The Perfume And Incense of You Life
Proverbs 27:9 (NIV) Perfume and incense bring joy
to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs
from their heartfelt advice.
• I hope to enlighten you on how to affect spiritual
change in your life.
• Wise man of proverbs said that perfume and
incense bring joy to the heart.
• In the word of God Perfume and incense are
metaphors for prayer and worship.
• Prayer and worship bring joy to the heart
o Prayer is about relationship.
o Worship is about submission.
• In our daily lives and when we come to the
house of God there ought to be relationship with
God and submission to God.
o When we come here week after week, and
month after month, and year after year, there
ought to be the fragrant aroma of perfume
and incense.
• The Potter’s House should be the best smelling
church in Battle Creek.
o Some people say that worship and prayer is
exactly the same thing but for our purposes I
think the writer of Proverbs is saying there is
a subtle difference between the perfume and
the incense, Prayer and worship.
 Incense is used to change the
environment.
 But perfume changes the individual.
• Cologne - Example
o If I was to pour this in a bowl and add a little
potpourri and leave it a few days you could
walk in this sanctuary and you would be
able to smell the aroma of the potpourri.
• Prayer is like this: Prayer changes me.
o Don’t pray to change somebody else.
o The first person we need to pray about is us.
• Worship is like potpourri.
o You cannot impact your environment until
you first have had the anointing of the
perfume of prayer.
• I must take care of what’s wrong with me before
I can change what I perceive is wrong with
someone else.
o I must first address my issues before I can
address issues that I perceive are in the body
of Christ.
o Jesus taught this principle He said, “Before,
you can take the toothpick out of your
neighbor’s eye you’ve got to get rid of the
microphone stand in your own eye.”
 Before I can fix what’s wrong with that
guy I must fix what’s wrong with me.
• You know that schoolyard thing of pointing your
finger – and you’ve got three pointing back at
you.
o There’s a lot of Biblical truth to that.
• Prayer must come before worship.
o Sacrifice and obedience has to come before
our offerings unto God.
o In fact, Jesus said if you come and you bring
an offering and you realize you’ve got an
issue with your brother you’ve got to go get
that thing right first because your offering is
not going to impact anybody.
 It’s not going to make a difference.
 You must get this right first before you
can get that right.
• Before I can change the stuff around me I must
change the stuff inside of me.
• Do you know anybody who always wants to fix
somebody?
o I know people who always want to fix
somebody else.
 There are the fix-er-uppers.
• They want to fix their spouse.
• They want to fix the church.
• They want to fix the pastor and
they send unsigned letters.
• They want to fix the worship
leader.
 But if you never change what is in you
then you will never change what is
around you.
• Maybe I can’t change somebody else….
o Maybe you can’t change somebody else…
o But we can change an attitude to make an
adjustment.
o Maybe instead of being arrogant we could
be humble.
o Maybe instead of attacking we could be
submitted to someone.
o Maybe instead of blasting somebody we
could wash somebody’s feet.
• You know there is one person here in this church
that every time I come to this church there are
here.
o I have more trouble with this person than
anyone else.
o Every time I’m here, they are here.
o You know who it is? It’s me!
o I have more trouble with myself than I have
with anybody I have ever met.
• The following was retrieved from the tomb of a
Bishop in Westminster Abbey dated 1100 AD. I
quote: When I was young and free my
imagination had no limits. I dreamed of
changing the world. As I grew older and wiser I
realized the world would not change I shortened
my sight somewhat and decided to change only
my country. But that too seemed unmovable.
As I grew into my twilight years I settled on only
changing my family and those closest to me but
only at last they would have none of it. Now as I
lay on my deathbed I suddenly realize that if I
had only changed myself first then by example I
perhaps could have changed my family. And
from their inspiration and encouragement to me I
would have been better able to help my country.
From there I may even have been able to change
the world.
o You want to change the world?
o You want to change The Potter’s House
Church?
o You want to change your family?
 Change yourself.
• Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart.
• Did you know that joy is not an emotion?
o Joy is something that comes from within us
not without us.
o Happiness comes from without.
 I got a raise I’m happy.
 The Lions won a game I’m happy.
 She winked at me I’m happy.
o Happiness is an emotion that is precipitated
by some stimuli outside of us but joy
something that comes from deep down
inside us.
o The Bible says, “The kingdom of God is not
meat and drink, but it is righteousness,
peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.”
o And the Bible says that, “Perfume and
incense bring joy to the heart.”
 Joy has never been external.
 People are confusing happiness with joy
all the time but joy originates from
within – it’s from the Holy Spirit.
• It is not a feeling.
• It’s not an emotion.
• Joy is knowledge.
• Joy is an attitude.
• Joy is a decision based on facts.
• Joy flows out of a relationship with
God.
 Isaiah 12:3 “With joy shall you draw
water out of the wells of salvation.”
 Jesus said in John 15:11 “These things
have I spoken unto you that my joy
might be in you and that your joy might
be full.”
