2 Corinthians 2:14

But thanks be to God, who always puts us on display in Christ, and spreads through us in every place the scent of knowing Him.

Your life is like a fragrant candle. When lit, you not only illuminate a room, but you also leave a scent indicating that Christ has been there. As Paul explains in the verses that follow, to some, this scent is life-giving; others, however, smell the scent of death. Those who desire true peace will find it refreshing while those who are intent upon filling their own selfish desires will be reproached by it.

I’m reminded of a college friend who lives in Memphis. She wears Aromatics Elixir by Clinique, and I always think of her when I sense that fragrance. To me, it is a warm, charming, and delightful scent because it reminds me of her and her personality. How humbling it is to realize that an unbeliever’s attraction to Christ can come from what they sense in us. How well do we wear the fragrance of our Savior, or are we too contaminated by the world to display His fragrance?

Today, as you consider the thought of your life as a fragrance of Christ, determine to change perfume if necessary. The only way to get rid of a bad smell is to take a good bath or shower and refresh yourself. If you have been in contact with the world too long, you need a refreshing of God’s word and His presence to exhibit a new scent. Take a spiritual bath if needed. Once you have sat for a while in God’s presence and have applied all that He has shown you, your scent will improve. The scent of knowing Christ is a refreshing and life-giving fragrance, and you were meant to wear it well.

Have a blessed day!

Psalm 16:5-6

LORD, You are my portion and my cup of blessing; You hold my future. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

David is the Psalmist. He had found his greatest blessing in his relationship with God. As a result, he found himself in a pleasant place with God and a beautiful inheritance. When God is our blessing, He blesses us. I love the Message Bible translation of verse 5:

 My choice is you, GOD, first and only. And now I find I’m your choice!

David learned the secret to obtaining God’s favor by simply choosing to engage in His relationship with God. While we, as Christians, all have a relationship with God, how much do we actually engage Him? I’ve seen many well-meaning believers turn to God only when things get rough and they need a Savior, Deliverer, or Healer. He’s often the God they seek in times of trouble, but they exclude Him in the minute details of everyday life. He wants to be our closest companion, and He blesses and favors those who have a close relationship with Him.

Are you frustrated over anything? Take your frustrations to God and tell Him every detail. Are you lonely or afraid? Begin to pour out your feelings to a God who truly hears and cares. Are you angry or bitter? Ask God to remove these things from you and to fill you with His grace and favor. Search His Word for things that apply to your situation and find hope, comfort, and healing. Let His Word be the standard of truth and not your feelings.

As I write this, I must confess that this is easier said than done at times because our feelings can be overwhelming. Feelings, however, cannot be trusted to lead us to a beautiful inheritance; indeed, feelings will often lead us into trouble more often than not. Turn your feelings over to a God and let Him handle the matter in His all-knowing wisdom and judgment. He will do what is best for you. Your boundary lines have fallen in pleasant places, and what God has in store for you is even better!

Have a blessed day!

Psalm 33:12

Happy is the nation whose God is the LORD – the people He has chosen to be His own possession!

Some translations interchange the word, happy, for blessed. Indeed, blessed and happy are those whom God chooses for His own. Our country could not have come into existence without the providential hand of God working on its behalf, and God has certainly blessed us through the years. Sadly, I fear we have become a nation who has chosen to seek happiness and blessings aside from God. As a nation, we have rejected God to pursue the evil desires of our own hearts. Sooner or later, such evil desires will overtake those who pursue them. True happiness can only be found in godly counsel. If we shut Him out, we forfeit any real happiness for the sake of delusion.

God’s chosen nation, however, is not the good old USA. God’s chosen nation is Israel. Those who follow Christ are spiritual Israel. As Christians, we should not confuse being patriotic with being Christian. God has certainly blessed our nation and has protected us, provided for us, and progressed us beyond measure, but being an American does not make you a Christian. He blessed this nation because so many of its citizens have been Christ followers who have served Him. To turn from God is to turn from His blessing, as well. Perhaps, this is why our entire world is in such economic chaos at this point. As Christians and a part of spiritual Israel, we are still His chosen. We must continue to follow Him, regardless of how unpopular or wrong the world may see us. Happy and blessed are the people whose God is the LORD – those He has chosen as His own. We must remember that true happiness cannot be found apart from Him.

