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The Scent of Lavender and the Fragrance of Knowledge

August 21, 2011
Filed In Daily Devotionals

Lavender grows along my patio. Its fragrance wafts the air each time Oklahoma winds comb through its stately stems. The stems I gathered last year and placed in a clay pot to dry, release a sweet aroma when I walk by the simple arrangement, or brush against it when I dust. At the end of a frenzied day, I can break off a few dried buds and crush them between my fingers, then add them to my bath to create a calming scent for a relaxing soak in the tub. I love lavender.  Each year, without a bit of coaxing from me, its perennial presence rushes out to greet Spring, then lingers all Summer long.

Christians are like that.

“… 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. 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. Who is sufficientfor these things?” 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 ESV

Did you get that? We are the aroma of Christ to God. Those of us being saved pour forth a fragrance of the knowledge of Jesus everywhere we go. We cannot help ourselves because He lives within us–just as the fragrance of my lavender lives encased within its stems and buds. Through believers, God always leads in triumphal procession. We spread His life when we drive to work, stop for coffee, go to the grocery, tend to our children, do the laundry, prepare dinner, say hello to the mailman, answer a telemarketer’s call, or… forgive an insult. We are always an aroma of Christ to God, no matter how dry or lifeless we may seem to some around us.  He smells the freshness of life in the midst of a dying, rebellious world.

And He takes pleasure.

Do you see how important you are to God? Can you fathom the pleasure He receives each moment of the day as Christians all over the world represent His Son and honor His name? How sweet is the fragrance of life! In Him is our sufficiency, mercy and grace. In Him is our faith, our hope, our love. I pray you notice the fragrance of others this week as you pass them on your way. But more than that, I pray others notice the fragrance of Christ in you…and most especially me.

© Hariette Petersen, SelahV Today, 2011

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What Does It Mean to Live As Jesus Did?

July 6, 2011
Filed In Daily Devotionals

What does it mean to live as Jesus did?

If I claim to love the Lord, He is my prime example of how to be. Who to be.

If I look back and think about it – this is what I’ve observed from the life of Jesus on earth.

*He never spoke in anger.

*He loved all people. Of all types. Ugly. Beautiful. Rich. Poor.

*He had integrity. Honesty.

*He was warm, compassionate, kind, GENTLE.

*He gave respect and earned respect.

*He didn’t stay at home. He went out into his neighborhood. His town. He travelled. All to tell people about the Lord.

*He never got drunk. He didn’t smoke. Or swear.

*He was loyal.

*He prayed. A Lot.

*He went to church. But He also studied God’s Word daily.

*He didn’t pretend to be better than others. He was humble.

*He didn’t “water down” God’s Word. He spoke it like it was. And if others chose not to believe Him, He didn’t continue to try to please them. He just “was.”

*He took a day off. He rested. He knew when it was time to recharge His batteries.

*He was generous. Never selfish.

*He forgave easily. Quickly.

There are so many more examples I could give of the kind of person Jesus was.

1 John 2:6 tells us, “Whoever claims to live in him, must live as Jesus did.”

Do you claim to live in Christ?  Are you living as He did?

I know you could argue that Jesus was perfect. And He was. But that perfection is still something that we can aspire to. We still aspire to have a perfectly beautiful, clean, and organized house and the fact that it will get messed up again doesn’t stop us. So why should striving to be perfect like Jesus, stop us? It’s not that hard to be generous. We can all study God’s Word daily. We can rest. Be honest. Keep ourselves from being drunk.

It’s a choice.

I don’t know about you, but I claim to live in Christ. And I want to aspire to be like Him. I may need to work on some areas more than others – but I’m trying.

For I want to please Him. I want to please myself so that I have less to regret in life and more to be joyful about.

I want to – because He gave me the desire.

How about you?

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Wisdom From Above

January 28, 2010
Filed In Daily Devotionals

For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding…
Proverbs 2:6

We do not wander this world aimlessly or in the dark. Whatever trouble you face, whatever decision you wrestle with, there is wisdom and light offered from above. For the Lord gives wisdom, says the proverb. He does not hold it tightly, he is not stingy with it, he gives it freely to his people.

Wisdom is not the ability to say witty, insightful things but is the ability to live life well. In James 1:5-6 we are told how to receive godly wisdom: If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. God will generously grant wisdom to all who by faith ask for it.

But what if you find your faith a weak and frail thing? Follow the example of the father who laid his doubts at the feet of Christ: I believe; help my unbelief! (Mark 9:24).

God will grant wisdom to all who ask for it. There will be no messages in the sky, no angelic visitors, but through the Holy Spirit God will grant to us the knowledge and insight we need to live life well.

Do not walk this day in the so-called wisdom of this world. Neither Hollywood nor politicians nor the world’s loftiest philosophers know the secret to a full life. Such knowledge is found only at the mouth of God and he has promised to speak wisdom to all who ask.

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The Words of Eternal Life

January 8, 2010
Filed In Daily Devotionals

After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”
John 6:66-68

The Lord’s words often seem so harsh. “Can he really mean what he said? Surely we can explain away his words with some new linguistic twist.” The gospel is offensive. The one who gives the gospel, more offensive still. But we will not be ashamed of the one who has the words of eternal life.

Throughout Scripture we come across teachings that are difficult to accept and understand. Far too often Christians will gloss over the hard parts, downplaying the significance of such passages. They turn their backs and walk away from this or that text. In the modern church there is an epidemic of frivolous folks who will not feast on the words of eternal life but will skim the surface lightly, dancing through the pages of Scripture for tidbits that stir their personal appetites.

True disciples will not turn away from the hard words of our Lord. What did Peter call Jesus’ words? Words of eternal life. Jesus Christ, the eternal Word has given us the words of Scripture for growth, encouragement, and conviction. May we be like the few who were faithful to all of Christ’s words and not like the many who turned aside and found more comforting teachers when Jesus said difficult things.

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Jesus Gives Us Strength To Obey

December 11, 2009
Filed In Daily Devotionals

If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
Romans 8:11

Throughout the New Testament we are given the assurance that if we are in Christ we do not live by our own power. The battle between the flesh and the Spirit can be won because God is at work within us, giving us strength and life. He will win the day and we will be kept safe.

It is not our strength that makes us holy, it is not our effort that brings righteousness. We must work and we must act but we also must realize that the only reason we are able to work and act is because the Spirit of God has given us life and filled us with strength.

There are at least two opposing reasons why this is hard for us. On the one hand, we do not like to yield credit. If our obedience only comes because of God’s strength, we cannot claim any of the glory – all praise goes to God and him alone. On the other hand, we begin to feel that if obedience comes through God’s strength, nothing is required of us. We feel that when God is ready for us to be obedient, he will make us obedient. Meanwhile, we rest comfortably in our disobedience.

But God has not given us life so that we can claim credit or so that we can neglect his gift. We rejoice in his mercy and grace as we use the strength he gives us to fight sin and obey his commands.

And is his strength sufficient for you? Is he powerful enough to overcome your sin and temptations? “He has not given me much strength!” you might protest. “If he only gave me more of his strength I could overcome!” But Paul says he who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you… and in Ephesians 1:19-20 he tells us about the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us the same power with which he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand.

Christian, take heart in your struggle against sin. God has not held back his strength from you. The same power that raised Christ from the dead is now at work in your life. Surrender to his strength and live obediently to him.

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