Thoughts on Christ and His Word

Many times after playing football or basketball I stink.  Not even my wife wants anything to do with me until after I shower.  So much for unconditional love. But what do I smell like to God? But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. 15 For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.  2 Cor 2:14-15 To God I smell like Christ.  Since we who are saved have the Spirit of Christ in us, we smell like Christ to God. It's a good smell.  In fact we are the "aroma of Christ" .  The word "aroma" in Greek means a "sweet, savory smell". We smell sweet to God.   As our heavenly Father smells Christ's sweet aroma and loves Him with unconditional love, so He smells the sweetness of Christ in each of us and loves us with deep unmerited and unconditional love.

When one of my sons was young, he decided to close a door while his finger was between the crack on the hinges side.  Needless to say, he broke and bloodied his finger.  He learned an important lesson that day - if you're going to stick your finger in the crack of the hinges-side of the door, leave the door open. The Apostle Paul also had an Open Door lesson - when God opens a door for effective ministry, run right through it. Paul told the Corinthians: I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, 9 because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.  1 Cor 16:8-9 Apparently  many were getting saved and lives were being changed in Ephesus.  He didn't want to miss this great opportunity that God was giving to him to bear much fruit.  So he stayed in Ephesus for two years (longer than any other city he had been in) discipling, healing and preaching the gospel: This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who l