The life of Christmas Evans is a story of grace. He was one of the most remarkable preachers Whales ever produced, attracting thousands when he preached. He was a man who was “spent” for Christ and His Gospel. When he was seeing thousands turn to Christ, he could have easily built an empire to himself and enjoyed the success of ministry. Rather, he chose to shepherd small congregations throughout his life and never received a salary above 17 pounds per year. God used him to bring life where there was death, be it to dead sinner or dead churches!
He was born to Johanna and Samuel Evans on Christmas day of 1766, and so they named him Christmas. His father died when Christmas was just 6 years old, forcing him to live on his uncle’s farm. His uncle, James Lewis, was a drunk and cruel man, depriving Christmas of even a basic education. He could neither read nor write and having no moral or religious training, Christmas was constantly in fights and nearly died on several occasions, once he was almost drowned and another time he was stabbed by a knife. It was during one of these brawls that he lost his right eye.
After turning 17, Christmas came to faith while working for a Presbyterian minister. As he grew in the Lord, he taught himself how to read and write and even began to minister from the Bible on occasions. By 1790, the Baptist had ordained Evans, sending him to preach all over Whales. During one of the outdoor revivals that were so popular among the Welsh, the crowd eagerly anticipated the arrival of two prominent preachers. One man suggested that while they wait, someone should warm up the already excited crowd. Another ministered suggested, “Why not ask the one-eyed lad from the North? I hear he preaches quite wonderfully.” Evans agreed and chose Colossians 1:21 to preach from.
What made Evans so powerful was not just his style of preaching, it was the heart he preached with! He would tell young ministers, “Preach the Gospel of the grace of God intelligently, affectionately, and without shame – all the contents of the great box, from predestination to glorification…let the preacher influence himself; let him reach his own heart, if he would reach the hearts of others; if he would have others feel, he must feel himself.”
He taught himself Greek and Hebrew and made it a point to meditate on the long journeys of where he would preach. “Always have a good book to read,” he encouraged, “instead of indulging in vain conversations…remember this, you cannot commit some loved sin in private, and perform the work of the ministry in public, with facility and acceptance.”
Evans was strong on personal holiness. He said, “The Gospel, as a glass, should be kept clean and clear in the pulpit that the hearers may see the glory of Christ and be changed to the same image.” He would quote Martin Luther, “reading, prayer and temptation are necessary to strengthen, and to purify the talents of a minister.” When writing to a young pastor and said, “Consider, in the first place, the great importance, to a preacher, a blameless life.”
Evans wrote two covenants with the Lord during his life. One on April 10, 1802, which consisted of 13 paragraphs each detailing his commitment to the Lord. He signed each paragraph “Amen. C.E.” The second covenant was made April 24, 1829. Here is a small sample of his devotion.
“Grant Thy blessing upon bitter things, to brighten and quicken me, more and more, and not to depress and make me more lifeless. Suffer me not to be trodden under the proud feet of members, or deacons, for the sake of Thy goodness. Help me to wait silently, and patiently upon Thee, for the fulfillment of these things, and not become enraged, angry and speak unadvisedly with my lips, like Moses, the servant of the Lord. Sustain my heart from sinking, to wait for fresh strength from Zion.”
God answered this prayer and did sustain his heart. He moved for the last time to pastor his final flock, a thirty member church in Caernarvon. They struggled with a serious debt that was a constant weight. Evans wrote in his journal: “I have been thinking of the great goodness of the Lord unto me, throughout my unworthy ministry; and now, in my old age, I see the work prospering wonderfully in my hand, so that there is reason to think that I am, in some degree, a blessing to the Church.”
After six years at this congregation, Evans decided to make one last preaching tour to raise much needed funds to pay off the church debt. He placed a notice in the Welsh Magazine, “This is my last sacrifice for the Redeemer’s cause.” And it was. God blessed the preaching journey and great crowds flocked to hear the old pastor. On July 15, he preached that morning and after finishing the evening sermon, he said in a quiet voice, “This is my last sermon.” On Friday, July 20, 1838, Christmas Evans passed from this life to eternity. His last words were, “Goodbye! Drive on!”
Monday, December 15, 2008
Monday, November 10, 2008
John Bunyan - God's Purpose in Affliction
“But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise;
God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong.”
I Corinthians 1:27
Most Christians will recognize the book, “Pilgrim’s Progress.” Those who have delightfully read and related to Christian’s journey will probably be familiar with its author, John Bunyan. Charles Spurgeon loved reading “Pilgrim’s Progress.” By the time Spurgeon died, he said he had read the book over 100 times and tried reading it at least once a year. He considered Bunyan’s writing the most important book in his life, besides Scripture. He said of Bunyan, “Prick him, and he’ll bleed Bible!”
John Bunyan did not come to Christ until he was a young man. He tells the account of his conversion in his wonderful book, “Grace Abounding to the Chief Sinners.” Listen as Bunyan describes the day he surrendered to Christ, “’Now did my chains fall off my legs indeed: I was loosed from my affliction and irons, my temptations also fled away; so that from that time those dreadful Scriptures of God left off to trouble me; now went I also home rejoicing for the grace and love of God…For by Scripture, I saw that the Man Jesus Christ, as He is distinct from us as touching His bodily presence, so He is our righteousness and sanctification before God. Here therefore I lived for some time, very sweetly at peace with God through Christ…’”
He was born in Elstow, England November 28, 1628 to a poor family. He had very little education. However, after being soundly converted, he became a preacher of the Gospel. Bunyan was a Puritan. Today, Puritans get a bad reputation because they were so strict and legalistic. I wish more Christians read the Puritan authors. George Whitefield, the famous nineteenth century evangelist said that the Puritans were, “Burning and shining lights. When cast out by the black Bartholomew Act, and driven from their respective charges to preach in barns and fields, in the highways and hedges, they in a special manner wrote and preached as men having authority. Though dead, by their writings they yet speak: a peculiar unction attends them to this very hour” (Works, 4:306-307).
