Consider the much more important affairs of the soul — the ascertainment of gains and losses as New Creatures and how, when and where these came to us in the constant battle with the world, the flesh and the devil. All who make such reckonings with an eye to better pleasing the Lord will find it profitable as a preparation for the major soul-searching which occurs at the Memorial season a few months later.

What Does "The Truth" Mean?

Man’s existence on earth is not by happenstance, nor is it purposeless. The Bible, rightly interpreted, contains a just and loving Plan that includes everyone who has ever lived. The history of man, as told from God’s viewpoint, helps us to understand why there is evil in the world and God’s time frame for eliminating it. The dark night of trouble now engulfing man will not continue forever. There is a new age dawning in which Jesus will heal and bless. Pain, sickness, and death will end. "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning" (Psalm 30:5).

According to the Bible, great changes are coming to Earth. Peace will be worldwide (Psalm 46:9). Human defects will be eliminated (Isaiah 35:5,6). Moral integrity will become universal (Jeremiah 31:33). All the dead of past ages will be raised (1 Corinthians 15:22). Sorrow, pain, tears, and death itself, will cease (Revelation 21:4).

Many read the Bible as an intellectual exercise. However, God is looking for those who want to do more than just read the Bible. He is looking for those who will be moved by its words enough to have a desire to live and preach the good news contained in it. He is looking for those who are willing to give their time and talents to further the cause of the message of the Kingdom.

Separation from worldly pursuits

Paul’s letter to the Ephesians presents the path for those of us who commit our lives to God. By following in the footsteps of Jesus, we are invited to become heirs with God’s Son. We have the spirit of adoption (literally "placement as a son," Ephesians 1:5) and spend our consecrated lives being prepared to help Jesus bring blessings to all the families of the earth when we are truly adopted as children (Romans 8:23). Through our divinely-directed experiences now we will be better able to help man be reconciled to God (Ephesians 1:10).

Have you placed a wet sponge on a countertop and then pushed down on it? Under the pressure of your hand, liquid from inside that sponge emerges. Repeat that exercise over and over and eventually the liquid will be gone. Similarly, our heavenly Father uses the pressure of trials to reveal what is "inside our sponge." As we study, fellowship and pray, more of the characteristics of Jesus will be found in us, and under the pressure of trials, those characteristics will emerge.

A Sweet Smelling Savor

The sense of smell is one of the powerful senses God has given us. Smell alerts us to danger such as a building on fire. Animals need the sense of smell to survive. Smell tells them when a predator is near. Good smells have a powerful influence as well. Burning a fragrant candle can soothe frayed nerves. The smell of fresh bread can stimulate the appetite. The smell of clean clothes entices us to purchase a certain brand of detergent.

The Smell and Taste Research Foundation studies the effects of smell and taste on human emotion, mood, behavior and disease states. Their studies demonstrate, for example, that the smell of jasmine increases individual reaction time to stimuli and may be useful in enhancing athletic performance or speeding up recovery during physical therapy. Other studies indicate that certain smells can change one’s perception of time or relieve chronic migraines.

Paul uses our powerful sense of smell to portray how God views Jesus’ sacrifice and that of those who follow in his footsteps, "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" (2 Corinthians 2:15-16 NAS). Jesus gave his perfect human life as a ransom for Adam and his posterity. We cannot do this. However, because of Jesus’ sacrifice, the consecrated can offer the sweet aroma of sacrifice in service to others.

"Then the LORD said to Moses, Take for yourself spices, stacte [from gum resin] and onycha [from sea snails] and galbanum [another gum resin], spices with pure frankincense [from tree resin], there shall be an equal part of each. With it you shall make incense, a perfume, the work of a perfumer, salted, pure and holy. You shall beat some of it very fine, and put part of it before the testimony in the tent of meeting where I will meet with you; it shall be most holy to you. The incense which you shall make ... shall be holy to you for the LORD. Whoever shall make any like it, to use as perfume, shall be cut off from his people" (Exodus 30:34- 38 NAS). This incense, or perfume, was used whenever the High Priest of Israel entered the Holy to trim the lamps (Exodus 30:7-8 NAS) and when he offered a sacrifice yearly on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:11-13).

Aaron, the first high priest of Israel, could not enter the Holy of Holies where God’s presence was shown in the "shekinah" light of the Tabernacle unless he first burned incense on the Golden Altar. We cannot enter into God’s presence without first offering our prayers to Him through Jesus’ sacrifice and then exhibiting a Christ-like life (Psalm 141:2, Revelation 8:4). Under the difficulties of trial, God sees our desire to do His will and accepts our humble offering as a sweet odor. Jesus showed obedience through faithfully carrying out his consecration to do God’s will. We must do the same. Consider the following from the pen of Pastor Russell:

"We now find ourselves as ‘new creatures’ in the Holy — in the first of the Heavenlies or Holies — and begin to be enlightened by the Golden Candlestick (God’s Word) respecting spiritual things — the deep things of God — and to be refreshed and strengthened daily with truth as represented in the shew-bread, lawful for only the Priests to eat (Matthew 12:4). And thus enlightened and strengthened, we should daily offer up sacrifices at the Golden Altar, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ — a sweet perfume to our Father (1 Peter 2:5)." (Tabernacle Shadows, page 22)

Anton Frey suggests that the four ingredients of the incense represent four qualities in our approach to God: faith, love, obedience and praise (Notes on the Tabernacle, 190-191).

• Faith is not a mere intellectual belief in God, but a heart appreciation of His presence and comfort during all trying experiences.

• Love is not the sentimental type, but the love which comes closest to being like God’s — agape, which moves us to lay down our life for His cause.

• Obedience is not a mere following of the law, but one which moves us to control ourselves under all adverse circumstances.

• Praise is not a mere lip service to God, but one which comes from deep in the soul during the most difficult trial, recognizing there is never a cause to murmur.

"Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD" (Psalm 27:14 NAS).

As Christians, we are devoted to following the will of God. At times it is not easy to see His will. The Psalmist urges us to be patient. Unlike many in the world who seek temporary gain at the expense of long-term benefit, we must recognize that our development takes a lifetime. In order to make the Christ-like qualities a part of our character, God directs us to first remove those things that hinder change. We must first learn His ways through study, be open to experiences that imbed virtues in our character, and then reflect them in our relationships with fellow Christians and others.

Our first step should be to study His word. Next, we must watch for His providence. We walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). Courage, fortitude, and persistence are necessary characteristics to do this. It may be difficult to deal with a current disappointment but we must have faith in God that it will ultimately lead to a more profitable path (Romans 8:28).

Apostle Paul was anxious to carry the Gospel message to the Gentiles in every nation. He tried repeatedly to go into Asia, but was not permitted to go. He wondered why his efforts continued to meet with failure. Finally, the Lord through the holy Spirit told him to go to Greece instead. In his first Epistle to the Church at Thessalonica, he writes, "For we wanted to come to you — I, Paul, more than once — and yet Satan thwarted us" (1 Thessalonians 2:18 NAS)." Could not God have overruled the hindrances of Satan and allowed Paul to go? Certainly He could have. However, Paul had to learn patience and submission to the will of God. That is the lesson God has for each of us.

If we lean mainly on our own strength, the Lord will allow us to come to the point of discouragement. Perhaps then we will become more timid and even lose all self-assurance. Perhaps then we will realize our helplessness and weakness and our need of leaning wholly upon the Lord. As we learn to wait upon him, he will guide us in the right direction: "They that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint" (Isaiah 40:31).

As we look forward to another year in the Lord, let each of us consider the ways to better press on towards the heavenly goal!