JOHN KERRY INVOKES THE NAME OF ALLAH (SATAN)

                                                     

A number of months ago, I wrote a post detailing the fact that Islam is really veiled Satanism and Allah bears far more resemblance to the Father of Lies than the Father of Lights.  click here to read Islam is Satanism Today, John Kerry stated that the United States will broker a nuclear deal with Iran if "Allah wills it."  Words cannot describe the absolute disgust I feel for what John Kerry proclaimed.  ALLAH IS NOT GOD.  This fact cannot be more reiterated.  Radical Islam, of which Iran's leadership has proven time and again to be part of, does not compromise, does not share, and does not negotiate in good faith. It is considered a virtue to lie to infidels. 

John Kerry shows his absolute inability to handle negotiations with a rogue nation. Instead of taking a hard line, pro American position, Kerry has licked the boots of his enemies.  By invoking the name of Allah, Kerry has turned his back on the American people, not to mention the direct slap in the face this remark is to Israel.  

Evidence of the fact that Allah is not the God of the Bible was demonstrated by the Islamic government of Malaysia, last year.  In a misguided effort to cater to Islamic principles, many Bible translators in Islamic lands choose to translate God's name as Allah.  Police raided the Bible Society of Malaysia and confiscated Bibles because the Bibles used the name Allah to refer to God.  Islam agrees that Allah is not the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and certainly not the Father of Jesus Christ.  Why a Bible Society would choose to translate the name of God - YHWH - as Allah is beyond my ability to understand.  

John Kerry has unwittingly deferred to the will of Satan amidst
 negotiations with one of the most evil regimes on the face of the planet. Gee, I wonder how that will turn out?  I am very sure that Allah's will for Iran is for Iran to gain nuclear weapons because Iran has already promised to destroy Israel.  Allah hates YHWH and His people Israel. Allah hates Christians and his followers refer to America as The Great Satan.  How's that for the pot calling the kettle black!  

The amazing thing is, these events are leading up to a scenario which will be very conducive for the prophesied war of Gog and Magog, in which Iran and Russia attack Israel, to take place.  As abhorrent as the current administrations's behavior toward Israel may be, this behavior seems to be part of God's overall plan for the ultimate redemption of Israel.  We truly are living in scary, dangerous and exciting times!

Shame on John Kerry for invoking the name of Allah and prayers for America's protection as it's leadership unwittingly(I hope) defers to Satan.  

AMERICA ABANDONS ISRAEL AND ALL REASON IN DEALING WITH IRAN

  
                                       
  A number of months ago, I wrote a blog entitled Will America Abandon Israel...click here to read  In my post, I discussed the administration's proposed deal with Iran concerning it's nuclear program.  Today, the President proposed a deal for Iran that is far worse than anything ever proposed before. This proposal may. answer my question, as Iran gets everything.  The deal allows Iran to work on it's nuclear program in fortified underground facilities, lifts financial sanctions(allowing Iran to fund it's nuclear weapon program), and protects Iran's nuclear programs from inspections.  Basically, the Obama administration is doing everything to ensure Iran develops a nuclear weapon.  I have to wonder, is this retaliation for Netanyahu's election victory?

     This week, Iran's leader, the Ayatollah Kahmenei called for "death to America."  As a reward, the President is paving the way for Iran to make good on it's threat.  This would be laughable if the consequences were not so horrifying.  

The President has made no secret of his disdain for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.  Rumors continue to swirl around the administrations efforts to unseat Netanyahu in the last election.  Benjamin Netanyahu's campaign for reelection was having difficulty gaining traction until the Prime Minister shifted to a strong nationalist message in the final days leading up to the election.  Netanyahu's strong nationalist message resonated with voters and, what appeared to be a close race going into election day, turned out to be a landslide victory.  This is evidence that the people of Israel view Iran and the Hezbollah backed government of the Palestinians as a very real threat.  

