You are Drawn to Where You Dwell
May 18, 2024 • Pastor Fred Wilcox
I don’t know about y’all but when I’m away from home, I really miss being there. I miss my kitchen and my cooking utensils. I miss my bed. I miss my shower. I miss my throne that shares a room with my shower. I’m certain I’m not the only one who misses, “home field advantage”. These things draw me at some point no matter where I am or how long I’ve been there.
I was born in California but I’m “from” Nebraska – not a great place to live but a great place to be “from”. I was raised there, it’s still home to my favorite place on the planet – Lake McConaughy. My first best friends were there, my first “love” was there, both my fondest and my worst memories are there.
When we moved back to California, where I spent 5th – most of 12th grade, I was homesick the entire time. It eventually became “home away from home”, my bio dad lived there my step & half-siblings lived there, I had a best friend, a first girlfriend, I had the beach, the ocean and a whole lotta fun in the sun. I do still miss the beaches, but it was never “home”.
Despite dwelling there, my heart and my mind was always drawn back to Nebraska. Still is today. I go to Lake Mac every chance I get and despite my hometown being an evil black hole that sucks the life out of you, I still drive through that town every time I go out that way. Takes about 2 minutes and that’s plenty unless I’m feeling really nostalgic then I might give it about 5.
You are truly drawn to where you dwell. And it doesn’t matter at all whether that dwelling is physical, mental or emotional
This topic came to me as one of those “wisdom bomb’s” God tends to drop every now and then when I’m studying the bible or when I’m talking to others about God’s Word. In this particular instance, it was on our Saturday study through the book of Jeremiah, which I’m pretty sure we’ll still be in when the Lord returns.
As all the prophets were to do, Jeremiah was telling his audience about God’s judgment and wrath to come if they continued down the path of disobedience. The Jews would get close to God, then they’d go their own way, then they’d get close to God, then they would go their own way, then they’d get close to God…. See a pattern here? We talked about that a lot in the Torah study.
The goal of every prophet was to speak the Word of the Lord as it was revealed to them and often it was in the midst of great personal sacrifice and persecution. How many of us would step up to the kind of persecution the prophets endured, I mean, c’mon. We have to admit we are soft in comparison. I think the key here is difference between where the Israelites dwelt and where Jeremiah (and other prophets) dwelt.
Where do you dwell? Phil 4:8-9
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate (dwell – NASB) on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
The word in the Greek is logizomai (low geez oh my), which literally means to count and in this context means to count over your thoughts. To dwell on them.
The distractions that occurred before getting this message on paper were immense. Even the study software I use was having major issues and spent 3 hours fighting it before finally giving up and using the internet. And it was Wednesday before anything cohesive even started to form. I couldn’t even remember this wisdom bomb until I asked Trifon – I envy his memory – because I had said this would be my next message. I was dwelling on everything opposite! And guess what, I ‘felt’ like the Lord was far from me. I was in “I got this” mode and it wasn’t until I humbled myself before the Lord after some extreme anger with myself and technology and cried out for help, that I was able to focus. I had to change my mental dwelling before I could be drawn even to His Word.
Just a few sentences later there is a verse we all know and love to quote but it’s got some conditions to it: Phil 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. If you’re dwelling on things that have no profit, and there are a LOT of things to dwell on that have no profit, how can you expect the Lord to strengthen you?
He’s NOT going to provide strength when I’m too arrogant to even ask for help with HIS Word. It’s not mine, I don’t get it, without Him I’m NEVER going to grasp it. I need the Holy Spirit!! Who am I to tell the Lord “I got this”, in any circumstance but especially when studying His Word. He’ll humble you, not strengthen you, which will eventually lead to His strength.
Compare this with Gal 5:22-26:
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23[g]gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
These are all good things to dwell on. There is no law against them.
Col 2:6-10 says, 6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.
Col 3:1-11
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living (dwelling) in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger (failed), wrath (failed), malice (failed), slander (failed), and obscene talk from your mouth (FAILED FAILED FAILED!!!). 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
Chris DWELLS in us!!!!
We can’t lose sight of this in our walks, ever. When we do, it is not God who leaves us (He’s promised never to do that), it’s us who leaves God. And despite how many time we promise never to do that, we do it. And guess what… God is STILL THERE!!
