“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”   Matthew 28: 19

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!

So … How much do you really know about St. Patrick?

Try taking this four-question quiz. Whatever your score, you will probably learn something new. And there’s a prize at the end!

(Answers follow each question, so don’t scroll down until you’ve tried to answer each! Then have fun seeing if you can stump your friends.)

1.) What was Patrick’s nationality?

A.) Irish                                                                                                                                                   B.) American                                                                                                                                          C.) British                                                                                                                                              D) French

Answer: C. Patrick was born in Britain and grew up on the coast of Wales.

2.) How did Patrick end up in Ireland? 

A.) He ran away from home.                                                                                                          B.)He was kidnapped by pirates.                                                                                                     C.) His drunken father lost him to Irish gypsies in a card game.

D.) He went to the University of Dublin.

Answer: B At the age of sixteen Patrick was captured by Irish pirates and sold into slavery.

3.) After escaping, why would Patrick want to go back to where he had been a slave?

A.) He wanted to take revenge on his master and free the other slaves.

B.) To kill the snakes infesting Ireland.

C.) He wanted to conquer Ireland for Wales.

D.) He wanted to evangelize the Irish.

Answer: D. Patrick had become a committed Christian. He had had visions and dreams about sharing his faith with the Irish pagans. As a Christian, not only was he given the supernatural ability to forgive years of slavery, but he wanted the Irish to have the same blessings he had. Hence, Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland.

4) Why is the shamrock the symbol of St. Patrick?   

A.) It was an object lesson                                                                                                                 B) Irish children welcomed Patrick with shamrocks

C) Shamrocks in Ireland were infested with snakes.

D) According to legend, shamrocks sprang up overnight to cover Patrick’s first church in green, symbolizing life.

Answer: A. In explaining the Trinity, Patrick used the shamrock to illustrate one God in three Persons:

1. God the Father, creator of all things,
2. Jesus, His Son, who died to save Mankind from sin and death, and
3. the Holy Spirit, sent from God to live inside believers

(P.S. Snakes are not and have never been indigenous to Ireland.)

If Saint Patrick were standing  here today holding a shamrock, he would tell you that

1. God the Father loves you and wants to be your Father. You can be adopted into His family by believing in
2. Jesus, His Son, who died on the Cross to save us all from our sin. Sin can’t just be swept under the carpet – somebody must pay the price, and Jesus paid your debt in full! Just think – He loves you so much, He was willing to go to the cross so that you wouldn’t have to spend eternity away from Him! By repenting of your sins and believing in Him, you can not only “born again” into the family of God, you escape eternal death and be can be filled with …
3. the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity. He will help you discern right and wrong and give you the strength to do the right things – even things you couldn’t do before.
   You can live the life you were created to live.   That’s the prize!                                                                                                                                          And here’s another prize: Those who believe in Christ are promised ETERNAL LIFE. So, we don’t even need to fear death! Jesus rose from the dead, and because He did, those who believe in Him will, too. (That’s way better than green beer, which has absolutely nothing to do with Saint Patrick.) If all this is new to you, and if it’s what you want for your life, you can pray a simple prayer to receive salvation through Jesus: Father, I confess that I am a sinner in need of forgiveness. Jesus, thank You for paying the price for my sins on the Cross. I believe in Your life, death, and resurrection, and Your promise of eternal life. Holy Spirit, thank You for filling me. Help me to live as I was created to live. I Jesus’ name, amen. Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Happy FOREVER!

Prayer: Father, thank You for showing us the signs of Your hand at work throughout history, as You did a miraculous, forgiving work in St. Patrick. May the story of my life give You glory, too. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

He will command his angels concerning you,
to guard you in all your ways.
They will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. – Psalm 91:11-12

The news of the California wildfires has been heartbreaking, especially stories of individuals and families who have lost everything. Perhaps most devastating are stories of people refusing to evacuate their homes, declaring that that God will keep them safe. Sadly, these stories almost never end well.

These tragedies are not the result of failure on God’s part, but rather from neglecting the whole counsel of God. That is, Scripture in context. I know, I’ve been known to harp on this subject, but haphazard readings of random verses can be deadly.

For an example of faith in context, take the third chapter of the book of Daniel, the story of specific people in a specific place and time.

King Nebuchadnezzar had commissioned a giant statue of himself to be built. The people had two choices: worship the statue or be thrown into a fiery furnace. Three Hebrews, Shadrach, Meshech, and Abednego, remained faithful to their God, refusing to bow, even knowing the consequences. As you probably know, the Lord rewarded their faithfulness with a miraculous rescue from the fire. This is one of many biblical accounts about how God’s power shines brightest in “impossible” situations, when the only alternative is to deny Him.

