Entries Tagged 'Radical Living' ↓

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands…” 

I am almost sure that I will irritate a few people with this post, but so be it.  Wrecked.org posted an article a few days ago about the Pledge of Allegiance.  It is an article with which I wholeheartedly agree.  You can read the whole thing here.

To sum it up, the author writes that pledging our allegiance to anything other than God while in church is equivalent to idolatry.  That it IS idolatry.  He does not call for Christians to stop saying the plege all together, just in church where our focus and allegiance should to God and God alone.  

However, I do take it to that next step.  My allegiance needs to be to God, and no other, all the time.  Not just while at church.  I choose to exercise my freedoms as an American and refrain from saying the pledge of allegiance in most cases.  Certainly not in all cases, though I must admit that I have yet to find a case where I have chosen to say it since making the decision, but I might someday.  *Shrug*

Now, before you get all crazy: No, I do not hate America.  No, I do not hate soldiers.  No, I do not hate freedom.  Yes, I realize that those freedoms came at a price.  In past generations, several members of my family have served in the military.  I was about 15 minutes from enlisting after high school, myself.  I appreciate their sacrifice.

But we have to remember that, while patriotism is fine, America is not our kingdom.  As Christians we belong to one kingdom: the kingdom of God.

And yes, I realize that it might seem hypocritical to refrain from pledging my allegiance to the flag for this reason while my everyday actions show that I am obviously placing my allegiances elsewhere.  Yes, I sin.  Yes, I put things before God all the time.  But this particular action is an obvious, and I think blatant, one that can be remedied quickly and relatively painlessly.

Now, please do not think that I am telling you to quit saying the pledge of allegiance.  I am merely asking that, if you do, remember to whom you belong and where your allegiance really lies.  May God bless America now and until His Son returns.

So, you have a bunch of friends that don’t (or won’t) go to church, but you are hurting for a way to connect with them in the real world.  Been there many times, my friend.  Here are 9 simple ways to connect with anyone:

1. Go to a concert/sporting event:  Especially in Nashville, there is always live music to be heard. Several minor league sports teams, too.  Check your community calendar and go have some fun!
2. Volunteer: Go help serve a meal at the homeless shelter or help out at the local animal shelter. Habitat for Humanity is always a great organization to work with and you might even learn a new skill! There are hundreds of volunteer opportunities in and around your community and I’ll bet your friends would love to get involved, too.
3. Invite them over to your house for dinner/dessert: People gotta eat, right? Why not feed them on your home turf? Give them a chance to see you and hang out with you at home.
4. Invite them to church/small group: They don’t go to church, huh? have you invited them? This one might seem obvious, but it might just be that your friends aren’t coming because you aren’t bringing.
5. Go for a motorcycle ride: Maybe you don’t ride a motorcycle. Well, start! Or go for a scenic drive. Or go for a bicycle ride. Get out and spend some time in the world God created.
6. Host a Guitar Hero/Rock Band night: Everybody needs to unwind.  Break out the PS3 or Wii and rock out!
7. Go play (insert your sport here): Football, Ultimate Frisbee, Tennis, Golf.  If you have the equipment, why aren’t you using it as a witnessing tool? Huh?
8. Start a book club/study group: It’s not as nerdy as it sounds. Surely there is a book that has been written sometime in the history of the printed word that you might find appealing. If you are a student, you’re gonna be reading it anyway. Invite your friend/classmate to talk about it with you.
9. Serve Them: Do they need help moving? What about helping them do a full-on cleaning of their house/apartment? Fixing their car? Volunteer yourself to help them get the mundane done; they will appreciate it.

Looking back over this list, I see a recurring theme: these are mostly things I like to do anyway. Theoretically, my friends like to do these things, too (would we be friends if we didn’t like even few of the same things?).  Connecting is simple: find common interests and go do them!

9 is a weird number for a list, so I need your ideas to finish it off.  What are some ways that you (specifically) can connect with your non-believing friends?  Leave your ideas in the comments.

I am going to start this post by humbly asking for your forgiveness. I want to rehash a topic that has been talked about for years, but it is something that I have been thinking a lot about lately. With the current economic and political situation of the United States, it seems like as good a time as any to start thinking about it again.

I assume that you all have heard the phrase “God helps those who help themselves.” Many believe that this quote comes from the Bible, and, at first glance, it seems to be harmless. After all, Proverbs 6 warns against laziness by honoring the work ethic of the ant and in Matthew 25, Christ presents two parables that speak of the virtues of preparation and hard work. In truth, however, this phrase is not in the Bible at all; Benjamin Franklin coined the phrase in Poor Richard’s Almanac in 1735.

And, honestly, how much further from the truth of our Lord can a phrase be? God helps those who help themselves? No! Our Lord helps those who cannot help themselves! Jesus healed the lame man at the pool at Bethesda (John 5:1-8). He healed the paralytic man whose friends lowered him through the roof in Capernaum (Mark 2:1-5). And He healed you and I, desperate and wicked sinners who had no hope of ever spending eternity with our God and Creator. He gave His life so that we might be freed from the bondage of our sins and know the joy of being able to boldly approach the Father and be presented holy, faultless, and blameless before Him.

Unfortunately, that phrase has a tendency to creep into our everyday speech and it is rarely spoken in a loving manner. The homeless, the prostitutes, the addicts…they can all be written off because they are obviously not helping themselves. That is not how our Saviour sees them. Thankfully, that is not how our Saviour sees us. I challenge you to try to become more like Christ in this way: help the helpless just as Christ did for you.

How do you feel about the phrase “God helps those who helps themselves?” Is there a bit of truth to it? Is it completely true?  I would love to hear your thoughts and comments.