July 27, 2025 • 31 mins
The cold walls of a Roman prison cell become the unlikely birthplace of one of Scripture's most soaring passages in this immersive journey through Ephesians 1. From chains of confinement, the Apostle Paul crafts words of cosmic freedom—a paradox that reveals the unstoppable nature of God's truth.
Against the backdrop of damp stone and flickering torchlight, we witness Paul dipping his quill to write not of despair but of blessing, not of pain but of purpose. His letter to the Ephesians unfolds the breathtaking revelation that believers were "chosen before the foundation of the world"—a divine selection that predates creation itself. As prison guards shuffle past his cell, Paul declares cosmic truths: adoption into God's family, redemption through Christ's blood, and the sealing of believers with the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of inheritance.
This episode weaves together worship music, dramatic narration, and scripture reading to transport you directly into Paul's experience. You'll hear the chains rattle as he lifts his hands in worship. You'll feel the tension between his physical bondage and spiritual liberation. Most importantly, you'll be challenged to examine your own identity—are you living as someone chosen, adopted, redeemed, and sealed? Do your circumstances dictate your reality, or does the eternal purpose of God illuminate your path?
Experience Ephesians 1 as never before, and discover why Paul could write such words of triumph from a place of apparent defeat. Visit inthefieldaudiobible.com to access more immersive scripture experiences and strengthen your daily walk with God.
Thank you for joining us in this episode of In the Field Audio Bible, where we explore the richness of God’s Word, one chapter at a time. We hope today’s reading brought insight, comfort, or inspiration to your journey of faith.
We’d love to hear your thoughts and questions! Feel free to send us a text to let us know how In the Field Audio Bible is impacting your faith journey. Until next time, may God’s Word guide and bless you.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
In the Field Audio Bible (04:49):
Today, we find ourselves not beside a
restless but beside a chainedApostle Paul, writing from a
Roman prison cell.
His voice is not bitter butbursting with praise, though
iron binds his hands.
Though iron binds his hands,his words soar to heavenly
(05:13):
realms.
Blessed be the God and Fatherof our Lord Jesus Christ.
He declares, as he unfolds amystery hidden for ages, that we
were chosen, adopted, redeemed,sealed by the Spirit Himself.
Stay with me as we step intothe first chapter of Ephesians,
(05:38):
a sweeping vision of grace andglory, where the imprisoned
writer lifts our eyes to theeternal and reminds us who we
are in Christ.
The sound of footsteps echoesdown the stone corridor, but it
is not the guard, I fear thechains bite at my wrists.
(06:02):
Yet it is not the iron thatweighs heaviest.
Here, in this Roman cell,beneath cold walls and
flickering torchlight, I feelthe press of eternity more than
captivity.
The air is thick, not with dampor dust, but with purpose.
(06:25):
For though the empire believesme, silenced, heaven has not
gone quiet.
The parchment lies open on mylap.
My hands are bruised but steady.
I do not write of despair, Iwrite of blessing.
(06:45):
I do not cry out in protest, Ising of grace.
For in this stillness, amystery burns like fire in my
bones that before thefoundations of the world were
laid, we were chosen in Christ.
That even here, surrounded bythe might of Caesar, the true
(07:12):
king reigns.
The guards shift outside, aprisoner moans in the cell next
to mine, but I write on eyesfixed beyond these walls to the
heavenly places where blessingsare stored, beyond these walls,
(07:32):
to the heavenly places whereblessings are stored, where
Christ is seated and where everyspiritual gift has already been
poured out upon us.
And I write to them, my belovedin Ephesus, to remind them, to
awaken them, to call them backto who they truly are.
(07:52):
Soft footsteps echo across wornstone, a rustle of parchment,
the distant clang of iron gates,then a voice, calm, resolute,
full of purpose.
I am Paul, once a persecutor,now a prisoner of Christ Jesus,
(08:24):
chained, yes, but not silenced.
Called not by men but by thewill of God.
If you've come to hear my words, sit close.
There is something eternal Imust share with you.
Come in, my friend, don't mindthe shadows.
