Time gives context and context determines action. Time gives context. You look at the time and it tells you which part of the morning, afternoon or evening it is. Once time has given you context, you decide what appropriate action you should take. It’s time to wake up, time to go to work, etc. If its midnight on 31st December people act differently. They might gather in groups and countdown the seconds to usher in the new year. Imagine doing that on a normal day at midnight. That would be an inappropriate action. So, time gives context and knowing the time and context enables you to decide an appropriate action.

Ignorance of time and seasons can have dangerous consequences. The prophet Hosea warned the people of God that they would be “destroyed for lack of knowledge”. In that context it was knowledge of the times and seasons the were living in. The Chronicler speaks of the sons of Issachar who had extraordinary ability to know the times and seasons they were in and the appropriate actions to take.

1 Chronicles 12:32 (NKJV) The sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command

Note the connection between understanding the times and knowing what to do. Time gives context and context determines the appropriate action to take. In this situation, Israel was in the midst of transitioning from the House of Saul to the House of David. Of course it was a no brainer as David had won the war and Saul was now dead. So we see in the chapter a whole list of tribes that were shifting their allegiance to David. The passage however highlights the sons of Issachar, as they were not just doing something because it was prudent, but they did it because they discerned it was a God thing to do. They realised that they were in a season of time which was significant in God’s time clock and “knew what Israel should do”. They recognised the significance of the moment in Israel’s history. And it was significant. The act of ordaining David as King would have eternal consequences. Israel was about to enter into it’s greatest hour as a nation and in the context of God’s eternal plan, mankind was one step closer to the coming of the messiah, Jesus the son of David.

I want to take you to Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 to give you an understanding of how Biblical writers viewed time. There were three concepts of time which this passage captures. In verse one we see two of the concepts mentioned.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NKJV) to everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven

Here the word translated season is the Hebrew word zemân which means a fixed time. The word translated time in the verse one is the word ‘êṯ which means now time. So the author is saying that everything under heaven has a “fixed time” but there is also a “now time” where purposeful things are actioned. He then goes on from verses two to eight to give a list of things that occur in its “fixed time”.

Ecclesiastes 3:2-8 (NKJV) A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted; A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up; A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing; A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to throw away; A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak; A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace.

After giving a list of examples of zemân time, he goes on to say in verse nine and ten how futile this zemân fixed time is.

Ecclesiastes 3:9-10 (NKJV) What profit has the worker from that in which he labors? I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied.

If that’s all life is about, how does that profit anyone. Just moving from one calendar event to the next. How many have woken up one morning and asked themselves this very question – what’s the point of all this? The sooner we ask ourselves this question the sooner we will get out of the futility of merely existing. Futility however, ceases when one is faced with the truth of verse eleven.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NKJV) He has made everything beautiful in its time (‘êṯ). Also he has put eternity (‘olam) in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.

In verse eleven, the preacher in Ecclesiastes introduces us to another concept of time. The Hebrew word ‘olamwhich is translated eternity. In the midst of the ever constant happenings of “fixed time”, we come to “now times” where things become beautiful. But the author wants us to know that beyond the “zemân fixed time” and the “‘êṯ now time” there exists another time concept. He called it ‘olam or eternity. He links ‘olam time with the work that God does “from the beginning to end”. The NASB suggests another possible reading in its footnote.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NASB alternate reading) He has also set eternity in their heart, without which man will not find out the work which god has done from the beginning even to the end.

The passage suggests that God has put another time clock in our hearts – eternity, “without which” we will continue to live in human concepts of time and not discern or be aware of God’s purposeful acts within times and seasons.

Let us take a closer look at the three concepts of time found in this chapter of Ecclesiastes.

Three Biblical concepts of time

zemân – a fixed time

The Hebrew word zemân corresponds to the Greek word chronos which most of us a more familiar with. Its where we derive our english word chronology from. Chronos is linear and sequential. We monitor chronos with calendars and clocks. You can’t control chronos, it ticks on by. Ignorance of times and seasons makes you a casualty of chronos.

‘êṯ – a now time

The Hebrew word êṯ corresponds to the Greek word kairos, which suggests a time where one acts intentionally on chronos time with a purpose. Kairos is the moment in time which is especially favorable to act on something for an undertaking. Kairos moments come to those who are able to discern opportune moments and seize on them. For a believer, Kairos is more than opportunistic moments or favorable moments. Kairos times are “a now moment in time” where human action aligns with Divine intervention to produce the miraculous.

