Discipleship

dareAs you have read many posts and listened to both Lance and I blog about various topics ranging from modern day issues to relational topics through a biblical lens, we hope that you realize our heart is that you grow in your faith, strengthen your walks (and relationships) and be able to call God your true friend.  All that being said, leads me to this post in building true discipleship in your life.Job 28:28 “The fear of the Lord –that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding”. 1 John 1: 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

We believe in order to be an effective disciple you have to be serious about biblical purity and biblical stewardship in order to be the disciple that God wants us to be.  That being said, we are not saying that you have to be perfect in purity and stewardship - because we cannot.  But we are saying that you can no longer be the authority in your life if you call yourself a true Christian.  God is the ultimate authority!  We have to be in submission to Him.  When we begin our walk humbling ourselves before a Holy God, then we began to understand Proverbs when it says the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord.

Biblical purity is abstaining from any sexual immorality outside God's covenant of marriage between one man and one woman.  1 Corinthians 6 puts it this way:

1 Corinthians 6:12-20English Standard Version (ESV)

Flee Sexual Immorality12 “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. 13 “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! 16 Or do you not know that he who is joined[a] to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” 17 But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. 18 Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin[b] a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

Biblical Stewardship is taking care of what belongs to God.  In this stewardship we have to understand that this means that we have to give God an account of our time, talent and treasure. Effective stewardship is working to effectively manage your time, to share your talent in serving God and giving account and tithing on the treasure that God has given you.

Whether we like it or not, the world is watching.  Social media is ruthless and unforgiving as individuals (behind closed doors) can say whatever they want in the confines of closed doors.  They have no authority in their life, because if they did, they would realize that their words will be used against them in God's judgement.  We, as Christians, have to realize that our words and deeds are being watched not just by men, but by Angels.

I think in order for you and I to be an effective disciple, we have to submit to God's will in our lives.  We have to submit to his call for us to be pure and to live a life of good stewardship with our time, our talent and our treasure.  Because when you and I do this - the World is watching and God's changes lives!

To be an effective disciple you have to be rooted in God's word daily.  You have to pray continually and your have to strive to be pure, to be a good steward and then, only then, can you be an effective disciple of Jesus Christ.  Honestly, when you live like that, others will no longer see you - they will see Jesus!

Blessings,

Dante

 

 

 

My body is a temple

1 Corinthians 6:12-20English Standard Version (ESV)Flee Sexual Immoralityphotogrid_140581942836912 “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. 13 “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! 16 Or do you not know that he who is joined[a] to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” 17 But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. 18 Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin[b] a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.


I find it funny that I meet men and women that can justify "social norms" (sexual immorality) that is contrary to God's word.  I think the hardest thing to grasp and to understand for the Christian today is that in order for one to justify any sexual immorality outside the confines of marriage is to justify sin to a Holy God.  You simply cannot be immoral and walk with God!  Sin is sin!  When you read this, though, and study the Scripture, you realize that sexual sin is against God's temple and is deemed a higher sin.

For those of us that call Christ our Savior, then you should hear that ever so quiet voice in our life that calls us to purity, to holiness and to stewardship which leads to God's discipleship.

If you are that person that is currently acting or engaging in any or every sexual sin outside the covenant of marriage (God's biblical plan for man and woman to become one flesh), then you are out of bounds in God's plan - REPENT!

Read Colossians 3 and Romans 12

Pray

As for Forgiveness

Be accountable to a men's group.

 

YOU CAN DO THIS (Through God's Holy Spirit)

 

Blessings,D

 

What is God's will for my life

Dear Legacy Dads,understanding-gods-will-for-our-lives-custom-672x372I want to apologize to all of you for being absent these past several weeks.  As life would have it, my father passed away at the end of September and we have been in all out take care of family and finalize details for his burial and add to that fall break vacation with the wife and kids.

This is a bitterly sweet moment for me in that my dad is no longer in pain, no longer suffering and with Jesus and my mom.  The bitter part is that I don't get to see him or talk to him until I see him in Heaven.

All this being said, brings me to this blog post, "What is God's will for my life?"

Many of you (us) ask questions such as these (or statements)

  • I am not sure what God's will is for my life.
  • What is God's will for my life?
  • What job should I take?
  • Who should I marry?
  • Who should I date?
  • Which way should I go?
  • I am not sure that I am in God's will.

I believe that you (we) are asking the wrong question.  You see, when we turn to the Truth (God's Word) we find the answer very clearly:

1 Thessalonians 4:1-8English Standard Version (ESV)

A Life Pleasing to God"4 Finally, then, brothers,[a] we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification:[b] that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body[c] in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. 7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. 8 Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you."

