To Whom Do You Pledge Allegiance? - Part 1

In today's culture, there is no shortage of devotion and loyalty ... to ourselves. The culture teaches us to “look out for number one." Looking out for number one is the same lie that the devil used to seduce Eve in the garden:  God's not God, you are ... “you shall be as God, knowing good from evil” – Genesis 3:5. Ever since Eve bought the devil's lie, all mankind has been under the bondage of the sin of self-centeredness. The world's definition of humility says, "I may not be much, but I'm all I think about." There is nothing new under the sun – Ecclesiastes 1:9.  Today, we are in the midst of a spiritual battle ... for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual wickedness from on high – Ephesians 6:12. Our fight is not against the culture and against the doctrines of this God-rejecting world system, rather, our fight is against the powers of darkness and against the rulers of the darkness in high places. The battle is for the hearts and souls of mankind. 

Even we as Christians, after having been “born again” from above, are in a constant battle against the sin nature that we inherited from Adam, for in my flesh dwelleth no good thing – Romans 7:18. The question is, to whom are you devoted? Is devotion, loyalty, and commitment to God an infringement of your personal Right of Freedom? If you buy into this “doctrine of self”, you are part of the atomization and disintegration of our culture, where devotion to self is preeminent.

When the crisis comes, God expects his children to overcome the darkness of this world...  totally devoted, not to self-centeredness, but totally devoted to Him.  This commitment comes only by allowing the Holy Spirit to move within our hearts. For in Him we live and move and have our being – Acts 17:28. In Revelation 3:15-16, God commanded the Apostle John: "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth."  Laodicea had no springs, so they built an aqueduct to send water to the city.  Because the city was so far from the springs, the water was tepid and bitter.  Laodicea was a rich city, and the wealth and prosperity of the city dazzled and blinded its citizens. Because they were rich in material things, they did not realize that they were poor, blind, naked and wretched in spiritual things. In contrast to the riches of this world, Jesus said, blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven – Matthew 5:3. Humility is the prerequisite for turning to the Lord. Therefore humble thyself under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time – 1 Peter 5:6.

We'll complete Michael's message tomorrow.
In Christ, Brian