The Devotional – The fragrance

The Devotional – The fragrance

Comment:

Psalm 32:3 – When I kept silent, my bones grew old because of my groaning all the day long. Advil, Celebrex, Tylenol and aspirin may be one way to temporally kill the physical pain and some of us truly need these medications. But there are many more of us who would benefit tremendously with a good confession to God and God will be merciful, He will forgive our sin and heal our spiritual pain -1 John 1:5-10.

Devotional:

Some of the adversaries in our life are known right from the beginning, even in family people have enemies. Enemies get together from time to time and around others they seem harmless. When the cloak is removed and the dagger is revealed, you may even hear someone in the background say; “who would have ever guessed?” Temptation comes from those who claim friendship and offer things that they can provide, but in the end cost your life.

For example; one day in the life of Jesus, He met an old acquaintance who said to Him. “You look hungry and You are the Son of God so why don’t you command these stones to become bread?” The reply of Jesus to the devil was “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ “ We would do well to follow the example that Jesus Christ leaves us, in this I believe our lives would be much more powerful to those who watch us daily as we ARE the example of Christ to those around us.

Those who might say “who would have ever guessed” can be those who are seeking to know Truth so when God opens the door to share the gospel of Christ, we must also be aware that the “intruder, the devil is nearby” usually we have no problem feeling the presence of the devil such as we see in 2 Corinthians 2:13-14. The apostle Paul knew that God was opening a door of opportunity but it he would have to leave Troas. Paul was looking for Titus, his spiritual brother in Christ and this caused an unrest in his spirit, so Paul left Troas and went to Macedonia.

Now he left Troas, but the fragrance of Christ remained, it remained because he first preached the gospel. Whether in season or out of season (2 Timothy 4:2) Paul under the power of the Holy Spirit led the people in Troas to Jesus Christ as the everlasting fragrance of LIFE AND LIGHT. We are children of God do we leave that fragrance with folks when we move on? And if so, how strong is the fragrance?

Notice what the apostle says; 2 Corinthians 2:15-16 – For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved AND among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death and to the other the aroma of life leading to LIFE. And who is sufficient for these things?

So my challenge to us all is the challenge that the apostle gives “For we are not, as so many (the rest) peddling (adulterating) the Word of God; but of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God.

Folks we have triumph in Christ, therefore we ought to live in such a way to be sweet, which is the fragrance of Christ, we are His epistle – 2 Corinthians 3:1-3