A Journey Through Ephesians…2:1-3

Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil – the commander of the power in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else. Ephesians 2:1-3

The next few days hold important passages so promise me you won’t speed read.

I always encourage you to read the passage several times over, asking yourself and the Lord questions with each reading. So before I begin, what stands out to you from this passage?

I will share what the Lord highlights today for me… then I hopping off and sit with Him for a while. Chapter 2 is very reflective for me. Ok here it goes.

1. I was DEAD in my disobedience. Not wounded. Or off track. I didn’t need a counselor or pep talk. I didn’t need to do better or be better. A self-help book couldn’t touch the state of depravity I was in. I WAS DEAD. I needed resurrection. I was COMPLETELY separated from God because I was refusing to obey Him. I was obeying the devil (not intentionally, but still), submitted to my flesh and wooed by the world with all of its lusts and pleasures. Let this Truth settle. IT IS HEAVY. Paul’s language is weighty and intentional. WE WERE DEAD. I needed something or SOMEONE to transform my moral and spiritual life – I needed a Savior. And friend, so did you.

2. Which leads me to my second highlight … “Just like the rest of the world” and “all of us used to live that way” and “just like everyone else.” There are NO pointing fingers here. Paul says – WE ALL WERE LIKE THIS. So can we just agree that playing “little miss goody two shoes” is obsolete? We are all SAVED BY GRACE. All of us were D-E-A-D in our sins. Now, some of you are a little luckier and don’t have hard, dark stories and trauma caused by these darker days. I could embarrassed myself quite pink if I told you some pre-Jesus Becky tales. Lawdy day, she was a mess. BUT – it doesn’t matter. God isn’t concerned with the darkness of our past. We aren’t graded on the severity. We were ALL SUBJECT TO HIS ANGER.

3. Third highlight is knowing some people read this and are STILL in this place – refusing to obey God and living according to passionate desires and inclinations. Well, first I AM SO GLAD YOU ARE READING THIS. And second – we all lived this way. You are not “other.” Or too far gone. Just wait… there is a BIG OL’ “BUT GOD” coming tomorrow. And these are the two words that changed my life.

See you all then. xoxo