Ireland

Blessed Assurance

/ pastorpete51 / 7 Comments

Yes the parades, with green hair, green beer and even a green river here in Tampa are past, but Saint Patrick’s day is not till this Thursday. It is interesting to remember that Saint Patrick wasn’t even Irish! The best part of his story did not even begin until after being kidnapped and enslaved, then escaping back to England when he committed his life to Christ. Later Patrick returned to Ireland with the message of the gospel and his story is in many ways like each of ours. Like Patrick we have plenty of unexpected and unwanted events that happen to us. But whatever difficulties we face that keep us up at night we can also have that same blessed assurance when we choose to follow Jesus. We will never know just where He will send us with His message of hope and grace until we surrender to Him and receive His Blessed Assurance in our soul.

Saint Patrick and Lent

/ pastorpete51 / 6 Comments

For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.           Philippians 1:21 KJV

It is interesting that Saint Patrick’s Day is in the middle of Lent, because he shows us that we need both the joy of salvation and the courage of faith to fully live for Christ. It is well known that Saint Patrick brought Christianity to Ireland, but did you know that Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland was actually from either England or Scotland? In fact, young Patrick’s first trip to Ireland happened when he was kidnapped by a raiding party and sold as a house slave in Ireland. Patrick soon escaped his masters and was directed by a dream to a ship that just happened to be ready to sail for England. Eventually Patrick made it safely back home, but strangely enough, he soon found, God stirring his heart about the needs of the Irish people. Though Patrick struggled over the decision for months, but He finally decided that it would be better to die doing what God had called him to, than to live a safe and empty life. Saint Patrick went on to bravely bring the message of Jesus to Ireland, even converting its pagan king to Christianity. Yes, he lived an amazing life, but I believe that God has a special purpose for every one of us as well and in this season of Lent what better thing could we do than to live fully just as Patrick did for the love of Jesus Christ?

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I arise today through God’s strength to pilot me; God’s might to uphold me, God’s wisdom to guide me, God’s ear to hear me, God’s word to speak for me, God’s hand to guard me, God’s way to lie before me, God’s shield to protect me afar and near, alone or in a multitude.”        Saint Patrick