Selling Your Soul

Every time I turn around I hear or see something about someone "selling their soul." Most of the time the words "to the devil" directly follow the statement. After running into this figure of speech so many times times I thought I would scream, it finally occurred to me that maybe...just maybe God was trying whisper in my ear. Unfortunately, sometimes He's screaming before I catch on. I began to ponder, to pray, and ask the Lord what He was trying to convey.

Just as God is divided into the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; so are we. One in three parts. Spirit. Soul. Body. So what is your soul exactly and can it even be sold? Can it be traded for some sort of gain? Can it be traded at all? To whom does it really belong? The movies and sci-fi books of today may tell you can make a deal with the devil. He'll give you something you want if only you'll give him your soul. Movies like Bedazzled or TV shows like The Collector are perfect examples. The she-devil in Bedazzled poses some of the same questions to the naive victim sitting before her. "You won't miss your soul. You don't even know what it is." We should. We may not be selling our souls or making deals with Lucifer, but what I have concluded is that we certainly are ripping off our spirits.

Every time I give in to the god of comfort, or neglect my personal relationship with the Lord because I have other priorities I am not selling my soul, but cheating my spirit. That thing that makes us different all of God other creatures. Your spirit isn't mystical, or make believe. It that gift that God gave us when he breathed into Adam. Your spirit ministers, communicates with God's spirit. Your soul is your mind. The thing we are constantly feeding and filling arbitrarily or not. Selling your soul (your mind) doesn't come via an appointment with a fallen angel. It's much more suddle, more simple than that.

Don't you think that when you neglect your mind (your soul) that you are mudding up the waters? Filling the pond with sewer? Your temple is divided into three parts just as Solomon's temple. The outer courts, the inner courts, and the most holy place. You don't get to that holy place...that place where you commune with God if there is adultery, pornography, addiction to comfort, and only thoughts of yourself (which I refer to as Meism) sitting in the outer or inner courts. Not going to happen! High priests in biblical times dropped dead for far less. So by filling your mind (your soul) with the things of this world, with what you want when you want it, with never ending comfort and ease........that's when you are making a trade. In that moment you are choosing. More of God....or more of me. There is no appointment necessary to forsake the things of God. It's much easier than that.

So, I'm here in Brazil challenging myself to seize the day. To fill my mind and my spirit with the things of God. To forsake all, even my comfort for the sake of the call and to fulfill his great commission. His strength will sustain me. There is too much as stake to slowly, but surely polluting your soul and spirit. There are people all around you, and all around me going to hell. People very gradually giving up the life that God has breathed in to them. People that God loves and with which God wants to spend all eternity. Sometimes I ask God or tell God, I don't know how to help them. I don't know what to do next. You may ask the same question. We'll let me give you (and myself) some advice. DO SOMETHING! Deny your comfort and live out your faith in every way possible. What did Jesus do? Then that's what I need to do in order to help this lost and dying world. Pray, feed the hungry, heal the sick, love on sinners. SOMETHING!

Remember, the devil isn't going to make some grand entrance to notify you that he is stealing what God has given you. We freely give them up via our daily choices to fill our minds with junk. I'll be praying that God gives you more than enough strength and wisdom to be his vessel, and to guard your spirit and soul. I hope that you will do the same for me as I minister to the sweet spirits of theses Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist children, and the homeless of Brazil. The fight is on. There are places to go, people to save, and a mighty God to glorify!