Daily writing prompt

Are you patriotic? What does being patriotic mean to you?

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To me being patriotic means total loyalty and full, heart-felt commitment and obedience to the highest authority. The nations of the world falsely claim to be that highest authority and convince their citizens to worship them as though they were God. Many nations even use the phrase “God and country,” in order to manipulate people into passionate, self-sacrificing devotion to them.

However, the real purpose of patriotism is much nobler than loyalty and devotion to an earthly nation. It is loyalty and devotion to the eternal, invisible nation — the kingdom (government) of God that is made up of people from “every kindred and every tribe.” Patriots in the kingdom of God are peacemakers who love their enemies and bless those that curse them.

The kingdom of God isn’t about a religious program in a church; it’s about Christ’s presence prompting and directing human hearts. Yet, it seems that the Holy Spirit is rarely given the chance to lead a church service all by Himself without human programming.

I woke up this morning with these thoughts developing in my heart: “There’s so much more to Jesus than church attendance. Discover and delight in His daily presence! I wish that everyone would discover and delight in the presence of ‘Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Then they could begin to personally experience supernatural commitment to the kingdom and direct government of God in their heart and compassionate love for all of humanity.”

Let Jesus be your internal flame that never goes out! To fan the flame, ask yourself: “What’s Jesus doing in me?” “What have I seen Jesus do? Wherever you are, ask, “Is Jesus doing anything here?” Ask a pastor on Sunday morning, “Can you tell me something that Jesus is doing here?” God’s fire on the altar of our heart must come from what Jesus is doing. We can’t light it all by ourselves. However, we can nurture and tend God’s inner fire and stir up His gifts within us by courageously hearing and obeying His still small voice and refusing to quench His Spirit.

Experience Authentic Intelligence. Learn to listen to the Holy Spirit.