Category Insights on Scripture

Save, Back-Up, Restore

Allen Frederick 3 Comments

Random Ramblings from the Resident Raptor

Insight from the Journey across the Sky

By Allen Scott



6 Take to heart these words that I give you today. 7 Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you’re at home or away, when you lie down or get up. 8 {Write them down, and} tie them around your wrist, and wear them as headbands as a reminder. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. Deut 6:6-9 (GW)

Save, Back-up and restore are three terms familiar to every computer IT tech, especially those who working in a ‘Microsoft Windows ™’ environment. With all the malicious malware circulating over the internet and hackers sending out viruses and denial of service attacks, it is not a matter of if, but when a computer will crash. Firewalls and virus protection can only do so much, therefore it is important that when your computer is running smoothly, you take the time to back it up.

If you get in the habit of doing regular back-ups, then restoring a computer system after a crash is pretty simple. However if you fail to back-up your hard drives and save it in a secondary location, then the restoration process will take a lot longer, in fact the lost data may never be restored. Failure to have a back-up is failure to plan ahead for a crash.

I had a run-in with the dreaded drive crash over the weekend. I had been noticing a slowing down of the computer while performing normal computing tasks. I knew that a reboot was in order and so I saved all important data and backed-up the most used documents and proceeded with the reboot. Initially all seemed to go well until the computer shut down and started the reboot process again, and then again, and again. I knew from experience this was not going to be good.

After these endless restarts I was able to get the computer to start in SAFE mode and proceeded to remove the offending program. The offending program was supposed to protect my computer from malicious viruses and malware and yet it was the program that was causing my computer to not operate properly. During one of the program’s normal overnight updates the downloaded patch caused instability in my computer. Therefore it had to be removed, and the computer restored to an earlier date, to eliminate the problem caused by the program. Thank God there was a restoration point.

I have had non-repairable computer crashes in the past, in those cases I had no back-up, there was no restoration point. In fact the only thing I could do was forget the past and start over anew. Loosing all my previous work was difficult to handle but at least I was able to start over. Since then I have learned to save important documents to several locations as well as backing up important data and directories. Especially my daily journal. I have over two years worth of writings and thoughts recorded in this daily journal that I would really hate to loose. Thoughts of what God has been teaching me along this ‘Journey Across the Sky’. It contains thoughts and feelings I have about certain events occurring in the world and reminders of the goodness of God through difficult situations.

Not having a recorded history of where you have been, and where you are going makes remembering difficult, if not impossible. Not having a back-up from which you can draw from in case of a memory loss is frightening. Those who suffer from the physical affliction of Alzheimer’s know first hand the horrors associated with memory loss.

It would be nice if we could simply do a restore for memory loss, but alas that is not possible, even with the advances in modern medicine. Computer hard drives can be restored to almost like new condition, and lost data found again through the back-up, restore process. You save it, and back it up so that it can be restored if needed in the future. For humans it is not quite so simple.

God warned Israel to write the word of God upon tablets and door posts, and to teach them to their children so that when God finally gave them the land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, they would not forget who it was that delivered them from Egyptian bondage. God warned them to remember where they came from, and to not forget who got them to where they are now. He warned them to not forget His words, but to make sure they backed up this information by writing it down and repeating it often, and by teaching it to their children.

Can you imagine the Bible being lost? Can you imagine our lives without the word of God to fall back on? Can you imagine not being able to re-read those stories of deliverance found in the pages of scripture? What would we do if God had not preserved His word down through the ages? What would your life be like if you had never heard the Gospel of Christ?

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Reference Points

Allen Frederick 5 Comments

Random Ramblings from the Resident Raptor
Insight from the Journey across the Sky
By Allen Scott
looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2Open Link in New Window
':sv:Simon Vouet -
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Orchestra’s use them, choirs and choruses use them, professional and amateur musicians use them, sailors, travelers, navigators and builders use them. What are they? Reference points.

