The Litmus Test - for every Christian

In Galatians Chapter 5 we read about the fruit of the sinful nature and the fruit of the Spirit.  We read about taking stock in our life and our walks and finding out where we are aligned and how we know by what fruit our lives are bearing.  This is a very tough chapter, because if we are truly honest with ourselves then we all have to admit that we are all very sinful and that all of us (not most of us) sin every day.  Whether in anger, embitterment, lust, or fill in your blank - we struggle.  That is why Scripture tells us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling.So after each of us read Galatians Chapter 5, take a piece of paper out and draw a line down the middle of the page.  On one side write the title Fruit of the Sinful Nature and on the right side write down Fruit of the Spirit.  Next, please scroll down each highlighted section of each kind of fruit and check which one you are more aligned with.  If you are truly honest and want to be lead by the Spirit then you have to be brutally honest.  Once you are done, then tally up which fruit that your life is bearing more of.  If the Sinful nature - repent and read Romans 12 and Colosisans 3 and get accountability in your life.  If, however, you are more aligned with the Fruit of the Spirit- Praise God and pour into other peoples lives - be the disciple that God calls us to be.

Here are the two categories for your paper:

Fruit of the Sinful Nature:

• Sexual Immorality– that is sexually activity or intercourse outside the marriage union.  The word pornography comes from the root porneia; thus, sexual immorality comprehensively may include taking pleasure in pornographic pictures, films or writings – Ex. 20:14; Mt. 5:31-32; 19:9; Acts 15:20, 29; 21:25; 1 Cor. 5:1.
• Impurity – this is sexual sins, evil deeds and vices, including thoughts and desires of the hearts – Eph. 5:3; Col. 3:5.
• Debauchery – that is sexuality; following one’s passions and desires to be point of having no shame or public decency – 2 Cor. 12:21.
• Idolatry – this is worship of spirits, persons or graven images; trust in any person, institution or thing as having equal or greater authority than God and His Word – Col. 3:5.
• Witchcraft – sorcery, spiritism, black magic, worship of demons and use of drugs to produce “spiritual” experiences – Ex. 7:11, 22, 8:18; Rev. 9:21; 18:23.
• Hatred – intense, hostile intentions and acts; extreme dislike or enmity;
• Discord – quarreling, antagonism; a struggle for superiority – Rom. 1:29; 1 Cor. 1:11; 3:3.
• Jealousy – resentfulness, envy of another’s success – Rom. 13:13; 1 Cor. 3:3.
• Fits of Rage – explosive anger that flames into violent words or deeds – Col. 3:8
• Self-Ambition– that is seeking power or position – 2 Cor. 12:20; Phil. 1:16-17.
• Dissensions – introducing decisive teachings not supported by God’s Word – Rom. 16:17.
• Factions – division within the congregation into exclusive groups or cliques that destroy the unity of the church – 1 Cor. 11:19.
• Envy– resentful dislike of another person who has something that one desires.
• Drunkenness – impairing one’s mental of physical control by alcoholic drink.
• Orgies – excessive feasting and revelry; a party spirit involving alcohol, drugs, sex, and the like (having multiple partners, either physically or mentally – both lust and physical)

Here is the Fruit of the Spirit:

