A Closer look at St. Patrick

Before we go into this week’s message I just wanted to take this time to share my heart with you all. First of all I want to thank those of you that took the time to write me back and express your appreciation for this weekly message. Sometimes I think it is just me alone in this work. Secondly I would like to plant some seeds for future spiritual growth. Every week I prepare a small group lesson for our “cell ministry.” God laid it on my heart that there may be some of you that have some friends and family that would benefit from getting together once a week in one of your homes to seek the things of God. I could have everything laid out for you so that it would go smoothly and I am sure that God will show up. If this interest any one, and you would like more information than just e-mail me at Revboo@aol.com and I will get you the material. I believe that God has got great things in store for all of us as we continue to grow in His love. Thank you again for all your support and may God richly bless you; Lets pray…….

            Heavenly father; Lord God we come before you today in the precious name of Jesus. It is by the unselfish work that Jesus did upon the cross for us that we are able to come into your presence. Forgive us Lord for all our sins and help us to overcome both the temptations of this world and the selfish desires that we have been fulfilling for so long. Lord you know the pain that we feel inside, you know the hurt that we have gone through, and you know the truth about us that we do not even admit. In all of that you love us and have a wonderful plan for our lives. Father, I beg you right now to reveal a little bit of yourself to me that I might know your will and that I might be given the strength to carry it out. Bless this message today forgive the one that writes it his sins, that we might see Jesus. For it is in his name we pray; Amen

            Scripture: “Jesus said; I am the way, the truth and the life; No one comes to the Father But by me.” (John 14:6)

            This is the second time I sat down to write this week’s message. God is trying to tell us something about Himself that will make a big difference in our lives. This verse of scripture tells us about the divinity of Christ. Too often people get confused about who Jesus is and how we get into the Kingdom of Heaven. I want to get back to the basics and find the way the truth and the life which is in Christ Jesus. Jesus told us that He came that we might have life and more abundantly. Real life, Full of true joy, peace and love.

            So what does that have to do with St. Patrick? Well, with St. Patrick’s day coming up this week it will be a test for some of us as to who we have decided to serve. More than that it was St. Patrick that taught an entire country about the truth that is in Jesus. You see it was Patrick that evangelized Ireland. And now for the “Rest of the story.”

            How do you tell a bunch of people that have no idea about God that Jesus is God, and The Father is God and the Holy Spirit is God but there is only one God? We call it the Trinity. It is not an easy doctrine to understand but it is important to the realization that Jesus has all the authority in heaven and upon earth. With that truth being known along with the fact that the same Jesus now lives with in your heart, God himself can and will direct the rest of your life as you turn it over to Him.

            Patrick used the “shamrock” to illustrate this knowledge. The shamrock or clover that we see all over the place around St. Patrick’s day was the way Patrick showed the people of Ireland the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit being one. So now everytime you see a shamrock you will know that it is God working within you both to want to do what is right and giving you the power to do it. There is so many other scriptures that prove the divinity of Jesus but rather than go into them today let us just set aside and doubts that you might have about it and take it by faith. The reason for this step of faith becomes apparent when we attempt to discover what difference this knowledge will make in our lives. You see this knowledge alone will not make any difference unless we get plugged into His eternal plan. Even the demons believe, yet they do not follow.

            Here it is in a nutshell. God loves each and every one of us so much that He Himself came to earth to pay the penalty for our sins. He then sent His Holy Spirit so that He could be present in every single one of our lives. His Spirit is available to you every single moment of every single day. He neither sleeps nor slumbers. God has made available for you freedom from the penalty and the bonds of sin. I think you know what I mean by the Bonds of sin. An example that I can use from my own life would be smoking cigarettes. Not that smoking is a sin. I just want you to notice the hold that sin can have on us. I trued to quit smoking for so many years. I use to quote Mark Twain, “it is easy to quit, I’ve done it a thousand times.” But when I finally did stop smoking, the cravings stopped and the desire simply was no longer there. Now I know many of you reading this have other things in your life that you think you can not stop doing. Even though you know these things are not good for you. The truth is that He who the Son sets free is free indeed. Jesus is the way the truth and the life. So it is when we get the truth in us and daily drawing closer and closer to him that the chains of bad habits begin to fall away. If there is something in your life that you want to change then give it over to God right now. Say God I give this thing to you. Say it out Loud. “God I give it to You!” Now know that you are free from it and the next time you are tempted or confronted by it stand firm knowing that it is no longer your battle but God’s. And if you fall, pick your self back up and know that you are not defeated because you have the victory in Jesus and no weapon formed against you will prosper. It is the truth. God is with you. When you open the door to your heart and let Jesus in. He comes into your life with all the fullness of God. We just need to learn to open our eyes to His full ness.

            The Father, the Son and the Holy spirit all working in unison with and in you to give you life eternal. Yes there will be trials and tribulation but Jesus reminds us that we can take heart and even be of good cheer because He has overcome the World. He has won the war. So that greater is He who is within us then he who is in the world.

In Conclusion I would warn you that this week will be a test for some. You see you can not serve two masters. You decide every moment of every day who you will serve. That does not mean that God will ever forsake you but you know when you have broken the communication lines with him. God has set you free, do not choose to get entangled again. The Bible describes that as like a dog that returns to its vomit. Gross I know but that is what it is like when we get set free from something and then turn around and get involved with it again. You know what it is. God will give you the strength to overcome. You see I do not know what your fight has been with. It may bee that this thing started when you were very young and it has been eating at you a long time. If that is the case then you will have to look deep into your heart and find the source of your pain and turn it over to Jesus. He will be able to touch your pain and even help you to forgive those that caused it in the first place. In some cases there are problems that have been handed down for generations. God is able to break that curse and set your entire family in a new direction starting with you. This week is your week of freedom. This week is your week of renewed strength. This moment is your moment of victory. Claim the victory now and give God the Glory because he truly is with you right now.

Let’s pray:

            Thank you Jesus for setting me free. Thank you Father for giving me strength. Thank you Holy Spirit for being with me. Lord forgive me for breaking communication with you. You have searched me out and found me. You loved me and picked me up in my times of need. Father you know everything about me yet you still love me. Thank you for your unconditional love. I accept that love and invite you to take control of my live. I give you all my pain. I give you all my weakness. I give you all my shortcomings and will in turn give you all the praise for the great things you do in and with my life. From this moment on I place all my trust in you knowing that you are the way the truth and the life. Thank you Jesus. Thank you Father. Thank you Holy Spirit. Be with me through out this week and always in Jesus name I pray; Amen

            Now just take some time in quiet prayer to give look back over your life and find those areas that may cause you some pain and give them over to God. Do not feel strange about it. Do not be afraid, The memories will not hurt you any more. God is right there with you and wants you to be rid of all the pain. Give it to Him and accept His loving Spirit in return. May God richly bless you.

                        Write me with any praise reports at the address below;

                                                Pastor Bob Richardson

                                                700 N. Garden Ave.

                                                Clearwater, Fl. 33755