For the orchestra A 440 is the reference tone the entire orchestra tunes to, the benchmark for any fine musical performance. To a chorus it is a pitch pipe and to the musician an electronic tuner. Sailors looked toward the heavens and by using a sextant, sailed by starlight. Hikers utilize the compass. Builders would use a level and a plumb line. All are acting as reference points.

Without these reference points orchestras and choirs would be out of tune. Professional musicians would sound like beginners. Travelers would get hopelessly lost, and buildings would have crooked walls.

Slaves, hoping for freedom from a life of slavery in the south, were taught, from a young age, how to follow the North Star, to the place where that freedom lay. To think, in the vastness of space, God placed a steady reference point for all eternity. It is not surprising then that the wise men followed a star to the place where Jesus was born.

Our lives need reference points as well in order to navigate safely through this journey called life. Without a guiding light, a plumb line, or some other measuring device we really would not know how straight or crooked our journey was.

Without a point of reference we would be like a sailor lost at sea, or an orchestra out of tune. Without some sort of compass we would never know in which direction we were actually heading. Today GPS units, utilizing satellite coordinates, guide us safely throughout the country. These electronic marvels communicate constantly with orbiting satellites and recalculate our route as we travel the highway.

To the Christian what is our reference point? Is it a compass, sextant, plumb line, tuning fork, pitch pipe, a star? No it’s a cross outside Jerusalem. Without the death of Jesus on that cross, our sins would not be atoned for, and had Jesus not risen, we would be hopeless. The Bible, God’s word, becomes our road map and the Holy Spirit our GPS (God’s Positioning Spirit).

The church calendar acts as a point of reference as well helping to keep us centered on the reason for our hope, Jesus. Each season helps us to refocus on the life of Christ. We are currently entering into the season of Lent, the time of year were we focus on the death and resurrection of our Lord. It’s life from death, hope from despair, light in the darkness, and joy unspeakable and full of glory. From Ash Wednesday, through Good Friday, into Resurrection Sunday we journey again to the cross, the grave, and finally to resurrection.

The cross is the reference point to remind us of the great price God paid for our sins, and the love God has for us. For the lost, the cross stands as a beacon of hope, a compass pointing heavenward, a steady reference point for all eternity. Without the cross, I would be lost. Thank God for the cross, our reference point, and Jesus our guide.

But those who are waiting for the Lord will have new strength; they will get wings like eagles: running, they will not be tired, and walking, they will have no weariness. Isaiah 40:31 (BBE)
Along for the journey
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Hero Worship: AKA Obama Mania

Allen Frederick 4 Comments

A View from the Nest

Random Ramblings from the Resident Raptor
Insight from the Journey across the Sky
By Allen Scott

President Barack Obama’s popularity overwhelms that of Jesus Christ, Martin Luther King, and Mother Teresa, according to a new poll that shows Obama as the person Americans named as their hero.

American adults (age 18 and over) spontaneously named President Obama as the person they admire enough to call their hero in a Harris Poll that did not provide a list for respondents to choose from.

The Harris Poll, released on Thursday, was conducted on 2,634 U.S. adults between Jan. 12 to 19, 2009 – just ahead of President Obama’s inauguration

“The fact that President Obama is mentioned more often than Jesus Christ, should not be misinterpreted,” The Harris Poll clarified in its report. “No list was used and nobody was asked to choose between them.

Following Barack Obama, the next most popular, personal heroes are Jesus Christ, Martin Luther King, Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush, Abraham Lincoln, John McCain, John F. Kennedy, Chesley Sullenberger, and Mother Teresa, respectively, to round out the top 10 people Americans say they admire and would call their hero.

In the top 20 list, God held the No. 11 spot while evangelist Billy Graham tied with former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt for the 13th slot.

Respondents gave multiple reasons for their choice of heroes, including: doing what’s right regardless of personal consequences (89 percent); not giving up until the goal is accomplished (83 percent); doing more than what other people expect of them (82 percent); overcoming adversity (81 percent); and staying level-headed in a crisis (81 percent).

