Sweet Perfume

When I smell “Red Door” perfume, I think of Annette; when I smell “Lauren”, I think of Carol; when I smell “Polo”, I think of Ken. You get what I am saying don’t you? You are probably thinking of someone you know when you think of their sweet perfume.

Our Heavenly Father spoke of Jesus’ sacrifice as “sweet perfume.” Please read Paul’s words in Ephesians 5:1-2 from the New Living Translation:

“Follow God’s example in everything you do, because you are His dear children. Live a life filled with love for others, following the example of Christ, Who loved you and gave Himself as a sacrifice to take away your sins. And God was pleased because that sacrifice was like sweet perfume to Him.” (Emphasis and capitals mine)

In Ephesians 5:15-17, Paul continues: “Be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do.” In our society, it’s easy not to think because we have so many devices and influences that distract us from God’s best. The Lord wants us to use our minds to seek Him and His will for us.”

Paul exhorts us with these words because he had learned what God wanted him to do. When giving his testimony in Acts 22, he described Jesus’ encounter with him on the road to Damascus. He heard Him ask: “Saul, why are you persecuting me?” When he asked who the voice was, Jesus replied, “I am Jesus of Nazareth, the one you are persecuting.” Then Paul asked, “What shall I do, Lord?” He said the Lord told him to “Get up and go into Damascus, and there he would be told all that you are to do.” Paul obeyed Him. The Lord sent a man named Ananias who told him the Lord had chosen Saul to see Him, hear Him speak and to take His message everywhere. Paul didn’t delay…he got up and was baptized, his sins were washed away and he called on the name of the Lord.

From 2 Corinthians 2:14-17 we read that Paul thanked God who had made him His captive and led him along in Christ’s triumphal procession. He said that wherever he went God used him to tell others about the Lord and to spread the Good News like a sweet perfume. His life was a fragrance presented by Christ to God. To those who were perishing he was a fearful smell of death and doom. But to those who were being saved, he was a life-giving perfume.

Revive Ministries invites you to pray, “What shall I do, Lord?” And we reply “ like Saul, do not delay, but get up and go” to our conference on February 9th at Metro Tech where you will be told what you can do to be a life-giving perfume to those who need the heart and hands of Jesus in our community. You will hear testimonies of people at our conference who have prayed that question: “Lord, tell me what to do!” You will be inspired with their answers and hear the miracles of what God has done when one person is willing to say: “Yes, Lord, use me. I want You to be pleased with my life that it might be like sweet perfume to You.”