• Love (NIV) –[agape] -  Means “Affection and benevolence – Paul’s three elements of agape love are esteem, devotion and mutuality. Love can’t be commanded. The identical harvest by which plants, animal, and spiritual being reproduces “after its kind”, Love Produces Love.
• Joy (NIV) – Inseparable from love and impossible without it.  “The joy that was the fruit of the Spirit sprang from a life that was gracious and kind, full of good will, gracious to impart itself to others, glad when they accepted and rejoiced with it, but forgiving, and still singing, when man rejected and persecuted it. To rejoice amid the worse circumstances. (Phil 4:11)
• Peace (NIV) – Greek (“harmony”), Hebrew (“shalom”) . The Hebrew word expresses “total well-being,” “soundness,” “prosperity,” “success” that renders a person “well off” spiritually and materially, and made life good and the world safe for goodness (The Interpreters’ Bible, vol. 10, page 567). See Phil 4:7 – Not exempt from storms or shipwreck but by faith knowing you will arrive in port. (Acts 27:21-25).
• Patience (NIV), long-suffering (KJV), patience (RSV) – This is a condition for the fruit of the Spirit to be produced. (2 Cor. 6:3-10) Suffering without retaliation, imitating the kindness of God.
• Kindness (NIV), gentleness (KJV), kindness (RSV) – I Cor. 13: “Love is patient and kind” Applied to persons signifies “goodness,” ”honesty,” ”kindness,” “excellence of character.”  God was rich in kindness, while which he manifested throughout the ages by leading sinners to repentance (Romans 2:4) and Christ kindness of removing the yoke of sin and the law (Matt. 11:29-30).
• Goodness (NIV) – The Hebrew word translates to “Goodness,” “righteousness’” prosperity’” and “kindness.” (Romans 15:14) The Christian must not only be good, but be good for something: to let his light shine, to be worthy of his call and his calling, to teach men the knowledge of God, and to bring the ideals of the Spirit into fruition in everyday life. The Interpreter’s Bible, 1953, Vol. 10, Vol. 10, page 568.)
• Faithfulness (NIV) , faith (KJV), faithfulness (RSV) – See Gal 3:11 (Hab. 2:4)(You can’t have one without the other – believing and doing)   Believing without doing God’s will is as impossible as fruit bearing when branches are separated from the vine. The Interpreter’s Bible, 1935, Vol. 10,Vol. 10, page 569.)
• Gentleness (NIV), meekness (KJV), gentleness (RSV) – “Modesty,” “gentleness,” and “courtesy are flavors of the fruit. Christians must estimate himself soberly, count others better than himself and treat them graciously as Christ has treated him (Rom. 12:3; Col. 3:13)
• Self-Control (NIV), temperance (KJV), self-control (RSV) – Guarding  for temperance and self-control. Guarding against drunkenness, reveling, all flesh-works, not giving free rein to one’s impulses and desires, lawful or not lawful. Everything to Paul is subject to three teat: Is it constructive? Is it helpful? Is it to the Glory of God (Cor. 10:23, 31)

Now that you have surveyed your fruit - here is the time to be honest.

What did you come up with?  Where do you have to go?  What do you want God to do for you (ask him).

Thoughts?

Dante

Please note that I borrowed the Fruit from these two places from www.google.com:  Fruit of the Sinful Nature and Fruit of the Spirit.

Rock Climbing and Discipleship

This past Friday when I arrived home from work, my wife was packed and car was loaded up and she and her girlfriends were on their way to a weekend trip with just themselves (no kids nor husbands in tow).  She was excited and I was excited for her.  She was curious to what I had planned all weekend for my three kids and I, but I would not budge in telling her and relying on pure social media for her to figure out as the time progressed through this weekend.  For each of my kids I had planned on giving them a date, event or time to plan the event and they all performed beautifully in their assignments.  I had each of them pinky swear that they would not tell their mother or each other.So after Mom left, we changed and drove the movie theater for surprise #1:  The Movie:  Planes.  Afterwards, surprise #2 was dinner at the choice of my son.  We had a great time of fellowship and talking about their life issues and dad even got a chance to talk to both of my girls about when they date what they should expect from their dates and how the male should be expected to treat them while dating.   It was a good conversation and a great dinner choice by my son.

The next morning was surprise #3 by my youngest who chose a different breakfast then the kids were used to (and all 3 loved it).  I have to be honest in saying that I was remiss for missing my weekly men's bible study, but soon quickly enjoyed the moment and how much fun my kids were having during this wonderful weekend.  Afterwards, we drove to the nearest Ace Hardware as dad had a few items to repair around the house and had to cross off some of my own "to-do" lists - they were completed (oh yeah!).  We then drove to our previous hometown as I had to pick up a clock for my dad (Antique).  We then got some coffee and then I surprised them with my #4 event for the weekend - Rock Climbing.

