I am really enjoying finding out more about our founding fathers and the roots of our country.  I am finding great strenght, peace and encouragement from reading about them.  I feel it is important to stay up with the news of the world so I can be a smarter voter, and also lift up in prayer events that the Holy Spirit prompts me to share with my Heavenly Father.  I hope you enjoy this and it touches your heart.

Samual Adams: Father of the American Revolution, Signer of the Declaration of Independence–  “I…recommend my Soul to that Almightsy Being who gave it, and my body I commit to the dust, relying upon the merits of Jesus Christ for a pardon of all my sins.”

Charles Carroll: Sighner of the Declaration of Independence–  “On the mercy of my Redeemer I rely for salvation and on His merits; not on the works I have done in obedience to His precepts.”

William Cushing: First Associate Justice Apppointed by George Washington to the Supreme Court–  “Sensible of my mortality, but being of sound mind, after recommending my soul to Almighty God through the merits of my Redeemer and my body to the earth . . .

John Dickinson:Sinner of the Constitution–  “Rendering thanks to my Creator for my existence and station among His works, for my birth in a country enlightened by the Gospel and enjoying freedom, and for all His other kindnesses, to Him I resign myself, humbly confiding in His goodness and in His mercy through Jesus Christ for the events of eternity.”

John Hancock:Signer of the Declaration of Independence–  “I John Hancock,…being advanced in years and being of perfect mnd and memory-thanks be given to God-therefore calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing it is appointed for all men once to die (Hebrews 9:27), do make and ordain this my last will and testament…Principally and first of all, I give and recommend my soul into the hands of God that gave it: and my body I recommend to the earth…nothing doubting but as the general resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mercy and power of God…”

I have become fascinated by the conflict in the Middle East over the last several years.  I have read Brigitte Gabriel‘s book “They Must Be Stopped,” which was all about the mind set of the Islamist Extremists.  Facsinating.  By the way, I will write about Brigitte Gabriel, who is very active in making people aware of Islam and its belief and so forth.  That will have to be for a later post.

This is straight from the Preface of Mosab Hassa Yousef’s book–Son of Hamas.  With each post I want to share interesting things I discovered in his book.

Quote: “Peace in the Middle East has been the holy grail of diplomats, prime ministers, and presidents for more than five decades.  Every new face on the world stage thinks he or she is going to be the one to resolve the Arab-Isreali conflict.  And each one fails just a miserably and completely as those who have come before. 

The fact is, few Westerners can come close to understanding the complexities of the Middle East and its people.  But I do–by virtue of a most unique perspective.  You see, Iam a son of that region and of that conflict.  I am a child of Islam and the son of an accused terrorist.  I am also a follower of Jesus.

Before the age of twenty-one, I saw things no one should ever see: abject poverty, abuse of power, torture, and death.  I witnessed the behind-the scenes dealings of top Middle Eastern leaders who make headlines around the world.  I was trusted at the hightest levels of Hamas, and I participated in the so-called Intifada.  I was held captive in the bowels of Isreal’s most feared prison facility. . . .

My unlikely journey has taken me through dark places and given me access to extraordinary secrets.  On the pages of this book I finally reveal some of those long-hidden secrets, exposing events and processes that to this poing have been know only by a handful of shadowy individuals. . . . . .

As I move among Americans today, I find that many of them have a lot of questions about the Arab-Isreali conflict, but very few answers and even less good information.  I hear questions like: –”Why can’t people just get along in the Middle East?–Who is in the right-the Isrealis or the Palestinians?–To whom does the land really belong?–Why don’t Palestinians just move to other Arab countries?–Why doesn’t Isreal give back the land and property it won in the 1967 Six-Day War?–Why are so many Palestinians still living in refugee camps?–Why don’t they have their own state?–Why do Palestinians hate Isreal so much?–How can Isreal protect itself from suicide bombers and frequent rockt attacks?”

These are good questions, all of them.  But none of them touch on the real issue, the root problem.  The current conflict stretches all the way back to the animosity between SARAH AND HAGAR described in the first book of the Bible.  To understand the political and cultural realities, however, you really don’t have to look much further than the aftermath of WWI.

When the war ended, the Palestinians territories, national home of the Palestinian people for centuries, fell under the mandate of Great Britian.  And the British government had an unusual notion for the area, which is stated in the Balfour Declaration of 1917: “His Majesty’s Government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of the national home for the Jewish people.”

 Encouraged by the British government, hundreds of thousands of Jewish immigrants, mostly from Eastern Europe, flodded into the Palestinian territories.  Clashes between Arabs and Jews were inevitable.

Isreal became a state in 1948. . . .

Please understand, I did not write this book because I think I’m smarter or wiser than the great thingkers of the age.  I am not.  But I believe that God has given me a unique perpective by placing me on multiple sides of an apparently insoluble conflict.  My life has been partitioned like the crazy little piece of real estate on the Mediterranearn know as Isreal by some, Palestine by others, and the occupied territories by still others.

My purpose in the pages that follow is to set the record straight on some key events, lay bare some secrets, and is all goes well, leave you with hope taht the impossible can be accomplished.”

ARE YOU INTRIGED TO READ THIS ??

St. Patrick‘s Breastplate–a hymn written by the Saint–This beautiful prayer is supposed to have been composed by Saint Patrick in anticipation of the victory over Paganism.  It is also known as the “The Lorica of Patirck”, and “The Deer’s Cry”. 

