What a terrific post by Pastor Tim Burt. I pray that it blesses you and helps you to hear the voice of the Lord and follow His leading.
Author: Susan Elizabeth Ball
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Fragrance of Christ
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“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 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? For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.” 2 Corinthians 2:14 – 17
When I think of sharing the word of God with others, I generally think in terms of speaking to people and touching them with God’s love. But here Paul is telling us that we can attract people to God by the fragrance we give off. Fragrances are generally considered to be pleasant smells, such as the scents of flowers or perfumes, or if you prefer, the aroma of your favorite food.
To diffuse means to disseminate or to spread in all directions. Close your eyes and think about the aroma of freshly baked bread wafting across the air and tantalizing your nose. You turn and breath deeply, trying to identify the source of the scent. Perhaps you follow the scent back to the source.
That is what Paul is admonishing us to do. We need to give off a pleasing scent that will let people know that we know Jesus. We are acquainted with Him and we have the knowledge of His Word in us. That knowledge diffuses and attracts the lost to Him. For those who reject Him, the aroma isn’t pleasant, however. Rather, it reminds them that they are on a path leading to death. That is, perhaps, why those who reject Christ are so hostile to His followers.
It is my desire to reflect Christ in all that I do. And that includes giving off the fragrance of Christ and diffusing His knowledge wherever I go.
Is your aroma enticing others to Christ?
Drinking Deeply
Great words to inspire us all to drink deeply of the living waters that Christ offers. As we drink deeply, from the excess with flow God’s love to share with others.
Earlier today, I posted about Ezekiel 47:1-12, a story about a river the prophet saw coming out from the temple, the very place God was said to dwell on earth. Everywhere that river flowed, from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea, life sprang up where it hadn’t been before. If you missed it, check it our here.
At the end of that post, I posed three questions and asked you to consider them, they are: What is God telling us in this vision about His presence? What is God telling us about the source of life? Do the words “living water” come to mind when you consider these things?
Did you get a chance to think about them?
Here’s how it struck me: This story comes from a prophetic vision, not a historical event and so we ought to take it that way. Water flowed from God’s presence that brought life…
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Praying for the Unsaved
What is your motivation when you pray for the lost to be saved? Generally I am motivated by the desire that the person I am praying for will have the best possible life on earth and a future in Heaven. I don’t want anyone to go to hell, and I am certain the world would be a much better place if more of its inhabitants had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
I read a devotional this morning by Charles Finney (Principles of Prayer, Day 6) that challenges that motivation as selfish and the wrong reason to pray for the unsaved. Finney states that we tend to think about how our lives would be improved by the salvation of others, when we should actually focus on the glory God receives when a sinner comes to repentance and salvation. We need to pray that people come to Christ so they will stop dishonoring God through sin and so that God will be glorified by the conversion.
Perhaps you have known someone whose life was radically changed when he accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior. Those close to such a person can’t help but notice the difference that salvation has made, and many of the person’s acquaintances are drawn to Christ through such a conversion. God is glorified through all conversions, and our desire should be that God receives the honor and glory due Him. Jesus told us the Heaven rejoices over every person who comes to Him. “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:10)
Christians need to pray frequently and fervently for the lost to be saved. If we pray with the expectation that God will be honored as sinners turn away from sinful lifestyles and that God will receive glory as the world notices the changes, I believe we will see a great move of God in our nation. We need to pray for the salvation of not only our loved ones, but also for the salvation of persons of influence.
Can you imagine the impact on our society if many of our political leaders, celebrities, and other public figures came to know Jesus Christ as their Savior and began to live according to God’s ordinance?
A Challenge
I wanted to share this insightful blog. It looks at Paul as he ponders whether he would prefer to die and go to be with Christ or continue to work to share the Gospel with others. What an awesome choice! It is a win-win!
Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and…
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Dreams Denied by Too Much Debt
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Every day I meet with people who dream of opening their own business, and far too often, they will not be able to fulfill their dreams due to the inability to manage their finances and to having too much debt. The median household income in America is about $54,000; in the area in which I live, it is nearly $83,000. That is $29,000, or 53%, higher than the norm. Yet, many of the people I meet with are living well beyond their means and are saddled with debt.
