1 Timothy 4:16 – Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

Taking Heed

There are some things in life we need to take heed to.  One of the most important things to listen to is the Word of God.  We often get busy in life and worry about many things.  The problem is that we fail to value what is important.  Jesus said that it was more important to be concerned about our soul, and eternity, than it was to be concerned about the things of the world.  One reason that people do not get saved is that they will not take the time to slow down and honestly look at the scripture to see what it says about how to get to heaven.  Instead, they just trust whatever they may have been taught growing up because it can be very comfortable.  Taking heed is when we put extra diligence into something.  You have to be careful if you are going to do a job well.  You are the only one who can look out for your spiritual well-being.  It is our responsibility to keep our own heart right with God.

Getting Your Doctrine Right

One thing that is critical to the Christian life is having the right doctrine.  Paul wanted to make sure Timothy had it right.  If we don’t take the time and aren’t careful, we will fail to get our doctrine right.  It is important that we understand that salvation comes through Jesus Christ and him alone.  It is important that we live a holy, separated life unto the Lord once we are saved.  We must make sure that we take the time to study the scriptures and understand what they mean.  Giving attendance to reading the Word of God everyday is a vital part of this.  Listening to good, godly preaching will help keep your doctrine right.

Continuing and Not Giving Up

Last of all, we need to continue what we started.  Christ saved you for a purpose.  He wants you to make it to the end and finish faithful.  The Lord wants to reward you at the Judgment Seat of Christ with a “well done thou good and faithful servant”.  But the only way that is ever going to happen is if you make it all the way until you die or the Lord comes back.  The only kind of steward, or overseer, of God’s work that is ever rewarded is the faithful steward.  We have a mission to get the gospel around the world.  We have a responsibility to be a personal witness for the Lord.  In the end, living a life for the Lord Jesus Christ will not only help us, it will also help others.