Come O Thou Traveler Unknown

“Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him til daybreak.” Genesis 32:24

Before wrestling with forces of wickedness in high places, we would do well to wrestle first with God. I could not find a performance of this hymn that included all 14 stanzas, but I have provided them below the video.

Come, O thou Traveler unknown, Whom still I hold, but cannot see! My company before is gone, And I am left alone with Thee; With Thee all night I mean to stay, And wrestle till the break of day. I need not tell Thee who I am, My misery and sin declare; Thyself hast called me by my name, Look on Thy hands, and read it there; But who, I ask Thee, who art Thou? Tell me Thy name, and tell me now. In vain Thou strugglest to get free, I never will unloose my hold! Art Thou the Man that died for me? The secret of Thy love unfold; Wrestling, I will not let Thee go, Till I Thy name, Thy nature know. Wilt Thou not yet to me reveal Thy new, unutterable Name? Tell me, I still beseech Thee, tell; To know it now resolved I am; Wrestling, I will not let Thee go, Till I Thy Name, Thy nature know. ’Tis all in vain to hold Thy tongue Or touch the hollow of my thigh; Though every sinew be unstrung, Out of my arms Thou shalt not fly; Wrestling I will not let Thee go Till I Thy name, Thy nature know. What though my shrinking flesh complain, And murmur to contend so long? I rise superior to my pain, When I am weak, then I am strong And when my all of strength shall fail, I shall with the God-man prevail. My strength is gone, my nature dies, I sink beneath Thy weighty hand, Faint to revive, and fall to rise; I fall, and yet by faith I stand; I stand and will not let Thee go Till I Thy Name, Thy nature know. Yield to me now, for I am weak, But confident in self-despair; Speak to my heart, in blessings speak, Be conquered by my instant prayer; Speak, or Thou never hence shalt move, And tell me if Thy Name is Love. ’Tis Love! ’tis Love! Thou diedst for me! I hear Thy whisper in my heart; The morning breaks, the shadows flee, Pure, universal love Thou art; To me, to all, Thy bowels move; Thy nature and Thy Name is Love. My prayer hath power with God; the grace Unspeakable I now receive; Through faith I see Thee face to face, I see Thee face to face, and live! In vain I have not wept and strove; Thy nature and Thy Name is Love. I know Thee, Savior, who Thou art. Jesus, the feeble sinner’s friend; Nor wilt Thou with the night depart. But stay and love me to the end, Thy mercies never shall remove; Thy nature and Thy Name is Love. The Sun of righteousness on me Hath rose with healing in His wings, Withered my nature’s strength; from Thee My soul its life and succor brings; My help is all laid up above; Thy nature and Thy Name is Love. Contented now upon my thigh I halt, till life’s short journey end; All helplessness, all weakness I On Thee alone for strength depend; Nor have I power from Thee to move: Thy nature, and Thy name is Love. Lame as I am, I take the prey, Hell, earth, and sin, with ease o’ercome; I leap for joy, pursue my way, And as a bounding hart fly home, Through all eternity to prove Thy nature and Thy Name is Love.

Another Soldier Down

There is a young soldier in God's army who has been struggling for some time. He's on my daily prayer list.

I'm sure there are others like him, engaged in spiritual warfare, struggling, standing for the King, though wounded with failing strength. I dedicate this song to all Christian Martialists who share in those struggles, and to all of you who hold each other up.

My prayers are with you.

Thanks to my daughter Merrianna for the link to this video.

There Be Goats!!

Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds. For riches are not for ever: and doth the crown endure to every generation? The hay appeareth, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered. The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field. And thou shalt have goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and for the maintenance for thy maidens. (Proverbs 27:23-27)

I noticed the passage above several years ago, before it became popular with survivalist/preparedness gurus. I re-read it today, with a sense of contentedness after we picked up two milk goats.