Puritans were separatists that called for reform and for England to return to true Biblical Christianity. The Church of England was established by King Henry VIII around 100 years before Bunyan’s birth. King Henry demanded a divorce from the Pope and when the Pope would not grant him his divorce, King Henry formed the Church of England, which is still quite popular to this day. While the Church of England was separate from the Roman Catholic Church, it still resembled Catholicism too much for the Puritans to be a part of it.
Bunyan was born at time that the religious turmoil went hand in hand with the political turmoil. England was in conflict as the Parliament fought against the monarchy. King Charles I took a Catholic princess as his bride, Henrietta Maria of France, much to the dislike of the public and the Puritans. The Westminster Confessions were written during his reign and his monarch brought England to two civil wars. Finally, he was tried and sentenced for high treason and was beheaded on Tuesday, January 30, 1649.
This history is quite important because it leads up to the reason John Bunyan suffered such affliction for his ministry. Bunyan was a Puritan through and through (now that you understand more what a Puritan was) and he suffered for it.
He was indicted for preaching the Gospel without an official license from the established Church of England in 1658. However, he continued to preach for two years before suffering imprisonment. His initial sentence in November 1660 was only for 3 months, but because he refused to stop preaching, he remained captive for 12 years, being without his wife and children.
It was through these 12 long years of imprisonment that “Pilgrim’s Progress” was written. Now that you know the tremendous sacrifice that Bunyan gave, the next time you pick up a copy of “Pilgrim’s Progress”, remember the Scripture given by Paul in 2 Timothy 2:9, “For which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the Word of God is not bound!”
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” Romans 8:18
God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong.”
I Corinthians 1:27
Most Christians will recognize the book, “Pilgrim’s Progress.” Those who have delightfully read and related to Christian’s journey will probably be familiar with its author, John Bunyan. Charles Spurgeon loved reading “Pilgrim’s Progress.” By the time Spurgeon died, he said he had read the book over 100 times and tried reading it at least once a year. He considered Bunyan’s writing the most important book in his life, besides Scripture. He said of Bunyan, “Prick him, and he’ll bleed Bible!”
John Bunyan did not come to Christ until he was a young man. He tells the account of his conversion in his wonderful book, “Grace Abounding to the Chief Sinners.” Listen as Bunyan describes the day he surrendered to Christ, “’Now did my chains fall off my legs indeed: I was loosed from my affliction and irons, my temptations also fled away; so that from that time those dreadful Scriptures of God left off to trouble me; now went I also home rejoicing for the grace and love of God…For by Scripture, I saw that the Man Jesus Christ, as He is distinct from us as touching His bodily presence, so He is our righteousness and sanctification before God. Here therefore I lived for some time, very sweetly at peace with God through Christ…’”
He was born in Elstow, England November 28, 1628 to a poor family. He had very little education. However, after being soundly converted, he became a preacher of the Gospel. Bunyan was a Puritan. Today, Puritans get a bad reputation because they were so strict and legalistic. I wish more Christians read the Puritan authors. George Whitefield, the famous nineteenth century evangelist said that the Puritans were, “Burning and shining lights. When cast out by the black Bartholomew Act, and driven from their respective charges to preach in barns and fields, in the highways and hedges, they in a special manner wrote and preached as men having authority. Though dead, by their writings they yet speak: a peculiar unction attends them to this very hour” (Works, 4:306-307).
Puritans were separatists that called for reform and for England to return to true Biblical Christianity. The Church of England was established by King Henry VIII around 100 years before Bunyan’s birth. King Henry demanded a divorce from the Pope and when the Pope would not grant him his divorce, King Henry formed the Church of England, which is still quite popular to this day. While the Church of England was separate from the Roman Catholic Church, it still resembled Catholicism too much for the Puritans to be a part of it.
Bunyan was born at time that the religious turmoil went hand in hand with the political turmoil. England was in conflict as the Parliament fought against the monarchy. King Charles I took a Catholic princess as his bride, Henrietta Maria of France, much to the dislike of the public and the Puritans. The Westminster Confessions were written during his reign and his monarch brought England to two civil wars. Finally, he was tried and sentenced for high treason and was beheaded on Tuesday, January 30, 1649.
This history is quite important because it leads up to the reason John Bunyan suffered such affliction for his ministry. Bunyan was a Puritan through and through (now that you understand more what a Puritan was) and he suffered for it.
He was indicted for preaching the Gospel without an official license from the established Church of England in 1658. However, he continued to preach for two years before suffering imprisonment. His initial sentence in November 1660 was only for 3 months, but because he refused to stop preaching, he remained captive for 12 years, being without his wife and children.
It was through these 12 long years of imprisonment that “Pilgrim’s Progress” was written. Now that you know the tremendous sacrifice that Bunyan gave, the next time you pick up a copy of “Pilgrim’s Progress”, remember the Scripture given by Paul in 2 Timothy 2:9, “For which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the Word of God is not bound!”
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” Romans 8:18
Monday, September 29, 2008
Sheltered Deep within Grace
I'm getting ready to leave the hotel in Minneapolis and all morning, I've been listening to some great worship music. I love to sit and ponder and reflect God's beautiful sovereignty in salvation. This morning, I'm thinking about how deeply sheltered we are within God's grace.
Richard Sibbs, a Puritan Pastor, once said, "There is more mercy in Christ than there is sin in us." I don't know about your life...but that is good, good news for mine! Paul said in Romans 5:20, "Now the law came in to increase the tresspass." That means that if you're one of those people who think that because you're a good person that you're going to be okay...this is saying that you're not!
