What is a Patriot?

Everyone who is informed about current events knows what a Patriot is.  It’s a surface-to-air missile, right?  That’s true, but how does the name “Patriot” apply to human beings? 

What is a patriot?  What used to be understood as an American cultural value seems to have gotten out of focus.  Now words mean different things to people. 

A patriot personifies the quality of patriotism.  Wiktionary says that patriotism is “Love of one's country; devotion to the welfare of one's compatriots; passion which inspires one to serve one's country.”  Merriam-Webster.com says that “patriotism can be defined as love of one’s country, identification with it, and special concern for its well-being and that of compatriots." 

Patriots do things that are patriotic.  They vote, pay taxes, volunteer to serve in the military, stand for elected office, and work to improve their communities, states, and nation.  Patriots stand for the national anthem, respect the flag, say the pledge of allegiance, serve on juries, and obey the law.  If necessary, patriots are willing to fight for their country, even to the death. 

Patriots believe that, when weighed in the balance, their country and what it stands for are more good than bad.  They recognize the things that need improvement and work constructively and peacefully to improve their nation by legal means. 

A patriot is a useful and productive citizen.  They give a dollar’s work for a dollar’s pay, and they believe that there is dignity in all honest work.  When possible, patriots add value to their contribution to the workforce by obtaining additional education or training.  If they fall on hard times, they may need to temporarily rely on public assistance programs, but they actively seek return to work because they understand that to have self-respect one needs to be self-sufficient. 

Patriots never give up or surrender.  They do not abandon their country during hard times.  A patriot continues to defend their country (as long as they have the means to resist), even when the cause seems to be lost.  Patriots oppose tyranny and defend freedom. 

Patriotism is the act of doing patriotic things, rather than just saying them.  On this Fourth of July, let’s think about what it truly means to be a patriot.  Whether you agree with what I have written or not, come up with your own idea of what a patriot is.  Then put it into action. 

Above all, please pray for the United States of America.  Have a happy Fourth.

 

How to Save Your Life

Set aside your old way of living.  Take up your new life in Christ.  Follow Him. 

One day Jesus left the crowds to pray alone. Only his disciples were with him, and he asked them, “Who do people say I am?” 

“Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other ancient prophets risen from the dead.” 

Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”

Peter replied, “You are the Messiah sent from God!” 

Jesus warned his disciples not to tell anyone who he was.  “The Son of Man must suffer many terrible things,” he said. “He will be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead.” 

Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.  If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.  And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?  If anyone is ashamed of me and my message, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in his glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels.”                  (Luke 9:18-26 NLT) [1]

 

… And that message is the very message about faith that we preach:  If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:8-9 NLT) [2]

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[1] https://biblehub.com/nlt/luke/9.htm

[2] https://biblehub.com/nlt/romans/10.htm

 

Not There Yet

I believe that I have been called to write this blog to share God’s Word, the way of salvation, and how to become more and more like Jesus.  I do not want to be a hypocrite, however, so I confess that I have not been able to fully attain the standard of righteousness that God sets for us.

I am not nearly as bad as I used to be.  In Christ, I have become much better than I ever thought I could be.  I am still not what I should be.  That is why I need a Savior. 

When we are saved, we become a new creature (2Corinthians 5:17)  who desires to know and do the will of God. (Philippians 2:13)  It is God’s will for us to be conformed to the image of Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:29) 

So, I continue on knowing that I am saved by grace – not by any good deed that I might do - in order to do the things God has planned for me to do. (Ephesians 2:8-10)  However, like the Apostle Paul, I’m not there yet. (Philippians 3:12)  I’m working on it. (Philippians 2:12) 

I just want you to know that I am not setting myself up on a pedestal, pretending to be perfect.  This blog is intended to glorify Jesus Christ – not me.  I’m just an ordinary person who loves the Lord.

 

God is Good ... All the Time

“I will extol the Lord at all times;

his praise will always be on my lips.

I will glory in the Lord;

let the afflicted hear and rejoice.

Glorify the Lord with me;

let us exalt his name together.

I sought the Lord, and he answered me;

he delivered me from all my fears.

Those who look to him are radiant;

their faces are never covered with shame.

This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;

he saved him out of all his troubles.

The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,

and he delivers them.

Taste and see that the Lord is good;

blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.”

 

(Psalm 34:1-8 NIV) [1]

 

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[1] https://biblehub.com/niv/psalms/34.htm

The Time to Walk the Walk is Now

 

“And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.  The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.  Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.  Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.” (Romans 13:11-14 NIV) [1]

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[1] https://biblehub.com/niv/romans/13.htm

Addicted

As of today, the US national debt is very close to $37 trillion. [1]  By the American system of reckoning, a trillion is a thousand billion.  Please check my math as it is not my strongest subject.  However, if I am correct, and if the United States reduced the national debt by a billion dollars per year, it would take about 37,000 years to pay it off. 

Estimates vary, but on April 28, 2025 CBS News reported “Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, says it has saved $160 billion through its push to root out wasteful or fraudulent government spending.” [2] DOGE does not, however, control the federal spending. 

The constitution gives the US Congress the power of the purse.  The executive branch must, eventually, spend the money appropriated by congress.  It is hard to sort through all of the mumbo-jumbo surrounding the “Big Beautiful” spending bill that is under consideration, but it does not look like it will provide the amount of spending cuts DOGE recommended.  Elon Musk does not think it will, and he is being pretty vocal about his displeasure.  Nevertheless, President Trump will probably sign off on it because it includes tax cuts and other provisions he wants. 

Regardless, it doesn’t matter because neither the DOGE cuts, or the savings provided by the “Big Beautiful Bill” will fix the problem.  The annual budget deficit in FY 2024 exceeds the spending cuts they provide. 

“In FY 2024, the federal government spent $6.75 trillion and collected $4.92 trillion in revenue, resulting in a deficit. The amount by which spending exceeds revenue, $1.83 trillion in 2024, is referred to as deficit spending.” [3] 

If the Unites States does not stop the growth of our national debt the possibility, (or perhaps the probability), exists that we will be forced to default and even revalue our currency.  The economic consequences of these actions would be catastrophic. 

Our currency is not backed by precious metals or any other thing of value, except the “good faith and credit” of the US Government.  Most of the world’s currencies are the same.  Further, the value of other nations’ money is based on the dollar. Additionally, our market is a major economic engine driving the world economy.  In short, if we crash there is a good chance we will take a lot of other nations’ economies down with us. 

I am not a fan of Elon Musk, but he is a brilliant businessman.  The opinions of knowledgeable people must be taken seriously.  It is apparent that Mr. Musk is very concerned about the budget deficit and our national debt.  We all should be. 

One of the characteristics of addiction is that the addict continues abusing the source of the addiction after experiencing negative consequences.  Our federal government is addicted to spending.  Congress is primarily responsible, but the chief executive is complicit. 

Frankly, it may already be too late to remedy budget deficits and the national debt.  The legal action and constitutional amendments needed begin with the addicted party – the US Congress. 

Prayer is not the least we can do. It is the most we can do.  Please pray for the United States of America. 

Then step out in faith.  Write, email, or call your Senators, Congressional Representatives, and the White House.  Vote for candidates who seem to recognize the enormity and seriousness of this situation.  God bless you.

 

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[1] https://www.usdebtclock.org/

[2] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/doge-cuts-cost-135-billion-analysis-elon-musk-department-of-government-efficiency/

[3] https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/americas-finance-guide/national-deficit/

Love God and Cast Off Worldly Desires

“Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.  For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.  And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.” (1John 2:15-17 NLT) [1]

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[1] https://biblehub.com/nlt/1_john/2.htm