cyber-life

Mere observation here. Logging into the current, status quo, social forum, myself, this morning... I saw an interesting post. Three simple words ....but they spoke volumes. Granted, a few of those volumes probably added by my own intuitiveness.

My friend had simply posted.... "Good morning facebook."

My mind "instantly" raced back to a movie I watched as a child.... "2001: A Space Oddyssey". This was a 1968 film. Just imagine.... in 1968, the year 2001 seemed significantly "futuristic". Well, 2001 sure changed our future. No denying that.

In this movie, an "intelligent computer", named HAL, is a key character; a character with tone in its voice, and nearly emotional. All I can really recall is the human character saying.... "Good morning HAL." ...as if this intelligent computer was able to comprehend the nearly ambiguous, certainly subjective, phrase of "Good morning".

No question ...my friend's posting was targeted to humans. In this case.... humans we refer to as "facebook". :) Astonishing! I can allllllmost see HAL. Just a short leap to waking up in the morning, walking into a central-room (probably the kitchen) and saying... "Good morning computer."

How "far" we seem to have come. A lunch-time talk show, today, was discussing how there are 10th-grade high-school students (..examples given..) who canNOT "sign" their names!! Many schools do not even offer / mandate a course in "cursive handwriting" any longer. It's seen as ill-efficient ...and just rather pointless. Why?? The younger you look in our generation ....the more that individuals main form of textualization comes in, just that, the form of "txt" .....as in "txt messaging". Astounding again!!

Technology is great!! I'm right in the middle of it all. I enjoy it. I benefit from it. But when a generation grows up whose skills do not include the "discipline" or hand-writing .....what a strange, strange world it will be.

End Blog!

Is "following your heart" trustworthy??

"...then hear from heaven your dwelling place and forgive and render to each whose heart you know, according to all his ways, for you, you only, know the hearts of the children of mankind," -2 Chronicles 6:30

Ever get confused about "trusting your heart"? I can think of several occasions where "following my heart" seemed to lead to a right decision ...and to little surprise, because "I just knew"! Lots of outside factors, too, likely constituted this confidence. On the other hand, I can think of at least as many instances where following that same heart, will, gut instinct ...was just flat wrong! It makes me doubt, and second-guess many times. What do I trust? How does one know "the right thing". Is "conscience", or "heart" a trustworthy guide? God, Himself, gave us this intangible we call "heart" ...or conscience. His words even indicate that it can be untrustworthy (Jeremiah 17:9).

So, what is the plumb-line for truth and right-ness? And just how much should I, or should I NOT, trust my own judgment? Here's the "really" good news. God "knows" your heart already! He knows the good intentions, and He knows the evil intentions ...and both are present! Yet God doesn't hold this error against us ...at least not without a way out!

If you read 2 Chronicles 6 you'll get a picture of King Solomon, son of former King David, and him pouring his "heart" out to God. Recognize some significant things.....

1. He built a temple for the Lord
2. He recognized that no earthly dwelling could contain Him!
3. Solomon's heart, in this instance, was in the right place

Solomon's love for the Lord was key. The temple, though impressive and honorable to the Lord, would have been mere stone and mortar (...well, a few other valuables...) were it not for a heart that desired to please God.

Your heart, and mine, are no different. Fallible, untrustworthy, and inconsistent. Yet ...it's a heart that God knows, even more than we know ourselves. We are to chase righteousness, and in everything we do! But when we make a "wrong" decision ....it is unnecessary, in fact... fruitless, to beat ourselves up. God knows that heart, and know it will make mistakes. He can use that same heart for His glory.

What's the key? The guide we trust! Remember the question posed above... "What do I trust? How does one know "the right thing".? If our own conscience is the leading, or only, guide ...things will end catastrophically. We're just too inconsistent (Jeremiah 17:9). If we trust His will, His way, His words ....then we can be confident that the end is not catastrophic! He doesn't promise a perfectly smooth road as we seek that. That's completely "beside the real point". But there is a "right way" and a "wrong way". His way is righteous. His way... is right. Place your trust in Jesus, as revealed in the Scriptures. Trust that those Scriptures are not only a guide, but God's very words intended for us to read, obey, believe, and trust. I won't promise a smooth life ....but His word promises something even greater.

Let's Start From The Beginning

"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete." -1 John 1:1-4

It is simply fruitless, and pointless, to deny.... "Jesus, the man". Men and women (..whether follower or hater..) saw him and touched him ...and heard him. The rub comes when we begin to speak of the deity of Jesus Christ. This is where "Christianity" makes its stand, and where it, daily, takes it stand. No easy-believ-ism. No fashioning and customizing "God" to meet our own needs, at our own whims. This "Jesus" said "I am the way, and the truth, and the life...!

Tell me.... when did history last record a sin-less man? When, in all of history, was man's own, and admitted, frailty not exposed, sooner or later, ...resulting in the absolute, and known, reality that we "all have sinned, and fallen short of God's glory." Not only were His sins not recorded, because He knew no sin, but His "deity" was recorded in the miracles He performed, and the sword by which He spoke.

This "man" would had to have been the most prolific charlatan in His personal knowledge of the God of the Scriptures. He would had to have been the craftiest of magicians "ever" ....in a culture and time where no camera trickery or special effects apply ...demanding a slight-of-hand modern illusionists could only dream of. A calculated and schizophrenic mastery ....only to end it all in a suicidal sacrifice no one before, or since, has been willing to make.

"Liar, lunatic, or Lord" ...is right! My friend... I firmly believe, being as flatly honest with myself as I know to be, that it truly does require more faith to believe otherwise ...than to believe in Him; Jesus, the Christ. The God-man, who crafted the universe "manifest" Himself for the sake of His own creation ...whom He loves. Yes, a demanding, righteous God! No distant God-head-only belief will suffice. "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God." (John 3:18) Yet, His grace demonstrates that this demanding "belief" is enacted by a simple "act" of faith.

Our trust is either in the Christ of the Scriptures, the witnessed. heard, touched, and followed Jesus ...or our trust is in a god whom we have crafted on our own, or in our own image. "Choose this day, whom you will serve.

"As we think about personal bible study, we shouldn't view it as another intellectual excercise lke the study of math, science, history, or anything else that interests us. When studying these disciplines the mind is engaged, but not the heart. God wants us to increase our knowledge of His word with our minds, but He also intends for the power of His Word to affect our hearts and that our lives will be changed to become more like Christ's.

Concern for a change of life was expressed by the Lord Jesus for His disciples when He prayed "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your Word is truth." (John 17:17)"

From "How To Study The Bible", published by Barbour Publshing Inc. Used by permission.

For Your Good

“And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD, which I am commanding you today for your good?" -Deuteronomy 10:12-13 (ESV)

I've often heard the question asked... "If God loves us so much, why doesn't he just save us from ourselves? Why does he allow us to get into situations that he sees as sinful?" Good questions. And I believe a good answer is to look, in His Word, how many times He "has" provided a way for us to flee from sin; to chase after righteousness. The "freed" Israelites were a "stubborn people". Like us today, their present troubles caused them to forget all about their former enslavement. They crafted other "gods" ...themselves as one!

What if we stop blaming God for our own mistakes, trespasses, and sins against Him and others? Just take responsibility for our own actions ....and then seek His forgiveness, through sincere repentance? Or are we just too proud (stubborn) to do that?

Trust in God's plan and obey what He says. He commands it! Let's live our lives for His glory ...and our benefit! Besides ...don't miss what He said. It is "for your good".