In January, Laura sold our milk goat so we could get away to attend our 3rd daughter's wedding. After a good deal of prayer, the Lord's gracious providence (through some Christian acquaintances) provided us with two milkers at a price we can afford.

Their kids were just weaned, so they are not used to being milked. My wife will milk them for the first time tonight, and I will be on hand to help, in case they show skittishness at the milk stand.

Training them to the milk stand may take a little time, but we are looking forward to fresh, raw milk and also the homemade cheeses (mozzarella, chevre and feta are my wife's specialties), yogurt and kefir. Those delicacies along with eggs from our chickens could easily supply the three of us with more protein and probiotics than we need.

It should go without saying that we must put our trust in the Lord, not in our possessions and preparations. Nevertheless, our God works through the circumstances and resources that He puts at our disposal.

Therefore, today I breathed a sigh of relief as I reviewed the state of our flocks. Bless the name of Jehovah and His anointed King.

Prayer for Our Warriors

My Barber's son is a captain serving in Afghanistan. I received this communication today:

It's official.  He will recieve a half-paycheck on the 15th.  Soldiers don't serve for the money...

The video excerpt from Blackhawk Down (below) was attached to the email. What words of disgust can do justice to a C-in-C who promised to begin bringing troops home as soon as he took office, but instead has expanded undeclared war on behalf of the profits and globalist vision of his puppet masters?

I do not recommend for any young American Christian to go into the military, because odds are he will end up fighting for the wrong side. For a long time, now our armed forces have existed to profit the military industrial complex and to submerge our country in a godless, globalist state.

Nevertheless, we owe respect and support to those military personnel who have entered service with good -- albeit mistaken -- motives. No leader with any sense of honor would do what their C-in-C has done to them.

I would like to see every officer in the service resign his commission in protest. Please pray that God will bring our warriors home physically, mentally and morally intact. This is my daily prayer for my barber's son.

(CAUTION: Speaker in video curses twice, taking God's name in vain. Minor readers, please consult parents/follow your family policy.)


While we're on the subject of prayer, I have a young friend who is going through a rough patch. He is a believer who has the mindset of a Christian Martialist, so please pray -- right now, while you're thinking about it -- that God will bring him through his present trials as a mighty man in service to the King.

Missionaries Face Violence

I received a message (below) from a missionary to Mexico a few days ago. I am withholding his identity, and I am not publishing the pictures he sent for the same reason.

I don't know Nancy Davis, but I've "shook & howdied" with the man who wrote this, and I believe we share common convictions about Biblical principles as they apply to the socio-political scene. May God protect him and all who are laboring for Christ's kingdom in Mexico.

Many of you have written me the past few days about the tragic shooting of Nancy Davis, a missionary to Mexico. The truth is, the situation we live here is drastically different from our prior years. The irony of the Nancy Davis tragedy is that she and her husband were traveling on the major federal highway to the border. We have traveled it many times. This major artery was blocked by armed bandits. No one in the US would ever have known of it were it not for Nancy's tragic death. But it was there! A bold action by dangerous thugs. 

In a similar way, all kinds of things like that happen here with regularity in the [name of city deleted] area. I have often thought of mentioning them, but thought the hetter of it since I had no photos of them. Just for an example, as I sat down to write, and I say this with all seriousness, there was a tremendousmachine gun battle going on. [names deleted] and I stood by the back door and listened to the chaos some 4 or 5 blocks away. Will it make the news in the US? No. Probably won't make it on the news here, either, because the reporters would fear for their lives. But did it happen. Indeed it did. 

I have included two photos that require a little explanation. The photos are of a police sub-station a few blocks from our house. Many of you may remember it if you ever came here on a mission trip. However, there are two differences. In the first picture, you can see two new turrets that have been added and that are "staffed" by machine gun toting police. The reason for the addition of these turrets is that these substations are frequently attacked by the "narcos." I could hope that they are attacked because they represent the threat of justice to the narcos, but, sadly, my guess is that they are attacked because they are "in" with the other side.