The best part about this was that it had been a very long while since all of them climbed and after the first climb (they reached the top every time they climbed), but I was reminding them to make sure that at all times that they had 3 points of contact (unless they were taking a break and relying on the spotter for rest).  I told them also to use their legs more then their arm strength and told them to think about each of their next moves up the wall.  The following climbs, thereafter, became more and more difficult but each of them found their own niche on not only completing the task, but also learned that even when doubt creeps in that they could still do it as God had provided them with the mental and physical talent to complete each climb.

This got me thinking about this post and how rock climbing can relate to being a disciple of Jesus Christ.

So here it goes:  How Rock Climbing relates to being an effective disciple

Rock Climbing (relating to being a disciple of Jesus):

You need the proper gears (shoes, harness, rope, helmet, Caribiners, Belay device):  <you need your Bible, Prayer, the Body of Christ, and to rely on the Holy Spirit to lead you>

You need someone to Belay you <you need to do ministry with someone else - at least two by two and in community you need the entire body of Christ>

You need faith to trust the equipment that you have been given -without Faith and trust in what you have, it would be an effective Climber <you need faith to be an effective disciple of Jesus Christ

You need to look up to see where you are going and what is the best course of life <you need to look to God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit for guidance>

Some Safety Tips along the way:

Saftety Tips <related to discipleship>

• Be careful and alert. <be careful and alert>
• Use the right kind of equipment. <read the Bible, learn it, memorize it and pray with it>
• Seek professional instruction. <seek the Lord's instruction>
• Take a class, hire a guide or go with an experienced climber. <get involved in a mini-church, men's group and accountability>
• Don't overexert yourself. Stay within your limits. <learn to rest, God taught us to rest on the Sabbath - we need margin in our lives>
• If you're injured, wait until you're healed before climbing again. <if injured, give yourself time to heal>
• Avoid areas where there is a lot of loose rock. <avoid areas where sin is prevalent>
• If you displace a rock or drop a piece of equipment, yell "Rock!" to warn others. <if you encounter sin or temptation, yell for help, sing praise and worship and call a friend>
• If someone else yells "rock," don't look up. You don't want to get smacked in the face. <if someone else yells at you to avoid sin, don't keep going don't go that way>
• Test foot and handholds before using them. <test everything and examine yourself along the way>
• Don't climb in bad weather. <don't climb and reach in story seasons - know your limits>
• Watch out for birds, snakes or other critters residing in handholds. <watch out for old sin habits, demons and spiritual warfare>
• Always safety-check your harness, rope, belay device and knots before climbing. <always safety check your disciple equipment:  The Word, Prayer, Accountability and so on>
• Wear a helmet when climbing outdoors. <wear the helmet of Salvation in daily spiritual warfare>
• Know and trust your belayer. <know and trust your Savior>

What are some of your life lessons?

Be Blessed,

D

Sons & Daughters

Romans 8:14  (NIV) 14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.2 Corinthians 6:18  (ESV) 18 and I will be a father to you,  and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”

When you really think about the two verses listed above, it is really hard to grasp.  Think about it.  If you are like me, then you have kids and no matter how much they screw up, cause rifts and just like to whine - they are still my children and I will love them no matter what.  I would die for each one of them (including my wife) if I had to.  I love them, they are my family.

I think Christians sometimes have a really hard time grasping exactly what God did for us through His Son, Jesus Christ.  He sent His Son to die for us and to be the perfect sin-offering for our trespasses.  He loves us and did, in fact, die for us!  That being said, there is no more that is needed to be said - through His death and resurrection, we are made new and are righteous and counted as sons and daughters because we have been engrafted into God's family - AWESOME!

There is nothing we can do to earn this - God chooses us!

There is nothing that we can do to lose this - Once Saved - Always Saved!

Scripture tells us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling - this is for our pathway to sanctification through humility.

For some of us, the word family (or for that matter, Sons and Daughters) can be very painful.  Divorce, death, singleness, fill-in your blank, some of our definitions for family and or God may be painful memories.  I cannot fix this now do I challenge that this blog can do that - it can't.   What I can do for you is turn you to the source that can (God's word - the Bible and Prayer and His Son - Jesus Christ) - Get to know them - they will never let you down.

What are some of the things that you have taken from this?  What would you add?

