

## The Prison of Freedom

By Don Hatfield

Copyright 2013 Don Hatfield

Smashwords Edition

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter One - Day One

Day Two

Day Three

Day Four

Day Five

Day Six

Day Seven

Day Eight

Day Nine

# Introduction

Come meet the Apostle Paul as he writes his letter to the Ephesians. Take an imaginary journey with Paul and a new believer named Tychicus. Listen as Paul writes his letter to the Ephesians while explaining its meaning to Tychicus. Sit with them in the confines of their jail cell in Rome as they meet Gregory, Mr Gruff, Lucius and Angel.

# Chapter one - Day one

They had me in hand cuffs as they led me toward the prison cell. They said that telling men about Jesus was not allowed here in the city of Rome. I had only been a believer for a short time and was just bursting to tell others of this wonderful Savior. I never dreamed that I would be arrested for doing so. They led me down a winding hallway to a heavy wooden door. They unlocked it, took off the cuffs and roughly pushed me inside. I tripped and fell onto a hard floor facing the wall. I had been slapped around some and felt bruised and broken in body and in spirit. I laid there for a little while and then rolled over and it was then that I saw him sitting there looking at me. He rose up and came over and helped me into one of the rickety wooden chairs that were in the cell. He gave me some water and then sat down beside me and said the strangest thing. "God sent you to me", I just stared at him. Finally I opened my mouth and said, "What in the world are you talking about? He spoke very gently to me and said, "God has sent you here to learn and to help. First to learn of Him, to know of His grace and love for you and second to help me. You see I have very bad eyesight and I am writing to some of my fellow believers in Ephesus to encourage and uplift them. When I write it is hard for me to know if they will be able to read it. Now that you have come I will explain to you about your God and Savior as I write. You can then look at my writing and tell me if you think they will be able to read it."

I stared at him for a little while and then asked his name. He said my name is Paul what is yours I told him that mine was Tychicus. He was an average size man in his mid-forties with closed cropped dark hair and dark eyes. He clothes looked as if they had once been very expensive but were showing signs of wear as they had several rips in the arms and back. Once while we were washing I saw his back and it looked like he had suffered terrible beatings. I did not dare ask him about for as I was to discover he was a very private man. A serious man whose conversation always revolved around his Savior and God. It was getting late and I was physically exhausted. Paul shared some of his bread and water with me and then said let's get some sleep for we have much work to do tomorrow. With that we both went to bed.

# Day Two

The daylight came dripping through the one window that was in the cell. I began to stir around and when I looked for Paul I spotted him in the corner of the room down on his knees praying. I thought that perhaps that I should do the same. I must confess that as I was trying to pray I would take a peek with my eyes to see if Paul was done. After a while I grew tired of waiting and just sat down on the floor and watched him. It was as if he were somewhere else with someone else. Finally Paul looked around at me and smiled and said," good morning." The guards brought us some figs, bread and grapes. Paul then got out his writing materials looked at me and said, "Let's get started" I pulled up a chair beside of Him and sat down. I can now only tell you how he began to teach me and write at the same time. He would write a sentence or two speaking out loud as he wrote then we would often talk about what he had written. I would then look at what he had written there in that dim light and tell him if I could make out the words that he had written. What follows is what Paul explained to me. I hope that you come to know our Lord a little more intimately as I did when you hear what he had to say. His very first sentence to his fellow believers at Ephesus started like this. "Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God to the saints which are at Ephesus and to the faithful in Christ Jesus. Paul stopped and looked at me and in a kidding voice said to me," Tychicus, my apostle, how are you feeling today? I said." Paul I am no apostle", to which he answered." My dear Tychicus we are all apostles because and apostle is one who is sent, a messenger for our Savior Jesus Christ. Tychicus, we are all sent to tell the world of the good news of Jesus just as someone told you my young saint." At this I actually laughed out loud and said," Paul you do not know what you are saying calling me a saint. You have no idea what a wicked life I have lived." Paul nodded his head and said," my young friend I do not need to know. The moment you came to know the Savior you became one of Gods most Holy things. That is the way He looks at you now, a most Holy thing in His Son Jesus." I was humbled to think that God would think that of me. Paul then said," that is why He wants you to be faithful as the other saints are in Ephesus. We have all become saints by the will of God in Christ Jesus our Savior." Oh yes, I learned one other thing just from that first sentence that Paul wrote. I learned that Christ means anointed one and that Jesus means that Jehovah is Salvation. I must admit that I had already become excited about this time I was going to spend with Paul. How can I put this so that I do not bore you to death? I think that I will just say next discussion when we I began to tell you of what Paul explained to me.

So here goes, next discussion. "Grace be to you", what a wonderful word I learned from Paul. Paul explained to me that this grace that he was talking about actually could be summed up this way, Gods merciful kindness to us. God who owes us nothing has in His merciful kindness came searching for us who are hiding from Him. Paul then told me the story of Adam and Eve and how they had disobeyed God and then tried to hide from Him in the garden. He came searching for them, found them, and covered them with animal skins which was a type of Jesus. He explained that it was grace that saved them just as it is grace that saves us now.

Next discussion, "grace be unto you and peace from God." After all these years of turmoil, wanderings, and battles with myself I have finally found what I have been searching for all the time. Peace with my creator, wonderful peace with the one who created me. My soul can rest now for my "Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ" have brought peace to their wandering lost son. In looking over what Paul had written I noticed that word Lord and wondered why he had put it there. Paul said the word meant owner or master and told me that I was now where I belonged back with my owner. I had been like a lost puppy who had been caught in the rain and mud and had been searching through the trash for something to eat. My owner found me there and picked me up, took me home and now I could curl up on His lap by the warm fire. I am safe within the arms of my creator. Paul then wrote one word and stopped as tears began to run down his cheeks, "Blessed", he looked at me and said "Praise, Praise, Praise, Tychicus we shall live eternally in praise for we have such a small idea of what God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us. It will take us all of eternity to find out. "As he wrote the rest of the sentence he said," do you know my young saint that you have been blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places? Not only here do you have Jesus with you but He is waiting in heaven for us to come. Tychicus eye has not seen nor ear heard of the things that God has prepared for them that are called according to His purpose." I was a little confused but Paul begin to explain what he meant with the next sentence.

Next discussion, "According as He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world. Tychicus, God in His foreknowledge knew those of us who would accept His Son Jesus as Savior. So before Jesus ever came to earth to save us, God, chose us and yet He still gave us a free will to choose." Paul looked at me and said," do not let this confuse you Tychicus nor think it strange but remember that we are talking about the God who created all things. He knows and yet we choose, what a wonderful God who would let even those He knows will despise Him still choose to reject Him. Tychicus, not only did He know before you knew but He also has decided that we should be holy and without blame as we stand before Him in His love." At this I was overwhelmed for I wanted so much to please the one who did so much to rescue me from myself. I said a silent prayer as I looked over Paul's words. I prayed that I would stay true to the one who had chosen to stay true to a sinner like me. I watched as Paul wrote the next words, "having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ", with those words Paul turned to me and said are you beginning to see my young saint. He then said to me, "how could God not know who was going to be saved. If He did not know then how could He be God? God decreed before eternity that His Son would come to save the sons of men. Yet in His loving kindness and desire to have men worship Him because they loved them He gave them free will to choose. What fantastic grace that is Tychicus, to allow that which you created out of the things which you own the right to accept you or reject you. Even more wonderful is the fact that when we accept Him as Savior we are adopted into His family. We are the sons of God, Tychicus, Glory, Glory, and Glory, he shouted. According to the good pleasure of His will we are the sons of God and He is delighted to welcome us to the family. At this I shouted Glory, Glory, Glory and Paul and I had a Glory shouting match right there in that cell. All of this shouting soon brought one of the guards to the cell door to see what was going on. I watched as Paul asked him a question, "did you know you were chosen" Paul said to him. I then watched and listened as Paul told the guard of God's loving kindness toward him. I got tears in my eyes as Paul told him of the cross and how Jesus had suffered so much so that He might have the choice of being adopted back into God's family. The guard whose name was Gregory was visibly moved but did not accept Jesus as Savior at that time. He walked away and then about fifteen minutes later came back and gave us an extra loaf of bread. Paul and I prayed for him as we broke the bread together. Paul then said that we needed to get busy again and we sat down to write some more. My heart went out to him because he labored so hard to be able to see what he was writing. I once offered to take down the words for him but he refused and told me that he was able to commune more with the Lord when he wrote the words himself.

Next discussion, "to the praise of the glory of His grace", as I read these words it was almost as if they jumped off the page at me. They seemed to sing and speak just to me and say praise to His absolute perfection, praise to His kingly majesty, which has resulted in this wonderful glorious position given to me as a believer. Praise the merciful kindness of God in which He has made me, "accepted in the beloved." I saw it, God revealed it to me, He has welcomed me into the family, accepted me, adopted me, and all because of what Jesus did. I think at that moment I caught a small glimpse of what grace really meant. In that moment, even though I could see how dark my sins were I could also see how pure I had become in Jesus. I also knew why Paul wanted to write those words himself as He communed with his Savior. Paul then looked up at me and smiled and I knew that he knew that God had revealed something of Himself to me.

Next discussion. Paul was continuing to write while I was just sitting there thanking the Lord. I looked down and read the next words that he had written, "In whom we have redemption through His blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace." I ask Paul about that word redemption and this is what he said, "Tychicus, you were kidnapped and worse you were turned into a slave. A slave to your sins, a slave to your body. There was a price on your head, a judgment, a sentence, and that sentence was eternity in Hell. Yet, in your ignorance you did not even know that you were doomed. But God in His mercy could see the price on your head and see the sentence in your soul. He looked for a way to free you from your captor, the devil. Satan tried to say there is no price you can pay for this man for He is not for sale, he is my slave and I intend to keep him. Then a voice was heard there in eternity. It was the voice of Jesus and He said, Oh, but you are wrong Satan, for I will pay a ransom with something better than gold or silver. I will pay for those who believe with my own blood, I will pay the price that cannot be paid for I already own the materials that the price demands and that is a cross. At these words I could take no more, I got up and went over into the corner of the cell and wept. I prayed Jesus you paid an unbelievable price for my worthless soul. I will never to be able to repay what I owe.

Next discussion, I finally was able to stop my joyous weeping and get up and go over to see what Paul was now laboring to write. The words he wrote were these, "wherein He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence having made known to us unto us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself." As I looked at these words I said to Paul, "He decided to do these things because it delighted Him to make Himself known to those He created. When one comes to know Him that one is made to see what others do not see. We come to know that He has given in abundance, up over and above anything that we can imagine or think of Himself to us." I could not stop talking as I exclaimed to Paul, "He has given us an understanding or knowledge of the Holy love and the will of God." I stood there looking flabbergasted at the love of God. Paul smiled and said, "Has the student now become the teacher." At this I was embarrassed and started apologizing. Paul laughed and said," Tychicus do not apologize for there is only one teacher, one Rabbi, one Master and that is our Savior." At this I also laughed and was relieved that I had such a one as Paul to be in prison with. Actually, I had been enjoying myself so much that I had forgotten that we were in prison.

Next discussion, Paul then began to write again and he spoke out loud as he wrote his next words. He said, "Tychicus, these next words are important for they talk of the future. The future that our brothers and sisters in Ephesus should know about. That in the dispensation of the fullness of time He might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in heaven and which are on the earth in Him. Our brothers need to realize that all things belong to Him no matter where they are. But all things are not of Him. Someday Tychicus when everything has run its full course then the overseer for that is what I mean by that word dispensation. The overseer which is Jesus will come and gather all that are His and all the things which are His and bring them together with the Father. But remember though all things belong to Him not all things are of Him. Those who are not of Him will be cast away for eternity to live in eternal darkness for there is no light unless He is present." A shudder went through me and the hair on my neck stood up. To think of darkness with no light for eternity. I realized that is what Hell would be like for I had been living in this darkness before I met Jesus and yet I knew that His light was still shinning in the world. In this darkness of Hell people would still have eyes but they would see no light, they would still have their minds and emotions but would not receive nor feel any warmth. I must admit that I grew very fearful for the thought came to me. What if I have somehow missed this Light?

Next discussion, Paul must have been able to read my face for he said, "do not despair Tychicus just listen and learn from what I am about to write now. In whom we have also obtained and inheritance being predestinated." I interrupted Paul and asked," what is this inheritance that we gained?" He got up and walked me over to that tiny window which let in the light. He put his hand on my shoulder and said, "Tychicus that tiny bit of light that shines through this window still sheds some warmth into this darkness. The Holy Spirit which is in the world still testifies of Christ. Many men and women refuse to admit that the light from the sun is from their Creator and many refuse to admit that the light from the Holy Spirit which speaks to their hearts is from the Son of God. Yet the light still shines." Then he walked me over to the darkest part of the cell. You could actually feel a change in the temperature over in this dark little corner. Paul then said, "Even here in the darkest part of this cell the light still affects the darkness but in Hell there will be no light. Tychicus when you accepted that light of the Son of God you obtained and inheritance in that light. The light that was predestined to shine into men's hearts from the beginning of time for men who would come to that light." Paul then sat down at the table and picked up his pen wrote, according to the purpose of Him who works all things after the counsel of His own will. That we should be to the praise of His glory who first trusted in Christ. Paul then ask me, "Do you believe that Jesus is the Son that shines in men's hearts? Yes, I do, yes I do, I shouted." Then you were predestined to be one who belongs to God. You were predestined to become part of the wonderful will of God in Christ. A partaker of all that God has for mankind in Christ Jesus. A partaker of the wonderful promises that will become ours when our Jesus will return either for us or with us from Heaven. Do you understand Tychicus?" I said with a smile," I am beginning to see that light. "Paul laughed and got up and gave me a fatherly hug.

