Breath of Life or Stench of Strife?

Sometimes we don’t sense the presence of God but we know that He’s there because He sustains our life like the air. We receive His life mostly unaware. His presence can be clean like the scent in the summer after the rain or sweet like the air filled with the aroma of baking cookies or comforting like smell of a home cooked meal after a hard days work. At other times we don’t really notice but if we go without for sixty seconds or so then suddenly we realize how thankful we are for our next breath. The sense of panic is how we feel when something is choking off our God supply. The enemy is full of fear like poisonous pollution and reeks of death, the stench of strife and selfishness and the foul odor of unforgiveness. Evil is like toxic fumes and slowly annihilates but God’s goodness is refreshing and always animates. So if you haven’t been feeling well lately then it’s probably time to “clear the air.” Take a deep breath and realize God is there and His perfect peace is as available as the very air.

Gen 2:7
7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.
NKJV

Gen 2:7
7 God formed Man out of dirt from the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life. The Man came alive — a living soul!
MES

Job 32:8
8 But there is a spirit in man,
And the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding.
NKJV

Ps 150:6
6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord!
NKJV

Ezek 37:1-10
37 The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. 2 Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. 3 And He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"

So I answered, "O Lord God, You know."

4 Again He said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, 'O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: "Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. 6 I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the Lord."'"

7 So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.

9 Also He said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, 'Thus says the Lord God:"Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live."'" 10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.
NKJV

Acts 17:23-26
Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you: 24 God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. 25 Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things.
NKJV

Isa 26:3
3 You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You.
NKJV