Let God's Word Richly Dwell Within

Colossians 3:16

companion Scripture Eph 5:18-20

Richly dwell. Let the Word of Christ richly dwell. Let what Christ has said live in your heart richly. To be rich is to have way more than enough.

Have the Word of Christ be so abundant that you have way more than enough Scripture for your need and your life.

To richly have the Scriptures is to learn wisdom from what it says. To learn wisdom is not only know what it says. It is also to do what it says. And not only to do what it says but to have what you do become effective in the purpose that you set out to accomplish.

With this acquired wisdom, comes teaching others. To tell them how you got it done by the direction of the Holy Spirit working with you. And teaching them how to get it done directing them how to hear the Holy Spirit and how you got it done.

Admonish is to challenge them to go beyond the comfort area they are currently in and branch out to further outreach.

Also if there is sluggishness or sin to get them to see the advantage of a life lived in obedience to the Holy Spirit.

Now the singing and thankfulness should come as a means of fellowship. To jam together and enjoy life together.

This is not intellectual ideas. This comes from the heart of believers as they have learned it from the Heart of God. This heart life comes from devotion to God and others.

v17 Do all in the name of Jesus. Wow what a statement. We are representatives of Christ. Ambassadors so to speak 2 Cor 5:20 As ambassadors we represent our King to others. So we are doing service to God and others in the glorious name of Jesus.

Now if we do things in the name of Jesus we have prayed for God to bless our work before hand in the name of Jesus. If we pray in the name of Jesus we have the requests we have asked. John 14:14; 1 John 5:14,15

Acting in prayer in Jesus name is to then do it with success. The key is for Scripture to richly dwell within. It is the starting point and the life giving point. And from the life of Jesus teaching, wisdom, singing to God, thanksgiving from our hearts springs forth and this will result in our speaking and acting in accordance to the life God is giving us. And give that out to others.

A Heart after God

What are your plans to keep your heart from growing cold?

Rehoboam had been unfaithful to the Lord. 2 Chron. 12:2 Many times I find myself distant from the Lord and sluggish in doing the work of the Lord. I don't want to be like this. I want to be a servant of the Lord and follow Him fully. Yet I get sidetracked in the mundane things of life and get off the track of living for Him.

Not only that but major problems will come to me at times. Will I fall during these hard times?

Later in this same chapter of 2 Chron. 12:14 it states that Rehoboam did not set his heart to seek the Lord. I think this is the key to a walk with the Lord. Are we going to make Jesus Lord of our life? Or are we gong to make Jesus just a part of our life? How we respond to trouble will show if Jesus is our lord or just there, so we will look good to others.

Life presses us at times. And when we are squeezed, what is in will come out. David set his heart to follow God through thick and thin. Psalm 57 speaks of real trouble. Yet David has decided to have his heart steadfast in God. Ps 57:7

Let us not be of those who shrink back to destruction Heb. 10:39, but those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.

Lord I know in my heart there is no good thing if I don't make a place for You. Let me always look to you both when life is good and also when life is hard.

Psalm 57:7-11

7 My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises!
8 Awake, my glory!
Awake, harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.
9 I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to You among the nations.
10 For Your lovingkindness is great to the heavens
And Your truth to the clouds.
11 Be exalted above the heavens, O God;
Let Your glory be above all the earth.

Third Day I Have Decided To Follow Jesus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpE2cLdVsk8&feature=related

Don't Miss What Jesus Said

Luke 18:34 "But the disciples understood none of these things, and the meaning of this statement was hidden from them, and they did not comprehend the things that were said. "

Do we have such a pre-conceived idea of Jesus that we miss what He says?

- understood none of these things.
-The meaning of this statement was hidden from them.
-they did not comprehend what was said.

Let us not be arrogant and think we can know everything. Some things God will not reveal to us. Rev 10:14

But at the same time, let us look to God for His light. And keep our heart Prov. 4:23 soft and not hard. Hardness of heart will blind us from the truth. Eph 4:18

Drifting, Hardness, Sluggisness

At Kendallwood this past Sunday I taught on 3 things that keep us from growing in the Lord.

1. Was drifting away from the faith. Hebrews 2:1-4. Drifting could be just not paying attention to what we are doing. It could be not being sharpened in our faith and staying close to God in prayer and Bible reading.

Some ways to get out of drifting is to meditate on the Bible and know there are large benefits in following God.

2. The Second area that befalls people is hardness of heart. Hebrews 3:5-4:3 Hardness of heart is no believing the teaching of the Bible. It is deciding against believing the Bible. The end result of hardness of heart is a lack of rest within.

3. Sluggishness Hebrews 5:11-14 is the third thing that keeps a Christian from reaching his potential in the Lord.

And this verse came to mind today that goes along with what I am saying above.

Romans 1:21 “ For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. “

This verse refers to areas that people fall into that keep them from following the Lord fully.

1. Did not honor God. To give God the credit for our success. To Look to God in all we do. And to seek God daily for the answers and direction from Him.
2. Did not give thanks. It is important to have an attitude of thanks for all we have and do. This is not just for the things we have. We are to give thanks in all things in life both good and bad. Why? God is the one we serve and living by faith in Him means we are looking to Him to help us out of our problems. We give thanks in our problems because we trust God to help us in our problems.
3. Became futile in their speculations. We should keep our mind on Christ and not speculate on what will happen in life apart from what the Bible says. Trust in the Lord and His Word. God will answer prayer and deliver us as we look to Him. Don't put your mind on the things that could go wrong. Put your mind on the promises of God in the Bible.
4. Their foolish heart was darkened. As we turn away from God our heart becomes dark and does not receive from God anymore. This can change with repentance. All of us need repentance. And all of us should do it from time to time when there is something on our heart that is troubling us from what we have done.

So let us press on to know the Lord, for His light will come to illuminate us as we continue to seek Him.

Guard Your Heart

Proverbs 4:23 "Watch over your heart with all diligence. For from it flows the springs of life."

One aspect of guarding your heart is addressed in Psalm 119:11 "Your word I have treasured in my heart,
That I may not sin against you."

Another aspect is addressed in Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely whatever is of good requite, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise dwell on these things." Don't let your mind dwell on what is not from God. Dwell on what is from God.

What you say reveals what is in your heart. Mark 7:17-23 If you find yourself complaining, gossiping, or cussing. Go to God and repent and ask Him to fill you with His word. Train yourself to speak words of grace to others. Speak words that will encourage others to follow Jesus.

Matt 26:41 Watch and pray against sin.
Acts 20:31 1 Cor 16:13 Col 4:2 Be on the alert day and night with prayer.
1 Cor 10:12 Don't think you have made it. Stay humble.
Rom 16:19,20 1 Pet 5:8 Don't forget we have an enemy but we are conquers through Jesus. Rom 8:37

The best defense is a good offense. Serve Jesus and your heart will be steadfast. Isa 58:6-14; 2 Cor 10:3-5;
Eph 6:10-18 Here is a list of the armor of God. Use it all and live victorious.

Here is a Bible study I wrote on this subject.