Next discussion, Paul sat back down and said, "let us tell our friends at Ephesus a little more about these promises." He then wrote, "Wherefore after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and love unto all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you making mention of you in my prayers." I said to Paul, "do you pray for each and every one of the saints at Ephesus?" He answered, "As many as God brings to my spirit and mind." I then asked him, "do you pray for me?" He started to answer and then stopped and looked up at me from the writing table and asked, "Tychicus, do you pray for me?" At this my face probably illuminated the cell a crimson red from embarrassment. I looked down and mumbled, "I hardly pray at all." Paul softly said to me, "Tychicus prayer is communion with your Father. Always start by talking with Him. Ask Him to help you pray, ask Him to help you be honest with Him. Ask Him to show you things to praise Him for. Yes, Tychicus always start your morning prayers with praise and thankfulness to your Father, to your Savior and to His Holy Spirit. If you do that then prayer will slowly become an enjoyment instead of a boring burden." I just shook my head in an agreeable motion but I was thinking what wisdom this man had to know that prayer was often very boring to me. I wondered, am I that transparent or are all of us like that when we first get to know our Savior?

Next discussion. Thankfully, Paul did not let me swim in my embarrassment for too long but in a kind voice said," Tychicus, we must get back to writing. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory may give you unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him." Paul turned to me and said, "These few words that I have just written are what we believers need. I fear that already we are losing our focus. What we need Tychicus is the revelation from our Father of Himself to us but it is so easy to get caught up in the doing of things instead of just being with Him. He saved us that we might know Him and come into fellowship with Him but we seem to have turned that fellowship into to doing things. It is sad but we now call the doing of things fellowship. Tychicus, the two are very different. You were put in this prison because you were doing something for your Savior. You were telling others about Him. That was a good and wonderful thing. However, you are now in here where there is no one to tell. Will you still seek your Father even in here or is your focus only on the telling? God saved you to become like His Son Jesus. Keep your eyes on the purpose and you will have peace despite the circumstances." I realized that if Paul had not been in this cell when I came that very likely I would have lost my focus. I would have thought myself to be all alone. I would have complained to God that He was treating me unfairly when I was trying to do so much for Him. Paul's next words brought this into focus for me. These were the words that he was now writing. "The eyes of your understanding being enlightened that ye may know what is the hope of His calling is and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints." I know that God spoke to me again for I understood that the eyes that Paul were talking about were not the eyes that I see with but the eyes of the Spirit that I had been infused with when I got saved. His Spirit was beginning to shine His light into my spirit or as Paul wrote it He was enlightening my soul. I was beginning to perceive the wealth, the riches, and the glory of what this shabby saint had inherited. I heard a voice say "Tychicus, Tychicus, are you reading this, can you see it? I came back down to earth and smiled. Paul smiled to for he knew that God had been speaking to me.

Paul then said "Tychicus, it is time for some dinner." I had been so engrossed in learning about my Savior and Lord that I had not realized that lunch time had slipped by and that it was actually late in the afternoon. We got out our bread, figs and grapes. Paul then thanked our Father for His supply of these things to us and we had a great time eating and conversing with each other. Paul asked me about my life, where I came from and how I came to know the Savior. I told Him that my life had been very sordid up to the point that I came to know Jesus. I was a thief and a lair. I also had to admit that almost every word that came out of my mouth was usually comprised of four letters. I told him that I had gotten caught stealing fruit at a man's fruit stand. Amazingly enough instead of turning me over to the authorities the man began to tell me about Jesus. He told me of God's love for me and because of His love He came in the same likeness as me. He came in the likeness of me but He was not like me. He was God in the flesh come down from Heaven to save us who had gone astray from Him. He explained how Jesus had been crucified for our sins and that if I would go to Him and pray and believe that He had done this for one as sinful as I that He would save me from the wrath that was to come. I ran away from the man and hid out in the woods and yet what he had told me kept tugging at my heart. That night as the stars shone in the Heavens I bowed my head and ask Him to save me. I then told Paul that I fell asleep but the next morning when I woke up if was as if God made the morning just for me. The sky seemed to be the bluest that I had ever seen it to be. The grass and trees were a shimmering lovely shade of green. I shyly said to Paul it was like the birds were singing to me welcome home. At this Paul smiled and said, "They were singing to you Tychicus and I join in with them, welcome home." I then said to Paul, "I do not think there has ever been anyone as sinful as I who came to know Jesus." Paul looked at me and said, "Tychicus, sometime I will tell you about the chief of sinners but it is growing dark and we must get back to work." I wondered who this person was that could possibly be worse than I. The thought went through my mind that God's grace is unfathomable and inexhaustible.

Next discussion, Paul sat down at the table again and began to write, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe according to the working of His mighty power. I said to Paul, "I do not understand what you just wrote." Paul said, "You will, Tychicus let me write a little more." I watched as he wrote, "Which He wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places." Paul then said to me, "You see Tychicus when God raised Jesus from the dead He was also showing us that He would resurrect us just as He did with Jesus and that He would also place us in Heaven with Him. He did this Tychicus because of His great love for His Son and His Son's great love for us. The amazing thing is that we did nothing to deserve any of this. He did it all and will do it all by His grace and power." When Paul said this we both shouted, "Halleluiah" at the same time and laughed a God given laugh. Paul then turned back to writing the next sentences, far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this world but also in that which is to come. Paul stopped and said, "Tychicus, let's look at these few words that we have written to the saints at Ephesus. Remember just a minute ago we said that we would be raised with Jesus by Gods exceedingly great power. Tychicus, let's look at what these powers are that God has raised Jesus above. God put Jesus far above all principalities or in other words He is far above anything that has ever been or ever will be. Tychicus, Jesus is also above all power meaning He is above all government powers, also all might or military power, also all dominions or lordships, kings, queens, princes and every name that is named in this world." Paul's voice began to take on that excitement again when he said, "and every name that can be named in any world. Tychicus, God has laid everything at the feet of Jesus and He has made Jesus the head of the church. The church, Tychicus that is us we are his church here on this earth. We are his body, we are the body of His believers who are filled with His presence, His power, and His riches in God. We will be made His completeness He will fill us completely full with Himself." At this Paul stopped and just sat there and just slowly shook His in wonder and amazement. After a few minutes he turned to me and said, "Tychicus, it has grown too dark to write any longer and I am very tired. Let's say our prayers and then get some sleep. Paul began to pray and my mind began to think of all the things that God had showed me this day. I must confess that I fell asleep as he was praying but the last thought that I remember having was this. If is this prison, this feeling so close to God then may it continue until He receives me in glory.

# Day Three

The next morning I was awaken by a sound that I will describe as marching feet. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness I could make out Paul over in the corner walking in place. He was swinging his arms and moving his feet as if marching. Actually, I guess he was marching for every once in a while he would go around in a small circle. I could hear him singing just under his breath. I guess I must have moved a little for he said, "Good morning Tychicus, guess what? I stared at him for a few seconds and then said, "What?" He got a big smile on his face and said, "God is just the same today as He was yesterday. He loves me and you." He then smiled again and said, "Guess what again?" This time I said with a smile on my face, "What again." Paul laughed and said, "Though He is the same wonderful God and Savior today as He was yesterday we will not be the same after today for He will reveal some more of Himself to us. He will make us a little more like Jesus today." He then stopped and said, "We should take care of these bodies that He has allowed us to use." At this I looked down at my ever growing stomach and said to myself, "Lord Jesus, I too need to take care of what you have allowed me to use." Paul said, "Tychicus, we will have our time of prayer and communion with our Lord now and then we will eat." He went over into one corner and I into another. I began to try to pray and then a thought came to me. "Why don't you just try to thank God for the thousands of things that He has put here for you to enjoy?" I began to think on things such as the warmth of the sun, gentle breezes, and ocean waters. I began to thank Him for beautiful sunsets, and star filled nights. As I began just to thank Him for these pleasures that He allowed me enjoy I think that I actually began to commune with my creator. Of course after doing this for a while I again began to peek to see if Paul was done and of course he was not. Again I tell you that if I could not see that his body was there I would have thought that he was someplace else for his face seemed to have a look of rapture and contentment on it.

Paul finally finished praying and about the same time one of the guards brought us our food and water for the day. We were both hoping that it would be Gregory that we might speak again to him of Christ. Sad to say it was not as a matter of fact the guard that came this day was surly and gruff. Paul asked about Gregory but the guard did not even speak or acknowledge our presence. He just left the food and walked away. The sun had begun to give more light through the window and after eating Paul said let us get started writing again to our fellow believers in Ephesus. We had finished one page yesterday so we began another today. Paul began to write the following words," and you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins." He then stopped and said, "Tychicus, just as we are beginning a new page of writing to our friends at Ephesus you too are beginning a new life, a new page, a new chapter for you were dead before you met Jesus. Yes, my boy, we all were dead in our trespasses. We all had wandered from the truth of God and His righteousness. We were all dead in our sins, we all had violated Gods law. Tychicus, do not listen to men when they declare all the good that they have done. Listen to see if they proclaim all of the grace that God has given and then you will know whether or not if they have come to know the Savior." Paul, dipped his pen and began again to write, "Wherein time past ye walked according to the course of this world according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience." Paul said to me, "Tychicus, this sentence makes me very sad. I am afraid that many of God's children are still walking as they walked in times past. They are still caught up in the things of this world worrying about their earthly goods, their riches, their pleasures. Those things that are hollow and frail which seduce and lure them from the cause of Jesus." Paul took a deep breath and sighed. "Tychicus, we must ask God to open their eyes and let them see that they are following the prince, the commander, the ruler of the air. Tychicus, they are following the ruler of earth when they ought to be following the God of the Heavens not the god of the earth. Many of our fellow saints are following the same spirit that they followed before they met the Savior. They are still behaving as if they were the children of the one who is obstinate to and opposed to God. They are acting the same as the children who have never met the master." Paul stopped and turned to me, "we must pray for them right now Tychicus." With this he bowed his head and poured his heart out to God for believers everywhere that their eyes would be opened to see the things of heaven and to forgot the things of earth. After praying Paul got up and took a drink of water. Then he put his hand on my shoulder and said, "Tychicus, I pray that when you leave this cell that you will not be caught up again with the things of this world." I silently prayed the same thing for I wanted to live the rest of my life as I had begun to live it in this prison. This thought came to me. This is a prison of freedom for I have never felt freer from myself than I felt right now in this cell.

Nest discussion, Paul went over to the chair, sat down and said, "We will remind our brothers and sisters of what they were. Then we will proclaim to them what they are now. That will encourage them." I again watched as he wrote, "Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath even as others." Paul turned the tables on me for he said to me, "what do these words mean to you Tychicus." I read and reread them. I then tried to put them into my own words. I looked at Paul and said, "Up until a few days ago I was walking and conversing with this world. Living my life as I pleased, not caring whether I pleased God or man. Any desire or craving that my body had I would try to fill it without regard for anyone else. In a way my thinking was no different than the animals for I desired only to meet my own needs in any way that I could. I followed my nature, my impulses. I guess I was a child of the prince of the power of the air." I stopped and looked at Paul for a thought had come to me I said, "Though I was created by God I had become my own god. I was filled with pride and self will." As I said this tears filled my eyes as I realized that for so many years of my life I was defying the one who created me.

Next discussion, Paul in his wisdom said, "wait a minute Tychicus before you get too down hearted and read what I am about to write next. But God who is rich in mercy for His great love wherewith He loved us. Even when we were in sins hath quickened us together with Christ. Tychicus, our fellow saints need to be reminded of what God did for us when He took pity on us. He looked down and saw our miserable and afflicted condition. His abounding love then reached out to us when we were spiritually dead. Jesus came and made us alive, alive with Him, alive to our creator. What a blessed thing Tychicus, we have been born again from above." I thought, oh the blessed mercy of God to look down on one who defied Him and instead of giving me what I deserved He reached out His Son to me. Paul was still writing as I was thinking so I looked at his next words, "and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." I stopped Paul at this point and said, "Paul we are here on earth in this cell. How can you say that we are seated in heavenly places?" Paul replied, "Christianity begins with a done Tychicus not a do. I write this because in Christ it is already done. In God's eyes we are raised up sitting together in the heavens with our Savior for eternity" Maybe my next sentence will help you see that a little clearer. That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus." At this I let out a gasp because that word "ages" seemed to jump right off of the page. I realized that this kindness, these riches, this grace would never end because of Jesus. It was just one little prayer that I prayed on a starry night. But that prayer I prayed when I asked Jesus to save me would last an eternity.

