Nationalism over Holiness

I am as great a patriot for this country as anyone.  I am even still a patriot for the great Confederate States of America.  When we began over 200 years ago, what were the ideals and morality of this country?  Where are we now?

Psalms 119

9 BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed [thereto] according to thy word.

10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

12 Blessed [art] thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.

13 With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.

14 I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as [much as] in all riches.

15 I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.

16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.

These are the words we should be celebrating but only if this is our desire.
We as a nation started great, but now look where we are.
This time of year we will celebrate our country, but what are we now celebrating.
We have become very immoral yet in our churches we will talk of  all our virtues.
In a few weeks we will talk about how we need to pray for leaders and of revival needed in this land.
Somehow we will raise the national flag over and higher than the banner of Christ.
We will accept immorality and ignore Holiness.

As a Christian, should not the banner of Christ be flown higher than any national banner?
Allen

WORLD | If Platt's Radical was radical | Anthony Bradley | May 12, 2010

WORLD | If Platt's Radical was radical | Anthony Bradley | May 12, 2010

I agree.  Purpose Driven has the same ideology.
Allen

WORLD | John Piper on homosexuality | John Piper | April 13, 2013

WORLD | John Piper on homosexuality | John Piper | April 13, 2013

EUTOPIA and UTOPIA

Eu·to·pi·a           " Dictionary.com"

1.a place in which human society, natural conditions, etc., are so ideally perfect that there is complete contentment.

2. Utopia.The state of Eutpoia

Is it not interesting that in order to acheive Utopia those seeking that state will lie, cheat, steal, murder, covet, harm, revel, etc...
So it is you have to violate the definition to gain it.
This is the ultimate "the end is justified by the means to aquire it".
Heaven will be Utopia but we do not have to violate GOD's commandments to obtain it. We only need to receive the atoinment for sin.

Achiever vs Non-Achiever

I have observed my generation and other generations older and younger. One thing that I have noticed is the desire to.... On the part of a particular generation.  The conclusion that I came to was there were achievers and non-achievers.  Proverbs labels them as diligent or slothful.  This current generation tends to be non-achievers; they have no motivation to complete a task from start to finish.
They do not want to learn how best to do the task, they just do the task somewhat like the Borg of Star Trek.  These are just assimilated into the culture with no independent thinking required.  (This will pave the way for Socialism, Marxism, or Communism).  I do not know how you convince a non-achiever to become an achiever.
How do we train these to become Achievers?

Team vs Synergy

We all know what team work is.  Can you have team without synergy?  Sure you can.

According to Wikipedia 

Synergy is two or more things functioning together to produce a result not independently obtainable. The term synergy comes from theGreek word synergia συνεργία from synergos, συνεργός, meaning "working together".^{[1]
I work on a team with my job; there is no synergy.  I have worked on a team at my church; there was no synergy.
Why? you may ask. 
I'll tell you......
Team work is one thing; all have the same goal but getting there is indivudialzed.
Synergy is team work towards the same goal but the goal is accomplished with communication.
Take a Football team.  You have talented players, all with specific skills.  Those teams that focus on those specific skills individually do not win often. Those teams that individually communicate with each other often excel (synergy).
In our churches we have individual persons trying to accomplish one goal.  Often though, those team members at the top are ok with synergy as long as it is done their way.  Competition gets in the way of true synergy.
I have seen this up close and personal.
What could we have accomplished if we allowed each skill set to do what it does best and worked together (synergy) to meet the one goal?
There is too much competition for recognition.
Allen}

The Name of God

I'm in church on Sunday and while we are singing our praise song I notice that we are 
Singing and referring to God.  While that is not odd for me,  if someone from India,  China, Kenya, or Egypt were here, they might think that this same  God is their god.  We have a name for our God and should use it to be specific whom we are speaking of.  What about using Jehovah when we refer to God.  It surely would make clear we are not talking about Buda, or Allah, or any other god of differing religions.

Allen