Only 14 percent of Americans said they admire either their mother or father enough to call them their hero. In contrast, nearly half (49 percent) said a public figure is someone they admire and consider a personal hero

By Michelle A. Vu

Christian Post Reporter

And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” And suddenly looking around they no longer saw any one with them but Jesus only. Mark 9:7-8

Peter, James, and John had their own chance for hero worship. One day Jesus led them up a high mountain to a place where they would be set apart by themselves. While there on the mountaintop, Jesus was met by Elijah and Moses who talked with Jesus a while. Jesus was transfigured before their very eyes. They watched Jesus’ garments become whiter than even Clorox bleach could whiten. Peter being ever impetuous, wanted to build huts for Moses, Elijah, and Jesus. While contemplating the idea of building these huts, a cloud overshadowed them and a voice cried from heaven saying; “This is my beloved Son, listen to Him.” When the cloud had lifted only Jesus remained.

One Solitary Life

Herein lies the basis for a Christian’s belief in God. Although taught by the prophets and lawgivers of old, it wasn’t until the arrival of Jesus on the scene, that all those ancient prophecies and stories took on fuller meaning. The only thing that sets our faith apart from the religions of the world is one solitary life, the life of Jesus Christ.

All religions have their laws and lawgivers. All religions have their prophets and holy men, but only Christianity has Jesus Christ. Some religions allude to Jesus as just another prophet. Thus this mountaintop experience set Jesus apart from both the law (Moses) and the prophets (Elijah) when the voice was heard from heaven saying “this is my beloved Son listen to Him”.

Peter, like many of us, wanted to honor all three men equally by building huts for them all. He wanted to show his appreciation and respect for these three men of God. He saw Jesus in the company of Moses and Elijah and viewed them equally. As a Jewish male, raised on the law and prophets, he grew to appreciate the history of Israel and to respect the great men of faith like Moses, Abraham, Aaron, and Elijah. Although Jesus continually called himself the “Son of God”, until this time, I am not sure the three men actually understood the importance of Jesus’ life and ministry. He was just considered a great man, or a prophet. Although Peter had alluded to Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of the living God” in Matthew 16:16, I still do not think the fullness of that revelation had registered with him.

Even though transfigured before their very eyes and shining with the glory of heaven, it wasn’t until after Jesus’ resurrection that Peter, James and John fully understood the whole purpose of Christ’s coming. They had heard the stories of Moses’ face shining with the Glory of God when he descended from Mount Sinai, in Exodus 34, therefore the fact that Jesus also shone with the brightness of God’s glory was not really anything new. And then having Moses and Elijah there with Jesus, made it seem like a reunion. Peter, James and John, may have thought of themselves as special in some way, to have been invited to this gathering of by-gone saints.

Continue reading “Hero Worship: AKA Obama Mania” →

Clear Skies on a Cloudy Day

Allen Frederick Leave a comment 



clip_image002A View from the Nest


Random Ramblings from the Resident Raptor


Insight from the Journey across the Sky


The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23


God made the {constellations} Pleiades and Orion. He turns deep darkness into dawn. He turns day into night. He calls for water from the sea to pour it over the face of the earth. His name is the Lord. Amos 5:8


He made {the constellations} Ursa Major, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the clusters of stars in the south. Job 9:9








The Big Dipper


Image via Wikipedia








It was a beautiful evening for a walk. The sky was crystal clear. There was a winter nip in the air that brushed my cheeks as I walked bare-faced in the cold night air. With very few lights to distract from the evening sky, I could clearly see the astronomical constellations on display over my head. I paused for a few moments awestruck by the vastness of the evening sky. I searched the sky for the familiar images of the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor which respectively contain the familiar Big and Little Dipper star clusters.


Although not as big as it’s nearby cousin, the Big Dipper, the Little Dipper contains Polaris, the North Star, the brightest in the formation. Residing roughly over the North Pole, Polaris became a reliable navigational tool for slaves, fleeing the south for freedom in Canada. Although uneducated, from the time they were very little, slave children learned how to navigate north by the stars. The Big Dipper, being a circumpolar constellation, remains above the horizon and visible all night long as it rotates around Polaris. In fact it is possible to tell the approximate time of night by observing the position of the Big Dipper. Therefore, Polaris served as a good navigational tool and it could be used to tell time as well.