Let me hear from you (what do you want to read about),

Blessings,

D

The Disciples Code (borrowing from the Navy SEALs code)

I continually am impressed and deeply moved when I look at the soldiers who put their needs behind the needs of others and give selflessly toward others (toward country) believing in freedom and what their mission is.  After watching Lone Survivor (for the second time) I am completely speechless at the sacrifice that these men put out everyday that they serve from this shore or to foreign shores to serve our God and country.  I can only hope (and find it my civic duty) to make sure that the politicians who put them at risk deeply consider their decisions and that they MAKE SURE that wherever and whenever they put our troops at risk that they make sure that they have the full support and wrath of our support troops, equipment, armor and air support to protect these mighty warriors, regardless of image or what other countries may think.  When we are at war, may public image be damned in order to support these soldiers who die for our needs and way of life (FREEDOMS given to us by our forefathers who put God and Country in the same sentence).That being said, I re-worked the SEAL's code to write a proposed Disciples Code (thoughts?):

The Disciple’s Code

• Loyalty to God, Jesus and Holy Spirit
• Serve with Honor and Integrity On and Off the Spiritual Battlefield
• Ready to Lead, Ready to Follow, Never Quit
• Take responsibility for your actions and the actions of your teammates
• Excel as Spiritual Warriors through Discipline and Innovation
• Train for Spiritual Warfare, Fight to Win, Defeat our Savior’s Enemies
•  Earn your crown of life everyday

Disciple of Jesus Christ

In times of spiritual warfare or uncertainty there is a special breed of disciple ready to answer our Savior’s call. A common Christian with uncommon desire to succeed.

Forged by adversity, he stands alongside our Savior’s finest special brothers and sisters to serve God,  His church, and protect our way of life.

I am that man.

My Bible is a symbol of honor and heritage. Bestowed upon me by the heroes that have gone before, it embodies the trust of those I have sworn to protect. By reading the Bible I accept the responsibility of my chosen profession and way of life. It is a privilege that I must earn every day.

My loyalty to God and family is beyond reproach. I humbly serve as a guardian to my fellow Christians always ready to defend those who are unable to defend themselves. I do not advertise the nature of my work, nor seek recognition for my actions. I voluntarily accept the inherent hazards of my profession, placing the welfare and security of others before my own.

I serve with honor on and off the spiritual battlefield. The ability to control my emotions and my actions, regardless of circumstance, sets me apart from other men.

Uncompromising integrity is my standard. My character and honor are steadfast. My word is my bond.

We expect to lead and be led. In the absence of senior leaders I will take charge, lead other disciples and accomplish the mission. I lead by example in all situations.

I will never quit. I persevere and thrive on adversity. My Savior expects me to be physically harder and mentally stronger than my enemies. If knocked down, I will get back up, every time. I will draw on every remaining ounce of strength to protect my disciples and to accomplish our mission. I am never out of the fight.

We demand discipline. We expect innovation. The lives of my disciples and the success of our mission depend on me – my spiritual skill, biblical proficiency, and attention to detail. My training is never complete.

We train for spiritual warfare and fight to win. I stand ready to bring the full spectrum of God’s Spirit power to bear in order to achieve my mission and the goals established by my Savior. The execution of my duties will be swift and violent when required yet guided by the very principles that I serve to defend.

Brave disciples have fought and died building the proud tradition and feared reputation that I am bound to uphold. In the worst of conditions, the legacy of God’s Disciples steadies my resolve and silently guides my every deed. I will not fail.

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When it is all said and done questions to ask ourselves:

• Why are we here?
• Who put us here?
• What does God want from me?
• What does God require from me (of my time, talent and treasure)?
• If I am saved (freed from sin and death) then how can I thank Him by best leading my life here forward?

What do you think?

Blessings,D

Paul to Timothy: Life lessons for Jesus' Disciples

2 Timothy 2:1-5 New International Version (NIV) The Appeal Renewed2 You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ² And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. ³ Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. ⁴ No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. ⁵ Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules.

What are some of the things that Paul has taught Timothy?

