One morning I got up, took a bath and shaved, and put on some aftershave lotion. I thought it smelled good and therefore that I smelled good. In a little while, my wife had to leave and before she went out the door, she hugged me. I went into my study and sat down to begin work. It wasn't long before I noticed a sweet fragrance in the room. It was not my after shave or any smell coming from the room, but its sweetness overcame every other smell. After a while, it dawned on me that when my wife had hugged me, the fragrance of her perfume was transferred to me and it overcame mine. My good smell was not my own but that of another, not what I put on but what had been put on me!

Such is the case of the believer before God. God said through the prophet Ezekiel concerning His people, "I will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen." (Ezek. 20:41) The "sweet savour" of all God's elect is the Sweet Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. His merits, both in His life and death, are a sweet fragrance to God. Therefore, because of His suffering and cross death, His substitutionary sacrifice and righteousness, the Lord our God accepts us. Oh what a sweet smell there must be in Him to overcome our ill smell! We, by nature, are a stench in the nostrils of God; but, by grace, we are a "sweet savour." The sweet, smoking incense of Christ's righteousness imputed to us goes up before His throne and we who were once an obnoxious, foul odor to divine holiness are now a sweet smell to God.

Then, we find in scripture, that the preaching of Christ crucified is a sweet smell of God. "Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:" ( II Cor. 2:14,15)

Lastly, every good work done by those whose acceptance and "sweetness" before God is only in Christ is a sweet smell to God. The apostle Paul called the gifts given him by those at Philippi "an odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God." (Phil. 4:18) These things are sweet smells to God!

Gary Shepard

Sweet News for the Stouthearted and Those Who are “Far” from Righteousness - Isaiah 46:12,13

Most people will concur that we must have some sort of righteousness to be accepted before God. However whose righteousness and how one attains it is a matter of great difference. The matter is once and again settled for us here in this wonderful passage in Isaiah (as all things concerning our need of salvation are in, and only in, this Holy Book). I particularly rejoice in the language of Scripture and love the way God tells me that I had nothing to do with getting the only type of righteousness that God will look favorably upon: His own righteousness that He gives to undeserving and stouthearted sinners like me! “I BRING near MY righteousness; it shall not be far off, and MY salvation shall not tarry: and I WILL PLACE salvation IN Zion ….” He brings, then it is brought; My, then it is His to give or not to give; Not tarry, then it’s coming, brother, no rebuttal about it; I will place, then it is going to be set in the heart of us who are made to believe. Boy, if this does not just totally warm the heart, head and emotions of the sinner saved by the grace of God in Christ Jesus, then you are of most men very miserable. “Come thou fount of EVERY blessing, tune my heart to sing thy grace; streams of mercy NEVER ceasing call for songs of loudest praise!”

Drew Dietz

RECEIVING A GIFT

The scriptures describe God’s salvation as a gift. Furthermore, even Christ Himself as a Gift. That is what grace involves, the giving of a gift to the undeserving. We read of God giving “the gift of righteousness.” Also of faith which is the gift of God. It speaks even of repentance as a gift. Everything in our salvation is the gift of God. To refuse a gift is to insult the giver. It is to say I don’t need what you’re giving. It is to say I don’t want your gift. It can be, definitely is in the matter of Christ, a most foolish act. “The fool hath said in his heart… no God.” When we stop and think about it, everything belongs to God. All that we are given comes from Him. He says by the apostle, “what do you have that you did not receive as a gift? And if you received it, why do you boast in it?” We are to receive each gift graciously and thank God for it. I remember hearing of an old preacher who received a gift from some folks with questionable conduct. A religious person scolded him for it, calling it the “devil’s money.” He responded wisely, “I didn’t know the devil had any money!” God give us grace to receive all things as we have received Christ, God’s “unspeakable Gift!” GS

My friends, when the Lord Jesus is truly seen, believed, and loved, there will be joy in the Lord with genuine peace of conscience.

Yes, we are sinners; but Christ died for sinners!

Yes, the law condemns; but Christ honored the law!

Yes, justice has a claim; but Christ satisfied that claim!

Yes, we are imperfect in faith, in commitment, in love;

but "He knows our frame and remembers that

we are dust," and loves us all the same.

We are in Him by HIS CHOICE, redeemed by HIS BLOOD, called by HIS SPIRIT, and kept by HIS POWER, through faith which HE GAVE US! How can I entertain any doubts based on shortcomings found in me when the whole affair is THE LORD'S DOINGS?

Henry Mahan

Before the throne of Grace

His promise calls me near;

There Jesus shows a smiling face

And waits to answer prayer.

His rich, atoning blood,

Which sprinkled round I see,

Provides for us who come to God

An all-prevailing plea.

My soul, ask what thou wilt,

You cannot be too bold;

Since His own blood for thee He spilt,

What else will He withhold?

Teach us to live by faith,

Conform our wills to Thine;

Let us victorious be in death

And then in glory shine.

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