If you want to live by works and simply rely on how good you are...or for most cases...how bad others are compared to yourself...then Paul is saying that when you compare your life to the Law (which is God's standard) then not only will your sin abound...it will increase by that Law.
In other words...if I take something that isn't mine, even if it's little, according to the Law, I'm a theif! If I get angry at someone...according to the Law, I've committed murder in my heart. Even if I lust after a girl, according to the Law...I've committed adultary. Are you getting the point?
So, the Law comes not only to reveal sin...but to add to sin. So here I am, even a pastor for crying out loud, with this enormous list of sin that the Law has increased and made longer. But wait! There's a reason why we call this message of Jesus Christ the Gospel...it means Good News!
You can only appreciate good news when you understand how bad the news of total depravity truly is! The good Gospel news is that of Colossians 2:13-14, "And you who were dead in your tresspasses...God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our tresspasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside nailing it to the cross."
Amazing! That is my favorite Scripture in the entire Bible. The "Record of Debt"...what is that? It's my sin that the Law "increased." It's that long list of wrong I've committed against God. What did Jesus Christ do? He took that long list (my debt of sin) and triumphantly nailed it to the cross with his own hands and feet! What a Savior! What a King! What wisdom! What Sovereignty!
Has your sin (or record of debt) been nailed to His cross? Paul finished up this verse by saying that after the Law inceases our sin..."that where sin did abound, grace did much more abound!" That is the beauty of God!
At some point today, will you reflect and marvel at the amazing grace of God?
Amazed,
Pastor Chad
Minneapolis, MN
"Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable aer his ways!" - Romans 11:33
Richard Sibbs, a Puritan Pastor, once said, "There is more mercy in Christ than there is sin in us." I don't know about your life...but that is good, good news for mine! Paul said in Romans 5:20, "Now the law came in to increase the tresspass." That means that if you're one of those people who think that because you're a good person that you're going to be okay...this is saying that you're not!
If you want to live by works and simply rely on how good you are...or for most cases...how bad others are compared to yourself...then Paul is saying that when you compare your life to the Law (which is God's standard) then not only will your sin abound...it will increase by that Law.
In other words...if I take something that isn't mine, even if it's little, according to the Law, I'm a theif! If I get angry at someone...according to the Law, I've committed murder in my heart. Even if I lust after a girl, according to the Law...I've committed adultary. Are you getting the point?
So, the Law comes not only to reveal sin...but to add to sin. So here I am, even a pastor for crying out loud, with this enormous list of sin that the Law has increased and made longer. But wait! There's a reason why we call this message of Jesus Christ the Gospel...it means Good News!
You can only appreciate good news when you understand how bad the news of total depravity truly is! The good Gospel news is that of Colossians 2:13-14, "And you who were dead in your tresspasses...God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our tresspasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside nailing it to the cross."
Amazing! That is my favorite Scripture in the entire Bible. The "Record of Debt"...what is that? It's my sin that the Law "increased." It's that long list of wrong I've committed against God. What did Jesus Christ do? He took that long list (my debt of sin) and triumphantly nailed it to the cross with his own hands and feet! What a Savior! What a King! What wisdom! What Sovereignty!
Has your sin (or record of debt) been nailed to His cross? Paul finished up this verse by saying that after the Law inceases our sin..."that where sin did abound, grace did much more abound!" That is the beauty of God!
At some point today, will you reflect and marvel at the amazing grace of God?
Amazed,
Pastor Chad
Minneapolis, MN
"Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable aer his ways!" - Romans 11:33
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Ray Boltz Announces He's Gay...And How the Church Should Respond
Ray Boltz was a hero of mine when I was a teenager. His song “Thank You” was the number one Christian song in 1990, followed by “I pledge allegiance to the Lamb,” “The Altar,” “I will praise the Lord” and many others. This week, however, Ray Boltz announced to the Washington Blade that he was now living a homosexual lifestyle.
I was saddened by this news. I can remember hearing him in concert and truly feeling the presence of the Lord. So what do we say to this? How can someone be used of God to write such powerful songs for the church and then not endure to the end in salvation? How can someone who has known the Lord and His Word and His Spirit turn their back on the things of God?
Well, there are several answers to these questions. First of all, it’s always important to remember that God honors His Word and not man. Just as Pastor Bob preaches this morning, it’s God’s Word that is being uplifted..not Pastor Bob. When I lead worship today, it’s not me who is leading you into God’s presence, it’s the Holy Spirit honoring the Word of God.
This actually isn’t new in Christianity. In 1735, Oglethorpe invited John Wesley to come on a preaching trip to Georgia from England. John Wesley came to preach to the Gospel and had many salvations. It wasn’t until 1738 that he was soundly converted himself!
Horatio Spafford, who wrote the powerful hymn “It is well” after the loss of his two daughters by drowning in the Atlantic Ocean, went on to build a ministry in Jerusalem, but by the end of his life in 1888 at age 60, he died believing he himself was the second Messiah.
A hymn that holds a very special place in my heart, “Come Thou Fount” also has a tragic ending. Robert Robinson penned these amazing words at the age of 22 in 1757, however, he did not endure to the end as well and wasted his life.
So, what do we say when someone mightily used of God falls into the depths of sin?
I think there are several Biblical answers given to the Church:
1. What the Church should remember:
Hebrews 13:3, “But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”
2 Peter 1:10, “Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure…”
2. How the Church should respond to those who have fallen:
a. If they are willing to repent and turn from their sin –
“Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.” Galatians 6:1
b. If they are unwilling to repent from their sin –
“Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt, save others by snatching them out of the fire, to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.” Jude 1:21-23
3. What the Church should remember about God our Shepherd:
“Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy.” Jude 1:24
“Who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” I Corinthians 1:8
Ray Boltz has become “hardened by the deceitfulness of sin” and it is our responsibility to pray for him following what Jude 1:21 commands, “save others by snatching them out of the fire, to others show mercy with great fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.” I hope that this will be a time that you not only pray for those who have fallen, but that you will also examine your own heart and “keep yourselves in the love of God” that you not be “hardened by sin.”