The second picture shows the same station but a little different angle. The police have sandbagged the entrance like a WWII bunker.

I include these photos simply as a reminder to you of the very out of control violent situation that presents itself here on a regular basis. Please pray for our safety!

Prayer Request, re: Local Shooting

WYFF Channel 4 News has reported a story about a man who stabbed his girl friend in the chest and neck (she died seeking help on a neighbor's porch). The killer then picked up a piece of pipe and approached a man outside another nearby home.

The man judged himself to be in mortal danger, drew his gun and shot the killer. Police acknowledge that he shot in self defense.

The main reason I mention this story is that I know the shooter. He is a relative of some folks who go to our church. In fact, he was instrumental in helping me buy a vehicle after mine was wrecked in February.

I won't give you his name, but I will ask you to pray for him & for the family. Pray for God's gracious working in his life.

Thanks-giving

Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks: for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare. (Psa 75:1)

Yesterday the insurance adjuster (Steve) came to the house to look at the car. We had prayed for a just settlement in terms of Scriptural principles (Exodus 22).

He looked the car over and then he set about working with me to get the most from the company without totaling the car. As you can imagine, a 1992 Toyota is not worth much, but the check (should arrive Monday or Tuesday) will equal (or exceed the Kelley Blue Book value of the car).

I shook hands with Steve before he left and told him he would be in my prayers that day. He said, "Are you a Christian, then?" I told him I was, and he said his father had been a minister.

Anyway, I want to thank all of you for your prayers, and I invite you to also give thanks to the covenant-keeping God who, despite my faltering faith, has once again shown Himself gracious to those upon whom He has set His love.

We're not out of the woods yet, though, because even though I rec'd more than I had hoped, it's difficult to find safe & reliable transportation for that amount. (And, frankly, I think my present vehicle is too far gone to repair.)

Thanks to all who have held us up in prayer, and I ask you to continue with the following requests:

1. That God will bless Steve for treating me as he would want to be treated;
2. That we will end up with a good, safe reliable vehicle;
3. That the medical settlement for my back (thankfully, it seems to be principally soft tissue damage to the muscles) will be fair and just;
4. That God will receive glory and praise before men for these events.

Prayer Requests

Last Thursday, I had just stopped at a traffic signal when another vehicle plowed into the rear of my car. The impact sent my vehicle right through the intersection. Thankfully, the light had just turned red & the cross-traffic had not yet started through the intersection.

The forces of momentum broke the back of the driver's seat & bent the small of my back over the little hump where the seat broke. The back pain was incredible for several minutes afterward. I was also shaken by the experience.

I am thankful that a really kind lady stopped & offered her cell phone so I could call 911. I got her first name (Victoria), but did not have it together enough to ask her contact information.

The responding officer reported the other driver at fault, but also issued me a "subpoena ticket" to appear as a witness in the case against him on April 6. Call me paranoid, but I'd never heard of issuing a subpoena to the victim in a car accident before, so I'm a little leery about this court appearance.

Although my car is operable, I do not consider it safe to drive. The other driver's insurance company (Allstate) will pay for a rental vehicle, but I would have to pay $15/day collision insurance, which I simply cannot afford.

Two people who know something of the insurance industry have told me that Allstate is the absolute worst company at settling claims. The adjuster is supposed to come to my house to look at the car by Thursday of this week.

A lady from our church gave us a ride to Sunday school & worship yesterday. One of the deacons from our church has graciously offered to drive me to the chiropractor's office for my appointment this afternoon.

As a side note, just to show how sharp the impact was, there is an ash tray under the dash of our car with a cup holder in front of it. Although there was a water bottle in the cup holder directly in front of the ash tray, the ash tray was popped right out of the dash & landed on the passenger-side floor. That ash tray has a catch & you could pull on it all day without getting it out of the dash unless you depressed the catch, but it popped out in a split second at the time of the collision.

I would appreciate it if you, my readers and fellow Christian Martialists would pray for me regarding the following matters:

1) Thanks to God for the many graces in this difficulty, including the fact that in God's providence my daughter's voice lesson had been canceled (otherwise she would have been in the car with me), the great showing of concern & kindness from my fellow believers, the fact that God's Word assures us that He is working all things for His glory and the good of those whom He calls.

2) I told Victoria, "I'll pray for you tonight," because of her willingness to come to my aid; please pray for God's manifest grace in her life in every way; also for God's blessing on CG, the deacon who is providing me with transportation help this week and on JE who gave us a ride to church & just called to say she had unexpectedly won a gift card & would like to give it to us; also for my pastor & all from church who have given encouragement; also for J.D, a Christian neighbor who has given us good information & advice.

3) For a favorable settlement from the insurance company; it would be impossible for me to come out even if all they give me is "book value" of my '92 Toyota.

I will also thank you for your patience as I may not post as frequently for the next couple of weeks.

Calling Out to God: Defensive Prayer

The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. (Psa 18:2-3)

And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. (Psa 50:15)

RPC sent me a link to a video that reminded me of a seminar I attended years ago. The speaker talked about teaching our wives & daughters to call out to God out loud if they are ever attacked.

He related some remarkable stories about women who did this. One of them was about a woman who had attended one of his earlier seminars.

She had to park her car some distance away from the auditorium where the sessions were held, and as she walked from her car, a man grabbed her and started to pull her into the darkness. She had the presence of mind to remember what she had learned at the previous session of the seminar.

She called out to God for protection and that he would stop the man from doing this terrible thing. Upon hearing this, the orc said something to this effect: "Oh, are you one of those Christians meeting up the street? You shouldn't be walking alone in this neighborhood -- it's dangerous." And then he let her go.

Within minutes, the police picked up the man, who turned out to be a serial rapist they had been trying to catch.

The lesson here is not to throw away your handgun or your wasp spray, any more than David threw away his sword when God inspired him to write the passage above. The point is that our ultimate faith is not in our weapons or our skill, but in God.

I have addressed this issue in The Christian Martialist and Providence and Another Lesson on Providence. It's a lesson, however, that bears repeating.

Here is the video of an ABC News interview with a woman who called out to God in the presence of an armed robber:

Another Lesson on Providence

Deolexrex sent me the link to the video below with the question, "Recommended defense against a 2x6?" (Warning: lethally violent content)


It takes a special kind of person to club an unarmed, defenseless, academic-type to death, doesn't it?

Here are my recommended defenses when confronted by an orc with a 2x6:

1. Run away -- fast! Hopefully, the prospect of running while carrying a club will not appeal to your attacker. Of course, turning your back to an assailant reduces his psychological barrier to taking your life, but let's face it, under the circumstances it looks as though the barrier doesn't faze him much.
2. If running is not a viable option (and it isn't for heavyweights like me), meet his weapon with something bigger, better & more lethal.
3. In the event you're not suitably armed, grab anything at hand -- stick, gravel (or a pocketful of change) to throw in his eyes, a trash can or even one of his friends to absorb blows as you maneuver inside the range of his club.
4. If no improvised weapons lie within reach, you must get inside his effective range by either a) good timing & quickness or b) fending off a blow as you move in or c) both.

Moving in on someone with a big club sounds scary, but the bigger the club, the more unwieldy it is. Moreover, the orc will expect you to move away from the threat, which gives you an element of surprise, and if God's providence is with you, may even engender in him an element of fear.

