Let The Word Of Christ Dwell In You Richly

[0:00] Hallelujah! We thank God you have tuned into this message by David Entry at Carish Church. No hand can help you with the fulfillment of your destiny but the Word of God.

[0:11] May God's hand align with you further into your destiny through this Word. Above all these things put upon charity, which is the bond of perfectness, and let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body, and be ye thankful.

[0:35] Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, in hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

[0:48] And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

[1:02] Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands as it is fit in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and be not bitter against them.

[1:14] Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to hunger, lest they be discouraged.

[1:29] Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eye service as men pleases, but in singleness of hearts, fearing God.

[1:40] And whatsoever you do, do it heartily, as unto the Lord and not unto men. Knowing that of God the Lord, knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance, for ye save the Lord Christ.

[2:01] But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he has done, and there is no respect of persons.

[2:11] Here end the reading of God's holy word. Father, what we don't know teach us, who we are not make us, where we are not take us. All this to the glory of your name.

[2:23] Supply us with the riches of yourself, that our lives will be an expression of you. To your glory in Jesus' name. Amen. Above all.

[2:36] There is an above all when it comes to the church life. The above all is not about singing, it's not about miracles, it's not about testimonies. But above all is putting on.

[2:49] You have to wear love. Not talking about romance. It's talking about agape. The love that is a decision.

[3:01] Because a feeling love, which is a romantic love, cannot be commanded. You can't command someone to feel romantically about somebody. You cannot command a romantic love.

[3:14] So when the Bible says, husband, love your wife, it's not talking about romance. Romance is necessary, just common sense in a relationship. An amorous relationship, romance is necessary.

[3:25] But the love that makes marriage work is not just the romance. Because most married people will tell you, sometimes romance has gone on vacation for a long time.

[3:35] Some of you are married. And you don't remember the last time there was anything like romance in your marriage. It's gone a long time. It's on a vacation. You'll come back because you are in church.

[3:45] So you'll come back. God gives you the secrets and the wisdom of how to live in an ethical relationship effectively.

[4:02] So it's also part of our inheritance. But here he said, wear love. Agape love. That's not based on erotic relationships.

[4:14] It's just general. So when you're a Christian, you're supposed to wear love. Put it on. Not just for showmanship. But as a reality. You must have a demonstration of love.

[4:26] Some of us, we know you are a mean person. But now you're a Christian person too. So let your Christianity, the Christ life in you, overshadow your natural person.

[4:39] Because naturally, you are a very mean person. You seem to have a kick. And you have a thrill when people are crying. When people are sad, it gives you a thrill.

[4:52] But when you are in Christ, then there's a certain dimension. Listen, Thursday, everybody must listen to the message I taught on Thursday. Because if you are not careful, you are just religious, looking for commandments to obey.

[5:09] You won't be successful. You won't be successful. Because anytime you want to obey commandments, when you want to do good, evil is present. Just stand.

[5:20] It says, also stand by. Until you want to do good, then it kicks in. Yeah, it's in your Bible. Romans chapter 7, 21. He said, I find a law. He said, law. It's not like, it's not like just feeling.

[5:32] It's a law. A law. When they say something is a law, that's how it operates. How things operate. When you eat rice, the law of metabolism requires that it gets processed through your intestines.

[5:46] Then it's absorbed into your bloodstream. Then it's absorbed into your bloodstream. Then the energy is bent. If you are not active, the extra energy is stored as fat, which shows up in other places.

[6:02] I mean, it's a law.

[6:13] It's a law. It's a law. It's a law in your system. In the same way, when you want to obey some laws, especially the law of God, there's another law in your system. It will not allow you to obey it.

[6:24] So it's there. I want to do good, but evil is present with me. So the only solution is, there must be, yesterday I was teaching somewhere and I was talking about antihistamine. When you have a reaction to something. It's a law in your system.

[6:36] You are reacting. So there's another law that must be introduced into your system to suppress that other law, counterattack that other law. And so in the same way, that law that is present with you, that doesn't make you do the law of God.

[6:48] God now puts, Bible says, Romans chapter 8, verse 2, that there is another law. It says that, for the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from this law of sin.

