Our Signature Scent

As I grow older, I’m finding that my senses are beginning to fail some. One of the only ones that has not faltered, and may have even become sharper, is my sense of smell. I have always been drawn to pleasant smells. They awaken my mood, my desires, and my memory. I had a love affair with fine perfumes for decades. I was always looking for my “signature scent.”  Since then, I have been more attracted to the all natural scents of oils rather than synthetic perfumes. Fads come and go but a fine fragrance can make a lasting impression.

Today’s verse of thanks speaks of a fragrance. The following verse gives more detail to that fragrance as the aroma of Christ. Paul is taking us on one of his “bunny trails” as he digresses away from his discussion about his trip to Macedonia. Paul is thanking God for giving us His Son as our Signature Scent.

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.” 2 Corinthians 2:14, v. 15 added to expand on the idea

In this verse we read Paul’s outpouring of triumphant faith in praise of the sufficiency of God’s grace for every situation. Jesus is our answer, our victory and our hope for everything life sends our way.

“He truly is sufficient when life is deficient.” ~ Elisa Morgan

To shed a bit of light on how fragrance fits into a triumphal procession, one commentator penned: In a Roman victory procession, the Roman general would display his treasures and captives amidst a cloud of incense. To the victors, the smell was sweet; to the captives in the parade, it was the stench of death (those who are perishing).

We, as Christ-followers, are called to be a sweet fragrance others can’t help but notice. We can’t control someone’s opinion about the aroma; neither can we control someone’s reaction to our Christian message and actions. Our challenge is to stay true to Christ and His Spirit will work in us to attract others and leave a lasting impression. To those who welcome the gospel of God’s grace, Christians with their testimony are the fragrance of life. Christ is our signature scent that brings eternal life.

Friends, thank God for giving us the aroma of Christ through our faith in Him and His indwelling Holy Spirit to guide us in truth and power. Let’s take up that challenge and stay true to Christ and leave behind the sweet fragrance as a lasting impression of our signature scent – that is Jesus Christ.

“My life as a worker is the way I say ‘thank you’ to God for His unspeakable salvation.” ~ Oswald Chambers

"And be thankful." Colossians 3:15b

Joining Forces

I was dancing around the kitchen shouting, "Praise the Lord! Hallelujah! Thank You, Jesus!" I must have looked a bit like Miss Clara in the movie, War Room, when she got the phone call from Elizabeth reporting her praise. If you haven’t seen the movie, I highly recommend checking it out. One of my “sweet sheep” (prayer group friends that I get to pray for daily) called just two days after making her personal prayer request to say that God answered directly and clearly with “yeses” to her prayers! She wanted to say thanks for praying which set me to my praising.

Prayer is a sweet gift of fellowship with our Almighty God. He allows us to come before Him any day, any time, with any concern. Jesus made all that possible with His work on the cross. We have 24-7 direct access to God. Not only is it an opportunity, it is a calling and a duty.

In our next verse of thanks, Paul is writing to the church at Corinth addressing their very important supporting role in his work spreading the gospel and growing the early church.

“On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.” 2 Corinthians 1:11 (v. 10 included to complete the statement)

He also lets them know that they play a part in the celebration of thanks by joining forces with him in prayers for his protection from the deadly peril he faces regularly on the front lines spreading the gospel.

It is not only our privilege, but our duty to aid our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ by praying for them. When we dedicate our time by connecting with Jesus in prayer on behalf of another, supernatural things take place in our hearts. A love shows up that we can’t explain. A connection of care and concern is there that links us together like family.

We are especially urged to pray for pastors, teachers, missionaries, and others who are on the “front lines” of spreading the gospel. The deliverance that Paul referred to or “the gracious favor granted” is God’s hand of protection from opposers to the Christian faith. This continues today. Persecution of Christians has never stopped. The forces of evil led by Satan work day and night to “steal, kill and destroy” the “abundant life” that faith in Christ promises us. (See John 10:10)

It is the absolute joy of my heart to be a prayer warrior for my friends, loved ones and folks I don’t even know. If you want to join forces with God through Christ in prayer, here’s an amazing clip from the War Room movie. https://youtu.be/_WpfkFyG5qQ Take the 3 minutes and be ready to get fired up to fight your fights on your knees and let God do the work. Your great reward will be the thanks you then get to shout to the heavens! …or around your kitchen.

"And be thankful." Colossians 3:15b

It Changes Everything

This week at a beloved family member’s funeral, I was again blessed with the beauty of knowing Christ as my Savior. The title on the service bulletin in my hand contained the word Resurrection. Resurrection – the act of rising from the dead. This descriptive word that makes Christianity different from all other beliefs is the reason for the hope and joy that accompanies our grief and sorrow at the loss of a loved one. It is a bitter-sweet miracle that changes everything.