But refusing to bow to a pagan idol is a far cry from refusing to evacuate when a wildfire is heading your way. The people who monitor the fires, the ones who sound the alarm, those who take disaster victims to shelter – all can be God’s instruments to save lives.

It’s wonderful to know God and have a strong faith in Him. But to know Him involves reading, rereading, meditating on, and studying His Word on a regular basis – not random, scattered verses, but whole chapters and books. It’s important to know who’s speaking, to whom the words are addressed, where, when, and the circumstances surrounding them.

In other words, context! Without it, our enemy can easily twist a few words to deceive us into doing foolish, evil, or disastrous things. What the serpent told to Eve in the Garden of Eden was a lie combined with a twisting of the truth.

“[Satan said] if you eat [this fruit], your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing the difference between good and evil.” (Genesis 3:5) The implication was, “God is keeping something good from you.” – not true! The statement “you will be like God” was a twisting of the truth. Adam and Eve were, in a sense, already like God – they were made in His image! (Genesis 1:27) And the serpent’s original statement: “You shall not surely die,” was an outright lie.

Another striking example of Scripture quoted out of context is the account of the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. Satan had already tempted Him twice, and He had fought back with Scripture – “It is written …”

Finally, in one last-ditch effort, the devil tried quoting Scripture himself:

The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. For it is written:

"He will command his angels concerning you
            to guard you carefully. 
They will lift you up in their hands, 
            so that you will not strike your foot against a stone."  - Luke 4:9-11

At first glance, it seems the devil is quoting the verse from Psalm 91, quoted at the beginning of this post. But take a closer look: Did he leave something out?

If you said, “‘in all your ways‘,” you’re right! “In all your ways” means as you’re going about your daily business – not when you’re deliberately putting yourself in harm’s way. It means as you humbly follow Him, not as you’re putting Him to the test in a showy and unnecessary display of “faith.”

Our God-given minds are able to speculate, anticipate, and plan for the future. He’s created us with different gifts, abilities, resources, personalities, and opportunities; the variety of people and professions in the world reflect this diversity. Our nation consists of builders, pilots, doctors, police, firefighters, and many others. The Lord does this so that none of us is independent of the others. (He loves it when we need and appreciate one another.)

My father used to tell the story of the man whose house was in the path of floodwaters. When the water was ankle-deep, rescue workers offered him a ride in a Jeep, but he refused, declaring, “I’m trusting the LORD to save me!” When the floodwaters were flowing into his living room, a Coast Guard boat came by, offering to take him to safety, but again he declared, “I’m trusting the LORD to save me!” Still later, as the water continued to rise, the man was sitting on his roof. A helicopter hovered overhead, and a ladder was lowered to him, but … well, you know what he said. Finally, his house was washed away, and he was ushered, dripping wet, to the Pearly Gates.

“LORD, I trusted You!” he sputtered. “Why didn’t You save me?!”

The LORD sighed, “I tried three times.”

I see prayers answered every day, and they almost never come in the form of miracles, or even “what-are-the-chances?“-type events. They come in the form of friendly faces, kind words, good neighbors, and helpful people sharing their expertise. The demand and expectation of miracles may be more a matter of ego than faith. Usually the only “miracle” in my stories is that the God of the universe cares about a common, flawed woman like me.

So, if you are desperately praying for help from heaven, just know that an angel could well show up as a paramedic, a tow truck driver, or a firefighter.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for the many “ordinary” days You keep us safe and whole and healthy, even (especially) when we fail to notice and give You thanks. We acknowledge that You owe us nothing, and yet You have given us everything – the gift of Your Son, that we can be forgiven through Him and have everlasting life. What greater gift could we want? In Jesus’ name, amen.

Yesterday I read a post from one of my favorite bloggers, “The Domain for Truth” (SLIMJIM), about reaching foreign exchange students.

https://veritasdomain.wordpress.com/2025/01/23/reaching-foreign-exchange-students/

It reminded me of one of my first posts about seven years ago. Since most of my followers weren’t reading my blog back then, I thought I’d repost it. If you’ve ever wanted to be a missionary but didn’t think it possible, check out these proposals and share with any high school age children, grandchildren, students, or friends.

“Go and make disciples of all nations …”

                                                                                      Matthew 28:19

What’s wrong with this picture?

It’s lunch time at Average American High School, USA. A group of foreign exchange students are assembled around one table – a young man from Sweden, another young man from Spain, a young lady from Japan and her girlfriend from France. A German student joins them without a word; this is their normal routine. Every day they sit together, learning about one another’s countries and comparing their experiences in America. They laugh at themselves as they practice their English, and they promise to visit each other when the school year is over.