[7:01] And we find out that that law is talking about the nature of God that enables you to behave in a certain way without even thinking about it. When we talk about law in this sense, you don't think about doing it.

[7:12] It just happens because it's a law in your system. So God also puts his nature, which comes, the life of God comes with it, the law. So that when the enemy, when things are in a certain way and you begin to depend on the life of Christ in you, automatically some things you don't struggle not to do.

[7:31] Because the law of life from the spirit is operational. So when he says that we should walk in love, it's not so much as a commandment, but we have to let the life, because God is love.

[7:46] And let the life of God begin to be lived out of you. And he goes on to say, and let the peace, oh good God, let the peace of God say peace.

[7:59] Usually when we read texts like this, what comes to our mind first is our problems. Because you need peace for your problems. And who doesn't like peace?

[8:10] Jesus. The only thing Jesus, when he was dying, he was about to die. The only thing he left for us is peace. He's peace. He said, no money, no cars, no houses.

[8:22] John chapter 14. Not wife, no husband, no babies, nothing. He said, the peace I have that made me able to live this life to please God. He said, my peace I give to you.

[8:34] He said, I live with you. He was going, I don't need it in heaven. So he says that, my peace I live with you. That's what he left for us. He didn't leave a shoe.

[8:47] He left peace. So peace is necessary. The Bible says that, let not your heart be troubled. Philippians chapter 4, verse 6.

[8:59] Let not your heart be troubled, but in everything by prayer and supplication, let your request be made. And then the servant says, and the peace of God that surpasses understanding. It doesn't make sense. You are having this kind of peace.

[9:10] It doesn't make sense. It surpasses understanding. It's nonsense type of peace. What you are going through, you shouldn't be able to sleep the way you are sleeping. Yeah.

[9:22] What is happening in your life, you should have lost weight. You should have been depressed. But you are the happiest person all over. It doesn't make sense. Something doesn't add up here. It's called the peace of God.

[9:35] So when you are going through some things, it's that you let your request be made known unto God. And then verse 7, the peace of God, what it does is it garrisons. It protects your heart and your mind. So it comes like a protection shield to protect.

[9:48] The peace of God protects your heart. So you can be depressed if you learn how to, in everything, present your request to God. Because his peace comes into.

[9:59] Now, so the peace of God is necessary. And the Bible talks about how having been justified, Romans chapter 5, we now have peace with God. So there are peace in different. Now, the peace I spoke about previously is the peace that we need to have a peaceful life on earth.

[10:16] Now, when anyone is not in Christ, there's enmity between that person and God. But when you come to Christ and you are justified, you now have peace. Romans chapter 5 says that we now have peace with God.

[10:29] So now, our relationship was estranged with God. But because of Christ now, there's no problem. We have peace. How many of you have ever had a problem with a loved one, your friend, your wife, husband, your sister, brother, your mom, dad.

[10:46] And the relation was estranged, especially friends. And then later on, you make, you reconcile. That's the word there, reconciled. You reconcile and out there now, there's now peace.

[10:57] That's why usually when you are going to talk and add your mouth into somebody's marriage, be careful. Because they are likely to make peace. And when they make peace and they are now in love, she will tell him what you said about him.

[11:13] And he will tell her what you said about her. So, that peace. So we were estranged from God and because of Christ. When you are in Christ, we have peace with God.

[11:25] That's the second term for peace. But this peace that is mentioned in Colossians chapter 3, verse 15. And let the peace of God rule. The peace of God here, you can, not the peace with God.

[11:40] It's a certain peace that comes from God. Generates Ephesians chapter 4, verse 3. It says that endeavor to maintain the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace. Now, this peace is what I believe is being referred to in Colossians chapter 3.

[11:53] The bond of peace is the same. In Ephesians chapter 2, verse 15, Bible talks about he himself is our peace. Christ is our peace. You can't live the church life effectively without Christ being our peace.

[12:07] Because human beings don't always get along or get on with some others. When it comes to, I keep, permit me to keep making references to X.