I bind unto myself today–The strong virtue of the Invocation of the Trinity,  I believe the Trinity in the Unity.  The Creator of the Universe.  

I bind to myself today–The virtue of the Incarnation of Christ with His Baptism,  The virtue of His crucifixion with His burial,   The virtue of His Resurrection with His Ascension, The virtue of His coming on the Judgement Day.

I bind unto myself today–The virtue of the  love of the seraphim,  In the obedience of angels,  In the hope of resurrection unto reward,  In prayers of Patriarchs, In predictions of Prophets,   In preaching of Apostles,  In faith of Confessors,  In purity of holy Virgins,  In deed of righteous men. 

I bind unto myself today–The power of Heaven,  The light of the sun,  The brightness of the moon,  The splendour of fire,  the flashing of lightning,  The swiftness of wind,  The depth of sea,  The stability of earth,  The compactness of rocks.  

I bind unto myself today–God‘s Power to guide me,  God’s Might to uphold me,  God’s Wisdom to teach me,  God’s Eye to watch over me,  God’s Ear to hear me,  God’s Word to give me speech,  God’s hand to guide me,  God’s Way to lie before me,  God’s Shield to shelter me,  God’s Host to secure me,  Against the snares of demons,  Against the seductions of vices,  Against the lusts of nature,  Against everyone who meditates injury to me,  Whether far or near,  Whether few or with many.

I invoke today all these virtues–Against every hostile merciless power–Which may assail my body and my soul,  Against the incantations of false prophets,  Against the black laws of heathenism,  Against the false laws of heresy,  Against the deceits of idolatry,  Against the spells of women, and smiths, and druids,  Against every knowledge that binds the soul of man.

Christ, protect me today–  Against every poison, against burning,  Against drowning,  Against death-wound,  That I may recieve abundant reward.

Christ with me,  Christ before me,  Christ behind me,  Christ within me,  Christ beneath me,  Christ above me,  Christ at my right,  Christ at my left,  Christ in the fort,  Christ in the chariot seat,  Christ in the poop,  Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,  Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks to me,  Christ in every eye that sees me,  Christ in every ear that hears me.

I bind to myself today–The strong virtue of an invocation of the Trinity,  I believe the Trinity in the Unity–The Creator of the Universe.

1.  I, Patrick, a sinner, a most simple countryman, the least of all the faithful and most comtemptible to many, had for father the deacon Calpurnius, son of the late Potitus, a priest, of the settlement (vicus) of Bannavem Taburniae; he had a small villa nearby where I was taken captive.  I was at that time about sixteen years of age.  I did not, indeed, know the true God; and I was taken into captivity in Ireland with many thousands of people, according to our deserts, for quite drawn away from God, we did not keep his precepts, nor were we obedient to our priests who used to remind us of our salvation.  And the Lord brought down on us the fury of his being and scattered us among many nations, even to the ends of the earth, where I, in my smallness, am now to be found among foreigners.

2.  And there the Lord opened my mind to an awareness of my unbelief, in order that, even so late, I might remember my transgressions and turn with all my heart to the Lord my God, who had regard for my ingisnificance and pitied my youth and ignorance.  And he watched over me before I knew him, and before I learned sense or even distinguished between good and evil, and he protected me, and consoled me as a father would his son.

3.  Therefore, indeed, I cannot keep silent, nor would it be proper, so many favours and graces has the Lord deigned to bestow on me in the land of my captivity.  For after chastisement from God, and recognizing him, our way to repay him is to exalt him and confess his wonders before every nation under heaven.

4.  For there is no other God, nor ever was before, nor shall be hereafter, but God the Father, unbegotten and without beginning, in whom all things began, whose are all things, as we have been taught; and his son Jesus Christ, who manifestly always existed with the Father, before the beginning of time in the spirit with the Father, indescribably begotten before all things, and all things visible and invisible were made by him.  He was made man, conquered death and was received into Heaven, to the Father who gave him all power over every name in Heaven and on Earth and in Hell, so that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and God, in whom we believe.  And we look to his imminent coming again, the judge of the living and the dead, who will render to each according to his deeds.  And he poured out his Holy Spirit on us in abundance, the gift and pledge of immortality, which makes the believers and the obedient into sons of God and co-heirs of Christ who is revealed, and we worship one God in the Trinity of holy name.

5.  He himself said through the prophet:  ‘Call upon me in the day of’ trouble;  I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.’  And again:  ‘It is right to reveal and publish abroad the works of God.’

6.  I am imperfect in many things, nevertheless I want my brethren and kinsfolk to know my nature so that they may be able to perceive my soul’s desire.

7.  I am not ignorant of what is said of my Lord in the Psalm:  ‘You destroy those who speak a lie.’  And again;  ‘A lying mouth deals death to the soul.’  And likewise the Lord says in the Gospel:  ‘On the day of judgment men shall render account for every idle word they utter.’

8.  So it is that I should mightily fear, with terror and trembling, this judgment on the day when no one shall be able to steal away or hide, but each and all shall render account for even our smallest sins before the judgment seat of Christ the Lord.

9.  And therefore for some time I have thought of writing, but I have hesitated until now, for truly, I feared to expose myself to the criticism of men, because I have not studied like others, who have assimilated both Law and the Holy Scriptures equally and have never changed their idiom since their infancy, but instead were always learning it increasingly, to perfection, while my idiom and language have been translated into a foreign tongue.  so it is easy to prove from a sample of my writing, my ability in rhetoric and the extent of my preparation and knowledge, ofr as it is said,  ‘wisdom shall be recognized in speech, and in understanding, and in knowledge and in the learning of truth.’

