<font color="purple">We aren't going to pledge to anything today, well maybe later though. I want to talk to you about allegiances. Over a lifetime we form and dissolve allegiances as we grow and our circumstances change. Do you remember your best friend, the one that you swore with that you would be best friends forever? How about that group that you ran around with in High School? What about the school itself and its sports teams? Do you have a favorite team now? An allegiance doesn't have to be anything complicated or even to the depth of the covenant that David and Jonathan cut in 1 Samuel 18:3, but in the same breath that doesn't mean that it can't either. You have some loyalty to your job, right? What about your family? Webster's defines &#8220;allegiance&#8221; as: &#8220;Fidelity, loyalty or an obligation of fidelity to a superior or a principle.&#8221; Fidelity, of course, means to remain true to and consistent to. What kinds of loyalties do you have? Did you know that there were different kinds? There are probably as many levels of loyalty as there are things to be loyal to. There are even types of allegiances that we don't want or don't want around us. There is one such example in the bible, one of David's generals a man by the name of Joab was loyal to David in a fierce way, but, yes see there was a &#8220;but&#8221; he was only loyal to David as long as his job was secure. Joab was kind of a loose cannon, his brand of loyalty led him to do awful things to protect his job.</font>

The Word:
2 Samuel 19:13 And say to Amasa, `Are you not my own flesh and blood? May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if from now on you are not the commander of my army in place of Joab.'

2 Samuel 20:8 While they were at the great rock in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was wearing his military tunic, and strapped over it at his waist was a belt with a dagger in its sheath. As he stepped forward, it dropped out of its sheath. [9] Joab said to Amasa, "How are you, my brother?" Then Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. [10] Amasa was not on his guard against the dagger in Joab's hand, and Joab plunged it into his belly, and his intestines spilled out on the ground. Without being stabbed again, Amasa died. &#8230;&#8221;

<font color="purple">See in our time we would call that kind of loyalty extreme. Joab put conditions on his loyalty, conditions that caused him to murder, more than once even. I have seen the modern version of this. It happens when a person serves in the church and another, more qualified or more willing person comes along side them. The first, jealous of the second spreads rumors or sets them up to be discredited, all because they love their position more than they love God's work. That is where most of us get into trouble. When we get to a point where our devotion to what we do is more important than our devotion to whom we serve, we are way out of bounds. Even in the ministry, I have seen instances where pastors were roiled in sin, active and ongoing but refused to step aside from their role as pastor, just because they were more loyal to their position than they were to God's principles. You see when our loyalties change, in God's economy, then we actually fall out of service. Our allegiance should be first to God and the principles that He gave us then to the labor that we serve in.</font>

The Word:
John 8:31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. [32] Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

<font color="purple">If we are &#8220;on again-off again&#8221; then we can't be to much of a disciple can we? When we put conditions on our service, like trying to make a deal with God. (God I'll serve you if&#8230;.) I wonder. Do you know anyone who only cries out to God when things are going sour in their life? Does that same person call for prayer requests only in times of great disease and tragedy? That kind of person is not loyal to God, that person is not practicing fidelity. Can you serve God even in the worst of times? Have you let circumstance stop you from serving? David so wished that his people would not turn away that he put it in song.</font>

The Word:
Psalms 78:8 They would not be like their forefathers-- a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to him.

<font color="purple">Where does your allegiance lie? Do you have the resolve to step aside to a new path if God sends a replacement? Do you have the dedication to God to keep serving if you were to fall victim to sin? Sure you might have to move from a position of leadership for a season, but would you keep serving? What about if you were to become hurt? How about paralyzed, get cancer? You see it is not about us or our circumstances it is about the eternal principles of God. Most folks I know are not shy when asked if they want God's blessings in their lives. Unanimously they will shout &#8220;yes!&#8221; but when asked if they will give up their free time to serve, by sweeping up after the service on Sunday a much different reaction occurs. Most Christians are more loyal to their own free time than they are to God's word. (Yeah, that was blunt, but think about it a while) Most Christians will even stand up at an alter call to be used by God for His glory. Those same Christians will scatter if there is a work day announced at the church. We need to redefine our allegiances. I realize that family must come before ministry and that God will not call you to serve more than your family can bear. But we need to recalibrate our lives and serve with our whole heart, not just at our convenience, or in the good times of our lives. We need to really pledge our allegiance to God.</font>

<font color="blue">Pray with me: Father, I haven't been the most loyal of your servants. Show me my faults, Lord. Take your mirror and reflect back at me just how I serve you Father. Prepare my heart to receive the truth. Grow in me that kind of loyalty that you can use, loyalty to you and your precepts. Teach me to have unwavering dedication, true fidelity. Father, I pledge my allegiance to you, for now and forevermore. I need you like never before, change me forever, in Jesus name. Amen!</font>

<font color="navy">If you are not saved and would like more information please email me, see me, or visit us at www.MensHelp.org then click on the link for your free ticket!

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