[12:19] Many of you sitting here, you have an X. And some of the X's are your actual enemies. It turns out like that because someone has hurt you. Previously, it used to be, I can't live if living is without you.

[12:34] Now it is, I can't live if you are alive. So, but can you imagine you are in church and your arch enemy who used to be your ex is now also coming and sitting near you.

[12:52] How do you say you can't be here? How dare you say you can't? Because this guy used to be a wicked guy. All that things that we all have passed. When we come to church, Bible says that I will remember their sins no more.

[13:07] Yeah. I know you don't like that text. But it's in Hebrews chapter 8, verse 11 and 12. Verse 12, it says that I will be merciful to their unrighteousness.

[13:18] That unrighteousness of the guy you don't like. Unrighteousness of the lady who ran away with your best boyfriend. That unrighteousness. God says that I will be merciful to their righteousness and their sins and their lawlessness.

[13:32] Me, God, I will remember no more. So you are sitting near someone whose lawlessness God has chosen not to remember. Thank you, Lord. In fact, how about the person who hurts your family so much and because of whom there's no peace in your family?

[13:54] She created a problem. And now he's in church and really genuinely born again. I'm talking about born again and he's sitting near you. What you're going to do? You really need the peace of God.

[14:04] You see what I'm saying? He said, let the peace of Christ or God. That peace is talking about the peace that make for harmony in our fellowship.

[14:18] Because we are people with different backgrounds. Different racial preferences and profiling and backgrounds. Different approaches and different philosophies in life. Some people, you are quite uncomfortable about some people.

[14:32] But we are supposed to be together. We are supposed to bear with one another. We will need a certain peace. That cannot come from man. And the church is made up of a combination of people with all kinds of varying backgrounds.

[14:47] Varying backgrounds. And yet we are supposed to be one. That is why he said, endeavor to Ephesians chapter 4 verse 3. Endeavor. Make it your conscious effort to keep the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace.

[15:00] Because in Ephesians chapter 2 verse 50 he said, Christ himself is our peace. Who has removed, broken down the middle wall of demarcation. There are always restrictions and divisions and demarcations and discriminations naturally amongst human beings.

[15:14] You are English. I'm Scottish. Yeah. I'm Scottish. Yeah. It's not only racial. You are a woman. I'm man. You are male. I'm female. You are uneducated.

[15:25] I'm uneducated. You are married. I'm not married. You are a bad boy. You used to be a bad boy. You used to do drugs. I know. And things like that.

[15:37] It's always like that. But it is what it is. Yes. So God himself, as I taught Jesus Christ dying on the cross, he didn't only die to forgive our sins.

[15:48] He died to tear down discrimination amongst human beings. Because it's natural. Some of it is evil. That's not what I'm talking about. But just not. When we close from church, you will talk to some people.

[15:59] You will migrate towards some people. It's just not natural. It's not natural. You see an old lady, you can go and say hello. You see a young lady with nice legs. She says, hello, sister. Why are you so happy in the choir?

[16:16] You guys are so happy. Try and get married quickly. So. So he himself is our peace.

[16:28] Say he himself is our peace. He is our peace. And he has broken down the middle wall of separation. Watch this. The verse 15 says that having abolished in his flesh.

[16:40] There's an enmity that exists amongst human beings from different backgrounds. In his flesh, he abolished that enmity. So as to make one. So he abolished that enmity. And that is the law of commandments contained in the ordinances.

[16:54] So as to create in himself one new man from these two groups. By making peace. And now Colossians says that let the peace of God rule in your heart.

[17:07] Else you always have something against somebody. And you will leave the choir. You will leave the ashes. You will leave because peace of God is not ruling in your life. Watch this. It says to which also you were called in one body.

[17:20] Did you see that? It's talking about the body of Christ. It's talking about the church life. Not the peace in your house. Or peace in your leg or something. It's talking about the peace that makes the body function.

[17:33] The body of Christ function as one entity. Because we are too different. Too many different people. God how are you putting all these different people together.

[17:43] And make them all do one. Be one. He died to procure the peace. So he said let the peace of God rule in your heart. To which also you were called in one body.

