Maximum Protection

Scriptures: “Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” (I Timothy 4:16)

For a while, I wondered what happened to may laptop at home. It’s slow in doing just about anything, starting a service, opening a document, performing a search, and the list went on and on. I suspected that the computer might have been infected with virus. So, I scanned the computer with my anti-virus program. But the laptop still dragged its feet.

One day, some strange messages started to pop up on the screen with program names that I didn’t recognize. So I went online to look up these program names and found that they were viruses that publish information about my computer to the whole world. That’s no good news. I went back to my anti-virus program only to find that it was compromised too.

So, I decided that I needed a new anti-virus program. I checked out PC Magazine’s website to search for the best on the market and purchased it. After the installation, I scanned my laptop and it found 69 viruses. No wonder my laptop was performing so poorly. Now that the computer has been cleansed with this new anti-virus software, it’s clean for now. I learned a lesson and made an “executive decision” that the first thing to do, after logging into the computer, is to update all virus definition files so that the computer can be under maximum protection at all time.

In many ways, our spiritual life is just like the way we work on our computers too. We jump into all kinds of things high on our priority list without wearing gears that can protect us spiritually. As a result, we give our adversary a foothold and opportunities to attack us.

Someone once asked, “Which musician would go on to the stage to perform without tuning his instruments first?” For, if the instruments are not tuned, the music played will not harmonize. We treasure harmony in life. But, do we tune ourselves with God before we start each day? Shouldn’t we be tuned by our master first before being taken up to the stage for performance?

Paul was keenly aware of this. In his instructions to the young preacher, Timothy, he said, “Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them….you will save both yourself and your hearers.” (I Timothy 4:16) Two things Paul mentioned here, watch and persevere. Paul wanted Timothy to be alert and to examine carefully his life and the doctrine by which he lived, served, and shared. In doing so, Timothy would know for certain he was walking in life the way our Lord intended it to be. But, the premise was Timothy knew what the right life and doctrine were, as Paul pointed out in preceding passage, “…you…brought up in the truth of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed.” (I Timothy 4:6)

To persevere means that, as well as his intention were, there would be times when things get rough and difficult in life, especially in ministries. People might not listen to Timothy; they might oppose him because he was young; they might challenge him because there was a new philosophy in town. Whatever it might have been, Paul knew that doing God’s work inevitably run into challenges and even persecution because the truth and gospel of our Lord Jesus demand that people submit their lives to God so as to receive transformation in life. But the knowledge of this does not make it easier to overcome. That is why Paul told Timothy to persevere.

Bible tells us that we are engaged in spiritual warfare at all time. We are supposed to be fighting to win the lost souls for our Lord. But, if we are not careful, even our very own spiritual life can be in danger. Let’s heed to Paul’s instructions to watch and examine our life and doctrine so we may have maximum protection and so we will not go astray. More importantly, let’s stay close to our Lord and Redeemer constantly so His power may overshadow and protect us. And, let’s commit ourselves to His cause so that, through our perseverance, we may join His triumph!

This is the promise of our Lord, “…you will save both yourself and your hearers.” (I Timothy 4:16)

Prayer Requests:
Those suffering from computer virus infection

Prayer:
Father, thank You for Your Spirit working in our lives to help and strengthen us. We ask that You awaken our spirits so we may know our needs of and our dependence upon You for everything in life, even the very breaths we take. Help us to approach Your mercy seat every morning and be tuned to Your teaching and glory so we may testify to this needy generation the love and grace of our Lord Jesus. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen!