Love your Soul

Monday 21 August
READ: Prov. 8:32-36
MORE LESSONS: Prov. 12:2

One of the greatest secrets of life unknown to many, both poor and rich, is the mystery of godly living. This mystery is that of knowing that whatsoever a man does in God is first and foremost for the good of that man before any other person or even God, ...for blessed are they that keep my ways: Prov. 8:32. The result of righteous living is first to the righteous. The good health, prosperity, peace, advancement, defence etc that the righteous enjoys is first a reward of his holy living. God is not the first beneficiary of holy living. It is the righteous.
Someone once said that the affliction and shame of immorality is first on the immoral person before other people around him. Every man is a direct beneficiary of the kind of life he lives. Many times I see people give the impression that their wrong doing is doing God harm in Heaven. This is not so; indeed, it is far from the truth. When you defile yourself with drinking, sexual immorality, smoking and other vices, God does not suffer any illness in Heaven for it; it is you who does. The same goes also for righteous living.
Our text today says, But he that
sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death: Prov. 8:36. To hate God and the things of God is death but to seek Him is life and favour, …the soul that sinneth, it shall die: Ezek. 18:4; For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God: Rom. 3:23; For the wages of sin is death...: Rom. 6:23; Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him...: Isa. 3:11. All these scriptures imply that the consequences of sin are upon the sinner. The same also goes for righteous living, Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings: Isa. 3:10.
I have always said that the first beneficiary of wickedness is the wicked, he is restless, guilty, and haunted by his past. The righteous is peaceful and happy. He is blessed (vs. 32 & 34), and he has life (v. 35). Staying off evil and sin is a proof that you love your soul – but he that sins against me bears the consequences, But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death: v36.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to help you to be a good caretaker of your soul, in Jesus’ name.
* Pray that you will not gain the world to lose your soul, in Jesus’ name.
* Pray that you will not have the reward of the wicked and your end will not be with the ungodly, in the mighty name of Jesus.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
2017, I am a shining star, nothing less, in the name of Jesus.