Life and Soul

Today’s Verse:

Also, that the soul be without knowledge, it is not good; and he that hasteth with his feet sinneth. ~Proverbs 19:2

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Your soul is the real you. The soul is the most important thing about you. Your soul is eternal. Jesus said, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?“ Mark 8:36. This morning, let us consider some valuable things that Solomon had to say about the soul.

Let us see the building of the soul.

“Also, that the soul be without knowledge, it is not good; and he that hasteth with his feet sinneth.” God places a premium on soul knowledge. Soul knowledge is the spiritual investment we make in our lives through the study, hearing, meditating, memorizing, and reading of God’s word. To be ignorant of God’s word and will is not good. God directs our steps through his word (Ps. 119:105, 133). This is how we walk by faith and not by sight. We are not walking with our eyes blindfolded, but rather in dependence upon God for the eventual outcome of our steps. David said, “He leadeth me by the still waters: he maketh me to lie down in green pastures.” When we take a “blind stab” at our choices and decisions, we are choosing unguided risks that are unsound and unsafe. Be careful of running ahead of God, running without God, and running away from God. This is hasting with the feet and living in sin. Build your soul by staying faithful to God through his word.

Let us see the busyness of the soul.

“Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.” Idleness is being slack and nonproductive. Idleness is doing nothing. Idleness results in the famine of our soul. When God breathed into Adam, he made him a living soul. Our soul needs to be constantly active in spiritual activity. This begins with a fervent prayer life. We must pray earnestly for God to do great and mighty things. We stretch our soul through prayer. Then, we need to keep our soul on fire through the winning of souls. One of the worst things we can do to our spiritual life is to deprive it of a consistent witness of the gospel and the sinning of souls. Getting used to not seeing people saved will cause us to lose our compassion, and become hardened to the plight of sinners. Another activity necessary for our soul is to be sensitive to the Spirit’s leading in our life. We should obey every impulse of the Spirit. Be careful of developing an idle soul.

Let us see the burden of the soul.

“He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul; but he that despiseth his ways shall die.” God desires our constant obedience for the safety of our spiritual life. Paul said, “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe,” Phil. 3:1. Being obedient is never without a spiritual struggle. Paul said, “When I want to do good, evil is always present with me.” Our sinful and rebellious nature fights with God’s commands. God told Jonah to go to Nineveh, but instead Jonah disobeyed and went a different direction. His disobedience resulted in being caught in a storm at sea, thrown overboard, swallowed by a whale, and captive there for three days and nights. To be spiteful of God’s commands is outright rejection and hatefulness towards what we are told to do. When we despise the Spirit of grace and trample underfoot the Son of God, God has no recourse but death. We are in a constant battle to be obedient, but it is the best course to follow.

Take care of your mind through study. Take care of your body through diet and exercise. Take care of your soul by focusing on the eternal and not the temporal. Don’t neglect your soul!

Have a Spirit-filled God Morning!

Bible Reading Schedule: Mark 4-5

#Proverbs #Soul