Paying Attention to the Warning Signs
I was in need of information about a story that was taking place in the News. So I did what I usually do early in the morning. I opened my computer browser to the Google Page. I “Googled” the topic – simply meaning that I entered the words “Today’s News” in the slot provided. Immediately there was 120,000,000 offers made by the browser - Google had found 120 Million opportunities for me to read.
I surveyed the list offered as I scrolled down. Then I clicked on one site that looked interesting. It immediately offered me all that was taking place in a major part of India. Within in seconds my computer made some excited clicking sounds that come with a warning – then two yellow, frightening windows popped into view. Both windows had told me what had taken place. The Anti-Virus program had blocked an attempt by a malicious, invading program. In the two yellow windows were the names and the sources of what the malicious program was all about.
My computer had been ‘saved’ from an attack from far away India – or wherever the website was actually from. I have gone back to look for the same site in a similar Google Search – and it is gone.
You know that I could take this in different directions I am sure. There are many questions I have after this mini attack. One is “Like who would take the time to set up a web site that would purposely had malicious stuff in it? Or who would purposely break into a web site and place the computer harming file in it? Who knows!?
But instead the one thought that I have been dealing with is the ‘protection mode’ that I have witnessed again. The $70 I spend each year for ‘protection’ of the AV program has been worth it all for sure. The AV program has worked well for almost a year looking over my shoulder as I do the work on this little machine. In similar situations to the one that I described above – it has saved my computer from great harm. It has worked faithfully in the background going with me to wherever I go on the Internet. Then carefully it has suggested that a certain site is not where we want to be and we were out of there.
In life I need that kind of help. There are certain places and people that are just plain bad for me. If I get close to the places or people – I can get into trouble. In fact the places and people that I know of in our community are very bad for one’s health.
Unfortunately as human beings we don’t always have that sense well tuned and ready for action all the time. We fall into places and people’s lives that will harm us. It is only much later when we sort through the mess that is created that we see the damage that could have been avoided.
At Court..
At court on Mondays you will find the best example of this kind of confusion created by bad choices. The hallways of our local court house are filled with broken bits of humanity of all kinds. Most are youthful. That is Youth Court day in our city. All matters dealing with youth that are in trouble with the law are dealt with on that day.
The noticeable thing is that many know each other. They seem to have been in touch with each other long before they entered the hallway. Many are old buddies. The odd thing that is easily understood is the fact that as they know each other – they are all in trouble together – but not for the same crime.
Mixed with the bad kids are the ones that look fairly normal. They are not wearing the styles of clothing that declare bad attitudes… like the rest of the kids in the hallway.
I sat beside one mother of one of the ‘good kids’ that was in trouble. She was nervous looking. She definitely did not belong in that hallway – but because of a stupid thing her son had done she was now sitting with the very people that had messed up her kid. That day they were there to unscramble the events of the bad places and people that had touched her son. We talked a little as we sat waiting for the recess to be over.
I am very aware that there is something called conscience. I am sure that you are also. It is a powerful bit of “Human Anti-Virus” – (HAV) software installed within each of us. It is instilled and fortified by our upbringing. Parents and teachers have great control over this area of our lives as we grow through the early years of life.
“Attack and Malicious Programs” (AAMP) attempt to tear apart this HAV. Even with the very best HAV in place there are still failures. In the case of the kids in the court hallways the influence of the kids around them are greater than we really understand. It is sometimes too late for the parent to do much. The AAMP has done its job before the poor, hard working mom even knows that it has happened.
It is a lot like my computer. The HAV needs help from outside. My conscience needs a boost or maybe an addition to its inner workings. Then when my body gets to close to the wrong area – bells and whistles will go off to let me know that I should be anywhere but the place that I am in at that moment. I know that but many others do not.
For example…
A young lady that I know has a house. She needed a renter and a ‘nice man’ needed a place to live. It was so good. He had teenage children and was very ‘nice’. I listened to what I was being told by the girl’s mom. It sounded so good. Within months I heard that the “renter” was now “her live in” and they were shacked up together. Now it didn’t sound too good at all. This didn’t feel right – not at all.
Please understand that I am not a “Moral Cop”. My job is not to run around checking on people’s morality issues that may conflict with what I think is the norm. But there are definite times that I want to stand up and say something – but I cannot. It would be non of my business. I do however think to myself – “This is not good… this poor person will be hurt with this situation…”
The example that I gave of this young lady has me now praying with her mother that she will be able to get out of the situation soon. It has been revealed that it may be the most abusive relationship that is ever possible. This once “renter” – now “her live in” is now revealed to be a horrible, threatening and potentially violent man.
This story is only one that I can share with you that is ‘this summer’s events’. There are more.
How can we get help?
Here is the preachy part. The Holy Spirit of God is given to us to be there to guide and comfort us. The actual word used in the original text states that He will be our ‘consoler’ and ‘advocate’ – like a lawyer.
On a TV program last night the lawyer sitting beside his client advised the man to not answer that… then he looked at his client and told him, “Come on… we are out of here… there is nothing more for us to listen to here!”
The lawyer was giving his client some good advice.
The Holy Spirit is given to us to advise us on the daily issues that we deal with. He is quietly there helping in the background. He watches over all that I do and in all the places that I am in. He then does a little HAV pop up window when something or someone is about to attack me. He then guides me to safer places – if I allow Him to do so.
Right away someone reading this has said, “I don’t even believe there is a God. How could the Holy Spirit of God do anything for me and my family?”
That is one of the special features of the HS – he runs in the background whether we know it or not. He is like the AV program on my computer – always watching out for my best. He is giving me help when I least expect it.
Today… if you need help – ask God for it. He will be there immediately – in fact He is less than a heart beat away.
But you may not need that bit of information until tomorrow. I am glad that you have at least read it. Maybe it will help then.