 Joy is an attitude of excitement,
fulfillment, contentment, based on a
knowledge of who Jesus is and who I
am in Him and what He did for me and
the power that He’s given me – so that I
can overcome any force, any spirit, any
sin, any temptation – That gives me
Joy!
• I may not have a lot of good things going on in
my life but I can still have joy.
o Jesus wasn’t having a very good day when
they put a crown on His head, and they
thrust nails trough His hands and feet, and
they put a spear in His side – but the writer
of Hebrews under the inspiration of the Holy
Ghost said, “Who for the joy that was set
before him, he endured the cross, and he
despised the shame.”
 How could Jesus have joy when He was
going to the cross?
 He had joy because He knew the cross
was going to tear the devil apart.
 He knew the cross was going to open up
the grave.
 He knew the cross was going to deliver
you from your addiction.
• So when I place the perfume of prayer into my
life and I change my scent…
o And then I go into worship…
• I can impact the entire environment.
• News flash – There are people in most every
church who have been inflicted with this horrible
chronic disease called “me-i-us.”
o ME-I-US – Give me, give me, give me.
 Bless me, bless me, bless me.
 Help me, help me, help me.
 Do for me, do for me, do for me.
 Look at me, look at me, look at me.
 When they walk in a room they never
say, “Oh there you are.”
 It’s always, “Here I am.”
 It’s all about me.
 It’s never about others.
 It’s never about Jesus.
 It’s never about the bigger picture.
• Nicolas Copernicus, a 15th century renaissance
astronomer had a different idea. Up until his day
the conventional scientific wisdom was that the
universe revolved around the earth. He had a
new idea. He suggested that the universe didn’t
revolve around the earth but that the earth
revolved around the sun. This idea became
known as the Copernican Revolution.
• And you and I know people who need a good
old-fashioned 15th century Copernicus
Revolution.
o God deliver us from “ME-I-US.”
• We are so near the end of time – we need to
make up our mind my issues are really not that
important.
o We need to make up our mind it’s not about
me – it’s all about Him.
 I’m not going to let my issues keep me
from a crown.
 I’m not going to let my issues keep me
from my mansion.
 You can say what you want to say – you
can do what you want to do – At the
end of the day before the sun goes down
I’m forgiving you – I’m releasing you –
I’m letting bygones be bygones – I’m
getting out the perfume and I’m going
to change ME!
• I’m going to change my mind.
• I’m going to change my attitude.
• So I can bring incense into the
house of the Lord.
o It’s not about me.
• Jesus is in the house of Simon the leper.
o He was already healed – why was he
referred to as Simon the Leper?
o Somehow he kept the “Leper” moniker.
o If God delivers you – Don’t say, “Hi, my
name is Mark, I’m an addict!” after we’ve
been to Calvary.
o If we want to have a changed life we have to
drop the old moniker (name).
 We’ve got to drop everything that
identified us that old spirit.
 If it’s the clothes we wear.
 If it’s the way we present our self.
 If it’s the language we speak.
 If it’s the attitude we have.
 Paul said, “And such WERE some of
you…”
 I’m not an addict for the rest of my life
– I’ve been set free.
 I’m not a junkie for the rest of my life –
I’m a new creature in Christ Jesus.
 If you’ve been healed of your leprosy
don’t live like one the rest of your life.
o Get this picture: Jesus is in the house –
Simon who was healed is not worshiping.
 Mark 14:3 “as he sat at the table.”
o I don’t know how Mary came into the room
but Mary came into the room…
o I really don’t think she cared what others
thought about her – because even though she
had been forgiven a long time ago she still
hadn’t got over it…
 Even though her brother Lazarus had
been raised from the dead sometime
back – she still hadn’t forgot about that.
 She realized she had another
opportunity to be in the presence of
Jesus Christ, her Savior, her Healer, The
one that raised her brother from the
dead.
 She still couldn’t get over it and no
matter how much worship she put on
Him – no matter how much perfume she
Monday through Saturday, when it was
Sunday still couldn’t give enough and
so she comes in there to worship.
o She opens up an expensive – the Bible says
box – but it was like a vase, like a jar with
like a gooseneck at the end.
A very expensive perfume – Most scholars
believe this was equivalent to about a years
wage.
 This perfume was taken from a plant
most precious and most choice called
“spikenard” which means genuine
ointment.
 One author said there was an inferior
ointment in those days called “psudo
nard.”
• But this was not that.
 This perfume was the best.
• It was precious.
• It was expensive.
 And she comes into that house
uninvited, unannounced, unappreciated,
but unstoppable.
• And before anybody can figure out what she is
doing – She just breaks it open.
o Mark said she poured it on His head.
o Others said she poured it on His feet.
o If the truth were known by the time she was
done it was everywhere.
o Jesus is sitting there and it’s dripping off His
eyebrows, dripping off His ear – Judas and
others are saying, “What a waste this was, it
could have been sold and given to the poor.”
