St. Patrick's Breastplate

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.

I arise today

Through the strength of Christ's birth with His baptism,
Through the strength of His crucifixion with His burial,
Through the strength of His resurrection with His ascension,
Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.

I arise today

Through the strength of the love of cherubim,
In the obedience of angels,
In the service of archangels,
In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In the prayers of patriarchs,
In the predictions of prophets,
In the preaching of apostles,
In the faith of confessors,
In the innocence of holy virgins,
In the deeds of righteous men.

I arise today, 

Through the strength of heaven,
The light of the sun,
The radiance of the moon,
The splendor of fire,
The speed of lightning,
The swiftness of wind,
The depth of the sea,
The stability of the earth,
The firmness of rock.

I arise today, through

God's strength to pilot me,
God's might to 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 temptation of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
afar and near.

I summon today

All these powers between me and those evils,
Against every cruel and merciless power
that may oppose my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom,
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul;
Christ to shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that there may come to me an abundance of reward.

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.

Revelation 2:17 – What is our new name?

Revelation 2:17, He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

In spite of the many criticisms I've heard about the Bible, for the most part, reading it is fairly straightforward and it's not too difficult to understand. However, books like Revelation are admittedly a little tougher. Certainly, Revelation is full of symbolism and while it may not be difficult to understand the words, the meanings of the symbols aren't always clear. Revelation 2:17 is an example of difficult symbolism. What does it mean to eat the hidden manna? What is represented by the white stone? What is the new name given to us? I've read many commentaries that talk about these things but, as for the “new name,” I also have a few ideas of my own.

There are some family names that carry a certain impact. Think of the name, Kennedy, for example. Anyone who is called, “a Kennedy” is immediately identified as a person of wealth, power, and influence. The name, Trump, has come to have a similar ring. Anyone born into these families inherit a certain reputation simply because of their name. Furthermore, it's not always the names of wealthy families that are commonly recognized, names like the Hatfields and McCoys have their own infamy.

In Isaiah 56:5, God said, “Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.” Names like Vanderbilt or Rockefeller might impress people in this world. However, the name Jehovah surpasses them all. In eternity, we will be called His people. That's a family name worth having.

Besides family names, the names of certain individuals carry their own baggage. A person's name is often the equivalent of his character. Abraham Lincoln was renown for his honesty; “Honest Abe” they called him. Other names are notorious. Benedict Arnold was a brilliant general who led his troop to many victories over the British yet now his name is synonymous with traitor. John Wilkes Booth was a handsome man and acclaimed actor. Even though he was the Brad Pitt of his day, when people hear his name, they only remember him as an assassin.

God is the perfect Judge. When we stand before Him, our earthly reputations mean nothing. No matter how many good things I may have tried to do here on earth, when I stand in judgment, I will be known only by my sins. I will be called a liar, thief, adulterer, blasphemer, sluggard, and murderer. In Christ, though, I am justified. I won't be remembered forever as the person I am now. I will be called righteous, redeemed, ransomed, reconciled, and loved. I will be called a child of God.

Your sins don't necessarily define you. What's more important is your relationship with Jesus. No matter what your past, you can be called forgiven. We can rejoice that Revelation promises us a new name!

How did John the Baptist ‘prepare the way’ for Jesus?

Matthew 3:1-8, In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

Every gospel attests to the fiery character, John the Baptist.  Isaiah 40:3 prophesied that this greatest of prophets would come to “prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”  Obviously, John was the herald who identified Jesus as the Lamb of God (John 1:29), but is that all he did?  How exactly did John “prepare the way” for Jesus?  I’ve thought about this and have a few ideas.

THE ROLE OF THE MESSIAH

The Jews who came to hear John the Baptist, were longing for the Messiah.  Because of the prophecies of Daniel’s “Seventy Weeks” (Daniel 9), the Jews were expecting His arrival in that very generation.  Every radical preacher, including John himself, was seen as a possible candidate for the Messiah.  

They expected the Messiah to break the yoke of Roman tyranny and reestablish the throne of David.  John announced that Jesus had come to be the Lamb, not the Lion they were expecting.  Mark 1:5 says, “And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.” 

Yes, John also warned of judgment, but at the heart of his messages there was always the gospel.  He told them to repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand!

THE SCOPE OF THE MESSIAH

The Jews had thought that the Messiah would overthrow the Romans because they thought He would be the Messiah to the Jews.  The Baptizer made it clear that Christ came for the whole world.  Forgiveness was available to all who believed, not just to the Jews.

In Luke 3:6, John said, “And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”  He went on to warn the Pharisees, “Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham” (Luke 3:8).

John 1:6-9 tells us, “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.”

 Salvation is not for the Jews alone but for every one who accepts Christ.  Amen!

THE DIVINITY OF THE MESSIAH

When you read the prophecy in Isaiah 40:3, you will notice that “Lord” is spelled with all capital letters - LORD.  In the King James Bible, when the word “Lord” is spelled with all capital letters, it is actually the name of God, given to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:14).  It is the four letters transliterated, YHWH, (pronounced Jehovah or Yahweh) and means, “I AM.”   

