<html><head></head><body><div><div><div><div>14. &nbsp;Do all things without grumbling or questioning,&nbsp;</div><div>15a. &nbsp;that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation,</div><div><br></div>Philippians 2;15b-16<div><br><b>15b. &nbsp;among whom you shine as lights in the world,</b><div><b>16. &nbsp;holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.</b></div><div><b><br></b></div><div>I love the image of saint Lucia, (seen at Advent time, around December 13th in many Scandinavian Lutheran churches). &nbsp;She is represented by a white robed maiden with a red sash, and a wreath of evergreens or holly and lighted&nbsp;candles on her head. &nbsp;She was martyred in 304AD for her devotion to Christ.</div><div><br></div><div>The white robe represents the righteousness of faith, the&nbsp;red sash is for her&nbsp;martyrdom, the wreath on her head&nbsp;was to light her way&nbsp;in the darkness&nbsp;and free her hands, so as to do good works for Believers hidden in the catacombs during the Diocletian Persecutions, bringing them food and other helps.&nbsp;She represents the whole Church, the Bride of Christ and our mission.</div><div><br></div><div>She was denounced by an unbeliever who wanted her wealth,&nbsp;arrested, but&nbsp;refused to renounce her faith. &nbsp;She made the last good confession with her life’s-blood. &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Just as we ask all our Catechumens during their Rite of&nbsp;Confirmation:</div><div><br></div><div><i>Q. &nbsp;“Do you intend to live according to the Word of God, and in faith, word, and deed to remain true to God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, even to death?” &nbsp; </i>A.&nbsp; “I do, by the grace of God.”</div><div>and</div><div>Q. &nbsp;<i>“Do you intend to continue steadfast in this confession of Church and to suffer all, even death, rather than fall away from it?” &nbsp; </i>A. &nbsp;“I do, by the grace of God.”</div><div><br></div><div>The Church is the Body of Christ on earth. &nbsp;We are to be&nbsp;‘Light-Bringers.’ &nbsp;<i>“We who first hoped in Christ have been destined and appointed to live for the praise of his glory.” </i>(Ephesians 1;12)&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div> Jesus said, <i>“You are the light of the world. &nbsp;A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. &nbsp;Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. &nbsp;Let your light so shine before men,&nbsp;that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is&nbsp;in heaven.”</i>&nbsp;</div><div>(Matthew 5;14-16)</div><div><br></div><div>The Holy Spirit has been given us so that we would have power to do good works, even suffer death, rather than give up our witness of&nbsp;faith,&nbsp; which is founded upon the Gospel, the very Word of God.</div><div><i>“Holding fast” </i>to <i>“the Word of Life” </i>how God’s strength to face death comes to us. &nbsp;Jesus said, <i>“It is the Spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail; the words that I have spoken to you <u>are</u>&nbsp;Spirit and Life.”</i></div><div>(John 6;63)</div><div><br></div><div>Paul’s pride is not sinful, but is joyously founded upon Christ, by the Holy Spirit, in-dwelling and empowering His Body, His Bride, to do good works and even face death for the sake of shining in this</div><div>present darkness.</div><div><br></div><div>Prayer: &nbsp;Merciful Father, we praise you for the&nbsp;grace You give us <u>in</u>&nbsp;Christ,&nbsp;to <i>“let out Light shine” </i>to&nbsp;keep our Confirmation Vows, as we abide <u>in,</u>&nbsp;and hold fast to,&nbsp;the Word of Life. &nbsp;In Jesus we pray, Amen</div><div><br></div><div>Love,</div><div>Dad/Baba/Eric</div><div>Grandpa Pickle Pastor</div><div>“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word. &nbsp;God’s Word is our habitation, and we are His.”</div><div><br></div><div><br><br><div><a href="https://mail.onelink.me/107872968?pid=nativeplacement&amp;c=Global_Acquisition_YMktg_315_Internal_EmailSignature&amp;af_sub1=Acquisition&amp;af_sub2=Global_YMktg&amp;af_sub3=&amp;af_sub4=100000604&amp;af_sub5=EmailSignature__Static_" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a><br></div></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>

14.  Do all things without grumbling or questioning, 15a.  that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation,
Philippians 2;15b-16
15b.  among whom you shine as lights in the world,16.  holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.
I love the image of saint Lucia, (seen at Advent time, around December 13th in many Scandinavian Lutheran churches).  She is represented by a white robed maiden with a red sash, and a wreath of evergreens or holly and lighted candles on her head.  She was martyred in 304AD for her devotion to Christ.
The white robe represents the righteousness of faith, the red sash is for her martyrdom, the wreath on her head was to light her way in the darkness and free her hands, so as to do good works for Believers hidden in the catacombs during the Diocletian Persecutions, bringing them food and other helps. She represents the whole Church, the Bride of Christ and our mission.
She was denounced by an unbeliever who wanted her wealth, arrested, but refused to renounce her faith.  She made the last good confession with her life’s-blood.  
Just as we ask all our Catechumens during their Rite of Confirmation:
Q.  “Do you intend to live according to the Word of God, and in faith, word, and deed to remain true to God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, even to death?”   A.  “I do, by the grace of God.”andQ.  “Do you intend to continue steadfast in this confession of Church and to suffer all, even death, rather than fall away from it?”   A.  “I do, by the grace of God.”
The Church is the Body of Christ on earth.  We are to be ‘Light-Bringers.’  “We who first hoped in Christ have been destined and appointed to live for the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1;12)  
 Jesus said, “You are the light of the world.  A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5;14-16)
The Holy Spirit has been given us so that we would have power to do good works, even suffer death, rather than give up our witness of faith,  which is founded upon the Gospel, the very Word of God.“Holding fast” to “the Word of Life” how God’s strength to face death comes to us.  Jesus said, “It is the Spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail; the words that I have spoken to you are Spirit and Life.”(John 6;63)
Paul’s pride is not sinful, but is joyously founded upon Christ, by the Holy Spirit, in-dwelling and empowering His Body, His Bride, to do good works and even face death for the sake of shining in thispresent darkness.
Prayer:  Merciful Father, we praise you for the grace You give us in Christ, to “let out Light shine” to keep our Confirmation Vows, as we abide in, and hold fast to, the Word of Life.  In Jesus we pray, Amen
Love,Dad/Baba/EricGrandpa Pickle Pastor“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word.  God’s Word is our habitation, and we are His.”


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