• Listen – It wasn’t about the poor for them. – It
was because they were ashamed, they were
embarrassed, that they didn’t have the attitude of
worship.
o They hadn’t had enough of prayer going on
so they didn’t have any worship going on.
• She didn’t drip it out, she didn’t spray it out, she
didn’t accidentally knock it over, but she broke
the neck of that bottle and indiscrimanently just
poured it out all over the master.
o Why did she do that?
o No reason is given for this expensive act of
prophetic worship.
o It was prophetic because Jesus said when the
Gospel is preached they will tell this
woman’s story.
 You don’t need a reason to worship.
• Some of you have been through so much pain.
o Some of you have had to climb mountains
like Abraham was asked to climb a
mountain – But he didn’t just say the lad and
I are going to go yonder and sacrifice – He
said the lad and I are going to go yonder and
worship.
o I’m preaching to people who have been
through things – you’ve been through hell,
fire, and brimstone.
 You’ve suffered divorce, you’ve
suffered shipwrecks…
 Some of you have lost jobs…
 Some of you have buried spouses or
children…
 Some of you have had attacks and
things going on in your life…
 You make a decision when you come to
the house of God…
 Are you going to lay back and relax like
Simon the Leper and keep an old
Moniker on your spirit or are you going
to worship like Mary.
 Are you going to say I’ve got to find the
most expensive perfume I can find…
• I’m going to lavish it on my master.
• I’m going to pour my life out…
• I’m going to give you my best.
• She walked right by Simon…
o She sees an opportunity that he let slip
away…
o He had hospitality but she had worship.
o He showed up but she showed out.
o He had no perfume and he had no incense
but Mary did – and the aroma filled the
house.
o She changed the atmosphere of the whole
house because of what was happening in her
own life.
 She came to worship.
 She did not sit by…
 She did not recline…
 She did not relax…
 She didn’t care who criticized her…
 She worshipped!!!
• I’ve watched some of us as praise and worship
breaks out each Sunday, while some are focusing
on the praise singers and musicians, others are
focusing on Christ.
o I’ve even had people question those on the
platform who are qualified to worship the
Lord rather than focus on God who we
should be worshipping we focus on humans.
o Let me go on record today – You don’t have
to qualify your worship at The Potter’s
House Church.
o You don’t have to be a season ticket holder
at The Potter’s House Church to be qualified
to worship.
o You don’t have to be a charter member of
this church for your worship to be qualified.
 All you’ve got to do is please Jesus
Christ.
 All you have to do is make sure your
life has something going on MondaySaturday.
o When you come into God’s house you can
bring this – WORSHIP!
• Let me tell you why I worship.
o Why do worshippers worship? Because I
want to change.
 I worship because I want to be more
like Him.
 I worship because I feel like it draws
me closer.
 When I worship He knocks all the
impurities out of my spirit.
 When I worship He gets all the wrong
thoughts out of my mind.
 God deliver us from stupid thoughts.
• The devil can put a stupid thought
in your mind and mess the whole
church up for six months.
• Worship has the ability to help you get back
what you’ve lost.
o Some of us have lost some stuff.
o We’ve lost some passion for God.
o We’ve lost childlike faith.
o We’ve lost zeal.
o We’ve got our eyes focused on the wrong
thing – it’s all about Christ.
o Worship will help you get that back.
• Some of you are so focused on your career we
forget about the church.
o Some of you are so focus on your family
you’ve forgot that your family needs
perfume and incense in the home.
o We’ve forgot about the kingdom.
o We’ve forgot that Jesus said, “Seek ye first
the kingdom of God and his righteousness
and all these things will be added unto you.”
• Worship gets things back where they need to be
in my life.
o Worship will make me appreciate my wife.
o Worship will make me appreciate my
children.
o Worship will make me appreciate my
parents.
o Worship will make me appreciate the things
of God and the ways of God.
• David at Ziklag – when he thought he had lost is
all.
o He said Lord shall I pursue – but first the
Bible says “He sought the Lord” – He went
into prayer.
 He inquired of the Lord.
 He put on the Ephod.
o What am I going to do with the rest of my
life?
 And the Lord said, “Pursue, for thou
shalt surely recover all.”
 David went into the camp of the enemy
…
• He got his wives…
• He got his kids…
• He got his stuff…
 And then he plundered the enemy…
• He got the enemy’s stuff.
• And he came back to Ziklag and he
blessed the whole community.
• His worship spilled out into the
whole community.
• When Mary broke the perfume over Christ – He
never said a word to her directly.
o But to her accusers – He spoke directly to
them.
 He shut them up.
o I don’t know if you will get a word from
God or not when you get in His presence.
o He may not speak directly to you but he will
silence the voice of your accusers.
o The Bible says the devil is the accuser of the
brethren.
o When you worship Him – He will speak to
the devil, your accuser.
o He’ll shut the mouth of the Lions.