"A HOME FOR GOD'S SPIRIT"

Good Evening to All!

May Christ through your
faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! (Ephesians 3;17 Amp.version

I usually go with the King James version, but for this verse I wanted to use the Amplified version to emphasize the word "DWELL" and what it entails. It doesn't mean shows up once in a while, or comes in when we do good. It doesn't mean He enters when He feels like it.

When we are "born again" of the Water (baptism by immersion) and of the Spirit (in-filled with the Holy Spirit), Then Jesus' Spirit (the Holy Spirit) enters into us (our spirit) to live.

Now mind you, this is just to get you thinking, ok?

People want to enhance their appearance to "look cooler, younger, older, or more professional. They want to be perceived as such. They enhance their education to get a better career, to be more successful. People enhance their bodies to look better ( if you want to call it that), to become famous (for the wrong reasons in my own opinion).

With that being said, if we can do all that, why can't we enhance our hearts, our spirits for God to dwell in?

Let me put it this way. If you don't smoke, or drink, would you want to live in a "nightclub" that reeked of stale beer and dirty ashtrays? If you are a very shy and modest person, would you feel comfortable wear a "micro-miniskirt and a low cut, midrift blouse?

In essence, if we ask Jesus' to come into our hearts but even after He enters we
continue to live the "old way" and go out clubbing on Fridays and Saturdays, or wearing clothes that don't constitute much more than a couple of small pieces of material, or using God's name in vain or "the name "Jesus Christ" as a substitute for a curse word, we are asking Jesus to do the same thing. He tells us if we Love Him to ABIDE BY HIS WORD, and that includes the holiness part of dressing, entertainment, our attitudes and our actions at All times, not just on Sundays and Wednesdays or when we're around church folk. We need to show respect for all people whether they go to church or not, because we as Christians are suppose to "come out and be ye separate" from the world. Therefore, we are suppose to act differently than someone who doesn't know God.

If we want Christ to feel at home in our spirit, we need to make a healthy happy living environment for Him. I remember when I was a very small child listening to my mom and dad fight like cats and dogs. I was lucky I guess because while I can remember a couple or three instances (really bad ones) my two older sisters I'm sure remember every one. I do however remember a huge fight between them after I was a little older I guess about 10 or 11. I have spoke about it before, so I won't bore you with details, but it was definitely no fun. I wanted to run as fast and far in the opposite direction from the fight as possible. Maybe if I had, he and mom would have quit throwing fists at each other and run after me. Anyway, My point is Jesus doesn't want to live in an unhealthy (physically or spiritually) environment either.

We "tweak" our appearance and our personalities for the ones we love or want to impress, so don't you think we should tweak ourselves (physically and spiritually) for Jesus? After all, He gave the ULTIMATE SACRIFICE for us.

Remember, Jesus said to be saved we must be born of the water and of the Spirit. In other words to get to heaven we have to have the Holy Spirit in us. This helps toguide us into ALL truths, and helps us to live the way God wants us to live. If we don't "tweak" our hearts and spirits for Jesus, He may decide that we are not serious about wanting Him there and will not stick around. Of course, if this were to happen, he would always come back if you called on Him and decided to become serious about your "relationship with Him".

Just think of it this way. What kind of house would you like to live in? A seedy hotel, a night club with obscene pictures on the wall, or a clean neat house with wholesome, decent pictures and decorations? It doesn't have to be perfect, just clean and neat.

I hope that I haven't stepped on toes tonight, just served up some "food for thought".

Good Night to All and May God Bless!