10.  But why make excuses close to the truth, especially when now I am presuming to try to grasp in my old age what I did not gain in my youth because my sins prevented me from making what I had read my own?  But who will believe me, even though I should say it again?  A young man, almost a beardless boy, I was taken captive before I knew what I should desire and what I should shun.  So, consequently, today I feel ashamed and I mightily afraid to expose my ignorance, because, (not) eloquent, with a small vocabulary, I am unable to explain as the spirit is eager to do and as the soul and the mind indicate.

11.  But had it been given to me as to others, in gratitude I should not have kept silent, and if it should appear that I put myself before others, with my ignorance and my slower speech, in truth, it is written: ‘The tongue of the stammerers shall speak rapidly and distinctly.’  How much harder must we try to attain it, we of whom it is said: ‘You are in epistle of Christ in gretting to the ends of the earth . . .written on your hearts, not with ink but with the Spirit of the loving God.’  And again, the Spirit witnessed that the rustic life was created by the Most High.

12.  I am, then, first of all, countryfied, an exile, evidently unlearned, one who is not able to see into the future, but I know for certain, that before I was humbled I was like a stone lying in deep mire, and he that is mighty came and in his mercy raised me up and , indeed, lifted me high up and placed me on top of the wall. And from there I ought to shout out in gratitude to the Lord for his great favours in this world and for ever, that the mind of man cannot measure.

13.  Therefore be amazed, you great and small who fear God, and you men of God, eloquent speakers, listen and comtemplate.  Who was it summoned me, a fool, from the midst of those who appear wise and learned in the law and powerful in rhetoric and in all things?  Me, truly wretched in this world, he inspired before others that I could be–if I would–such a one who, with fear and reverence, and faithfully, without complaint, would come to the people to whom the love of Christ brought me and gave me in my lifetime, if I should be worthy, to serve them truly and with humility.

14.  According, therefore, to the measure of one’s faith in the Trinity, one should preceed without holding back from danger to make known the gift of God and everlasting consolation, to spread God’s name everywhere with confidence and without fear, in order to leave behind, after my death, foundations for my brethren and sons whom I baptized in the Lord in so many thousands.

15.  And I was not worthy, nor was I such that the Lord should grant his humble servant this, that after hardships and such great trials, after captivity, after many years, he should give me so much favour in these people, a thing which in the time of my youth I neither hoped for nor imagined.

16.  But after I reached Ireland I used to pasture the flock each day and I used to pray many times a day.  More and more did the love of God, and my fear of him and faith increase, and my spirit was moved so that in a day (I said) from one up to a hundred prayers, and in the night a like number; besides I used to stay out in the forests and on the mountain and I would wake up before daylight to pray in the snow, in icy coldness, in rain, and I used to feel neither ill nor any slothfulness, because, as I now see, the Spirit was burning in me a t that time.

17.  And it was there of course that one night in my sleep I heard a voice saying to me:  ‘You do well to fast: so you will depart for your home country.’  And agian, a very short time later, there was a voice prophesying: “Behold, your ship is ready,’  And it was not close by, but, as it happened, two hundred miles away, where I had never been nor knew any person.  And shortly thereafter I turned about the fled from the man with whom I had been for six years, and I came, by the power of God who directed my route to advantage (and I was afraid of nothing), until I reached that ship.

18.  And on the same day that I arrived, the ship was setting out from the place, and I said that i had the wherewithal to sail with them; and the steersman was displeased and replied in anger, sharply: ‘By no means attemp to go with us.’  Hearing this l left them to go to the hut where I was staying, and on the way I began to pray, and before the prayer was finished I heard on of them shouting loudly after me:  ‘Come quickly because the men are calling you.’  And immediately I went back to them and they started to say to me : ‘Come, because we are admitting you out of good faith; make friendship with us in any way you wish.’  (And so, on that day, I refused to suck the breasts of these men from the fear of God, but nevertheless I had hopes that they would com to faith in Jesus Christ, because they were barbarians.)  And for this I continued with them, and forthwith we put to sea.

19.  And after three days we reached land, and for twenty-eight days jouneyed through uninhabited country, and the food ran out and hunger overtook them; and one day the steersman began saying: ‘Why is it, Christian? You say for God is great and all-powerful; then why can you not pray for us?  For we may perish of hunger; it is unlikely indeed that we shall ever see another human being.’  In face, I said to them, confidently: ‘Be converted by faith with all your heart to my Lord God, because nothing is impossible for him, so that Today he will send food for you on your road, until you be sated, because everywhere he abounds.’  And with God’s help this came to pass; and behold, a herd of swine appeared on the road before our eyes, and they slew many of them, and remained there for two nights, and the men were foll of their meat and well restored, for many of them had fainted and would otherwise have been left half dead by the wayside.  And after this they gave the utmost thanks to God, and I was esteemed in their eyes, and from that day they had food abundantly.  they discovered wild honey, besides, and they offered to share to me, and one of them said: ‘It is a sacrifice.’  Thanks be to God, I tasted none of it.

