Living in light of eternity

Several years ago a group of us were on a mission trip to Moscow.  We took American teenagers into the public schools of  Russia to share their personal testimonies.  They had carefully crafted their story to tell how Christ had changed their life.  We were warmly received everywhere we went.  We stayed at the hostel that the Nuclear Energy Commission used to host visiting scientists from around the nation.  They were still learning much from Chernobyl. At the end of our stay several of our leaders were invited to dinner at Dr Alexandrov's flat.   You could actually see the Kremlin when looking out their large picture window on the second floor. We sat down to a wonderful spread and enjoyed pleasantries with the family and friends around the table.   Towards the end of the meal Mrs. Alexandrov turned to   me and asked, "So, what is your mission?"   What an opportunity!   I've never forgotten that dear woman's simple questio...

Every once in a while it's good to ask, "Do I smell?"   Hopefully someone can respond, "Yes, you smell great, what are you wearing?" "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things?" New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), 2 Co 2:14–16. Once we hit adolescence the question, "Do I smell?" can be quite common.   No one wants to give off an odor that could be offensive.   We would rather bring a pleasant scent into a room or a conversation.   Unfortunately body odor, bad breath, or foot odor can be unavoidable. But modern man has found easy solutions, for a price. ...