[17:57] And be thankful that you are in church. Amen. Be thankful. Say I'm thankful. Amen. Be thankful. Be thankful. Before you pray.

[18:08] Thank. Before you request. Thank. Thank. Thank God. As Bishop Oedepo says. Appreciation is an application for more.

[18:23] When you appreciate God. You are actually putting in an application for more. God understands the language of thanks. Be thankful.

[18:34] Thankfulness is kind of different from thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is supposed to be an overflow of thankfulness.

[18:49] When you are thankful. Thanksgiving will be spontaneous. In verse 17. In verse 17. It reminds us again. Be thankful.

[19:01] In verse 17. It says that. Whatever you do. Giving thanks. To God the Father through him. In Ephesians chapter 5 verse 20. We are supposed to be thankful.

[19:13] Thankful. Giving thanks. How many times? Always. Always. One of the reasons why when we come to church we sing. Is we are supposed to express our thanks and our praise.

[19:26] Please. Don't ever be caught. Without thankfulness in your heart. It will actually disadvantage you in life. I know you've been through a lot.

[19:37] But be thankful. That you are still here. Be thankful. Yes. Be thankful. Always learn how to say thank you. Bible says that.

[19:48] Giving thanks. In all things. In 1 Thessalonians. Chapter 5. It says that. Everything. Give thanks.

[20:00] For this is the will of God. In Christ. God's will is that. You should learn how to say thank you. Like the way you've been telling that little girl. Say thank you. Have you said thank you? Say thank you. Say thank you. God's will is that you should say thank you.

[20:13] Say thank you. You didn't get a job. You didn't get a job. Say thank you that you can apply for another job. In some countries. So if they didn't give you the job.

[20:26] At least. The agency. Has some other ones lined up for you. Even though you like this one most. But you don't know. That one is where you might meet your wife.

[20:39] If you don't meet them in church. Maybe. You know what I'm trying to say is that. Sometimes because we don't know the future. We tend to think all hope is lost.

[20:52] Because of a singular situation we are going through. Have you forgotten what you went through. And you thought your life was ended. And now look at you today. Look at you today. So I want to announce to you that this too shall pass.

[21:07] Thank you Lord. But don't wait for it to pass before you say thank you. Don't wait for conditions to change before you say thank you. You must trust God in earth.

[21:20] You must trust God enough to say thank you. Even though you don't understand the process. Even though it doesn't feel nice. Trust God. And say thank you. Or if I were you I would shout thank you Jesus.

[21:32] Thank you Jesus. Say thank you. He said be thankful. Now to pick up on the verse 15 again. Let the peace of God rule.

[21:43] That word rule. The original is empire. Empire. You know like a referee. It's the one that judge. So let's look at it. Amplify now. It says that. Let the peace of God. Soul harmony which comes from Christ.

[21:57] Rule. Act as what? Empire. Continually in your heart. So the empire decides okay this is foul. No, no, no. You are disqualified.

[22:07] No, no. Red card. Yellow card. He has the authority. To determine okay. Let's pause. Someone is injured. Play on. Yes. And he says that now. That peace of God should be.

[22:17] That governing. Factor in your life. That is ruling in your heart. Is determining. The decisions you are going to make. Is determining.

[22:29] Let the peace of God. Deciding. And settling. With finality. All questions that arise in your mind. In that peaceful state.

[22:40] To which. As member of Christ. One body. You were also called. To live. Let the peace of God. Empire. Let it. Don't let what your friends are saying.

[22:51] Don't let what your sister is saying. Be the empire. Let the peace of God. Be the empire. Don't let. What your feelings are telling you.

[23:03] My feelings are all over the place. I feel it. It's sad that. In our modern. Times. Feelings are being. Overrated. Many.

[23:14] Feelings are being put ahead of. Thinking. Your feelings shouldn't be the determining. Factors for the teaching making. Let the peace of God.

[23:26] Roll in your heart. To which you have been called. And then doesn't end there. And then he says. Ah. This is the best bit. Oh. I've been waiting for this. And let the word.

[23:39] Of Christ. I thought. I thought you would have said. The word of God. Is there a difference? Not really. But there's a reason why the emphasis is on the word of Christ. It said.

