The Aroma Of Christ

How much better to be so infilled and overflowing with the love of Christ, the perfume of His power, the savor of His Spirit, that when men get near us they think of eternity. Sensing our freedom in Christ, they too will choose to be His captives. Make me a captive Lord, And then I shall be free. Force me to render up my sword, and I shall conqueror be (Maxwell, Abandon to Christ).

GOD SPEAKS IN THE STORM
Yes, when the heart is breaking, and it seems we cannot go on, He will whisper His words of comfort and strength. And that will enable us, as we will see with Job in the end, to turn even catastrophe into celebration (Henry Gariepy, Portraits of Perseverance).

HUMILITY
It was St. Augustine who said, “God humbled Himself, while man remains proud.”

If our hearts are right before God, praise ought to humble us not to inflate us (Warren Wiersbe).

Sermons that flatter sinners will not save sinners (Wiersbe).

The glory of good men is in their conscience and not in the mouths of men (Thomas A Kempis).

PROPER SELF-IMAGE
Every human being is born into this world in Adam. That means that we are born with the same nature, inheritance, and destiny that Adam possessed since his fall. We are born spiritually dead with a sinful human nature and unless something changes, that description will be eternal. Someone once asked a prominent Christian leader, “What does man have to do to go to hell?” His answer was, “Absolutely nothing.” Man is born headed that direction. That is the inheritance left to us by Adam (Bob George, Christianity).

The truth is that the second Adam, who is Jesus Christ can change your direction and destiny. As we will soon celebrate His birth, let Him into your life and He will change you from the inside out.

GOD’S DELIVERANCE: JEREMIAH 1:8
To look for justice is a sign of deflection from devotion to God. Never look for justice in this world, but never cease to give it. If we look for justice, we will begin to grouse (complain) and to indulge in the discontent of self-pity—Why should I be treated like this? If we are devoted to Jesus Christ, we have nothing to do with what we meet, whether it is just or unjust. Jesus says go steadily on with what I have told you to do and I will guard your life. If you try to guard it yourself, you remove yourself from My deliverance.

INVESTMENT
There is a story told of a European princess, a fervent Christian, who was burdened to start an orphanage for street children. She did not have any money of her own, so she told her husband she wanted to sell the jewels he had given her so that she could help the orphans. Of course, he was reluctant. “Don’t you appreciate the jewels?” he would ask. “Of course,” she would reply. “But there are homeless children we could help.” Eventually, he gave in. She sold the jewels for many thousands of dollars and was able to build the orphanage. The children came and were fed and shown love. They memorized verses of Scripture and sang songs. One day, the princess returned to her husband, “I found my jewels today!” she said through tears of joy. “I found my jewels, the bright happy eyes of the children who were rescued from the streets. I found my jewels” (Erwin Lutzer, Your Eternal Reward).