The Dwelling Richly Podcast

Ephesians Lesson 4/Days 9 & 10

Alcohol has the effect of loosening up and lowering inhibitions. It causes some to pour out angrily and others to gush emotionally– about what? Who knows? God’s word is clear – don’t fill yourselves with wine to the point of drunkenness, be filled up with the Holy Spirit, so much so that you gush forth songs of praise, love, encouragement, and truth about God! That’s the distinctive of a Christian. They are overflowing with the Spirit! They can’t help but be like the skies and stars pouring forth speech that reveals the knowledge of God (Ps. 19).
Day Ten is our Create & Share day...
Ok, let’s really picture this in real life. How would it transform your church, your Bible study, your Christian community if you literally lived “addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” today? Colossians 3:16 gives some guidance and it’s the basis for the name of this Bible study: “Dwelling Richly”.
 If we truly lived out these passages, wouldn’t we overflow with truth from the Word of God as we talked with one another? When someone came to you hurting you’d have the life-giving Word of God rather than man’s words to offer them. When you felt the sting of strife and disagreements you could easily overcome that with the peaceful and strong melodies of praise from the Psalm. Like David soothing Saul with his psalms and singing, your heart too would be soothed.
 For our Create & Share let’s just spend time immersed in the Word through worship.
 What songs of praise speak the truth of God’s Word to you?
 What hymn has brought you great joy and peace?
Put on your favorite worship songs and write out the words to a
Psalm, a hymn or a praise song on the next page.
Thank God for the creative gift of worship.
Thank God that we are His image bearers and because he is a creator – so are we!
Thank God that he has created for you good works to do and that you are His poetry in motion!
 I’ve created a playlist for this Bible study and would love to share it with you!
Get the Spotify app on your phone or computer and go to:
Find my profile by searching “Jennifer Garrett Richmond”
Then go to my playlist called “Ephesians: Made for More”
 Listen to my playlist or create and share your own, then write out the words to your favorite psalm, hymn, or worship song on the last page of this lesson packet. Be sure to share on Facebook or Instagram with the hashtag #lmccwomen and #dwellingrichlybiblestudy

Ephesians Lesson 4/Day 8

When we live a life following Christ and wisdom of God, our light is a bright contrast to the darkness and futility of the world. Isn’t this the purpose of the church – to “make known the wisdom of God”? It’s a basic principle. When two things differ in appearance, they represent differences in meaning or message. That’s our calling. That’s our worthy walk! To walk as children of light. To allow the light and truth of Jesus to expose our own sin and to in turn, expose darkness by our light. Our choices are supposed to contrast with the world’s choices so we communicate a different meaning and message. This is what Paul means when he says we expose the deeds of darkness. Our God-imitating life exposes the world’s evil. But wait, that’s not all! It goes beyond simply pointing out evil. The Greek word translated expose actually means to refute. The world says, “live how you want. Love whom you choose.” Christians refute that. We bring God’s truth and light and say, “Live worthy of your calling. Love as Christ loved. Be sexually pure.” By our life we are refuting the world’s perspective, speaking the truth in love, and being the Light in this darkness.

Ephesians Lesson 4/Day 7

Today's study is from Ephesians 4:30-5:5
Imagine sitting in the law office of your family’s lawyer as the will of your great-grandfather – a billionaire - is read. Imagine the anticipation as it gets to the moment of each person’s inheritance being read aloud. Now imagine your name being read followed by, “no inheritance for you.” Can you feel the rejection? The devastation and questions? As horrible as it would be to be cut off from a worldly inheritance like this it’s even more devastating to consider missing out on the spiritual inheritance promised to those who are sealed by the Holy Spirit because of Jesus. So, we cannot take lightly the reality – the serious reality – of these verses. The inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God is for those who are meek, morally pure and are not idolaters. In fact, no liar, adulterer, or even cowardly are entitled to the inheritance (Rev. 21:8). Who has hope then? Aren’t we all sinners in one way or another? Yes. Those who are not “renewed in the spirit of your minds” – who have not “put on the new self in true righteousness” have not been brought near are all still foreigners and strangers. They have not been sealed by the Holy Spirit. Paul is going to go on to address the difference between those who are truly in Christ and those who are in darkness. But he’s making a clear distinction here first. Only those who are “imitators of God as beloved children” can inherit the kingdom. We do not inherit as a result of anything we’ve done (Eph. 2:8), we inherit because Christ is our righteousness, our peace, our savior. We will then demonstrate that we are a part of God’s family because, as Christ gave himself up as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God, so will we.
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Ephesians Lesson 4/Day 6

I heard it said long ago that, “Parking yourself in the garage doesn’t make you a car any more than sitting in a pew at church makes you a Christian.” As much as completing a list of good and avoiding a list of bad behaviors might make you a nicer person, it won’t make you a more saved, sanctified, or heavenly-bound person. Life in Christ is about walking our new walk, giving special consideration to sins that interfere with the unity of the body, and obeying God – but that’s not the way to a new life, that’s the result of a new life – a life that has been renewed because of what God caused to happen in you through Jesus and by the Holy Spirit. Anyone could be kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving – only a Christian is able to live this way and make it matter for eternity.