20.  The very same night while I was sleeping Satan attacked me violently, as I will remember as long as I shall be in this body; and there fell on top of me as it were, a huge rock, and not one of my members had any force.  but from whence did it com to me, ignorant in the spirit, to call upon ‘Helias’?  And meanwhile I saw the sun rising in the sky, and while I was crying out ‘Helias, Helias’ with all my might, lo, the brilliance of that sun fell upon me and immediately shook me free of all the weight; and I believe that i was aided by Christ my Lord, and that his Spirit then was crying out for me, and i hope that it will be so in the day of my affliction, just as it says in the Gospel: ‘In that hour’, the Lord declares,  ‘it is not you who speaks but the Spirit of your Father speaking to you.’

21.  And a second time, after many years, I was taken captive.  On the first night I accordingly remained with my captors, but I heard a divine prophecy, saying to me: “You shall be with them for two months.’  So it happened.  On the sixtieth night the Lord delivered me from their hands.

22.  On the journey he provided us with food and fire and dry weather every day, until on the tenth day we came upon people.  As I mentioned above, we had journeyed through an unpopulated country for twenty-eight days, and in fact the night that we came upon people we had no food.

23.  And after a few years I was again in Britain with my parents (kinsfolk) and they welcomed me as a son, and asked me, in faith, that after the great tribulations I had endured I should not go anywhere else away from them.  And, of course, there, in a vision of the night, I saw a man whose name was Victoricus coming as if from Ireland with innumerable letters, and he gave me one of them, and I read the beginning of the letter: ‘The Voice of the Irish’: and as I was reading the beginning of the letter I seemed at that moment to hear the voice of those who were beside the forest of Foclut which is near the western sea, and they were crying as if with on voice; ‘We beg you, holy youth, that you shall come and shall walk again among us.’  And I was stung intensely in my heart so that I could read no more, and thus I awoke.  Thanks be to God, because after so many years the Lord bestowed on them according to their cry.

24.  And another night–God knows, I do not, whether within me or beside me–. . . most words + . . .+which I heard and could not understand, except at the end of the speech it was represented thus: ‘He who gave his life for you, he it is who speaks within you.’  And thus I awoke, joyful.

25.  And on a second occasion I saw Him praying within me, and I was as it were, inside my own body, and I heard Him above me–that is, above my inner self. He was praying powerfully with sighs.  And in the course of this I was astonished and wondering, and I pondered who it could be who was praying within me.  But at the end of the prayer it was revealed to me that it was the Spirit.  And so I awoke and remembered the Apostle’s words: ‘Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we know not to pray as we ought.  But the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for utterance.’ And again: ‘The Lord our advocate intercedes for us.’

26.  And then I was attacked by a goodly number of my elders, who (brought up) my sins against my arduous episcopate.  That day in particular I was mightily upset, and might have fallen here and for ever; but the Lord generously spared me, a convert, and an alien, for his name’s sake, and he came powerfully to my assistance in that state of being trampled down.  I pray God that it shall not be held against  them as a sin that I fell truly into disgrace and scandal.

27.  They brought up against me after thiryt years an occurrence I had confessed before becoming a deacon.  On account of the anxiety in my sorrowful mind,  I laid before my close friend what I had perpetrated on a day–nay, rather in one hour–in my boyhood because I was not yet proof against sin.  God knows–I do not–whether I was fifteen years old at the time, and I did not then believe in the living God, nor had I believed, since my infancy; but I remained in death and unbelief until I was severely rebuked, and in truth I was humbled every day by hunger and nakedness.

28.  On the other hand, I did not preceed to Ireland of my own accord until I was almost giving up, but through this I was corrected by the Lord, and he prepared me so that today I should be what was once far from me, in order that I should have the care of–or rather, I should be concerned for–the salvation of others, when at that time, still, I was only concerned for myself.

29.  Therefore, on that day when I was rebuked, as I have just mentioned, I saw a vision of the night a document before my face, without honour, and meanwhile I heard a devine prophecy, say to me: ‘We have seen with displeasure the face of the chosed one divested of (his good) name.’  And he did not say ‘You have seen with displeasure’, but ‘We have seen with displeasure’ )as if He included Himslef).  He said then:  ‘He who touches you, touches the apple of my eye.’

30.  For that reason, I give thanks to him who strengthened me in all things, so that I should not be hindered in my setting out and also in my work which I was taught by Christ my Lord; but more, from that state of affairs I felt, within me, no little courage, and vindicated my faith before God and man.

31.  Hence, therefore, I say boldly that my conscience is clear now and hereafter.  God is my witness that I have not lied in these words to you.

32.  But rather, I am grieved for my very close friend, that because of him we deserved to hear such a prophecy.  the one to whom I entrusted my soul!  And I found out from a goodly number of brethren, before the case was made in my defence (in which I did not take part, nor was I in Britain, nor was it pleaded by me), that in my absence he would fight in my behalf.  Besides, he told me himself: ‘See, the rank of bishop goes to you’–of which I was not worthy.  But how did it come to him, shortly afterwards, to disgrace me publicly, in the presence of all, good and bad, because previously, gladly and of his own free will, he pardoned me, as did the Lord, who is greater than all.

33.  I have said enough.  But all the same, I ought not to conceal God‘s gift which he lavished on us in the land of my captivity, for then I sought him resolutely, and I found him there, and he preserved me from all evils (as i believe) through the in-dwelling of his Spirit, which works in me to this day.  Again, boldly, but God knows, if this had been made know to me by man, I might, perhaps, have kept silent for the love of Christ.

