Patriotism…defined is “vigorous support of one’s country.” Oh but it is so much more than that.
I woke up this morning with two words on my mind, faith and
patriotism. I have posted on “Faith’s
Kingdom” already so in an effort to clear my thoughts on patriotism I offer the
following:
No greater glory can be given to anyone than those who die
for God & Country…or in other words for their Faith and their fellow man. But no one wants to die in any circumstance,
so while we are alive we serve our God, our Faith, our Country, our fellow-man. In so doing we build a legacy for ourselves
and our family despite our destiny, which we have no control over, it just sort
of happens.
If you know me personally or thru this blog or Facebook,
then you know the Bible is my favorite book.
Containing many books, with the true Word of God and His Son Jesus
Christ, there is no other that should be put ahead of it at any time or for any
reason.
My second favorite book is “The Patriot’s Handbook” by
George Grant. Mine is the 2nd
Edition and it is subtitled “A Citizenship Primer for a New Generation of
Americans” Published by the Cumberland House of Nashville, Tennessee © 1996
& 2004. It should be a required text
in the high schools of America. It
should be read cover to cover, all 462 pages, by anyone who doubts the resolve
and the nature of a true American. It
should be held as a national treasure of some of America’s greatest minds,
because it is.
You see where the Bible is the Word of God…”The Patriot’s
Handbook” is the word of man. The book
is divided into four parts…”A City On A Hill”, “An Experiment in Liberty”, “Manifest
Destiny” and “The American Dream.” Each
of these parts contains writings by some of the greatest thinkers and leaders
this country has ever known as well as entries from foreign observers who opined
on the American reality, because dreams do come true.
We see entries by Longfellow, Holmes, Adams, Madison,
Washington, Key, Monroe, Jackson, Lincoln, Whitman, Coolidge, T. Roosevelt, F.
Roosevelt, Marshall, Kennedy, MLK Jr., Reagan and so many more, as well as important national
documents. It is the American dream
visualized, formed, established, defended and hopefully fully realized by the
millions of Americans out there that see their country deteriorating before
their very eyes.
In the 2016 election we had our say, but it isn’t over. The enemies of this country have infiltrated
our ranks and we must be careful we aren’t fooled again. Hidden under the guise of liberalism,
socialism or whatever kind of ism you want…it is creeping and creeping like a
hungry leopard stalking a calf.
In this modern world we have forgotten the past, what got us
here, what sustained us in the rough times and what we were thankful to have in
the good times. Everywhere you look
there is someone shouting from their hill top…I question them and they have no
answer…for our mountain casts its shadow on their divisive hillside. Our message is of faith, family and flag…theirs
is hard to define except at the core is their own selfish, destructive and
perverse ideologies.
They blame the good for their bad. They say government is the enemy while
cashing their government check; they want paradise but can’t get out of their
own hell. So they try to drag you down
with them. Well I won’t have it. This country was born by some of the greatest
leaders and thinkers who ever walked this planet and it was built by men and
women of all colors. So don’t tell me
the American spirit is dead. On the
contrary come up and visit me in the central Carolina's and I’ll show you what Patriotism
is all about.
To those who aspire to drag us down, burn our flag, take a
knee, change our laws and corrupt our schools I have one thing to say…you don’t
know who you’re messing with. We will
control this country as our Founding Fathers and God Almighty intended. We walk soft and carry a big stick…trust me
you do not want the true Patriots of this country to be unleashed on your pitiful
liberal socialistic rallies.
You see these divisive groups and individuals are weak in
multiple layers of faith. They are weak
in their faith in God and in their faith in this country. They are weak in their spirituality and in
their American spirit. They are weak in their belief in God and in their belief
of their fellow man. They are so
distracted by hate; they don’t see the real storm that is approaching.
To those taking down our National and State monuments I have
this one word for you…STOP!
Now that I think I’ve clearly defined my Patriotism let me
share two things from my favorite books to add reverence to my definition of
Patriotism.
From the Introduction section of “The Patriots Handbook” this
was written by Alexis de Tocqueville who was a French diplomat observing
America in 1835, he is quoted, “I sought
for the greatness and genius of America in her commodious harbors and her ample
rivers, and it was not there; in her fertile fields and boundless prairies, and
it was not there; in her rich mines and her vast world commerce, and it was not
there. Not until I went to the churches
of America and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did I understand the
secret of her genius and power. America
is great because she is good and if America ever ceases to be good, America
will cease to be great.” That was
observed by an outsider in 1835 and still holds true today. The good of this
country far outweighs the bad, but we must not be fooled again.
The second passage is from the Bible. The Lord directed me to this just before I
started to write this post. It is 1st
Samuel Chapter 27. It is a gruesome tale
of David taking no prisoners…man, woman, or child. He did this as he was playing a double
game. He was among the Philistines, a
hired mercenary with 600 men as they hid from Saul, who wanted David’s head. They were guests of Achish and he was playing
a risky game. His band of men were tasked
with raiding Israeli camps and settlements, even though David himself was
Israeli, Achish thought he would fight against his own people due to his run
ins with Saul. But David outsmarted him…on
their raids they actually attacked old Israeli foes, taking only livestock and
possessions…no one was spared and taken prisoner or his little rues would be
found out. He did this for almost a year
and half, with his leader thinking he was killing Israelites when in fact he
was killing old Israeli nomadic enemies.
He was so good that Achish says in 27:12 “He has become so odious to his
people, the Israelites, that he will be my servant forever.”
Well we know that didn’t happen and this and other stories
about David tell a tale of true Patriotism.
He found a way to survive and still help his people. He was a true agent for God and for his
people and that is the core of Patriotism.
A core foundation that resides in the American Spirit that cannot and
will not ever be denied…so help us God… for in God & the American Spirit we
trust…now and forever more.
Bryan Anthony Stross 9/15/2018 5:20 PM EST
Matthew 7:24-27
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