Speaking of God's providence, let's not leave out the highly important need for prayer. My barber pointed this out to me in response to "Learning from Your Mistakes: A Survival Trait, 3".
He wrote to me:

But,let us not forget what else happened that day...The night before,as I always do, I said my nightly Prayers. Included in those Prayers were petitions for safe travel for my wife and I. As I drove up the highway,minutes from the location were this happened,I violated my standard routine. Every night,when I crawl into bed,lights out,and quiet, I begin my lengthly Prayers to the Lord. The night of the incident,I realized that I could fall asleep quickly without finishing the Prayers,I decided to alter my routine. To stay awake to my destination,I began my lengthly Prayers while driving. I was alone on the road,no other cars,wife asleep. I finished my Prayers for blessing and safe travel moments before my arrival at the incident site. I cannot discount the part that God plays in my life. I cannot marginalize the power of Prayer in my life. I cannot count the blessings that come with trying to live covenantally with God. God gets all the credit that night,'cause I was w-a-a-y behind the lethat curve. I need to work on that mindset,too.

Bottom line? Train as though it all depended on you, but pray knowing it all depends on the God & Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

A Prayer for the Future

Dear Father in Heaven,
If, in your providence, the police ever come for me, may they also -- in your providence -- have the same competence levels as pictured below.
In your Son's name, Amen.

Why Shooting Abortionists is a Bad Idea

By now, everyone has heard of the shooting death (in church, no less) of serial killer George R. Tiller. Tiller was known for his willingness to perform "controversial" late-term abortions.

(While the child is fully human from conception, the central nervous system and brain are fully functional by the last two or three months of pregnancy. The vivisection of a fully conscious human being who is fully able to feel pain is a particularly heinous act.)

While I do not mourn the passing of one who performed state-sanctioned murders, I do mourn the manner in which he passed. There are reasons that shooting these particular orcs is a bad idea.

REASON SIX: It gives the liberal media and the anti-gun lobby a platform to further propagandize the weak-minded all around us ("I see stupid people . . . they're all around us . . . some of them don't even know they're stupid" -- with apologies to M. Night Shyamalan).

REASON FIVE: It gives the enemies of godly wisdom (Prov. 8:36; stupid people, again) a martyr. Here is this poor, innocent serial killer gunned down while worshiping in his church. The weak-minded will associate his death with all the recent attacks on churches.

They will not question what kind of church takes an unrepentant serial killer into its communion, let alone makes him an usher. Nor will they speculate as to which god this twisted bastard (Hebrews 12:8, KJV) really worships.

REASON FOUR: Shooting an abortionist will not, in the long run, save lives. There are enough demented physicians (except in South Dakota, where they have to bring in outside doctors to perform abortions because no one in-state is willing) that one or more will step into the gap to resume Tiller's bloody work. Which leads to the next . . .

REASON THREE: One of us for one of them is not a fair tradeoff. The FBI immediately began hunting down the man who shot Tiller. According to an article in the Washington Post, the U.S. Marshals will now provide protection for high profile baby killers.

When outnumbered, it's a strategic and tactical error to accept one-on-one losses.

REASON TWO: You will not help the pro-life cause. The most visible spokesmen will denounce you as a monster or a nut, and they will distance themselves from you. The obscure few who side with you will be used by the media to further the cause of infanticide.

REASON ONE: Although these paid killers (and the parents who put out contracts on their own children) are guilty of murder, you are not the appointed instrument of justice. God has given the job of punishing murder to the civil authority (Romans 13:1, ff).

Lawfully appointed officials need to arrest, charge, try, convict, sentence and execute these murderers. When they neglect their responsibility and abuse their power, the proper response for any Christian (including Christian Martialists) is to

1. Do some soul-searching (& fasting?) to ask, "Why has God sent these tyrants to chastise us?"
2. Seriously repent for our own offenses to the Holy God in Heaven;
3. Appeal to God for justice, which includes the use of imprecatory prayers.

Freelance avengers operate outside God's presently appointed order. They are not acting in self defense, but are, rather, trying to use carnal means to obliterate the chastisement that is meant to turn us back to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

They merely add to the abominations of our land. Let none such be named among us.

