I have been struggling lately. It appears Satan is really trying to discourage me. I won't bore you with the details but as you can see all my blogs are gone. I "accidentally" deleted them. I would call this a mistake on my part but there are too many other issues around me. I am really struggling.
However, I will not be discouraged. Satan is only an irritating fly buzzing around my head. I am sad that my lessons are gone. But remember God's hand is on his children so there is a divine purpose for this "accident". Yes, many months of research and work are gone but Gods children are victors and the best Satan can do is get a good laugh.
I want to encourage you. No matter how bad it gets you just keep on serving the Lord. I don't have to tell you that the world is getting more and more chaotic as we move through end times. Do not be afraid! The Lord uses this phrase over and over and over again in the bible. ...DO NOT BE AFRAID! ENDURE!
So let me start my blog again by telling you a wonderful story.
This is about an apostle who I have found provides me with great courage and the desire to endure! Let me tell you what "tradition" tells us about the Apostle Andrew.
I've heard this story many time but I found it again on www.catholicharboroffaithandmorals.com
and got related information on Wikipedia www.wikipedia.org
First, let me say that the name Andrew in Greek means "BRAVE". Andrew was the brother of the Apostle Simon "Peter". He was the first disciple of John the Baptist.
Today Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland. The "X" on the Scottish flag is a tribute to Andrew who was crucified on this type of cross.
According to tradition, the Apostle Andrew preached throughout Greece and Asia Minor. He was arrested in 62 AD (some say 70 AD) and martyred on an X-shaped cross in Achaia, in southern Greece. Some authorities say that the Romans rotated the traditional cross on its side as an insult to Christians who came to honor the Cross of Christ.
St. Andrew was brought before the Egeas, the proconsul (or a a governor of a province in the Roman) of Achaia. Egeas was a great enemy of the early Christian Church and made it his business to torture and kill the followers of Christ. Egeas set his sites on Andrew who of course preaching the Good News to all who would listen. Egeas demanded that Andrew worship and give sacrifices to the Roman Gods. Andrew was threatened with torture and death if he refused. Of course, Andrew (the Brave) was fearless. He basically told Egeas that his torments were only temporary and would pass away. He said that Egeas and his gods could offer Andrew no lasting value. Then her told Egeas to abandon his idols and recognize Jesus Christ as the true and only God and to worship only Him.
OK. You can guess what happened. Egeas got PISSED OFF!!!!! He order to have Andrew to be scourged (which means to be beaten to inflict great pain and punishment) and then to be crucified. This was the order so Andrew would suffer the same fate as "his God" did.
The people complained and asked Egeas why such a just man would be crucified. They tried to stop what was happening. But Andrew begged them not to deprive him of this honor. OK, get ready to be inspired.....
Now history/tradition says because crucifixion was such a cruel and painful death, men who faced it often lost their minds from fear. They would frequently faint when they saw the cross. However, when Andrew was led to the place of his execution, and saw the cross from a distance on which he was to die, he cried out joyfully: "O precious cross, which I have so long desired, so truly loved, so ceaselessly sought; at last I find thee prepared to receive me. Take me away from the world, and unite me again with my Lord, that He who has redeemed me on thee, may again receive me by thee."
When Andrew was brought up to the cross he embraced and kissed it. He did not resist the executioners in any way. Not only did he embrace his martyrdom he used the cross as a pulpit and preached from it. He encouraged Christians to remain firm in their holy faith, and preached to the non-believers to have faith in the only true God. For two days he lived and preached, hanging on the cross.
One the third day, the people were very moved and inspired by this act of faith and in an attempt to rescue Andrew they went to the governor and insisted that he be taken down from the cross and be spared. Ok, get ready to be inspired again...... When the governor refused the people went to the cross to rescue Andrew by force but he called out to our Lord and said, "Do not permit, O Lord, that Thy servant, who, according to his own wish, hangs on the cross, be taken down from it; but do Thou take me from it to Thee, O my beloved Master, Jesus Christ, whom I have confessed and always loved, and whom, still confessing, I long to see. Take, O Lord Jesus, my spirit to Thee. I ardently desire to be united with Thee." During this prayer, a bright light streamed from heaven, and rested upon the Saint, whilst he breathed his last.
Those early Christian took Andrews body to Constantinople in the time of Constantine the Great; but was afterwards brought to Rome, where it has its resting-place in the Church of St. Peter.
I always find strength in hearing the history of those first Christians and all the Christians today who make great sacrifices to show the world the power of faith in the Lord. When I hear about them...all my problems seem so small.
So dear saints, NEVER GIVE UP. You will be attacked by Satan because you get in his way of destroying the souls of God Children!! Be strong, no matter what happens, be strong.
Remember, apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 12 said, "it is when I am weak, then I am strong".
Remember the bible tells us that our faith is refined "by fire" or by trials and hardship. Don't believe this new age fake christian crap that you are hear to receive all kinds of goodness and blessings. You are hear to walk in the footsteps of Christ and to carry His Cross.....not about a bunch of fun and worldly treasures. It's about sacrifice, perhaps death...it's about finding and protecting the Lords lost sheep, snatching them from Satan who prowls around like a hungry lion ready to devour them.
I like what a friend sent me via email one time. I have it pinned to my bulletin board. It says, "Be the type of person that when your feet hit the floor in the morning, Satan says, "OH, CRAP SHE'S UP AGAIN!" AMEN!!!
I know why I lost my blog lessons....I wanted to start using them as lessons to start preaching them in church. LOL....if Satan thought that he can erase my ability to preach and teach the Good News by a press of a wrong button...he's a bigger knucklehead than I thought he was.
NEVER GIVE UP! NO MATTER WHAT!
I'm praying for you.
LOVE!!
Catt