My thoughts came back to earth as Paul cleared his throat and said, "Tychicus, can you read these words. For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast." Paul then stopped and said, "You must get this sentence rooted firmly in your mind and spirit for you will come across many who will be teaching other things Tychicus. They will be telling people that they must be baptized, or they must look, or dress like they say. Yes, Tychicus some will even tell others that they can buy their way into grace. But read what I say it is by grace, it is by the merciful kindness of God that you are saved. You are saved or rescued from Hell, from perishing for eternity because you believed on the one God sent to save you. Always, always, remember that you cannot buy this gift, you cannot work for this gift and you cannot deserve this gift. We will never have any reason to glory about it except that we glory in His grace. Do you understand?" I just nodded my head because Paul's voice had become so emphatic that he came close to scaring me. I think he sensed that for he said, "I am sorry if I unnerved you my young friend but it irks me when I think of men trying to demean the grace of our God." We decided that it would be a good time to take lunch and relax a little bit. We sat down together only to be interrupted by a sound outside the window. We got up and ran over to the window and looked out. All we could see was a crowd that had gathered and it looked like they had gathered around one man. We could only catch glimpses because of all the people. Paul said, "Pharisees" then he said that these men were the supposed spiritual leaders of the Jews. I could only make out a few of the words that they were shouting because of the chaos. But they were saying, blasphemer, infidel, away with him. I even heard one say crucify him. Romans soldiers arrived and broke the crowd up. When the crowd parted there was one man left in the middle of the street with the guards around him. Paul exclaimed, "Peter over here." The man named Peter looked up and caught Paul's eye and with a sound of triumph in his voice shouted, "Glory to God who has raised Jesus from the dead." With this the guards led him away. We went back to our lunch and Paul had a great time telling me about Peter and the times they were together. Although the crowd and there viciousness towards Peter frightened me I found myself wanting to be like him. I prayed silently to myself that I would for the rest of my life stand for Jesus as I saw Peter stand. We finished lunch, got up and went back to the table for some more work. Nothing seemed to faze Paul or deter him from the things that he knew God was leading him to do.

Next discussion, I read as Paul wrote the next sentence, "For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." I said to Paul," there are those words again the done instead of the do. We have already been made, we were created the moment we met Jesus." I stopped a little embarrassed that I was explaining to Paul what he had wrote. Paul looked at me and said, "Continue Tychicus." I hesitantly spoke again, "when we met Jesus we were created or completely transformed by Him. God in His graciousness had already ordained that we live honorable and upright lives. He created us, he transformed us, to walk as Jesus walked on this earth. He already planned for us to be like His Son. I think that we can do that because it is already done if we will only look to Him to fulfill it." I stammered, then mumbled, "I am not sure that I have any idea what I am talking about." Paul in a voice filled with kindness quietly said, "Yes, Tychicus, you do for God is revealing Himself to you even as I write these words. Remember, I am only one instrument that God may use. He is the teacher and He resides within you. He desires that each one of us to be taught by Him. Never sell yourself short Tychicus because you have been blessed with the Spirit of Christ. Those words that I wrote just a few moments ago the words created in Christ Jesus mean exactly that. We are in Christ and He is in us. We have been transformed and joined with Him to live as He lived His life here on earth. It has been ordained, it was decided in eternity." He stopped and I knew what he was going to do. I also bowed my head and we both prayed in praise to the one who knows all things beforehand. We prayed that we would continue to yield our lives to what He has already done so that we would end up doing what He has already planned. Paul said, "Tychicus, I am now going to remind the Ephesians where they once were. I think it will be good for you also to see this." He then began to write again.

Next discussion," Wherefore remember that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh who are called Un- Circumcision by that which is called Circumcision in the flesh made by hands. That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world." Paul stopped, and said Tychicus, do you understand what I just wrote." I answered, "I am not sure if I do or not but I think that you are saying that God chose the people of Israel to represent Him in this world. I also know that their boy babies get circumcised eight days after they are born. That's about all I know." Paul said to me, "let me explain just a little more. Yes, God did choose the people of Israel to carry on His work. He made a covenant with us, He gave us a promise. He said if we would obey His commands that He would bless us above all the nations on earth. We would benefit immensely from His blessing. He also wanted to draw the other nations to Himself and if we would follow Him then other nations would see His wonderful works and would want to know Him. Tychicus, you being a gentile knew nothing of these promises. You were a stranger, you were without any knowledge of theses promises that God made to us. Shamefully we failed and failed miserably as a people. Instead of showing you how much God loved us we turned our back on Him and made a show of rituals and commandments. What is worse Tychicus, we became so vain about these things they we thought we were better than everyone else. Because of our failure, God had to send His own Son here to be sacrificed." Paul then choked up and looked up at me with tears in his eyes. "Tychicus, remember I said that someday I would tell you about the man I consider to be the chief of sinners. Tychicus, that man is me! Tychicus I was raised knowing all the laws, I was raised knowing the commandments and promises of God but instead of letting them sink down into my heart I became a self-righteous, proud, hypocrite of a man. Tychicus, one day I stood and held the cloaks of men while they took stones and over and over again pelted a young man named Stephen in the face. I watched the blood began to run down his face and into his eyes. I cheered as each stone made its mark. As they stoned him he looked up to heaven and said forgive them. Tychicus, I walked away from that feeling proud of what I had done. I then determined that I would do even more to stop these people who believed in this man who claimed to be their Savior." Paul stopped talking and his shoulders began to shake with grief. I just sat down for I did not know what to do or say. After about ten minutes of silence Paul said, "Oh the glorious grace of God to send Jesus to save one such as I. Tychicus, I believe that I am the chief of sinners but maybe we should all feel that way for under the right conditions and circumstances I fear that these deceitful hearts of ours would lead us all to crucify our Savior." When he said that I knew that he was right. I knew that without God's mercy and His seeking us that each and every one of us were capable of the vilest acts imaginable. We both took a short break from the writing. I went over into one corner of the cell and Paul to the other to be alone with God. To thank Him for His mercy and kindness, to thank Him that in saving us He kept us from becoming even viler than we already were when He saved us.

Next discussion, after a few minutes of silence Paul walked over to me and placed his hand on my shoulder and said, "I have something wonderful to write to down, come see." As I read the next words that Paul wrote I thought this is wonderful. Here is what he wrote, "But now in Christ Jesus ye who were sometimes far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For He is our peace, who hath made both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us." Paul and I both began to shake our heads at the same time. Paul wrote and God revealed it to me. In Jesus, He made both Jew and Gentile one, there was no more division between us. How did He do it? By His precious blood, by His precious sacrifice for us. Paul's people had failed miserably for they never showed us the way to God. We failed miserably because God was showing Himself all the time. All we had to do was look at His creation and we would have been able to see His marvelous works. We all were so blind that the only way was for Him to put on this flesh and come to seek us, to save us for we would have never found Him without Him finding us first. Yes, as I read those words I knew what Paul was saying. Paul looked at me and he knew that I knew what he was saying. We both had no choice but to go to one another and hug for the middle wall had been broken down by the glorious blood of Jesus.

Next discussion, Paul then said," perhaps I should go into a little more detail about the things Jesus did when He broke down this wall between us for I fear that there has been such enmity between races and nationalities that all will not see that we are one." Paul said to me, "As a matter of fact Tychicus that is already happening within the Christian fellowship." Paul and I went back over to our seats and he began to write again to our brothers, our real brothers, our spiritual brothers. I read as he wrote, "Having abolished in His flesh the enmity even the law of commandments contained in the ordinances for to make in Himself of twain one new man so making peace. And that He might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross having slain the enmity thereby." Paul stopped and said, "Tychicus, what we Jews fail to see is that Jesus has done away with all of our laws and ordinances. He has done away with all of our rituals. He did this because of the hardness of our hearts. Tychicus it was not because the laws were no good it was because we failed to grasp the meaning of the grace in which they were given. So Jesus came in the flesh and by the cross He brought us back to a state of harmony with God. He brought both the Jew and the Gentile into this state of harmony by His cross. For us, the Jews He destroyed all of the old rituals but for you the Gentiles He came and preached peace." Paul then said," I like those words He came and preached peace let me write those down."

Next discussion, Paul then wrote the following, "And came and preached peace to you which were afar off and to them that were nigh. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Tychicus, is it not a fantastic thing that Jesus did for all of us. He came in the flesh and brought good tidings to you the Gentiles. You who were far away from God received the good tidings of His grace while we who should have been near also needed to hear of this grace. So, He also brought the good tidings to us the Jews. He is the one we have been waiting for all this time. He is our Messiah and now we all have access through His Spirit. Now we are acceptable to Him and can be sure that He is favorably disposed towards us. Is this not a glorious thing that our Savior has done Tychicus?" How could I respond in any other way other than giving a loud Amen? Paul had taught me that this word Amen meant, "So be it" and after hearing of our access by the Spirit to our Father what else could I say other than, "So be it," Amen!

Next discussion, at this loud Amen, the gruff Roman guard just happened to be walking by and told me to quiet down. I thought to myself you may quiet my tongue but you cannot quiet my spirit. So I walked over to the window and look up at the portrait that God had painted on His blue canvas and said to myself "Amen". I went back over to the table and looked down at the words Paul had been writing while I was saying my "Amen's." He had written, "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners but fellow citizens with the saints of the household of God. And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone." Paul stopped and said, "Tychicus, how long have we known each other." I replied this is only our third day of acquaintance." Paul then said to me, "How is it that I feel closer to you than to many I have known a lifetime? He then answered his own question, "Tychicus, we who are believers all were strangers, foreigners, we have been living in a world created by God without the right of being citizens but now we have all been made members of His household. We are blood relatives. We became related because of His blood. There is the bond Tychicus, the shed blood of our Savior, thus we are being molded into a building." Paul then said wait just a second let me write this down also, "In whom all the building fitly framed together grows unto a holy temple in the Lord. In whom ye also are built together for a habitation of God through the Spirit. Do you see what I have written here Tychicus? God the Father has sent His Son to unite His children into one building. This temple not only consists of you and me but it also consists of the apostles, prophets, all the men and women who have come to know their creator and redeemer through the ages. Tychicus, Jesus is the cornerstone of the holy temple that God is building. What is the glue that holds the temple together Tychicus? I said, "I am not sure" and then as I was looking down at the words that Paul had written I saw it and with another loud, "Amen", I said, "It is His Spirit that is the glue. God the Father is the builder, Jesus is the cornerstone and the Spirit is the glue. Amen, Amen" at this Paul also had to join in with his "Amen." Then we promptly heard, "I said quiet down." We both looked at each and other and just quietly smiled. It was almost dark in the cell anyway so we both went to our straw mats and laid down. I fell asleep and dreamed of a large building where there was plenty of food, plenty of water, and plenty of Amen's"

# Day Four

We awoke to a gloomy, rainy day. It was pouring the rain down outside and our only window let little light in even when the sun was shining. We both went to our prayer corners to commune with our Savior. I must admit that I was a little depressed because it looked as if we would not be able to see well enough to do any writing. I did pray and ask God if He could stop the rain and let the sun shine so that I could continue with my learning and Paul and could continue with his writing. I know what you are thinking. Did I really expect God to stop the rain just so I could continue what I had come to believe were my lessons. I did not know, I only knew that I wanted to continue to learn. After we were done praying it began to rain even harder and became even darker and gloomier. We both set there in our silence until we heard the guard approaching with our food for the day. This was a new guard one that we had never seen before. He handed us our food and water and then said stay here and I will be right back. Glory to God! He came back holding a lit candle in his hand and he had several more in his other hand. He told us his name was Lucius and that he had been there on the day of Pentecost when Peter preached to the people. He said that on that day he had accepted Christ as his Savior. We rejoiced with him for a few minutes and he told us that the only reason he was here today was that both of the other guards had gotten sick with the flu. After he left we both sat down at the table with the candle lighting our way. I began to think how amazing our Father was. He knew it was going to rain, He knew that the other guards would not give us candles. He knew that Paul wanted to finish his letter, He knew that I wanted to continue learning. He knew that I would pray for the rain to stop. Did I feel foolish? Actually, no, I did not for I learned that even when we pray and miss the mark that God looks at the heart. He is interested in our praying and coming to Him. He is able to correct our mistakes but we must do our part and come to Him. Paul interrupted me and said, "Tychicus let us get started", he then began to write." For this cause I Paul the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles. If we have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given to me to you-ward." Paul said to me, "I am a prisoner Tychicus, not a prisoner in this cell but a prisoner of Jesus for you and all the Gentiles. I am in bonds; I have been called by God to explain to you the Gentiles the mystery of God." Paul then wrote these words while speaking to me, "How that by revelation He made known unto me the mystery (as I wrote afore in a few words whereby when we read ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ.) Tychicus, I wrote those words on this page as a sort of introduction as to what I am going to say. I want my Gentile brothers in Ephesus to know that what I am writing to them was given to me by God. I give to you and to them this assurance so that you may not waiver when confronted with those Jews who tell you that you are not heirs with us in his Kingdom." I did know that most of the time when I was around Jewish people that they usually would only speak in their tongue unless we were doing some kind of business together. I also knew that I, a Gentile, was not allowed to enter their synagogues so I was anxious to see what Paul was going to write next.

