Are Sin and Poverty Related?

Are sin and poverty related scripturally?

Yes—sin and poverty are related in Scripture, but the relationship is nuanced. The Bible shows that:

1. Sin can lead to poverty,

2. Poverty can exist apart from personal sin, and

3. God cares deeply for the poor—regardless of why they are poor.

Let’s look at each of these scriptural threads.

💥 1. Sin Can Lead to Poverty

The Bible teaches that foolishness, laziness, injustice, and greed—which are forms of sin—can cause poverty.

📖 Proverbs 10:4 – “Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth.”
📖 Proverbs 6:10–11 – “A little sleep, a little slumber... and poverty will come on you like a thief.”
📖 Proverbs 13:18 – “Whoever disregards discipline comes to poverty and shame.”

✔️ These verses show that personal choices and sinful behavior—like laziness, lack of discipline, or dishonesty—can result in financial hardship.

🙏 2. Not All Poverty Is Caused by Sin

Scripture is also clear: not all poverty is the result of personal sin. Many people are poor because of oppression, injustice, or misfortune.

📖 John 9:2–3 – “Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither… but that the works of God might be displayed.”
📖 Ecclesiastes 9:11 – “The race is not to the swift... time and chance happen to them all.”
📖 James 5:4 – “The wages you failed to pay the workers… are crying out against you.”

✔️ Poverty may result from:

• Systemic injustice

• Corrupt leaders

• Natural disasters or sickness

• Exploitation

God consistently condemns those who oppress the poor or hoard wealth selfishly.

❤️ 3. God’s Compassion for the Poor

God's Word is overflowing with compassion for the poor—regardless of why they are poor.

📖 Proverbs 19:17 – “Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord.”
📖 Psalm 140:12 – “I know the Lord secures justice for the poor.”
📖 Deuteronomy 15:11 – “There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded…”

✔️ God commands His people to:

• Care for the poor (Leviticus 19:9–10)

• Defend the oppressed (Isaiah 1:17)

• Be generous and give cheerfully (2 Corinthians 9:7)

🔁 4. Poverty and Spiritual Poverty (Sin)

Jesus often used material poverty as a symbol of spiritual need.

📖 Matthew 5:3 – “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
📖 Revelation 3:17 – “You say, ‘I am rich’... But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.”

✔️ Material wealth doesn’t guarantee spiritual health.
✔️ Material poverty doesn’t mean spiritual failure.
✔️ Sin is the deeper poverty—and Jesus came to rescue us from it.

✅ Conclusion: Are Sin and Poverty Related?

Yes—but the Bible makes it clear that:

• ❗ Sometimes poverty is a consequence of sin (laziness, greed, injustice).

• ❗ Sometimes poverty is a result of oppression or life circumstances.

• 💔 God doesn’t equate poverty with guilt—but calls His people to respond with love, justice, and generosity.

• ❤️ Ultimately, the greatest poverty is separation from God, and Christ came to make the poor rich in grace (2 Corinthians 8:9).
  
  

What are the spiritual implications of unchecked sin in our lives?  Or perhaps, un-repented sin, or even sin that we deem permissible in our lives?
Sin is more than just "bad behavior" - it's a spiritual cancer that, when left unchecked, damages our relationship with God, distorts are identity, and dulls our sensitivity to the Holy Spirit.  Whether it's unrepented sin, tolerated sin, or sin we've justified as permissible (you know what I am talking about), the spiritual consequences can be profound:

🔥 1. Separation from Intimacy with God

📖 Isaiah 59:2 – “Your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.”

• Unrepented sin creates distance between us and God.

• It doesn’t mean He stops loving us, but our fellowship is broken.

• Prayer feels dry. Worship feels empty. The Word feels silent.

➡️ You may still “believe,” but you won’t feel close to the One you believe in.

⚠️ 2. A Hardened Heart

📖 Hebrews 3:13 – “...so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.”

• Sin deceives us and slowly numbs our conscience.

• What once made us uncomfortable now feels normal.

• We begin to redefine sin to ease our guilt: “It’s not that bad…” or “Everyone does it.”

➡️ The more we tolerate sin, the more we tune out conviction.

💔 3. Grieving the Holy Spirit

📖 Ephesians 4:30 – “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

• The Holy Spirit is not just a force—He is a person who can be grieved.

• Sin makes us less sensitive to His voice, guidance, and correction.

➡️ When we persist in sin, the convicting whisper of the Spirit fades—not because He leaves, but because we stop listening.

🧱 4. Spiritual Stagnation

📖 1 Corinthians 3:1–3 – Paul rebukes believers for being “worldly” and immature due to ongoing sin.