They come and go like thetorchlight that flickers down
(08:46):
these prison halls, the dampnessyou feel in the air, that's the
breath of Rome's forgottenplaces.
Chains rattle here more thanvoices, but don't let the
silence fool you.
This cell is no place of defeat.
No, this is a place ofrevelation.
(09:09):
Sit with me for a while.
There's room here, on this coldstone bench.
I'll tell you about the mysteryof Christ, about blessings that
come from heavenly places.
I have a letter to write tobeloved brothers and sisters far
from here, in the thriving cityof Ephesus.
(09:31):
It's strange, isn't it, that aman bound in chains would speak
of freedom, that someone castaside by the empire would write
of glorious inheritance.
But I do, I must, for though mywrists are bound, my spirit is
(09:52):
soaring and my words they mustreach them, they must reach you.
You see, I remember Ephesus.
I remember the bustle of itsgreat marketplace, the aroma of
incense and oil drifting fromthe stalls.
I remembered the proud templeto Artemis towering over the
(10:15):
city with its marble columns andsilver idols.
I remember the sea breezebrushing across my face as I
stood beneath the open sky,proclaiming a gospel not made by
hands or carved by craftsmen,but born of the living God, of
Jesus Christ Himself.
(10:36):
I remember their eyes, thosewho believed the light that came
alive in them, jew and Gentilealike joining together in a new
family, a mystery hidden throughthe ages but now revealed.
They've grown since then, thechurch in Ephesus, stronger,
(11:00):
wiser, but the pressures of theworld have grown too the pull of
culture, the echo of false gods, the subtle creep of fear and
doubt.
So I write to them, not fromthe height of culture, the echo
of false gods, the subtle creepof fear and doubt.
So I write to them not from theheight of a pulpit, but from
this low and dim Roman cell, andI write with joy here.
(11:23):
Give me the parchment, let medip the quill again.
Listen closely, Paul, anapostle of Christ Jesus, by the
will of God, to God's holypeople in Ephesus, the faithful
in Christ Jesus.
Grace to you and peace from God, our Father and the Lord.
(11:46):
Jesus Christ, can you feel it?
That's not a mere greeting,that's a declaration.
I'm not here because Caesarcommands it.
I am here because Christ sentme.
It was his will.
And those I write to, they arenot just Ephesians, they are
(12:08):
God's holy people, set apart,faithful in Christ.
Let me keep writing.
There's more to say, much more.
Praise be to the God and Fatherof our Lord, Jesus Christ, who
has blessed us in the heavenlyrealms with every spiritual
(12:30):
blessing in Christ.
That's right.
Every blessing, not some, not ataste, all the kind that
doesn't wither when gold rustsor when chains clink in the dark
.
These are eternal blessingschosen before the foundation of
(12:51):
the world.
You, yes, you were seen beforetime began, for he chose us and
him before the creation of theworld to be holy and blameless
in his sight.
You may wonder how a prisonerdares to speak of such glory,
(13:14):
but I see it more clearly nowthan ever before.
The walls may confine me, butthey cannot dim the brilliance
of his plan.
I see how every thread has beenwoven, how grace has pursued us
from the very beginning.
There's more ink on this quill.
(13:35):
Did you hear the heartbeat inthose words?
Adoption, sonship, this is notcold theology, this is family,
(14:00):
this is love that stretched outarms upon a cross, blood pouring
freely so we might be calledsons and daughters.
And he did it, not begrudginglybut joyfully.
It was his pleasure.
And now here I sit, surroundedby stone shackled.
(14:21):
But as I write these truths, Ifeel as if heaven itself leans
close.
Even the soldier by the doorwhat's indifferent now listens
differently.
I catch his gaze.
Sometimes His brow furrows, hisheart stirs.
I see it Even here, especiallyhere, the gospel is alive In him
(14:48):
.
We have redemption through hisblood, the forgiveness of sins,
in accordance with the riches ofGod's grace that he lavished on
us.
Lavished, not sparing, notrationed, like a flood breaking
through a dam.
Grace that covers every wound,every failure, every lost day.
(15:12):
Do you know what that means foryou?
There is no prison strongerthan his grace.
No past is too broken, nofuture too far gone.
