The Soul and Spirit of Mankind

 

Some people confuse the soul and the spirit of mankind. Many think they are different words for the same entity. Yet, the Bible is clear that they are separate (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

God originally created humans in His image and likeness as a tripartite being with a body, soul and spirit (Genesis 1:26-27, 2:7). We are set apart from other created beings because of this peculiarity (1 Peter 2:9-10).

Animals have a body and soul - a mind, will and emotions; but they do not have a spirit. Botanists say that plants have emotions and enjoy it when we to talk to them.

Yet, the spirit of man is our link with Almighty God. Due to Adam's sin, our spirit is dead in sin when we are born (Ephesians 2:1). God draws us throughout our lifetime to come to Him for the rebirth of our spirit (John 3:1-21).

Yet, God also gives us a free will (2 Timothy 2:26). It is our choice to believe and to accept His free gift of salvation, or to condemn our self through our unbelief for eternity (John 3:16-18; Romans 3:23, 6:23).

Our body lives one day at a time, dying a little bit more each day. Our soul, made up of our will, feelings, thoughts, intellect and conscience, lives beyond the life span of our body.

The eternal destination of our immortal body, soul and spirit is determined by our choice to receive or reject Christ while we live on this earth (John 3:16-18).

Prayer:

Father God, help us by Your mercies to present our body to You as a living, holy and acceptable sacrifice (1 Corinthians 6:20). This is our spiritual service of worship to You. Remind us not to be conformed to his sinful world, with its dreams, goals and practices, but to allow Your Holy Spirit to renew our mind to live in Your will for our individual life (Romans 12:1-2).

We do not need to guess what Your will is, nor strain and stress about the issues of this life in which we get so bogged down every day. Your will includes so much more than obeying Your Word. It also includes fulfilling the purpose for which You created us (Ephesians 2:10). We simply enter into Your rest and walk in Your Spirit each moment of every day.

Thought for the Day:

Our spirit and soul - our thoughts, choices and feelings - are considered our heart, and God calls us to watch over our heart diligently, because out of it flows the springs of life.

- Proverbs 4:23




Many thanks to Matt Milligan for the use of his photo.

Spiritual Maturity

Growing up in a Christian home, or church attendance or Christian service will not guarantee us a place in God's Kingdom. Total surrender to Jesus Christ is our only ticket to Heaven (John 3:16-18).

God loves us and desires for everyone to come to the saving knowledge of His Son, so that He can adopt us into His family (Ephesians 1:5). Once we trust Him, God transforms our life by His grace (Matthew 5:6).

We slowly come to the place in our Christian walk where we no longer care about accumulating things of this world. We truly realize that our home is not here, but in heaven.

We mature to the place of being more spiritually minded than carnally minded, and we realize that our identity and victory come only from Christ in us.

Therefore, the lusts of the eye, the lusts of the flesh and the pride of life have no more appeal for us (1 John 2:16). We desire only what God wants for our life (Ephesians 2:10).

Our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). If anyone attempts to destroy His temple, God will destroy that person, because He considers us set apart for Himself as His Body (1 Corinthians 3:17; Ephesians 2:21-22).

A person may be able to harm our body, but only God can affect our soul (Matthew 10:28). Even in times of trial or difficulty, God gives us victory as we maintain our faith in His faithfulness.

Prayer:

Father God, it amazes us that You actually rejoice over us with singing (Zephaniah 3:17). We hope in You and praise You, because Your love radiates in and through us (Psalm 43:5). You abide within us and are always in control of our life.

We trust in Your unconditional love for us, and we rejoice in the all-encompassing salvation, which You provide for us (Psalm 13:5). We sing of Your mercies forever (Psalm 13:6, 89:1). 

When our soul despairs over the trials of life and the current events swirling around us, we will hope in You and praise You with our whole body, soul and spirit (Psalm 43:5).