Oath Keepers: Men of Principle in Uniform

In "Terrorism & Bureaucratic Paranoia" I wrote:

As for me, I do not fear the veterans in society around me. I am much more wary of those still in uniform, who are flush with unquestioning patriotism that fuels their training to follow any and all orders.

Yesterday, RPC sent me a link to a video about an organization called Oath Keepers that leads me to qualify that statement. It seems that there are still some men in uniform who will put their lives on the line for lawful principle and against unlawful orders.

Oath Keepers are,

Military, Veterans, and peace officers who will honor their oaths to defend the Constitution, will NOT “just follow orders,” will stand for liberty, and will save the Republic, so help us God. Our motto is: "Not on Our Watch!"

They have published a declaration of ten unlawful orders that they will not obey. You can read the full version here. A summary of the ten follows:

1. We will NOT obey orders to disarm the American people.

2. We will NOT obey orders to conduct warrantless searches of the American people

3. We will NOT obey orders to detain American citizens as “unlawful enemy combatants” or to subject them to military tribunal.

4. We will NOT obey orders to impose martial law or a “state of emergency” on a state.

5. We will NOT obey orders to invade and subjugate any state that asserts its sovereignty.

6. We will NOT obey any order to blockade American cities, thus turning them into giant concentration camps.

7. We will NOT obey any order to force American citizens into any form of detention camps under any pretext.

8. We will NOT obey orders to assist or support the use of any foreign troops on U.S. soil against the American people to “keep the peace” or to “maintain control.”

9. We will NOT obey any orders to confiscate the property of the American people, including food and other essential supplies.

10. We will NOT obey any orders which infringe on the right of the people to free speech, to peaceably assemble, and to petition their government for a redress of grievances.

If you know anyone who is active military or a peace officer, please send them a link to Oath Keepers or to this blog post. And if you are a Christan Martialist, you need to do two things:

1. As these men have drawn a line in the sand, so should you determine where you will draw the line and disobey unlawful civil proclamations (Acts 5:29);
2. Support these courageous men with a) your prayers that their faith may rest in Jesus, our King & that He will sustain them whatever may happen, and b) your actions so that these men will never have to stand alone against statist tyranny (and a small financial donation wouldn't hurt).

Now, before you visit the Oath Keepers website, I'm sure you'll want to watch this video:

St. Patrick's Day

Tomorrow (Tuesday) is St. Patrick's Day. I have published this article about Patrick's Breastplate before, but I think it bears review. My family sometimes sings it during family worship. Here is the post:

St. Patrick's day has been thoroughly Americanized. The average citizen associates this hero of the Christian faith with drunken orgies, leprechauns and "the wearin' o' the green." In reality, Patrick was a stalwart believer who challenged Druidism in Ireland and championed the cause of Trinitarianism in the Church.

Patrick Friend explains the significance of the hymn known as "The Lorica" or "Breastplate of St. Patrick":

There is a beautiful prayer that legend says was written by St. Patrick himself. As the story goes, he suspected an ambush while he was on the way to meet King Laoghaire. He said the prayer, known today as St. Patrick's Breastplate, the Lorica, or the Deer's Cry, and as the soldiers lay in wait Patrick and his companions passed by but all the soldiers saw were deer! (source: All About Irish)

A lorica is meant to protect its wearer from harm, like a breastplate. As the Druids used magical incantations to call upon the powers of Nature, Patrick invokes the name of the Triune God and claims all the phenomena of nature for his armor because God created them.

You can listen to the melody played at the oremus site, but be warned they've removed the two most martial stanzas. I've reproduced the hymn in its entirety below.

May you, Christian Martialist, be imbued with the faith and love of the truth that marked the spirit of Patrick, evangelist of the Scoti. Happy St. Patrick's Day.

Breastplate of St. Patrick

I bind unto myself today
The strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same
The Three in One and One in Three.