Here let me stretch my hands,the chains pull tight, but still
I lift them in worship.
(15:33):
With all wisdom andunderstanding, he made known to
us the mystery of his will.
Ah, the mystery, that sacredsecret hidden for generations,
now whispered into our heartsthat Christ is the head, that he
is bringing all things, thingsin heaven and on earth together
(15:57):
under his name, that in him evenyou, even me, find our place,
our purpose.
And that soldier, again he'sleaning in eyes softening,
perhaps wondering if thismessage could be for him too.
I pray it is In him.
(16:19):
We were also chosen, chosen.
What word could be more neededin a world of rejection?
In Ephesus, among the templesand trade routes, many still
feel forgotten.
But this letter, it carries morethan ink.
It carries belonging, and notby human choice but by the hand
(16:43):
of God.
I write this not merely as ateacher, but as a father in the
faith.
These are my children, mybeloved, and I want them to know
who they are before the windsof falsehood and fear try to
strip them bare.
And you also were included inChrist when you heard the
(17:05):
message of truth, the gospel ofyour salvation, when you
believed.
You were marked in him with aseal, the promised Holy Spirit.
Yes, a seal, the Spirit Himself, not a brand of ownership, but
a promise, A deposit of what isto come Heaven touching earth,
(17:31):
eternity planted in time.
Do you understand the weight ofthat?
The Spirit is not distant.
He is within us, whisperingthat we are His.
And now the candle flickers low.
I must let the ink dry, butbefore I close this scroll, I
pray, I pray for them and foryou.
(17:54):
I keep asking that, the God ofour Lord Jesus Christ, I pray, I
pray for them and for you.
I keep asking that the God ofour Lord Jesus Christ, the
glorious Father, may give youthe spirit of wisdom and
revelation so that you may knowhim better.
That is the heartbeat of it allthat you may know him, not in
theory, not in tradition, butintimately, deeply, powerfully.
(18:21):
So hear me now as the clatter ofkeys echoes in the hall and the
guard motions for me to finish.
You are chosen, you are sealed,you are beloved.
You are sealed, you are beloved, and no matter the chains, the
(18:43):
glory of Christ cannot besilenced.
Walk with me through thesewords, let them shape you, let
them remind you who you are.
This is not just a letter, it'sa door, and grace is calling on
the other side.
Now let's take a moment to quietour hearts and listen to the
word itself.
Let these words sink deep intoyour spirit, bringing comfort,
(19:08):
conviction and encouragement,whether you're sitting in a
quiet place or out in the world.
Allow scripture to meet youright where you are.
I hope you have your favoritecup of tea or coffee.
Sit back, relax and let's stepinto the sacred text of the
epistle of Paul to the Ephesians1.
(19:52):
Paul, an apostle of ChristJesus, by the will of God to the
saints who are in Ephesus andare faithful in Christ Jesus,
grace to you and peace from God,our Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ.
Blessed be the God and Fatherof our Lord Jesus Christ.
(20:14):
Blessed be the God and Fatherof our Lord Jesus Christ, who
has blessed us in Christ withevery spiritual blessing in the
heavenly places.
Just as he chose us in Christbefore the foundation of the
world to be holy and blamelessbefore him in love, he destined
us for adoption as his childrenthrough Jesus Christ, according
(20:36):
to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of His glorious
grace that he freely bestowed onus in the Beloved.
In Him we have redemptionthrough His blood, the
forgiveness of our trespasses,according to the riches of His
grace that he lavished on usWith all wisdom and insight.
(21:00):
He has made known to us themystery of His will, according
to His good pleasure that he setforth in Christ as a plan for
the fullness of time to gatherup all things in Him, things in
heaven and things on earth.
In Christ, we have alsoobtained an inheritance, having
(21:23):
been destined according to thepurpose of Him, who accomplishes
all things according to Hiscounsel and will, so that we who
were the first to set our hopeon Christ might live for the
praise of His glory.
In Him, you also, when you hadheard the word of truth, the
(21:45):
gospel of your salvation, andhad believed in Him, were marked
with the seal of the promisedHoly Spirit.
Marked with the seal of thepromised Holy Spirit.
