated than that, so everything was
recorded. In addition, the minute secretary had to get everything down quickly
and legibly. After the meeting, it took the best part of the week to
laboriously hand write the minutes. Then, they had to be typed by one of the
girls in the typing pool. Getting everything finished in good time for the next
meeting was always a challenge.
In those days, the typists typed
their documents on word processors. These were little more than glorified electronic
typewriters which had a memory function. At the same time, I felt that the time
had come for me to start typing the poetry I’d written. I had an old Hermes
machine which my mother had used years previously so I had a rough idea about
how to type. That’s when it was necessary to decide which route to follow; a
word processor or a computer? The techno junkie bug struck! The computer was
the way to go and in 1985, I bought my very first one. More of this can be
found in the introduction section of today’s meditation.
Since those days, my addiction to “computerised
electronic gubbery” has worsened. DOS was fine. Windows 95 improved on DOS.
Then came the unofficial Windows 98 followed by Windows 2000 etc. At present,
Windows 7 is where I’m at. Couple this with MS Office, which has also gone
through a several editions and you begin to see that from an electronics point
of view, I’ve reached the point where “junkie-ism” has become my electronic way
of life. Mind you, I still don’t know how it all works. Not that it matters
now. Our kids and grandkids know far more about computers and mobile phones
than I do. All I can tell them is why our home looks more like a “Dion’s Wired”
Store every day.
What has my (Jim) compulsive electronic
habits got to do with today’s meditation? Summarised in one word, is the word fellowship!
I’ve had lots of fun messing on with computers and being in contact with people
all tound the world. Furthermore, we’ve found, lots of the information we have
gleaned from God’s Word and revealed by His Holy Spirit, can be helpful to
those who still have many years before them.
Some time ago, we learned that no qualifications
can replace experience. Education and academic achievements are wonderful. We
trust that none of our descendants will be compelled to look at a blank
computer screen which only says C:> for several months. Realise there is no
need to remain ignorant in the information age. It’s easy to tap into a wealth
of sound Biblical information and acquire knowledge of God’s Word, from a
number of reliable and trustworthy sources.
All you need to do is ask. In Luke’s
Gospel Jesus said: 9 "And so I tell
you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you
will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. Luke 11:9 NLT In our experience, this is the only
way to make progress in God’s Kingdom. You must do the asking, the seeking and
the knocking. You will find some men and women will be able to assist you. Do
not rely on them. Do not rely on anyone. Do not rely on Phyllida or on me. We
may all be wrong! Rely on Jesus and the Holy Spirit. They are never wrong. They
will never leave you staring at some spiritual computer screen, gazing at that
which makes no sense to you.
Always be willing to think! Use that which God
placed between your ears. If you don’t understand something, ask Him to reveal
truth to you. As James wrote, 5 If you need
wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. James 1:5 NLT He has never failed us as we have
pursued this. He will not do so with you! Instead, you will have a fantastic
ride with Him through this life. That’s been our experience. He will do the
same for you, if that’s your desire.
Shalom
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
Time with Jesus – 22 Oct 2013 |
Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
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©
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These
devotionals are the intellectual property of Jim Strickland and copyright
protected. You are welcome to copy and distribute them to anyone provided it
is for non-commercial Christian purposes
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©
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INTRODUCTION
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DAILY
LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES
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ON
TRACK
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When we start thinking about God, most of us give up
very quickly. We struggle with anything that is infinite. How can we begin to
cope with such huge dimensions? We also find that when we begin thinking, we
find our minds not big enough to cope with an infinite intellect. By way of
illustration, in 1992, Phyllida and I moved to Worcester in the Cape. We were
there to work for the Methodist Church. Now I’ve been using computers since
1985. That’s when I bought my first one. I wanted it for writing purposes at
home and at work. I bought the most up to date computer available at that
time. After switching it on and listened to its whirring noises I was
smitten. The screen said “Press anykey” I couldn’t find it. But with perseverance
I began to find my way round the DOS system.
Shortly thereafter, a good friend of mine sent me a
copy of Word Star. From that time on, my proficiency on the thing increased
rapidly. More than that. I was well and truly hooked. The computer was slow
but fast enough for my purposes. But the speed issue became a bit of a problem.
So I thought I’d spoil myself with a bigger hard drive. We drove over the mountain
to Paarl. That’s where I bought a 100Mb hard drive. This should last me about
20 years, I thought. Then came 1995 and with it, windows 95 from Microsoft.
One look, and it was all over. I had to have this new piece of electronic
wizardry. I think I was among the first 100 people to buy it in Worcester. Then
I was introduced to MS Office. It was installed and I found to my horror, my
computer was short of memory and hard disk space. It was difficult to explain
to Phyllida. It may have helped if I had been able to explain it to myself!
