<\/p>\n
I. Where a person spends his time reveals a lot about their character<\/p>\n
A. Which country or region a person comes from<\/p>\n
B. The kind of home they select or the people they live with<\/p>\n C. But we are interested in spiritual things here. Where can I find your tent, among\nGod’s people or Satan’s followers?\n
D. The Bible has much to say about our dwellings or where we abide<\/p>\n
1. Abide means where you are or where you stand.<\/p>\n
2. It does not mean possession or control of another<\/p>\n
II. Examples of Abiding<\/p>\n
A. The Holy Spirit dwells in us – Jn 14:15-17<\/p>\n
B. Jesus dwells in God – Jn 14:11<\/p>\n
C. God dwells in Jesus – Jn 14:11<\/p>\n
D. Christians dwell in Jesus – Jn 14:20<\/p>\n
E. Jesus dwells in us – Jn 14:20<\/p>\n
F. God dwells in us – I Jn 4:16<\/p>\n
G. Christians dwell in love – I Jn 4:16<\/p>\n
H. Christians dwell in the Word – I Jn 2:14, 24<\/p>\n I. Too often mankind rejects the simplicity of God’s way. We want things to be\nmysterious and mystical.\n 1. People hear about the Holy Spirit dwelling in Christians and they imagine\nall sorts of things.\n 2. They suppose it is a good form of demon possession. God comes and\ntakes control of our lives.\n 3. God does control my life, but only because I have given myself over to\nhim. I still have choice, I could still rebel, but I chose to do things God’s\nway.\n
III. The dwelling of the Holy Spirit is no different than the dwelling of Christ<\/p>\n A. Rom. 8:9-11 – The Holy Spirit dwelling and Christ dwelling in the saved is used\ninterchangeably\n
B. Gal. 4:19 – Christ is formed in us when we become Christians<\/p>\n
C. Eph. 3:17 – Christ dwells in us through faith<\/p>\n D. Eph. 4:7 – Christ’s gift is spoken of just as we speak of the Holy Spirit’s gift in\nActs 2:38\n
E. The mystery among the Gentiles is Christ in us – Col. 1:27<\/p>\n
1. This is not some mysterious control or spirit possession<\/p>\n 2. It is a description of close fellowship with God and His influence through\nHis teachings on our lives.\n
3. It can’t refer to God directly controlling our lives.<\/p>\n
a. We dwell in God, just as He dwells in us.<\/p>\n
b. We do not control God!<\/p>\n
IV. God’s tent<\/p>\n
A. People are the tabernacle of God<\/p>\n
1. Rev. 21:3<\/p>\n
2. II Cor. 6:16<\/p>\n
3. I Cor. 6:19<\/p>\n
B. God chooses to spend time with His people<\/p>\n
1. Old Testament – Ex. 29:45-46<\/p>\n
2. New Testament – Jn. 1:14<\/p>\n C. It is not a physical dwelling. The universe cannot contain God – I Kings 8:27; Isa. \n66:1\nV. It is not an unconditional dwelling. We have to have something in common with God: our\nideas, beliefs, and goals\n
A. Jn 14:15-24 – Requires love that leads to obedience<\/p>\n
B. I Jn 4:12-13 – Requires that we love each other<\/p>\n
C. I Jn 4:14-16 – Requires standing for Christ<\/p>\n
VI. Where we dwell is our choice<\/p>\n
A. I Jn 2:24-27 – Let the word dwell … “LET” — it is a choice<\/p>\n B. Rev. 3:20 – Jesus is knocking, asking to come in. Will we let the Lord make His\ndwelling with us?\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I. Where a person spends his time reveals a lot about their character A. Which country or region a person comes from B. The kind of home they select or the people they live with C. But we are interested in spiritual things here. Where can I find your tent, among God’s people or Satan’s followers? D. The Bible…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[642,86],"class_list":["post-7104","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermon","tag-christianity","tag-holy-spirit"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":53950,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-it-wrong-to-attend-events-where-people-might-be-drinking-or-smoking\/","url_meta":{"origin":7104,"position":0},"title":"Is it wrong to attend events where people might be drinking or smoking?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 22, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I have had some best friends since my school days, years ago. I am the only person among them who is baptized. We all meet twice a year and during that meeting they all drink and smoke. I don't drink or smoke since I was baptized. They are all\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":3314,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-advantage-is-there-to-being-religious\/","url_meta":{"origin":7104,"position":1},"title":"What advantage is there to being religious?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 17, 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: What are the advantages of being religious? Answer: Much would depend on what you have in mind when you refer to someone as \"religious.\" Many religions in the world do not offer their followers an advantage. But since you asked me, I will assume that you are equating Christianity\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":50468,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-do-i-come-to-the-point-where-i-dont-feel-like-wasted-space\/","url_meta":{"origin":7104,"position":2},"title":"How do I come to the point where I don’t feel like wasted space?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 25, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hello, I truly enjoy the insight given on your website. I am normally a very positive person, and when I'm around people I am the one encouraging them to keep going, to keep pushing forward. However, when I am alone and I allow myself to think for enough time,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":13690,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/should-i-attend-a-birthday-party-where-people-involved-in-sin-will-be\/","url_meta":{"origin":7104,"position":3},"title":"Should I attend a birthday party where people involved in sin will be?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 21, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: What would you do if going to a family birthday with people you love a lot meant you would be around a gay couple? Half of our family are not Christians and will say we are too judgmental. Answer: \"Then it happened that as Jesus was reclining at the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":25690,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-fornicator\/","url_meta":{"origin":7104,"position":4},"title":"What does it mean to be a fornicator?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 23, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: What does it mean to be a fornicator? Does it mean, \"I\u00a0committed\u00a0it today, but I won't tomorrow,\" but doing it the next day anyway? If repentance is changing habits, then such a person remains as a fornicator and is a fallen brother or sister. That person can't keep on\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":49364,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-could-someone-become-a-mass-murderer-and-not-feel-bad-about-it\/","url_meta":{"origin":7104,"position":5},"title":"How could someone become a mass murderer and not feel bad about it?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 26, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hello, I have a question regarding evil. Are people born evil or does life make them that way? I ask because I was reading this case of a serial killer in Ukraine who killed 52 people. How does someone become this twisted and not feel bad about it? 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