Time With Christ: Tuesday, Daily Devotion - It Pays to Live Holy I

Topic: It Pays to Live Holy I (Tuesday, December 30, 2014)

Memorize: But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. - Romans 6:22

Read: Proverbs 11:17-18

11:17 The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.

11:18 The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.

MESSAGE:

There is a sure reward for all those who are living holy. Men will go the extra mile to get a great reward from an endeavour, no matter the sacrifices it may require of them. Holiness requires from us certain sacrifices; we have to forgo certain things. I can assure you that there are several rewards for living holy. God is not merely asking us to live holy; He also promises “sure rewards” for living holy.

For example, long life is a sure reward of holy living according to Proverbs 11:19. Sin leads to death while holiness leads to life. You will die young if you are indulging in sin. But if you are living holy, Satan will not be able to get you into a snare that can lead you to death. Another reward is found in Hosea 10:12:

“Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.”

If you plant holiness, you will harvest the mercy of God. It is glaring that but for the mercy of God, we will not be alive today. It was God who said that the soul that sins shall perish.

Probably no one would be alive today if God had been rewarding us for the sins we have been committing. He will keep on showing us more mercy if we go on living holy. Peace is another reward of holy living. In Daniel 4:27 the Bible says:

“Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.”

In this scripture, Daniel told King Nebuchadnezzar that if he began to live holy, God will be merciful unto him and then give him increased peace. Philosophers spend a lot of time trying to find answers to questions such as, what is truth, what is life and what is peace; they always end up with inconclusive answers. The search continues for them. The reason they cannot get an answer is because they have been asking the wrong questions. The question is not what peace is but who Peace is. Jesus is the Prince of Peace. The call to holiness is actually a call to peace.

Why has God called us to peace? The reason is that He is a God of Peace (1 Corinthians 14:33). A father will give to his child whatever he has. The devil will give what he has to his children – sickness, sorrow, confusion, etc. God will give you what He has if you belong to Him. He is the Author of Peace and He will give you peace today in Jesus’ Name.

Action Point: Find out those habits that are a direct opposite of a life of holiness in your life; do away with them as the price of holiness and you will be adequately rewarded.

Bible in a Year: Acts 24:22-26:32