     My fear is that the current administration is attempting to punish Israel for going against it's desire to unseat Netanyahu.  By allowing Iran to gain nuclear capabilities, Israel is forced into a situation in which it will either be threatened with destruction or have to stand alone against Iran in a pre-emptive strike.  Iran has emphatically stated it's intentions of destroying Israel.  Iranian backed Hezbollah has declared it's desire to drive Israel into the sea.  With nuclear capability, it will only be a matter of time before Iran sells it's weaponry to other Islamic fundamentalist groups.  In an attempt to punish Israel, the President is endangering the lives of everyone on the planet.

What happens when a nuclear weapon is placed into the hands of people whose ideology leads them to blowing themselves up on buses and in cafes and crashing airplanes into buildings?  During the Cold War, mutually assured destruction guaranteed peace between the United States and the Soviet Union because neither side wanted to die.  Iran is run by mad men who believe that dying for their faith, which includes dying to kill Christians and Jews, is the only sure way to heaven.  There is no deterrent of mutually assured destruction with this cabal of lunatics.  Iran's leadership, Hezbollah, and other Iranian funded terrorist organizations will leap at the opportunity to die for Allah with a nuclear bomb strapped to their fannies.  

My prayer for America is a strong nationalist leader will rise up and run for president.  The two party system is a farce, both major political parties have been overrun by globalists.  Globalists will continue to drive the world to an Anti-Christ friendly scenario.  If America does not return to the values that this country was founded on and if we do not practice a foreign policy that utilizes common sense, identifies evil and responds accordingly, all will be lost.  America cannot continue to sing God Bless America while we purposely rebel against His commands.  By turning against Israel, America becomes the enemy of God.  

WHO ARE THE SPIRITS OF 1 PETER 3:19?

  This week, at mid week Bible study, I will be teaching on the last few verses of 1Peter chapter 3.  One verse we will be looking at is verse 19, which causes quite a bit of debate as to what the verse is talking about.  1Peter 3:18 -20  For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,  in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison,  because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. 

The message preceding this passage has to do with the believer suffering for the sake of righteousness and how we are to deal with undeserved suffering in our lives.  Verse 18 speaks of Christ suffering unto death that we might be made righteous, but verse 19 seems to take a left turn from the main theme of the passage and mentions Jesus making a proclamation to spirits in prison.  This verse is completely off topic from the rest of the chapter and can be quite confusing.  I am taking the time to write about it here to help others understand this verse and the context in which it is written.  I will be presenting many views on the identification of the spirits in verse 19 and then showing why or why not these identifications are valid.  I am presenting my conclusions based on my understanding of scripture and years of study on this topic.  You may not agree with my conclusions, but I ask that you check it out for yourself.  As I will be presenting, the identification of these spirits is tied in with Genesis chapter 6 and the identification and origins of the Nephilim. Below is the text I have written for tomorrow's lesson.

vv. 19-20 – I want to look at the next 2 verses together as verse 20 gives context to v. 19. This is a very controversial passage of scripture and all depends on how you interpret Gen. 6.

Option 1: Jesus is preaching to the saints in Abraham's Bosom who died prior to His coming and proclaiming their salvation. Those who hold to this view often link it to Ephesians 4:8. Eph 4:8 Therefore it says, "When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men."

The idea is that when He died, Christ went into paradise and proclaimed the good news to those who looked to His coming and then led them to heaven with Him at the resurrection.

I do not believe V. 19 is referring to OT saints because v. 20 specifically mentions those who did not obey at the time of the flood.

Also, interesting to note, the Greek word for spirit is never used in relation to mankind, except in Hebrews where it speaks of the spirit of man, but not of man as a spirit.

Option 2: Christ is proclaiming His victory to the wicked souls who perished in the flood. This does not hold up to scrutiny because A). the Greek word for spirit never refers to man and B). Those who perished in the flood will stand before Christ in judgment at the Great White Throne.

Option 3: Christ went to the souls who had perished at the flood and offered them an opportunity to repent and receive Him. This directly contradicts the story Jesus told of Lazarus and the rich man. The Bible says it is appointed unto man, once to die and then judgment. This option would viloate clear Biblical teaching.

