I Gotta Find Peace of Mind, Lauryn Hill

Being Reflections of God

Ephesians 5:1-21, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Therefore be imitators of God, as dearly loved children. 2And walk in love, as the Messiah also loved us and gave Himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. 3But sexual immorality and any impurity or greed should not even be heard of among you, as is proper for saints. 4And course any foolish talking or crude joking are not suitable, but rather giving thanks. 5For know and recognize this: no sexually immoral or impure or greedy person, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of the Messiah and of God.

6Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for because of these things God’s wrath is coming on the disobedient. 7Therefore, do not become their partners. 8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light—9for the fruit of the light results in all goodness, righteousness, and truth—10discerning what is pleasing to the Lord. 11Don’t participate in the fruitless works of darkness, but instead, expose them. 12For it is shameful even to mention what is done in secret. 13Everything exposed by the light is made clear, 14for what makes everything clear is light. Therefore it is sad: Get up, sleeper, and rise up from the dead, and the Messiah will shine on you.

15Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise—16making the most of the time, because the days are evil. 17So don’t be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18And don’t get drunk with wine, which leads to reckless actions, but be filled with the Spirit

Points of pontification:

• What things about you don't reflect God's character?
• If imitating God is an overwhelming thought, what can be done to make it less intimidating?
• God doesn't ask us to be sexually pure because he wants to keep us from enjoying life, but rather because he wants us to enjoy it.
• When one becomes obsessed (and go after them greedily) with their vices, the vice has become an idol.
• When you accept the salvation Christ offers, you are sealed by the spirit (Ephesians 1:13) but we are also told to be filled with him. This indicates a repetitive action.
• While people, depending on their backgrounds, have differing opinions about Christians and alcohol, one thing is clear: scripture advocates sobriety. When filled (or drunk) with wine you're left out of control; when filled with the spirit leaves you in control. Alcohol is not the only thing that can intoxicate us.

Didn't Cha Know, Erykah Badu

Out with the Old and in with the New

Ephesians 4:17-32, Christian Holman Bible

17So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, 18being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart;19and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.

20But you did not learn Christ in this way, 21if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, 22that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, 23and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

25Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE of you WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, for we are members of one another. 26BE ANGRY, AND yet DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27and do not give the devil an opportunity. 28He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need. 29Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. 30Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

Points of pontification:

• Change can be difficult, even you've determined to do it.
• For background about Paul's issues with the noted Gentiles of v. 18, see Romans 1:18-32.
• Going along with the crowd can be dangerous. The Message translations says, "I insist that there be no going along with the crowd, the empty-headed, mindless crowd."
• How can you lay aside the old self to put on the new self.
• Your mind dictates your actions. (Proverbs 29:18)
• Anger is a surface emotion. Even when it is justified, don't let it take root or nurture it. When not addressed, anger morphs into other emotions like bitterness, resentment and unforgiveness and. At this point, Satan has inevitably already begun to exploit our feelings.
• Christians' words out to edify, be appropriate and bring grace.
• We are to forgive quickly and completely, as Christ has forgiven us.

We're Gonna Make It, Damian Marley

Don't you hate when people don't have real videos? Anyway, this is the song that accompanied the bible lesson for the week.

What parallels, if any, do you draw?

Gifts are for Sharing

Ephesians 4:1-16, Holman Christian Bible

1Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, 2with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, 3being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. 7But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. 8Therefore it says,
"WHEN HE ASCENDED ON HIGH,
HE LED CAPTIVE A HOST OF CAPTIVES,
AND HE GAVE GIFTS TO MEN."

9(Now this expression, "He ascended," what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things.) 11And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;13until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. 14As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; 15but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, 16from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

Things to ponder:

• Each person has a calling. What's yours?
• Humility is an absence of pride and self-assertion based on self-knowledge and an understanding of God-given worth of others; gentleness is consideration and kindness--it implies firmness and simultaneous tenderness; patience is long suffering; tolerance is accepting one another, considering imperfections.
• Christ gives us saving grace (a gift), but also equips us with gifts that can be used individually and as a body for a collective goal.
• Truth without love is harsh; love without truth is weak.

Starting at the Very Beginning (Sort of)

A typical Tuesday evening with Peculiar People begins with a song one might not expect to hear at a bible study. When available, along with the weekly postings of the text covered during the discussion a video of the song used will also be posted. The group is currently studying the book of Ephesians.