Right next to this table is a table full of Christian students. After saying a prayer over their lunch, they chat excitedly about how great the youth group was the night before, and they brainstorm ideas for fundraising. After all, they have to raise enough money by the end of the month to go on a mission trip to Mexico so they can share the gospel and the love of Jesus with people in another country.

HELLOOOOOOOO?! News flash! There’s a mission field less than 10 yards from you! Going there is free! You don’t have to fund-raise! You don’t have to have a passport! You don’t have to get any shots! You don’t have to learn another language! The mission field has already done all that! Yes, THEY’ve done the hard work, they’re here, and now all you have to do is obey Jesus and “preach the gospel” – with or without words.

Maybe my description is an exaggeration. I hope so. But I remember having a French student living with us years ago. Her best friends at the local high school were the German student, the Japanese student, and an American atheist. These girls were always welcome at our house, but whenever they came over, I had to wonder – Where are the Christian kids? Are they clustered somewhere in their little prayer groups and Bible studies, or – worse – trying to remain incognito, with their faith visible only on Sunday mornings?

We have the message the world is literally dying to hear – that God loved all of us so much that He was willing to give His only begotten Son to die in our place, to pay for our sins, so that we could be forgiven, be adopted into God’s family, and live forever! Do we really believe that? Do we really believe what Jesus said about being the only way to eternal life – that without Him we are utterly and eternally lost? (John 14:6)  If we do, then our hearts should be breaking for anyone who doesn’t know the Good News. If our hearts aren’t breaking over a lost and dying world, maybe it’s time to reevaluate our own faith.

Reaching out to the foreign students is a great idea, not only because it is far easier and more economical than mission trips, but also because it’s a great strategy. Think about it: most people in the world are fortunate if they have a roof over their heads, clothes on their backs, and food on their tables. The families that can afford to send their children to the US are usually wealthier, more influential citizens in their countries. Often these students are the sons and daughters of political leaders, even heads of state!

Imagine if you shared the gospel with the son of a prime minister, and he made a commitment to Christ. When summer arrives, that student goes home and is asked by family and friends (and the press) about his experience in America. And he tells about his experience in America – in other words, he gives his testimony! He doesn’t need to learn the language, he speaks it fluently! He doesn’t need to work at making connections and building relationships – he already has them! And his country is watching.

When I was in high school, our class had one exchange student. This year just one of our local high schools has 29 of them.

What a mission field! What are we waiting for?

Prayer: Father, You have told us to take the gospel into the whole world, and today there are so many ways in which it is easier than ever to do just that. Make us aware of every opportunity to reach out to others, offering them our friendship, so that through us You can offer them Life, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. – James 1:19

A couple of weeks ago, as the new year loomed ahead, I shared this verse that has inspired me to strive to listen more, talk less, and maybe even learn a few things in the process! I was mainly focused on the phrases “slow to speak” (hard for me) and “slow to become angry,” which I don’t struggle with that much.

But in reviewing this verse, I took another look at that first phrase – “quick to listen.” We don’t often think of the adjective “quick” in connection with the verb “listen,” and yet it’s in the Bible, so it must mean something …

As I was meditating on this verse, I suddenly had an image flash through my mind. Most of it looked like a scene common today, with one exception.

I saw someone holding a cell phone, eyes glued to the screen – something we see virtually everywhere. But when I spoke the words, “quick to listen,” I pictured that person immediately looking up and making eye contact – being quick to listen.

How often are we in the middle of watching something or reading something on our phones when a real, live, breathing person is standing there wanting to talk to us? How often do we hold up one finger or say “Just a second…” which turns out to be much more than one second?

Or do we “listen” or “talk to them” without taking our eyes off the all-important screen?

So as I begin this new year, here’s my 2025 definition of “quick to listen”:

Put down the phone (NOW) and listen. Really listen, not just with your ears, but with your eyes. Notice the facial expressions, the gestures, the body language. There are things the eyes can catch that the ears miss.

Most importantly, listen with your heart. Be open to the Holy Spirit; He may be giving you insight into that person’s life, maybe even regarding something He wants you to say or do for that person.

In other words, engaging with an individual person requires a lot more commitment than passively looking at your phone.

This new year’s resolution might be harder than I thought …

Prayer: Dear Lord, I have become so accustomed to having my little “window on the world” in the palm of my hand. But I realize there are many times when the world You want me to engage with is more often someone who is right there with me. I pray that not only would I have Your priorities, but also that those priorities would be so deeply engrained in me that the moment someone needs my attention, they would have it. Help me to treat every individual in a way that says that person is important – because they are. In Jesus’ name, amen.