This is the pledge of ourinheritance toward redemption as
God's own people, to the praiseof His glory.
I have heard of your faith inthe Lord Jesus and your love
(22:08):
toward all the saints, and forthis reason I do not cease to
give thanks for you.
As I remember you in my prayers, I pray that the God of our
Lord, Jesus Christ, the Fatherof glory, may give you a spirit
of wisdom and revelation as youcome to know him, so that, with
(22:31):
the eyes of your heartenlightened, you may know what
is the hope to which he hascalled you.
God put this power to work inChrist when he raised him from
(22:55):
the dead and seated him at hisright hand in the heavenly
places, far above all rule andauthority and power and dominion
, and above every name that isnamed, not only in this age but
also in the age to come.
And he has put all things underhis feet and has made him the
(23:19):
head over all things for thechurch, which is his body, the
fullness of him who fills all inall.
(23:45):
The room is dim now.
The last rays of sunlightstrain through a narrow slit in
the stone wall, casting longshadows on the cold floor.
The torch outside my cellflickers and with it the wall
dances like flame against flame.
(24:05):
The scent of damp stone, oldmetal and worn leather fills the
air.
My fingers are stained with ink, the parchment almost dry.
But you're still here, so staya little longer.
Sit with me.
(24:26):
Let these final words settledeep into your spirit.
I've said much already of gracethat cannot be earned, of
blessings poured out fromheavenly places, of the mystery
now made known.
But as I lower my quill, I wantyou to feel the weight of it,
(24:48):
not the weight of these chains,but the glory of what you carry
now in Christ.
You were chosen not by accident,not as a second thought, for he
chose us in him before thecreation of the world.
Do you understand what thatmeans?
(25:10):
Before stars lit the night sky,before the seas were drawn into
their shores, before empiresrose and fell, you were already
on his mind.
Your name was whispered ineternity.
You were seen, desired, loved.
(25:33):
The guard outside my cell.
He's listening.
Now he pretends not to, but Isee the way his hand slows, on
the hilt of his sword, when Ispeak of redemption, of
forgiveness, of a God who seeseven prisoners as sons.
And you, wherever you are,however ordinary your days may
(26:00):
seem, do you live as if you'rechosen, as if you're holy and
blameless in His sight?
Because that's what he says youare In love.
He predestined us for adoption,to sonship.
Through Jesus Christ, you are nolonger a stranger or an orphan.
(26:22):
You have a place at the table.
The King of Kings calls you hisown.
Can you feel the freedom inthat?
And oh, this grace, this lavishgrace.
He didn't just sprinkleforgiveness over you.
He poured it like oil over thehead, running down every regret,
(26:46):
every wound, every shamefulsilence you've ever carried In
him.
We have redemption through hisblood, the forgiveness of sins
in accordance with the riches ofGod's grace that he lavished on
us.
Lavished, not deserved, notrepaid, just given.
(27:11):
So here's why I ask you, why Iask myself, even from these
chains are you living likesomeone redeemed?
Do you trust that your identityis anchored not in your
performance but in his purpose?
When the voices of this worldaccuse you, do you remember you
(27:31):
are sealed, with the Holy Spiritmarked as his own?
Are your eyes fixed on yourcircumstances or have they been
lifted, as mine are now, to theheavenly places where Christ is
seated?
The night has fully fallen now.
The torch sputters.
(27:51):
My back aches from the coldstone, but in my spirit I stand
tall stone, but in my spirit Istand tall.
That power is the same as themighty strength he exerted when
he raised Christ from the dead.
That power lives in you rightnow.
So walk worthy, not in fear.
(28:14):
Thee, not in fear, not in shame, but in the fullness of your
calling.
You were chosen, you weresealed, you are loved, and the
(28:35):
same spirit who raised Jesusfrom the grave now dwells in you
.
Let these words echo louderthan any prison gate, stronger
than any doubt, to the praise ofhis glorious grace which he has
freely given us and the one heloves.
(28:56):
So leave this moment not justwith knowledge but with wonder.
Let it transform how you live,how you love, how you see
yourself.
The parchment is dry, the inkhas settled, but the truth, it,
lives on in you.
