Monday, October 21, 2013

ON TRACK

Time with Jesus - 22 Oct 2013

Hi all,
In March 1963, I celebrated my 21st birthday. My days as a techno-junky had not yet begun. Life was good. “Steptoe and Son” was seen on British TV once a week. My favourite program then was “That Was The Week That Was” (TW3) starring David Frost and his happy gang of mirth makers. Strangely enough, Malcolm Muggeridge featured weekly on TW3 to make his inimitable comment on recent events. Technology had not yet gripped the public the way it has now. 
Other than radios and Televisions, log books, slide rules, and reel to reel recorders were the in-things. I had my eye on a big reel to reel recorder and managed to get a good one at a good price. Exactly what I was going to do with it, I still can’t remember. Perhaps it was my introduction into the world of the techno junkie? Anyway, I bought one and had great hopes for using it. The only time I remember using it was to tape record my wedding to my former wife. More importantly, I don’t think I ever played the sound back.

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

Jim & Phyllida Strickland



Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give

Time with Jesus – 22 Oct 2013

Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give
©
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
©
INTRODUCTION
DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES
ON TRACK
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


19 The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.
Psalms 103:19 TNIV

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


33 We may throw the dice, but the LORD determines how they fall.
Proverbs 16:33 NLT



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



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



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



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



25 For Christ must reign until He humbles all His enemies beneath His feet.
1 Corinthians 15:25 NLT



32 "So don't be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.
Luke 12:32 NLT