When John said, “Lord,” he didn’t mean it in the sense that Jesus was just a person of nobility or some earthly importance.  Instead, he was welcoming the Word made flesh, the one who is God with us!  John the Baptist was preparing the way for Jehovah!

THE END OF SACRIFICES

When Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate the forbidden fruit, they were ashamed and tried to hide themselves.  They tried to cover their nakedness with fig leaves (Genesis 3:7) but the Bible says God killed an animal and covered them with the skin of the animal.  What a sobering realization must have set in for the first couple when they looked upon that dead animal and saw the terrible consequence of their disobedience. 

That act ushered in an era of sacrifices where the shedding of blood was made to cover our sins (Hebrews 9:22).  God’s covenant with Abraham was also sealed with blood, the sign of the circumcision.  

The sacrifices continued until the appearance of Christ.  When John the Baptist saw Jesus, he told his disciples, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.  This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me” (John 1:29-30).  His was the final sacrifice and now our sins are covered by His blood and righteousness.  Praise God!!

John the Baptist had to move believers away from the Old Testament system of sacrifices.  Those were only types and shadows of The Sacrifice that was to come.  Also, the Abrahamic covenant of circumcision was passed.  Believers now identify with the death, burial, and resurrection represented by baptism. 

Are we taking God's name in vain? Probably!

Exodus 20:7, Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Like a parent who gives his child a curfew, God has given us rules to follow.  Also, like a parent, these rules aren’t meant to be abusive or arbitrary, nor are they “suggestions.”  They are given so that we might live happy, healthy, and productive lives.  God, being perfect, knows best what is important for us.  It’s not a coincidence that the first four of the Ten Commandments focus on our relationship with Him.  The 3rd commandment, the prohibition of taking His name in vain, should be of great importance to us.  

The Scribes and Pharisees prided themselves on their strict adherence to the letter of the Law.  Concerning this commandment, they were so obsessed with the letter of the Law that they would not even speak God’s name aloud.  While reading Scripture, whenever they came across the name of God (the Tetragrammaton, YHWH), they would say, “Adonai” (meaning Lord), instead.  We see a legacy of this practice in many of our translations of the Bible.  Whenever the word LORD appears in all capital letters, the original word being translated is the Tetragrammaton, the name God gave to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:13-14).

Now, I don’t claim to be a Bible scholar but I just don’t believe that God intended us to never speak His name.  But if the command is not against speaking His name in general, then what does the commandment mean?  When I was teaching my children about this commandment, I explained it this way: don’t say the word God unless you’re talking about God.  Never use it as a curse nor speak it in exclamation.  Never! I felt that was appropriate advice for a child but, at that time, even my own understanding of this verse was somewhat child-like.

I used to think this was an easy commandment to keep.  I know I get angry sometimes and there have been times I’ve said things I later regret.  But I have long since disciplined myself that no matter how angry I get and no matter what I might say, I will NOT say “G*d” - certainly not G.D. I will not even say, “OMG.”  So I’m innocent of breaking this command, right?  Wrong!!

2 Chronicles 7:14, If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Have you ever noticed in this passage who God is speaking to?  He’s not talking to the heathens.  He’s not talking to the unbelievers.  He’s not talking to the lost people of this world.  He’s talking to His people - those who are called by His name!  God isn’t saying He will heal our nation when the wicked repent.  He’s saying He will heal the land when the people who call themselves believers repent!

We call ourselves Christians.  The word Christian literally means “like Christ.”  So how are you doing being like Christ?  For good or bad, when we call ourselves Christians, we are calling ourselves by His name.  What we do and how we act directly impacts our testimony.  If you’re going to call yourself a Christian, you need to act like a Christian.  You need to act like Christ.  Do you love like Christ?  Do you pray like Christ?  Do you preach repentance like Christ?  

I know that as long as we live in our bodies of flesh, we will struggle with sin.  Even so, Christ has told us to keep His commandments.  When we say we are Christians, yet continuously engage in unrepentant sin, we are certainly not being like Christ.  In that case, I very much believe that we are using His name in vain!

A Christian not being Christ-like

Things we may have wrong about the Nativity

It’s that time of year when front lawns and fireplace mantles are adorned with a nativity.  I have to admit it’s probably my favorite decoration to see at Christmas.  To many people, the nativity is an iconic representation of Christmas.  Yet when we compare the popular scene to what the Scriptures say, I think we’ve gotten a few things wrong.  In this post, I’ll examine some of the more obvious errors.

THE TRIP TO BETHLEHEM

I’m not sure of where we got the postcard image of Joseph walking through the desert at night leading a donkey with Mary riding it but it’s almost certainly not the way it happened.  Remember that this was a census for the purpose of collecting taxes and everyone was required to go to his own city (Luke 2:1-3).  Every member of Joseph’s and Mary’s family would have been of “of the house and lineage of David.”  This would include any living parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews; they all would have had to make the trip and it only makes sense for them to all travel together.  Where are they on the postcards?  