Looking to Christ,
Pastor Chad
Preaching Christ Church
I was saddened by this news. I can remember hearing him in concert and truly feeling the presence of the Lord. So what do we say to this? How can someone be used of God to write such powerful songs for the church and then not endure to the end in salvation? How can someone who has known the Lord and His Word and His Spirit turn their back on the things of God?
Well, there are several answers to these questions. First of all, it’s always important to remember that God honors His Word and not man. Just as Pastor Bob preaches this morning, it’s God’s Word that is being uplifted..not Pastor Bob. When I lead worship today, it’s not me who is leading you into God’s presence, it’s the Holy Spirit honoring the Word of God.
This actually isn’t new in Christianity. In 1735, Oglethorpe invited John Wesley to come on a preaching trip to Georgia from England. John Wesley came to preach to the Gospel and had many salvations. It wasn’t until 1738 that he was soundly converted himself!
Horatio Spafford, who wrote the powerful hymn “It is well” after the loss of his two daughters by drowning in the Atlantic Ocean, went on to build a ministry in Jerusalem, but by the end of his life in 1888 at age 60, he died believing he himself was the second Messiah.
A hymn that holds a very special place in my heart, “Come Thou Fount” also has a tragic ending. Robert Robinson penned these amazing words at the age of 22 in 1757, however, he did not endure to the end as well and wasted his life.
So, what do we say when someone mightily used of God falls into the depths of sin?
I think there are several Biblical answers given to the Church:
1. What the Church should remember:
Hebrews 13:3, “But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”
2 Peter 1:10, “Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure…”
2. How the Church should respond to those who have fallen:
a. If they are willing to repent and turn from their sin –
“Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.” Galatians 6:1
b. If they are unwilling to repent from their sin –
“Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt, save others by snatching them out of the fire, to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.” Jude 1:21-23
3. What the Church should remember about God our Shepherd:
“Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy.” Jude 1:24
“Who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” I Corinthians 1:8
Ray Boltz has become “hardened by the deceitfulness of sin” and it is our responsibility to pray for him following what Jude 1:21 commands, “save others by snatching them out of the fire, to others show mercy with great fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.” I hope that this will be a time that you not only pray for those who have fallen, but that you will also examine your own heart and “keep yourselves in the love of God” that you not be “hardened by sin.”
Looking to Christ,
Pastor Chad
Preaching Christ Church
Monday, September 1, 2008
Fanny Crosby
“And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into the level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them.”
Isaiah 42:16 (ESV)
Fanny Crosby is a name I wish every Christian knew! Most of us know the songs she wrote, but far too few know her story. I would like to help change that! She was born March 24, 1820 in New York. She fell ill at 6 weeks old. A man who pretended to be a doctor, yet having no certification, caused her to go blind from maltreatment. Not long after, her father died leaving her and her mother alone. She was mostly raised by her Christian grandmother.
Even as a little girl, it was evident she was very gifted, particularly in poetry. At age 8, she wrote this poem concerning her blindness,
“Oh, what a happy soul I am
Although I cannot see!
I am resolved that in this world
Contented I will be.
How many blessings I enjoy
That other people don't,
To weep and sigh because I'm blind
I cannot, and I won't!”
As Fanny grew to an adult, it was clear she was talented, but she wasn’t a Christian, and although she enjoyed great success, even meeting Presidents and other government officials, she wasn’t born-again. In November of 1850, at the age of 30, she began to feel a need for God. She visited quite a number of revival meetings, but it wasn’t until the end of the month, on the 20th of November, that she became born-again! The congregation sang the glorious hymn written by Isaac Watts over a century prior in 1707, “Alas! And did my Savior Bleed.”
Alas! and did my Savior bleed, and did my Sovereign die?
Would He devote that sacred head for such a worm as I?
Was it for crimes that I had done He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity! grace unknown! and love beyond degree!
Thus might I hide my blushing face while his dear Cross appears;
Dissolved my heart in thankfulness, and melt mine eyes to tears.
But drops of grief can ne’er repay the debt of love I owe;
Here, Lord, I give myself away- ‘tis all that I can do.
It was during the words, “Here, Lord, I give myself away – ‘tis all that I can do,” that she gave herself fully to the Lord and the light of the Gospel opened the blind eyes of her soul. She said of that night, “I surrendered myself to the Savior, and my very soul flooded with celestial light. I sprang to my feet, shouting, ‘Hallelujah.’”
Throughout the rest of her life, God used her to pen more than 8,000 poems of which many were put to hymns. Among her most loved are “Blessed Assurance”, “Sweet Hour of Prayer”, “Pass me not O Gentle Savior”, “Jesus, keep me near the cross”, and “Praise Him, praise Him.”
A well meaning minister once said to her, “I think it is a great pity that the Master did not give you sight when he showered so many other gifts upon you.” She responded, “Do you know that if at birth I had been able to make one petition, it would have been that I was born blind? Because when I get to heaven, the first face that shall ever gladden my sight will be that of my Savior.”
What faith she had in Christ and the goodness of God! Fanny always joked that she would live to be over 100 years old, she nearly made it! She died at age 95. There is no doubt as she closed her eyes in death that she awoke to that beautiful face she longed to see.
“Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
Oh what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.”
“It seemed in-tend-ed by the bless-ed prov-i-dence of God that I should be blind all my life, and I thank him for the dis-pen-sa-tion. If per-fect earth-ly sight were of-fered me to-mor-row I would not ac-cept it. I might not have sung hymns to the praise of God if I had been dis-tract-ed by the beau-ti-ful and in-ter-est-ing things about me.”