‘olam – a series of times

The third concept of time in Biblical understanding is the word ‘olam. Because it is translated as eternity it is not commonly thought of as time. The Greek equivalent in the New Testament is iaon which is translated ages in the English versions of the Bible. ‘olam or eternity is not the cessation of time. It means endless time – an ongoing of time which is invisible and incomprehensible to man. It’s the linking of an unlimited series of divine kairos moments that are working towards the unfolding of God’s eternal salvation plan.

Ecclesiastes tells us that without being aware of the existence of this eternal time clock, we will be oblivious of God’s plans and His workings. No one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end. No wonder the chronos life is meaningless and futile. Our lives are shallow and insignificant until we realise that we can live purposeful lives if we are have eternity in our hearts.

Example of these three time zones

The story of the healing of the lame man in John chapter five shows us the three time zones in display through the actions of the people in the story. Keep in mind what I said at the start – time gives context and context determines action. Read John 5:1-7 to get the background of this story. In Bethesda there was a pool famous for an annual event. John describes it this way.

John 5:3-4 (NKJV) in these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.

Notice the phrase “at a certain time”. That’s a fixed time. The sick were at the mercy of chronos time. Only one of them each year would be healed if they were lucky enough to be the firs to enter the pool when the stirring occurred. In the midst of chronos time, while this great multitude of sick people were waiting for the winning lottery ticket, Divine kairos was about to happen.

John 5:6 (NKJV) when Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, he said to him, “do you want to be made well?”

Jesus knew he had stepped into a kairos moment – a moment in time for Divine intervention. We might think that the question Jesus asked the man was an odd one. Who in their right mind wouldn’t want to be healed? The reality is that this man had been in this condition for 38 years. We are not told for how long he was lying near the pool but we know it has been a long time. Day in day out he hoped his time would come. But when days turn to months and months to years, you see the futility of your actions. Chronos can beat hope out of you. We see that in this man’s reply.

John 5:7 (NKJV) The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”

The man had stopped entertaining any hope of being healed. What was the point. Waiting for a once a year occurrence and when it did come his condition never ever would allow him to be the first to step into the pool. Time, chronos time, had beaten out every ounce of hope left in the man. So Jesus asks him this question to stimulate hope again. You have a choice. You are now faced with a moment in your life which will change your very destiny. How will you respond?

John 5:8 (NKJV) Jesus said to him, “rise, take up your bed and walk.”

This was now the man’s kairos moment. His moment in time where his action would determine his destiny. If he chose to ignore the moment, he would be lame for the rest of his life. He recognised his moment and responds in faith.

John 5:9 (NKJV) And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath.

One would expect the entire crowd would be ecstatic at the sight of a phenomenal healing like that. Instead the Jewish leaders were infuriated.

John 5:16-17 (NKJV) for this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill him, because he had done these things on the sabbath. But Jesus answered them, “my Father has been working until now, and I have been working.”

The problem with the Jews was that they had disconnected the sabbath day which was in “chronos time” from “eternity time”. They saw the Sabbath as a day of the week that work must cease. Jesus answer would not have made sense to them for this very reason. God was working on the Sabbath? How can God who ceased from work and instituted the Sabbath be working. What they could not comprehend was that the work that must cease is the temporal work done in chronos time. The work God was continuing to do was the ongoing work from beginning to end, to redeem and restore mankind. That work never ceases. That work is in the eternity timezone and continuos until “the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ”.

Eternity is a Divine timezone

This is the shift that needs to occur in all of us if we want to see transformation occur in and around us. Jesus had this mindset that God was always working. In other words, God was operating in another timezone. He was on an eternal time clock. Jesus had eternity in his heart. He never subjected himself to the futility of zemân/chronos time. Everyday he carried eternity in his heart. God was always working. Everyday, every minute – so he looked for divine kairos moments to engage with people to see God encounters take place in their lives.

These divine encounters kept on happening everywhere Jesus went. His ability to remain in the eternity timezone ensured that the unlimited series of divine kairos moments picked up moment which resulted in transformation of multitudes in villages and cities.

