Sword of the Spirit – A Mist #1153

Posted on July 28, 2021 by ron021950

SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1153

“A Mist”

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” – James 4:13-15

James’ rebuke and coaching is a word we should all pay attention to and take to heart whether we are in business or just going about our daily lives. The older I get the more keenly aware I become of how short life on this earth is. I still have my plans for things I want to do and accomplish and it is good to do so – in light of God’s Word.

Jesus taught a parable about making plans that were selfishly motivated and without an eternal perspective and for the glory of God. God calls such a person a fool.

And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” – Luke 12:16-21

Paul was a planner but his plans were always made with the Lord’s will in mind.

But on taking leave of them he said, “I will return to you if God wills,” and he set sail from Ephesus. – Acts 18:21

The great recession of 2007 – 2009 destroyed all the plans I had for my life. Yet through it all, the Lord sustained us and provided for us. It was a time of great material loss but also a time of great spiritual growth in our relationship with Jesus.

Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring. – Proverbs 27:1

A decade plus later, we have been rebuilding our lives and now making plans for retirement – and then the Covid pandemic hits and our plans are derailed. But God’s faithfulness is true and He continues to sustain, protect and provide for us during this time.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. – Jeremiah 29:11

It is good to make plans. It is wise to make plans with God’s will in mind understanding and believing that His plans are perfect and for our best.

We truly are a mist. Live each day continually seeking His presence. Make your plans for His glory and praise and to fulfill your kingdom purpose rather than for self-centered reasons. Keep an eye on the horizon of eternity with Him as you navigate the tempestuous waters of this life always trusting in Him and in His perfect love and plan for you.

My times are in your hand; Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. –Psalm 31:15; Matthew 6:10

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Sword of the Spirit – Do You Love Me? #1152

Posted on July 21, 2021 by ron021950

SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1152

“Do You Love Me?”

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter,“Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him “Feed my sheep. – John 21:15-17

The first time Jesus asks Peter if he loves Him Jesus uses the word ‘agape’ for love. Agape is the unconditional love of God for man and man for God.

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. – Matthew 22:37

Note that Peter replies to this first question using ‘phileo’ for love. Phileo is an affectionate friendship type of love. Peter is perhaps being cautious about using such a strong word as agape given his recent boasting about never falling away and then denying Christ three times.

Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. …Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” – Matthew 26:31-33

Jesus sees Peter’s weakness in heart, yet still commissions him commanding him to ‘Feed My lambs’. The same exchange transpires with the second time Jesus asks Peter if He loves Him. Again the Lord continues Peter’s restoration with the command to ‘Tend My sheep’.

The third time Jesus asks, He meets Peter where his heart is at and uses the same word for love that Peter is comfortable with, ‘Phileo’. Peter responds as before although he is now grieved in heart that he was asked three times and perhaps because he was unable respond with agape love. Yet again, Jesus completes his restoration of Peter as a forgiven friend and commands him to ‘Feed My sheep’.

Don’t miss the significance of this third dialog between Jesus and Peter. The Lord will meet us right where we are at in our relationship with Him and help us to grow from that point. He loves us unconditionally, and died for us while we were as yet steeped in sin.

Do you (Agape) love the Lord?

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. – Matthew 22:37

Do you love Him more than the things of this world? We cannot effectively fulfill the Lord’s commission to us with a phileo relationship with Jesus. To feed and tend the sheep and to faithfully proclaim the Gospel requires the agape love of God working in and through us.

May the Holy Spirit come upon you as He did at Pentecost. May He fill you with the presence of Christ and the power to overcome the flesh. May He fill you with His agape love to fulfill your purpose and His plan for you.

We love because he first loved us. – 1 John 4:19

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Sword of the Spirit – Great Things #1151

Posted on July 14, 2021 by ron021950

SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1151

“Great Things”

Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad. – Psalm 126:2-3

Have you ever paused to reflect during your quiet time with the Lord on the great things He has done for you?

Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you. – 1 Samuel 12:24

It is easy to marvel at the greatness of God when we see the intricacies, complexities, and vast variety of His creation in the heavens and on earth. But what about the great things He has done for you and for me personally?

Oftentimes our present trials and difficulties cast a shadow on the great things God has done for us.

By prayerfully reflecting on these things the Holy Spirit lifts the cloud of despair and the light of faith floods our present circumstances and we are filled with joy and confidence in the Lord.

And yet there are so much more of the great things God has for us in this life and for eternity.

