GIGO Redefined

“The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.” (Luke 6:45, NASB95)

GIGO – “Garbage in, garbage out” - According to Wikipedia (the totally reliable source that so many run to today for information on almost anything, of course being said tongue in cheek), this phrase was “most popular in the early days of computing, but applies even more today, when powerful computers can produce large amounts of erroneous information in a short time. … Early programmers were required to test virtually each program step and cautioned not to expect that the resulting program would "do the right thing" when given imperfect input. The underlying principle was noted by the inventor of the first programmable computing device design: On two occasions I have been asked, "Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?" ... I am not able rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question.” —Charles Babbage, Passages from the Life of a Philosopher

The effectiveness of our electronic devices is based upon the accuracy of their programming. This is an extremely basic principle. Similarly, in life, if we were to throw all of the ingredients for that device into a paper bag and shake them I think it pretty safe to say that we could shake them for the entirety of our lives and the complicated device in question would not build itself.

Man was created by God to have a relationship with God. He was wired by God to function in certain ways, and when sin entered the world the programming got all messed up. Our only hope is to turn our eyes back to our Creator God and to allow Him to change our hearts and minds as we trust Him for our salvation and our growth. His Word was given to us as His a living and powerful revelation about Himself, His Son, His Spirit, us, our sin, our salvation, His plans, and our need to trust Him for those plans (and much, much more). He has also given us His Spirit to seal and indwell all believers as their Helper and the one that brings them to maturity.  God doesn’t throw us in a bag and shake us around, banging our heads against whatever else might be in the bag, but He is very purposeful in what He does.  He gives us the best.

The question for each of us is whether we are going to trust Him for that best or whether we are going to let the old tapes or the input from the world to direct our thoughts and our steps. In Psalm 119:9 the psalmist asks the question, “How does a young man keep His way pure?” To which he answers, “By hiding God’s word in his heart.” Then in verse 11, he determinedly responds, “Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You.” (Psalm 119:11, NASB95)

The Bible says that we are temples [paper bags] of the Holy Spirit. “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?” (1 Corinthians 6:19, NASB95) And being the dwelling places of His Spirit will have an impact on how we live. “Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk among them; And I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” (2 Corinthians 6:16, NASB95) And it will give us cause to live differently as a result. “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Corinthians 7:1, NASB95)

God has put His best in us, and as we surrender to the work of His Word and His Spirit, He will also get His best out of us. “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (Romans 5:1–5, NASB95)

Maybe GIGO could be viewed a little differently by those who put their trust in Christ. “God in, godliness out”

“But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men.” (Titus 3:4–8, NASB95)

Today in “Jesus Calling” by Sarah Young (9/28)

Open your mind and heart – your entire being - to receive My Love in full measure. So many of My children limp through their lives starved for Love, because they haven’t learned the art of receiving. This is essentially an act of faith: believing that I love you with boundless, everlasting Love. The art of receiving is also a discipline: training your mind to trust Me, coming close to Me with confidence.

Remember that the evil one is the father of lies. Learn to recognize his deceptive intrusions into your thoughts. One of his favorite deceptions is to undermine your confidence in My unconditional Love. Fight back against these lies! Do not let them go unchallenged. Resist the devil in My Name, and he will slink away from you. Draw near to Me, and My Presence will envelop you in Love.

“that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:16–19, NASB95)

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14–16, NASB95)

“You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44, NASB95)