John 6:2 (NKJV) then a great multitude followed him, because they saw his signs which he performed on those who were diseased.

Every divine encounter during kairos moments had a domino effect when seen with eternity in mind. Eternity is a divine time zone. It is a series of divine kairos moments that trigger continuous events that bring about transformation. Eternity creates momentum for supernatural transformation. Understanding this is crucial in our daily christian lives. When we live our lives everyday looking out for divine kairos moments, knowing that every little action in partnership with the Holy Spirit creates momentum towards eternal transformation.

Your concept of time will give you the context you are living in. Your context will determine your choices and action. If you function in temporal (chronos) time, your actions will have temporal effect. If you function with eternity in mind, your divine kairos moments will trigger a series of continuous events that will lead to transformation of your family, friends, town, city, nations and have generational consequences. God is always working. The time to work is now!

I’m focusing on a 3-part series with the theme “Becoming God Magnets”. In last week’s blog I looked at the Christian’s sphere of influence – your “magnetic” field. This week I want to build on the metaphor of the magnet and look at a Christian’s active power to influence – your pulling power. Last week I asked the question, “How much of an impact does our relationship with Christ have on the people around us?” A followup question on that would be, “How active and effective are we in drawing people to Christ?”

Jesus was a magnet, the disciples were magnets, the early church was a magnet. The plan of the Father is to shape us into God magnets where we, like the early church, become transformed lives producing transformational encounters.

Magnetism of God magnets

One of the phenomenas of magnets are their ability to magnetise other non magnetic material. God magnets are contagious and effective agents of change wherever they are.

The great apostle Paul had such an effect wherever he went. Hi story in the book of Acts has him either creating a revival or a riot everywhere he went. In every city Paul found himself in, he never failed to attract attention and then deflect it to Christ through the preaching of the Gospel. His life was truly a God magnet. Even when his movements were restricted, it didn’t change the way he drew people to Christ. In Philippians 1:12, writing from prison, Paul pens these words:

Philippians 1:12 And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ. And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear.

He speaks of current events that have happened to him – “Everything that has happened to me here..”. It has been quite an eventful couple of years for Paul from Caesarea to Rome. He witnessed to the highest officials in Jerusalem and Caesarea – Governors Felix and Festus and King Agrippa. King Agrippa upon hearing Paul’s testimony confessed that he was almost persuaded to be a Christian.

Acts 26:28 (NKJV) Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.”

Paul’s journey to Rome was perilous, shipwrecked in Malta and finally arriving in Rome. Throughout the journey God manifesting His power with miraculous signs and wonders through His servant Paul. Imagine a prisoner of the state, yet having the freedom to preach the Gospel under the watchful eyes of Roman guards. He arrives in Rome and is placed under house arrest for two years.

Acts 28:16 (NKJV) Now when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard; but Paul was permitted to dwell by himself with the soldier who guarded him.

Acts 28:30-31 (NKJV) Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.

So writing to the church in Philippi, Paul testifies that his chains are actually helping him in spreading the Gospel – “For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ.” His effectiveness to preach the Gospel also gave other Christians the confidence to do the same.

The Roman church was known for their infectious faith. Paul, writing to the Roman Christians years before he stepped foot in Rome, speaks of their faith that had a global effect.

Romans 1:8 Let me say first that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith in him is being talked about all over the world.

As we look at the early church and the apostles, we must ask ourselves a very soul-searching question – do we draw people to Christ or do we repel them away from Him?

Aroma of life vs aroma of death

Another way of looking at our effectiveness as Christians in our community is to look at it in light of being a fragrance. Paul uses the metaphor of a fragrance to describe the follower of Christ.

2 Corinthians 2:14 – now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life.

Paul says that a Christian creates a distinguishable aroma wherever we go. He calls us the “fragrance of Christ” and says that when we interact with the world, we create either an aroma of life or an aroma of death.

When we are among people who are “being saved”, the atmosphere that we create around them is an aroma of life. In other words, when we among them, the lives we live in Christ becomes a source of strength, encouragement and life to those on their faith journey. Our faith journey can become an inspiration to other believers, providing them with a distinct experience which draws them closer to the Lord.