As you celebrate this Independence Day, remember the One who died to set you free from sin. Pay allegiance to Him. We still live in the greatest country on earth, but it is no match for the greatness of the kingdom of God. Recognize your eternal citizenship, and honor the coming King. Happy and blessed are those who follow Him because they belong to Him!

Have a blessed day!

Proverbs 14:34

Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.

If we do not acknowledge right from wrong, we are destined to accept what is evil. Something other than our own desires must be the standard by which we live, or we will impose a selfishly hostile existence for the next generation. Too many men and women have died so we would have the freedom to choose right from wrong for ourselves. When we voluntarily give those rights away for the sake of protection or to maintain a greedy and selfish standard of living, we have chosen what is wrong, and disgrace will come knocking at our door.

Absolute truth does exist, but we must choose to abide by it. God is still on His throne, but we must choose to honor and worship Him. He has given us absolute truth in His word, but we must accept it. To choose righteousness is to choose His hand of favor, and to deny it is to deny our purpose and the meaning of it. If we do not live according to the purpose for which we were created, why should God protect us or provide for us? We are simply an obstacle to His plan, which will prevail.

Pray for our great nation. God has exalted us in the past when we acknowledged Him and put Him first. He still hears the prayers of His people, and now is the time to pray. For the sake of our children and grandchildren, we must pray, or the lives of those who died to free us and to keep us free were lost in vain. Hitler deceived a nation into believing a lie and to accept extreme evil. If we don’t choose what is right and begin to honor the truth God has given us in His word, we will fall subject to the same kind of deception.

Have a blessed day!

Mercy Miracles

Psalm 107:13-14

Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble; He saved them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness and gloom and broke their chains apart.

To fully understand this passage, we need to understand how those mentioned became chained in the first place. The preceding verses explain they rebelled against God’s commands and disposed His counsel. In other words, they disregarded what God instructed and did what they wanted to do. I know I’ve been guilty of this, and it never worked out well. In the times I’ve rejected God’s counsel and went my own way, it has most often been when I’ve followed my emotions, rather than His Word. My emotions, however, will lie and change. God’s Word is true and steadfast and is the only thing in which we can trust in difficult times.

God allowed hard labor to break the spirits of those who rebelled against Him. As a result, they found themselves in the chains of their own sin, unable to move forward or break free. They sat in gloom and despair with no one to help. When they cried out to God, however, He broke their chains and freed them. I’m so very thankful He allows our rebellion to take us only so far until we turn back to Him. He doesn’t allow sin to destroy us; instead, He uses our pain to draw us back to Him. He sends a miracle of mercy to deliver us and put us on the right path.

I’m so very thankful we serve a loving, compassionate God who is ready to rescue us from our own poor decisions! Any of us might be willing to rescue an innocent person, but it takes a truly compassionate heart to rescue someone from their own mess. Jesus died for the rebellious, and that includes you and me. Hallelujah!

If you find yourself chained in darkness and gloom today, cry out to God. He is waiting for you to turn in His direction and rely upon Him. He sent Jesus to set the captives free and to give us new life, where we can praise Him and tell of His glorious works. We can’t pay our debt or change the past. Jesus has already paid it for us, but we can allow Him to change us as we go forward. Allow Him to heal your emotions, and make His Word greater than your feelings. Our compassionate God specializes in performing mercy miracles, and He has one for you.

Have a blessed day!

Mark 6:7-8

He summoned the Twelve and began to send them out in pairs and gave them authority over unclean spirits. He instructed them to take nothing for the road except a walking stick: no bread, no traveling bag, no money in their belts.

In this passage, Jesus sent the Twelve on mission with the authority over unclean spirits. His desire was to use His disciples to do the same work He had been doing in healing the sick and delivering people from demonic spirits. They were to take very limited supplies with them, of which the main item was a walking stick. Just what significance does a walking stick hold when going out to minister to others?

The walking stick is symbolic of Moses’s rod in the O.T. This rod was what God used to work through Moses. When he threw it down upon command, it became a snake. When he picked it up, it became a rod again. Moses parted the Red Sea with the rod, and he led the people through the wilderness. The rod was God’s spiritual gift to Moses, and He worked supernaturally through the rod.

