Sunday, June 21, 2015

Full Access and Authority

If you are looking for the posts about
God's Amazing Blessing
Announcement—I'm moving!

here's the link to the first Part: 

Then follow the arrows at the bottom of each post to the next Part.
There are 10 parts in all.

I recommend that you read each part, there are amazing details—
and God took care of each and every one! 


______________________________________________

This post is the continuation of my Study of Colossians.   
Let the word [spoken by] Christ (the Messiah) have its home [in your hearts and minds] and dwell in you in [all its] richness, as you teach and admonish and train one another in all insight and intelligence and wisdom [in spiritual things, and as you sing] psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, making melody to God with [His] grace in your hearts.  Colossians 3:16 (AMP)
The Word of God dwell in you: 
  • as an inhabitant that takes up its residence and abode, never more to depart;
  • and intends not only a frequent reading, and hearing of, and meditating upon the word of God but continuance in the doctrines of the Gospel,
  • with a steady faith in them, and a hearty affection for them; for such an inhabitation imports a very exact knowledge of the Gospel, and familiarity with it, and affectionate respect for it;
  • as persons that dwell in a house, they are well known by those of the family, they are familiarly conversed with, and are treated with love and respect by them:
  • and so the word of Christ, when it has a fixed and established abode in a man's heart, he has an inward, spiritual, experimental knowledge of it; he is continually conversant with it; this word of Christ is his delight, his acquaintance, with whom he takes sweet counsel together, and esteems it above the most valuable things in the world, and receives and retains it as the word of God.
  • The manner in which the apostle would have it dwell is. 
John Gill's Exposition of the Bible
Dwell: inhabit, occupy, exist, be found in, hang around, lodge, abide, establish oneself, make one's home, remain, reside, settle, stay

As I prepare to move into the King of king's Castle, I'm having a new understanding of "dwelling". Living in an apartment, even though I considered it my home, it actually was not. The apartment complex had rules on what could or could not be done. I did not have full access or full authority over what could or could not happen in the apartment. 
The Apartment Management had authority over the carpet color. They had authority over the time and details of the kitchen remodel. They had authority over the appliances. They had authority over all the aspects of the apartment. I was not a permanent resident I was a tenant that did not have full access or full authority. 

Now owning a home, I'm understanding the sense of dwelling. For there is not only freedom inhabiting a home, there is also more responsibility. There are things I have to learn and do to continue to make sure my home is well taken care of now and in the future. I now have full access and full authority to what takes place in my home. 

God's Word is to not be a "renter" where I control what and want not will apply, or "evict" the parts of God's Word I don't like. No, rather God's Word is to have a permanent residence. Full access and authority — given to the "home owner". 

As the Word of God is given full access and authority, the effect will be a heart permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31; MSG).

No comments:

Post a Comment