Bad breath!

Acts 9:1-2 NKJV

Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest [2] and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

Here we see how religious zeal can give someone bad breath!

Look at the protesters supporting radical Islam, how they are always breathing out threats, fatwas and aggression! Even their non-muslim supporters continually shout "nazi-scum", "racist" to anyone standing up against them.

Saul (who would become Paul) was a zealous religious Pharisee who was so incensed against the followers of Jesus that he actually breathed out threats and murder against them.

Bad breath indeed!

Religion, without the Breath of Christ, leads to war and death. The blood-stained pages of history attest to this.

As lovers of Jesus, what sort of breath should we have? How can our spiritual breath be cleansed?

The bad news is that we can't!

Under our own steam, our breath is foul. The fear of persecution causes a negative odour that makes us hide away - much like the first disciples.

John 20:19-22 NKJV

Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, "Peace be with you." [20] When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. [21] So Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you." [22] And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.

Only Jesus' Divine Breath, exuded by the Holy Spirit, can cleanse us and cause us too to breath out the peace of the Gospel under any and every circumstance.

Jesus' Divine Breath purifies

Father, I ask that I would breathe out Your Peace and the Gospel of Jesus to those around me. So fill me and cleanse my breath, Holy Spirit that I may gloriously advertise Jesus in my words and actions. Amen and amen!