34.  thus I give untiring thanks to God who kept me faithful in the day of my temptation,so that today I may condifently offer my soul as a living sacrifice for Christ my Lord; who am I, Lord/ or, rather, what is my calling? that you appeared to me in so great a divine quality, so that today among the barbarians I might constantly exalt and magnify your name in whatever place I should be, and not only in good fortune, but even in affliction?  so that whatever befalls me, be it good or bad, I should accept it equally, and give thanks always to God who revealed to me that I might trust in him, implicitly and forever, and who will encourage me so that, ignorant, and in the last days, I may dare to undertake so devout and so wonderful a work; so that I might imitate one of those whom, once, long ago, the Lord already pre-ordained to be heralds of his Gospel to witness to all peoples to the ends of the earth.  So are we seeing, and so it is fulfilled; behold, we are witnesses because the gospel has been preached as far as the places beyond which no man lives.

35.  But it is tedious to describe in detail all my labours one by one.  I will tell briefly how most holy God frequently delivered me, from slavery, and from the twelve trials with which my sould was threatened, from man traps as well, and from things I am not able to put into words.  i would not cause offence to readers, but I have God as witness who knew all things even before they happened, that, though I was a poor, ignorant waif, still he gave me abundant warnings through devine prophecy.

36.  Whence came to me this wisdom which was not my own, I who neither knew the number of days nor had knowledge of God?  Whence came the so great and so healthful gift of knowing or rather loving God, though I should lose homeland and family?

37.  And many gifts were offered to me with weeping and tears, and I offended them (the donors), and also went against the wishes of a good number of my elders; but guided by God, I neither agreed with them nor deferred to them, not by my own grace but by God who is victorious in me and withstands them all, so that I might come to the Irish people to preach the Gospel and endure insults from unbelievers; that I might hear scandal of my travels, and endure many persecutions to the extent of prison; and so that I might give up my free birthright for the advantage of others, and if i should be worthy, I am ready (to give) even my life without hesitation; and most willingly for His name.  And I choose to devote it to him even unto death, if God grant it to me.

38.  I am greatly God’s debtor, because he granted me so much grace, that through me many people would be reborn in God, and soon a after confirmed, and that clergy would be ordained everywhere for them, the masses lately come to belief, whom the Lord drew from the ends of the earth, just as he once promised through his prophets:  ‘To you shall the nations come from the ends of the earth, and shall say, “Our fathers have inherited naught but lies, worthless things in which there is no profit.”‘  and again: ‘I have set you to be a light for the Gentiles that you may bring slavation to the uttermost ends of the earth.’

39.  And I wish to wait then for his promise thich is never unfulfilled, just as it is promised in the Gospel:  ‘Many shall come from east and west and shall sit at  table with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob.’  Just as we believe that believers will come from all the world.

40.  So for that reason one should, in fact, fish well and diligently, just as the Lord foretells and teaches, saying, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men,’  and , again, through the prophets: ‘”Behold, I am sending forth many fishers and hunters,” says the Lord, ‘ et ceters.  so it behoved us to spread our nets, that a vast multitude and throng might be caught for God, and so there might be clergy everywhere who baptized and exhorted a needy and desirous people.  Just as the Lord says in the Gospel, admonishing and instructing:  ‘Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them ot observe all that i have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always to the end of time.’  And again he says: ‘Go forth into the world and preach the Gospel to all creation.  He who believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he who does not believe shall be condemned.’  And again: ‘This Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached through the whole world as a witness to all nations; and then the end of the world shall come.’  And likewise the Lord fortells through the prophet: ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days (sayeth the Lord) that i will pour out my spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams; yea, and on my menservants and my maidservants in those days I will pour out my Spirit and they shall prophesy.’  and in Hosea he says: ‘Those who are not my people I will call my people, and those not beloved I will call my beloved, and in the very place where it was said to them,  “You are not my people,” they will be called ‘Sons of the living God.”‘

41.  So, haw is it that in Ireland, where they never had any knowledge of God but, always, until now, cherished idols and unclean things, they are lately become a people of the Lord, and are called children of God; the sons of the Irish (Scotti) and the daughtersof the chieftains are to be seen as monks and virgins of Christ.

42.  And there was, besides, a most beautiful, blessed native-born noble Irish (Scotta) woman of adult age whom I baptized; and a few days later she had reason to come to us to intimate that she had recieved a prophecy from a divine messenger (who) adivsed her that she should become a virgin of christ and she would draw nearer to God.  Thanks be to God, six days from then, opportunely and most eagerly, she took the course that all virgins of God take, not with their fathers’ consent but enduring the persecutions and deceitful hindrances of their parents.  notwithstanding that, their number increases, (we do not know the number of them  that are so reborn) besides the wodows and those who practise self-denial.  those who are kept in slavery suffer the most.  They endure terrors and constant threats, but the lord has given grace to many of his handmaidens, for even though they are forbidden to do so, still they resolutely follow his example.

43.  So it is that even if I should wish to separate from them in order to go to Britain, and most willingly was I prepared to go to my homeland and kinsfolk–and not only there, but as far as Gaul to visit the brethren there, so that I might see the faces of the holy ones of my Lord, God knows how strongly I desired this–I am bound by the Spirit, who witnessed to me that if I did so he would mark me out as quilty, and I fear to waste the labour that I began, and not I, but Christ the Lord, who commanded me to come to be with them for the rest of may life, if the Lord shall will it and shield me from every evil, so that I may not sin before him.