May God be with you today.
~ Pastor Murray Lincoln ~
Hebrews 13:5
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.
I surveyed the list offered as I scrolled down. Then I clicked on one site that looked interesting. It immediately offered me all that was taking place in a major part of India. Within in seconds my computer made some excited clicking sounds that come with a warning – then two yellow, frightening windows popped into view. Both windows had told me what had taken place. The Anti-Virus program had blocked an attempt by a malicious, invading program. In the two yellow windows were the names and the sources of what the malicious program was all about.
My computer had been ‘saved’ from an attack from far away India – or wherever the website was actually from. I have gone back to look for the same site in a similar Google Search – and it is gone.
You know that I could take this in different directions I am sure. There are many questions I have after this mini attack. One is “Like who would take the time to set up a web site that would purposely had malicious stuff in it? Or who would purposely break into a web site and place the computer harming file in it? Who knows!?
But instead the one thought that I have been dealing with is the ‘protection mode’ that I have witnessed again. The $70 I spend each year for ‘protection’ of the AV program has been worth it all for sure. The AV program has worked well for almost a year looking over my shoulder as I do the work on this little machine. In similar situations to the one that I described above – it has saved my computer from great harm. It has worked faithfully in the background going with me to wherever I go on the Internet. Then carefully it has suggested that a certain site is not where we want to be and we were out of there.
In life I need that kind of help. There are certain places and people that are just plain bad for me. If I get close to the places or people – I can get into trouble. In fact the places and people that I know of in our community are very bad for one’s health.
Unfortunately as human beings we don’t always have that sense well tuned and ready for action all the time. We fall into places and people’s lives that will harm us. It is only much later when we sort through the mess that is created that we see the damage that could have been avoided.
At Court..
At court on Mondays you will find the best example of this kind of confusion created by bad choices. The hallways of our local court house are filled with broken bits of humanity of all kinds. Most are youthful. That is Youth Court day in our city. All matters dealing with youth that are in trouble with the law are dealt with on that day.
The noticeable thing is that many know each other. They seem to have been in touch with each other long before they entered the hallway. Many are old buddies. The odd thing that is easily understood is the fact that as they know each other – they are all in trouble together – but not for the same crime.
Mixed with the bad kids are the ones that look fairly normal. They are not wearing the styles of clothing that declare bad attitudes… like the rest of the kids in the hallway.
I sat beside one mother of one of the ‘good kids’ that was in trouble. She was nervous looking. She definitely did not belong in that hallway – but because of a stupid thing her son had done she was now sitting with the very people that had messed up her kid. That day they were there to unscramble the events of the bad places and people that had touched her son. We talked a little as we sat waiting for the recess to be over.
I am very aware that there is something called conscience. I am sure that you are also. It is a powerful bit of “Human Anti-Virus” – (HAV) software installed within each of us. It is instilled and fortified by our upbringing. Parents and teachers have great control over this area of our lives as we grow through the early years of life.
“Attack and Malicious Programs” (AAMP) attempt to tear apart this HAV. Even with the very best HAV in place there are still failures. In the case of the kids in the court hallways the influence of the kids around them are greater than we really understand. It is sometimes too late for the parent to do much. The AAMP has done its job before the poor, hard working mom even knows that it has happened.
It is a lot like my computer. The HAV needs help from outside. My conscience needs a boost or maybe an addition to its inner workings. Then when my body gets to close to the wrong area – bells and whistles will go off to let me know that I should be anywhere but the place that I am in at that moment. I know that but many others do not.
For example…
A young lady that I know has a house. She needed a renter and a ‘nice man’ needed a place to live. It was so good. He had teenage children and was very ‘nice’. I listened to what I was being told by the girl’s mom. It sounded so good. Within months I heard that the “renter” was now “her live in” and they were shacked up together. Now it didn’t sound too good at all. This didn’t feel right – not at all.
Please understand that I am not a “Moral Cop”. My job is not to run around checking on people’s morality issues that may conflict with what I think is the norm. But there are definite times that I want to stand up and say something – but I cannot. It would be non of my business. I do however think to myself – “This is not good… this poor person will be hurt with this situation…”
The example that I gave of this young lady has me now praying with her mother that she will be able to get out of the situation soon. It has been revealed that it may be the most abusive relationship that is ever possible. This once “renter” – now “her live in” is now revealed to be a horrible, threatening and potentially violent man.
This story is only one that I can share with you that is ‘this summer’s events’. There are more.
How can we get help?
Here is the preachy part. The Holy Spirit of God is given to us to be there to guide and comfort us. The actual word used in the original text states that He will be our ‘consoler’ and ‘advocate’ – like a lawyer.
On a TV program last night the lawyer sitting beside his client advised the man to not answer that… then he looked at his client and told him, “Come on… we are out of here… there is nothing more for us to listen to here!”
The lawyer was giving his client some good advice.
The Holy Spirit is given to us to advise us on the daily issues that we deal with. He is quietly there helping in the background. He watches over all that I do and in all the places that I am in. He then does a little HAV pop up window when something or someone is about to attack me. He then guides me to safer places – if I allow Him to do so.
Right away someone reading this has said, “I don’t even believe there is a God. How could the Holy Spirit of God do anything for me and my family?”
That is one of the special features of the HS – he runs in the background whether we know it or not. He is like the AV program on my computer – always watching out for my best. He is giving me help when I least expect it.
Today… if you need help – ask God for it. He will be there immediately – in fact He is less than a heart beat away.
But you may not need that bit of information until tomorrow. I am glad that you have at least read it. Maybe it will help then.
May God be with you today.
~ Pastor Murray Lincoln ~
Hebrews 13:5
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.
posted by Murray Lincoln at
Thursday, September 06, 2007
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