1 Cor. 12:4-11 teaches us that the Holy Spirit gives us gifts to use to build God’s kingdom. Not everyone has the same gift, but the same Spirit gives the gifts and works through them to lead others to Christ and to edify the body of believers known as the church. Knowing your spiritual gift is important in following Christ and serving Him.

Here, Jesus sent the disciples out to minister with a walking stick – symbolic of their spiritual gift. When we use the gifts God gives us to minister, He works supernaturally through them. Through the use of our God-given gift, we have authority over unclean spirits. God wants to use nothing more than this as we go out to minister to others.

When God sends us out, we often have nothing more than His word, our spiritual gift to serve, and our own testimony. This, however, is all we need to build His kingdom. Anything else we need, He will give us as we go forth in obedience to Him. God will draw people to us along the way who will be receptive to His word through us and will help meet our needs in return. When we give, God gives back to us through those we reach. We need nothing more than our spiritual gift (aka walking stick) and the willingness to use it wherever He sends us.

Where is your walking stick, and are you using it? Don’t lay it down or discard it. Don’t try to use it inappropriately. Your walking stick is made to guide you to your destiny in building God’s kingdom. It is your tool through which God will work, and it will help you keep your balance as you travel your path. Your walking stick will give you authority over your enemy, and it is a weapon against his attacks. While you may think you have little, you have more than enough when you use what God has given you.

Have a blessed day!

John 21:15-17

When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said to Him, “You know that I love You.”

“Feed My lambs,” He told him.

A second time He asked him, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said to Him, “You know that I love You.”

“Shepherd My sheep,” He told him.

He asked him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?”

Peter was grieved that He asked him the third time, “Do you love Me?”  He said, “Lord, You know everything! You know that I love you.”

“Feed My sheep,” Jesus said.

While it might seem that Jesus was being repetitive with Peter, He actually gave Peter three different commands. In order to follow all three instructions, Peter would have to love Jesus. The commands were to:

1. Feed My lambs.

2. Shepherd My sheep.

3. Feed My sheep.

Lambs are baby sheep – sheep that have just been born or are growing and have not yet reached adulthood. Jesus was instructing Peter to nurture those who had just come into His kingdom and were learning the gospel. Peter was to teach them the Word of God, just as Jesus had taught and demonstrated to him.

Sheep are matured lambs. They have grown and are now adults, able of reproducing. Peter was to shepherd – lead – these sheep who were now capable of bringing others into the kingdom of God themselves and leading them.

Finally, the matured sheep also need to be feed. Just because they are grown does not mean they don’t continually need to be fed. Unless they are fed, they will starve from lack of nourishment. Peter was to continue to feed the matured sheep, leading them to further maturity and wholeness.

Peter had just a few days earlier denied Jesus three times after He was arrested. While he may have felt like he was disqualified from ministry and must return to what he did before to make a living, Jesus deployed Peter to ministry with an even greater calling than He bestowed upon him previously. In His initial call to Peter, Jesus told him to follow Him, and He would make him a fisher of men, which describes evangelism. He now called Peter to not only evangelize but to shepherd and care for His people full time. In this encounter, Jesus called Peter to pastor the first church.

Jesus does not call us to perfection; He calls us to maturity, which often means coming face to face with our imperfections. He did not disqualify Peter. On the contrary, He called Peter to an even greater position and challenge.

Do you feel disqualified because of a failure, sin, or error? Understand today that God has not disqualified you from the call He originally gave you. He knew your weaknesses before He called you, yet He called you anyway. You may not trust yourself, but He trusts what He has placed in you. If you love Him, He will lead you to a place where you can tend His sheep in some way. He will not let you go backwards while He is moving you forward! Be willing to go where He instructs, regardless of how unqualified you may feel. Learn from your mistakes, and keep marching. Your destiny is worth reaching!

Have a blessed day!

James 2:17-18

In the same way faith, if it doesn’t have works, is dead by itself. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith from my works.

Works operate like a light switch for faith. You may have light in your room, but unless you flip the switch, it will remain dark. Having faith that the light is there is not enough; you have to do something to activate it.

