Psalms 40:4-5 ESV
“Blessed is the man who makes
the Lord his trust,
who does not turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after a lie!
You have multiplied, O Lord my God,
your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
none can compare with you!
I will proclaim and tell of them,
yet they are more than can be told.”
For the past three days the Lord has been impressing upon me a steady theme regarding where our loyalties should be and to whom, and with regard to whom we should trust and put our hope in, and concerning the subject of patriotism and loyalty and devotion and support of one’s own form of government in one’s own nation, i.e. trusting in kings and armies to be our saviors and to rescue us from evil and to save us from our enemies.
The Bible, all throughout the Old Testament and New Testament, teaches us that we are not to place our trust in humans and in soldiers and armies and kings and princes (government heads) which cannot save. For it is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes (any heads of governments). For our faith is not to rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God. Thus we are not to boast in men. We are not to become slaves of men.
[Psalms 146:3; Psalms 118:9; Isaiah 40:23; Hosea 8:4; Hosea 13:10; Psalms 147:10-11; Jeremiah 17:5-6; 1 Corinthians 2:1-5; 1 Corinthians 3:1-9,18-23; 1 Corinthians 7:23; Galatians 1:10; Galatians 2:12; Ephesians 4:14-16; Ephesians 6:5-8; Colossians 2:8,20-23; Colossians 3:23-24; 1 Thessalonians 2:3-8; 1 Peter 4:1-5; 2 Peter 3:17-18]
Are we to obey governing authorities over us? Yes, but as we would to Christ, so never in any way that is contrary to the teachings of the Scriptures. But not in a worshipful sense as we would to Christ, for the Lord is the only one to whom we are to give our undying loyalties, devotion, worship, trust, support, and hope. We are to look to no humans to be our saviors and protectors from any purported enemies, but only to God.
Thus we should not be pledging (vowing) allegiance (worship) to any flag (banner/standard) other than to the standard of God and of his holy word. We should not be pledging (vowing) allegiance (loyalty, devotion, worship) to any form of government nor to any heads of governments with hand over heart. And we should not be singing patriotic songs of worship of our government, and we should not be honoring the military as our heroes as though they are the ones keeping us safe. God alone is our protection!
For these people are flesh. They are not gods to be worshipped. They are fallible and they may not even be who they claim themselves to be. Many are liars and deceivers, even many calling themselves “pastors” of “churches.” For so many are following the ways of the world and of the flesh of man and not the ways of God, even if they act like they are. For we live in an age of massive deception and manipulation of minds and mind control. And that is how so many have come to blindly worship the government.
So obey your governing authorities, but don’t worship them. Don’t give your blind trust to them and think that any man on this earth is ever going to be the one to pull us out of the mess that our nation(s) is in. And when “all hell breaks loose” around us, don’t look to your government and military. Look to God and to God alone! He is our only salvation! He alone is the one in whom we are to place our trust. Only he can save us from disaster.
And obedience to any nation or government must be secondary to obedience to the Lord and must never supersede obedience to the Lord. So if anyone in any position of authority demands that you do something you know is contrary to the will of God and to the teachings of the Scriptures, you can say “No!” Jesus did! His apostles did! The prophets before them did! And many faithful followers of God/Christ have all throughout the centuries.
And please know that many people are liars. We cannot trust the words of human beings with undying loyalty and devotion. Too many liars and deceivers and manipulators of truth exist and are permeating the church and our governments and our universities, etc. So get your truth from the Scriptures, but in context. Too many people are blindly following lies and are themselves spreading those lies of the enemy, some unknowingly. And test everyone and everything in prayer and in the Scriptures before the Lord.
Let the Lord guide you into all truth. Seek his face. Seek his counsel and wisdom. Ask him to show you any lies you are believing and to show you the truth in contrast to those lies. Be followers of God/Christ and not of human beings and people groups and governments. For those you may regard as your friends may turn out to be your enemies, instead. Those you look to for support may turn out to be your betrayers, instead, who hand you over to the true enemy who you may think is on your side. So don’t be fooled!
“Blessed is the man who makes
the Lord his trust,
who does not turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after a lie!”
For Our Nation
An Original Work / September 11, 2012
Bombs are bursting. Night is falling.
Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.
Trust Him with your life today.
Make Him your Lord and your Savior.
Turn from your sin. Follow Jesus.
He will forgive you of your sin;
Cleanse your heart, made new within.
Men betraying: Our trust fraying.
On our knees to God we’re praying,
Seeking God to give us answers
That are only found in Him.
God is sovereign over all things.
Nothing from His mind escaping.
He has all things under His command,
And will work all for good.
Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.
Men deceiving: We’re believing
In our Lord, and interceding
For our nation and its people
To obey their God today.
He is our hope for our future.
For our wounds He offers suture.
He is all we need for this life.
Trust Him with your life today.
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