Welcome to St-Pats Online

We meet Sunday morning at 10:00 am at California Arts Academy, 4750 N Blackstone Ave (Just south of Shaw Ave.) We have Sunday school and nursery for the kids. Email Admin@St-Pats.com for more information

Our office and mailing address is 1175 W. Shaw Ave, Fresno CA, 93711

St. Pats is an independent Christian congregation. You can read more about what makes us distinctive by clicking on the links in the left column, but we can characterize it in one word; LOVE. Come and see...

Scripture Lesson for Sunday

Generally we observe the Christian calendar and follow the readings from the Revised Common Lectionary. You can view the lessons by clicking here. When you get to Textweek simply click on the link below next Sunday's date. To learn more about the Revised Common Lectionary click here. 

2 Great Personal Examples of the Power of Your Love

For three decades my life has been devoted to sharing the love of God with people and it never ceases to amaze me how simple and profound love is and how powerful love is. Let me share two examples from yesterday.

I was called to make a visit at the home of a couple I've known for years. He is in hospice care, at home. Hospice said that they doubted that he would make it through the day! My visit was pastoral in nature and meant to be sort of last rites for him. Now, I think that is pretty sad. The man is dying! What kind of atmosphere would you expect to find at a home like that?

I rang the door bell and the wife answer. When she saw me I watched her sullen face transform with a huge smile. The whole shape of her face changed! It was dramatic! I entered the home and prayed with the dying husband. By the time I left the home was transformed. In stead of being anxious and just waiting for the inevitable there was a peace that prevailed in the home.

I want you to know that I am not Harry Houdini and I am not the Pope. I did no magic and I did not use any incense, oil or holy water. I merely loved them.

The second example is even more personal. My grandson Brody was over at my home last night. Brody is my gentle giant. At five years old he looks like many eight year olds. His dad has been taking him to learn wrestling, like some kids go to martial arts. So I got down on my hands and knees and wrestled with him. He jumped on my back and squeezed my neck. I got him down on his back and tickled his neck. He squealed with delight. We played like that for no more that ten minutes. He was thrilled! That was the best way a person could ever spend ten minutes. I merely loved him.

Never underestimate the power of your love! You never know how deep, personal and meaningful loving others is. You could make all the difference in the world just by showing up and saying a little prayer. You could create memories that last a life time with a tickle and a kiss. Your love is dynamic! Your love can change the world! Your love can, and will, touch the life of someone who needs you.

All that you need to do is to love them.

I love you - Bryan

 

How the Holy Spirit Works Today, In 100 Words

The right temporoparietal junction is where the Holy Spirit moves. No doubt you will find the Spirit swirling about on one of those 400 plus extra-solar planets, too. I heard that the Spirit was causing vibrations in one of those string-like-oscillating-lines physicists theorize of. The water of new wells dug among tribes in Swaziland are said to be enriched by the Holy Spirit and a strange glow was seen emanating from Haiti and Chile. I could swear I saw a halo of the Spirit on Ty Pennington last Sunday Night.  He rests with an infant I know struggling for life.

Bryan Lee Martin

The Big Box and the View of the Future

It had to be the most beautiful spring day in creation. You could see all the way to the ocean. The moon seemed so close that you could reach out and bite it. And you could see way into the future, 100, 500, 2,000, 100,000 years from now. You could blow kisses to all your descendants.   Then you heard the big truck backing up. Beep, beep, beep, beep it warned to stay out of the way. A mammoth crane lowered a huge Box right in front of you within inches of our feet. It blocked the view.  Well… it wasn't that big. Besides you could still see behind you. But it was big enough that when you jumped you still couldn't see over it. When you stepped back you still couldn't see anything except all the windows and "NOW" painted boldly in alluring neon lettering. It was fancy and it drew your attention to it.   Those windows were amazing. They were like 3D movie screens. As you stepped up to the Box and looked into the windows the scenes inside captured you and drew you in so that it felt like you were one of the actors. A lot of the scenes were pleasurable and seduced your attention with excitement. Many were just boring dramas like ones you had seen so many time before but you watched anyway allowing yourself to get sucked into it.   The Box was so powerful that before you knew it years slipped by.   You were really busy attending to the Box but you heard that some people had found a ladder and were standing on the Box checking out the view again. You thought you might do that some time, if you could get away from your windows. Only a few people ever stood on the Box. A couple of really crazy people actually climbed down on the other side of the Box. But you heard that besides the view of the future and blowing kisses to your descendants there was only one window in the back of the box and it just repeated old stories. Clearly this side of the Box is where it was all at.   One day, many years later, someone tapped you on the shoulder. "It is time to go." As you walked away from the Box you were startled to notice how small the Box really was and you could see the future again. It was so bright that you almost had to turn your head, brilliant like the sun. When your eyes adjusted you could still see all your descendants way off in the future, but now they were not blowing kisses. They were waving flags and jumping up and down! They were doing everything they could to get your attention. They needed you! You felt their urgency and you cried out, "They want something from me!" "Yes," the attendant said, "but it is time for you to go now."   I love you - Bryan Martin

Your Should Have Seen His Before and After Pictures

You should see his before and after pictures. Talk about a transformation! I couldn't believe that the picture he showed me was actually the same person. So far he has lost over 200 pounds. I'm not kidding! He is just a couple of dozen pounds away from his goal.
 