- Fanny Crosby
1820 - 1915
Isaiah 42:16 (ESV)
Fanny Crosby is a name I wish every Christian knew! Most of us know the songs she wrote, but far too few know her story. I would like to help change that! She was born March 24, 1820 in New York. She fell ill at 6 weeks old. A man who pretended to be a doctor, yet having no certification, caused her to go blind from maltreatment. Not long after, her father died leaving her and her mother alone. She was mostly raised by her Christian grandmother.
Even as a little girl, it was evident she was very gifted, particularly in poetry. At age 8, she wrote this poem concerning her blindness,
“Oh, what a happy soul I am
Although I cannot see!
I am resolved that in this world
Contented I will be.
How many blessings I enjoy
That other people don't,
To weep and sigh because I'm blind
I cannot, and I won't!”
As Fanny grew to an adult, it was clear she was talented, but she wasn’t a Christian, and although she enjoyed great success, even meeting Presidents and other government officials, she wasn’t born-again. In November of 1850, at the age of 30, she began to feel a need for God. She visited quite a number of revival meetings, but it wasn’t until the end of the month, on the 20th of November, that she became born-again! The congregation sang the glorious hymn written by Isaac Watts over a century prior in 1707, “Alas! And did my Savior Bleed.”
Alas! and did my Savior bleed, and did my Sovereign die?
Would He devote that sacred head for such a worm as I?
Was it for crimes that I had done He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity! grace unknown! and love beyond degree!
Thus might I hide my blushing face while his dear Cross appears;
Dissolved my heart in thankfulness, and melt mine eyes to tears.
But drops of grief can ne’er repay the debt of love I owe;
Here, Lord, I give myself away- ‘tis all that I can do.
It was during the words, “Here, Lord, I give myself away – ‘tis all that I can do,” that she gave herself fully to the Lord and the light of the Gospel opened the blind eyes of her soul. She said of that night, “I surrendered myself to the Savior, and my very soul flooded with celestial light. I sprang to my feet, shouting, ‘Hallelujah.’”
Throughout the rest of her life, God used her to pen more than 8,000 poems of which many were put to hymns. Among her most loved are “Blessed Assurance”, “Sweet Hour of Prayer”, “Pass me not O Gentle Savior”, “Jesus, keep me near the cross”, and “Praise Him, praise Him.”
A well meaning minister once said to her, “I think it is a great pity that the Master did not give you sight when he showered so many other gifts upon you.” She responded, “Do you know that if at birth I had been able to make one petition, it would have been that I was born blind? Because when I get to heaven, the first face that shall ever gladden my sight will be that of my Savior.”
What faith she had in Christ and the goodness of God! Fanny always joked that she would live to be over 100 years old, she nearly made it! She died at age 95. There is no doubt as she closed her eyes in death that she awoke to that beautiful face she longed to see.
“Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
Oh what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.”
“It seemed in-tend-ed by the bless-ed prov-i-dence of God that I should be blind all my life, and I thank him for the dis-pen-sa-tion. If per-fect earth-ly sight were of-fered me to-mor-row I would not ac-cept it. I might not have sung hymns to the praise of God if I had been dis-tract-ed by the beau-ti-ful and in-ter-est-ing things about me.”
- Fanny Crosby
1820 - 1915
Friday, July 4, 2008
Abraham Lincoln
Micah 6:8 says, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” When I think of this verse, it’s the 16th President of this nation, Abraham Lincoln that comes to mind. Each July 4th, I spend the evening thinking on our nation’s past and the sovereign hand of God in creating such a Union that has never collapsed.
Even in his first inaugural address, Lincoln knew the problems facing this nation were severe. He said to the crowd, “In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow-countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war. The Government will not assail you. You can have no conflict without being yourselves the aggressors. You have no oath registered in heaven to destroy the Government, while I shall have the most solemn one to 'preserve, protect, and defend it'."
Indeed that was his calling from God, to navigate this Union through its darkest hour. Lincoln made it crystal clear what his objective was in a letter to Horace Greeley on August 22, 1862, “My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union; and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the Union. I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause, and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will help the cause."
Now, just so you don’t question Mr. Lincoln’s stance on the issue of slavery, he once said, “I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy. Whatever differs from this, to the extent of the difference, is no democracy." In an address at Sanitary Fair, Baltimore, Maryland on April 18, 1864, President Lincoln said, "We all declare for liberty; but in using the same word we do not all mean the same thing. With some the word liberty may mean for each man to do as he pleases with himself, and the product of his labor; while with others, the same word may mean for some men to do as they please with other men, and the product of other men's labor. Here are two, not only different, but incompatible things, called by the same name - liberty. And it follows that each of the things is, by the respective parties, called by two different and incompatible names - liberty and tyranny." Tyranny is exactly what Mr. Lincoln fought. In a letter to Henry L. Pierce written April 6, 1859, Lincoln said, “Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves; and, under a just God, can not long retain it."
Lincoln led this nation through the Civil War and trusted all things to the sovereignty of God. Upon writing, “Meditations on the Divine Will”, he said, "The will of God prevails. In great contests each party claims to act in accordance with the will of God. Both may be, and one must be, wrong. God cannot be for and against the same thing at the same time. In the present civil war it is quite possible that God's purpose is something different from the purpose of either party - and yet the human instrumentalities, working just as they do, are of the best adaptation to effect His purpose."
On January 1, 1863, he issued the Emancipation Proclamation that declared slaves forever free in this nation. In that same year, November 19, he dedicated the military cemetery at Gettysburg. His words have lived throughout history, “"...that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation shall have a new birth of freedom; and that this government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."
