Freedom During CaptivitySample

LEARNING TO LIVE ABOVE YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES

CAN YOU RELATE? 

We all can recall the days when we were quarantined within our homes and couldn’t go to a physical building called 'church' to worship. Paul, at this writing, was also contained—not from quarantine but in a dungeon held captive for preaching the Gospel of Christ. Paul couldn’t physically go to a gathering place with other believers, and neither could we at one time during the pandemic, but that didn’t stop Paul from spreading the Word and worshiping! God gave us freedom, and we should be exercising that freedom to worship daily, wherever we are, regardless of life circumstances! 

Paul begins this letter praising and thanking God. He gives thanks by reiterating how we all have been blessed! He reminds us that before the world was made, God loved and chose us in Christ to be holy, and He decided in advance to adopt us into His own family. 

Even from the dark place of prison, Paul praised God for the grace He poured out over him. How could he praise in this deep dark place? Because the chains that bound him could not hold his heart and spirit captive! Why not take a moment right now and praise God for all the blessings He has poured out over you! Even if you are in a deep area of life, that seems to have you bound, praise is the key that unlocks the prison door!

Due to my husband losing his shoulder and arm to Cancer, it increased my thanksgiving for all the parts of our human body that God created. My goodness, you and I woke up this morning and we breathed in life! If you could open your eyes and see color, you are blessed! Just the hint of a breeze on a hot summer day is something to be thankful for! Get the idea? 

Paul shared in this Epistle of Ephesians, how God has the perfect plan and has revealed that plan to us. At the perfect time, God will bring everything together under His authority. Isn’t it assuring and peaceful to know that as a believer, you and I, share in God’s inheritance as His children? 

You and I are now a part of God’s chosen and are grafted in as one of His very own! If you have a hard time praising and thanking Him, begin right here: we who have accepted God’s Son as our Savior are now a part of God’s family—His very chosen ones!

Knowing you are part of God’s chosen, should make your darker times of life seem a little brighter.

ARE YOU USING GOD’S POWER AVAILABLE TO YOU?

Paul reminds us that Christ resides within us through the Holy Spirit and that we are the temple of God! We are the Church! Please realize God’s power planted within each of us, then during any crisis, be it a pandemic, loss of life, job loss, or a relationship, we will be ready to rise-up, out of our dark places!

 WHAT WE LEARNED TODAY FOR LIFE’S JOURNEY:    

• We can worship God anywhere! 
• We are adopted through Jesus and are now part of His chosen. 
• We have so much to praise God for—in all circumstances!    
• God has a perfect plan for us. 
• We are the church, and the power of God’s Spirit resides in us.    
• The key to unlock the door that chains you is praise!