(29:17):
Until next time, walk in grace,walk in power and never forget
who you are in Him.
Faint footsteps retreat down thecorridor.
The cell is quiet, but thesilence is not empty, it's full
(29:40):
of glory.
Thank you for joining me todayas we journeyed through the
epistle of Paul to the Ephesians1.
I pray that you carry thesereflections with you into your
day, into your week, and thatyou find strength in knowing God
is with you in every trial,every temptation and every step
(30:02):
of obedience.
If this time in God's Word hasencouraged you, take a moment to
share it with someone who mightneed it.
And be sure to join me nexttime as we continue walking
through the scriptures, learning, growing and staying faithful
in the field of life.
Until next time, may you findpeace in the quiet, trust in
(30:27):
God's call, and rest in Hisunchanging love.
This is In the Field AudioBible, where we Listen to the
Bible one Chapter at a Time.
Today, we find ourselves not beside a
restless but beside a chainedApostle Paul, writing from a
Roman prison cell.
His voice is not bitter butbursting with praise, though
iron binds his hands.
Though iron binds his hands,his words soar to heavenly
(05:13):
realms.
Blessed be the God and Fatherof our Lord Jesus Christ.
He declares, as he unfolds amystery hidden for ages, that we
were chosen, adopted, redeemed,sealed by the Spirit Himself.
Stay with me as we step intothe first chapter of Ephesians,
(05:38):
a sweeping vision of grace andglory, where the imprisoned
writer lifts our eyes to theeternal and reminds us who we
are in Christ.
The sound of footsteps echoesdown the stone corridor, but it
is not the guard, I fear thechains bite at my wrists.
(06:02):
Yet it is not the iron thatweighs heaviest.
Here, in this Roman cell,beneath cold walls and
flickering torchlight, I feelthe press of eternity more than
captivity.
The air is thick, not with dampor dust, but with purpose.
(06:25):
For though the empire believesme, silenced, heaven has not
gone quiet.
The parchment lies open on mylap.
My hands are bruised but steady.
I do not write of despair, Iwrite of blessing.
(06:45):
I do not cry out in protest, Ising of grace.
For in this stillness, amystery burns like fire in my
bones that before thefoundations of the world were
laid, we were chosen in Christ.
That even here, surrounded bythe might of Caesar, the true
(07:12):
king reigns.
The guards shift outside, aprisoner moans in the cell next
to mine, but I write on eyesfixed beyond these walls to the
heavenly places where blessingsare stored, beyond these walls,
(07:32):
to the heavenly places whereblessings are stored, where
Christ is seated and where everyspiritual gift has already been
poured out upon us.
And I write to them, my belovedin Ephesus, to remind them, to
awaken them, to call them backto who they truly are.
(07:52):
Soft footsteps echo across wornstone, a rustle of parchment,
the distant clang of iron gates,then a voice, calm, resolute,
full of purpose.
I am Paul, once a persecutor,now a prisoner of Christ Jesus,
(08:24):
chained, yes, but not silenced.
Called not by men but by thewill of God.
If you've come to hear my words, sit close.
There is something eternal Imust share with you.
Come in, my friend, don't mindthe shadows.
They come and go like thetorchlight that flickers down
(08:46):
these prison halls, the dampnessyou feel in the air, that's the
breath of Rome's forgottenplaces.
Chains rattle here more thanvoices, but don't let the
silence fool you.
This cell is no place of defeat.
No, this is a place ofrevelation.
(09:09):
Sit with me for a while.
There's room here, on this coldstone bench.
I'll tell you about the mysteryof Christ, about blessings that
come from heavenly places.
I have a letter to write tobeloved brothers and sisters far
from here, in the thriving cityof Ephesus.
(09:31):
It's strange, isn't it, that aman bound in chains would speak
of freedom, that someone castaside by the empire would write
of glorious inheritance.
But I do, I must, for though mywrists are bound, my spirit is
(09:52):
soaring and my words they mustreach them, they must reach you.
You see, I remember Ephesus.
I remember the bustle of itsgreat marketplace, the aroma of
incense and oil drifting fromthe stalls.