THE DAY OF THE BIRTH

For some reason, movies like to show the couple arriving in Bethlehem with Mary already in labor.  In a hurry to find accommodations, all they can arrange is makeshift quarters in the inn keeper’s stable where Mary gives birth that same night.  It’s quite dramatic.  

The Bible, however, merely says that she delivered Jesus, “while they were there” (Luke 2:6).  More precisely, the verse says, “while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered,” strongly suggesting they arrived in Bethlehem at some point in Mary’s pregnancy, and remained there until Jesus was born.  They could have been there for days, weeks, or even months!

WAS JESUS BORN IN A STABLE?

My next point is probably the most controversial and puts me at odds with most Christians but I don’t believe Jesus was born in a stable.  What we think of as an inn (like a hotel or motel) didn’t exist in the 1st century - especially in a small town like Bethlehem.    The word translated as inn in the KJV (Strong’s 2646, kataluma, καταλύμα) is the same word used in Mark 14:14 to refer to the room where Jesus had the Last Supper.  In Mark, the word is translated as guestchamber and suggests it was just an area in a residence available for guests.  Typical Jewish homes in the 1st century weren’t spacious buildings with many bedrooms.  Instead, they were smaller buildings built upward with a second floor.   Mundane living, cooking, and family gathering was done on the 1st floor during the day.  At night, the animals (typically some goats or maybe a donkey) were brought inside, and the family slept on the 2nd floor.  As already discussed, Mary and Joseph would have had family in Bethlehem and they likely would have been staying with them.  Because of the census, many members of the same family were probably staying in the same house, making the normal sleeping areas overcrowded.  This, combined with Mary nearing delivery and so would have had difficulty climbing to the 2nd floor, means Mary and Joseph may have been sleeping on the 1st floor where the animals were kept.  This is the type of situation Jesus likely was born into - a poor, overcrowded home - not a stable.

THE WISE MEN

The final misconception many people have about the Nativity is that the wisemen weren’t there!  This point really isn’t debateable.  The coming of the wise men discussed in Matthew 2 happened when Jesus was nearing 2 years old.  Matthew 2:16 says that Herod ordered the murder of all children up to two years old “according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.”  In other words, the wise men had seen the “star” as long as two years earlier and had just then arrived to worship the Savior.

Oh, and by the way, nowhere does the Bible say there were 3 wise men.  Since the word being used is plural, we can only say there was more than one.  Beyond that, how many there were is speculation.  Perhaps the idea of 3 became popular because there were 3 types of gifts given - gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Tradition also says there were 3 and even claims to have their names: Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar.  Regardless of tradition and speculation, the Bible is silent on the number.  Whatever the number, they weren’t there on the night of Jesus’ birth.

In conclusion…

When I point out these little details, some people despair.  I’m not sure why.  I guess it’s because it upsets the scene of that night they have always pictured in their minds but there’s no need to lament.  The most important details about Jesus’ birth have been recorded correctly.  It’s the message given by the angel to the shepherds in Luke 2:8-14:

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.   And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.  And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,  Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Wow, that is good news!!

The Comforter

John 14:26, But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

In this passage, Jesus promised the gift of the Holy Spirit to His apostles (and ultimately to the whole world). He described the Holy Spirit with the term parakletos, (παράκλητος, Strong's Number 3875). 

Parakletos is a compound word: para (παρά, Strong’s Word 3844) which means near or beside and kaleō (καλέω, Strong’s Word 2564) which means to call or to bid.  The term is translated many different ways including Comforter, Helper, and Advocate. Its parts literally mean, “Called beside.” This paints a picture of the Holy Spirit as One who stands beside us, helping us, encouraging us, and comforting us. It’s a marvelous picture of the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives.

As I was reading 1 Thessalonians 4, where Paul mentions the Rapture of the Church, Paul concludes his thoughts with this, “Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:18).   The word comfort sort of leapt out at me.  I looked up the Greek word being used and saw that it was parakaleō (παρακαλέω, Strong’s Word 3870) which is the verb form of parakletos (the same way “drive” would be the verb of “driver” in English).  

I thought it was interesting that the same word used to describe the Holy Spirit would be used to command Christians how to act.  What He is to us, we are also commanded to be to one another: helpers, comforters, and advocates. We are to stand beside them, encouraging them, just as the Holy Spirit stands by us. To be sure, we are poor shadows of the True Spirit but we are called to comfort, help, and encourage notwithstanding.

So how do we go about this task? I suggest we should let the Spirit be our Guide. See again what Jesus said of the Spirit:

He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Wow, Paul’s instructions are similar to what Jesus said of the Spirit: “Comfort one another with these words.”  That’s how we can be a comfort to others, by reminding them of the words of Jesus.

Do you know someone who is struggling in a relationship?  Tell them what the Bible says!

Is there a parent in despair over a wayward child?  Tell them what the Bible says!

Is someone convicted by sin in their life? Tell them what the Bible says!

How simple. When people need to be comforted or encouraged, we need only remind them of the words God has given us!