He won re-election in 1864 strengthening the Republican party while uniting Northern Democrats and encouraging Southerners to be reunified. His second inaugural speech, March 4, 1865, is inscribed on the wall of the Lincoln Memorial, "With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan - to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations."
On Good Friday, April 14, 1865, President Lincoln became the first US President to be assassinated. He was shot while attending a play at the Ford’s Theater in Washington. This nation then and especially now, owes a debt of gratitude to the man who believed, hoped and endured so that this Union would survive.
"I leave you, hoping that the lamp of liberty will burn in your bosoms until there shall no longer be a doubt that all men are created free and equal."- Abraham Lincoln1809-1865
Even in his first inaugural address, Lincoln knew the problems facing this nation were severe. He said to the crowd, “In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow-countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war. The Government will not assail you. You can have no conflict without being yourselves the aggressors. You have no oath registered in heaven to destroy the Government, while I shall have the most solemn one to 'preserve, protect, and defend it'."
Indeed that was his calling from God, to navigate this Union through its darkest hour. Lincoln made it crystal clear what his objective was in a letter to Horace Greeley on August 22, 1862, “My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union; and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the Union. I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause, and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will help the cause."
Now, just so you don’t question Mr. Lincoln’s stance on the issue of slavery, he once said, “I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy. Whatever differs from this, to the extent of the difference, is no democracy." In an address at Sanitary Fair, Baltimore, Maryland on April 18, 1864, President Lincoln said, "We all declare for liberty; but in using the same word we do not all mean the same thing. With some the word liberty may mean for each man to do as he pleases with himself, and the product of his labor; while with others, the same word may mean for some men to do as they please with other men, and the product of other men's labor. Here are two, not only different, but incompatible things, called by the same name - liberty. And it follows that each of the things is, by the respective parties, called by two different and incompatible names - liberty and tyranny." Tyranny is exactly what Mr. Lincoln fought. In a letter to Henry L. Pierce written April 6, 1859, Lincoln said, “Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves; and, under a just God, can not long retain it."
Lincoln led this nation through the Civil War and trusted all things to the sovereignty of God. Upon writing, “Meditations on the Divine Will”, he said, "The will of God prevails. In great contests each party claims to act in accordance with the will of God. Both may be, and one must be, wrong. God cannot be for and against the same thing at the same time. In the present civil war it is quite possible that God's purpose is something different from the purpose of either party - and yet the human instrumentalities, working just as they do, are of the best adaptation to effect His purpose."
On January 1, 1863, he issued the Emancipation Proclamation that declared slaves forever free in this nation. In that same year, November 19, he dedicated the military cemetery at Gettysburg. His words have lived throughout history, “"...that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation shall have a new birth of freedom; and that this government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."
He won re-election in 1864 strengthening the Republican party while uniting Northern Democrats and encouraging Southerners to be reunified. His second inaugural speech, March 4, 1865, is inscribed on the wall of the Lincoln Memorial, "With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan - to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations."
On Good Friday, April 14, 1865, President Lincoln became the first US President to be assassinated. He was shot while attending a play at the Ford’s Theater in Washington. This nation then and especially now, owes a debt of gratitude to the man who believed, hoped and endured so that this Union would survive.
"I leave you, hoping that the lamp of liberty will burn in your bosoms until there shall no longer be a doubt that all men are created free and equal."- Abraham Lincoln1809-1865
Monday, May 5, 2008
George Mueller - Answered Prayer
If I were to ask you, "Why does God answer prayer?" What would you say? Several years ago my answer would have been, "Because God loves me, He answers my prayers." While that may be true, I think there is a deeper purpose and a greater delight to God answering prayer.
Notice how Jesus taught us in John 14:13-14, "Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it." Some people would think the best part of that verse is "Whatever you ask...I will do it." I mean, that's like a spiritual blank check, right?
However, that's not at all the point of this verse! The point is to pray to the Glory of God! Ponder this thought for a moment - can you really say that the things you pray for are to the sole glory of God through His Son? Is there an attitude about your prayers that says, "You must increase, I must decrease?"
The aim of our prayers should be the glory of God! When I am finding myself more in love with God's glory than my own desires, it is then that I fulfill 1 Corinthians 10:31, "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." It is then that God fulfills John 16:24, "Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full." That's the blessing of answered prayer...God gets the glory, we share in the joy!
In this edition, I would like to introduce you to a hero of our faith, George Mueller. He was born September 27, 1805 adn died March 10, 1898. With that life span, no one would have believed that God would use him to house, feed, clothe, educate and train over 10,000 of England's orphans.
He began his orphanage with a two-fold purpose. First, to provide housing and education for the untold numbers of orphans in England and secondly, to show that God meets the needs of those who trust in Him. He announced to the church he was pastoring that he and his wife, Mary, would be opening an orphanage, they would not support himbecause they knew he lacked the funds...what they underestimated was that George was not lacking in prayer!
Here is a small glimpse of how he rested in the faithfulness of the Lord. One day, a little girl, who was not an orphan but her family was close to the Mueller's, was visiting the orphanage, named Abigail Townsend. On that particular morning, you could feel the anxiety because there was no food left in the orphanage. The large dining room tables were prepared for breakfast, yet the bowls sat empty. There wasn't any food to be found, and neither was there any money to buy food.
When it came time to eat, Mr. Mueller took Abigail by the hand and said, "Come, see what our Father in Heaven will do for us today." As the children gathered for breakfast, they stood behind their empty plates waiting for Mr. Mueller to say the prayer. "Dear Father," he prayed, "we thank you for what you are going to give us to eat today." Just then...his prayer was interrupted by a knock at the door. It was the local baker.
"Mr. Mueller," he said, "I couldn't sleep last night. Somehow I felt you didn't have bread for breakfast, the Lord wanted me to send you some. So I got up at 2:00 am and baked some fresh bread for you."