Our next verse of thanks is in a chapter where Paul is teaching the Corinthian people about the essential truth and reality of Christ’s resurrection. He goes over the certainty of Resurrection, considers certain objections, and appeals that because of this truth (of Christ’s Resurrection), they should stand firm and work hard for the Lord because no effort for Christ will be wasted.

“When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:57 (incl. vs. 54-58 to complete the thought)

In “The Reason for God,” Timothy Keller makes a point about the reality of the Resurrection:

““If Jesus rose from the dead, then you have to accept all that he said; if he didn’t rise from the dead, then why worry about any of what he said? The issue on which everything hangs is not whether or not you like his teaching but whether or not he rose from the dead.” That is how the first hearers felt who heard reports of the resurrection. They knew that if it was true it meant we can’t live our lives any way we want. It also meant we don’t have to be afraid of anything, not Roman swords, not cancer, nothing. If Jesus rose from the dead, it changes everything.”

Our resounding thanks goes up to God because at the cross He turned Satan’s apparent victory into defeat with Jesus’ Resurrection. Death is not to dread or fear. Christ overcame it, and one day we, as Christ followers/Christians, will also. Death was defeated and we have hope beyond the grave! Praise be to God!

Matt Maher sings about this victory in his song “Christ Is Risen”: https://youtu.be/-mXeA0G_xKc

Oh death! Where is your sting?

Oh hell! Where is your victory?
Oh Church! Come stand in the light!
Our God is not dead, he's alive! he's alive!

Christ is risen from the dead

Trampling over death by death

Come awake, come awake!

Come and rise up from the grave

"And be thankful." Colossians 3:15b

All the People Said Amen

As I’m going through this life leaning more closely on the grace of God, I’m finding more and more that it’s not about me. My life is NOT all about me. Hearing that statement from me 30 years ago, my closest loved ones would have said, “Who are you, and what have you done with Merrie?!” All I can say is, “God’s grace and mercy is having its way and I’m just delighted to be on the receiving end.”

God places us into our space and time for His purpose. When He allows us to be in the presence of witnesses, He delights in our using the gifts He has given us and connections with Him for the greater good of all. He uses our joys and our trials, our praises and our fears, our stories and our silences – if only we are willing to share what He is doing in our lives. Every circumstance is filtered through His loving hands.

Paul is teaching about using spiritual gifts, particularly the gifts of speaking in tongues and of prophesy in this case, for the greater good of all. We will be looking at three verses of thanks today all at once because they all work together and I’m adding one extra verse to finish the thought.

Corinthian believers needed correction once again. They were apparently using the gift of speaking in tongues (praying in a special prayer language that only the individual and God can understand – a very special and intimate gift) as a sign of spiritual superiority rather than as a means to spiritual unity. Paul was teaching them that Spiritual gifts are a benefit only when properly used to help everyone in the church. Public worship must be understandable and beneficial to all.

“If you are praising God with your spirit, how can one who finds himself among those who do not understand say ‘Amen’ to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying? You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified. I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.” 1 Corinthians 14:16-19

Paul shares God’s desire for all the people present to be able to agree and be a part of the thanksgiving and praise that the worshipers were lifting to the Lord. They would do this with their “Amen!” But if they didn’t understand what was being said, how could they agree? Paul asks. Amen means, “It is true” or “So be it” – it is the believer’s confession agreeing with the words of the speaker.

Paul also teaches that all, especially the newcomer or unbeliever, deserve the opportunity to be edified which means- instruct or benefit, especially morally or spiritually; to uplift. If we are participating with God in what He is doing, we must concentrate on helping everyone in the church. We should be praying for insight and ability to bring others into an intimate relationship with God. Sharing the truth in love speaks to all. We can do this by singing, teaching a lesson, telling a story, leading a prayer or sharing an insight. When we submit to God’s leading in these things, He doesn’t cause confusion; he leads us in unity and harmony.

“but everything that is done must be useful to all, and build them up in the Lord.” 1 Cor. 14:26b (TLB)

The primary motivator of all that serve in worship must be love – being useful to strengthen the faith of others.

“All The People Said Amen” by Matt Maher speaks this truth to a catchy tune. Check out this link: https://youtu.be/T9ifzzMD7zk

Give thanks to the LORD

For His love never ends

And all the people said Amen!

In my past, while living fully in “me me mode,” I can totally see myself being very blessed had I received the Spiritual gift of speaking in tongues. Though I know I would not have used it to edify others or bring glory to God. Only to myself. Perhaps to fully enjoy the intimacy with God or more likely to try to convince others that I was extra spiritual and deserved attention and praise. Thank God that He chose to clean me up a bit through the refining fire of the hard knock life before He turned me loose on you all! Whew!

God wants all His children to hear and understand and receive His great redeeming love through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for our sins. Let’s listen to God. Use our gifts to serve others well. Love because God first loved us (1 Jn 4:19).

"In the same way, it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost." Matt. 18:14

"And be thankful." Colossians 3:15b