Saline First Assembly of God

As a pastor and preacher for nearly 19 years now, I have read the Bible through a few times as you can imagine. While I can't exactly quote you a chapter and verse on it, I'm fairly certain that there is a special place in hell reserved for those who create and deliberately spread computer viruses. Few if any of us have been immune to this mechanical disease and the intense pain and discomfort that accompany it.

Allow me to paint an interesting contrast between your pastor (whether that's me or someone else) and a computer virus creator.  All day long, every single day, pastors confer, pray, think, brainstorm, create, and just plain work at nothing else but ways to try to bless and help, and strengthen, and build people up...and that's it! Whereas, the virus guy sits there and tries to come up with the worst nightmare that will cripple, denigrate, delay, and even destroy your computer (thereby putting the loss of your very salvation in jeopardy as you try to fix it). What a great person! Surely God being a God of perfect justice will...well, I guess I have to leave that to Him.

But, I invite you to join me today and fight back against our attackers and in a very biblical way too. "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." Seriously, Lord, I don't hold it against any past or future computer viral agent who causes me and mine to suffer in that way. I once was where they are - separated from you, not knowing the way the truth and the life of Jesus Christ. I did things then that hurt you, Lord, hurt others, and generally did little or no good for anyone except myself. So, Lord, as I am directed in your Word to do I sincerely forgive them all.

That's it! You've just won the war! Remember Ephesians 4:32: "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." True, the virus makers haven't asked for forgiveness, but then neither had I, yet Romans 5:8 says, "While we were yet sinners Christ died for us." Forgiveness so rich and free was offered to me unsolicited. Keep in mind that forgiveness is not denying anything ever happened. Forgiveness isn't condoning the behavior, and forgiveness isn't saying that what happened doesn't hurt. But, our forgiveness of these "fine" people now releases them from our hands and places them squarely into the hands of God. It reminds me and gives me comfort to recall the title of a famous sermon by Jonathan Edwards, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. Now the battle is the Lord's not mine, and in that vein let me quote Romans 12: 19-21, "Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord. On the contrary: 'If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

Have a great week all you overcomers!

Love,

Pastor Bomey

	1. 13 Jun 2008 07:54 AM
	I think the point here is forgiveness and that forgiveness is a choice whether the wrong done to us has been intentional or not. If we wait for the feeling that we are ready to forgive the offender, or that he/she deserves our forgiveness, or has asked for our forgiveness then we might never get around to the action of forgiving. We must remember the bible's command to forgive as we have been forgiven. It's a challenge yes, but it's the right thing to do. Not only for the offender by for yourself, as not forgiving one person/one action negatively effects all of our other relationships. Guest

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	2. 13 Jun 2008 10:12 AM
	A couple of months ago, my computer was hit with a bluescreen/Adware virus. After lots of help from my son, Matthew, Jerry Tippie, and Caleb Cohen, we decided the best thing to do was to use my Toshiba Restore Disk and put the computer back to its original settings. I then had the big chore of rebuilding my data and programs. I made similar "judgments" regarding people that just sit there all day trying to figure out how to destroy others by computer viruses or identity theft. Watch out people, the devil is hard at work corrupting others that, in turn, can destroy our lives. Thank GOD that HE is on our side! Marty Guest

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	3. 18 Jun 2008 12:24 PM
	Keep in mind that the computer virus is the ONLY Man-made creation in existence than can replicate, self-modify and infect other things. It's actually quite the accomplishment by man-kind. And to think of the scale and scope of bot-nets - to harness this power for good (i.e. SETI @ Home, etc.) would be simply amazing. Guest

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	4. 18 Jun 2008 10:49 PM
	I understand forgiveness is the main idea of the blog. However, I have been the victim of several computer viruses and have been blessed by the situation. After our computer crashed, I felt a sense of freedom. I had no idea how dependent I had become on my computer. Instead of isolating myself and replying to friends with email, I actually called them and had a conversation. Instead of surfing the net or playing solitaire, I enjoyed time with my teens and got outside to enjoy nature. We can look at such computer attacks as a bad thing and become upset or as a blessing and a well-needed adjustment in our lives. What man intended for evil, God can turn into good, we just need to look at it as an opportunity! Guest

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	5. 23 Jun 2008 04:01 PM
	Computer viruses are nasty things...prone to make a person rather irritated, to say the least. However, it is so much easier to forgive the anonymous creater of the virus than it is to forgive someone who has personally hurt you in some way. The anonymity makes it easier to forgive. The personal nature of some offenses - whether physical assault, verbal assault, or actions inconsistent withour words - are much more difficult to forgive. Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy...if we let him... Forgiveness is the moat which he cannot cross. Guest

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