• Teach other men to teach (not to teach false doctrines)
• Teach them the command to love, command of a pure heart, command of a good conscience and the command of sheer faith
• Teach men to lift up holy hands in prayer (without anger or disunity)
• Teach men the qualifications of Elder and Deacons
• Train yourself and others to be godly
• Devote yourselves to public reading of Scripture
• Teach yourself to be watchful (of your life and doctrine)
• Provide for widows and your families
• Learn godliness with contentment
• Teach those who are rich to give generously and to be rich in good deeds, in this way they will lay treasure up in heaven for themselves
• To avoid godless (also fruitless) chatter
• To grow up and flee the evil desires of our youth
• Teach these men not to quarrel, be kind to everyone, and for those who oppose these men (and us) to gently instruct them in the hope that God will grant them repentance.
• Teach them truth in that every man that chooses to live a godly life will be persecuted
• Teach them that all Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16)
• Preach and teach the word, correct and rebuke and encourage (all with great patience and careful instruction)

Other Scriptures:  Galatians 6:1-2, 2 Corinthians 13:5-10; James 5:19-20

This past Tuesday, I met with 16 other men and we did this devotion and discussed what Paul had instructed Timothy.  We read the four scriptures listed above and then discussed all the points that Paul instructed Timothy with in reaching Jesus’s disciples.  I am amazed at the gifts of the Spirit and how He equips each member of his body.  It was a great discussion and we talked about how we, as leaders, are doing with this list.  We talked about how our church was doing.  We gleaned a lot from this study and I think all of us were blessed as a result of it.

The more and more that I read, pray and watch God reveal His plan for all of us, the more wonderful and secure I feel about being a part of His Kingdom.  If God is with us then who can stand against us?

Some takeaways from this devotion:

• Why does this matter to us?
• If not us, then who?
• Are we making a difference?
• We need  to hone our listening skills and let the Holy Spirit do His work.

Blessings,

Dante

Top 10 ways to be more efficient with your time

In every day jaunts of life, we find work, friends, family, commitments becoming more taxing as we get older.  The demands of sports and leisure activities seems to be speeding up instead of slowing down.  For some of us, we like this kind of pressure and for others we become quickly overwhelmed.  As for me, in my house, it depends on the subject:  Things that I love to do are easy for me to be fully active and things that I have to do or may be required to do for family sake may have a different approach (just being honest here).  That being said, I find myself sometimes letting my life lead me instead of me leading my life.One of our pastors put this quote up on Facebook today,

“A good character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered. Carve your name on hearts, not on marble.” Charles Spurgeon

This got me thinking about leaving your legacy.  So here it goes:

My top 10 ways to be more efficient with your time:

1. Make a priority list - mine (a daily battle) is to put God, Family, Church, Work and community in that order and to understand what my role is as Husband, Father, Elder and Leader means
2. Make a to do list - each day make a list of things that have to be done, would like to be done, and little things that would be the gravy (note:  The key here is if it doesn't get done - don't panic)
3. Follow through - follow through on what you say you are going to do (and do it)
4. Limit your Media - limit the TV, social media and computer time (this is one area where i realize that a lot of time is wasted
5. Encourage others - put positive people, influences (the word of God and Prayer), habits in your life.  The old adage of what goes in comes out (aka Garbage in = Garbage Out) having negativity around you and negative people can be draining.  You might have a better chance by hanging a 500 pound weight around your neck and trying to swim to shore from 5 miles out.
6. Set Goals - Set goals for yourself, for you and your wife (work together on vision, dreams aspirations and make them realities) Short term goals are now to 1 year, medium term goals are 1 to 5 years and long term goals are 5 to 10 years.  Revisit these goals and tweak them as necessary and as life's circumstances evolve.
7. Read the Word daily - there is so much truth in this Bible and by doing such we yield to the Holy Spirit who molds us into what God wants us to be
8. Exercise - this is key and critical to efficiency.  When the Pharisees and religious leaders of Jesus's day tried to trap him, they asked him, "Rabbi, what is the greatest commandment"  Jesus simply responded to love the Lord God with all your heart, mind, body soul and strength and the second is just like the first:  Love your neighbor as yourself.  By being emotionally, spiritually and physically fit - you can pave the way to better efficiency with your life.
9. Pray continuously - I have already listed this, but let me say it again, pray continuously by asking the Lord to reveal to you the things which you need to do, to let go of and to rid yourself daily of in order to be the man (or woman if you are reading this) that God wants you to become.
10. Comfort, Urge and Encourage - comfort, urge and encourage others around you to live a life worthy of God.  By creating a positive and Godly community around you, love will shine and efficiency will be one of its fruits.