Option 4: This is referring to those who died in the flood and that the Spirit of Christ preached to them through Moses before they perished. This interpretation is flawed on many levels. Once again, spirit never refers to man anywhere else. Contextually, this idea does is not supported by the text. Clearly, Peter is saying that Christ went, in the Spirit, to the spirits that were in prison.

Option 5: Peter is referring to the fathers of the Nephilim found in Genesis 6. These fathers of the Nephilim are angels who mated with human women and were locked away awaiting judgment. This is the only view that holds up under scrutiny and is attested to by numerous other passages and the teachings of Jewish antiquity.  

In Genesis 6 we read: Gen 6:1-4 When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them,

the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose.

Then the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years."

The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.

Every where else in the Old Testament we see the terms “sons of God” it refers to angels.

Deu_32:8 When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind, he fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God.

Job_1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.

Job_2:1 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the LORD.

Job_38:7 when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

Peter, himself, revisits this theme in his second epistle.

II Peter 2:4-5 - For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment; if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;

We know that Satan and his angels are free right now. If Satan and his angels are loose on the earth right now, who are these angels Peter is talking about?

Jesus' brother Jude also refers to theses angels held in chains. Jude 1:6 And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day.

Jude, Christ's half brother, quotes directly from the book of Enoch which details the mating of angels and humans being the direct cause of the Noah's flood.

Josephus refers to the Nephilim as the offspring of angels and human women.

Vine's expository renders spirit in v. 19 as unclean spirit or demon.

Babylonian Talmud refers to Nephilim as fallen angels.

The above is certainly not an exhaustive study on this topic, but I believe it presents a very good case for the true identity of the spirits in verse 19. 

If you are of the camp that believes that the son's of God is a reference to the descendants of Seth and the daughters of men are the descendants of Cain, I have a few questions for you.  Why would their offspring be called Nephilim, meaning giant fallen ones?  Why would the union of Seth and Cain create giants?  Were the daughters of Seth unattractive?  Why did the sons of Cain not marry the daughters of Seth?  Who are these angels spoken of in 2 Peter and Jude?  

 Again, you may not agree with my conclusions but I implore you to search the matter out for yourself.  I welcome questions and comments.  May God bless you on your discovery of scriptural truth!

IS AMERICA HEADING FOR DESTRUCTION BY REPRESENTATION?

 

   A number of things I have been reading has led me to conclude that the United States of America may be destroying itself from within by representation. The people we have elected to represent our interests, beliefs and morals, may be the very people who bring judgment on America from God.  

The reason I see this as a very real probability for America is because it has happened before in history.  If you read the Gospel accounts of Christ's life and ministry, you will see that a small number of national leaders led to His rejection and the ultimate destruction of the entire nation. 

Israel was established, by God, as a Representative Theocracy.  The nation had a set of laws given by God Himself, through Moses.  Priests represented the people before God in matters of worship and sacrifice and in turn, prophets represented God to the people by speaking to them on His behalf.  The representative priesthood was established by God and the representative office of prophet was established, in part, by the request of the people.  When God spoke directly to the Israelites on Mt. Sinai, the raw display of power and majesty so terrified the people, they requested that God never speak directly to them again, but that He would speak to Moses and Moses would speak to the people.  

This representative form of governance led to a small group of elite rulers deciding the fate of a nation. Jesus had won the hearts of the masses, but the masses did not speak for the nation, the Pharisees, Sadducees, Priests and Scribes spoke for the nation.  On Palm Sunday, Christ entered Jerusalem to the acclaim of multitudes of people.  It was the religious/government leaders who were opposed to Christ and His message.  The people were ready for a Messiah.  The will of the people was not in play, God dealt with the nation through it's representatives, and those representatives rejected Christ and God cursed the nation to destruction at the hands of the Roman army in 70 AD.