[23:50] Let the word of Christ dwell. Well. Watch this. This is very important. Verse 15. And verse 16. That let the peace of God. And let the word of Christ dwell in you. It's the same.

[24:01] It's like. You can't. You can't divorce the two. The peace of God cannot rule. If the word of God. The word of Christ is not dwelling. It says. Let the word of Christ.

[24:13] Dwell. In. You. Richly. In all wisdom. Let the word. Say the word of Christ. The word of Christ. When you read Romans chapter. 10 verse 17.

[24:25] In the King James. He doesn't render it. He says the word of God. But when you look at the. American standard version. And English standard version. He uses the word of Christ. He says that.

[24:38] Faith comes. From hearing. And hearing by the word of Christ. What do you mean by the word of Christ? In Hebrews chapter 1. Verse 1 and 2. It talks about.

[24:48] God. In sundry times. I'm reading King James now. God. God. At sundry times. And in diverse manners. Spoke in time past. Unto. The fathers. By.

[24:59] The prophets. But. In these last days. Oh. I like that. Has. Give me the new King James. He says. God. Who died. Has. In these last days. Spoken to us.

[25:10] By his son. Don't go to a prophet. I'm talking about Moses. Whatever they have got to say. Listen to Christ. That's why. When. On the mount of transgression.

[25:21] Matthew chapter 17. Verse. 1, 2, 3. Bible says that Moses. And Elijah. Moses represents the law. Elijah. Represents the prophets. They came. And when Peter.

[25:32] So. That means. The experience was so amazing. And overwhelming. They were so afraid. Peter started talking. Peter. Peter. Instead of him. Keeping quiet. For Jesus to talk.

[25:45] Yeah. Peter had his foot. In his mouth. He had a foot. A mouth issue. Peter. Started talking.

[25:56] He said. Jesus. Let us build a tabernacle. One for you. One for Moses. One for Elijah. See. He has put all of them. On the same pedestal. God had to speak from heaven.

[26:08] Oh yeah. God had to speak. And then Bible says that. And suddenly a voice came. Came out of the cloud. Saying. This is my beloved son. You want. Here. Don't have to hear to anybody.

[26:19] Hear. Hear. You don't need to hear Moses. You don't need to hear Elijah. Hear. Ye. Him. Yeah. So. Bible says that.

[26:29] Why? Because God. In these last days. Has spoken to us. Through his son. God has spoken to us. Through his son. Now when we talk about. The words of Christ. What exactly do we mean?

[26:40] Number one. It means. All the words. Christ spoke. Which are captured. In Matthew. Mark. Luke. And John. In his physical living. When he was on earth.

[26:50] The things he was teaching. The things he spoke. These are the words of Christ. Or. When you read the New Testament. All the red letters. Are the words of Christ. So. These are the words of Christ.

[27:02] Number one. And number two. Christ didn't only speak. In Matthew. Mark. Luke. And John. He continued speaking in Acts. In the epistles. How did he do that?

[27:13] Through his apostles. Through his believers. May I submit to you. If I can stay faithful. And keep this open. And explain.

[27:23] Christ will be speaking through me. Oh yeah. It's not every preaching. Christ will. Maybe. That's the problem. That's the problem. Now. Maybe. Out of. Let's say. The 50 minutes.

[27:35] I will speak. I have to be careful. That at least. 90% of it. Will be. Words of Christ. The core competence. Of the message. The active ingredients.

[27:47] Is exactly what the scripture. Is saying. Which you are repeating. So when you look at. Peter's preaching. In Acts. He. He kept referring to the scriptures. And then. He brought it. In an existential fashion.

[27:58] Quoted the scripture. And made it real. In our times. So a preacher's job. Is explaining. What the scripture is saying. And make it existential. And other than that.

[28:09] If a lot of stories. That people are laughing. Ha ha ha. Ha ha. And politics. And all that. You will leave church. With only about 5% or 10% or 20%. Words of Christ.

[28:21] And it's the words of Christ. That dwell in you. That will determine. Your success rate in God. So that's why. You have to be careful. What kind of preaching. You keep listening to. Some of it.