Hebrews 11:6 explains that we must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who seek Him. If we come to Him and ask for something, we must believe He will honor that request and proceed accordingly. This is the faith that pleases God. It does not mean He will grant our every wish; it simply means He will act in our best interest in the matter.

Regardless of how hard we try or how perfect our actions may be, our works alone will never be enough. God’s favor, however, is always more than enough. We must have faith in who God is and what Christ did on the cross. Because of His sacrifice, we can come boldly before the throne of grace and ask God for anything because He does not hold our sin against us. We are His beloved children through relationship with His Son, and His Son sits at the Father’s right hand interceding for us. When we truly believe this, we can set out to accomplish things we could never do in our own strength because we have faith that God is working through us and for us.

Remember the work of the cross today, and enter the throne room of grace for any need you may have. Respond in faith, knowing that God is for you and is working in your best interest to accomplish what you cannot on your own. You have His favor, and nothing is impossible with Him. Let your works come from a faith that knows with all certainty that the Father loves you and He will reward you as you seek Him. Audacious faith is bold faith, and such faith pleases God and generates works that produce miracles. Exercise yours today!

Have a blessed day!

Isaiah 46:10-11

I declare the end from the beginning and from long ago what is not yet done saying: My plan will take place, and I will do all My will. I call a bird of prey from the east, a man for My purpose from a far country. Yes, I have spoken; so I will also bring it about. I have planned it; I will also do it.

God gives us glimpses into His plan through prayer and His Word. He places dreams and visions in our hearts that drive us toward the destiny He has prepared for us. These glimpses may be a promise of great things to come or a warning of danger and judgment. Jesus is coming again, which is both a great promise to those of us who know Him as Lord and a warning for those who don’t.

The word, “I,” is used six times in these verses. You will also find the word, “My,” used three times. God declares what will happen, and He brings it to pass. His plan will take place, and He will do His will on earth. If He has promised it, He will do it. We don’t have to make it happen, manipulate it, or help Him out. If He planned it, He will also do it.

God gave Joseph a dream that one day his brothers would bow to him. While Joseph saw this as great promise and made the mistake of revealing his dream to his brothers, nothing happened quite the way Joseph imagined it would. Before his brothers would bow to him, he would first be thrown in a well, sold into slavery, and serve time in prison. He was not in a position to make anything happen according to the dream God gave him. God had to work behind the scenes, bringing everything and every person into place for the dream to become a reality. Joseph never saw the hand of God moving; he simply had to trust it was.

As Christians, we will experience times when nothing is working as we had dreamed. In fact, everything may seem to be falling apart. In those times, we must trust that God is moving and working in ways in which we know not. When we don’t see His hand, we can trust His heart. If He has promised it, He will do it. He just may not share with us how He will do it.

Trust God’s heart toward you today. You may not understand what He is doing, but what He is doing is good. He is a good, good Father who gives good gifts to His children, and He withholds no good thing from us. That is just who He is, and we can trust His nature as Father. Release your need to understand, and simply trust in His goodness. Peace and joy will flow like a river to your soul, and you can rest in the arms of a Father who loves you with an everlasting love.

Have a blessed day!

Luke 17:6

“If you have faith the size of a mustard seed,” the Lord said, “you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.”

Jesus talked about mustard seed faith in the context of duty. His following words referred to the orders of a slave from his master. When a slave has finished his work for the day, he is still a slave and has only done his duty. If we are to have faith that has the ability to uproot mulberry trees and move mountains, we must be faithful in doing our rightful duty. We must be about the process of serving God and others.

Black mulberry trees of the Middle East have a vast root system and can live up to 600 years. A mulberry tree here represents anything that is well established and been there for a long time. You may feel like it is hopeless to ever get rid of that thing, but God’s word says otherwise. Faith the size of a tiny mustard seed and the willingness to keep serving God can move even a mulberry tree out of the way.

God increases our faith as we walk in Him. If we never take the first step, we have not exercised our faith. We cannot simply sit back and wait for something to happen; we must begin to move toward the goal, expecting God to open doors and provide what is necessary for our own mulberry trees to be uprooted and our mountains to move. Faith and service work together.

Is there a mulberry tree standing in your way? Exercise your faith by moving forward in God. Regardless of how big or how strong its root system may be, God controls the mulberry tree. If you need it to move, He will move it for you.

Have a blessed day!