**just some thoughts on what I have been learning this week**

Are you at home?
Not your physical home, but are you at home in the Word?
I was listening to a speaker speak on this and it really struck me.
He was talking about how well you know God's Word- I mean do you
know it well enough that when you read it or talk about it, your body is relaxed and says "ahhh... yes, I am home." The speaker showed some pages from the blueprints of
the church they are building. Just looking at a picture of blueprints, does is look like a home? No. When you open up your Bible, does it look like a home to you? No. In order for it to look like a home you need to familiarize yourself with it, spend time in it, study it.

You need to use it.

How do we use it?

By teaching it- explaining it to someone else. He said if you cannot teach it, it is not a home to you yet.

By Admonishing- correcting someone else. Now this doesn't make you the "Jesus police" where you can walk up to someone, tell them they are doing something wrong, point out the verse and walk away. It must be done in wisdom. Find out what the Bible says about your problems, the problems of those around you, and help them understand how they can solve this problem- use the Word! We will not fully understand Christ's words until we use them.

By singing Christ's words- there are three parts to this:
1. Psalms- music that moves YOU
2. Hymns- music that praises God
3. Spiritual songs- new songs- the church should always be composing new songs!

He then used the example of the WWJD bracelets that are so common. Yes the bracelet can remind us that we should do what Jesus would do in every situation, but if you are not at home in the Word, how will you know what Jesus would do in that situation? So instead, the bracelet makes us think we are spiritual for a moment, but really we just keep going the way we think we should.

Jesus lived about 33 years, and yes His life was much different than ours now- for instance, if I would come across a man possessed by many evil spirits, look over and see a herd of pigs that just happen to be close to a cliff overlooking the water, I will know what Jesus would do in that situation! But, since our situations are different, we need to be so at home in the words that He gave us, that we will be able to represent the Authority of Jesus, allowing us to do and say in His place.

He also gave an example of when someone was praying for him to get over his sickness, he ended the prayer with "in Jesus' name." why? Because our words have NO POWER- except for what we can do through Christ.

How many places in the Bible do you feel at home in?