Next discussion, our first candle was burning a little low so we lit another one and Paul leaned over to begin writing again. With the light so dim Paul had to lean very close to the paper. I know that his eyes were straining with every word. His next words were words of beauty for me, a Gentile, as I watched him write them, "Which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men as it is now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs and of the same body and partakes of His promise in Christ by the gospel." As I read these words my heart rejoiced in them. I had heard of a few Gentiles that had embraced the Jewish religion but not many. I had come to realize through the teachings of Paul that the Jews had failed to follow God and in failing to follow Him had failed to lead us to Him. I also had come to understand that we still did not have any excuse for not coming to know Him because as Paul had told me creation speaks every day of His existence. Paul had told me just before we went to sleep last night that if a man or woman would respond to God's creation then God would do His part in revealing Himself to that person. My mind then came back to the words Paul was writing and the glorious truth of them. "Now in Christ Jesus we who were apart from the covenant of God had been made partakers of the glad tidings of salvation of through Him." We were heirs, we were of the same body as those who were to receive the blessings of God. Yes, my heart rejoiced as I read these words. What Paul wrote next touched me even more for it revealed a little more of what God had put in Paul's heart. He wrote the following, "Whereof I was made a minister according to the gift of grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of His power. Unto me who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ." I stopped Paul after he wrote these words and asked him about them and what they meant to him. Paul replied with these words, "My young brother when I met Jesus on that road to Damascus he not only saved me but He gave me a charge as the servant of the King. As this gift was given to me, this gift of grace, and this gift of His merciful kindness. He charged me and said as it was given to me that I should give it to you the Gentiles. Tychicus, He gave this charge to me the lowest of the saints, the one who wanted to persecute all who would believe in Jesus. He granted to me the privilege of bringing these good tidings to the Gentiles." Paul then began to tear up and said, "Tychicus, He granted me the privilege to preach the unsearchable riches in Christ. He granted to me the privilege to preach of the wealth in Jesus that can never be completely comprehended or searched out. I will never understand it and I will never comprehend why He chose me." Paul stopped and got up and walked over to the window where the rain was pouring down. He stuck his hands out through the bars and let the rain fall on them. "Living water, Tychicus, Jesus is the living water. This rain will stop but His grace will remain forever, ever flowing to Jews and Gentiles alike. I need to write something down that just came to me." Paul then sat back down and began to write these words, "And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery. This is why I write to the Ephesians Tychicus so that they may know and share what has been there all the time. What from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God who created all things in Christ Jesus?" Paul began to write again, "To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God. It was hidden but now is revealed to us that all things were created through Jesus Christ. Tychicus, all His children must know that everything is summed up in Christ Jesus. He is the end of the law, He is the end of the sacrifices, He is the beginning and the end and we are in Him." Paul looked down and wrote very rapidly, "According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord", and then he said, "Do you see it Tychicus? Christ is the purpose, Christ is the Alpha, and He is the Omega. This was planned for us through the Father, performed by the Son, sealed by His indwelling Spirit. All we did to inherit all of this was come to know the one who always was. It is glorious is it not?" We both stopped at this and sat down to let these words sink in. I think that we both began to realize that the words that Paul was writing would have a lot more meaning than just being a letter to the Ephesians. It was then that we both realized that we had another visitor for over on the window sill a small rain soaked sparrow had perched. It sat there as if it were staring at our crumbs of bread left on the table. Paul scooped them up and took them over to a corner of the cell and placed them on one of the protruding stones. Paul said, "Tychicus what shall we name our new friend?" I replied, "What else could we name him other than Angel." At this we both nodded our heads in agreement and finished off what was left of our food at our table while Angel finished off what was left of his at his table."

Next discussion, Paul kept staring at Angel our little friend and then a smile came across his face. Paul turned to me and said, "I think our little friend has set the example for us." I said," What do you mean?" Paul laughed and said, "What boldness it took for Angel to land on that window sill and then fly over to that ledge and partake of the food that was waiting for him. It is dark in this cell Tychicus and his way of escape was out of that window but he choose to fly through the darkness to get to the prize that was there waiting for him. For Angel that bread was the bread of life. I smiled for I had an idea of where Paul was taking us. Paul picked up his pen and began to write these words, "In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him. "Paul laughed and said," God can use anything to show Himself to us if we will just let Him open our eyes. Oh, that we would! He has used a sparrow to show us how to approach Him. We must approach Him with boldness Tychicus, with free and fearless confidence knowing that we have access to Him. Tychicus, we can go in Holy boldness knowing that we are acceptable to Him in Jesus and with the assurance that He is favorably disposed toward us. That little sparrow must have had some kind of trust that we would not harm it. We must approach our Father with that boldness, with that trust though sometimes the way seems dark. We go in faith knowing that He is the bread of life and He is graciously waiting for us to take it."

Next discussion, by this time we had to light our third candle our friend Lucius had only given us four. We both knew that he had taken a big chance even in doing that. We both said a prayer for his safety as we lit that third candle. Paul then said to me, "Tychicus I fear that when our brothers get this letter they will focus on where it was written from rather than the reason it was written. We must reassure them of our Fathers care and guidance. Let me write these words then tell me what you think about them." I leaned over close to Paul to be able to see what He was writing in the dim light. As I did this I thought to myself God is leaning over his other shoulder and inspiring him to know just what to say to our brothers in Ephesus. These are the words that I read, "Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you which is your glory. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." As I read these words my heart began to melt within me. Here we were in this prison cell, locked away from the world and Paul's desire for our brothers was that they would not be wearied out. That his oppression, affliction and pressure would not cause them to be spiritless but rather that it would cause them to shine brighter. My heart melted even more when I thought of him bowing on bended knee in that dark corner of this damp cell as he made intercession for them. I then read his next sentence, "of who the whole family in heaven and earth is named." I realized then that my vision was so narrow and Paul's vision was so wide. He knew that this gospel that he preached had far reaching effects. I then saw as he had already seen that this gospel would reach out to the world. This good news of Jesus would reach to the uttermost parts of the earth because it had its roots in heaven. This gospel had its roots in eternity. Paul stopped and rubbed his eyes and I knew that they were giving him pain and trouble. He turned to me and said, "Tychicus, do you think that those words will encourage them to keep going back to the throne of grace." I replied, "Those words that you just wrote encourage me to keep going to the throne of grace. If they encourage me here in this cell how can they not encourage them in their freedom?" Paul just shook his head and said, "Good, good, good." Paul then said, "If these words will encourage them to bow their knees at the throne of grace then I will tell them what I ask for them while I am there." Although his eyes were giving him pain he began to write again, "That He would grant you according to the riches of His glory to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man. Tychicus, I pray that God would bestow on our brothers some of His abundant supply of glory, some of the absolute inward Excellency of the person of Jesus. I pray this so that they might be made strong by this power that dwells in them." He then began to write, "That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, that ye be rooted and grounded in love." Paul sat for a minute looking at the words he had written and then said, "If they can let Christ continually dwell or be always present with them then they will become firm and fixed. They will become stable Tychicus, they and you will become established. If all of us will just let Him dwell there continually turning to Him for every need then a glorious things will happen Tychicus. Watch as I write down what will happen to each and every one of us."

Next discussion, I watched as he wrote the next words and oh what glorious words they turned out to be, "May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breath and length and depth and height. And to know the love of Christ which passes all knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God." Paul got up and walked around the table and then said, "Do you know how much He loves us Tychicus? I started to open my mouth but Paul put his finger to his lips then walked over close to me and said very quietly, "let me tell you, I want you to lay hold of this, I want you to make it your own. I want you to know the width of His love. You cannot get around if you walk along its path for all of eternity, its length can never be exhausted. If you tried to dig under it and could go to the deepest ocean floor you would find that you had just begun to explore it. If you could keep digging you would find that it extends beyond hell. If you could dig until you came out on the other side of the earth. Then you would find that you could only turn around and start all over again for it depth is unfathomable. Oh my boy, if you said to yourself if I cannot find the width, or length, or depth, then I will climb to the Heavens to find its height. Climb to the moon Tychicus, and then jump from star to star higher and higher and when you have gone beyond each and every one of them. Then you will only began to know of the love that Christ has for us. You will began to perceive of some of it and then you will discover that His loves transcends beyond that and for eternity He will be forever filling us with His love. I want you to lay hold of that Tychicus, I want all believers to lay hold of that. To meditate on His love until they make it their own." It must have been obvious that I was visibly shaken by what Paul had just said for he sat down and waved me over with his finger, he lit our last candle, and then wrote the following, "Now unto to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us. Unto Him be the glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all age's world without end Amen!" Paul said, "Do you own it Tychicus, do you see it, He is able to form us into the love of Christ far beyond anything we can desire that love to be, far beyond anything that we can understand it to be for He dwells in us. It is His splendor, and His brightness, and His power that will dwell with us throughout eternity" I shouted out, "so be it, Amen." I fell to my knees and said, "Praise God, Praise Jesus, Praise the Holy Spirit." When I got up Paul said, "Do you own it Tychicus?" I replied," I think it is beginning to own me." Paul smiled and said, "That's what owning it is, you begin to own it when it owns you." What a day it had been. Night had fallen outside but in my spirit there was a light glowing. I do not know how long I laid there before I fell asleep but I do know that as I laid there I was resting at the throne of grace in the prison of freedom.

# Day Five

I awoke the next morning and Paul was in his usual place. His body was in that little corner of the cell that he called his prayer corner but his spirit was at the throne of grace. I went to my own little corner and knelt down to try to bring this soul of mine into communion with the Father. As I knelt down I heard a small chirp and I looked up and on the window sill was Angel. I said to him in my thoughts, "Angel we do not have any food for you yet because we do not have any for ourselves yet, but you can be sure that you will get your share when we get ours. Amazingly after I thought this Angel flew out the window and then came back and landed again and then flew away. I smiled to myself and thought he is saying okay but I will be back when it is breakfast time. Just at the moment a ray of sunlight came shining through the window of the cell. I got up and walked over to the window and looked out. The clouds were breaking up and the sun was beginning to shine. I thought thank you Father for we will not need any candles today. As I was standing there thanking the Lord for the sunshine another thought came to me. Everything is constantly changing and we who are human try to keep everything the same. We are always looking and searching for that permanence and can never find it. We try to possess that which cannot be possessed because it can never be truly ours. Yet we cling to things with our tight little hands or try to manipulate others with our little schemes so that we can get hold of that which slips through our hands. At that moment the sun went behind a cloud and then in a moment it came from behind the cloud. Again, I thought, everything is changing all the time and then it hit me like a thunderbolt. The only thing that never changes is God. He was the same before I was ever born. He is the same while I stand here amidst this changing world and He will be the same when I am gone. This then was my prayer, this was my desire, Father in this ever changing world teach me to cling to the one who never changes. Jesus may I cling to the love that is ever present, may I yield to the one who is the rock of my salvation, the harbor for my soul. Thank you, for showing me yourself again.

Then I heard the clanging of the guard bringing us our food. Yes, this world is ever changing and Mr. Gruff was back, he slammed the food down spilling a little of the water and a couple of the figs fell on the floor. His wonderful good morning sounded a little different than most good mornings for he said, "keep it down in there today." He then turned and clanged his way back down the hall. I turned around and Paul was standing behind me with a good morning smile on his face. He looked at me and said, "Well some things never change." The Lord and I had a good silent laugh when he said this. We prayed and then were enjoying our breakfast when Paul said, "Look over there." I looked up and sure enough there was Angel sitting on the window sill. We took some crumbs over and put them on Angel's protruding stone table. He hesitated but not for long and soon was enjoying his own breakfast. After breakfast Paul said, "Tychicus, I want to start talking about some practical things that not only our brothers at Ephesus need to do but things that we all need to practice."