Overjoyed, George thanked the baker and glorified God! He told the children, "We not only have bread, but God has given us the rare treat of fresh bread!"
Almost immediately, there came a second knock at the door. This time, it was the local milkman! He explained that his cart had broken down right in front of the orphanage. He said, "I must empty my wagon before I can repair it. Could the children use my cans of fresh milk?"
Jesus told us in Matthew 6:26, "Look at the birds of the air...your heavenly Father feeds them." Think about that for a moment. If the richest man tried to feed every bird upon earth, it would bankrupt him in a day! Yet our Heavenly Father does it day in and day out! Then Jesus adds, "...Are you not of more value than they?"
"Therefore, do nto be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'...your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Matthew 6:31-33
Notice how Jesus taught us in John 14:13-14, "Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it." Some people would think the best part of that verse is "Whatever you ask...I will do it." I mean, that's like a spiritual blank check, right?
However, that's not at all the point of this verse! The point is to pray to the Glory of God! Ponder this thought for a moment - can you really say that the things you pray for are to the sole glory of God through His Son? Is there an attitude about your prayers that says, "You must increase, I must decrease?"
The aim of our prayers should be the glory of God! When I am finding myself more in love with God's glory than my own desires, it is then that I fulfill 1 Corinthians 10:31, "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." It is then that God fulfills John 16:24, "Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full." That's the blessing of answered prayer...God gets the glory, we share in the joy!
In this edition, I would like to introduce you to a hero of our faith, George Mueller. He was born September 27, 1805 adn died March 10, 1898. With that life span, no one would have believed that God would use him to house, feed, clothe, educate and train over 10,000 of England's orphans.
He began his orphanage with a two-fold purpose. First, to provide housing and education for the untold numbers of orphans in England and secondly, to show that God meets the needs of those who trust in Him. He announced to the church he was pastoring that he and his wife, Mary, would be opening an orphanage, they would not support himbecause they knew he lacked the funds...what they underestimated was that George was not lacking in prayer!
Here is a small glimpse of how he rested in the faithfulness of the Lord. One day, a little girl, who was not an orphan but her family was close to the Mueller's, was visiting the orphanage, named Abigail Townsend. On that particular morning, you could feel the anxiety because there was no food left in the orphanage. The large dining room tables were prepared for breakfast, yet the bowls sat empty. There wasn't any food to be found, and neither was there any money to buy food.
When it came time to eat, Mr. Mueller took Abigail by the hand and said, "Come, see what our Father in Heaven will do for us today." As the children gathered for breakfast, they stood behind their empty plates waiting for Mr. Mueller to say the prayer. "Dear Father," he prayed, "we thank you for what you are going to give us to eat today." Just then...his prayer was interrupted by a knock at the door. It was the local baker.
"Mr. Mueller," he said, "I couldn't sleep last night. Somehow I felt you didn't have bread for breakfast, the Lord wanted me to send you some. So I got up at 2:00 am and baked some fresh bread for you."
Overjoyed, George thanked the baker and glorified God! He told the children, "We not only have bread, but God has given us the rare treat of fresh bread!"
Almost immediately, there came a second knock at the door. This time, it was the local milkman! He explained that his cart had broken down right in front of the orphanage. He said, "I must empty my wagon before I can repair it. Could the children use my cans of fresh milk?"
Jesus told us in Matthew 6:26, "Look at the birds of the air...your heavenly Father feeds them." Think about that for a moment. If the richest man tried to feed every bird upon earth, it would bankrupt him in a day! Yet our Heavenly Father does it day in and day out! Then Jesus adds, "...Are you not of more value than they?"
"Therefore, do nto be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'...your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Matthew 6:31-33
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Polycarp - Faithful Unto Death
At the urging of his congregation, the 86 year old Bishop of Smyrna, Polycarp, went into hiding. A wave of severe persecution came upon the Christians. However, they were ready because of the letter Christ had written to this congregation through the hands of John in Revelation 2:8-11.
When we think of the history of Christianity, we think of Jesus, Paul and the Apostles, but have you ever thought beyond the Apostles? What would the transition have been like as the eyewitnesses to Christ were taken off the scene and the only communication devices were parched paper, ink and those who knew the apostles personally?
Think for a moment of how vulnerable the early Church must have been. Their leaders had all been killed, (only the Apostle John died of natural causes, although authorities tried to kill him twice). The Church faced an ongoing threat from the Roman Empire. Rome viewed Christians as atheists for their refusal to worship multiple gods. The Church had to, “contend for the faith” (Jude 1:3-4) as they faced attacks from the Nicolaitans, Judaizers and others whom Jude said, “have crept in unnoticed…who pervert the grace of our God…” It must have been a shaky time for the infant New Testament Church.
Polycarp was the pastor of the Church in Smyrna, about 40 miles north of Ephesus. He was personally disciple by the Apostle of Love, John for 20 years. He was first a deacon, which was not an easy task. His job was to care for the saints, particularly the families of believers who had been martyred. He was to raise funds for them and we know through what Christ said that they were poor, “I know your works, tribulation and poverty (but you are rich)…” Revelation 2:9
He soon became the Bishop and Smyrna was not an easy city to pastor in. Although it was an important area, known as the “crown of Asia,” it had enormous challenges. It was the most beautiful city of Asia Minor, celebrated for its schools in science and medicine. Their excellent harbor was a direct trade route from India and Persia to Rome. Smyrna was fiercely loyal to Rome and this led to intense emperor worship making Christians a constant target for persecution. Today, it is the modern city of Izmir, Turkey and is the traditional birth place of Homer.
The following is the account of the martyrdom of Polycarp.
“Swear by the fortune of Caesar! Repent! Declare: ‘Death to the atheists!’” Polycarp then turned to the crowd, with a wave of his hand, he shouted, “Death to the atheists!”