I bind this today to me forever
By power of faith, Christ’s incarnation;
His baptism in Jordan river,
His death on Cross for my salvation;
His bursting from the spicèd tomb,
His riding up the heavenly way,
His coming at the day of doom
I bind unto myself today.

I bind unto myself the power
Of the great love of cherubim;
The sweet ‘Well done’ in judgment hour,
The service of the seraphim,
Confessors’ faith, Apostles’ word,
The Patriarchs’ prayers, the prophets’ scrolls,
All good deeds done unto the Lord
And purity of virgin souls.

I bind unto myself today
The virtues of the star lit heaven,
The glorious sun’s life giving ray,
The whiteness of the moon at even,
The flashing of the lightning free,
The whirling wind’s tempestuous shocks,
The stable earth, the deep salt sea
Around the old eternal rocks.

I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need.
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, His shield to ward;
The word of God to give me speech,
His heavenly host to be my guard.

Against the demon snares of sin,
The vice that gives temptation force,
The natural lusts that war within,
The hostile men that mar my course;
Or few or many, far or nigh,
In every place and in all hours,
Against their fierce hostility
I bind to me these holy powers.

Against all Satan’s spells and wiles,
Against false words of heresy,
Against the knowledge that defiles,
Against the heart’s idolatry,
Against the wizard’s evil craft,
Against the death wound and the burning,
The choking wave, the poisoned shaft,
Protect me, Christ, till Thy returning.

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

I bind unto myself the Name,
The strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.
By Whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.

______________________________________________

Words: Translated from the Gaelic by Cecil Frances Humphreys Alexander, 1889.
Music: "St. Patrick" Charles Villiers Stanford, 1902

Thanks to God . . .

. . . and thanks to you who prayed.

After surgery, Raquel spent about an hour in the recovery room & then was moved to a regular hospital room. She was released the next morning & is now back home, trying to complete her recovery at her sister's house, where she is nanny to six children.

Thanks again for your prayers.

Prayer Request

I just received word that one of my daughters -- Raquel -- has been diagnosed with appendicitis & they are prepping her for surgery as I write this.

I appeal to you, brethren, for your prayers.

Lethality vs. Stopping Power, 2

Continued from "Lethality vs. Stopping Power"

I mentioned shotguns in my previous post on this subject. At closer ranges, they possess high levels of both lethality and stopping power. At medium ranges, with buckshot (and a gun that will fire by holding the trigger back as you work the pump) you can put more lead in the air in a shorter time than with a submachine gun.

Members of certain special operations units in Viet Nam carried shotguns for close-quarters work. I knew one old Marine in Texas (his soul now rests with his Savior) who said he carried one at Guadalcanal.

Yesterday's shooting at a Unitarian Universalist Church in Knoxville illustrates in a sad and most tragic way the devastating power of a 12 gauge shotgun. It could have been MUCH WORSE if, after the first shot, he had not been firing randomly, and if a small group of sheepdog church members had not tackled him as he reloaded.

CNN Video

I'm not saying anything you don't already know, but the carnage could have ended much more quickly if someone on the scene had been armed and able to take out the shooter.

Pray for those folks. If you know anything about Unitarian Universalists, they deny the deity of Christ, His virgin birth, His resurrection, the need for salvation from sin, etc. Perhaps God, in His grace will use this horrific event to turn them to true faith in the Gospel of Christ.

Patrick's Lorica

Monday is St. Patrick's day, and the day has been thoroughly Americanized. The average citizen associates this hero of the Christian faith with drunken orgies, leprechauns and "the wearin' o' the green." In reality, Patrick was a stalwart believer who challenged Druidism in Ireland and championed the cause of Trinitarianism in the Church.