What are some of your top 10?  And why?

Blessings,

Dante

Proud to be free

[youtube id="Q65KZIqay4E"]I saw this post and had to re-post it here (for a reason).  Click here for this post.

SEAL CODE:  A Warriors Creed

Warrior creeds, such as the Ranger’s famous creed, have been around for over a century to guide the actions of operators on and off the battlefield. The creed is a code of conduct and inspirational daily reminder of the “reason we train and fight” for the men and women of these units. Many outside observers point to the mission of the units and preparation of the teams when describing who these people are. Warriors know better. It is the Warrior Ethos that best describes who they are, an ethos that has been shared, albeit with different words, with the Samurai, the Spartans, the Marines and other Special Operations forces around the world.

The SEAL Code was created just two years ago. Prior to this, the SEALs had an unspoken code defined by the culture, historical experience and training. “Leave no man behind” and “failure is not an option” are examples of cultural mantras that evolved as the unwritten “SEAL code” from the Teams battlefield experiences in WWII, Korea, Vietnam and elsewhere. We have held to this code, never leaving a teammate in the field, dead or alive. Recent experience in Afghanistan with Medal of Honor winner LT Murphy and his teammates exemplifies this code of conduct.

The SEAL code, however, was not recorded or “written in stone” and as the community grew, it needed some grounding. Would it be more powerful if it were more than a few mantras like “leave no man behind” and “Failure is not an option?” It became clear to the SEALs that they needed a more comprehensive creed that was not subject to interpretation and erosion over time. In 2005 a cross-functional team from all ranks was brought together to ponder the issue and come up with a durable, written, code. The team took input from all quarters, and did some serious community soul searching to penetrate the essence of what it meant to be a SEAL. The results are nothing short of extraordinary.

How do you think the SEAL Code stands up? Will it be powerful and durable enough to guide Naval Special Warfare operators into a chaotic future, much as the Ranger Creed has done for the Rangers?

We at NavySEALs.com feel that the SEAL Code stands tall with the greatest creeds of martial history and is one of the most succinct articulations of how a warrior culture is to conduct themselves in war and peace. Read for yourself and decide:

The SEAL Code

•  • Loyalty to Country, Team and Teammate
• • Serve with Honor and Integrity On and Off the Battlefield
• • Ready to Lead, Ready to Follow, Never Quit
• • Take responsibility for your actions and the actions of your teammates
• • Excel as Warriors through Discipline and Innovation
• • Train for War, Fight to Win, Defeat our Nation’s Enemies
• • Earn your Trident everyday

United States Navy SEAL

In times of war or uncertainty there is a special breed of warrior ready to answer our Nation’s call. A common man with uncommon desire to succeed.

Forged by adversity, he stands alongside America’s finest special operations forces to serve his country, the American people, and protect their way of life.

I am that man.

My Trident is a symbol of honor and heritage. Bestowed upon me by the heroes that have gone before, it embodies the trust of those I have sworn to protect. By wearing the Trident I accept the responsibility of my chosen profession and way of life. It is a privilege that I must earn every day.

My loyalty to Country and Team is beyond reproach. I humbly serve as a guardian to my fellow Americans always ready to defend those who are unable to defend themselves. I do not advertise the nature of my work, nor seek recognition for my actions. I voluntarily accept the inherent hazards of my profession, placing the welfare and security of others before my own.

I serve with honor on and off the battlefield. The ability to control my emotions and my actions, regardless of circumstance, sets me apart from other men.

Uncompromising integrity is my standard. My character and honor are steadfast. My word is my bond.

We expect to lead and be led. In the absence of orders I will take charge, lead my teammates and accomplish the mission. I lead by example in all situations.