Not being an astronomer, this about covers my knowledge of the constellations. I too, like the young slave children, grew up familiar with the Big and Little Dippers. The Dippers became constant companions in this journey called life, and I could always depend on their presence in the evening sky.


Things change, times change, our situations change, we grow older, but it is comforting to know that some things never change. Those two constellations stand as a constant reminder to me of the steadfastness of God’s creation. No matter how cloudy a day seems, no matter how confusing a situation may appear, no matter how lost I may find myself, Polaris will still be north, and the Big and Little Dippers will still be flying in the night sky whether visible or not.


Granted there are times when the evening sky will not be clear like it was this evening, but those stars are still there. I may not be able to see them, yet I know, from experience, their presence is a constant in the evening sky. Although I may not be able to see God either, I still know, as well from experience, His constant abiding presence.


1The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.


2 Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.


3 There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard.


4 Their measuring line goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. Psalms 19:1-4


Navigators


know the importance of the stars in guiding ships through darkened seas. Slaves yearning for freedom relied upon the evening sky to point them North. Philosophers and poets, historians and sages, have written about the stars. Folklore and mythology have told stories using the stars. The stars themselves can be used as guides to yet other stars. For me, they just remind me of the constant companionship of Christ and His Holy Spirit. For me the constant of the North Star points me to the center of my life, Jesus Christ. They remind me that no matter how many times the earth may spin on it’s axis, no matter how grey and stormy the skies, these guides remain unchanged and undaunted by the events on earth.


Job knew it, Amos knew it, and I know it, the creator of the heavens is in complete control and His love for me is as steadfast as Polaris. God’s love for me is as unmoving and unchanging as the starry sky. His love for me never ceases. Even if the stars fall from the sky, and time is no more, God will still remain faithful, His love will never fade away.


Take time some evening to look up towards the heavens and when you see Polaris shining brightly in the evening sky, thank God for His faithfulness. Let the stars be your guide.


But those who are waiting for the Lord will have new strength; they will get wings like eagles: running, they will not be tired, and walking, they will have no weariness. Isaiah 40:31 (BBE)


Along for the journey


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Capitalism: A Bull Market Concept
						

			Allen Frederick						Leave a comment
								

			


		

		



1Co 9 (GW) Moses’ Teachings say, “Never muzzle an ox when it is threshing grain.” God’s concern isn’t for oxen. 10 Isn’t he speaking entirely for our benefit? This was written for our benefit so that the person who plows or threshes should expect to receive a share of the crop. 1 Corinthians 9:9-10







This is the main force behind capitalism and the free market system of the United States. A man works expecting to get a return on that work. Companies produce products they hope to sell for a profit. Companies, nor individuals would long endure lengthy periods of non-reward. If a company continues to loose revenue in the course of doing business it would cease doing business. If an individual would be forced to continually work for less or nothing at all, it would not take long before that individual gives up and quits working.





Our economy works the same way. It will cease to operate if all profit is removed from the system through heavy taxation or over regulation. If the cost of doing business exceeds the reward of the same, then business will cease, production will dry up and there will be nothing more to tax or regulate. Therefore allow a workman to make a decent wage, allow companies to operate at a profit, do not MUZZLE the ox that is actually producing. After all if you stop production there will be nothing to take and give to anyone. If however you allow producers to produce there will be enough to not only feed the ox that is doing the work but others as well. Keep the ox happy and you live long and prosper. Bull markets are more favorable then bear markets wouldn’t you think?





Think about it next time you pull the lever for more government taxation, oversight, regulation and intervention.





Pay a man what he is worth and stop muzzling the ox that stamps out the grain. Heavy taxation only stifles the workman because he looses hope in a harvest and gives up. Redistribution of wealth robs a man of his willingness to produce. Taking his hard earned fields in order to give it to someone who has not labored is demoralizing. Heavy taxation upon what a man produces will only cause him to find ways to avoid the heavy taxation or completely give up the process altogether.





Government bailouts are not only non-constitutional I feel they are not even biblical. What say you?


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