Next discussion, Paul got out our writing instruments and we began to get to work. Here is what he began with today, "I therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called. With all lowliness and meekness with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love." Paul stopped and took a deep breath then said, "Tychicus we should all realize that we are prisoners of the Lord we are in bonds to Him. For if we are not in bonds to Him then we are enslaved to the world. There are only those two choices. Tychicus because we have this honor to be His servant I beg you to walk and to regulate your life in accordance with this divine invitation which has been given you. I beg you to have a humble opinion of yourself, be gentle with others, and be patient and slow in avenging wrong. Tychicus, endure with good will, affection and brotherly love all those you come in contact with." Paul began to write again but as he wrote he spoke out loud, "endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling. One Lord, one faith, one baptism. One God and the Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all." Paul stopped and sadly shook his head while saying, "I fear, I fear, I fear." I said, "What, what is it you fear Paul?" Paul looked at me and said Tychicus," there is only one body which is us the church, there is only one Spirit which is the spiritual nature of Christ, there is only one hope in eternal salvation." Paul took a deep breath and said let me continue, "There is only one faith or belief which gets us to Him. Tychicus, there is only one way to baptize, there is only one God who is the Father and Creator of all and He is above all and through all and in us all. I wrote those things because I fear that in the future there will be many divisions in the church over the things we should all be united in. I fear there will be many divisions over that in which there should be oneness." He stopped and said, "Do you see why I fear Tychicus?" I answered and said I pray that this will not happen for what we have in Jesus is too precious to be divided." I then said that I understood everything he had said but did have one question. I asked him what he meant by one baptism. He said, "We should all be baptized after salvation and since Jesus was baptize by submersion then we should follow that example." I said to Paul," I would like to be baptized" and Paul said, "that's the spirit Tychicus." I thought what if I die in here and do not get baptized. Paul must have been reading my thoughts for he said, "Baptism will not save you Tychicus. Jesus saves you, baptism is only an outward sign of an inward baptism or change of heart"

We heard a noise outside of our cell window and walked over to it. When we got there all we could see were Roman boots walking away. However laying there on the window sill was a beautiful cluster of grapes. We both thanked God for them and broke off two of them and put them on Angel's table then we rejoiced in our God fortune. We both wondered who those boots belonged to. Paul said it was time to get back to work and so we did. Here is what Paul wrote next, "But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore He said, when He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men. Now that He ascended what is it but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended far above all heavens that He might fill all things." Paul stopped and said, "I know that what I am writing here is going to confuse many and there will be many discussions about it. Tychicus, some will say one thing others will say something else. I am referring to something you are not familiar with Tychicus and that is the writings that we Jews call the Psalms. You will learn of them as you grow in the Lord. I am quoting from one of them when I write, thou has ascended on high, and He led captivity captive and received gifts for men. When Jesus went back into Heaven He had fulfilled everything that He came to do. If He had not then we would be lost. When He ascended back to the Father He received all the honor that was due Him all the honor that He did not receive while here on earth. We also are seated with Him in the Heavenly places. We who were captive to our sins have been set free in Him. He has given us the gifts but those gifts are all wrapped up in one thing and that is His Spirit. Now that He has fulfilled His mission all who were waiting for Him to do so have also been set free and now reside with Him in Heaven. They were in waiting for His redemption of all of us. Tychicus, Jesus is the Holy One of God and He is the one who has made the way for us to enter into Heaven. Even those great men of God from the past some of who you might have heard of like Abraham and Isaac had to wait for him to fulfill His mission. God put them in a special place but until Jesus came and rose again even they could not enter in because the first to enter into heaven had to be our Lord and Savior. It is glorious that His redemption not only has covered us but reaches back into ages past and makes those saints part of His majestic present resurrection. What a perfect redemption, for Jesus was not only able to descend but to ascend so that all things might be filled in Him. Remember Tychicus, how I just wrote that He would fill all things. He has now completed all the things that He was sent to do while in His flesh. He has rendered all things perfect in Himself. Tychicus many will confuse what I said but if they focus on the fact that Jesus is the beginning and the end, the author and the finisher of our faith they will stay on the course. I pray that we all will keep that simple truth in mind." When Paul said that it struck a chord within me. I prayed yes, Lord, just let me keep the simple truth of your redemption in mind and not get blogged down with all the things that a mind can get blogged down with.

Next discussion, Paul said, "Tychicus, men need to know that Jesus fulfilled all that He came to do and because He has fulfilled everything He is equipping his saints with gifts through His Spirit. I will inform our brothers at Ephesus of some of those gifts so that things can be done decently and in order." I leaned over as Paul wrote for I was curious to know if I had received any of these gifts. These are the words that he wrote, "And He gave some to apostles and some prophets and some evangelists, and some pastors and some teachers. For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. Tychicus, let me explain some of these terms to you. There were twelve original apostles who Jesus picked to walk with Him. Do you remember when we first met that I called you an apostle? Tychicus, again, I say unto you we are all apostles, we are all messengers sent to proclaim the good news of Jesus to a dying world. You were not one of those twelve, how could you be you were not there. I was an apostle born out of season for I was not there either. Tychicus, an apostle is one sent forth with orders. What are your orders Tychicus?" I was stumped for a minute and then it came to me. I smiled and said, "To tell the people the good news that Jesus has come to rescue them, to save them." Paul shook his head and said, "Yes that is it." He then continued, "How easy it is to lose our focus and start arguing about what apostle we are following, to start pointing fingers and saying I am of this one and I am of that one. Keep your eyes on the Savior and you will not stumble and trip over men. Tychicus, there are other gifts in the body of Christ and one of them is a prophet. A prophet Tychicus, always pleads the cause of Jesus. Before Jesus came there were prophets and they would speak of His coming. Tychicus, one of the last of these prophets who told of His coming was a man named John who they called the Baptist. He actually saw Jesus and said behold the Lamb of God. He had the humble honor of baptizing Jesus. The prophets before John told of Jesus's coming and the prophets after John tell of Jesus's coming back. Tychicus, this is another place where men will lose their focus. They will stop concentrating on Jesus and start letting their imaginations run away with them saying wild ridiculous things which do not come true. Again Tychicus keep your eyes glued to the Savior and you will not become unglued. There will also be men who are called evangelists they will go around and herald the good news of salvation through Jesus. May all be evangelists Tychicus, may we all tell the good news. Others will be called pastors or shepherds. To be a pastor or a shepherd is a great responsibility for men and women come and willingly put themselves under these shepherds leadership. Tychicus, do you know what a real shepherd does?" I shook my head no, for I had never met a shepherd. Paul responded, " a true shepherd is responsible for watching out for enemies trying to attack the sheep, defending the sheep, healing the wounded and sick sheep, finding and saving the lost sheep, loving them and sharing their lives to earn their trust." Paul began to shake and a tear ran down his cheek. I put my hand on his shoulder as I ask him what the matter was. Paul said, "Tychicus, so many of these men who say they are called to be pastors or shepherds will take their responsibility much too lightly. Instead of defending their sheep they often will be the ones who attack them. They will bind them with rules and regulations and tell them if they just dress this way, or do this ritual then they will be spiritual. They will say that if you look a certain way on the outside then you will be holy. Tychicus, holiness is and inward thing which will always manifest itself on the outside if men are seeking their creator. I fear many of these shepherds will get confused themselves and forget that the reason our Father came seeking us was to fellowship with us. I fear that instead of binding the wounded and brokenhearted they will only wound them more. Instead of seeking more sheep they will get their own little flock and isolated themselves from the lost sheep. Oh, Tychicus, if only we would continue to seek Him then we would all truly be brothers and sisters. Already there are divisions in our fellowship. Tychicus, again I say do not lose your focus. Always keep it on your Savior. Let me continue Tychicus, some will be teachers. They will be those who are able to convey Gods word to others in an orderly and powerful manner. Do not despair Tychicus for there will be those men who honestly and humbly seek to help their brothers and sisters. Seek those brothers Tychicus for you will be able to know them by their spirits." Paul began to write and talk to me at the same time, he wrote, "for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ. Tychicus, there will be good men who know their duty. They will want to see the saints fully furnished, fully prepared so that when they pass on, the church of Christ will continue in power full of the Holy Spirit. At that Paul said, "That is enough for today", for the day had grown long and night was falling. I could also tell that Paul's eyes were giving him trouble although he would never admit to that. The cell was growing dark and then the moon began to shine through its bars. I walked over and looked out at the stars. Paul walked over and said Tychicus, God calls every star by name. I thought I believe that He does. Then I thought He also calls every believer by name. I thought God knows my name is Tychicus. He calls me by name what an amazing thing. I laid there thinking and praying, God knows my name He calls me Tychicus. May I proclaim His name as a messenger by telling the good news, as a prophet by telling of His coming back for His saints. As an evangelist by being willing to speak the good news wherever I travel. As a pastor whether it be to many or just my family if I have one. Finally as a teacher always willing to humbly share anything that God has taught me with others. I fell asleep praying that my focus would stay on Him and not get sidetracked as Paul warned could happen.

# Day Six

It is amazing how we put God in our own little plans and then if those plans do not turn out we wonder what happened and why God did not do as we thought He should. Let me explain what happened. I awoke the next morning and it was pouring down the rain. It was even darker than the previous rainy day. Paul of course was in his corner physically but spiritually he was at the throne of grace. I began to try to commune with my Savior and as I did I began to thank Him for I just knew that He would bring Lucius back to us with more candles. I was just finishing my prayer time when I heard the guard approaching. I got up with a big smile ready to greet Lucius again and much to my surprise who was there at the bars, Mr. Gruff. He snarled at me and threw the bread, figs and water down spilling some on the floor with figs splattering everywhere. I was so downcast, I could not believe that God did not answer my prayer. Paul came over and did not say a word but only helped me pick up the figs. We sat down to eat and Paul said the blessing. When I looked up, Angel, was perched on the window sill. Shamefully I was so disheartened that I did not even feel like breaking off crumbs to put on Angels table. Paul did not say a word but broke off some crumbs and took them over to Angel's shelf. Angel quickly flew over and began enjoying his breakfast. How unconcerned Angel seemed. He just sat there enjoying what we provided for Him. Paul quietly said, "Jehovah-Jireh." I said, "What?" Paul again said, "Jehovah-Jireh" but then added, "The Lord will provide." I heard but my ears were closed because I was so dismayed. I just looked down, picked up the bread and began to break off a piece. My eyes could not believe what they were seeing for inside the bread was a candle. I looked at Paul with tears in my eyes and Paul quietly said, "Jehovah – Jireh." Paul stood up went over and got two small stones and we began to rub them together and Praise God we got the candle lit. Paul looked at me and with a smile on his face said, "Tychicus, we need to get back to work."

Next discussion, Paul said nothing else about what had happened nor did he need to for I was embarrassed enough. Oh yes, not only had my eyes had been opened some but also my ears for at that very moment Angel chirped twice and you may laugh but it sounded as if he chirped, "Jehovah-Jireh." I humbly watched as Paul wrote, "Till we all come in the unity of the faith and to the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. That we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive." I had to stop Paul at this and say, "Paul how easily I am swayed, how easily I am deceived, how little I trust Jehovah – Jireh." Paul responded, "That is why you must keep your eyes on the Savior. We are all the same and our Lord wants to bring us all into the unity of faith. Tychicus, He is teaching us that He is the creator and ruler of all things. He is the provider of all things we need physically but more so all things we need spiritually for the two go hand in hand. He provided the salvation found in our Lord Jesus. He is growing us into the maturity that Jesus had. Why? So that we will not be infants in the faith, so that we will not be agitated with the waves of life when things do not go as we planned. Tychicus, there are going to be many who come blowing their wind of deceitful belief, many there will be who will promise what God has not promised and use words with a little truth in them to deceive many. I think that you have learned a great lesson today Tychicus. It is the same lesson we learn every day for it never changes keep your focus on the one who has saved you and you will not be fooled by the ones who can't."

Next discussion, I thought to myself that I was certainly fooled today when I thought I knew just how God was going to do things. Then I looked at the candle and noticed how short it had grown. I began to think and to fret a little. How were we going to continue? The guard would bring no more provisions for the day. I thought perhaps it is going to clear up. I told Paul that I was going to look out the cell window even though rain was blowing in through it and see if there looked like there was any chance of the rain breaking up. I started to walk over to the window and Paul said, "Tychicus, Jehovah-Jireh." I thought this time you are wrong Paul not about God but about our circumstances for there was just no way we could continue in this coming darkness. I stepped over to the window and the rain began to blow in on me and into my eyes. I thought I will just step to the side of the window and maybe I could look out without getting so wet. As I stepped to the side I felt my foot almost roll out from under me. I stooped down to feel what was under my foot for it was too dark to see. My hand began to grip not one, not two but three more candles. I just sat down on the floor choking back tears and holding up the candles toward Paul. He quietly said two words, "Jehovah-Jireh." Someone must have come by and dropped those candles off and we did not even hear them. Paul took one of the candles and lit it and I am not sure but I think I heard him giggle. "Tychicus now that we have some more light shall we continue." I did not respond but just sat down beside him and leaned over to watch him write his next words, "But speaking the truth in love may grow up into Him in all things which is the head even Christ. From whom the body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies according to the effectual working in the measure of every part makes increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love." Tychicus, this is why we must learn the truth and keep our eyes on the Savior for there is much more at stake here than just ourselves. We must not only learn the truth but speak it to others so that all may grow into the likeness of our Savior. All of the believers must be joined together for all are important. All of us have to be compacted or fit together for every believer is a joint of the body, every believer is a connection to another believer. If every believer will keep his eyes on Jesus then the church will grow it will edify itself. Every believer will take his part in promoting another's growth in wisdom, happiness and holiness. Oh Tychicus, I pray that these words I write to our brothers in Ephesus will take hold and they will love one another."