• Unchecked sin blocks spiritual growth.

• We stop bearing fruit, stop maturing, and even start drifting from our calling.

➡️ God can’t build deep things on shaky foundations.

😓 5. Loss of Joy and Peace

📖 Psalm 32:3–4 – “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away... my strength was sapped.”
📖 Psalm 51:12 – “Restore to me the joy of your salvation...”

• David felt physically and emotionally drained when he tried to cover his sin.

• Sin steals your peace, your joy, your sense of freedom.

➡️ No pleasure in sin ever outweighs the peace of a clean heart.

🛑 6. Diminished Witness

📖 Matthew 5:16 – “Let your light shine before others...”

• When we harbor sin, our light grows dim.

• The world sees our compromise and questions our authenticity.

• Our ability to lead, serve, or disciple others weakens.

➡️ People may listen to your words—but they’ll believe your lifestyle.

🧨 7. Open Doors for the Enemy

📖 Ephesians 4:27 – “Do not give the devil a foothold.”

• Ongoing sin gives the enemy legal ground to attack or influence us.

• Bitterness, unforgiveness, sexual sin, pride—all can open spiritual doors.

➡️ Satan can’t possess a believer, but he can oppress and influence when given access.

🩹 8. God’s Loving Discipline

📖 Hebrews 12:6 – “The Lord disciplines the one He loves...”

• If we belong to Christ, He won’t ignore our sin—He’ll lovingly chasten us.

• Not out of anger, but out of Fatherly love, to bring us back.

➡️ Discipline is not rejection—it’s redemptive correction.

🙌 9. The Power of Repentance

The beauty of the gospel is this: God is always ready to forgive.
📖 1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

✔️ Confession brings freedom
✔️ Repentance restores relationship
✔️ Holiness renews our joy, clarity, and spiritual power

✝️ Final Thought:

Unchecked sin is like a slow leak in your soul—not always loud, but eventually devastating.
Even “permissible” sin—the kind we justify or ignore—will weaken your spiritual life over time.

But the good news is: God’s grace is greater than our sin.
Repentance isn’t punishment—it’s an invitation back into intimacy.

Blessings,

Dante

Were the Founding Fathers' Christians?

Were the Founding Fathers of the United States Christians?

With words like God, Lord, and Creator found in the Declaration of Independence, it is easy to assume that the founders of the United States were Christians. John Adams, the nation’s second President, said, “The Christian religion is, above all the religions that ever prevailed or existed in ancient or modern times, the religion of wisdom, virtue, equity and humanity” (The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States, Charles Francis Adams, ed., Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1856, Vol. III, p. 421, diary entry for July 26, 1796). Benjamin Franklin, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, wrote to Yale president Ezra Stiles, “I think the system of morals and [Jesus’] religion as He left them to us, the best the world ever saw or is likely to see” (Works of Benjamin Franklin, John Bigelow, ed., New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1904, p. 185). Such statements imply that Christianity was influential in the founders’ lives.

The reality is that the Founding Fathers were a diverse group of individuals. There is varied evidence as to the religious affiliation of several of the founders. George Washington is often cited as an Episcopalian. His public addresses contain many statements that support the claim that Washington was, in fact, a committed Christian. There is also evidence that Washington was only nominal in his faith. Thomas Jefferson made statements implying he was a Christian, but his brand of Christianity was dubious, at best. Jefferson rejected the supernatural accounts of the Bible, the Trinity, and the incarnation of Christ. James Madison was Anglican, but he is also argued to be a deist. Thomas Paine never served in any elected capacity, but he had great influence in the early years of the country. Paine was not a Christian; in his work The Age of Reason, he attacked the fundamental beliefs of Christianity.

There is little doubt that the principles upon which the United States was founded are indeed found in the Bible. Equality, liberty, and justice are all biblical principles. The faith of the founders, on the other hand, will continue to be debated. Did the founders respect God and the Christian religion? Absolutely. Were they influenced by the Bible? Surely. Were they all born-again believers in Jesus Christ? No.

Even in reading what the founders themselves stated and wrote for the public, none of us will ever truly know their hearts. The apostle Paul wrote, “The Lord knows those who are his” (2 Timothy 2:19). While it is interesting to research the religious convictions of the founders, only God truly knows the ones who put faith in Jesus. More important than the heart condition of the Founding Fathers, is the spiritual condition of those presently in public office. It is our duty to pray for rulers and those in positions of authority (1 Timothy 2:2).  (Source:  GotQuestions)
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Some quotes from our Founding Fathers

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So this President's Day:

Biblical principles 

• Remembering the past: Isaiah 46:9 encourages remembering the past.

