The Prison of Freedom

by Don Hatfield

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 p
rovisions 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