44.  So I hope that I did as I ought, but I do not trust myself as long as I am in this mortal body, for he is strong who strives daily to turn me away from the faith and true holiness to which I aspire until the end of my life for Christ my Lord, but the hostile flesh is always dragging one down to death, that is, to unlawful attractions.  And I know in part why I did not lead a perfect life like other believers, but I confess to my Lord and do not blush in his sight, because I am not lying; from the time when I came to know him in my youth, the love of God and fear of him increased in me, and right up until now, by God’s favour, I ahve kept the faith.

45.  What is more, let anyone laugh and taunt if he so wishes.  I am not keeping silent, nor am I hiding the signs and wonders that were shown to me by the Lord many years before they happened, (he) who knew everything, even before the beginning of time.

46.  Thus, I should give thanks unceasingly to God, who frequently forgave my folly and my negligence, in more than on instance so as not to be violently angry with me, who am placed as his helper, and I did not easily assent to what had been revealed to me, as the Spirit was urging; and the Lord took pity on me thousands upon thousands of times, because he saw within me that I was prepared, but that I was ignorant of what to do in view of my situation; because many were trying to pervent this mission.  They were talking among themselves behind my back, and saying: ‘Why is this fellow throwing himself into danger among enemies who know not God?’  Not from malice, but having no liking for it; likewise, as I myself can testify, they perceived my rusticity.  And I was not quick to recognize the grace that ws then in me; I now know that I should have done so earlier.

47.  Now I have put it frankly to my brethren and co-workers, who have believed me because of what I have foretold and still foretell to strengthen and reinforce your faith.  I wish only that you, too, would make greater and better efforts.  This will be my pride, for ‘a wise son makes a proud father’.

48.  You know, as God does, how I went about among you from my youthj in the faith of truth and in sincerity of heart.  As well as to the heathen among whom I live, I have shown them trust and always show them trust.  God knows I dod not cheat any one of them, nor consider it, for the sake of God and his Church, lest the Lord’s name be blasphemed because of me, for it is written:  ‘Woe to the men through whom the name of the Lord is blasphemed.’

49.  For even though I am ignorant in all things, nevertheless I attempted to safeguard some and myself also.  And I gave back again to my Christian brethren and the virgins of Christ and the holy women the small unasked for gifts that they used to throw on the altar.  And they would be offended with me because I did this.  But in the hope of eternity, I safeguarded myself carefully in all things, so that they might not cheat me of my office of service on any pretext of dishonesty, and so that I should not in the smallest way provide any occasion for defamation or disparagement on the part of unbelievers.

50.  What is more, when I baptized so many thousands of people, did I hope for even half a jot from any of them? (If so) Tell me, and I will give it back to you.  And when the Lord ordained clergy everywhere by my humble means and I freely conferred office on them, if I asked any of them anywhere even for the price of one shoe, say so to my face and I will give it back.

51.  More, I spent for you so that they would recieve me.  And I went about among you, and everywhere for your sake, in danger, and as far as the outermost regions beyond which no one lived, and where no one had ever penetrated before, to baptize or to ordain clergy or to confirm people.  Conscientiously and gladly I did all this work by God’s gift for your salvation.

52.  From time to time I gave rewards to the kings, as well as making payments to their sons who travel with me; notwithstanding which they seized me with my companions, and that day most avidly desired to kill me.  But my time had not yet come.  They plundered everything they found on us anyway, and fettered me in irons; and on the fouteenth day the Lord freed me from their power, and whatever they had of ours was given back to us for the sake of God on account of the indispensable friends whom we had made before.

53.  Also you know from experience how much I was paying to those who aere administering justice in all the regions, which I visited often.  I estimate truly that I distributed to them not less than the price of fifteen men, in order that you should enjoy my company and I enjoy yours, always, in God.  I do not regret this nor do I regard it as enough.  I am paying out still and I shall pay out more.  The Lord has the power to grant me that I may soon spend my own self, for your souls.

54.  Behold, I call on God as my witness upon my soul that I am not lying; nor would I write to you for it to be an occasion for flattery or selfishness, nor hoping for honour from any one of you.  Sufficient is the honour which is not yet seen, but in which+ the heart has confidence.  He who made the promise is faithful; he never lies.

55. But I see that even here and now, I have been exalted beyond measure by the Lord, and I was not worthy that he should grant me this, while I know most certainly that poverty and failure suit me better than welth and delight (but Christ the Lord was poor for our sakes; I certainly am wretched and unfortunate; even if I wanted wealth I have no resources, nor is it my own estimation of myself, for daily I expect to be murdered or betrayed or reduced to slavery if the occasion arises.  But I fear nothing, because of the promises of Heaven; for I have cast myself into the hands of Almighty God, who reigns everywhere.  As the prophet says: ‘Cast your burden on the Lord and he will sustain you.’)

56.  Behold now I commend my soul to God who is most faithful and for whom I perform my simmion in obscurity, but he is no respecter of persons and he chose me for this service that I might be one of the least of his ministers.

57.  For which reason I should make return for all that he returns me.  But what should I say, or what should I promise to my Lord, for I, alone, can do nothing unless he himself vouchsafe it to me.  But let him search my heart and my nature, for I crave enough for it, even too much, and I am ready for him to grant me that I dring of his chalice, as he has granted to others who love him.