Of course, Israel's rejection and destruction was preordained by God and written into scripture hundred's of years earlier.  This was all part of God's plan for mankind's redemption and salvation, and scripture emphatically reveals that one day, at the return of Christ, Israel will be reestablished, saved and made the headquarters of a new government led by Christ Himself.  (sorry if you are reformed or believe in replacement theology - you are wrong)

America, while not a theocracy established by God, is a Representative Democratic Republic established by followers of God.  Contrary to popular belief, America is not a democracy, and the idea of "government by the people for the people" is an elusive myth.  If you need evidence, look no further than the number of states that voted to define marriage as a union  between a man and a woman, only to be told by a rogue judiciary(appointed by representatives!) that the will of the people was irrelevant and marriage will not be defined as the union between a man and a woman. At last count, 31 states have voted the traditional(and Biblical) definition of marriage into law. In just a few short months, the U S Supreme Court(appointed and approved by our representatives!) will be voting on this issue and the Justices have indicated that they will be making "gay marriage" the law of the land.  The will of the people in 31 states is about to be stamped null and void by our representatives.

Just as the destiny of Israel was determined by a small percentage of people appointed to represent the masses, so too is the destiny of the United States of America.  Israel did not choose it's representation, governance was passed down through heredity.  Israel did not choose it's destiny, it was preordained by God for the salvation of mankind.  America is not Israel, America chooses it's representation and, while America is not mentioned in scripture, the destruction of America is not written into scripture either. We, as a nation, have an opportunity to change course.  Right now, we are represented by people whom we elected and who have said things like, "If you have a successful business, you didn't build that, someone else made that happen," and "If you want to read what is in the law, you have to pass it,"  and " "Fundamental Bible-believing people do not have the right to indoctrinate their children in their religious beliefs because we, the state, are preparing them for the year 2000, when America will be part of a one-world global society and their children will not fit in," and, “where the rule of law… governs the conduct of nations... in which a credible United Nations can use its peacekeeping role to fulfill the promise and vision of the UN’s founders.”

None of the above quotes sound, even remotely, like anything the average American thinks or believes, yet these are all quotes from elected members of our Federal government.  People, from both parties, elected by the people to represent the people.  It was not long ago when a movement called Occupy Wall Street drew attention to the idea that 1% of the populace is controlling all the resources of America and dictating the direction of the country.  This perceived 1% was identified as the wealthy who have benefited from America's free enterprise style of commerce.  I would submit to you that we are, indeed, under the control of a tiny segment of elites, a group of people we have been appointed by popular vote, and who have determined that the will of the people is irrelevant.  We are governed by a tiny segment of society who vote themselves raises while most Americans struggle financially, who pass laws protecting themselves from laws we are required to live under, who spend millions of dollars retaining power, and who have servants and "staffers" at their beck and call, all paid for by our tax dollars.  

We, the people, hold the power to change our governance, by changing those who govern.  I believe that neither of the two prominent political parties serve the interests of the people. Amazingly, most people complain about the government, yet they continue to vote for the status quo.  Most egregious is the fact that many church going Bible believers vote for people who promise to promote ideas and concepts that are in direct conflict with the word of God.  We re-elect people who blatantly work against our Lord, and wonder why our country suffers economically and socially.  

When the church realizes that being the church is a daily endeavor, that we are called to holiness individually, and that we cannot separate parts of our lives from our faith, society as a whole will change. We vote selfishly and in ignorance.  We do not educate ourselves and deceive ourselves into thinking that the character exhibited in the private lives of our elected official is irrelevant to their ability to represent us.  

It has been said that we get the government we deserve. As long as Christians do not exercise their faith in the voting booth, we will get bad governance and have no one to blame but ourselves.  I would like you to ask yourself, when was the last time you prayed for guidance before you voted for a political candidate?  When was the last time you took the time to research and learn what a candidate really stands for before choosing him or her to represent you and your beliefs and interests?  These are important questions.

