Dwell Deep
Jeremiah 49:7-8
Concerning Edom, thus saith the LORD of hosts; Is wisdom no more in Teman? Is counsel perished from the prudent? Is their wisdom vanished?
Flee ye, turn back, dwell deep, O inhabitants of Dedan; for I will bring the calamity of Esau upon him, the time that I will visit him.
I want to place special emphasis on the phrase, “Dwell deep”, taken from verse 8.
The Lord said to Dedan, “dwell deep.”
Dedan was a tribe of Arabs dwelling with the Edomites, the descendants of Esau.
When the Arabs were about to be attacked by a powerful foe, they would pick up their tents, pack up their utensils, lade their camels, which they could do in a couple of hours,
and set off to the great desert, and so bury themselves in it that no enemy either would or could pursue them.
The Arabs alone that knew the deserts, and could find water and provender for their support.
They were called to flee, and to get into caves, where they might dwell deep in the earth and be in some security.
By digging themselves deep into the caverns and rocks they were secure from the enemy.
We the church today are facing a mighty foe.
Our adversary the devil has declared war upon the Christian church.
He has brought out his heaviest artillery. He is taking advantage of every opportunity he can to destroy what is left of the true doctrine of Jesus Christ, and His power to save.
It is time to dwell deep my friend. Not to run from the enemy, but to dwell deep in the safety, shelter and security of God’s providence.
Tom Delay recently said, “"We are, after all, a society that abides abortion on demand, has killed millions of innocent children, degrades the institution of marriage and often treats Christianity like some second-rate superstition.” Seen from this perspective of course there is a war on Christianity!
State-sponsored discrimination and hostility toward Christians is reaching epidemic proportions in a country rooted in Judeo-Christian principals.
In Indiana the legislature there is no longer allowed to open their sessions in prayer, if they pray in the name of Jesus.
Others are following this practice.
The media in general is in an all out war against everything Christianity stands for.
TV sitcoms portray Christians as Bozos and ministers as some moron or a person with subnormal intelligence.
Elton John wants to ban religion. Rosie O’Donnell said on a national TV show that Christians are more dangerous than the terrorist who hit the Pentagon and World Trade Center 9/11.
Former Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura said that “organized religion is a sham and a crutch for weak-minded people,” the Washington Post depicts evangelical Christians as “poor, uneducated and easily led.”
Christians, "are often subjected to scorn and ridicule and denied their religious freedoms" and are referred to as "Bible-thumping idiots."
David Limbaugh tells the shocking story of a teacher at a Houston middle school who saw two students carrying Bibles. The girls were taken to the principal’s office, and the mother of one was summoned. Upon her arrival the teacher "waved the Bibles at her and exclaimed ‘This is garbage’ and then threw them into the trash can."
In May 1995, U.S. District Court Samuel B. Kent of the Southern District of Texas decreed that any student uttering the word "Jesus" would be arrested and tossed in the pokey for six months.
Said this blacked-robed Nero: "And make no mistake, the court is going to have a United States marshal in attendance at the graduation. If any student offends this court, that student will be arrested and will face up to six months incarceration in the Galveston County Jail for contempt of court. Anyone who thinks I’m kidding about this order better think again … Anyone who violates these orders, no kidding, is going to wish that he or she had died as a child when this court gets through with it."
This judge was completely out of order and was violating freedom of speech for these students.
Our American media and culture seem to have more respect for Islam than they do for Christianity.
Secularism, atheism, and humanism is attacking our public schools. While it may not be the school’s place to teach religion, many of them are teaching against religion with their secular and atheistic views.
While Christianity cannot be taught in public schools, Islam and other religious views are.
The American Civil Liberties Union is not protesting the teaching of Islam, but it immediately files suit if Christian doctrines are mentioned in schools, or, for that matter, even if one prays a Christian-sounding prayer out loud.
Saints, it is time to dwell deep!
The enemy is on the war path!
1Peter 5:8 ¶ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
It’s time to dwell deep in the Word of God.
God’s Word is being attacked by this world’s system.
It’s called a hate book because of its stand against sin.
But it’s time to dwell deep in the Word.
Don’t just read it once in awhile, read it everyday!
Don’t just keep it on the shelf next to the bed, but study it!
Get into the Word. Obey the Word. Cherish the Word. Get everything you can from the Word.
The enemy wants to destroy your confidence in the Word of God.
Ps 119:16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.
Ps 119:89 For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.
Ps 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Ps 119:114 ¶ Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.
Ps 119:133 ¶ Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.
Joh 17:17 ¶ Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
Listen, the enemy is coming! He is coming to destroy you faith. He is coming to destroy your confidence in God. Dwell deep! Dwell deep in the Word of God.
For the Word of God is truth! It dispels the false doctrines of this world.
In a world of wickedness, irreverence, depravity, immorality, corruption, and acceptance for everything that is diabolical and unholy, dwell deep in the word of God.
I admonish you church, dwell deep in the Word lest you be led astray by Satan’s deceit.
Know what the Word says! Trust in the Word! Believe in the Word, for in it you will find truth.
Secondly dwell deep in the church!
Some come to church when it’s convenient.
Some come when they feel like it.
Some come if they have nothing else to do.
And some, when they do come won’t participate in the worship, praise or prayers.
Church is only a tradition to some people. They come only because they have always done it.
Some church folks would be pleased if the government closed our door, for then they would have a good excuse not to come.
Oh, listen! Dwell deep in the church.
While we are being bombarded by anti-Christian tactics by the media, saturating our homes and even our minds, we need to dwell deep in the church.
Every time you stay at home when church is going on you are opening up a way for Satan to attack you.
Most of the time if you choose not to go to church you stay at home and watch some humanist, secular program on television, many times attacking the very faith you are supposed to stand on.
Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Dwell deep in the church! Make sure you are there every time you possibly can.
Make sure your kids who are under your care are in church.
Make sure they are in Sunday school. Make sure they are at youth service. Make sure they are in children’s church.
Dwell deep! Make sure the church is top priority on your list of places to go and things to do.
Thirdly, dwell deep in prayer. Not just some little prayer you learned as a child; But intercessory prayer; Prayer with passion; Effectual, fervent prayer.
A prayer-less person is a powerless person!
If Satan can keep you from praying he will take advantage of your faith, your mind, and your spirit.
Oh Christian, dwell deep in prayer. Intercede with God. Intercede for your children! Intercede for your family! Intercede for the church!
When you sincerely pray the Holy Spirit will strengthen you. He will support you. He will sustain you. He will give you wisdom. He will guide you.
Dwell in prayer. Pray in the morning! Pray at noontime! Pray before you retire for the night!
Then, dwell deep in fellowship with God’s people. (Explain)
Friends, the enemy is approaching today! We are living in perilous times! Satan is using every tool he can get a hold of to destroy our Christian faith.
Organizations like the ACLU are being used by Satan to bring cases against Christianity to the Supreme courts.
Ungodly judges are misinterpreting the constitution by using deceitful and stipulative definitions.
There is an all out war against us my friend. There is an all out war against Jesus Christ.
But dwell deep! Dwell deep! Dwell deep!
For we will win someday! Just keep the faith.
