scents

2 Corinthians 2:14-17 (New International Version)

14But 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. 15For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task? 17Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God.


--do i have the fragrance of life?

Col 1:3-12

Colossians 1:3-12 (New International Version)

Thanksgiving and Prayer

3We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints— 5the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel 6that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all its truth. 7You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our[a] behalf, 8and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.
9For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you[b] to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.

Romans 8:38-39

38For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

forever safe

Psalm 138

Give Thanks to the LORD

Of David.

1(A) I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart;
before(B) the gods I sing your praise;
2I bow down(C) toward your(D) holy temple
and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,
for you have exalted above all things
your name and your word.[a]
3On the day I called, you answered me;
my strength of soul you increased.[b]
4(E) All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O LORD,
for they have heard the words of your mouth,
5and they shall sing of(F) the ways of the LORD,
for great is the glory of the LORD.
6(G) For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly,
but the haughty he knows from afar.

7(H) Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
you(I) preserve my life;
you(J) stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
and your(K) right hand delivers me.
8The LORD will(L) fulfill his purpose for me;
(M) your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever.
Do not forsake(N) the work of your hands.

one for all, all for one

1 Corinthians 1:10-17 (English Standard Version)

Divisions in the Church

10I appeal to you, brothers,[a] by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no(A) divisions among you, but that you be united(B) in the same mind and the same judgment. 11For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is(C) quarreling among you, my brothers. 12What I mean is that(D) each one of you says, "I follow Paul," or "I follow(E) Apollos," or "I follow(F) Cephas," or "I follow Christ." 13(G) Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you(H) baptized in the name of Paul? 14I thank God that I baptized none of you except(I) Crispus and(J) Gaius, 15so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name. 16(I did baptize also(K) the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) 17For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and(L) not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

Gen 32:9-12

9And Jacob said,(E) "O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O LORD who(F) said to me, 'Return to your country and to your kindred, that I may do you good,' 10(G) I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps. 11Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for(H) I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children. 12But(I) you said, 'I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.'"

2 Peter 1:5-15 (English Standard Version)

5For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith(A) with virtue,[a] and virtue(B) with knowledge, 6and knowledge with self-control, and self-control(C) with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7and godliness(D) with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection(E) with love. 8For if these qualities[b] are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or(F) unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he(G) is blind, having forgotten that he was(H) cleansed from his former sins. 10Therefore, brothers,[c] be all the more diligent to make your calling and(I) election sure, for if you practice these qualities(J) you will never fall. 11For in this way there will be richly provided for you(K) an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

12Therefore I intend(L) always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in(M) the truth that you have. 13I think it right, as long as I am in this(N) body,[d](O) to stir you up by way of reminder, 14(P) since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon,(Q) as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. 15And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.