This angered the magistrate, “Swear, and I will set you free at once! You have but to insult Christ.”
Polycarp responded, “I have served Him for 86 years and He has never done me any wrong. Why then should I blaspheme against my King and my Savior?”
“Swear by Caesar’s fortune” demanded the magistrate. “You flatter yourself if you hope to persuade me. In all truth I solemnly declare to you: I am a Christian.”
“I have lions here, to use as I think fit,” the magistrate seethed.“Give your orders. As for us Christians, when we change it is not from good to bad; it is splendid to pass through evil into God’s justice.”
“If you do not repent, I shall have you burned at the stake, since you are so contemptuous of the lions.”
“You threaten me with a fire that burns for an hour and then dies down. But do you know the eternal fire of the justice that is to come? Do you know the punishment that is to devour the ungodly? Come, don’t delay! Do what you want with me.”
The condemnation was declared, Polycarp was to die by being burned at the stake. As they led Polycarp to his death, he assured the soldiers that it wasn’t necessary to fasten him to the stake because he would not run. As the flames lapped around him, he prayed with a loud voice,
”Lord God Almighty, Father of Thy beloved and blessed Son, Jesus Christ, through whom we have received the grace of knowing Thee, God of angels and powers, and the whole creation, and of the whole race of the righteous who live in Thy presence; I bless Thee for deigning me worthy of this day and this hour that I may be among Thy martyrs and drink of the cup of my Lord Jesus Christ…I praise Thee for all Thy mercies; I bless Thee, I glorify Thee, through the eternal High Priest, Jesus Christ, Thy beloved Son, with whom to Thyself and the Holy Spirit, be glory both now and forever. Amen.”
Our heritage of Christianity is a valuable thing because of men and women, who as Hebrews 11:38 says, “of whom the world was not worthy,” Polycarp is among these mentioned who was faithful unto death. He stands a pillar of Church and an example to all believers.
Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”
Revelation 2:10-11
When we think of the history of Christianity, we think of Jesus, Paul and the Apostles, but have you ever thought beyond the Apostles? What would the transition have been like as the eyewitnesses to Christ were taken off the scene and the only communication devices were parched paper, ink and those who knew the apostles personally?
Think for a moment of how vulnerable the early Church must have been. Their leaders had all been killed, (only the Apostle John died of natural causes, although authorities tried to kill him twice). The Church faced an ongoing threat from the Roman Empire. Rome viewed Christians as atheists for their refusal to worship multiple gods. The Church had to, “contend for the faith” (Jude 1:3-4) as they faced attacks from the Nicolaitans, Judaizers and others whom Jude said, “have crept in unnoticed…who pervert the grace of our God…” It must have been a shaky time for the infant New Testament Church.
Polycarp was the pastor of the Church in Smyrna, about 40 miles north of Ephesus. He was personally disciple by the Apostle of Love, John for 20 years. He was first a deacon, which was not an easy task. His job was to care for the saints, particularly the families of believers who had been martyred. He was to raise funds for them and we know through what Christ said that they were poor, “I know your works, tribulation and poverty (but you are rich)…” Revelation 2:9
He soon became the Bishop and Smyrna was not an easy city to pastor in. Although it was an important area, known as the “crown of Asia,” it had enormous challenges. It was the most beautiful city of Asia Minor, celebrated for its schools in science and medicine. Their excellent harbor was a direct trade route from India and Persia to Rome. Smyrna was fiercely loyal to Rome and this led to intense emperor worship making Christians a constant target for persecution. Today, it is the modern city of Izmir, Turkey and is the traditional birth place of Homer.
The following is the account of the martyrdom of Polycarp.
“Swear by the fortune of Caesar! Repent! Declare: ‘Death to the atheists!’” Polycarp then turned to the crowd, with a wave of his hand, he shouted, “Death to the atheists!”
This angered the magistrate, “Swear, and I will set you free at once! You have but to insult Christ.”
Polycarp responded, “I have served Him for 86 years and He has never done me any wrong. Why then should I blaspheme against my King and my Savior?”
“Swear by Caesar’s fortune” demanded the magistrate. “You flatter yourself if you hope to persuade me. In all truth I solemnly declare to you: I am a Christian.”
“I have lions here, to use as I think fit,” the magistrate seethed.“Give your orders. As for us Christians, when we change it is not from good to bad; it is splendid to pass through evil into God’s justice.”
“If you do not repent, I shall have you burned at the stake, since you are so contemptuous of the lions.”
“You threaten me with a fire that burns for an hour and then dies down. But do you know the eternal fire of the justice that is to come? Do you know the punishment that is to devour the ungodly? Come, don’t delay! Do what you want with me.”
The condemnation was declared, Polycarp was to die by being burned at the stake. As they led Polycarp to his death, he assured the soldiers that it wasn’t necessary to fasten him to the stake because he would not run. As the flames lapped around him, he prayed with a loud voice,
”Lord God Almighty, Father of Thy beloved and blessed Son, Jesus Christ, through whom we have received the grace of knowing Thee, God of angels and powers, and the whole creation, and of the whole race of the righteous who live in Thy presence; I bless Thee for deigning me worthy of this day and this hour that I may be among Thy martyrs and drink of the cup of my Lord Jesus Christ…I praise Thee for all Thy mercies; I bless Thee, I glorify Thee, through the eternal High Priest, Jesus Christ, Thy beloved Son, with whom to Thyself and the Holy Spirit, be glory both now and forever. Amen.”
Our heritage of Christianity is a valuable thing because of men and women, who as Hebrews 11:38 says, “of whom the world was not worthy,” Polycarp is among these mentioned who was faithful unto death. He stands a pillar of Church and an example to all believers.
Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”
Revelation 2:10-11
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