Spiritual Practices: Bible Study
Overview
In this passage Paul gives several instructions for how we should live our lives as followers of Jesus. In this study we are going to go through this passage and make note of all of the instructions that Paul gives.
Practice
Start by grabbing a notebook and a pen or pencil. At the top of the page write "Paul's instructions for living as a Jesus follower (Ephesians 4:25-5:2)". Before you start, pray that God would open your eyes to see how you can grow to be more like Jesus. Read through the passage and make a list of all of the instructions that Paul gives. Make sure to read over the passage a couple of times to make sure that you got them all. After you have made the list, read over it a couple of times and ask God if there is any particular one that you need to work on for the next week. Mark the one or two that you think God is pointing you towards and make a concerned effort to work on those areas for the next week. Finally, pray that God will help you be more of an imitator of him in this area.
Note that this may be a practice you want to come back to several times of the coming weeks as you strive to be more like Jesus.
Overview
In this passage Paul gives several instructions for how we should live our lives as followers of Jesus. In this study we are going to go through this passage and make note of all of the instructions that Paul gives.
Practice
Start by grabbing a notebook and a pen or pencil. At the top of the page write "Paul's instructions for living as a Jesus follower (Ephesians 4:25-5:2)". Before you start, pray that God would open your eyes to see how you can grow to be more like Jesus. Read through the passage and make a list of all of the instructions that Paul gives. Make sure to read over the passage a couple of times to make sure that you got them all. After you have made the list, read over it a couple of times and ask God if there is any particular one that you need to work on for the next week. Mark the one or two that you think God is pointing you towards and make a concerned effort to work on those areas for the next week. Finally, pray that God will help you be more of an imitator of him in this area.
Note that this may be a practice you want to come back to several times of the coming weeks as you strive to be more like Jesus.
Spiritual Practices: Breath Prayer
Overview
As Paul closes chapter 4, he give the followers of Jesus in Ephesus some specific instructions on how they should live their daily lives as followers of Jesus. As he opens chapter 5 he sums it all up in the instruction to be imitators of God as children and to walk in love as Christ loved us. If you have ever been around small children very long, you have seen them imitate their parents or other adults. It is fun to watch, but it is also how they learn to be adults when they grow up. In the same way, we learn what it means to live as a follower of Jesus by imitating God, especially through the example of Jesus. That is what this breath prayer is about.
Prayer
Abba Father, help me be like you.
Overview
As Paul closes chapter 4, he give the followers of Jesus in Ephesus some specific instructions on how they should live their daily lives as followers of Jesus. As he opens chapter 5 he sums it all up in the instruction to be imitators of God as children and to walk in love as Christ loved us. If you have ever been around small children very long, you have seen them imitate their parents or other adults. It is fun to watch, but it is also how they learn to be adults when they grow up. In the same way, we learn what it means to live as a follower of Jesus by imitating God, especially through the example of Jesus. That is what this breath prayer is about.
Prayer
Abba Father, help me be like you.
Living Out the Text: The Christian Life 101
In this passage, Paul gives us some basic instructions for daily living. It is basically “The Christian Life 101”. The concepts in this class (if you will) are simple and clear cut. However, they are much harder to put into practice than one might think. Even seasoned Christians can find themselves caught up in saying and doing the wrong things.
Even the well-intentioned Christian can find themselves caught up in the gossip session. The negativity crowd can have their influence. At other times, people hurt us by their actions and it can be easy to fall into the trap of unforgiveness.
Even though it is difficult, we must make the choice to be more like Christ. We are to lay aside offenses, forgive, and speak kindly of others. We are not to let our tongues get the best of us. All of our conversations should be lifting up others. We are to be vessels of God’s grace. By allowing the Holy Spirit to help us, we can achieve these goals.
The end goal of this passage is spelled out in chapter 5, verses 1-2; we are to be imitators of God, as dear children. We must strive every day to be more like Him, and less like ourselves. If you find yourself in the negativity crowd, it’s not too late. Ask Jesus to forgive you and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you. Let us all strive to be more like Christ today. Then tomorrow we can ask God to help us be more like Christ than we were yesterday.
Rick Heinrich
In this passage, Paul gives us some basic instructions for daily living. It is basically “The Christian Life 101”. The concepts in this class (if you will) are simple and clear cut. However, they are much harder to put into practice than one might think. Even seasoned Christians can find themselves caught up in saying and doing the wrong things.
Even the well-intentioned Christian can find themselves caught up in the gossip session. The negativity crowd can have their influence. At other times, people hurt us by their actions and it can be easy to fall into the trap of unforgiveness.
Even though it is difficult, we must make the choice to be more like Christ. We are to lay aside offenses, forgive, and speak kindly of others. We are not to let our tongues get the best of us. All of our conversations should be lifting up others. We are to be vessels of God’s grace. By allowing the Holy Spirit to help us, we can achieve these goals.
The end goal of this passage is spelled out in chapter 5, verses 1-2; we are to be imitators of God, as dear children. We must strive every day to be more like Him, and less like ourselves. If you find yourself in the negativity crowd, it’s not too late. Ask Jesus to forgive you and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you. Let us all strive to be more like Christ today. Then tomorrow we can ask God to help us be more like Christ than we were yesterday.
Rick Heinrich