I love America and I believe in the principles that this country was founded on.  I am proud to salute the flag and sing the National Anthem, and if called upon, I would gladly fight to defend my country.  I do not love or support the direction this nation has taken away from God and morality.  I do not love the fact that our representatives are not representing the will of the average American.  I am just a small voice, blogging my opinion. Maybe 50 people will read this.  I do not have the answers, but God does, and we all have access to God through the blood of Jesus Christ.  If one person who reads this decides to seek God's guidance in voting when they have previously not done so, and that one person is able to influence one other person to do the same, and so on, we can eventually see a shift in this country.   I am sure that there are millions of faithful believers who are praying for guidance in all aspects of life, including the political arena. If you are already doing that, awesome, now help someone else you know to do the same.  Conditions in America tell me that we need more faithful believers committed to praying for God's guidance and influence in our nation.  

We have not lost our country, but it is slipping away.  It is not too late for God's people to seek His guidance and His power to change our nation.  Does the person you have chosen to represent you represent your faith?

DO YOU BELIEVE - A MOVIE REVIEW

I just got home from seeing the new movie Do You Believe.  It was, without doubt, one of the best faith based films I have ever seen, and I have seen quite a few.  Do You Believe trailer

The film focuses on the lives of 12 people who each have to come to terms with who God is and what that means to them, whether it is coming to faith or renewing a commitment to Christ.  

Lee Majors, Sybil Shepherd, Brian Bosworth, Mira Sorvino and Sean Astin each gave excellent performances.

What I especially liked was the clear Gospel message that was delivered throughout the film.  Faith in Christ alone for salvation was clearly proclaimed.  Also, the need to live in that faith as a believer.  

This film has a message for everyone, no matter their background.  From the skeptic to the seasoned believer, there is challenge that cannot be ignored.  

DYB asks the question, "Here is the cross, do you believe in it's message?  If you do, it should not only bring you to your knees but it should bring you to your feet."  

This film is a must see for any believer.  If you get a chance, you should not only see this film, but bring an unsaved friend or family member.  If I were Siskel and Ebert, I would give this film 2 thumbs, way up!

MAEWYN SUCCAT - THE TRUTH ABOUT "SAINT" PATRICK

                                                                MAEWYN SUCCAT

                                                           

HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE EVER FELT THAT YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED BY GOD.  IN FACT ALL OF US HAVE BEEN CALLED BY GOD, ALL OF US HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY IN THE BODY OF CHRIST, UNFORTUNATELY MANY NEVER HEED THAT CALL, NEVER ALLOW GOD TO USE THEM.


THIS IS A STORY OF HOW ONE MAN CAN CHANGE THE DESTINY OF A NATION.


OUR STORY BEGINS IN 389 AD WHEN IN A SMALL BRITISH VILLAGE IN WHAT IS NOW SCOTLAND, A BOY NAMED MAEWYN SUCAT WAS BORN.  MAEWYN WAS BORN INTO A CHRISTIAN FAMILY, A FATHER WHO WAS A DEACON IN THE LOCAL CHURCH AND A GRANDFATHER WHO WAS A MINISTER.

DESPITE MAEWYN’S CHRISTIAN HERITAGE, HE DID NOT CHOOSE TO MAKE A COMMITMENT TO CHRIST AS A YOUNG MAN.  TRAGEDY STRUCK WHEN MAEWYN WAS 16, AN EVENT THAT WOULD NOT ONLY CHANGE HIS LIFE, BUT WOULD ALSO CHANGE THE COURSE OF HISTORY.  MAEWYN’S VILLAGE WAS ATTACKED BY PIRATES WORKING FOR THE IRISH KING NIAL AND MAEWYN WAS TAKEN CAPTIVE AS A SLAVE.

MAEWYN WAS SOLD TO THE DRUID CHIEFTAIN MILCHO, FOR WHOM HE TENDED CATTLE IN THE NORTH OF IRELAND. THE DRUIDS WERE PAGAN AND GIVEN TO SOME PRETTY EVIL RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES, SOME OF WHICH INCLUDED CHILD SACRIFICE.  WE GET MUCH OF OUR MODERN DAY HALLOWEEN CUSTOMS FROM THE DRUIDS.