Patrick Friend explains the significance of the hymn known as "The Lorica" or "Breastplate of St. Patrick":

There is a beautiful prayer that legend says was written by St. Patrick himself. As the story goes, he suspected an ambush while he was on the way to meet King Laoghaire. He said the prayer, known today as St. Patrick's Breastplate, the Lorica, or the Deer's Cry, and as the soldiers lay in wait Patrick and his companions passed by but all the soldiers saw were deer! (source: All About Irish)

A lorica is meant to protect its wearer from harm, like a breastplate. As the Druids used magical incantations to call upon the powers of Nature, Patrick invokes the name of the Triune God and claims all the phenomena of nature for his armor because God created them.

May you, Christian Martialist, be imbued with the faith and love of the truth that marked the spirit of Patrick, evangelist of the Scoti. Happy St. Patrick's Day.

Breastplate of St. Patrick

I bind unto myself today
The strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same
The Three in One and One in Three.

I bind this today to me forever
By power of faith, Christ’s incarnation;
His baptism in Jordan river,
His death on Cross for my salvation;
His bursting from the spicèd tomb,
His riding up the heavenly way,
His coming at the day of doom
I bind unto myself today.

I bind unto myself the power
Of the great love of cherubim;
The sweet ‘Well done’ in judgment hour,
The service of the seraphim,
Confessors’ faith, Apostles’ word,
The Patriarchs’ prayers, the prophets’ scrolls,
All good deeds done unto the Lord
And purity of virgin souls.

I bind unto myself today
The virtues of the star lit heaven,
The glorious sun’s life giving ray,
The whiteness of the moon at even,
The flashing of the lightning free,
The whirling wind’s tempestuous shocks,
The stable earth, the deep salt sea
Around the old eternal rocks.

I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need.
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, His shield to ward;
The word of God to give me speech,
His heavenly host to be my guard.

Against the demon snares of sin,
The vice that gives temptation force,
The natural lusts that war within,
The hostile men that mar my course;
Or few or many, far or nigh,
In every place and in all hours,
Against their fierce hostility
I bind to me these holy powers.

Against all Satan’s spells and wiles,
Against false words of heresy,
Against the knowledge that defiles,
Against the heart’s idolatry,
Against the wizard’s evil craft,
Against the death wound and the burning,
The choking wave, the poisoned shaft,
Protect me, Christ, till Thy returning.

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

I bind unto myself the Name,
The strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.
By Whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.

---

Words: Translated from the Gaelic by Cecil Frances Humphreys Alexander, 1889.
Music: "St. Patrick" Charles Villiers Stanford, 1902

A Sheep Threatened

I received an email from RC this morning about a sheep threatened. It's a matter for prayer, and I think it's appropriate for this venue, because the Christian Martialist does not ultimately wrestle against flesh and blood.

It concerns a sister in Christ from South Africa, "who was simply taking up an opportunity to make some extra money and live out her life as a Christian—teaching in a Muslim school—and that in the Sudan." She is Mrs. Het Smid, and here is her story:

Recently, Mrs. Smid took a job teaching at a school in the Sudan. While instructing the children in what to do after they finished their recess time, she inadvertently stepped on a prayer rug.

Now, the children are instructed to pray at this time also but forgot. So they hastily took their prayer rugs to a location where they were not normally located. Mrs. Smid did not realize this and when she looked for them to call them back to class; she stepped on one of the rugs.

At that moment, an Imam saw her standing on the rug. He was furious. He told her that there was already one teacher in prison and that she would be next to go to prison. (You may know that a teacher from England was recently sent to prison for allowing her class to vote on a name for a teddy bear. The name was Mohammad. This happened in a different school in the Sudan.)

In Mrs. Smid's case, the principal (who did not show much respect for her from the time she arrived), actually stood up for her and explained the matter to the Imam.

For the moment, the problem has passed and Mrs. Smid is in the clear. That is call for praise. But knowing the volatility of such situations, continued prayer is requested.

Mrs. Smid is planning on returning home to South Africa at Christmas. She is not planning on returning to the Sudan.

If you have a moment to pray for her, it would be appreciated.