Next discussion, Paul then stopped and just sat for a while as I read over the words that he had written. We then took a short water break and ate the last of our bread. I stopped on my last bite and broke some off and put it on Angels little table. I turned to Paul and smiled and said, "Jehovah-Jireh." Paul just shook his head and smiled. Paul then said that it was time for him to give some practical instruction to myself and to the believers in Ephesus. He then wrote, "This I say therefore and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk in the vanity of their minds." I stopped Paul and asked him what he meant by in the vanity of their minds. Paul said, "To regulate their lives as if there were no truth to what they had learned about Christ." Paul then said, "Let me explain a little more of how the mind works when one is not saved." He said I will speak out loud as I write these words, "Having the understanding darkened being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their hearts. Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness." Paul stopped writing and got a very serious expressions of his face. He said,"Tychicus, salvation is the free gift of God to all who believe but after that it is a matter of choice for us in the way that we conduct our lives. We can live as we did before we came to know the Savior. Living that way is to have is to have your way of thinking and feeling to be deprived of the light of God. When you live that way you shut yourself off from fellowship and intimacy with the Savior. The longer you live that way the more morally blind you become and finally your mind and heart will become callused. You become insensible to voice of the Holy Spirit. The further you go the more lascivious you will become meaning that you will become shameless, outrageous and filled with unbridled lust. Even your morals will become impure wanting you to have more and more. For lust says it is never enough. Tychicus, if a true child of God keeps ignoring the promptings of the Spirit that dwells within him sooner or later he will force his loving heavenly Father to take action. Tychicus, I knew of a couple who sold their land and then said they were giving all the money they got for it to the work of the church but actually they were holding back part of it. Tychicus, God took them home early in life because they lied to the Holy Spirit." I said to Paul I do not want to end up like that I want to live for my Lord but I am scared I do not have the strength to do that. I am not even sure what I am supposed to do."

Next discussion, Paul looked and said, "That is why we are writing this letter Tychicus, and that is why you are here." I sheepishly grinned and said, "Oh, yes, I forgot." Another candle had burned out so we lit another one. I could tell Paul's hands were cold so we took part of our sheet and wrapped his hand in it just leaving the fingers exposed. It had gotten much colder as the day continued on and the rain kept falling so we also wrapped our blankets around our shoulders to keep warm. Paul then wrote this to the Ephesians and as I read it I knew he was also thinking of me when he wrote what follows, "But ye have not so learned Christ. If so be that ye heard Him and have been taught by Him as the truth is in Jesus." Paul stopped and said, "Tychicus I have a question for you? Have you learned Jesus Christ? Have you been informed of Him? I said, "Yes, Paul, of course I have not only from that man at the market who first told me of Him but also from you." Paul then said, "So if you have been informed of Him have I instructed you about Him? Again I answered a very affirmative, "Yes." Paul asked one more question, "So far have I taught you what is true in things pertaining to God?" One more time I answered, "Yes." Paul then said, "Now then is the time to tell you and the Ephesians what you must do." He then began to write," That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to deceitful lust and be renewed in the spirit of your mind. And that ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteous and true holiness." I thought to myself how in the world will I be able to do that. I know how wicked, weak, and depraved that I can be. I do not want to be that way now that I have met the Savior but it seems that I am still very much that way. Sometimes I thought that Paul was a mind reader but later learned it was called discernment for he said, "Do not fret Tychicus, for God knows how weak and depraved we all are. He does not ask much but He does ask for us to be willing. This free will that He gave us is about all that we really have that we can give back to Him. Tychicus, are you willing to put aside that old manner of life with its desires for that which is forbidden?" I said, "Oh, yes I want that very much." Paul replied," Are you willing to be renewed in the spirit of your mind meaning a complete change in the way of your thinking? I again replied, "Yes." Paul said he had only one more thing to ask, "Are you willing to clothe yourself with the new man which God has formed, to be clothe in His righteousness and His holiness which will bring about a condition that is acceptable to Him" I said, "Oh, Paul you know I do. I want to be like my Savior." Paul looked at me and said, "I know you do Tychicus but the only way you can do this is to continually be looking at your Savior for if you look at others you will soon be discouraged. It is His power and His Spirit that will enable you to do this so I tell you now to get your eyes fixed on Him and Him only. If you began to follow a man Tychicus and that includes me you will become very disillusioned for we will always let each other down." I found this hard to comprehend for Paul seemed like such a giant in the Lord to me and yet I knew in my heart he was right for there is only one Jesus and He was the one we were to follow. Paul continued, "Tychicus, what I am now writing can only be done through the power of the Spirit. The words that I am going to write are not hard to understand but the power to do them must be from the Spirit of God. Men will set out to do them only to find that they cannot and instead of seeking the one who can they will water down what I am going to write. They will make excuses for their sin instead of seeking the one who can overcome their sin. Paul then began to write. "Wherefore putting away lying speak every man truth with his neighbor for we are members one of another. Be ye angry and sin not let not the sun go down on your wrath. Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more but rather let him labor working with his hands the thing which is good that he may have to give to him that needs. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace unto the hearers." I stopped Paul and said, "These look like a lot of rules and regulations. I thought that it was grace that saved us." Paul said, "Tychicus, do you think that because we now have the grace of God that God has become less holy than He was? Do you think that He now says just do whatever you want because you live under grace? God forbid, Tychicus, He now expects more of us but He expects it through His Son Jesus." I said, "Paul no one can live up these demands." Incredibly, Paul laughed and said, "You are exactly right Tychicus. Have you already forgot what I taught you?" I responded, "I must have for I am perplexed." Paul shook his head and said, "Tychicus, Tychicus, Tychicus, do you not see why you have to keep your eyes on the Savior? If you do not then you soon will be telling others to do this and that without reminding them that it is the power of God that will enable them to do it. How easily we are swayed from this grace and plunged back into bondage. Our Father never asks us to live up to something that He is not willing to do in us. What do you say now Tychicus?" I hung my head and ask forgiveness for so quickly getting off the track of grace. I was embarrassed for as soon as I saw Paul writing down something that God wanted me to do I began to plot and to plan how in the world was I going to do it. I prayed Jesus I come back to the throne of grace and power. I again yield myself to you so that you can fulfill yourself in me. I again felt the peace of God come over me. Paul had been writing while I was confessing so I read the words that he had now written, "And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." Paul stopped for I think he knew that I was going to ask him something and he was right. "Paul," I said, "How can I grieve the Holy Spirit?" Paul answered, "Tychicus, the Holy Spirit was put in you so that you can rely on His power and guidance. When you take off after seeing the things I have written and try to do them yourself you defeat the purpose that He came for. That word grieve means that you make Him sorrowful. You offend Him by not allowing Him to do what He came to do. How would you feel if you were hired to be a teacher and the one that you were hired to teach refused to let you teach him? Would you not only be offended but also sorrowful as you watched him mess up time and time again while you stood there knowing how to help him? Would you not be grieved standing there by his side with all the resources in the world at your fingertips while he just ignored you? Tychicus, even though we are so often like this God in His merciful kindness has sealed us with His own Spirit so that without a doubt we are marked by His Son until the day of our deliverance. He has paid the ransom for us and marked us with His own Spirit. Do you now understand how we can grieve Him?" I was speechless. I felt shame as I had never felt it before. I stood there nodding my head while praying. Jesus, Father, Holy Spirit forgive me for thinking that I am able to keep Holy the things that you say are Holy. Forgive me for getting in your way. I know that I will do so again but please let me come to know you enough that I will be able to recognize your voice when you are telling me that I am in the way. I looked down and Paul had written these words, "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice. And be ye kind one to another tenderhearted forgiving one another even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Paul knew that he did not have to say anything about the words that he had written for he knew that I was standing there thanking God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit for this grace which was so undeserved. It had grown dark and the candles were all gone so we decided to go to bed. As we laid down and I thought about the day. I think that the thing that Paul was trying to impress on me the most was God's grace in Jesus. To keep my eyes and heart on the reason for all of this grace and it was found in Him. As I was praying off to sleep I think I heard Paul say, "Jehovah-Jireh."

# Day Seven

The next morning I awoke and went to the throne of grace and there just thanked my Father for all of His blessing. I know that it sounds strange but my mind went back to a time I was watching a caterpillar with all of its legs just walking along when suddenly I was just gripped with the wonder of it all. I just sat and praised God for all the things that He has done in nature. How He has made so many things to make us laugh. So many things to enjoy in all that He has created if we will just look. From there I went to the cross and thanked Jesus for stepping out of heaven to come looking for one such as me. I thanked Him for the cross that He bore for us what a wonderful work of grace. Then I thanked Him for dwelling within me by His Holy Spirit and prayed that I would learn to commune with Him and listen to His guidance instead of running off in my own mind, emotions and imagination. I had just finished as the light of the sun was beginning to break through our cell window. I walked over being careful not to disturb Paul who was still at the throne of grace. I could see that there would be no need of candles today for the sky was a crystal clear blue. I heard the guard approaching and I thought, Mr. Gruff you are not going to spoil my day for I am going to praise the Lord all day long. I was so pleasantly surprised for it was Lucius who came walking down the hallway. He came with extra bread, figs and even some grapes. He greeted me with a, "Hello my brother." He then said that He could not believe it when they told him that he would be back here today but that the other guard had gotten drunk last night and was in no shape to do anything. Paul had come up behind us as we were talking and we all had a short time of prayer together. Lucius then ask us if there was anything we needed. Paul said that we were running low on ink and parchment. Lucius got a strange look on his face and said, "This is hard to believe but on my way over her one of the street vendors ask me if I knew of anyone who needed some ink and parchment. He said that he had come across a large supply of it and would let me have it at a very good price." Lucius then said to wait by the cell window and he would see if he could still find the vendor. Paul and I walked over to the window and in about ten minutes we saw boots approaching and Lucius bent down with a whole handful of parchment and a container of ink. Paul said to Lucius, "Have you ever dropped anything down this window before. Lucius answered, "No." Paul and I were both wondering the same thing. Who was it that had put those candles in the window that rainy day? All we had ever seen of our mysterious benefactor were boots walking away. Lucius said that he had to go and we bid him farewell and God speed. As he left Paul and I turned to each other with the same thought going through our head. We both said almost at the same time, "Jehovah- Jireh" and had a good laugh.

Paul said, Tychicus, we have much more to write to our brothers at Ephesus but first let us take some breakfast from this wonderful supply that God has furnished through Lucius. Who do you think showed up right after our prayer? If you guessed Angel you would be right. Upon his arrival Angel promptly went over to his stone table as if expecting his breakfast to already be there. He made a chirping sound and flew back over to the window sill as if to say did you forget about me. Paul gave me the honors of putting his breakfast on his stone table and it did not take him long to begin to enjoy it.

Next discussion, with breakfast finished and our needs met Paul said, Tychicus, it is time to get back to work. We both sat down at the table and I read as Paul began to write, "Be ye therefore followers of God as dear children. And walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor." Paul said, "Tychicus, What do you think a follower of God is?" I thought about it and said, "I guess it is one who follows God. "Paul then said, "That is pretty vague Tychicus. If you were to tell that to another young believer I do not think that they would gain much from that statement." As soon as he said that I knew he was right. I then ask him to explain further. Paul responded, "A follower of God is an imitator Tychicus. We are not only imitators but we are beloved, esteemed, and favorites of our Father. When we say we are a follower of God we must live as we saw God live in the flesh. We must live as Jesus did, first we must walk in love or make use of opportunities given to us to benefit our brothers whether in a spiritual way or a temporal way. We must be ready always to tell those without the family how Jesus loved us and them. How He give Himself in behalf of us. How He gave Himself as an offering or gift to God. Tychicus we must let them know that He became the victim or sacrifice for the penalty that we owed. Because He did this Tychicus, He was a person, or sacrifice that was well pleasing to God. I guess you could say that He became an odor of perfume that covered up the stench of sin." Again, I felt the awe and wonder of the love of God who gave Himself for us. I wanted so to be a follower of Him, an imitator of Jesus. I knew that only He could by His power make me to be like Himself. I gave myself totally to Him at that moment to mold and to make me as He wished.

Next discussion, Paul interrupted my thoughts and said, "We will now write how this following of Jesus will work out in our lives. Tychicus, read as I write." But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness let it not be once named among you as becomes saints. Neither filthiness nor foolish talking, nor jesting which are not convenient but rather giving thanks. For this ye know that no whoremonger nor unclean person, nor covetous man who is an idolater hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God." I stopped Paul for as I was reading I started to become afraid again. Afraid that I could not live up to those things which he was writing. I knew that uncleanness or impure motives often took hold of me. As for covetousness instead of it not being once named among me it had often been my envy that made me dislike other people. I shamefully admitted to myself that, filthiness, obscenity, and joking with sexual innuendoes often came to my mind and lips. A whoremonger I had also been for Paul had once explained that this was one who indulged in unlawful sexual intercourse. The more I read the more fearful I became. Paul looked up at me and said, "Do you need some help Tychicus." I said, "I sure do." Paul began to explain, "Tychicus when you get saved the Holy Spirit enters into your spirit to take up His abode. That is why we say you are born again. Before you met Jesus your spirit and soul walked in darkness without the light of God. But now your spirit which includes your conscience is awaken to what is right in the sight of God. The fact that you are bothered by these things is proof that you are saved. If you were sorry for things you had done before you got saved it was not sorrow towards God but now it is. That is why you no longer want to do them. When you do fall it should only be because you have not yet learn how to let His grace and power overcome these things. He will forgive you when you ask Him. If a person does not ask for that forgiveness perhaps they should make sure that they know their Savior." I felt relief because I knew that I no longer wanted to do those things. I was also excited to learn more of His grace and power so that in Him I could overcome them. Paul then said, "I will write a word of warning to our brothers. Let no man deceive you with vain words for because of these things comes the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Tychicus, there will be many who come with deceitful words and will try to beguile people. They will speak words devoid of truth. They will tell people that it is all right to lie, steal, and fornicate and even have sexual relations of those with the same sex. Do not ever forget Tychicus, that God is a Holy God and He wants His children to be Holy. People who reject Gods free offer of grace through His Son Jesus will have to face His indignation. How would you feel if you offered your greatest possession with no charge and you were rejected?" I began to understand how God had offered the best, the most precious thing that could be offered and how He would be indignant when that was refused. Would I not react in the same way?