All this meant I had to get a bigger hard drive with more memory. The
solution was to buy a new computer with a faster processor. It was a 386
processor. By then I was getting to be something of a techno-junkie. This yearning
for all things “computotronic” was not confined to me alone. It was rapidly
being taken up by my grandchildren. In a very little time I found that they
know more about it than me. We would talk about 12 year old “modem-burier’s”
who could install a new modem in a computer in about 5 minutes flat. Then
came LAN’s, WAN’s, wireless connections, extended memory, laptops, flash
drives, and a host of other things far beyond my own ability. Technology had
left me behind. I’ve realised that there is so much out there, I can’t keep
up to date.
In a small way, my lack of computer knowledge
resembles the knowledge difference between the Lord and creatures He made.
When I’m told that most people use less than 5% of their brain capacity, I
start to wonder. Would God start us off with some form of a lobotomy? But it
is possible that the fall seriously affected our brain power. What would we
be like if 100% was in use? Don’t ask me. But if God’s intention was to have
a bigger family, could it be that when we get our resurrection bodies, we
will have 100% use of our brains restored? Whether that would be sufficient
to squeeze all the knowledge of God into the mind of one man is debatable.
But it is clear that we will have a lot to learn and infinity in front of us
to learn it. God has made it clear that we are the bride of Christ. We are
members of that species He planned would increase the size of His family. Is
that possible? What do you think?
Jim &
Phyllida
Strickland
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19 The LORD has established his throne in
heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.
Psalms 103:19 TNIV
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The fellowship experienced twixt
Father and the Son,
And with the Holy Spirit, was such a
lot of fun.
It was so delightful, with such a
sense of peace,
They felt there should be more of
them; and membership increase.
But what to do about it? The family
was three.
We could make it bigger and grow
exponentially.
We could make a creature who if
properly designed,
Could come and join our circle when
suitably refined.
They could be the “children” whom we
would most enjoy.
Made within our image not some
mechanistic toy.
Now Father, Son and Spirit, are
infinitely smart.
They knew they were preparing a being
who’d be part,
Of what all three were seeking. And so
they’d start from scratch!
Creation wasn’t difficult; but there
was still a catch.
Freewill was a problem; the right to
pick and choose;
Obedience was wanted; and yet it could
refuse!
There’d have to be a factor, that came
from up above,
Embroidered in its nature; a capacity
to love.
Love would be the hallmark included in
the plan.
A tender-hearted conscience, embedded
in their “man”
This wasn’t quite as simple, as I have
made it seem.
Nor was it just a figment of some high
and lofty dream.
The creature must be capable of
marriage to God’s Son.
How would this be possible? How would
it be done?
There’d have to be a system; a brand
new paradigm,
Comprising space and matter developed
over time.
They wondered what to call it. Perhaps
a universe,
Of suns and moons and planets; a
system so diverse,
And yet interconnected and governed by
the laws,
Which they would have to integrate in
spite of minor flaws.
How about a “cosmos” They thought the
word was right.
So they began creating and said, “Let
there be light!”
How long did all this take them? The
scientists don’t know.
Some think about nine billion years could
be a little slow.
The last thing was a garden in which
He put a man.
And from that point in History, God’s
problems first began.
Adam had been given the right to turn
away.
And that is just what Adam did when Satan
came to stay.
Was it a catastrophe on a gigantic
scale?
Yes! But God expected it, and knew it
wouldn’t fail.
Every possibility was worked out in
advance.
Nothing had been overlooked, or left
to follow chance.
So Father looked at Spirit and Spirit
looked at Son!
They smiled and said the plan has
worked; soon Satan’s days are done!
Jim Strickland
Written 22 Oct
2012
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33 We may throw the dice, but the LORD determines
how they fall.
Proverbs 16:33 NLT
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6 When someone blows a trumpet in a city, don't the people tremble with
fear? When trouble comes to a city, hasn't the
LORD caused it?
Amos 3:6 NIrV
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5 I am the LORD, and there is no other,
besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me, 6
that people may know, from the rising of
the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the LORD, and
there is no other. 7 I form
light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the
LORD, who does all these things.
Isaiah 45:5-7 ESV
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35 All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven
and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to
him, "What have you done?"
Daniel 4:35 ESV
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31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?
Romans 8:31 NLT
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25 For Christ must reign until He humbles
all His enemies beneath His feet.
1 Corinthians 15:25 NLT
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32 "So don't be afraid, little flock.
For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.
Luke 12:32 NLT
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