Ephesians 5:15-20

[Shield]

Shield> Hello and welcome everyone:)
Shield> I am so glad you could make it tonight for our continuing study on Ephesians
Shield> Let's open with prayer
Shield> Our Father we are so grateful to be here
Shield> You are our God
Shield> and we love you
Shield> may this time we have together be one that brings us to a deeper understanding of your Word
Shield> so that we may learn to follow you more closely
Shield> in Jesus matchless name I pray amen
Shield> Ephesians 5:15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise,
Shield> ok...
Shield> here we see a warning
Shield> the Apostle warns his readers to caution
Shield> regarding how they walk
Hats> The believers walk.
Shield> yes
Shield> this is in the context of what be have been studying
Bride> as children of the light...
Shield> yes indeed
Hats> And, the Light is our Lord
Shield> Ephesians 5:16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil.
Shield> this is an interesting qualification
Shield> in conjunction with the warning
Shield> we are to be careful how we walk
Shield> in our behavior
Shield> our speech
Shield> our relationships we will see this especially in the next few weeks)
Shield> and we are to make the most of our time
Hats> Yes, the right use of our time.
Shield> time, which I might add, is increasingly short
Shield> make every moment count in other words
Shield> Ephesians 5:17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
Shield> we see some repetition here
Shield> again we see an imperative
Hats> Submission to His Divine Will
Shield> yes
Shield> he uses an imperative in the form of contrasts
Shield> by that I mean...
Shield> he says do not be foolish....
Shield> but understand what the will of the Lord is
Shield> by doing this he reiterates his previous statement
Shield> let me repeat those verses for those that just joined
Shield> Ephesians 5:15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise,
Shield> Ephesians 5:16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil.
Shield> Ephesians 5:17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
Shield> we see a building momentum here in Paul's argument
Shield> be careful....
Shield> not as unwise but as wise
Shield> make the most of our time
Shield> do not be foolish
Shield> understand God's will
Shield> thats the basic framework
Shield> Ephesians 5:18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,
Shield> Paul saw this statement as necessary because indeed some of his audience were coming out of a lifestyle of drunkeness
Hats> A warning concerning the use of wine and warning against how much to drink.
Shield> for those of you who recall from our first session weeks ago will remember that Ephesus was a very wicked city
Shield> and that influence was very prevalent
Shield> so Paul was inspired by the Holy Spirit to address it head on
Shield> questions or comments and what we have discussed so far?
Hats> Indeed, or Paul wouldn't have brought up this matter.
Shield> yes exactly
Shield> Paul was a student of people
Shield> as well as the Word
Shield> Ephesians 5:19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;
Hats> We should be a consistent example before the world...we, as Christians
Shield> indeed
Shield> and here we see Paul's example
Shield> the neat thing about the biblical record...
Shield> is that rather than simply stating what we should not do....
Shield> the Bible also teaches how we should live
Shield> lets post it again
Shield> Ephesians 5:19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;
Shield> Worship
Shield> Worship
Shield> yes I meant to repeat:)
Shield> are you lonely and hurting?
Hats> Yes, and the songs coming from the heart not merely the tongue.
Shield> Worship our Lord in the company of His people
Bride> it is a natural outflow of a Spirit-filled life .... which the preceeding verse tells us to have
HolyHeart> John 4 says the Father seeks those who worship Him in spirit & in truth!
Shield> yes thats true Bride
Shield> amen HolyHeart
Shield> notice he says speak to one another
Hats> To fellow Christians
Shield> worship in the context of fellowship folks
Shield> God did not design us to live in isolation
Shield> we are people who are called to live in commmunity
Shield> with each other
HolyHeart> we to speak the Word to others cuz God's Word is living & powerful!!!!!!!
Shield> and in the fellowship of our Lord
Shield> amen
Hats> Amen
Shield> Ephesians 5:20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;
Shield> and in our worship....
Shield> be thankful
Hats> Not only on Thanksgiving day..but, every day.
Lil_Timothy> God gives us so much to be thankful for :)
Shield> yes amen
Hats> Amen, Lil_Timothy...if we just look around us, we will see how much.
HolyHeart> He daily loads us with benefits says the Psalms!
[20:24] <Shield> yes amen
Lil_Timothy> Each day we have is a blessing from the Lord
Hats> Yes
Shield> let me tell you something I have learned....from hard experience in life and ministry
Shield> i will moderate the room for a moment to do so
Shield> do you want to persevere?
Shield> in life?
Shield> in ministry?
Shield> in your relationships?
Shield> then take Ephesians 5:15-20 to heart
Shield> especially
Shield> Ephesians 5:19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;
Shield> Ephesians 5:20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;
Shield> lets be thankful
Shield> a thankful heart has a very difficult time tolerating thr cultivation of bitterness
Shield> and will create an environment wherein you will find that your relationships to people..and to God...are growing fruitfully
Shield> lets pray
Shield> Our Lord you are on the throne and we worship you. Be glorified in all we say and do as we strive to be a thankful people. Amen!
Shield> thanks for coming all:)