58.  Therefore may it never befall me to be separated by my God from his people whom he as won in this most remote land.  I pray God that he give me perserverance, and that he will deign that I should be a faithful witness for his sake right up tothe time of my passing.

59.  And if at any time I managed anything of good for the sake of my God whom I love, I beg of him that he grant it to me to shed my blood for his name with proselytes and captives, even should I be left unburied, or even where my wretched body to be torn limb from limb by dogs or savage beasts, or were it to be devoured by the birds of the air, I think, most surely, were this to have happened to me, I had saved both my soul and my body.  For beyond any doubt on that day we shall rise again in the brightness of the sun, that is, in the glory of Christ Jesus our Redeemer, as children of the living God and co-heirs oof christ, made in his image; for we shall reign through him and for him and in him.

60.  For the sun we see rises each day for us at his command, but it will never reign, neither will its splendour last, but all who worship it will come wretchedly to punishment.  We, on the other hand, shall not die, who believe in and worship the true sun, Christ, who will never die, no more shall he die who has done Christ’s will, but will abide for ever just as Christ abides for ever, who reigns with God the Father Almighty and with the Holy Spirit before the beginning of time and now and for ever and ever.  Amen.

61.  Behold over and over again I would briefly set out the words of my confession.  I testify in truthfulness and gladness of heart before God and his holy angels that I never had any reason, except the Gospel and his promises, ever to have returned to that nation from which I had previously escaped with difficulty.

62.  But i entreat those who believe in and fear God, whoever deigns to examine or recieve this document composed by the obviously unlearned sinner Patrick in Ireland, that nobody shall ever ascribe to my ignorance any trivial thing that I achieved or may have expounded that was pleasing to God, but accept and truly believe that it would have been the gift of God.  And this is my confession before I die.

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This document is from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library at Calvin college, http//www.ccel.org, generated on demand from ThML source.

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“Long before the Founding Fathers signed their lives to the bold and daring declaration that created our new nation, a hardy band of immigrants pledged their lives to God and to one another even before they set foot on land.  In this agreement, know as the Mayflower Compact, the Pilgrim Fathers reveal the reason they endured the perilous journey across the Atlantic in hope of founding a new colony-they believed they were on a mission for God, and they earnestly desired to ‘advance the Christian faith.’”

“Their agreement, in part, reads as follows:”

“Having undertaken for the Glory of God and the advancement of the Christian faith, a voyage to plant a colony, do by these presents solemnly and mutually in the presence of God, and one of another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic.”

Please see: American Vision–for more of the article and information.

Thomas a Kempis(1379-1471) was born Thomas Hammerken von Kempen in Germany.  He went to the Netherlands as a youth to become an Augustinian monk.  Throughout the rest of his life, he devoted himself to the copying of manuscripts and the training of other monks.  His devotional book Of the Imitation of Christ has had unequaled influence for a book of its kind through the centuries.  Using simple language and style, Thomas a Kempis advocates a spiritual rather than a materialistic life and seeks to clarify the rewards of the Christ-centered life.

He that follows Me shall not walk in darkness, says the Lord (John 8:12)

These are the words of Christ, by which we are urged to imitate His life and virtues, if we wish to be truly enlightened and freed from all blindness of heart.

Therefore, let it be our chief business to meditate upon the life of Jesus Christ.

The teaching of Christ excels all the teachings of the saints; and if a man have His spirit, he shall find therin a hidden manna.

But it so happens that many hear the Gospel frequently and are liffle affected, because they lack the spirit of Christ.

If you would understand Christ’s words fully and taste them truly, you must strive to form your whole life after His pattern.

What good do you get by disputing learnedly about the Trinity, if you be lacking in humility and are therefore displeasing to the Trinity?

Verily, sublime words do not make a man holy and just; it is a virtuous life that makes him dear to God.

I would rather feel compunction than know how to define it.

If you knew the whole Bible by heart, and the sayings of all the philosophers, what would all that profit you without the love of God and His grace?

Vanity of vanities and all is vanity (Ecclesiastes1:2), except loving God and serving Him only.

This is the highest wisdom: to despise the world and aim at the kingdom of Heaven.

It is vanity therefore toseek perishable riches and to rely on them.

It is vanity also to pursue honours and raise yourself to a high dignity.

It is vanity to follow the lusts of the flesh and to desire that which hereafter will bring grievous punishment.

It is vanity to wish for a long life and care little about a good life.

It is vanity to attend only to the present life, and not to look ahead to the future life.

It is vanity to love what quickly passes away, and not to be hastening thither where abides everylasting joy.

Often call to mind the proverb: The eye is not sated with seeing, nor is the ear filled with hearing (Ecclesiastes 1:8)

Study therefore to wean your heart from the love of visible things, and to attend rather to things invisible.  For the man who indulges his sensual nature, sullies his conscience and loses the grace of God.

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The 17th century was not a good time to be a Protestant in Scotland.  the British crown tried to unite England and Scotland under one political run and church.  This church would be ruled by an earthly king.  the Scots would not be ruled that easily.  Just as they unified to fight British rule, they came together to form the Scottish Covenanters, which were a group of Protestants who took an oathto preserve Protestantism as the only religion of Scotland.  Rudiments of the religous fredom group began in 1557, when Scottish church reformers bnded together in support of the Protestant Reformation movement.  In 1638, Scots joined together and signed the National Covenant, a document renouncing the British king’s interprettion of Christianity as a religion ruled by man, not by god.