I remembered the proud templeto Artemis towering over the
(10:15):
city with its marble columns andsilver idols.
I remember the sea breezebrushing across my face as I
stood beneath the open sky,proclaiming a gospel not made by
hands or carved by craftsmen,but born of the living God, of
Jesus Christ Himself.
(10:36):
I remember their eyes, thosewho believed the light that came
alive in them, jew and Gentilealike joining together in a new
family, a mystery hidden throughthe ages but now revealed.
They've grown since then, thechurch in Ephesus, stronger,
(11:00):
wiser, but the pressures of theworld have grown too the pull of
culture, the echo of false gods, the subtle creep of fear and
doubt.
So I write to them, not fromthe height of culture, the echo
of false gods, the subtle creepof fear and doubt.
So I write to them not from theheight of a pulpit, but from
this low and dim Roman cell, andI write with joy here.
(11:23):
Give me the parchment, let medip the quill again.
Listen closely, Paul, anapostle of Christ Jesus, by the
will of God, to God's holypeople in Ephesus, the faithful
in Christ Jesus.
Grace to you and peace from God, our Father and the Lord.
(11:46):
Jesus Christ, can you feel it?
That's not a mere greeting,that's a declaration.
I'm not here because Caesarcommands it.
I am here because Christ sentme.
It was his will.
And those I write to, they arenot just Ephesians, they are
(12:08):
God's holy people, set apart,faithful in Christ.
Let me keep writing.
There's more to say, much more.
Praise be to the God and Fatherof our Lord, Jesus Christ, who
has blessed us in the heavenlyrealms with every spiritual
(12:30):
blessing in Christ.
That's right.
Every blessing, not some, not ataste, all the kind that
doesn't wither when gold rustsor when chains clink in the dark
.
These are eternal blessingschosen before the foundation of
(12:51):
the world.
You, yes, you were seen beforetime began, for he chose us and
him before the creation of theworld to be holy and blameless
in his sight.
You may wonder how a prisonerdares to speak of such glory,
(13:14):
but I see it more clearly nowthan ever before.
The walls may confine me, butthey cannot dim the brilliance
of his plan.
I see how every thread has beenwoven, how grace has pursued us
from the very beginning.
There's more ink on this quill.
(13:35):
Did you hear the heartbeat inthose words?
Adoption, sonship, this is notcold theology, this is family,
(14:00):
this is love that stretched outarms upon a cross, blood pouring
freely so we might be calledsons and daughters.
And he did it, not begrudginglybut joyfully.
It was his pleasure.
And now here I sit, surroundedby stone shackled.
(14:21):
But as I write these truths, Ifeel as if heaven itself leans
close.
Even the soldier by the doorwhat's indifferent now listens
differently.
I catch his gaze.
Sometimes His brow furrows, hisheart stirs.
I see it Even here, especiallyhere, the gospel is alive In him
(14:48):
.
We have redemption through hisblood, the forgiveness of sins,
in accordance with the riches ofGod's grace that he lavished on
us.
Lavished, not sparing, notrationed, like a flood breaking
through a dam.
Grace that covers every wound,every failure, every lost day.
(15:12):
Do you know what that means foryou?
There is no prison strongerthan his grace.
No past is too broken, nofuture too far gone.
Here let me stretch my hands,the chains pull tight, but still
I lift them in worship.
(15:33):
With all wisdom andunderstanding, he made known to
us the mystery of his will.
Ah, the mystery, that sacredsecret hidden for generations,
now whispered into our heartsthat Christ is the head, that he
is bringing all things, thingsin heaven and on earth together
(15:57):
under his name, that in him evenyou, even me, find our place,
our purpose.
And that soldier, again he'sleaning in eyes softening,
perhaps wondering if thismessage could be for him too.
I pray it is In him.
(16:19):
We were also chosen, chosen.
What word could be more neededin a world of rejection?
In Ephesus, among the templesand trade routes, many still
feel forgotten.
But this letter, it carries morethan ink.
It carries belonging, and notby human choice but by the hand
(16:43):
of God.
I write this not merely as ateacher, but as a father in the
faith.