IT WAS WHILE ISOLATED IN NORTHERN IRELAND, AFTER UNDOUBTEDLY WITNESSING THE DRUIDS TERRIBLE PRACTICES, THAT MAEWYN BEGAN TO CALL ON THE GOD OF THE BIBLE.  MAEWYN WRITES OF THIS TIME, “FREQUENTLY IN THE NIGHT, I PRAYED AND THE LOVE OF GOD AND HIS FEAR INCREASED MORE AND MORE IN ME.”  IT WAS DURING HIS SIX YEARS IN SERVITUDE THAT MAEWYN DEVELOPED A STRONG CHRISTIAN FAITH BASED ON THE TRUTH OF JESUS CHRIST.

AFTER SIX YEARS, MAEWYN HAD A SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE IN WHICH HE BELIEVED HE HEARD GOD TELL HIM TO ESCAPE, AND SO HE EMBARKED ON A 200 MILE JOURNEY, BUY FOOT, TO MEET UP WITH A SHIP THAT WOULD TAKE HIM BACK HOME TO HIS PARENTS.
ARRIVING HOME HIS PARENTS WERE OVERJOYED GAVE HIM A BIG WELCOME. AND HIS MOTHER MADE HIM PROMISE TO NEVER LEAVE HOME AGAIN, BUT GOD HAD OTHER PLANS.

ONE NIGHT MAEWYN HAD A DREAM IN WHICH A MAN FROM IRELAND PRESENTED HIM WITH A LETTER BEGGING HIM TO COME BACK TO IRELAND AND TEACH THE GOSPEL.  HE BELIEVED THAT THIS CALL CAME FROM GOD.

MAEWYN WAS PART OF THE CELTIC CHURCH TRADITION WHICH HELD TO BIBLICAL ACCURACY, SO AFTER YEARS OF STUDY, MAEWYN LEFT ONCE MORE FOR IRELAND, BUT THIS TIME AS GOD’S PROPERTY, NOT THAT OF A PAGAN CHIEF.  AT THE AGE OF 40 MAEWYN LEFT FOR IRELAND TO TEACH THE GOSPEL OF THE BIBLE.  IT WAS AT THIS TIME HE CHANGED HIS NAME TO THE NAME BY WHICH WE KNOW HIM, PATRICK.

AFTER ABOUT A YEAR IN IRELAND, PATRICK MADE A BOLD MOVE TO FURTHER THE GOSPEL.  REMEMBER, IRELAND WAS A PAGAN NATION, THE PEOPLE DID DEPLORABLE THINGS IN THE NAME OF RELIGION.  ONE SUCH THING THEY DID WAS TO CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAY OF OSTARA, IN HONOR OF THE GODDESS EOSTRE, OR IN OUR LANGUAGE, EASTER.  EOSTRE WAS THE GODDESS OF FERTILITY. AS IT WAS APPROACHING THE FEAST OF EASTER, PATRICK CAME UP WITH A PLAN TO PLACE THE GOSPEL TO THE FOREFRONT.

IN CELEBRATION OF THE FEAST OF EASTER, FIRES WOULD BE LIT THE NIGHT BEFORE.  KING LOIGAIRE OF TARA, DECREED THAT NO ONE WAS ALLOWED TO LIGHT A FIRE UNTIL HE HIMSELF LIT HIS LARGE FIRE.  TO DRAW ATTENTION, PATRICK LIT NOT ONLY A FIRE, BUT A BONFIRE, WHICH CERTAINLY ATTRACTED THE ATTENTION OF THE KING OF TARA.    THE KING CALLED PATRICK INTO HIS PRESENCE TO EXPLAIN HIMSELF AND ON OSTARA (EASTER) MORNING, PATRICK STOOD BEFORE THE KING AND PROCLAIMED THAT JESUS WAS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.  TRADITION TELLS US THAT PATRICK PICKED A SHAMROCK AND USED IT TO EXPLAIN THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY TO THE KING.  THREE LEAVES GOING OUT FROM ONE STEM.  THREE, BUT ONE, GOD BEING 3 PERSONS, YET STILL ONE.