Paul, talking to the Corinthians about division in the church says: 1 Cor 3:16-23: Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” 20 and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” 21 So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, 23 and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.
In God’s economy, He chose the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. That means he chose me to mess with smart people. I love that.
It interesting to me how many books are available on the topic of positive thinking when all we need is the Bible. It tells us that dwelling on good things has positive results in all aspects of your life. It tells us that dwelling on bad things will cause destruction. Years ago I read The Power of Positive Thinking. It did nothing for me. I spent the majority of my life in a negative mindset. Still am to some degree because I can’t seem to ditch my cynicism.
2 Tim 1:13-14 says, Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.
Hey – we just got instructions on HOW all this works! “through the Holy Spirit”. The moment we step out on our own, we’re toast.
There are so many more good things for us to dwell on than bad so why do we spend so much of our lives dwelling on things that are of no profit? It’s craziness!! The best thing of all to dwell on is God’s Word.
Col 3:16-17 - Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
There’s a secret revealed here as well. It’s the word “whatever”. This isn’t your teenager’s attitude. The word here is ho sose and it’s like the word all, which, in any translation, means “all”. Whatever means anything, everything.
Humans have done some pretty heinous things in the “name of the Lord” but were those that did, truly “dwelling” in the house of the Lord? Was the Lord dwelling in them? I don’t think so. But if we are dwelling on the things of the Lord, we can truly do “all” in the name of Jesus and Jesus will be right there, dwelling in our heart of hearts and providing light to guide our path, a lamp unto our feet as it were.
God’s Word tells us that Jesus is the light, in Him there is no darkness. Of Jesus, Paul tells Timothy 1 Tim 6:16-17 who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen. Amen? Let it be done!!
When we lose sight of the Lord, it gives the enemy an in. An opportunity to take advantage of a vulnerability we should not have. That’s when the influence of the world gets overwhelming and if not dealt with immediately, the negativity creeps in, next think you know you’re getting angry at nothing, getting frustrated by technology, having an “I got this” attitude. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with confidence. But if your confidence is not grounded in the dwelling on the things of the Lord, your confidence is more akin to if not downright arrogance.
Jesus is vehemently against and jealous of anything that takes your attention away from Him. If you have given your life to Him, as you begin to dwell in His presence, He is ferocious about protecting you. This is why we should have a child-like faith in Him. The moment we lose that, we begin falling into the “I got this” trap.
I’ve never felt more joy in anything than I have in knowing that I was trusted implicitly, without question, when my kids were young. They believed everything I told them without question. They trusted me to guide them safely across the street. They trusted that I would never fail in providing food or clothes for them. They trusted I would not drop them when playing airplane or swinging them around in circles. That is the kind of trust that Jesus wants… demands really… from us.
I failed my kids. I let them down. I was not worthy of their implicit trust and, at some point, they lost that and started questioning (that’s called a pre-teen). For Meaghan that was about 5 or 6 when she caught my wife and I off guard, ran up behinds us, grabbed our hands to swing and I did NOT have a grip. She konked her head on the sidewalk and I’ve spent the last 25 years apologizing. Yet they don’t love me any less and they still know I always have their best interests at heart.
We do the same thing to God. When we don’t follow the Lord with ALL our heart, mind, soul and strength, we allow in distrust. Distrust allows in personal opinion, personal opinion ushers in division (opinions are like belly buttons).
In Rev 2:12-13, Jesus is addressing the 7 churches and specifically about division to the church of Pergamos, These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword: 13 “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.
Where does Satan dwell? Right here with us. But this is not our home, it’s his. When we leave this life and start our new one, we won’t be homesick. We won’t long for the beach, or fast cars or action movies.
If you have given your life to Jesus and confessed Him as Lord and Savior, you have a home with Him. He prepared a place for us that cannot be imagined by such finite minds despite the fact we’ve been given some pretty good descriptors.
When His Spirit comes to dwell in your heart, you are forever changed. You have become a citizen of Heaven. If you are not homesick, I can say fairly confidently that you are not spending nearly enough time with Jesus. Quit it out.
All you gotta do is repent, which is just a churchy word for turn around. He is right there with you. Jesus is THE way, THE truth and THE life, no one comes to the Father but through Him.
There is nothing complex or mysterious about salvation. Believe, and your dwelling changes instantly.