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem  and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born.  “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
    are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
    who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.  When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.  On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

I had the privilege of reading this portion of the Nativity story in our Christmas service this year. While preparing to read it, I came to realize more than ever how rich those few verses of Scripture are.

First, there’s the setting. Matthew wrote of a specific time and place, because this is fact, not legend. Like the gospel writer Luke, a historian who did his research diligently, Matthew, a tax collector who had worked for Rome, was also meticulous in his reporting. The birth of Jesus happened, not “once upon a time,” but “in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod.”

I also love the fact that Jesus’ birth was announced to gentiles hundreds – maybe even thousands – of miles away. This Child was to be born not just for the Jews, but for the rest of the world, as well. This was an aspect of God’s plan the Jews were not aware of in the beginning – and later, many objected to it. But that’s a story for another time.

In addition to the widening of God’s Plan to all the peoples, we also see the divinity of Jesus, revealed in the way His birth was announced in the heavens – announced by a star! The wisemen were granted the understanding to discern the meaning of the star. And the Spirit of God had put it in their hearts to travel all that way to see this little child.

The Jewish King of Judea, Herod, who was “in power” at the time, who was feared by the people, and whose orders were to be obeyed, nevertheless felt threatened by this unknown Person, who, for all he knew, was a mere infant! Who could miss the irony in his reaction?

When Herod called together the chief priests and teachers of the law, it turned out they knew the prophecy about where this King was to be born, and the ever-efficient Matthew quoted them, as they quoted the Scripture, right out of Micah. Answer: Bethlehem.

Unlike the wisemen’s passionate dedication to their quest for this King, the so-called believers and experts, who knew the Christ in all probability had been born recently just a stone’s throw away, nevertheless didn’t even bother to go there and check it out! Were they really that apathetic, or could it be they were intimidated by the other King, who stood in front of them and whose jealous rage was close to the boiling point?

In contrast to Herod’s hostile response and the priests’ and teachers’ apathy/intimidation, the same passage describes the magi’s rejoicing at finding the little King, bowing down to Him, and pouring out their lavish gifts, their pagan hearts somehow having been invaded by God’s Spirit. What fictional writer could have come up with this story?

As is often said these days, “You can’t make this stuff up.” 😉

(Happy Epiphany, everyone.)

Prayer: Lord, Jesus, You came to earth so many years ago, not just for the Jews, but for all of us! You came not just for the people of that time, but for anyone and everyone who would believe in You through the ages, and Your gospel will continue reverberating throughout history until You come again. May our response be like that of the Magi, one of seeking diligently and not giving up until we find You and falling down in worship at Your feet. May we daily pour out elaborate gifts to You – all that we are, all that we have, and all that we do. Take us and make us the people You created us to be. We give our lives to You this day, in Your name, amen.

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. – James 1:19 

I’ve been reviewing the book of James lately and all the practical guidance found there. So much of James deals with the power of the tongue – I counted 23 verses in this short book having to do with our words. James says of the tongue,

“The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole man, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.” (James 3:6)

Strong words! Strong enough to inspire my New Year’s resolution:

Listen more, talk less!

When someone makes what I would consider a ridiculously outrageous statement, I need to remember to stop … take a breath, and calmly ask, “What makes you think that?” or “Interesting thought. How did you come to that conclusion?” Then I need to really listen to them share their thoughts before presenting another perspective. I might gain some valuable insights about the person, instead of just shooting them down, which only shuts off communication. I might even find out their perspective isn’t so ridiculous after all, that they have taken into account something that hadn’t occurred to me.

In other words, I just might learn something.

Then, if there’s something the other person is missing, I can respectfully share it, using phrases such as, “Have you considered …?” But this should happen only after I have let them speak their mind. And when sharing my perspective, I’ve discovered four little words that can express respect and humility and make a world of difference. They could also save me from future humiliation resulting overconfidence and/or arrogance. (Please don’t ask me how I know.)

Those four words? “I could be wrong.”

Do you have a New Year’s resolution inspired by a particular verse of Scripture? I’d love to hear about it.