Next discussion, Paul then said, "Tychicus do not be like them. I will write the same thing to our saints in Ephesus." Paul then wrote, "Be ye not therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness but now are ye light in the Lord walk as children of light." Paul stopped and said, "Tychicus try to explain to me what I have just written to those at Ephesus" I said, " you have written that God does not want me to join in with them in their lying, stealing, shamelessness or any other thing that He does not approve of." Paul said, "Yes Tychicus, that is true but why not Tychicus?" I quietly read his words over again knowing that he wanted something more from me and then I knew why. God revealed it to me. I felt tears well up in me as I said, "Because we are better than that. God in His graciousness has made us better than that. We are His children, even more we are His Holy children born of His blood. We are partakers of His divine holiness, purity, and light where before we were partakers of all that rejected His holiness." Although I had only been saved a few days I was ashamed of the darkness of which I took part in after I got saved. I wondered how His children who had been saved for many years and yet continued to walk in darkness could stand themselves. How could they not be ashamed and repent in sackcloth and ashes if they had lived for so many years in darkness? I looked at Paul and said, "I am so sorry for some of the things that I have been a partaker of since I met my Savior." Paul nodded and said, "We all are Tychicus, but see how glorious His grace and forgiveness is in the midst of the darkness keep looking at that and then He will change you into His likeness." Paul then began to write, "For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth. Proving what is acceptable to the Lord." Paul looked at me and said, "Tychicus the darkness of sin keeps us from Him but the light is only a prayer away. If we will confess and repent we can again seek Him in the light and we will began to bud and blossom. We will begin to produce fruit grown by the Spirit of God that dwells in us. Produced by the root of Jesus which has been planted in us and it will began to produce uprightness of heart and life. This vine that has been rooted in us will began to grow us into the men that God intended us to be. Our thinking will become correct, we will began to have integrity, purity of life, virtue, we will began to be all that God would have us to be. We will be the supernatural reality of God. Glory to God, Tychicus, we will prove to be the genuine thing that has become well pleasing to the genuine Savior." I shouted, "So be it, Amen" Then we heard it, "quite down in there." Somehow "Mr. Gruff", must have recovered from his hangover and was back on duty but not before the Lord had provided our ink and parchment through Lucius. We both looked at each other and grinned and Paul began to write,

Next discussion, "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light for whatsoever does make manifest is light." Paul then said, "Tychicus, you are not to be a partaker of the barren fruit that is produced in the darkness. If asked to do so you must stand and tell them that you do not want to live your life that way. Do not be self-righteous Tychicus but do not be a coward either. If you slink away or just keep quite then the darkness will only become bolder and began to brag and want acceptance for the things that are done in the dark. They will want to call the darkness light and the light darkness. You must stand for the holiness of God not in a self-righteous way but in a Godly way as your Savior did. Tychicus I am afraid that the saints will fall asleep and stumble away from the path of holiness. They will still think that they are on the path as they comprise and allow the darkness to creep in. I will try to arouse them with these next words that I write. Wherefore He says, Awake thou that sleepiest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise." I said to Paul "do you think that we will fall asleep to the things of God?" Paul replied, "Many already have Tychicus." Then he continued, "We must always be arousing ourselves and seeking our Father for if we do not we will become destitute of life that God gives. We will lose our force and power because we have become partakers with the darkness by not reproving them when called on to do so. Tychicus see that you walk accurately and diligently in this world based upon Gods word and not on man's perverted reasoning. If you do you will become wiser if you do not you will become a fool or unwise. This life we live Tychicus is not a game but a real battle between darkness and light." Paul stopped and smiled and said, "Yes, it is a battle but we are on the winning side for the outcome has already been decided. Jesus only wants us to do our part in the battle so that we can share in His glory. What a wonderful work of grace that He would allow us to join in with Him who is already the victor even though He does not need us to obtain victory. That is grace is it not Tychicus?" I nodded in in thankful agreement. Paul said, "Enough for now let us get some lunch." We then sat down and enjoyed a wonderful lunch. Paul talked of his many travels, he told me of good times and he told me of bad times. I finally got up the nerve to ask him about the scars on his back. He said they were not scars they were trophies. He said each mark was a trophy given to him from the world when he told of the one who was not of this world. He said I who am so unholy was allowed to suffer for the name of the one who was holy. Paul looked at me and said, "Tychicus, every rebuke, every insult, yes even every stripe you may take because you told of Jesus your Savior is a trophy. For you are His workmanship, you are His shelf just like little Angel has his shelf and those insults, rebukes and criticisms are just trophies being placed upon your shelf of His grace." We finished lunch and Paul said Tychicus let us continue so we sat back down and Paul began to write.

Next discussion, "Redeeming the time because the days are evil. Wherefore be not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is. Tychicus, make use of every opportunity that God gives you. Tychicus, we only have so many days given to us and in each of those days there is much evil. There is much darkness and we may be the only light in that darkness. Be not foolish Tychicus but be wise keeping your eye on the prize. Keep in mind what the will of God is Tychicus." Then Paul stopped and said, "What is the will of God, Tychicus?" He always had that way of catching me off guard. I stood there for a moment grasping at all kinds of things and then out of my mouth came the following. "The purpose of God is to bless mankind through His Son Jesus Christ." Paul got this big grin on his face and said that is the most beautiful thing I have ever heard. Where did you come up with that? I stood there for a moment and then quietly said, "I think it came from God." Paul said, "I know it came from God. Tychicus, that came from the Spirit of God who dwells within you. I will now write something to our brothers about the Spirit of God that dwells in them." He then wrote, "and be not drunk with wine wherein is excess but be filled with the Spirit. Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Paul said, "Tychicus have you ever been drunk?" I hung my head and said, "Yes I have Paul, too many times. I did such terrible things when I got drunk. Things that I would be ashamed to tell you of." Paul said, "in other words you did stupid and crazy things." I responded, "Yes." Paul said, "Tychicus when you are filled with the Spirit you will appear to world as if you are doing crazy and stupid things. They will call you mad, they will say he is taking this religion thing to far. Even some of your brothers and sisters in Christ will say now do not get too religious on us. Tychicus when you are filled with His Spirit you will appear to them to be talking to yourself but in reality you will be talking with your Father. You will be like a finely tuned musical instrument perfectly in tune with your Conductor. The strings of your soul, your mind, your will and your emotion will be giving thanks in your heart for everything that comes your way. Tychicus, you will know that nothing can touch you that has not pass through Him for you are His and He is yours for all of eternity." I said to Paul although I already knew how he would answer, "Where did you come up with that?" Of course he answered, "From God." With this we stopped and gave thanks for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Next discussion, after we had prayed Paul said to me, "Tychicus, something has been on my mind for some time. Men do not treat their wives as they should nor do their wives respect their husbands as they should so I am going to put some practical advice in this letter on how we should treat each other." I read as Paul wrote, "Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Wives submit yourselves unto you own husbands as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ let the wives be to their own husbands in everything." I said to Paul, "That is very good for I do know that God created man first and then He created woman so it is good that the woman should be in subjection to the man." Paul looked at me and said, "Tychicus, I am not done with this part yet. Read what I am about to write now. Husbands love your wives even as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it." Paul stopped and said, "I think you missed the first thing I wrote Tychicus. The first thing I wrote was, submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Tychicus, that means to yield to one another's admonition and advice. If the submitting to God is in the right order Tychicus, then the rest will fall into place. Wives will listen to their husband's advice for there will be that respect as she watches him submit himself to the Lord. I wrote this because I fear that things will continue as they are now. Our wives and ladies have very little respect given them because we give very little respect to our Master and Lord. Yes, Tychicus, the wives should be in subjection to their husband's as the husband should be in subjection to Christ but if either one of them is not in subjection to Christ first and foremost then the submitting will not happen." I am glad you stopped me Tychicus for it has given me even more time to reflect on this subject. I knew in my heart that I wanted to say more and now I think I know what it is. Paul then said to me again, "Read as I write, Tychicus. Husbands love your wives even as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it. That He might sanctify it and cleanse it with the washing of the water by the word. That He might present it to Himself a glorious church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish." Paul then ask me a question. A question on a subject that had never come up before. I think Paul was just waiting for the right and that time was now. Paul said, "Tychicus, are you married?" I stood with my head hung low. I did not want to be here at this present moment for I was embarrassed and ashamed about the answer I was going to give. I did not answer out loud I just shook my head, Yes. Paul softly began to talk with me, "Tychicus my young brother in Christ, Jesus gave Himself for the church. He gave Himself for you and me. He did that because we could not and would not give ourselves for each other. He separated us, He cleansed us as one would cleanse a leper. He then bathed us with His word when He said, it is finished. Because He did that He can now present us to Himself a splendid church without one fault. He has done that Tychicus. I can tell that you are embarrassed and ashamed about your relationship with your wife but it is not too late. If and when you get out of here go back and tell her of what Jesus has done for you. How He has cleansed you and washed you by His sacrifice. Then ask her forgiveness and love her as Christ has loved you." I said to Paul, "I do not know if that is possible for I have done so much wrong but I will go back and try. I will at least tell her of Jesus and His love even if she cannot forgive me for the things I have done." I started to tell Paul about some of the things I had done but he stopped me and said, Tychicus, I do not need to know for that is between you, your wife and the Lord."

Nest discussion, Paul said Tychicus it is getting late and I would like to finish this page so I will write a little more. I silently sat by him as he wrote, "So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loves his wife loves himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh but nourishes it and cherishes it even as the Lord the church. For we are members of His body of His flesh and of His bones. Tychicus we owe our wives that kind of love. We should love them and take care of them just as we love ourselves. Tychicus, Jesus is nourishing His church and bringing it into maturity as He fosters it with tender care. We became part of Him when we got saved and as His Holy Spirit enter into us our bodies became His body, our flesh became His flesh even our bones became His bones so should it be with our wives. Let me write it in another way. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and shall be joined unto his wife and the two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Tychicus, this fleshy union is like being glued together even though you are two, your purpose is one. It is the same with Jesus and us even though we are two our purpose is one for we are joined by Spirit. Where you go He goes and where He leads you go. The night was rapidly closing in on us and Paul said let me finished this page with this, "Nevertheless let everyone of you in particular so love his wife even as himself and the wife see that she reverence her husband." Paul closed up the ink and starting wrapping up the parchment while he was doing this he said, "Tychicus, if each brother and sister in the Lord will give Him the respect, honor and praise that He deserves then I am sure that the man will love his wife as Christ loved the church and the wife will honor the husband as Jesus honored His Father. We said a prayer together for husbands and wives and then we both retired to our own corners where we went to the throne of grace. As I laid there praying I still felt shame for all the things I had done to my wife. The neglect, callousness, and hardness with which I had treated her. I now knew that God had forgiven me but whether she could I did not know. My prayer was for her to come to know the Savior because bitterness, anger and hurt can only last for a lifetime but darkness and separation from our heavenly Father could last for an eternity. I drifted off to sleep praying not only for her but for all those I had wronged. I prayed that my former life would in no way hinder them coming to know the Savior.

# Day Eight

I was still sleeping soundly when I heard Mr. Gruff start banging on the cell bars and yelling, "Get over here." I jumped about three feet high and ran over to the cell bars. When I got there he gave me our food for the day and then took a sack out of his pouch and handed it to me with these words, "I do not know who you two know but I was told to give this to you." He then opened the pouch and pulled out three apples, two oranges and some dried fish. He roughly push them through the bars and again said, "I do not know who you two know but it is someone with some power." He started to walk away when I heard Paul say from behind me, "We know El Shaddai." When Paul said that the guard whirled around and said," what did you say to me?" thinking that I had spoken. I just stood there with my mouth wide open. Paul stepped up and said, "We know El Shaddai." Mr. Gruff with a sneer on his face said, "Just who is El Shaddai?" Paul calmly replied, "El Shaddai means Lord God Almighty and El Elyon means The Most High God." Mr. Gruff stood there a moment glaring at Paul and then his face seemed to soften a little and he said, "Maybe you do" and then he turned and walked away. I was elated and overjoyed with this turn of events. I thought I was about to get beat and it turned out I was going to enjoy some apples, oranges and fish instead. I was just about to take a bite out of one the apples when Paul said, "Tychicus, have you had your morning fellowship yet?" I just handed him the apple and went over to my corner and began to seek my Father. After I left the throne of grace Paul and I began to eat our breakfast. Angel of course showed up right on time. Paul asked me if I had any children and I told him that I did not but if my wife would take me back I would like to have some one day. Paul said he was he was going to write something to children today and that included all of us for we were all children and we all had parents. Paul then began to write, "Children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right. Honor thy father and mother which is the first commandment with promise. That it may be well with thee and thou may live long on the earth." I sighed very loudly and Paul stopped and said, "Tychicus what is the matter?" I said to Paul, "Not only did I get slapped in the face when we talked about husbands and wives yesterday but now I am getting it about my parents. I am afraid not only have I not been a good husband but I have been a terrible son." Paul asked if both my parents were still alive and I told him that they were. He said that was good because it was never too late to start. He said to honor them meant to fix a value on them. A value higher than we would place on ourselves. Then stick to that value and things would go much better for us here on this earth. As a matter of fact we would probably live much longer just by giving them honor they deserve instead of grieving them. I told him I planned to make amends if I ever got out of here.

