Yes, and welcome our brothers and sisters from Latvia. You are so loved.
Tomorrow my sons Joshua and Harry will be going to their confirmation service. Although it is an important step on the road to faith, there is a somber side to it. As the following illustrates.
St ALBAN d. ?305
According to Bede, he suffered in the persecution under Diocletian.
The reverend confessor ascended a hill, about 500 paces from the place, adorned or rather clothed with all kinds of flowers, having its sides neither perpendicular nor even craggy, but sloping down into a most beautiful plain, worthy from its lovely appearance to be the scene of a martyr`s sufferings. On the top of the hill St Alban prayed that God would give him water, and immediately a living spring broke out before his feet. Here the head of our most courageous martyr was struck off, and here he received the crown of life which God promised tho those who love him.
Bede
Alban I believe was a pagan who upon giving shelter to a christian priest, was converted to his faith from listening to him speak. (I believe the Holy Spirit was the important factor.) He put on the Christian priests clothes and gave himself up in his place. When the first executioner was so impressed with St albans faith that he refused to kill him, he was also executed, thus becoming Britains 2nd Martyr.
Christ gave himself up in my place on the cross. Is there a small way in which I can give myself up for another today?
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WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THIS
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend.... I have
called you friends. John 15:13, 15.
Jesus does not ask me to die for Him, but to lay down my life for Him. Peter said - "I will lay down my life for Thy sake," and he meant it; his sense of the heroic was magnificent. It would be a bad thing to be incapable of making such a declaration as Peter made; the sense of our duty is only realised by our sense of the heroic. Has the Lord ever asked you - "Wilt thou lay down thy life for My sake?" It is far easier to die than to lay down the life day in and day out with the sense of the high calling. We are not made for brilliant moments, but we have to walk in the light of them in ordinary ways. There was only one brilliant moment in the life of Jesus, and that was on the Mount of Transfiguration; then He emptied Himself the second time of His glory, and came down into the demon-possessed valley. For thirty three years Jesus laid out His life to do the will of His Father, and, John says, "we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." It is contrary to human nature to do it.
If I am a friend of Jesus, I have deliberately and carefully to say down my life for Him. It is difficult, and thank God it is difficult. Salvation is easy because it cost God so much, but the manifestation of it in my life is difficult. God saves a man and endues him with the Holy Spirit, and then says in effect - `Now work it out, be loyal to Me, whilst the nature of things round about you would make you disloyal.` "I have called you friends." Stand loyal to your Friend, and remember that His honour is stake in your bodily life.
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My latest art: Painted last nigh.
I received some sad news from my sons mother this morning.An ex pat and his wife whom were friends of ours in Cagayan De Oro city, Peter and Nan Sholten. An ex seaman and his wife were drowned in the floods that swept the country. May they rest in peace and rise in glory.
The sight of any trouble strikes terror into the heart of those who do not have faith, but those who trust Him say, "Here comes my food."
You all have a good weekend. Your brother, Peter
ps.
Fair well my brothers and sisters.
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