On the other hand, the presence of a follower of Christ can permeate the atmosphere around those who are not in Christ, creating a distinct fragrance that enables them to discern an aroma of death that lingers in them. A good example is wound odor, a quick and immediate method of assessing wounds. There is a range of assessments from no odor when the dressing is removed, to strong odor when the dressing is still intact. This method is only possible when in an environment where a foul odour is easily discernable – like in a sterile hospital setting.

There are times when the aroma of a Christian lifestyle can help someone discern the foul odor of areas in their lives and help them make right choices towards healing and restoration. A non Christian who hangs out with a Christian man who loves his wife as Christ loves the church, notices the sacrificial love the Christian shows his wife. That lifestyle becomes an aroma, a fragrance for the man who might be careless or even abusive towards his wife. Seeing the effects it has in the Christian’s marriage may cause the man to long for a relationship he sees in the other and be drawn to the fragrance of sacrificially loving his wife too. In this way, the fragrance of the Christian created an atmosphere for the other man to discern the foul odour in his way of treating his wife.

To some however, this distinct fragrance that a Christian produces can be offensive and they may choose to reject the gospel lifestyle. The history of the church and our own experience tell us that the Christian message isn’t always received well. In that way the fragrance of Christ can be an aroma of death to some. We must however be extra vigilant to ensure that people are reacting to the fragrance of Christ and not the stench of our humanity.

Are we a fragrance or a stench?

The Gospel message is too important to allow it to be trivialised through our careless lifestyle. It is crucial that we ensure our lifestyle is not the reason why people are turning away from Christ. I am suggesting three lifestyle choices we continually make to ensure we are diffusing “the fragrance of Christ” and not the stench of our humanity:

1. Reposition: “all things to all men”

One of the ways to ensure our humanity does not get in the way of our Christian message is to ensure that we constantly reposition ourselves so we do not present ourselves as superior to those around us. Spiritual pride is the most repelling odour a Christian can emit. The apostle Paul maintained a consistent attractive lifestyle by repositioning himself as a servant to all.

1 Corinthians 9:19-23 (NKJV) For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.

Paul was a great soul winner because he constantly repositioned himself in relationship to the other. He never saw himself better than the other, nor did he portray himself as better than others. It wasn’t that he compromised his values or his Christian lifestyle. What he did was to come alongside those he was reaching out to, meeting them where they were and guiding them towards Christ. If we want to be the “fragrance of Christ”, we need to ensure we do not emit the odor of spiritual pride that makes us think we are better than those around us. Reposition ourselves means making ourselves servants of all – enabling them to know Christ.

2. Rephrase: “speak what is good and right”

Matthew 12:33-37 (NKJV) “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Jesus identified one way of revealing if a person’s actions were from a “good tree” or a “bad tree”. Our words. What comes out of our mouth is an indication whether we are having a good effect or a bad effect in others. Good talk which produces good fruit comes from the treasury of a good heart, while evil talk that produces destruction comes from an evil heart.

If we desire for God to diffuse the fragrance of Christ in us, we need to watch our conversations. Our words have good or bad effects. We need to be aware of our ways of speaking seeking always to rephrase the moment we know our words are not producing good fruit.

3. Repent: keep your conscience clear

1 Peter 3:15-16 (NKJV) But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.

Repentance is not a one time act. Neither is it “forgive me” a mantra to say everyday. The apostle Peter isencouraging us to “sanctify the Lord God” in our hearts. In other words, we are told to make it a lifestyle to keep our hearts in a repentant posture so we ensure we are always living a life that is set apart and Christlike. A repentant life is a life that has a routine of daily maintenance of our soul. Am I living a Christ like life? Keeping our conscience clear. A lifestyle of emptying our trash regularly. It is a habitual life of staying fixed under the lordship of Jesus Christ. Keep a clear conscience. Live a good life.

This then is how we ensure we are defusing the fragrance of Christ.

Reposition: We are not better than others. Lets make ourselves servants of all.

Rephrase: Our words produce life or death. Draw from the treasury of a good heart. Speak what is good and right.

Repent: Stay fixed under the lordship of Christ. Empty your trash regularly. Keep a clear conscience. Live a good life.