• Honoring leaders: Hebrews 13:7 encourages honoring leaders.

• Leading with integrity: Believers can strive to lead with integrity, humility, and wisdom in their families, workplaces, and communities.

Celebrating Presidents' Day 

• Pray for those in authority.

• Reflect on the qualities of godly leadership.

• Express gratitude for the freedoms enjoyed.

• Thank God for presidents.

• Reflect on American history, particularly the life of George Washington.

• Honor America's foundations.
  

Blessings,

Dante Girolimon

Colossians 3: Some actions words and phrases for 2025

Dear Legacydads,

Some action words/phrases from Colossians 3
Set (x2) Set your heart and mind on things above (Turn your eyes upon Jesus)
Put to death your earthly nature, things that take your heart and mind away from what matters to God.  Some may refer to this as the things of your old sinful nature.
Rid yourselves from joy stealers:  Anger, rage, malice, slander and filthy language
Do not Lie to each other.  James 5:16 Confess your sins to one another and pray for each other.
Put on the new self that you were given.  Your true identity is found in Christ for which you were fearfully and wonderfully made.  
Clothe yourselves therefore with the things that come directly from the fruit of the Spirit:  Compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
Bear with each other - this goes without saying.  If we are being honest, than we know that we are all jerks on a journey.  
Forgive one another - Jesus is pretty clear on this:  Forgive one another as I have forgiven you.  He tells us that vengeance is God's, not ours!  
Put on Love - 1 John and 2 John are very direct in that if we lack love and forgiveness then do we really belong to God?
Let - when we submit and obey Jesus's commands in our lives (the 49) then we can let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts.  It is no longer about us - it is about the things of God's Kingdom.  If we struggle with this, then confess.  Count your blessings and choose joy.  
Do it - all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.  Remember that Jesus is our propitiation.  Without Him, there is no hope for us and those in this world.  

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As we are 13 days into the New Year, how are things going?  How is your walk?  Are you being accountable to other brothers?  Are you in the word daily and in prayer?  Are you just checking boxes or are you nurturing your relationship with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords?  

Let's do this together.  Join us at Legacydads

All the best,
Dante.

Choose Wisely

Let's Ring in the New Year with God First in our lives

Choose to be a disciple

Dear Legacydads,
Happy New Year to every one of you.  We hope and pray that everyone is healthy and looking forward to this New Year.  That being said, we hope to comfort, encourage, and urge you to strive to live a life worthy of Jesus Christ. 
Some things we hope that you are trying to put into your daily regiment:

• Time Management (Be a good steward of your time, talent, and treasure)

• Read and Pray Daily (God's word and be in daily relationship with God)

• Telling others about Jesus & Call/Text a brother 

Sometimes, we feel like we need to be a "check the box" type of Christianity, that is not what we are asking you.  Instead, we ask that you seek God daily and understand His word and call in each of our lives.  This is not a "program" type of discipleship that we are asking, rather, discipleship done God's way is based on a relationship.  

Jesus shows us that on the Road to Emmaus (just under a 7-mile walk), the human mind's capacity can understand the scriptures in that timeframe.  To walk 7 miles today would be around a 2.5 to 3-hour walk, depending on your stature.  We read that at the end of that work with Jesus (these two disciples did not know at first that it was Jesus that they were walking with) these two disciples' hearts were burning for more time with Yeshua.  This is not the discipleship model that Jesus walks and talks and does with his 12 disciples.  For 3 years he taught (they learned), for 3 years they ate and drank and did life with the Master (they lived) and for 3 years these disciples were equipped to lead others to Jesus (they lead).

Look at the multiplicity in Jesus's discipleship teaching.  He met with the twelve and they learned, lived, and led and as a result, we saw multiplication as God's way.  As we read further in the New Testament, all of a sudden there were 70 disciples of Jesus.  Doing the math (minus Judas Iscariot) there were likely 5 to 7 men per disciple of Jesus:  They learned from Jesus, they lived with Jesus and they led after Jesus equipped them to lead.  In turn, they did exactly this with the 70 that followed, and so on, and so on, and to what we have today.  

There is a reason that the Bible is still the most actively sold book in the world today.  That is because it is the Graphe (the very written word of God).  2 Timothy 3:16-17 says this,  "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

Jesus does not want you to check boxes and just do it out of a place "because I have to".  Instead, he wants to have a relationship with each one of His believers.  When we surrender our will to God's will listen to the words of Jesus and obey his commands, then we can see and hear the word and voice of God working in our lives daily.  

Choose wisely, my friends.  To God Be The Glory!