What is that Fragrance?

My grandson was riding in my car with me and I let him smell the very small bottle of cologne I keep in my driver’s side door. He smelled it and said: “Papa”. I smiled because he remembered. My sweetheart wore that cologne that we deemed our favorite. I spray a little in my car’s air conditioning vents and take it in with memories of us AND to make my car smell really good.

There's a scent that, as Christians, we should all wear. It is called, "eau de Christ". Best fragrance EVER! “Thanks be to God Who always leads us to 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.” 2 Cor 2:14–15

I want to smell like that! If ever we needed to smell like Jesus – it is today. Spiritually speaking of course, but the analogy makes sense. Scent is one of the most powerful forces we experience. It triggers memories (oh, yes it does) and it influences us to pull into a certain restaurant or grab a cup of coffee. Our sense of smell is directly linked to the emotional and memory centers of our brains. I remember the Wonder Bread factory in Tulsa. Every time we drove anywhere near it, we started salivating. In fact, oftentimes, I would pull into their store where you could get some of that fresh bread. The smell drew me in.

The reason God wants us to smell like Jesus is so that the people around us will begin to become thirsty and crave what we have – the Living Water and the Bread of Life that comes down from heaven. God wants people to see and savor our risen Lord who is alive and inside our hearts. People will be drawn to our LOVE walk and talk. They will want what we have and even smell like us! I'm dousing in His fragrance right now!

Ephesians 5:2 “And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.”

I’m So Hungry

We hear our kids say "I'm so hungry!" and we even say them ourselves. But, in reality, unless we have gone for days upon end without a morsel of food, we don't know the meaning of true hunger. Thank God!

Being, "hungry" took on a new meaning for me recently. I have a wonderful devotion book that comes with daily scriptures and a great, practical message to back them up. I also listen to the "Bible in One Year" scriptures from my phone app. I guess I'm an overachiever because I don't want to miss a day so that I keep my Bible-reading streak going on the app. I've also learned a wonderful way of reading the Bible called Lectio Divina (Latin for "divine reading"). Lectio Divina has four steps: read; meditate; pray; contemplate. First a passage of scripture is read, then its meaning is reflected upon. Then it's followed by prayer and contemplation on the Word of God. So many times when I read and pray this way, an aha comes. It encourages me so much that I'll note it in my Bible and my journal. It's not how many scriptures we read, but how our hunger is quenched when we really understand even just one.

This photo is the Bible my daughter gave me on Mother's Day, 1995. I know that by the inscription on this page. That was when she was still Staci (Sissy, as was called by her big brother) Michelle Wuerch. I had a moment of endearment because I hadn't noticed that page -- probably since she gave it to me back in 1995. It is a Bible that is very marked up.

I've resumed my deep dive into the Word daily. You see, I was hungering to know more, learn more, and live more by what this best-selling BOOK says. There is none other to compare with its wealth of wisdom and guidance for living an overcoming and successful life -- if we would but adhere to what it tells us. The Psalmist and Jesus said this about God's Word:

"Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. Your commands are always with me… Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path… I have put my hope in Your word". ~ David, Psalm 119:97-98, Psalm 119:105, Psalm 119:114
“Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” ~ Jesus, Matthew 4:4

The Bible is more than an instruction manual or a rule book. It is more than a random collection of stories, poems, and letters. It is the voice of God communicating with us. That is why the Bible is often referred to as “the Word of God.”

The bottom line? We know the sound of God’s voice in our lives when we read His Word. Need direction? Need peace? Need hope? Need joy? Need answers? Everything you and I need is found within the pages of the Word of God (the Holy Bible). It is the most definitive way we can know and hear the voice of God! I'm hungry! How about you?

I Confess. I am a Martha-holic.

I Confess. I Am a Martha-holic.
I love that gal so much. She speaks up and says what I’ve only wished I could say. I toil and am busy making sure everything is just right. I spend hours in the kitchen doing pre-event planning, cooking and baking and then the day of the event, I am the first to arrive and the last to go home. I give my guests the very best of me. But, deep in my heart, I’m a little peeved at those who never say "Can I help?” They’re too busy chit-chatting to notice I’m carrying the platters, offering drinks, manning the oven, and making sure everyone is having a good time.

I have scripture to back me up! Hebrews 13:2 tells us not to forget to “entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it”. And, Jesus discusses the hospitable behavior of those who will inherit the kingdom: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me” (Matthew 25:34-36).

