All I know is what Scripture says: Man was created a little lower than angels, yet through the redemptive power of Jesus, forgiven man has been lifted to a position above them. While God permitted mankind the possibility of failure, He also provided a way out. Somehow it resulted in a higher position.
“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 favors…” —St. Patrick, from the Confession of Saint Patrick— 450 A.D March 17, 2023
"St. Patrick’s Breastplate,” a powerful prayer attributed to Saint Patrick of Ireland, begins in this way:
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
of the Creator of creation.
We arise today and every day by turning our gaze onto Jesus and what He has accomplished for us.
I hide in Him, and in Him I find my strength to rise. For He does not accuse us; He blesses us. He invites us all further up and further in to be changed into His likeness, and not to gaze at our weaknesses or fears but to gaze at Him. Perfection. Might. Our Victor. Our Savior.
Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
“St. Patrick’s Breastplate.”
I took my gaze off my performance and turned it onto the King and His character: His faithfulness. His goodness. His mercy. His strength. His might.
I arise today, through
God’s strength to pilot me,
God’s might uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s host to save me
From snares of devils,
From the temptation of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill, afar and near.
“St. Patrick’s Breastplate.” Let’s take the discouragement that wakes us and taunts us and take an abrupt turn away from it! Like St. Patrick we can pray Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me. He has covered us!
“When you read God’s Word, you must constantly be saying to yourself, ‘it is talking to me and about me.’”— Soren Kierkegaard
For those who attempt to restrict it, Jesus has a word: Whoever.
Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge Him before my Father in Heaven. — Matthew 10:32
Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. — Matthew 10:39
Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother. —Mark 3:35
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. — Mark 16:16
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him. — John 3:36
Whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. — John 4:14
Whoever comes to me I will never drive away. — John 6:37
Whoever lives and believes in Me will never die. — John 11:26
Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life. — Revelation 22:17 God's whoever policy is for all of us. Whoever. Whenever. Wherever. You're not too late. You're not too far gone. You're not too much or too little. You're so loved!
We can be looking for a new experience, truth, or revelation and get ourselves into a lot of trouble. Instead, we need to apply judgment and realize that we’re potentially vulnerable. If we can’t find it in the Bible, then we don’t need it from someone else. The Bible is the arbiter of truth.
There is no other relief found for the distressed soul, but only in God through Christ. —
Puritan Robert Traill, Works 2:89
A touching gospel tract may be the seed of eternal life. Therefore do not go out without your tracts. —Charles Spurgeon
No man perishes because Christ died not for him; no man misses the performance of the promise, because the promise was not made to him; but he perishes because of 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘧. —Puritan Robert Traill, Works 2:93
It is our unspeakable comfort, in all our approaches to God, that there is forgiveness with him, for that is what we need. Never 𝘢𝘯𝘺 that dealt with him found him implacable, but easy to be entreated, and swift to show mercy. —Puritan Matthew Henry, in Psalm 130:4
𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 is the way of God’s pardoning; He doth it in a rejoicing, triumphant manner, satisfying abundantly His own holy soul therein, and resting in His love. —John Owen, Works 6:504 The reason why faith saves the soul, is not because of any mighty thing in faith, for faith is a poor weak thing; but it is fixed on the faithfulness of God, and the faithfulness of God through Christ is in it. —Robert Traill, Works 2:81 Though there be nothing more incredible, though there is nothing more impossible, than that such a vile creature as I am should be saved; yet 𝘎𝘰𝘥 hath said it, God hath bid me to believe it, and believe it I must, or call the Speaker a liar. —Puritan Robert Traill, Works 2:82 [Christ] will own my worthless name Before His Father’s face, And in the New, Jerusalem Appoint my soul a place. —Isaac Watts
“With whom is the Christian soldier meant to fight? Not with other Christians. Wretched indeed is that man's idea of religion who fancies that it consists in perpetual controversy!” —
J. C. Ryle, Fighting For Holiness, 29-30.
“Our loving heavenly Father wants His children to be joyful people. But sometimes we seek out joy and fulfillment where they can never be found.” — Sinclair Ferguson
“He that would understand the nature of true holiness must know that the Christian is "a man of war." If we would be holy, we must fight.” — J. C. Ryle, Fighting For Holiness, 27.
Comments