The Four-Leaf Shamrock has an additional heart in it. As you know, four-leaf clovers are hard to find. The Four-Leaf Shamrock’s additional heart represents a Sinner that places his heart’s trust in God’s Son – the Lord Jesus Christ. When you place your trust in God’s Son, your heart becomes one with God’s heart forever and ever. Remember this truth whenever you are taking a stroll outside and you see a patch of clover on the ground. In the clover, you will see a great number of hearts looking up at you. These hearts always trying to speak to you and say, “God loved so much, He sent His Son, the Lord Jesus, to bleed and die in your place.” Will you not receive the Lord Jesus today as your Savior? The main things that keeps people from Jesus are self-righteousness and the love of sin.
You need a perfect Righteousness when you meet God at the judgment. Human nature is innately self-righeous and hates to obey God. Everything you do, say, or think is being recorded in books in heaven (Revelation 20:11-15). These books will be opened on the last day at the Judgment. Your sins keep piling up against you every day. The world's phony religious systems work hard to cover up, ridicule, and hide the Gospel of the Grace of God. God will not weigh your good deeds against your evil deeds, because you don't have any good deeds. Christ-less self-righteous religion is cruel and dangerous. Religion leads you to pretend to be fine without receiving Christ and trusting Him alone. If you die in your sins without Christ's Righteousness, you'll wind up in the Lake of Fire.
Your sin blocks you from going to heaven. You sin must be paid for by someone. God looked down from Heaven and saw the sinfulness and hopefulness of mankind who couldn't keep His laws. He saw them desperately laboring to gain heaven by their religious works. A perfect blood Sacrifice was needed to wash away man's sins. Jesus' blood was holy, pure, and without sin. The Creator of the universe (Christ Jesus) was virgin born without sin. Jesus lived a Perfect life (in thought, word and deed) and worked out a perfect Righteousness for you to receive as a Gift. Jesus shed His Precious Blood to set you free from sin. God will only be looking for Jesus’ Blood and Righteousness to be on your soul at the Judgment. Your good works and religious efforts will not help you at all when you face the holiness and justice of God. There is none righteous, no, not one. God became a Jesus man 2,000 years ago: His name was Jesus Christ. God loved you at Calvary’s cross where Christ bled and died for you. Jesus took your place and suffered the punishment for your sins on the Cross.
God the Father loved you – He sent His Son from Heaven to die for you. The Gospel is simple - Just believe on Jesus and what He has done for you, and He'll forgive all your sins. Christ Jesus loved you and gave Himself for you – He died for your sins, was buried and rose again the third day. The Holy Ghost loves you – He is calling you today to come to Jesus before it’s too late. Christ Jesus is the only way to Heaven – all other roads lead to Hell and the Lake of Fire. Can you say today, "I know God as my Father, Jesus Christ as my Savior, and the Holy Spirit as my Comforter"? If not, please humble yourself and look to Jesus alone. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Remember: Life is Short, Death is sure, Sin is the curse, and Christ is the Cure. Jesus shed His holy blood to save your ungodly soul. Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while he is near. Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Don’t put off Salvation – there is danger and death in delay. Admit you’re a sinner, be willing to turn from sin (repent), believe in your heart that Jesus died and rose again for you, and receive Jesus into your heart by faith. Please submit to Him and humbly seek the Lord in prayer.
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Ancient Ireland was a land of mystery and tradition, a place shrouded in myths and legends. It all started with the Celts, who came to Ireland from Europe around 1000BC. The Celts were a sophisticated people, but they also had a dark side. Battle was a way of life for the Celts and slavery was one of their most lucrative occupations. Slaves were captured at home and snatched from neighboring lands.
In 401AD Irish raiders while plundering their way across the British Isles, seized a 16-year old boy by the name of Patrick. They brought him back to Ireland and sold him to a local chieftain named Milchu. Patrick was put in charge of tending his new master’s flock of sheep and he spent his days on top of a cold barren mountain isolated from almost everyone. Lonely and afraid, Patrick turned to God in prayer, and became a devout Christian.
After six years Patrick escapes and returns back to his home in Scotland. There he received a divine calling from God: Return to Ireland and spread the word of the Lord. Around 432AD at the age of 45, Patrick returned to Ireland and was very successful in his gospel ministry as a missionary. He knew the language and loved the people of Ireland and understood their culture. During his lifetime, Patrick founded hundreds of churches and baptized thousands of converts in Ireland.
To this day, the Irish continue to honor Saint Patrick. One way the faithful show their devotion is with pilgrimages to Croagh Patrick, a mountain in western Ireland. This mountain is where Patrick was said to have banished the snakes (pagan religions) from Ireland. Within 200 years after this event, Ireland was almost completely Christian.
St. Patrick’s Day has come to mean different things to different people. For some in Ireland and around the world, it is a holy day, a day to honor the man that brought Christianity to Ireland. For others, it’s a celebration – a day to honor their Irish heritage, their ancestry, and all things Irish. Saint Patrick quote: “Christ in every eye that sees me. Christ in every ear that hears me.”
Here’s some interesting Irish trivia for you to ponder:
* The official emblem for Ireland is the ‘Harp.’
* The traditional St. Patrick's day meal is corned-beef and cabbage, potatoes, and carrots.
* The first St. Patrick's Day parade took place in New York City on March 17, 1762.
* Patrick was a Bible-preaching born-again Christian, not a catholic bishop.
* “Aer Lingus” is a Gaelic phrase which means “Air Fleet”. “Aer Lingus” is the Irish national airline today and its logo is a Shamrock.
* The Blarney Stone is located at Blarney Castle in Cork, Ireland.
* “Erin Go Braugh” is a Gaelic phrase used to express allegiance to Ireland and it means “Ireland Forever.”
* An Irish drum is called a ‘bodhran'.
* The longest river in Great Britain, the Shannon River, is located in Ireland.
* The real name for Northern Ireland is “Ulster.”
