SMOKE

The other day I had some insight about the what I call the smell of sin and also the fragrance of the Lord.

I will put like this.

When you are with someone who has been smoking you can smell the smoke on their clothes. You can smell it even if they try to mask it with perfume.

It is something that you cannot cover up.

It is the same with the smell on a smokers breath, you can still smell it even if they chew some gum to try and cover it up.

Most of the time they do not notice or even believe that other people can smell the smoke on them.

They have become deadened to the smell and used to it.

It is the same with hidden sin in our lives.

We try to cover it up with a mask of some sort but it shows through that mask and others can see and sense it much like you can with smoke.

You may try to cover it with the perfume of religion, good works and even use the word of God like chewing gum to try to hide your breath but the smell of sin still comes through.

People will make excuses for what they do and even say it of the Lord, that its OK for them to do what they do, that it does not hurt them and its there choice, that they know what they are doing and have control over it.

But like a smoker has very little control over the cigarettes, the cigarettes control him.

It is the same with sin, we do not control the sin the sin controls us.

You have to wash your clothes to get rid of the smell of smoke.

You have to confess to the Lord and ask forgiveness and you will be washed in the blood of the lamb and then others will no longer smell of the smoke of sin but will smell of the perfume of the Lord.

When this has happened people will know the difference because you will not be trying to cover things up with surface perfume which does not mask what is inside for the perfume you have will be coming from inside you.

If you fall back then pick yourself up and keep moving forward then the victory shall be yours.

Keep a short account with God and with others then you will keep the sweet perfume of the Lord coming forth from you then you will be also a sweet smell to the Lord.

Dave.10/07/97