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.

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 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.

He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the garbage pile in order to seat them among nobles… Psalm 113:7

Today is Blog Action Day 2008. Thousands of bloggers around the globe are focusing their attention on Poverty to raise awareness for the poor and downtrodden. The eradication of global poverty seems to be a gargantuan task, but there are little things that each of us can do to help out a little bit at a time.

“OK, OK,” you say, “hold up right there, dude. How can I (and heck, why should I) help with poverty when I’m on the verge myself? My stocks just crashed through the floor!” Well hang on there, cowboy; I’m about to tell ya.

I know that many of us are feeling the pressure of the economic downturn of the past couple of years. Gas is still (relatively) astronomically-priced, nobody can get a mortgage loan, and new jobs are seemingly a thing of the past. But believe me, God has blessed us tremendously and we have a responsibility to help those who are less fortunate. So, without any further ado, here are a couple of ways you and your friends can help combat poverty both in the United States and around the world:

• Become a mentor- Check out some place like Big Brother Big Sister of America. There are tons of underprivileged children in your city that just need someone to hang out with and teach them about life.

• Donate clothing- There are tons of places to donate all types of clothing. Check out Dress for Success or Nashville-based Soles4Souls.

• Join a relief organization- I’m sure your local church has a relief program that sends teams to help whenever disaster strikes across the country. If you are connected to a local church, check out organizations like the Peace Corps.

• Donate a micro loan- Check out organizations like Kiva that let you donate small amounts of money toward and entrepreneurial venture in a third-world country.

So there you go, tons of ways you can help fight poverty by doing something little. Don’t sit back and wait to do something. Go now and spread the love of Christ through your actions.

He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses. Proverbs 28:27 (NIV)

OK, is anybody else sick of the political junk that the two parties have been spewing forth in an effort to earn our pen-stroke on a tiny piece of paper? If you are like me, you just jumped up and yelled “Yes!” at the top of your lungs. The red and blue propaganda has somehow fused together into an unintelligible pile of purple crap. If that sounds like you then pay attention; I’m about to break this down better than a pre-1991 rapper.

I hate to break this to everyone, but I don’t think that Jesus is a Republican or a Democrat. I’m not even sure he’s registered to vote in the United States, but I’ll check and get back with you later. “Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s” was not an endorsement…in fact, when I read that passage I hear a twinge of sarcasm in his voice. I seriously doubt that God is worried about who is going to be in the White House for the next 4 to 8 years. It’s not like we are going to throw God a curve ball and He will have to change His swing to make His plan happen. No, God will put into power whomever God wants in power.

Now, that is not to say that Christians do not have a responsibility in the election process, because we do. Our votes need to align with the teachings of Christ so that his kingdom may come to earth as it is in heaven. I know, I know, that’s a tough one. Vote Democrat and the Freedom of Choice Act gets signed. Vote Republican and the poor of the country have a good chance of getting marginalized and ignored. How are we supposed to make that kind of judgement call?!

We aren’t. God is. Just pray. I promise that if you truly seek the will of God during the next several weeks, He will direct your path to the polls.

This article is the first of several being written about a Christian’s responsibility during the election season. I would love to hear your thoughts and feelings about political matters.

It truly pains me to see a pastor entrenched in a legal battle over something so simple as providing aid for the homeless. But at the same time, it is very encouraging to know that there is someone in this country who is willing to stand up and shout: “My God’s laws supersede those of your township, and I will live my life in accordance with His plan and vision!”

This is a perfect example of Acts 5:29 in action. The Sanhedrin walked in on the apostles preaching and demanded that they cease immediately. “But Peter and the apostles replied, ‘We must obey God rather than men’” (Holman CSB). Yes, God commands us to obey those He has placed in authority over us, but His law is greater. We cannot sit idly by and watch our nation become so corrupted and secular that it becomes illegal to love! In Matthew 22, Christ commands to love the Lord our God and to love our neighbor as ourselves. He even goes on to say that all (not some, not most) of the Law depends on these two commandments. If we fail to show God’s love to each and every one of our fellow humans, it is all for naught. Never forget the love that God has shown all of us, and never forget to share it with your community.

What do you think? Should churches be allowed to house homeless even though it may go against city zoning ordinances? Where should the line be drawn for civil disobedience?