[28:32] Is just stirring your emotions. But it's not injecting. Your words of Christ. Yeah. Some of it. You like it. All right. That's what you want to hear. He make me laugh. Oh.

[28:42] This guy is very eloquent. This guy knows how to talk. It's not about that. How much of the words of Christ. Are finding their way. Into your heart. Through what he's speaking.

[28:53] So Christ speaks through the apostles. Speaks through his disciples. His believers. And you too. Christ wants to speak through you. If you can keep the word of God. Open in your heart. If you close the word.

[29:05] God can speak through you. Christ can speak through you. So you don't have to be a preacher. You don't have to be theologically astute. Or theologically trained. For Christ.

[29:16] All you have to be is. Christ lives in your heart. By faith. And then his word is alive in you. And he says that. Let the word of Christ. Let the word of Christ.

[29:28] Uh oh. 15. 7 of John. John chapter 15 verse 7 says that. If you. Oh. My. Thank you Jesus. If you. Let's all read here from the screen. Let's go. If you abide in me.

[29:40] And my word abide in you. You will ask what you desire. And it shall be done for you. If you abide in me. And the word. He said. My word. Christ said. My word must abide.

[29:51] Must dwell in you. Amen. Has found rest in you. Amen. Amen. Let the word of Christ. Let the word of Christ. Dwell in you.

[30:02] Not lightly. In all its riches. It becomes a comprehensive dwelling. Whatever way. Situation tends you.

[30:13] And where to find an expression. For that situation. That means the word of Christ. Is dwelling in you. Richly. Ephesians chapter 3 verse 8. To me. Who am less than the least of the saints.

[30:25] Is this grace given. That I should preach. Among the Gentiles. Catch a shoulder. It says. You dwell in your riches. I preach among the. The unsatchable riches of Christ. And he says.

[30:35] It's the word of Christ. That brings this. Unsearchable riches. To bear in your life. Let the way. Of Christ. Dwelling you. Richly.

[30:47] In all wisdom. And. The resultant. Effect will be. You're teaching. And admonishing. One another. See this is a church life now. This is a church life. This is a church life.

[30:58] Teaching. And admonishing. One another. Warning. One another. Showing one. Teaching. What kind of Christian brother. Have you got. In your life. That. You never hear them. Tell you what the word of God has said.

[31:10] Or what fresh thing they have. They never. You never get a kick. Spiritual kick. When you're around them. There are some pastors. When I speak to them. You feel like you're speaking to a businessman. You have conversation.

[31:22] For one member. For whatever. You meet pastors. And it's like. Sometimes. What's the topic of this conversation? And this person has done it. This has done this. And. No more. I thought when I meet other believers.

[31:34] When I go born again. When believers met. One way or the other. It doesn't mean we always just. Do Bible studies. You have the. You like the girl. You want to go out with her.

[31:44] And you want to start. I said. Can we do Bible studies? Please go straight to the point. It's not about Bible studies. Stop hiding behind Bible studies. You know. Some people are. I can't. There's nothing wrong with Bible study. But. You know that Bible study.

[31:56] She can have it with some other people. Yeah. But when Christians meet. What Christ has got to say. Shouldn't be scarce.

[32:06] Yeah. Yeah. We teach one. Sometimes you talk to other believers. And you learn something. Oh okay. It's not even theology you learn. But how to handle a particular situation in your life. In a godly way.

[32:18] Just without even their advising. Without you bringing their subject. Their communication. Their conversation. Their interaction with other believers. Because the word of Christ dwells in them so richly. It brings to bear.

[32:30] The riches of Christ. In other people's lives. You have to be very worried. Of this dryness of scripture in your life. As a believer. You have to be concerned.

[32:43] You are not okay. I don't remember scriptures. No. No. No. No. No. No. Quotations. Please. The world must find a way to be assimilated.

[32:55] And find grounding. And settlement. In your life. You don't have to remember everything. Even if one verse.

[33:06] A week. Or for some of us. Let's say even a month. But for most of us. It's supposed to be a day. Every day.