For example, I recently met with a man whose annual household income was more than 4 times the median at $220,000. He has done somethings right–he has a government pension and he has invested on his own into a retirement plan. However, he is drowning in debt. He has children in college and owes more than $100,000 in student loans. His credit card balances, car loans, and consumer debt total nearly $200,000. He came to us hoping to borrow $300,000 to open his dream business. He wrote a great business plan, he had the right management team lined up, and he was willing to inject some of his retirement funds into the business. However, no bank was willing to give him a loan due to his overwhelming debt. I doubt that he even realized how deeply he was in debt until we required him to complete a personal financial statement. It is likely that much of that debt represented purchases made with little forethought and for possessions with little lasting value.
Unfortunately, this is not a unique story. I see it time and time again. I had one client tell me recently that the bank should understand that going into business was her plan for getting out of debt and improving her family’s financial situation. Life does not work that way. Opening a business is risky, and banks will only loan money to those who have proven that they can manage money. Of course, they also have to have a good plan. But, no matter how wonderful your idea is or how great the potential of your proposed business, you cannot borrow money to start a business if you don’t have good credit, moderate to little debt, and your own money to invest in this business.
Your dream may not be to own your own business. You dream may be to retire at an early age, to become a missionary, to buy a vacation home, to leave your children with a large inheritance, to donate millions to charity, or something else entirely. Whatever your dream, it will be difficult to accomplish if you do not manage your money well and live within your means.
Making a budget and sticking to it is the first step to living within your means. Budgeting allows you to (1) discover where your money is going, (2) determine what level of expenditures is appropriate for your income, (3) develop a plan to pay off your debts, and (4) start building a nest egg to make your dreams come true.
Budgeting isn’t glamorous, but it pays big dividends. As Proverbs 21:5 tells us “The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, but those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.” Make a commitment today to start budgeting and managing your money, so that your dreams will not be deterred by excessive debt.
What dreams are you being held back from fulfilling do to too much debt? How can you make changes in your spending to make your dreams come true?
If you need help with budgeting and money management, please see my earlier blogs on “Honoring God With Our Money.”
Have You Tasted Jesus?
Beautiful illustration that one cannot know Jesus from studying books. One most “taste and see that the Lord is good” to really know Jesus.
Fresh Manna
by Pastor Tim Burt
At the University of Chicago Divinity School, each year, they have what is called “Baptist Day.” On this day, each one is to bring a lunch to be eaten outdoors in a grassy picnic area. Every “Baptist Day” the school would invite one of the greatest minds to lecture in the theological education center.
One year they invited Dr. Paul Tillich. Dr.Tillich spoke for two and one-half hours attempting to prove that the resurrection of Jesus was false. He quoted scholar after scholar and book after book. He concluded that since there was no such thing as the historical resurrection, the religious tradition of the church was groundless, emotional mumbo-jumbo… because it was based on a relationship with a risen Jesus, who, in fact never rose from the dead in any literal sense. He then asked if there were any questions.
After about 30…
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Preach the Word
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“Preach the Word: be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage–with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge the duties of your ministry.” 2 Timothy 4: 2 – 5
I read these verses in my devotional time this morning while doing a self-study on patience. I was struck by how appropriate these verses are for our times. It seems that almost daily I read about laws being passed or courts rulings being handed down that are opposed to God’s Word. Yet, those making the laws and the rulings claim to be acting for the best interest of our nation and trying to do what is ‘right.’ I believe that most of them do believe they are acting to correct injustice and bring about fairness. The problem is that they are using human reasoning without basing their decisions on a foundation of truth. As Paul told Timothy, they have found ‘teachers’ who will tell them what they want to hear, and these teachers provide them with justification for making decisions that are contrary to God’s teachings.
Most of these decisions have to do with morality. Sexual immorality is not merely tolerated, but celebrated, as the freedom to do as one pleases. Abortion is hailed as giving women the right to have control over their own bodies. Divorce allows couples to easily dissolve their unions and go their separate ways in the search happiness. Proponents of these views include many who claim to be teachers of the gospel. Rather than teaching, correcting, and rebuking those in their charge, these false teachers have given into liberal viewpoints and and political correctness; they are seeking to build their own kingdoms by telling their congregations “what their itching ears want to hear.”