Next discussion, Paul then said," Tychicus, you said that you would like to have children someday so here is the best advice I can give you." He then wrote, "And ye fathers provoke not your children to wrath but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Tychicus, I cannot emphasize this enough. Do not provoke or exasperate your children. Do not raise them in anger for that emotion is natural enough without you aiding and abetting it. Rather, nourish them up to maturity and exhort and teach them in the things of the Lord." Paul then asked me if my mother and father knew the Lord. I said that they did not but that I hoped to tell them about Him. Then I thought for a moment and said, "If they had known Him perhaps they would have nourished me in the Lord and then my earlier life would have been so much better. Paul I want to be that kind of a father if ever given the chance." Paul said, "I believe you do Tychicus, I believe you do." Paul then asked if my family were wealthy enough to have servants and I said no. He then asked if I had ever been a servant and I said no and then I stopped and said," Not until now." Paul smiled and said how right you are and began to write, "Servants be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling in singleness of your heart as unto Christ. Not with eye service as men pleasers but as servants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart. With good will doing service as to the Lord and not to men." Paul stopped and said, "Tychicus, even though you do not have servants and neither are you a servant explain to me what you think I have written." I thought for a moment and then said, "I hope that someday there will be no servants or slaves. I hope that someday we will see that we are to be obedient and listen for our Master's voice. We should be trembling as one who knows that he may not be able to complete all the Lord asks of him but we will try to do it in His grace and power. That we would be sincere and not self-seeking. Free from pretense and hypocrisy. Even more that we would do it unto the Lord and not to impress men." Paul said, "Glory, Tychicus, I could not have said it any better myself." I was honored that Paul would say that about me and I quietly thanked the Lord.

Next discussion, Paul said, "Tychicus if you do those things you shall receive a reward from the Lord. If not in this life then in the next. Our friends in Ephesus should know the same thing." He then wrote, "Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man does the same shall he receive of the Lord whether he be bond or free. And ye masters do the same things unto them forbearing threating knowing that your Master also is in heaven, neither is there respect of persons with him." Paul then said, "Tychicus is it not glorious to know that we serve a Master who does not play favorites. If you do right by others then He will do right by you. It matters not to Him if you are a servant or a free man He will treat you the same." We both just praised the Lord together.

We suddenly heard a noise outside of the cell window and went over to see what was going on. There were columns of Roman soldiers marching by in full uniform. I ask Paul if he thought they were going off to do battle somewhere. Paul watched them for a moment longer and then turned to me and said, "Tychicus, again God has used you in my life." I was puzzled and ask him what he meant. Paul said," I sensed in my spirit that this letter to the Ephesians was just about finished but I wanted to give them some parting encouragement and was praying about what to write. Those Romans soldiers and you have given me that answer." Paul then went back over to our table and sat down and began to write. I went over and sat down beside him and read the words he was writing. "Finally my brethren be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." Paul stopped and said, "Tychicus, we are coming not only to the end of this letter but also to your stage of learning at this time. I sense that it may be time for you to put what you have learned into practice. Pay careful attention to what I am writing now for I think that you will need it every day of life." I ask him what exactly he thought was going to happen. Paul said, "I am not sure but I am sure that you need to understand what I am writing and let it sink deep into your heart. So we will go slowly and discuss in depth what the Lord has laid on my heart to write to you and the Ephesians. Tychicus, maybe these words are for all believers although I do not see how this one letter can be given to all of them. Tychicus, when those soldiers came marching past us in full battle armor you ask if they were going off to war. I do not know where they are going but they looked prepared for war if it was thrust upon them. We are soldiers in the army of our Savior and need to put on our armor so that we will be prepared to fight this heavenly fight. I am going to show you and our brothers in Ephesus just what armor we should have on and how to use that armor against our enemy so pay close attention.

Next discussion, Paul then began to write, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities against powers against the rulers of the darkness of this world against spiritual wickedness in high places. Tychicus, it is so important that we realize who we are battling against. We must realize that we are in a wrestling match and the victor is the one who gets his opponent down and holds him there with his hand on his neck. Our opponent will often try to make us think that our match is against flesh and blood, against our own brothers and sisters in Christ but we must look beyond that to see where the real battle is taking place. Tychicus, our battle is against angels and demons, against beings more powerful and superior to man but infinitely weaker than our Savior Jesus. These rulers have no respect for divine things for they are ungodly and immoral and their final destiny is misery in hell. However for now or for this period of time we must fight against their evil purposes and desires that take place around us. Tychicus, because they are more powerful than us we must learn how to fight them while resting in our King and Lord. For the battle is already won when we put on the armor of our Lord and Savior. Tychicus let's take a look at what that armor is and how we are to use it."

Next discussion, I must admit that I was glad Paul was going to show me how to use this armor because after he described who the enemy was it scared me. I thought how am I supposed to fight and enemy that I cannot see who is more powerful and superior to me. Paul then said, "Tychicus before we learn how to use the armor we must learn to put it on and why we should put it on. See if you can read the words I am writing. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand." Paul said, Tychicus when you read the words I have written what have I told you to do." I look at the words again for I knew Paul was trying to get me to realize something. Finally I said, "Take on the whole armor of God." Paul replied, "You are missing something Tychicus. Let me explain. First God wants you to take up the whole armor so that you can use it. Second God is going to want to put on all of the armor this includes the greaves, breastplate, shield, helmet, and sword. Third, the reason you are doing this is so that you may withstand, oppose and resist this evil in these days of peril to the Christian faith. Now, Tychicus, let me ask you one more time after you have done all this what does He want you to do. Read what I have written one more time." I read the words again and at last I saw it. I said to Paul, "He has not told me to do anything but stand. Explain that to me for I thought that He wanted me to do something." Paul smiled and said, "He does, He wants you to stand. He wants you to stand safe and sound, He wants you to stand unharmed, immoveable, firm, keeping your place in the victory that has already been won. Tychicus the battle is His, the victory is declared, the triumph came with the cross, we are only to stand and watch as our foes are vanquished." Paul then said, "So let us put on the armor and see how He will use it through us.

Next discussion, Paul then wrote, "Stand therefore having your loins girt about with truth and having on the breastplate of righteousness." I stopped Paul and said excuse me but you repeated the word stand thinking that his eyes had caused him to overlook this fact. Paul looked over at me and said, "Thank you, Tychicus but I meant to use that word again. Having told you to stand that is exactly what God wants you to do. He wants you to stand there and see the salvation of the Lord at work. Remember when I told you about the parting of the Red Sea." I thought back to that night right before we went to sleep when Paul had told me about God delivering the Israelites out of Egypt. How they had come up to the Red Sea with the Egyptians chasing them. How they began to panic and scream at Moses their supposed deliverer that they were going to die. I said to Paul, "Yes I remember." Paul then ask me, "Do you remember what Moses said to them?" I thought for a moment and then it hit me. I looked at Paul and said, "He said to them stand and see the salvation of the Lord." Paul then said, "Yes, Yes, He wants us to stand with the armor He provides while we watch Him defeat the enemy. So put on and equip yourself with the knowledge of the truth and the reality of God that the battle is already won. Wear the truth like a belt around you always reminding you of this great truth. It is finished and Jesus our Savior sits at the right hand of God. Take this breastplate of His righteousness and place it over your heart. This breastplate which is Jesus has integrity, virtue, and purity of life, rightness, correctness of thinking, feeling and acting. It brings about a condition in which a man may be approved by God." I said to Paul, "I am getting dressed into Jesus please continue to tell me what else my tailor would have me to wear." Paul laughed and said, "So be it." I laughed a holy laugh and clapped my hands at his next words. "And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace." Paul said, "Tychicus I do not know when you will be released but I want you to have your shoes ready to travel wherever He may lead you. Tell them that the peace of God has come to all men through His Son Jesus and that they have nothing to fear for their Creator has come seeking them." I got so excited when Paul told me this that I jumped up and did a little dance right there in front of him and the Lord. After I did it I felt a little embarrassed until Paul told me the story of how David was bringing back the Ark of the Lord to Jerusalem and did his own dance in front of the Lord. Paul said, "Tychicus if only so many of His saints would feel like dancing when they think of His great salvation."

Next discussion, we took a short break for some water and the little food we had left. Paul then said," It is getting late and darkness will soon be upon us. For some reason I know that we need to finish this letter tonight." So we both took our places and Paul wrote, "Above all taking the shield of faith where with you shall be able to quench the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation and sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. Tychicus, all of us need to raise up this shield of faith. Let it be a large shield like the Roman soldiers shield, hold it up and think of these words being written on it. I am convinced that God exists and is the creator and ruler of all things and is the provider of all things and has bestowed eternal salvation through Jesus Christ His Son. If you turn those words whichever way they need to be turned then they will extinguish those lying arrows that the wicked one throws at you. Tychicus, remember to put on your helmet every day, for that helmet says that the one who wears this belongs to God and every morning take that sword which you are sharpening while you are here and mediated upon it." Paul began to tear up and his voice began to quiver as if he knew something that I did not know. He then got up and hugged me and prayed with me that I would remember these words.

Next discussion, Paul then said, "Come, Tychicus, we must hurry and finish". With that he sat down again and wrote, "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints." In a soft voice Paul then said to me, "Tychicus never, never, quit praying. It is always the right time to pray and when you pray seek the one who is the answer instead of just seeking the one who gives the answers for then you will be praying in the Spirit. Be attentive and seek God for all the saints." Then Paul turned to me and said, "Tychicus, you will be leaving tomorrow. They will set you free." I started to protest. I started to ask how he could know that but Paul put his finger to his lips and said, "Quiet now." He then pointed down to our paper and wrote, "And for me that utterance may be given unto me that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel. For which I am an ambassador in bonds that therein I may speak boldly as I ought to speak." Paul put his arm around my shoulder and said, "Tychicus, I just know that tomorrow you will be leaving. You're learning here is over and you must go proclaim what you have learned to others. You must go visit your parents and your wife to see if you can make amends. You must tell them of the love of Christ. You must also take this letter to our brothers in Ephesus so that they may learn more of our Savior." I knew in my heart that what he way saying was right and I knew that I would have to go and leave this prison of freedom. I looked at Paul and with tears streaming down my cheek said, "How in the world will I ever get to Ephesus." As soon as I said it I knew the answer for we both then said, "Jehovah-Jireh."

Next discussion, Paul said, "Tychicus we have but a little light left so I will close this letter with these words. But that ye also may know my affairs and how I do Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord shall make known to you all things." When Paul wrote these words I began to sob for I would miss him so. What an honor that he would call me a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord. Paul again put his arm around me but kept on writing the following words, "Whom I have sent to you for the purpose that ye might know our affairs and that he might comfort your hearts. Peace be to the brethren and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity Amen."

Paul said, "Tychicus, it finished our letter to the Ephesians is finished." We stopped then and talked for a while. We talk of heaven and how if we never saw each other again we would have a great reunion up there. We prayed and then went to bed. As I laid there praying I ask God if I could stay here in what had become for me a prison of freedom. I would rather stay here than go back out to the slavery of the world. As I prayed I felt as if Jesus was saying no you must go now and take what you have learned about freedom to your brothers and sisters who are in bondage. I felt a peace come over me as I said whatever you want Jesus and with that I fell asleep.

# Day Nine

I awoke the next morning as daylight began to stream through our one window. Paul as usual was at the throne of grace and so I also approached my Father. I prayed again and asked if I could stay with Paul. Then I heard Mr. Gruff coming down the hallway cursing. He came up and banged on the bars and said here is your breakfast come and get it before I throw it on the floor. I went to the door to retrieve breakfast and he of course half threw it at me and turned and starting walking away. Then he turned and said, "You have five minutes they are setting you free." My heart sank but then I felt Paul's hand on my shoulder and he said go and tell the good news. I turned and hugged him and he handed me the letter. I looked for Angel to say goodbye but he had not appeared. At that moment Mr. Gruff came back and said, "Let's go." He led me back down the hallway and told me not to mention the name of Jesus again. I laughed to myself. He opened the door and shoved me out into the sunlight. To my shock and amazement who was standing there waiting for me. Gregory, the guard that Paul had told about Jesus when I first went into the prison. He told me that after our witness he had accepted Christ as Savior. Then he showed me a chariot and said he had a week off with the use of this chariot and was there any place I wanted to go. I just laughed and said Jehovah- Jireh. He gave me a puzzled look and I said I will explain later but I needed to go to Ephesus. We got in the chariot and Gregory said, "Did you get the candles I threw in that window." I looked over and could see Paul smiling at me as we got ready to take off. Then the strangest thing happened a small sparrow came down and landed on the horses harness and stayed there for about five seconds looking at me. Then it flew away and went right into the cell window. I looked up at the beautiful sky my Father had painted that morning and said, "Amen, So be it."

The End

Hebrews 11:6 "But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."

In Christ, Don Hatfield