[33:16] Something. That's why we read the scripture. We have something to read. And when you read it. Something. One way or the other. We jump and start. And then that's what you meditate on. You keep meditating. Keep it on your mind.

[33:27] Keep it. The Bible says. Keep it in the midst of your hearts. For out of it. Are the issues of life. For they are life to those who find them.

[33:38] And health to all their flesh. Not part of their. All their. The word of God is health to you. And life to those who find them. Keep it in the midst of your heart. So as a Christian.

[33:51] You are actually not living a normal Christian life. Is the word of God. Is very absent. On your mind. And your life. You are not living a normal. I know you like the church songs.

[34:02] I speak Jesus. I just want to. Is your music lover. But when it comes to really. Someone who is in love with Christ. And living the Christian life. That's. Eventually.

[34:13] Invariably. You outsource your spiritual development. To some pastor. Or some prophet. Or some spiritual leader. Because they are supposed to be responsible. For your development. But no. Take charge.

[34:23] Hallelujah. It's not very complex. Try and try. And encourage yourself. Read something from God's word. Every day. As much as you can. Someone sent me. Some information.

[34:34] They found out. Some research. And the statistics show. Anyone who. Christians who read their Bible. At least four times a week. The resultant effect. The impact. The positive impact.

[34:45] It affects their marriages. It affects their health. It affects their employment. It affects their education. It affects their social life. It affects their parenting. It affects everything. So the success rate.

[34:56] And the peaceful life. You enjoy. By just reading the word of God. Four times a week. Now this is. A research. Scientific research. Reading the word. Porn.

[35:08] Goes down. Yes. Yeah. You can't be reading your Bible. Every day. Or at least regularly. And struggle with porn. The way you are doing. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

[35:18] Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. The devil goes down. Yeah. Yeah. Addictions. When you are struggling for an addiction. It's. As a Christian. It's because. The word of Christ.

[35:29] Hasn't dwelt in you richly. Yeah. That's right. Because you have. You have power over it. I'm telling you. That's right. You can't be a Christian. Something else has power over you. Yeah. Yeah. No.

[35:40] Bible says in Romans chapter 6 verse 14. Sin shall no longer have dominion over you. Yeah. I don't know. Yeah. It's not a suggestion. It's a reality. Yeah. sin shall no longer have dominion over you.

[35:52] So the more the word of God dwells in you richly, the more you are in control. So Christ wants his word to dwell in us. Christianity is not just coming to sit in church and sing nice songs.

[36:08] What happens after church is more important or that's what validates what's happening in church. So let the word of God dwell in you richly.

[36:19] And take a conscious effort by putting it inside you. Putting it. You don't have to be a theologian. Read something. Read something. I know your schedules are very tight.

[36:31] Just read a verse or two. Try it. Just make it a decision. As a Christian. Instead of always looking for prayer for miracles. There is a place for that.

[36:43] But that's not the only thing. You understand that? When you go to a restaurant, they only serve desserts. Amen. Yeah. but if you go to you have dessert we don't do dessert yet I don't know maybe you have to take your potential wife to somewhere else other than that she might not marry you because some people don't joke with their dessert but what I'm saying what I'm saying gets the word of God inside you sometimes you must be able to pick up oh the preacher what the pastor was saying I think he quoted this out of context you should be able to say it as you are growing you should be able to know that when a pastor quotes a scripture out of context or he says something that is doctrinally off you can just no no no this is not because of your feeling but because you know the scriptures you know the scripture that's a believer I'm just basic Christian living basic Christian living it's not as complex as people have made it look like it's not very complex if you're a Christian the word of God will always find a place in your heart let the word of Christ dwell in you richly teaching and unmerging one another in psalms hymn spiritual songs singing with grace in your heart to the Lord

[37:56] I can't go further because of my time but let the word of Christ dwell in you richly did you receive something thank you for listening to this message by David Entry we pray you have been strengthened and enlightened you can connect to David Entry on all relevant social media platforms including Instagram and LinkedIn you can also hear more messages from David Entry on all relevant streaming platforms and the Carriage Church app don't forget to like and share the message be blessed you you you you you