Paul charged Timothy to preach the truth. Biblical truths are not meant to ease our conscience and allow us to sin without guilt or remorse. Instead, they were given to convict us when we go astray and lead us back onto the straight and narrow path that leads to God. Those called to be ministers and evangelists are charged with correcting, rebuking, instructing, and training their flocks and to do so “with great patience and careful instruction.”
In the previous chapter of this letter, Paul wrote, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 If we are to become the people God intends us to be, we need to spend time daily in God’s Word. We need to read the Bible and allow it’s truths to penetrate our hearts–to rebuke us when we go astray, correct us when we are in error, and instruct us how to live in a manner that pleases God. And we need ministers who will teach sound doctrine–the truths of God’s Word. In this way, we will avoid chasing myths and can be equipped to do the good work that God has called each of us to do.
Satisfaction in Labor
“Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 5:18
I came across this verse this morning, as I was searching for verses on self-discipline and self-control. My first impression was that this verse did not really apply. What did it have to do with self-discipline? But, then it occurred to me that Solomon was not instructing us to find jobs that we like so that we will be satisfied. Rather, he was encouraging people to “find satisfaction” in their work, even if their work requires “toilsome labor under the sun.” It certainly takes self-discipline to find satisfaction in circumstances that are less than ideal, and I, for one, would find physical labor performed outdoors in the heat of summer and the cold of winter to be trying circumstances. It would be hard for me to find satisfaction in ‘toilsome labor.”
Fortunately, I am blessed to work inside in a comfortable environment. I also find great satisfaction in my job. That doesn’t mean that I am always anxious to get up in the morning and go to my job. It takes self-discipline for me to crawl out of my warm, comfortable bed when it is still dark outside to prepare to go to work. Doing my job, however, brings great satisfaction. I have pleasant co-workers and I enjoy helping my clients to start new business. I know that the work I do is valuable and that adds to my satisfaction.
Last year, I chose Isaiah 55:2 as my ‘life verse’ for the year. It says, “Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?” It helped me to focus my time and energy on satisfying activities and my purchasing on things I truly needed. Today’s verse reminds me again that I should exercise discipline and self-control in the way I spend my time. I will truly be happier and more satisfied if I devote my time to my work, my ministries, and my relationships and if I avoid frittering away time in activities that do not truly bring satisfaction.
The books of Ecclesiastes contains a few other verses on finding satisfaction and joy in our work:
“So I commend the enjoyment of life, because nothing is better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany him in his work all the days of his life under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 8:15
“A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God.” Ecclesiastes 2:24
“That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil–this is the gift of God.” Ecclesiastes 3:13
From these verses we see that God desires you to be fulfilled in your job. Solomon even calls job satisfaction ‘the gift of God.’ If you find yourself in a job that does not bring satisfaction, I encourage you to ask God to help you adjust your attitude. You should also prayerfully consider whether you need to look for another job. As you allow God to direct you, He will lead you to the right job which will allow you to be satisfied and fulfilled.
God, Sex, and Popular Culture (Ephesians 5.3–6)
SCRIPTURE READING
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT
We live in a sex-obsessed culture.
Turn on the television during prime viewing hours, and you’ll see advertisements, entertainment news shows, sitcoms, and hour-long dramas awash in sex. Unfortunately, very little of the sex takes place in the context of marriage, and almost none of it has real-world consequences. When was the last time you saw a realistic portrayal of sexually transmitted disease, out-of-wedlock pregnancy, or the financial disadvantage of single-parent homes?
But sex, like every other human behavior, has consequences. Why don’t television and other popular media deal with those consequences realistically, instead of just portraying sex as a harmless free-for-all? I would suggest that it is because they—as well large chunks of our culture—are committed to an ideology of sexual liberation whereby any sexual choice is moral (and therefore above criticism), as long as it is freely and authentically chosen. Call this…
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Susan's Reflections 
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