Dear Martha was hospitable to a fault. She opened her home to the Motley Crew of disciples AND the incomparable Man of God, Teacher, Miracle-Worker, Way-Maker, Water-Walking Jesus. There isn't much applause for her. Sure, she was peeved that her sister was just sitting at the feet of Jesus. I know that feeling. Guests are getting the scoop on all the current events of other guests' lives. They’re telling one exciting story after another, and I want to be in the room with them laughing and oohing and awing, but I’m in the kitchen because if I don’t perform, who will? I really think Martha got a bad rap for wanting her sister, Mary, to stop sitting at the feet of Jesus and start helping her because she wants to hear Jesus’ stories, too. She whined to Jesus: “Tell her to help me!” (Luke 10:40) But Jesus replies: “You are worried and upset about many things” (Luke 10:41). Martha was weary from handling all her “to do” list. Jesus, the supreme guest of honor, deserved the highest quality of service and hospitality. But, no doubt, we Marthas need to learn from the lesson that Martha learned that day.

Our strength and power don’t come from how much we can accomplish in one day. It flows out of our relationship with our Heavenly Father. As Martha hustled around to get it all done with her culinary best, Mary was soaking up the aroma of Jesus and His life-changing words. Don’t forget Mary was once a “red-light district” gal and she had been forgiven. Who wants to eat when the “Bread of Life” is in her midst? Martha didn’t get the response she expected. "My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it." (Luke 10:41,42).

How often do we get all flustered by the have to’s, must do’s and are loaded up to the point of exhaustion? How often do we get so busy running around doing things FOR God, that we forget to spend time WITH God? Both of those women loved Christ immensely. Martha loved Him so much, she wanted to serve Him with excellence and Mary loved Him so much, she wanted to just be in his presence. Two ways of loving and showing their love. (Luke 10:38-42). I have such respect for both of those gals, because, so many times, I'm both of them!

I'm in Tulsa, today, helping to lead a big retreat. Yes, I'll be a Martha getting all the details taken care of, but I plan on being a Mary, offering praise and thanksgiving as I stay in-sync with my Lord Who is always speaking, giving wisdom and insight to us.

Both Martha AND Mary made the record book. Later on in scripture, we hear Martha make a profession of her faith: "Yes, Lord,’ she replied, ‘I believe that You are the Messiah, the Son of God, Who is to come into the world.’” When Jesus said, “I am,” she affirmed, “You are.” Her “I believe” confession is remarkable because she stated His title, His divine nature, and His calling. Martha’s faith was as solid and unshakable as her sister Mary’s. She served the food and also dished out the truth: She said, “It is for Your coming that the world has waited” (John 11:27).

Lord, teach us about balance – willing to serve in word and deed and more than willing to sit at your feet and bask in Your holiness, majesty, and amazing love and grace. Amen.

I Was Hungry and You Fed Me

My Life Group meets at my home every Thursday night. These women are amazing, faith-filled, fully devoted followers of Christ, and I'm inspired by them every week. It seems that God hand-picked our group -- each one has unique talents and abilities, and has unique circumstances going on their life, but watching how God answers our prayers in ways beyond our understanding has been such a testament to combining our "natural" to His SUPER and we're seeing supernatural results right before our eyes.

A couple of weeks ago, one of our members, Karla Worthington, asked for prayer for a family that desperately needed food. I mentioned that Catholic Charities is a good place for them to go to, and another member said, "I know that LifeChurch.tv - Jenks sends people to a food pantry." Hesitantly, she said, "Well, I'm the church's food pantry, and we're out of food to give out." We were all touched so much, she had such a heart for the hungry, that immediately we were ready to react. I went to my pantry and pulled out several cans of food to send home with her. Others contributed monetarily. Another one of the members posted on FB about the food pantry, and she received $100 from someone who wanted to be a part. It's the ripple effect -- throw a tiny rock in the river.....and watch how the ripple gets bigger and bigger.

Karla's birthday was this week so our group's gift to her was lots of food to help restock her food pantry. Our Life Group has been asking God for THAT charity or place to plant in -- one that resonated in our hearts, and lo and behold, right in our midst, God answered our prayer. Karla's spirit of reaching out to the hungry is her God-given assignment. Being able to support her assignment with not just prayers.....but tangibly helping to make a difference, is OUR assignment. Are you watching and listening for your assignment? After all, you, too, just might be the answer to someone's prayer today!