I will never quit. I persevere and thrive on adversity. My Nation expects me to be physically harder and mentally stronger than my enemies. If knocked down, I will get back up, every time. I will draw on every remaining ounce of strength to protect my teammates and to accomplish our mission. I am never out of the fight.

We demand discipline. We expect innovation. The lives of my teammates and the success of our mission depend on me – my technical skill, tactical proficiency, and attention to detail. My training is never complete.

We train for war and fight to win. I stand ready to bring the full spectrum of combat power to bear in order to achieve my mission and the goals established by my country. The execution of my duties will be swift and violent when required yet guided by the very principles that I serve to defend.

Brave men have fought and died building the proud tradition and feared reputation that I am bound to uphold. In the worst of conditions, the legacy of my teammates steadies my resolve and silently guides my every deed. I will not fail.

Bravo! Let’s all try to live up to this wonderful code of conduct in our daily pursuit of excellence. I believe you would see some serious results.

Mark Divine- NavySEALs.com founder

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This begs the next question:  What is the Christian Disciples Code of Honor....?  Thoughts?

Happy Fourth of July!

Thanks for serving to all of our troops:  Past, Present and Future!

May God bless the USA!

Blessings,

Dante & Lance

Are you a good listener?

The old adage of, "I know you can hear me, but are you really listening to me...." seems to be a recurring theme among men that I talk to both in life and in ministry.  The real problem here is that when you strip back the layers it really isn't just one-sided - rather, it takes two sides.Countless relationships find communication problems that start out small but end up monumental.  Others seem to let the little things pass them by and then realize over several years that these "minor problems" have become major and in some cases even ending relationships.

Why?  What is the root cause and how does it happen so quickly (look at the previous blog post and realize that we all have an enemy who roams the earth looking to devour - especially those who walk with God.

How to be a good listener:

• Step 1:  Be a good friend and listen to what the person (wife/husband/friend) is saying without interrupting or hearing what you want to hear and interjecting along the way
• Step 2:  Remember that God gave us 2 ears and only 1 mouth - I really think that this was for a reason:  Don't just hear, but listen to what is being said.
• Step 3:  Do not be quick to judge.  Be slow to speak and slow to become angry
• Step 4:  When you decide to work on being a good listener, then put down the phone, the texts, and turn your eyes upon the one who is talking to you.  This instantly shows them that they have your attention and respect.
• Step 5:  If you have distractions that you cannot control (phone, tv, computers, etc.,) remove them or mute them.
• Step 6:  Body language - make sure that you are giving them every sign and body movement that you are engaged and that the world (at this current juncture) could end and that the only thing that matters is them.
• Step 7:  Along the way, without being rude, cocky, ignorant or whatever could be deemed negative, ask the person to clarify when in doubt, or say something along the line of, "If I am listening to you correctly, I believe that you are saying...., or that you mean.... - and then ask them to clarify and then continue.
• Step 8:  Be intentional with your new-found listening skills and ask relevant and insightful questions in regards to the person, the situation and the subject.  This will have positive impacts for both you and the talker as both are feeling validated.
• Step 9:  Don't force the conversation.  Even if you know that they are holding back or not ready to fully open (and even if you know what could be said next - Don't say anything)  by listening and being a good listener, then you will show that you can be trusted (with listening) and that sooner or later that person may decide to open fully up to you.
• Step 10:  Regardless of the level of conversation, do not devalue it or make it seem like it is not relevant.  Whatever the topic or the issue or the conversation show the person (spouse or friend) that they matter, they are relevant and you do care about what they are saying
• Step 11:  Do not make light of it.  Do not discard it and do not blow it off.  If it is important to them, no matter what the subject, then value that person by valuing what is important to them regardless of your own feelings or knowledge
• Step 12: Pray before you talk, during and after for God to lead you the way that you should go.  Listen for the Spirit to guide you to either encouragement, comfort or urging of that person.

Men, whether we like it or not, God has intended us to be the Spiritual leaders.  That is a big necessity that is lacking in a lot of cultures.  Where are the men with integrity, honor, valor and the like?  Imagine if we all worked on being a better listener at home, school, work and community (and church) - what would that look like to those around us?  How do you think people would respond?

What are some of your steps?

Let's hear from you,

Dante