Thought for the Day:

Full salvation takes more than good deeds or a mental assent; it requires total commitment of our life to Christ.

Fellowshipping With God

God rejoices over us with singing (Zephaniah 3:17). He delights in us when we make a joyful noise to Him. He does not require skilled voices or instruments. He just wants us to spend time with Him. He enjoys us coming into His presence with singing. He is our God and He made us to fellowship with Him.

 

Fortunately for us, our salvation does not depend on our human effort. God just wants us to serve Him with gladness, and not grudgingly. We are His sheep and He is our Shepherd. He watches out for us and protects us from satanic interference. He provides us with healthy Biblical teaching and His living water sustains us throughout our lifetime.

 

Our prayer life includes more than petitions. First, we enter His gates with thanksgiving and then into His courts with praise. The Lord is good. His mercies are eternal and His truth continues throughout every generation. We are thankful to Him for His bountiful provision in our life and we bless His holy name (Psalm 100:1-5).

 

In fellowship with us, God's love burns deeply into our soul - our mind, choices and emotions. He permanently changes our thoughts and the way we feel about life, which affect the choices we make. We emerge from our sessions of fellowship with God exhibiting the mind of Christ and able to make intercession for those whom God's Spirit places on our heart (1 Corinthians 2:16).

 

Prayer:

Father God, help us to relinquish the control of our life to Your Holy Spirit. He prays for us and through us, and guides us and empowers us to do Your will (Romans 8:26; John 14:26, 16:13). Remind us that in our peak of health, or even in our most debilitating sickness, in riches and poverty, and in our youth and old age, we can still function as a prayer warrior in fellowship with You.

Thought for the Day:

God is looking for people to come and fellowship with Him. Will you join Him?

Comfort

Read: 2 Corinthians 1:3-7

“He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. Then, when they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.” - 2 Corinthians 1:4

The Bible stories we read as children and hear in sermons from every pulpit in the world are told in order to give us comfort and hope when we experience similar circumstances (Romans 15:4). Even in the valley of the shadow of death, we find comfort through the Lord’s protection and correction (Psalm 23:4). Then, we in turn can comfort others in their time of trouble. Job had three Christian brothers who came to “comfort” him in his affliction; yet, all they did was bring condemnation and more discouragement. We can learn from their example to act in a more sensitive and comforting manner when others need our help (1 Thessalonians 5:11; Psalm 119:50).

Sometimes, the Lord does not give us words of wisdom to share with a hurting friend or relative. This is when we simply offer to pray with them. At times, God wants our brother or sister to turn to Him in their crisis, rather than to us. This way He can comfort them personally. This will improve their relationship with God and also teach them to rely more on Him to meet all of their needs. The best help we can ever offer anyone is a personal relationship in Jesus Christ. They will appreciate our comfort, but their life will change for the better if we tell them about how much God really cares about them, enough to die on a cross in order to save them from eternal damnation (John 3: 16-18).

A few times in the Gospel accounts, we initially find Jesus exhibiting what we might term harsh or calloused behavior when people needed His help. But, as we read on, we see that God created these circumstances to show His glory. For instance, when Lazarus died, Martha condemned Jesus’ behavior and seeming lack of interest in His good friends’ plight (John 11:32). We all know that Jesus tarried in coming to see them, in order to set the stage for a monumental miracle in raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11:5). The Holy Spirit will also lead us to do the Lord’s work in His way and timing in order to bring comfort to others as He comforts us.

Prayer:

We bless You, God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. Through the sufferings of Your Son, You comfort us in all of our afflictions. Then we are able to comfort others who are also afflicted, through the comfort with which You comfort us. Our hope in You is steadfast, knowing that, since we are partakers of Christ’s sufferings, we also share in Your comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3-7).

Thought for the Day:

“Rejoice. Be perfected, be comforted, be of the same mind, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.” - 2 Corinthians 13:11
 





Thank you, Sarah Patterson, for the use of your photo.