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known. – 1 Corinthians 13:12; – Jeremiah 33:3

Has God ever healed you? Has He ever given you peace – the peace that surpasses understanding – in difficult times? Has He ever provided for you to rebuild your lives after a catastrophic loss? Has He been faithful to restore broken relationships and heal the hurt of a broken heart? Has He ever shown you mercy when you know you deserved wrath? Has He forgiven your sins and granted you eternal life through Jesus?

Behold, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal them and reveal to them abundance of prosperity and security. I will restore the fortunes of Judah and the fortunes of Israel, and rebuild them as they were at first. I will cleanse them from all the guilt of their sin against me, and I will forgive all the guilt of their sin and rebellion against me. – Jeremiah 33:6-8

Of all the great things God has done for us in this world, the sum of them cannot even begin to compare to the gift of eternal life He has provided for us through Jesus.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. – John 3:16

May the joy of the Lord flood your heart, mind and soul as you reflect on the great things He has done and will do in your life now and forever.

Your righteousness, O God, reaches the high heavens. You who have done great things, O God, who is like you? Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. – Psalm 71:19; Ephesians 3:20-21

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Sword of the Spirit – For Such a Time as This #1150

Posted on July 8, 2021 by ron021950

SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1150

“For Such a Time as This”

For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this? – Esther 4:14

Our reference Scripture verse is actually a rebuke of Queen Esther by her uncle Mordecai because she was hesitant to approach the king on behalf of her people.

Esther may have initially been woeful over her circumstances when she was taken from her home to be in the king’s harem. She may have thought ‘If only Queen Vashti had not acted foolishly, I would not be here.’ Now as queen, she has become comfortable living as royalty which prompted her uncle’s rebuke to remind her of her ‘kingdom assignment’. Esther responded appropriately:

“Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.” – Esther 4:16

We see others in God’s Word who went through difficult and trying times. I wonder if Joseph ever thought ‘If only my brothers had not sold me into slavery, I would not be here.’ Over time, with more setbacks along the way, the Lord eventually brought Joseph from the pit his brothers threw him in to be second only to Pharaoh in all of Egypt. Joseph came to see how God worked his circumstances for him to fulfill his kingdom assignment.

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. – Genesis 50:20

Are you aware of your ‘Kingdom Assignment’?

Perhaps you are dissatisfied with your circumstances and the turn of events that brought you to your current situation. You begin to question God as to why He has allowed it. On the other hand you may be quite comfortable in this life, free from any stress, strife, or difficulties. Both scenarios can cause you to miss your calling to fulfill your kingdom assignment.

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will – Ephesians 1:11

We are not here in this time and in these circumstances by accident. We are here on assignment to be salt and light in a world steeped in sin and rebellion. We, the Church, must rise up and be a preserving force for Biblical values in our society. We must not cower within the four safe walls of our church buildings keeping our light hidden under a ‘steepled bushel basket’ as it were. Rather, the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ must be held high and evident in our everyday lives in this dark world.

You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. – Matthew 5:13

May the Holy Spirit speak clearly to your heart and mind as to your unique kingdom assignment that God has prepared you for.

And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this? – Esther 4:14

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Sword of the Spirit – No Eye Has Seen #1149

Posted on June 30, 2021 by ron021950

SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1149

“No Eye Has Seen”

But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him” – 1 Corinthians 2:9

Do you ever push the ‘PAUSE’ button on your busy life and stop and reflect on the awesomeness of God and what He has done, is doing and will do in your life – for eternity?

I recently camped at the Suwannee River and our campsite had a dock overlooking the river. Early morning devotionals on that dock watching the sunrise fed my soul.

God’s creation speaks scripturally to us if we pause to observe and reflect on His Word. I watched the early morning mist caress the Palm and Live Oak trees. Then I watched it burn off and fade away as the sun rose higher in the sky and I was reminded how short our life here is on earth.

…yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. – James 4:14

I watch the fish gently ripple the glassy surface of the water feeding on insects. I heard the birds singing and getting their food from the same insect population. The stillness of the morning was disturbed only by the bull frogs leaping out of the water to also gather their food and I was again reminded how God our Father cares for His creation and how much more He cares for us who He created in His image.

… Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. – Matthew 6:25-32

In the stillness and beauty of God’s creation, the peace of Christ will flood your soul. The Holy Spirit will give you wisdom to let go of love for the world and to reach for and embrace the abiding presence of Jesus, both now and for eternity.

So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. – Psalm 90:12

We can only imagine what God has prepared for us for eternity. The awesomeness that we see in His creation is but a glimpse of what we will see and experience when He calls us home to be with Him. May you hit the ‘pause’ button and immerse yourself in His presence.

