Virus

Recently I got a virus on my computer. It was Adware. As such because I accepted good things (a free program) along with it I was infected. The virus was such that it continually taunted me to "call this number" and the infection would be removed. It disguised itself as a legitimate Microsoft warning and the warning looked real. They appeared to really want to help me!

Being an engineer I seldom accept things at face value. Before I step in quicksand I test the soil. Rather than calling the number provided, I googled the problem. It turned out that this was a computer virus introduced to me as benign Adware. When I downloaded free stuff because it, free stuff which would destroy my computer came along with it. That's another lesson that nothing is ever free!

My discerning mind was questioning. We should always be on the look out for things which will harm us. Why? Because human nature is inherently evil. It is other people aggrandizing themselves at the expense of innocent people.  To get the free stuff (shareware) I knew when I accepted their terms and conditions that it was risky, but the free stuff which I wanted was worth the risk. All shareware is not infected, but one always takes a chance when they do a download and do so anyway even though they are warned in advance (in small print).

Whoever developed the virus was brilliant. It was enveloped in "good"; let us help you; but the virus was there to destroy and to intimidate. All I  needed to do was call that number and they would fix the problem! Help comes with huge cost. It must be paid for and in effect it's tribute to keep the bully from bullying anymore!

I am not one to submit to nefarious forces. Out of principle I made up my mind that a cure was there without me having to pay a dime, and with persistence I could prevail! Others had been infected before. I learned from them! I googled the problem and found a multistep solution. It took hours using five antivirus programs to nix the virus. Some failed me. One worked. I even tried three programs multiple times. Each failed me. Suddenly it was gone. With charity some helpful person had developed a cure. They toiled to provide a solution to the virus and the only expectation is after a period of time, out of gratitude, I would pay for their work. I didn't have to, but they were convinced that by their charity I would be appreciative for their fix and come to depend on them.That I would trust their fix because it offered a permanent solution. It provided hope that I would never die online again!

Why did those bad people plant the virus in my computer? They wanted something from me. In this case it was my money! They did it with their own hard work, but it was nefariously imposed upon me. It appeared to be good, but it killed me until the virus was destroyed.

By now the reader should be aware that the virus problem is analogous to a spiritual problem. Satan by deception tempts people to accept the virus of sin. He twists truth to deceive and for us to get free things (pleasure, power, wealth). Once we ignore truth and venture out on our own, we become his. We get infected with the virus of sin. In our instruction manual (the Bible) we know the risk which we take can and will kill us, but because of free stuff, we take the risk: surely I won't really die! Then as we partake of the free and enticing stuff, we kill ourselves just as I did when I accepted the shareware which concealed  a virus. You see the deceiver entices with good things to tempt us to do evil!  With evil there is always good and truth, but it's always coupled with falsehoods or deception!

With my virus I could still bypass it and use my computer, but danger lurked behind the scenes. That virus could silently destroy my computer and even my bank account with me unawares. That's what the virus of sin will do if we are deceived into accepting it! While we go merrily along with pleasure and seemingly happiness, all the while we're being destroyed from within. Before long those with the virus of sin are destitute. They face death and have no hope! There must be a cure for the virus of sin!

I found the virus fix by searching my the web. You can find the hope of salvation by studying God's Word. It is the sword which pierces the cloud and destroys the virus within. My computer fix was a antivirus program! Your fix is "blood". Just as someone sacrificed to provide me with the hope of computer longevity, the grace of Jesus by dying for me, provides for the hope of eternal life! His fix for our sin (the virus) is his own blood! Because he loved me he provided a way out of my dilemma! I don't have to die! I can merely accept his solution to the virus and live forever!

I would have been stupid if I had continued to live with that computer virus It would have destroyed me. Likewise, I am stupid if I fail to accept Jesus' fix. By rejecting his blood sacrifice I reject hope because just with the virus protection program, with my soul, there is no other way!

I'm appreciative to those who destroyed my computer virus for me! Likewise, because Jesus provided the fix for me to have hope in eternal life, I am grateful. I love him for it!  What those developers want for me is appreciation enough to buy their product. What Jesus wants from us is our love which we show by buying into his product: his commands and will for us!

I fixed my computer. I did little, but follow instructions. Because I am now fixed, I shared that with many people out of gladness. Likewise, because Jesus fixed me, I want to share it with the world! In fact that is my assignment from him; to tell the world what he did for me!

I no longer have the computer virus,  but if I'm not careful I can be careless again and forget how low I was before. I can forget about the nefarious people out there and fail to be wary. Likewise, I must be careful to always trust Jesus because Satan still looks for a way to slip the virus of sin back into my life. He introduces it gradually one sin at a time until I'm living for him! It's just like a computer virus which can infect me any moment that I relax my caution. I can be living for those nefarious and fail to even realize it!

If my computer is infected again, I can still have hope if I act quickly before I'm destroyed. With my spiritual life, I pray daily for God to protect me from temptation from the virus. If I fail to walk with him, I am vulnerable to destruction! His blood has already made me safe, but his blood by faith is eternal protection unless I fail to always reside in his protective armor! CAUTION: Neglect can kill forever! WISDOM: Walk in the way of Jesus and never be infected again!

Never let the bully bully you again!