Ephesians Lesson 4/Day 5 "Let God's Word Impact the Way You Live"

Ephesians 4:25-30
I don’t know about you, but I’m a “list person.” I like my lists for to-do’s, groceries, timetable, and even my behavior. I’ve always been like this. I actually made lists when I was a kid and posted them up around the house! When it comes to the Word of God, I like to see my lists there as well. I see the “do’s & don’ts” of Scripture and I want to get it right and do right by God. I’m mindful of the great gift of His love and grace I’ve been given and my desire is to reflect well back on Him. I don’t want to walk in futility – I want my life to matter. I don’t want to be ignorant of truth – I want to live the Truth. I don’t want to be alienated from God – I want to rejoice in my closeness to the Creator. So, when I read a passage like ours today I take it seriously – like an inventory of my heart’s condition. And I’m so thankful that it’s not a to-do list of don’ts with no hope for truly accomplishing the “do’s”! The final words in this passage remind me of the power I have in me to do this: I’ve been “sealed for the day of redemption.” That’s some pretty amazing good news! A list of what to do or not do in life is at best a worthless piece of paper and at worst a reminder of my utter inability to ever get it all done – but the empowering word of God is beyond a to-do list! It’s a “to-done” list in a sense and a hopeful reminder that I have access to a new heart, a renewed mind, and a future that is protected by the promise of the gifts I’ve been blessed with in the heavenly places! Thank God for that!

Ephesians Lesson 4/Day 4

When we become a Christian, we are given the gift of salvation along with the gift of a truly new life. On the one hand, we are a totally new creation and yet, we still have a body that walks through this world and all its temptations. If you’ve ever struggled with your “old self” you’re not alone! Walking in a “manner worthy of our calling” isn’t easy. It’s tempting to just do it the old way. Recall that after being rescued and miraculously delivered from slavery in Egypt, the Hebrews moaned and complained and wanted to go back! As you reflect on your study today, let your prayer be for a faithful heart and a truly renewed mind that would never ever want to go back to its old sinful self.
 

Ephesians Lesson 4/Day 3

Jesus told His disciples that they were to be “in this world, but not of it.” He said they were to be distinct like salt and like light. As Christians, we are to live differently than the world lives. This call is not just a different set of moral codes – the world is full of their own. Our call is rooted and founded in Christ – what He’s done, who we are in Him...in His love. Walking in this way sets us apart from others – if we’re truly walking in a manner worthy of our calling in Christ. I recognize that I wrestle with being too much like the world around me in ways. Sometimes I love the sinful things that the people of this world love. I ought to be living a God-centered, God-loving, God-honoring, God-desiring life. What if, as fellow walkers along this way, we lived out what Paul has already done...to “speak the truth in love” to one another? What if, we were so tender to the way sin hardens our hearts that we had no tolerance for it staying in our lives? Let’s rise up to this life and walk in this way together! What a difference it will make! Let us not be conformed to this world, but transformed by the renewing of our minds. May we walk in a manner worthy of our calling in Jesus. To that end, I pray that you would open our eyes and our hearts as we go along the way together in Christ.

Ephesians Lesson 4/Day 1

Read Ephesians 4:17-5:21 with me today as we begin our new lesson. Please download the current lesson at www.LaMiradaChurch.com or contact Jennifer@LaMiradaChurch.com

Exceedingly Abundantly

Can't imagine a way out? God can. Can't see your way past this? God can. Can't keep hope alive? God can, and has, and will for those who trust Him! You'll find deep well of encouragement in today's message from Ephesians 3:1-4:16

Ephesians Lesson 3/Days 8-9

When my son was little he came to me and announced, "Mom! Guess what? I'm 8 feet 2 inches tall!" I laughed a bit and asked how he measured himself. “With this!” he said sweetly and proudly handed me a 6-inch ruler; he was actually 4 foot 1inch. Isn’t that the same problem we have in life? We measure ourselves by the wrong standard – often against one another. But God shows us the ultimate measure – Jesus. The only standard by which we will ultimately be measured will be the measuring stick of Christ. We need to remember the goal of the gifts that God has given us is so that we will grow "to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” There is the measuring stick – the fullness of Christ. This would be a lost cause if it weren’t for this amazing truth – God’s gifts to us equip us to do exactly this! Here is our purpose, our mission, our calling! Our life will only be complete when we aim for the goal we were designed for – to do the good works created for us to do. Remember this isn’t empty, altruistic “good deeds!” The whole point is to point to Jesus and to know that he is not Jesus a miracle worker, an amazing teacher, but Jesus Christ the man, the Son of God and Son of Man. He is the way God measures us, and the one whom we are to measure ourselves by