Imagine with me how it feels to be well over 400 pounds. Imagine looking in the mirror at your naked body. What a feeling of hopelessness, shame and despair. Not to mention the pain of all that weight, the difficulty breathing, and just trying to get around. Sorry... that is so bad that I can't imagine.
 
Yesterday I gave him the keys to his new home. He was shining. He exudes hope. He radiates life. His wife and family are so proud of him. He has a whole new life. He can actually walk through the door. What a difference.
 
But this did not happen overnight. He isn't a worm that built a cocoon and became a butterfly in a few weeks. No, this takes a lot more than just time and a dream.
 
It begins in a dark deep pit of despair and hopelessness. It seems crazy odd that that dungeon is the birth place of accomplishment. That flickering light of hope, so close to being snuffed out, some how begins to spread. It happens with the thought, "I've got to get help" and then with slow, Slow, SLOW, S-L-O-W two-steps-forward-one-step-backward progress, especially to begin with, it starts to grow.

There ARE a FEW minimal encouragers along the way; you meet somebody else who did it. You lose ten pounds, fifteen. You have set backs. It is so hard to control your old habits. You gain some back. You fail. You start all over. But one day you hit fifty pounds. Now you are on a roll.
 
Then one day, after months and months of hard hard work, with no reward other than personal satisfaction, you cross that magic line and you can see the goal, the light at the end of the tunnel, in the not too distant future.
 
What is your goal? How is it going for you? Some goals are harder than losing 200 pounds because they are more abstract. My friends who struggle with addiction will testify to that. So will the ones who are trying to build their business and overcome financial difficulty. So will the ones who are trying to rebuild their lives after loss. Sometimes the progress is so painfully slow that you just want to give up. In fact, there are many many days like that.
 
Thank God for real live people that you meet in everyday life who have actually lost the weight, had several years of sobriety, built their business from nothing, are happy again. They are true inspiration for all of us. Truly, if they can do it, so can we... with a little help from God and our friends.
 
Press on! God is with us. We shall be more than conquerors.

I love you - Bryan Martin

The MD says you have an incurable disease. What do you do?

The MD says you have an incurable life threatening disease which, if you don't take care of it with injections several perhaps a dozen shots a day, you will die. On top of that you are seven years old! What do you do?

This is exactly what happened to seven year old Katelyn Pool last year. It couldn't happen at a worse time; the economy is just wreaking havoc on the family's personal finances to the limit and beyond. It's the perfect storm all over again.
 
In cases like Katelyn's the only way to achieve balance and stability is with an insulin pump, an expensive ($9000.00) piece of medical equipment that monitors and controls blood sugar without constant injections.
 
I have watched Katelyn during her ordeal. She remains spunky, courageous, positive and best of all she is an inspiration to everyone around her.
 
I invited Katelyn to speak at our church recently. She joined me in front of all those people and told them about her new foundation, the Katelyn Pool Pump It Up for Diabetic Kids Foundation. Katelyn's goal is to raise enough money for five insulin pumps for diabetic kids this year by collecting cans and bottles and recycling them. You should have seen her. She took one look at those people watching her, took a deep breath and launched into her speech. Seven years old! She was amazing! We are going to help her raise that money!
 
Now... what about you? What are you facing today? What ever it is I want you to remember Katelyn all day long. Say her name out loud right now, Katelyn. Let this little girl inspire you. In all that you do remember this, there is a way for you to help make the world a better place. In spite of what is going on with your family, your finances, your personal relationships, your health, you can let your light shine.
 
Be like Katelyn, let the love of God flow through your heart to your world.
 
For more information about how you can help Katelyn raise money for diabetic kids needing insulin pumps call (559) 259-6164

I love you -- Bryan

Here Is What You Need To Do To Get Through Your Day… In 30 Seconds

Here is what you need to do today.

1. Keep your goal, your "big why" in mind and work towards it passionately.

2. Follow your established schedule and don't get side tracked.

3. Keep positive, enthusiastic and upbeat all day long.

4. Accept your failures and short comings as integral parts of your journey and move forward. It happens! Often with a capital SH. No drama! Just move forward.

5. Give back in the form you were given. If money, give back money. If love, give back love. Just give back.

6. Celebrate EVERY little victory. Small step wise progress leads to major accomplishments.

7. REJECT NEGATIVITY in every form. Just don't give it credence.

8. Recall the teachings of Jesus and remember that the Holy Spirit lives inside you…not just for your benefit… but for the whole world!

9. Take small mini breaks to recharge by; being thankful, uplifting reading, singing, befriending, pray, pray, pray!

10. Love somebody. You need to love somebody.

11. Remember: This is the day that the Lord has made, rejoice and be glad in it.

12. Start back at number one.

I love you — Bryan