Friday, February 7, 2020
Bible Text: Matthew 12:43-45 “When an evil spirit goes out of a person, it travels over dry country looking for a place to rest. If it can’t find one, it says to itself, ‘I will go back to my house.’ So it goes back and finds the house empty, clean, and all tidy. Then it goes out and brings along seven other spirits even worse than itself, and they come and live there. So when it is all over, that person is in a worse state than he was at the beginning. This is what will happen to the evil people of this day.”
Memory Verse: 2 Peter 2:20 “If people have escaped from the corrupting forces of the world through their knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and then are again caught and conquered by them, such people are in a worse state at the end than they were at the beginning.”
What really happens when a computer enters an idle mode? I am not an expert in computer hardware functionalities but with a little understanding, it means almost all programs installed on the computer goes to sleep as they are not utilised, however some operating systems starts to run updates and system scans that time. Although it may appear that power is being saved at that time by the user, that doesn’t mean the computer is totally free from all activities. The only time a computer is actively not doing anything on the front and back end is when it’s powered down.
Now let’s look at the human computer perspective. The human life can sometimes be like that, constantly running while awake, actively processing and carrying out a lot of activities. Even when sleeping, enters into dream mode, another world where it seems the body is resting up but still functional with the twists and turns, only ever really shut down when dead. So what happens when we as Christians decide to go into idle mode?
Firstly, as a human being, God created you with some virtues and functionalities, something which we could call preinstalled programs. Now all through your life, due to surrounding factors, you find yourself installing and uninstalling programs in your life such as habits, way of life, friends and the rest alike. Upon being saved and becoming a Christian, according to the scriptures which says the old man must be put away and all things become new, some programs not conforming to the ways of Christ are uninstalled from your life as a matter of choice, to give room for the package the Holyspirit has to install in you to fully function as a genuine Christian.
When you become a genuine Christian, you cannot stay idle, you find yourself constantly working with the Holyspirit to learn those new programs and use them appropriately your life, both for living according to Gods will and to make disciples of all nations. The Holyspirit always has an active function, does not sleep nor slumber.
Dwelling on God’s word, praying, fasting and witnessing are few out of many ways you stay connected to God. While being diligent at that, you are strengthening your installed programs and in that process continue to get updates. The minute you go idle, you create room for threats as you begin to lose control of your firewall as it constantly gets hit by enemy attack. There are viruses all around waiting to attack your system and the longer you stay idle for the weaker you are until a virus eventually gains access and infiltrates your system.
In today’s bible reading, we read the response Jesus have to the teachers of law and Pharisees. Not only did He respond to their query, He also educated them on the return of evil spirit. That illustration is a wakeup call for every Christian, it screams out “do not be idle”.
You cannot afford to be ordinary! You cannot afford to go a whole day without actively speaking to God and dwelling on his word! You cannot afford to be out of sync, you must remain connected to that heavenly server. When you get idle, you leave yourself vulnerable and begin to regress gradually. Once your life is more of you and less of God, you will gradually permit programs that are not of God get installed your system.
Don’t be an idle Christian! Knowing God is personal but necessary. When you know Him, you know His compatible programs; they help you define your state and daily life. If you slack and remain idle, you lose track of His compatible programs and give chance to the world to define you.
PRAYERS:
- Father I thank You for your endless blessings and great plans you have for me
- I renounce and denounce every spirit of spiritual idleness in this year 2020. Help me Lord, to remain connected and active in your presence
- Help me to fully acknowledge You for direction, live above fear of uncertainties and grant me the grace to grow daily
- Forgive my iniquities Lord and let your mercy prevail over judgement
- Thank you Father and in Jesus Name I Pray, Amen.
I’m reading the YouVersion plan ‘Bible in One Year 2020 With Nicky Gumbel’. Check it out by clicking on the caption below.
