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week 09 – Ephesians 5
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week 09 – Ephesians 5
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week 09 – Ephesians 5 – “Imitating God”
This week we’re talking about Ephesians 5.
I think we could all agree that we as Christians could use a good degree more of becoming more like Christ.
Am I right?
It seems to be a major theme in Scripture:
- God creates us IN HIS IMAGE
- God tries to teach us in the Old Testament His ways, nature, & how to walk close with Him
- Jesus comes to rescue us back to Him AND to a life/lifestyle of abundance by walking & living like Him
Everywhere you look in Scripture, it seems like God knows EXACTLY how we will be MOST BLESSED and FULLY ALIVE… and that is if we live & walk like He does.
So He is in FULL FORCE for trying to teach us His ways so that we can be saved from all of our troubles and live the life He made us for.
In Ephesians 5 here, The Holy Spirit through Paul is laying it out REAL CLEAR for us… “IMITATE GOD YO!”
Ok so that may not be a direct quote… but it basically is.
Ephesians 5:1 – “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
Then he goes into what to get rid of, and what to make sure is in there ( in your life/lifestyle).
You’re starting to see just exactly why we call this LIFESTYLE CATALYST ACADEMY! 😉
It’s because Jesus is after changing our LIFESTYLES so that we can truly CHANGE THE WORLD…
Ephesians 5:8-10 – “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.”
He even lays it out for Husbands & wives, how they can imitate God.
Overall:
- there is a way the world does things… and there is a way that God does things…
- there is a way that leads to death (Proverbs 14:2, 16:25)… and there is a way that leads to life (John 14:6, John 10:10).
So we have a decision to make:
- blindly let our lives & lifestyles get shaped by the world
- or intentionally reshape our lives/lifestyles by imitating God & getting Him shape our character, etc.
Let’s MOS DEF choose option 2, and let’s focus on ways to imitate God here together this week.
QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF
- What in my life currently lines up with Paul’s “Child of darkness” list of things to get rid of?
- What in my life currently lines up with Paul’s “Child of light” list of things to do?
- Ask God if there is anything else He wants to reveal to you about your own lifestyle & ways that you can start to imitate God EVEN MORE?
SCRIPTURE
Ephesians 5
WEEKLY FOCUS
This week, read through Ephesians 5 as many times as you want to.
Think about the difference between living the world way, “as a child of darkness”, and the new way, “as a child of light”.
Ask God if there are any areas in your life that need some reshaping in order to represent & look like Him more.
Let this theme guide your God time all week, and even your thoughts and conversation with Him through out your days, all week long.
Let Him speak to you about this idea of “Imitating God”, and see what He says.
We’d love to hear your feedback/thoughts/questions, so hop into the Bible Studies conversation thread in SLACK & we’re excited to see what the Lord speaks to you this week.
BLESSINGS!
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