Let us be a fragrance and not a stench

The dictionary definition of a magnet is “a material or object that produces a magnetic field; a force that pulls on other ferromagnetic materials such as iron, and attracts or repels other magnets.” From this definition we can deduce that a magnet:

• produces a magnetic field

• pulls on elements that are highly susceptible to magnetism

• It attracts or repels other magnets

These next three weeks, I want to look at our lives as God’s magnets. I want to look at three areas:

• A Christian’s sphere of influence – your magnetic field

• A Christian’s active power of influence – your ability to magnetise – your pulling power

• A Christian’s sustaining influence – your sustained ability to remain magnetic

What am I talking about? Well, I’m doing a little soul searching and inviting you to do the same. I’m asking myself a few critical questions.

How much of an impact does my relationship with God have on the people around me?

How active and effective am I in drawing people to Christ?

How consistent am I in my relationship with God to stay effective as a change agent?

Jesus was a magnet.

He had a vast sphere of influence. He had an incredible ability to draw people to God. He had power to influence and He sustained his influence throughout his life on earth. The Gospels reveal the impact Jesus had in such a short span of time He walked on earth. Mark chapters 1 and 2 give us dome idea on how effective Jesus was in attracting and then transforming those who came to Him. His ministry begins with his baptism and his temptation in the wilderness; then he begins to preach the Good News of the Kingdom.

We first see the effect on the disciples.

Mark 1:16-20 (NKJV) And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him. When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets. And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him.

Then we see the effect on others around him.

Mark 1:32-34 (NKJV) At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed. And the whole city was gathered together at the door. Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.

Mark 1:45 However, he (the leper who was healed) went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every direction.

Mark 2:1-2 And again He entered Capernaum after some days and it was heard that He was in the house. Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them. And He preached the word to them.

Jesus was a magnet that had a strong magnetic field. Everywhere he went he attracted crowds. Why? People encountered God when they hung out with him. When Jesus was in their midst, Divine encounters happened. People had life transforming experiences.

Mark 1:22 – the people were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority—quite unlike the teachers of religious law.

Mark 1:26 – at that, the evil spirit screamed, threw the man into a convulsion, and then came out of him.

Mark 1:31 – so he went to her bedside, took her by the hand, and helped her sit up. Then the fever left her, and she prepared a meal for them.

Mark 1:34 – so Jesus healed many people who were sick with various diseases, and he cast out many demons.

Mark 1:39 – so he traveled throughout the region of Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and casting out demons.

Mark 1:42 – instantly the leprosy disappeared, and the man was healed.

Mark 2:12 – and the man jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers. They were all amazed and praised God, exclaiming, “we’ve never seen anything like this before!”

Our relationship with Christ must be such that we experience daily a transformational encounters that produce transformational encounters when we walk out into the community around us.

The early church was a magnet

Not only was Jesus a magnet that drew people around him to God, the early church became a body of believers that attracted people to God and God encounters.

Acts 2:43 – a deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders.

Acts 3:7 – Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man’s feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened. He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk. Then, walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the temple with them. All the people saw him walking and heard him praising God. When they realized he was the lame beggar they had seen so often at the Beautiful Gate, they were absolutely astounded! They all rushed out in amazement to Solomon’s colonnade, where the man was holding tightly to Peter and John.

Acts 4:4 – But many of the people who heard their message believed it, so the number of men who believed now totaled about 5,000.

Acts 5:14 – Yet more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord—crowds of both men and women. As a result of the apostles’ work, sick people were brought out into the streets on beds and mats so that Peter’s shadow might fall across some of them as he went by. Crowds came from the villages around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those possessed by evil spirits, and they were all healed.

The church was full of transformed lives that produced transformational encounters.

We are called to be magnets.

Jesus was a magnet, the disciples were magnets, the early church was a magnet. We are called to be God magnets. The church was never meant to be a group of holy rollers, huddled up in protective bunkers waiting for the return of Christ. We are called to Go – Go and preach the Gospel. The Gospel of power. As we Go in obedience to Christ, we are anointed with the same anointing. To be magnets that draw people unto God.

2 corinthians 2:14 But thank God! He has made us His captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now He uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God.

We are all in the same triumphal procession. We are heading part of the victory procession. That procession is drawing crowds. It’s spreading. Why? Because it is fragrant. It’s spreads like sweet perfume. May our lives be that sweet perfume everywhere we go. Attracting people to God. Let us be transformed lives producing transformational encounters everyday, everywhere. Jesus was a magnet, the disciples were magnets, the early church was a magnet. Let us let God shape us into God magnets.