As King Charles I of England tried to enforce the rule of his bishops over the people of Scotland and himself as head over the church, the Covenanters began to fight back.  Charles II, the son of Charles I, sought to crush the Scottish rebellion and the years from 1679 to 1688 became known as the “killing time.”

David Hackston spent most of his life living a distinctly nonreligious life.  But Hackston became a devout Christian convert.  He was one of the most zealous and courageous fighters for the Covenanters.  His first battle was on June 1, 1679 and days later at the battle of Bothwell Bridge.  At Bothwell Bridge the Covenanters were thoroughly defeated.  After the battle, Hackston went into hiding.  the British put a bounty on his head and the resolute Scotsman was finally apprehended in a bloody skirmish.

In prison Hackston wrote, “…the Cause of Christ had been often owned by fewer…I think I dare not misbelieve, but when fear assaults me I think there is a voice saying to me, Fear not…I am frail, but Christ is 1strong…If the free grace of God be glorified in me, ought not all to praise Him?”

Hackston’s death sentence was abhorrent.  His hands were cut off and he was drawn to the top of the hangman’s gallows with a pulley and dropped repeatedly.  Then his heart was cut out.  Post-mortem, he was quartered and his head cut off.

After the process was dutifully carried out a witness noted that “the free grace of God ws glorified in David Hackston, so that whoever things of him must think of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, too.’

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How many of you are familiar with the Christmas carol “Good King Wenceslaus?”  Did you know that this carol was written about a Christian martyr?

This “King Wenceslaus” in the song was really a duke named Vaclav.  He ruled Bohemia, the Czeck Republic, with Christian justice until his brother Bioleslav, a pagan, assassinated him.  The Dukewas a devout Christian whose short life was riddled with political intrigue, murder and pagan influences.Vaclav’s grandparents who were Christians, ruled Bohemia during the time when the Slavic nations were being introduced to the gospel.  His grandfather built the first Christian church in the Czech Republic which is north of Prague.  Duke Vratislav I, Vaclav’s father, followed in his parents’ footsetps by becoming a passionate Christian and teaching his son Christian values.

After Vaclav’s father died his life was full of turmoil.  His mother, Drahomira now ruled the country.  She was a former pagen and ruled Bohemia with greed and cruelty.  Vaclav found his santuary with his grandmother Ludmila.  She was a gentle and popular Christian and was passionate about helping her grandsone become a good Christian leader.

Ludmila encouraged Vaclav to overthrow his mother’s reigh.  His mother found out and had Ludmila strangled.  Still in his teens, Vaclav wrested the throne from his mother and turned Bohemia back to its Christian ways.

During his reign, we was generous towards orphans, widown and poor.  He would even carrd wood to the need, visited prisons and welcomed German missionaries and built churches.

His brother ended his reign by convincing a group of anti-Christian nobles to him Vaclav.  Boleslav invited his brother to a feast.  On the way to the dinner the duke was stabbed on the church doorsteps.  While dying, Vaclav’s last words were, “Brother, may God forgive you!”  The Bohemians were greatly dismayed and imediately honored Vaclav as a martyr.

It was in 1853 when John Neal wrote the carol “Good King Wenceslaus” after hearing the story of Duke Vaclav from some British soldiers returning from Eastern Europe.  The song was written for Children extolling the virtues of generosity.  “Therefore, Christian men, be sure; wealth or rank possessing; Ye who now will bless  the poor; shall yourselves find blessing.”

The hidden stones of our Christian foundation are found in those who choose to suffer death rather than to deny Christ.  They sacrifice something very important to futher the Kingdom of God.  These precious ones are the Christian Martyrs.

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“Day of Atonement“

On this day the high priest makes atonement for the nation’s sin.  It is also a day of fasting, prayer, and refraining from work and physical pleasures.

Lev. 23:26-33   Exodus 30:10

This is a holiday observed by the Jewish people.  It is ment for soul searching and repentance.

 According to biblical scholars, the original ceremony was just the ritual purification of the sanctuary from any accidental ritual impurity.  This was done at the start of each new year. (ref: book of Ezekiel)  The process of cleansing was done by the sprinkling of bullock’s blood on the first day of the first and seventh months.

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300 years ago there was another 9/11.

The King of Poland led Christians armies to the Gates of Vienna.  The Ottoman Empire had been expanding into Europe.  Many cities were plundered, churches were turned into mosques, and free people were made slaves.  Thousands of Christians were forced to convert to Islam.  The Ottoman Turks wanted Vienna.  It would provide the way into Austria and Germany.  The Pope recognized the danger posed by the Ottomansand called to all rulers to join together against this common enemy.  The Polish king answered the Pope’s call to save Vienna.  The Turks were starving the city into submission and had begun tunneling under the city walls.  King Sobieski arrived on September 11, just in time to rout the Turks and stop the Ottoman tide.  This caused a long withdrawal from occupied territory

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The fish was the mark of the early Christian.  The first believers did not dare to wear any sign or mark of their faith.  If they did, they were often persecuted or killed.

The Greek symbols of “JESUS CHRIST, GOD’S SON, SAVIOR” made up the Greek work for fish.

The early Christians drew the sign of a fish to show others they were Christian.

Today, the fish still stands as a symbol for Christians.