It's Goodger Here

Blacklist: a basic access control mechanism that allows every access, except for the members of the black list (i.e. list of denied accesses)

Last week, our IP address at Grace Family Church was blacklisted.  Apparently Trend Micro, the keepers of the Dynamic User List (DUL), changed the way they asses whether IP addresses were dynamically or statically assigned.

Trend Micro decided to put every IP address that our ISP assigns, whether static or dynamic, to their DUL.  Typically only Dynamic addresses are added to this list.  Our IP addresses being placed on the DUL basically shut down our ability to send email outside of the church.  Our communications with the outside world via email basically stopped cold.  Long story short, our ISP was able to work with Trend Micro to resolve the issue but this got me thinking…

We cannot be added to God’s “Blacklist”.  He is always there for us, always available for us if we need to chat, catch up, cry, or whatever.  How awesome is that!?  No matter what we do, there is absolutely no way that we can be added to His blacklist.  He will always hear us.  Does that mean he will always answer? Yes, BUT not always in the way WE would like the answer to come.  He will answer our prayers according to our attitude, our situation, and our commitment to Him; answering with lessons to be learned, blessings, and even silence.

Have faith in knowing that you will never be on God’s “Blacklist”, blocked from communicating with Him.  The door is open, walk in, sit down, talk, cry, celebrate, revel, spill your guts and then you have to do your part: LISTEN.  Listen for the answer then act.  If you don’t listen, you essentially put God on your “Blacklist”.

Have you established your own “Blacklist”?  What do you need to do to remove those you’ve placed on it?

Just asking…