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 To be sure, St. Patrick wasn’t running around Ireland drinking green beer and wearing “Kiss Me I’m Irish” buttons.

The Life of Saint Patrick

By William J. Federer
Historian, Speaker & Author

He was born in 389 A.D., during the time of the Roman Empire’s decay: immigrants flooded the borders; the national language of Latin was displaced; the underfunded military stretched across the world; rampant sexual immorality existed; and city centers were abandoned. Additionally, unbearable taxes, a burgeoning national debt and welfare rolls, and an excessive amount of government jobs plagued the Empire.Patrick’s home was the coastal town of Bonavern, Taberniae, Britain. His father, Calpurnius, was a civil magistrate and a deacon, and his grandfather was a minister in the Celtic Christian Church, whose origins date from second-century Roman occupation.

At age 16, Patrick was kidnapped by raiders and sold as a slave in Ireland. For six years he herded pigs on a Slemish farm. Repulsed by the Druid’s human sacrifice, magic spells, and superstitions, from which Halloween originated, Patrick committed himself to Christ, as he later wrote: “The Lord opened the understanding of my unbelief, that, late as it was, I might remember my faults and turn to the Lord my God with all my heart; and He had regard to my low estate, and pitied my youth and ignorance, and kept guard over me even before I knew Him.”Patrick’s life became marked by intense prayer. He described an “inner monition” which he recognized as the Holy Spirit. He was led to escape to the seacoast, where he found a ship to freedom. As they left Ireland, a storm blew them to Gaul (France), where he lived in a monastery on the island of St. Honorat for several months.Years later, Patrick had a dream, as he wrote in his Confessions: “In the depth of the night, I saw a man named Victoricus coming as if from Ireland, with innumerable letters; and he gave me one of these, and … [that] moment I heard the voice of those who were beside the wood of Focluth, near the western sea; and this is what they called out: ‘Please, holy boy, come and walk among us again.’ Their cry pierced to my very heart, and I could read no more; and so I awoke.” Patrick left his family and prepared for the ministry in Auzerre, Gaul. At age 40 he was permitted to go. In the year 432, the same time Attila the Hun was pillaging Europe, Patrick crossed the icy sea to Ireland with twelve brave monks. They made their way to the home of his old master, but found he died in a battle with a neighboring tribe. Undoubtedly, had Patrick not escaped, he would have been killed as well. They then went to the hall of Chieftain Loigaire, who was feasting with his warriors and Druid priests.A messenger ran in, interrupting the festivities, and announced the arrival of these unarmed strangers. As they entered the long, smoky hall, carrying a tall cross, silence fell. The Druid priests were threatened and alarmed when Patrick boldly spoke in their own language, which he had learned while a slave. The chieftain was astonished, and not only granted them religious toleration, but was baptized and donated the land for their first wooden church.Druid opposition grew fierce, and twelve times Patrick faced life-threatening situations, including a harrowing kidnapping and a two-week captivity. Patrick demonstrated that God’s power is greater than Druid magic, resulting in many chieftains being converted. Feeling inadequate due to his lack of education, Patrick used illustrations to preach, the most famous of which was the three-leaf clover, which he used to explain the Trinity.Wherever he went, Patrick left ministers. He founded 300 churches, baptizing over 120,000 converts. It was said that Patrick found Ireland heathen and left it Christian, resulting in Irish missionaries re-evangelizing Europe in later centuries.Patrick wrote in his Confessions: “I pray those who believe and fear God, whosoever has deigned to scan or accepts this document, composed in Ireland by Patrick the sinner, an unlearned man to be sure, that none should ever say that it was my ignorance that accomplished any small thing … but let it be most truly believed, that it was the gift of God. And this is my confession before I die.” Patrick died on March 17, 461. To have leaders like him today would be a pot-of-gold at the end of the rainbow.”

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William J. Federer is a nationally known speaker and best-selling author on America’s heritage. Bill has published articles in newspapers, newsletters, booklets, on the Internet, as well as being interviewed for audio and video documentaries. He has been on hundreds of radio and television programs across America. His literary contributions include: America’s God & Country Encyclopedia of Quotations, A Treasury of Presidential Quotations, American Quotations, America’s God & Country Inspirational Calendar, and 365 Presidential Quotations – A Day-To-Day Calendar. Bill and Sue, who live in the south St. Louis area with their four children, Jessica, Will, Melody & Michael, are available for interviews and speaking engagements. For more information, visit Bill’s Web site Amerisearch. http://www.amerisearch.net/

God loves humanity with such instensity that His heart burns with a raging fire for lost souls.  Oh! if we would just let one glowing ember from God’s own heart drop into ours and set us on fire for souls!  Just imagine it!  Let us pray that the banked embers of our hearts be set ablaze with God’s flaming passion for souls!!!

Let me share with you what Reinhard Bonnke said in his book “Evanglism by Fire”.  Reinhard Bonnke is a firey German evangelist with a love for souls spreading the flames of revival in Africa.

 ”‘Little children, it is the last hour . . .’ (1 John 2:18).  I know that it seems that this hour has lasted very long, as John wrote those words nineteen hundred years ago.  But don’t let that fact confuse you.  Of one thing we can be certain –if it was the last hour then, it most certainly is now!  If John were writing today he probably would write, ‘Little children, it is the last second of the last hour.’

“When John wrote this verse, he was watching God’s clock, not ours.  Its hands have not stood still.  How long will God’s hour last, measured by earthly time-keeping methods?  The one thing we know is that we don’t know how near we are to the end.  ‘But of that day and hour no one knows,’ Jesus said in Matthew 24:36.  It is obvious, however, that we are much closer to the end every day.  Paul saw it that way too:  ‘Knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed’ (Rom. 13:11).

“Somebody once said that most people live as if this life were a permanent arrangement.  The Bible’s message is that our days are ‘numbered’ –not numberless.  There is actually only time for the important things.  I am thinking about the Church of Jesus Christ in particular.  People often point out that life consists of a thousand details, but the minor must not outweigh the major.  The Church is to concern itself with one aim–the war with Satan and the campaign for souls.

“The great quality of Jesus is that He came when the Father sent Him.  And the great quality about us should be that we go when Jesus sends us.  ‘As the Father has sent Me, I also send you’ (John 20:21).  The Church should plan to neglect anything which interferes with going.” *

I will let Reinhard’s quote above speak for itself.

Go here to see “Love Illustrated” at http://www.AuntieLsPlace.com

*pp. 37, 38, Evangelism by Fire, by Reinhard Bonnke; (c) 1993, 1996 by Reinhard Bonnke.