Dear Brethren,

MEDITATION
2 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,  2  in which you
once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the
power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,  3  among
whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the
desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as
the others.

OBSERVATION AND INTERPRETATION

1. Remembering the sinful past

a) Dead in trespasses and sins
b) Walked according to the course of this world
c) Walked according to the prince of the power of the air (reference to Satan)
d) He still works in disobedient people

2. Personal Identification

a) Note the word “we”
b) The lusts of the flesh
c) Fulfilling the desires of the flesh
d) And of the mind
e) By nature, the children of wrath

APPLICATION TO LIFE AND MINISTRY

1. Remembering our own sinful past

a) This must not be forgotten
b) There are many important lessons to learn if we do not forget

2. The following good things can happen:

a) Sin problem

i) We will not fall into sin so easily
ii) We will not give in to temptations easily too

b) Satan problem

i) We will be more alert
ii) We will resist him more strongly
iii) We need to be wiser and more discerning

c) Personal sin problem

i) We will repent
ii) We will not return to our old ways
iii) We must recognize our areas of weaknesses

3. Recognizing the problems that affect our church members

a) Many struggle with sin problems
b) Many yield to sin and Satan easily
c) They weaken the church

4. Ministry to church members

a) Identify with them
b) Help them fight sin and Satan
c) Strengthen their hands

5. Let us seek to apply what we have read from Ephesians 1-2
It is not enough to read and to know but to apply the lessons in our life humbly and diligently.

Prayerfully,
Pastor Charles Tan