These are my children, mybeloved, and I want them to know
who they are before the windsof falsehood and fear try to
strip them bare.
And you also were included inChrist when you heard the
(17:05):
message of truth, the gospel ofyour salvation, when you
believed.
You were marked in him with aseal, the promised Holy Spirit.
Yes, a seal, the Spirit Himself, not a brand of ownership, but
a promise, A deposit of what isto come Heaven touching earth,
(17:31):
eternity planted in time.
Do you understand the weight ofthat?
The Spirit is not distant.
He is within us, whisperingthat we are His.
And now the candle flickers low.
I must let the ink dry, butbefore I close this scroll, I
pray, I pray for them and foryou.
(17:54):
I keep asking that, the God ofour Lord Jesus Christ, I pray, I
pray for them and for you.
I keep asking that the God ofour Lord Jesus Christ, the
glorious Father, may give youthe spirit of wisdom and
revelation so that you may knowhim better.
That is the heartbeat of it allthat you may know him, not in
theory, not in tradition, butintimately, deeply, powerfully.
(18:21):
So hear me now as the clatter ofkeys echoes in the hall and the
guard motions for me to finish.
You are chosen, you are sealed,you are beloved.
You are sealed, you are beloved, and no matter the chains, the
(18:43):
glory of Christ cannot besilenced.
Walk with me through thesewords, let them shape you, let
them remind you who you are.
This is not just a letter, it'sa door, and grace is calling on
the other side.
Now let's take a moment to quietour hearts and listen to the
word itself.
Let these words sink deep intoyour spirit, bringing comfort,
(19:08):
conviction and encouragement,whether you're sitting in a
quiet place or out in the world.
Allow scripture to meet youright where you are.
I hope you have your favoritecup of tea or coffee.
Sit back, relax and let's stepinto the sacred text of the
epistle of Paul to the Ephesians1.
(19:52):
Paul, an apostle of ChristJesus, by the will of God to the
saints who are in Ephesus andare faithful in Christ Jesus,
grace to you and peace from God,our Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ.
Blessed be the God and Fatherof our Lord Jesus Christ.
(20:14):
Blessed be the God and Fatherof our Lord Jesus Christ, who
has blessed us in Christ withevery spiritual blessing in the
heavenly places.
Just as he chose us in Christbefore the foundation of the
world to be holy and blamelessbefore him in love, he destined
us for adoption as his childrenthrough Jesus Christ, according
(20:36):
to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of His glorious
grace that he freely bestowed onus in the Beloved.
In Him we have redemptionthrough His blood, the
forgiveness of our trespasses,according to the riches of His
grace that he lavished on usWith all wisdom and insight.
(21:00):
He has made known to us themystery of His will, according
to His good pleasure that he setforth in Christ as a plan for
the fullness of time to gatherup all things in Him, things in
heaven and things on earth.
In Christ, we have alsoobtained an inheritance, having
(21:23):
been destined according to thepurpose of Him, who accomplishes
all things according to Hiscounsel and will, so that we who
were the first to set our hopeon Christ might live for the
praise of His glory.
In Him, you also, when you hadheard the word of truth, the
(21:45):
gospel of your salvation, andhad believed in Him, were marked
with the seal of the promisedHoly Spirit.
Marked with the seal of thepromised Holy Spirit.
This is the pledge of ourinheritance toward redemption as
God's own people, to the praiseof His glory.
I have heard of your faith inthe Lord Jesus and your love
(22:08):
toward all the saints, and forthis reason I do not cease to
give thanks for you.
As I remember you in my prayers, I pray that the God of our
Lord, Jesus Christ, the Fatherof glory, may give you a spirit
of wisdom and revelation as youcome to know him, so that, with
(22:31):
the eyes of your heartenlightened, you may know what
is the hope to which he hascalled you.
God put this power to work inChrist when he raised him from
(22:55):
the dead and seated him at hisright hand in the heavenly
places, far above all rule andauthority and power and dominion
, and above every name that isnamed, not only in this age but
also in the age to come.
And he has put all things underhis feet and has made him the
(23:19):
head over all things for thechurch, which is his body, the
fullness of him who fills all inall.
(23:45):
The room is dim now.
