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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: COMPUTER (05/19/16)
I grew up in the woods of West Virginia, I mean the woods. Do not mistakenly translate that place of birth and childhood development to people who were mentally slow or incapable of learning.

We did not however have access to any of the modern appliances and conveniences, even of that time. In our community there was no electricity, no running water, inside or outside, no telephone, and who had heard of television? We did have a radio.

After World War II great changes took place for the residents of that small colony of related families. Relocation for some, and a path out to college for others. Several of the young residents became Teachers and Nurses, and some established their own businesses.

My family moved and we mixed in with the mainstream of America, which takes me to my story for today about my first computer class in college.

I enrolled in B.A.S.I.C. Computer Programming. It was exciting; my first program design was for keeping TPRs for the Surgical Unit in which I worked.

There was, however a more important lesson I learned from that course than just how to write a program; it was about the IF/THEN Statements that were a part of the program's language.

I had never heard of IF/THEN Statements, so I thought.

I have been a Bible reader since early childhood. We also had no books at home in the mountains, except of course, we had a Bible. I loved to read and one would think that I would have picked up along the way that the Bible is full of IF/THEN Statements.

An IF/THEN Statement directs the computer to observe the full command and IF it is written this way THEN do that; IF not THEN do this.

I had no idea that God understood this thought pattern, and in fact, acts upon it and requires us to do the same.

God is a contract maker. I am not inferring that God is a "deal maker," that is not my communication; but God often says, "IF you do this, THEN I will do that," and sometimes He will add, "And if you don't, then I won't."

One such verse is one that we need to take note of this very day and hour: "IF My people who are called by My Name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, THEN will I hear from Heaven and forgive their sins and heal their land."

Following are some of the Bibles IF/THEN statements that present a conditional statement:

John 8:31 "IF you hold to My teachings, you are really My disciples. THEN you will know the truth and the truth will set you free."

Galatians 3:29 "IF you belong to Christ, THEN are you Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

Hebrews 12: 8 "IF you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline) THEN you are illegitimate children and not true sons."

Romans 14: 14b "IF anyone regards something as unclean, THEN to him it is unclean."

Sometimes THEN is implied, as in these verses:

II Corinthians 8:12 "For IF the willingness is there, (THEN) the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have."

John 14: 23 "IF anyone loves Me, he will obey My teaching. My Father will love him and (THEN) WE will come to him and make OUR home with him."

Romans 12: 20 IF your enemy is hungry, (THEN) feed him. IF he is thirsty, (THEN) give him something to drink."

Romans 10: 9 - 10 "That IF you confess with your mouth that "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, (THEN) you will be saved."

I like to study my Bible in this fashion. Why? Because it prevents me from reading the promises of God to me and failing to understand that there is a part I have in the contract of the promise about which I am reading. God requires a RESPONSE.

Even our free gift of salvation, totally paid for by Jesus, requires us to reach out and receive it.
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This article has been read 569 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Shann Hall-LochmannVanBennekom 
05/27/16
I found this quite clever and interesting. I remember those Basics classes. Geometry was another course that made one think logically. The Bible is full of so many wonderful directions. When using words like teachers or nurses as common nouns not proper nouns, don't start them with a capital for example: I ran to Teacher who sent me to see the nurse. (It's a bit subtle, but Teacher is being used as a substitute for a name while nurse has the qualifier the in it.) I enjoyed the verses you selected. I noticed the first one didn't have the reference, but you found some great ones to enhance your wonderful messages. You did touch on the topic in a subtle, yet interesting way. I was intrigued from the first line.
C D Swanson 
05/31/16
I really enjoyed this!

Blessings~
Wanda Draus
05/31/16
I am familiar with If/Then statements. Very cleaver piece tying the If/Then statement in a computer program to our If/Then spiritual life with Christ.

I really enjoyed it.

Blessings!