How Great Thou Art Lyrics

Oh Lord My God, When I In Awesome Wonder, Consider All The Worlds Thy Hands Have Made;

I See The Stars, I Hear The Rolling Thunder, Thy Power Throughout The Universe Displayed. Then Sings My Soul, My Saviour God, To Thee, How Great Thou Art! How Great Thou Art!

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Sword of the Spirit – Obedience #1148

Posted on June 23, 2021 by ron021950

SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1148

“Obedience”

Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. – John 14:23

Obedience to God in our daily walk in this life is not always easy. Every time I go my own way, say something I should not say, or do something I should not do – never mind the thoughts I entertain that I know are wrong – I fail to love my Lord and my God.

Our obedience to God is caught up in a circle of Love that begins with and ends with God.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. – John 3:16

The circle begins with God loving us when we were as yet unlovable, steeped in sin and disobedience. He loved us enough to die for us in the Person of Jesus Christ that through faith in Him our sins can be forgiven and we can have eternal life with Him. Even the faith we need to believe in Jesus originates as a gift of God and not by our own doing.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. – Ephesians 2:8-9

The circle continues through our repenting and accepting the free gift of salvation through Jesus. It is then that we receive the indwelling power and presence of the Holy Spirit giving us a new heart of love and obedience to God.

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. – Ezekiel 36:26-27

The circle is completed with our love for God because of His love for us.

We love because he first loved us…By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. – – 1 John 4:19, 5:2-3

Yet we struggle. The war remains as long as we are in this fallen fleshly body.

The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak…For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate…So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members  Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! – Matthew 26:41 – Romans 7:15, 21-25

Lord, give me a heart of obedient stewardship: stewardship of my spirit, my mind, my body, my resources, finances and material goods, my family, my work and my relationships. May my love for You be greater than the desires and lusts of my flesh. May I hear and obey the leading of Your Holy Spirit directing my path to the path of love and obedience to You.

And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. – Isaiah 30:21

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Sword of the Spirit – Hope and a Future #1147

Posted on June 2, 2021 by ron021950

SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1147

“Hope and a Future”

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. – Jeremiah 29:11

Do you ever feel that you are trapped in a dry and parched land? Do you feel you are languishing there without hope?

Does it seem that everything you have planned and dreamed for has stalled and all but died on the vine? David was in such a place when he penned Psalms 63 and 42.

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. – Psalm 63:1

Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation – Psalm 42:5

We have plans for our life and God has plans for our life. He will not abandon us. It is a blessed thing when we seek Him and trust Him with our planning.

For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish.” – Jeremiah 31:25

Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established. – Proverbs 16:3

The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. – Proverbs 16:9

Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. – Proverbs 19:21

God’s plans are for our welfare and He loves us enough to thwart our plans that He knows will do us harm.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. – Romans 8:28

God’s plans are to give us a future and a hope in this life and for eternity with Him. This promise is for those who accept the free gift of salvation through Jesus.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. – John 14:6

Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you. – Psalm 33:18-22

Commit your plans to Him. Seek His presence continually. Set your hope and trust in Jesus alone.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. – Romans 15:13

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Sword of the Spirit – In His Hands #1146

Posted on May 27, 2021 by ron021950

SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1146

“In His Hands”

In you, O Lord, do I take refuge…I trust in you, O Lord…I say, “You are my God.”My times are in your hand; – Psalm 31:1, 14-15

We live in troubling times: The Coronovirus pandemic and its mutations; Shelter in place orders; Businesses failing; Unemployment; War in the Middle East; Inflation; Threats of conflict in the Far East; Cancel Culture; Religious persecution; Southern border crisis and the list goes on and on.

Many of us and those around us are fearful for our future and the future for our children and grandchildren. However, none of our current circumstances comes as a surprise to Our Father in Heaven and He tells us, His children, ‘Don’t be afraid. I’ve got this. I’ve got you. Trust Me’

Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them…fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. – Psalm 139:16– Isaiah 41:10

Our times have been in His hands since before we were born. We have made choices, both good and bad, that have brought consequential circumstances, yet none of these surprised Our Father and He worked all of them for good, for us and for others.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. – Romans 8:28

We have to be honest with ourselves. Do we lament our current troubling circumstances because of our love for the world? Are we downhearted because of the disruption of our finances, plans and thoughts of how we expected and wanted our life in this world to be? Would we resent the Lord’s sudden return for His church because ‘there are things I have yet to do or enjoy in this world’?

Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation. Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. – Psalm 42:5 – 1 John 2:15

We should be living our lives in eager expectation of Jesus’ return for His church while occupying until He calls us home.

Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come.’ Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. – Luke 19:13 – Matthew 24:46-47

Our present times are fleeting. There is no pleasure in this world that can compare to what the Lord has prepared for us for eternity with Him.

Pray continually for the Lord to protect us and carry us through these evil times. Trust in Him always. Seek His presence continually and do not let your heart be troubled.

Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. – John 14:1

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Sword of the Spirit – Uzzah #1145

Posted on May 19, 2021 by ron021950

SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1145

“Uzzah”

…Uzzah put out his hand to take hold of the ark, for the oxen stumbled. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and he struck him down because he put out his hand to the ark, and he died there before God. – 1 Chronicles 13:9-10

Have you ever read this passage and wondered: ‘Why, God? Uzzah was only trying to help.’

The fact remains that Uzzah knew better. In fact, David and the entire company knew better. They were all acting in disobedience and disrespect toward the holiness of Almighty God. God made His point with Uzzah and the Israelites regrouped to move the Ark in accordance with the Law and with a renewed reverence for the holiness of God.

Because you did not carry it the first time, the Lord our God broke out against us, because we did not seek him according to the rule.” – 1 Chronicles 15:13

Note that the Philistines were not struck down when they put the Ark on the cart in the first place before sending it back to Israel. Note also that the Lord struck the people of Beth-shemesh when it arrived there because they looked inside the Ark.

Now He fatally struck some of the men of Beth-shemesh because they had looked into the ark of the Lord. … – 1 Samuel 6:19 (NASB)

The Philistines had no knowledge of the significance of the Ark of the Covenant, yet the Israelites did and were held accountable for their knowledge. God holds us accountable for our actions and behavior in light of our knowledge of Him.

…Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more. – Luke 12:48

Only God is holy. God is separate from all sin. His nature and character is morally perfect. The fear of the Lord is that of reverential awe for those who know Him.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; – Proverbs 1:7

Why, then do we act like irreverent fools referring to God as ‘The big guy’ or ‘the man upstairs’? Why do we use His Name in vain, spouting off ‘G-D’ and ‘J-C’ in rants of rage? Even the generic versions such as ‘Gol darn’ and Jesum Crow’ cross the line and border on irreverence.

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness. Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire. – Psalm 29:2– Hebrews 12:28-29

May the Holy Spirit kindle a right spirit in you of reverence and awe for the holiness of God. May every aspect of your life – what you say and do – be acceptable worship of Him.

There is none holy like the Lord: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God. But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct…what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, – 1 Samuel 2:2 – 1 Peter 1:15 – Deuteronomy 10:12

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Sword of the Spirit – The Fragrance of Christ #1144

Posted on May 13, 2021 by ron021950

SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1144

“The Fragrance of Christ”

But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. – 2 Corinthians 2:14

Fragrances make us feel something. They can trigger memories, make us salivate even though we may not be hungry and can make us feel happy, contented and at peace. Fresh baked bread, lavender, citrus, and peppermint are all ‘feel good’ aromas.

This phenomenon is the basis for Paul’s use of the aroma metaphor as he continues in his letter to the Corinthians.

For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life… – 2 Corinthians 2:15-16

The context of our reference scripture was a familiar scene to the Corinthians. The triumphal procession was that of the victorious army returning to the praise and cheers of the crowds who would throw fragrant flowers in their path. There would often be prisoners from the defeated enemy marched in the procession on their way to be executed. To the victors the fragrance was life and to the defeated, the fragrance was that of death.

Is the ‘fragrance of the knowledge of Christ’ left behind in your daily interactions with people outside of the church community of believers?

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. – Acts 4:13

Does your lifestyle example live up to being the ‘aroma of Christ’ not only to those who are being saved but also to those who are perishing? For some that are perishing the ‘aroma of Christ’ that you impart may trigger a memory – something implanted by the Holy Spirit in their heart – and they will repent and come to salvation through Jesus.

so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. – Isaiah 55:11

Others that are perishing may harden their hearts because of the ‘fragrance of the knowledge’ of Jesus that you bring. This is a root cause of the persecution that the Body of Christ is experiencing throughout the world even today.

But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict. And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, – 1 Thessalonians 2:2– Acts 4:29

May you boldly live your faith in Jesus in this world. May the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ be evident in all your daily interactions as you are empowered by His Holy Spirit.

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. – 2 Timothy 1:7

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