THE KING OF TARA BELIEVED THE GOSPEL MESSAGE CARRIED BY PATRICK AND WAS BAPTIZED AS A BELIEVER IN CHRIST.  THIS STARTED A WAVE OF REPENTANCE AND CONVERSION ACROSS THE ISLAND OF SCOTLAND.  PAGANISM GAVE WAY TO TRUTH, SO MUCH SO WAS THE DRUID’S STRONGHOLD OVER THE  PEOPLE CRUSHED, THAT VERY LITTLE OF WHAT DRUID’S BELIEVED AND TAUGHT SURVIVED.  THE NATION WAS TRANSFORMED AND FLOURISHED FOR OVER 600 YEARS.

PATRICK PLANTED OVER 360 CHURCHES THROUGHOUT IRELAND AND MANY MONASTERIES WHERE YOUNG MEN WOULD LEARN THE BIBLE AND THEN GO FORTH AS MISSIONARIES, NOT JUST THROUGHOUT BRITAIN AND IRELAND, BUT INTO GERMANY AND FRANCE AND OTHER PARTS OF WESTERN EUROPE.  TODAY WE STILL COMMEMORATE THE DAY OF HIS DEATH, MARCH 17.  MUCH MYTH AND LEGEND IS ATTACHED TO HIS LIFE AND WORK, IN FACT, IN THE 1100’S THE ROMAN CHURCH CLAIMED PATRICK FOR ITS OWN AND CREATED A FICTIONAL HISTORY FOR HIM.  PATRICK WAS NEITHER, NOR CATHOLIC, NOR WAS HE EVER EVEN OFFICIALLY CANONIZED BY THE CHURCH OF ROME AS A SAINT.  BUT THE POINT IS THAT PATRICK REVOLUTIONIZED HIS WORLD, BY TAKING HIS FAITH TO THE FAITHLESS.

THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE AND THROUGHOUT HISTORY, WE FIND PEOPLE WHO ARE USED MIGHTILY BY GOD, NOT BECAUSE THEY WERE ESPECIALLY TALENTED, BUT BECAUSE THEY WERE WILLING.  WILLING TO HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD, WILLING TO TRUST GOD, WILLING TO OBEY THAT VOICE.  WHAT IS GOD CALLING YOU TO DO TODAY.  MAYBE GOD IS NOT CALLING YOU TO GO TO A PAGAN NATION, PROBABLY HE IS NOT, BUT I BET HE IS TUGGING ON YOUR HEART FOR SOMETHING. MAYBE TO SUPPORT A MISSIONARY, MAYBE TO START A PRAYER CHAIN, OR HOST A BIBLE STUDY IN YOUR HOME, MAYBE EVEN TO TEACH.  WHAT IF YOUNG MAEWYN HAD IGNORED THE CALL OF GOD?  WHAT IS GOD CALLING YOU TO DO?  WHERE IS GOD CALLING YOU TO GO.  PETER WAS CALLED TO GO TO THE ROMAN CENTURION WITH THE GOSPEL, WHICH OPENED THE DOOR FOR THE GENTILES TO ENTER THE CHURCH.  GENTILES WERE ODIOUS TO PETER, IRISH WERE ODIOUS TO PATRICK, AND OF COURSE WE REMEMBER JONAH WHO WENT TO THE CITY OF NINEVEH.  WHOM HE HATED, AND PREACHED TO THEM GOD’S WORD.  LET GOD’S SPIRIT SPEAK TO YOU TODAY, THAT YOU MIGHT NOT MISS OUT ON BLESSINGS ON THE DAY OF JUDGMENT.