The last rays of sunlightstrain through a narrow slit in
the stone wall, casting longshadows on the cold floor.
The torch outside my cellflickers and with it the wall
dances like flame against flame.
(24:05):
The scent of damp stone, oldmetal and worn leather fills the
air.
My fingers are stained with ink, the parchment almost dry.
But you're still here, so staya little longer.
Sit with me.
(24:26):
Let these final words settledeep into your spirit.
I've said much already of gracethat cannot be earned, of
blessings poured out fromheavenly places, of the mystery
now made known.
But as I lower my quill, I wantyou to feel the weight of it,
(24:48):
not the weight of these chains,but the glory of what you carry
now in Christ.
You were chosen not by accident,not as a second thought, for he
chose us in him before thecreation of the world.
Do you understand what thatmeans?
(25:10):
Before stars lit the night sky,before the seas were drawn into
their shores, before empiresrose and fell, you were already
on his mind.
Your name was whispered ineternity.
You were seen, desired, loved.
(25:33):
The guard outside my cell.
He's listening.
Now he pretends not to, but Isee the way his hand slows, on
the hilt of his sword, when Ispeak of redemption, of
forgiveness, of a God who seeseven prisoners as sons.
And you, wherever you are,however ordinary your days may
(26:00):
seem, do you live as if you'rechosen, as if you're holy and
blameless in His sight?
Because that's what he says youare In love.
He predestined us for adoption,to sonship.
Through Jesus Christ, you are nolonger a stranger or an orphan.
(26:22):
You have a place at the table.
The King of Kings calls you hisown.
Can you feel the freedom inthat?
And oh, this grace, this lavishgrace.
He didn't just sprinkleforgiveness over you.
He poured it like oil over thehead, running down every regret,
(26:46):
every wound, every shamefulsilence you've ever carried In
him.
We have redemption through hisblood, the forgiveness of sins
in accordance with the riches ofGod's grace that he lavished on
us.
Lavished, not deserved, notrepaid, just given.
(27:11):
So here's why I ask you, why Iask myself, even from these
chains are you living likesomeone redeemed?
Do you trust that your identityis anchored not in your
performance but in his purpose?
When the voices of this worldaccuse you, do you remember you
(27:31):
are sealed, with the Holy Spiritmarked as his own?
Are your eyes fixed on yourcircumstances or have they been
lifted, as mine are now, to theheavenly places where Christ is
seated?
The night has fully fallen now.
The torch sputters.
(27:51):
My back aches from the coldstone, but in my spirit I stand
tall stone, but in my spirit Istand tall.
That power is the same as themighty strength he exerted when
he raised Christ from the dead.
That power lives in you rightnow.
So walk worthy, not in fear.
(28:14):
Thee, not in fear, not in shame, but in the fullness of your
calling.
You were chosen, you weresealed, you are loved, and the
(28:35):
same spirit who raised Jesusfrom the grave now dwells in you
.
Let these words echo louderthan any prison gate, stronger
than any doubt, to the praise ofhis glorious grace which he has
freely given us and the one heloves.
(28:56):
So leave this moment not justwith knowledge but with wonder.
Let it transform how you live,how you love, how you see
yourself.
The parchment is dry, the inkhas settled, but the truth, it,
lives on in you.
(29:17):
Until next time, walk in grace,walk in power and never forget
who you are in Him.
Faint footsteps retreat down thecorridor.
The cell is quiet, but thesilence is not empty, it's full
(29:40):
of glory.
Thank you for joining me todayas we journeyed through the
epistle of Paul to the Ephesians1.
I pray that you carry thesereflections with you into your
day, into your week, and thatyou find strength in knowing God
is with you in every trial,every temptation and every step
(30:02):
of obedience.
If this time in God's Word hasencouraged you, take a moment to
share it with someone who mightneed it.
And be sure to join me nexttime as we continue walking
through the scriptures, learning, growing and staying faithful
in the field of life.
Until next time, may you findpeace in the quiet, trust in
(30:27):
God's call, and rest in Hisunchanging love.
This is In the Field AudioBible, where we Listen to the
Bible one Chapter at a Time.
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