Prayer: Lord, I know that I am a helpless sinner who will never in this life live up to Your holiness. And yet, You call me to a life that is more Christlike and give me Your Spirit to enable me to progress in that direction. In spite of my failures, You continue to pick me up, accept my prayers of repentance, forgive my failings, and encourage me to continue striving toward holiness. Your Word makes it clear that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. So, I give You my heart and ask You to fill it with the fruits of the Spirit. Put a guard at my mouth and a rein on my tongue. Help me be “quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry,” so that every word coming through me is accomplishing what You want it to, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to you children and to their children after them. – Deuteronomy 4:9

I don’t have to remind you that it’s a crazy, hectic time of year for a lot of us. Still, if you are a parent who believes in Jesus as “the Reason for the season,” you might be looking for a way to (re)tell the story of Jesus’ birth that will be meaningful to your children (or grandchildren), whatever their age or level of understanding.

A few years ago, I posted a series of lessons I taught my granddaughters during Advent. There are 13 parts, but they’re short, so you could double up on some of them if you want to be finished by Christmas Day. There’s a quiz at the end to review various people’s responses to Jesus (and reflect on our own attitudes – which one of these people do we resemble the most?). If you are sharing this with more than one child, you can make a game of it. Enjoy!

Home School Bible Class: The Nativity

Prayer: Lord Jesus, as we prepare to celebrate You, help us to stay focused and keep this season as one of joyous celebration of Your amazing love. Bless each reader of this blog with a renewed appreciation for what You have done for us. Inspire and motivate us to spread the true meaning of CHRISTmas with others, in Your mighty name. Amen.

The reason the Son of God came was to destroy the devil’s work. – I John 3:8

“… born on Christmas Day/To save us all from Satan’s Power …”- “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” (Traditional Christmas carol)

When I was in high school my favorite activity was choir, and my favorite event was the Christmas program. For years we sang, among other things, a set of carols by Benjamin Britten. One of them was truly unique – I mean, who sings about spiritual warfare at Christmastime?

(WE did.)

“This Little Babe” approaches the topic of the Christ Child as a picture of God’s assault on the kingdom of darkness. This tiny Baby in the manger is the Commanding Officer of God’s armies, leading legions of angels against the devil and his demons.

The lyrics, like the Nativity story itself, is packed with ironies. They point to the awesome power of the seemingly helpless newborn Infant:

“This little Babe, so few days old is come to rival Satan’s fold; / All hell doth at His presence quake, though He Himself for cold do shake/ For in this meek unarmed wise/ The gates of hell He will surprise.”

The melody is intense, in a minor key, meant to be sung forcefully. While one would usually expect a song about a battle to be written for male voices, this one is for high voices – women, girls, or possibly young boys. (Our choir was made up of high school girls, and we sang it with gusto!)

While one might think of songs of warfare being accompanied by drums, cymbals, and trumpets, the only instrument accompanying these female voices is a harp.

The arrangement of the song creates growing intensity. The first verse is sung in unison, the second verse in a two-part round, the third verse in a three-part round, with no refrains in between, like waves of armed reinforcements charging over the hill to join the battle.

The voices come back together as the song reaches a crescendo, “My soul, with Christ, join thou in fight – “ and they end in unison, admonishing the audience to “foil thy foes with joy.”

All that content is packed into a song less than two minutes long!

I recently heard this carol for the first time in decades, and it struck me how profound the message is, unlike the usual songs about Santa, toys, snow, and rockin’ around the Christmas tree. Even songs about the sweet little Baby in the manger, the gentle beasts, shepherds, wisemen, and angels singing, might lull us into forgetting that a war is being waged daily on the battlefield of our minds. This little Baby came to set the prisoners free, and that involves defeating the kingdom of hell that has held us in bondage to sin for so long.

Just after the Fall of Man in the Garden of Eden, God prophesied to the serpent that the offspring of the woman would ultimately defeat him – “He will crush your head, and you will bruise his heel.” Genesis 3:15 No doubt the serpent (Satan) remembered those words down through history – and now, in the little town of Bethlehem, He had arrived!

Jesus, the offspring of the woman, with no human father, had come. Even as He lay sleeping, a tiny newborn, Satan’s doom was sealed.

So, while we’re singing songs about the cute little Baby, let’s not forget who He was, is, and always will be – the God who came for us then, fights for us now, and is coming back to complete His triumph over evil. And on that day, His victory will be like this carol – short and swift, forever separating the kingdom of heaven from the kingdom of darkness.

Which side will you be on?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, as we celebrate Your coming to earth, we thank You for the love You had for us. We are in awe of Your willingness to leave Your home in glory and be born as one of us, suffer in our place, die to pay the penalty of our sins, and rise to life again to show us the eternal life that awaits all those who love and follow You. Help us not to be distracted by the trappings of the season, but instead to have hearts and minds set on You, for it’s in Your name we pray, Amen.

Here is one performance of this truly unique Christmas carol – enjoy!