Sanctification is defined as, "the act or process of acquiring sanctity, of being made or becoming holy."

I believe through Scripture (The text previously read, Colossians 3 (Rules for Holy Living) and Romans 12 (Living Sacrifices)) we find clearly in the way that God wants us to go.  His will for our lives in our sanctification.

The right question, then, becomes:  Am I in God's will?

The answer then comes from those around you (your spouse, your family, your church and especially your fruit (found in Galatians 5).

If you are looking for the will of God, you have to ask if your life is in obedience and submission to God and whether or not you feel the prompting of the Holy Spirit when you are in His will, when you are contrary to His will and especially you are opposing His will.

God gives us His Spirit to guide us and coach us on the way that we live!

I believe that when you ask the right question and seek to be in His will daily (your sanctification) and when you walk with others and pray daily and mediate on God's word and His will, THEN you will find the direction and the answers to your questions.

For so many years I tried to build my own kingdom and seek my own will until I completely surrendered to His will.  I am not saying that I always get this right, because I mess up daily.  I get selfish and I can lose my cool with my kids and other people can frustrate me (and do).  But then the Holy Spirit nudges me and God's word convicts me to repent and to seek His will and not my will.

If you are reading this, maybe you are feeling convicted by the Spirit in the ungodly things that you are practicing....

If you are reading this and are in His will - bless you!

Blessings,Dante

 

 

I will praise you in the storm

thank-youRomans 8:18-37New International Version (NIV)Present Suffering and Future Glory18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that[a] the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.

22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[b] have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

More Than Conquerors31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”[c]37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Revival

RevivalJonah 4New International Version (NIV)

Jonah’s Anger at the Lord’s Compassion

But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now,Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.”

But the Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?”

Jonah had gone out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. Then the Lord God provided a leafy plant[a] and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the plant. But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the plant so that it withered. When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die,and said, “It would be better for me to die than to live.”

But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?”

“It is,” he said. “And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.”

10 But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. 11 And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh,in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”


Charles Spurgeon has this to say about a revival, "A true revival is to be looked for in the church of God. Only in the river of gracious life can the pearl of revival be found. It has been said that a revival must begin with God's people; this is very true, but it is not all the truth, for the revival itself must end as well as begin there. The results of the revival will extend to the outside world, but the revival, strictly speaking, must be within the circle of life, and must therefore essentially be enjoyed by the possessors of vital godliness, and by them only. Is not this quite a different view of revival from that; which is common in society; but is it not manifestly the correct one?"

First of all, in the book of Jonah, we read about a prophet (Jonah) he was called by God.  "The Book of Jonah is one of the Minor Prophets in the Bible. It tells of a Hebrew prophet named Jonah son of Amittai who is sent by God to prophesy the destruction of Nineveh but tries to escape the divine mission.[1] Set in the reign of Jeroboam II (786–746 BC), it was probably written in the post-exilic period, sometime between the late 5th to early 4th century BC.[2] The story has an interesting interpretive history (see below) and has become well-known through popular children's stories. In Judaism it is the Haftarah for the afternoon of Yom Kippur due to its story of God's willingness to forgive those who repent.[Wikipedia}

In chapter 4, Jonah is angry with God because he has mercy and compassion on the people of Israel's enemy.  Jonah flees from God, because he did not want them to repent.  There is so much to this book that I encourage all of you to read it.  Study it and pray on it.


Let's look at some questions that we have a right, as citizens to ask:

  • Is our government truly representing its people?
  • Do both sides of the argument have valid points that should be addressed?
  • How do we heal as a Nation?
  • Why is the internet filled with so much hate and bitterness about others?
  • Where is God in this?
  • What is God's will in all of this for me, as a Christian?
  • What's missing from our schoools?
  • What is missing from our Congress?
  • Where do I turn to in this election year?
  • Whose got this anyways?

Let's be honest here, regardless of your political bent, something is wrong with this society when we put the "I" before the "We".

What is God's will for our lives as Christians (I can answer this one by His Word):

1 Thessalonians 4New International Version (NIV)

Living to Please God4 As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

3 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control your own body[a] in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister.[b] The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.

9 Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. 10 And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more, 11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, 12 so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.


Let's come together by putting on the following the road map of Colossians 3:

  1. Setting our hearts on things above
  2. Setting our minds on God above
  3. Putting to death our old self (our old sin nature)
  4. Clothing ourselves with Love, Compassion, Kindness, Humility, Gentleness and Patience (take the log out of our eyes before we judge and condemn others)
  5. Let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly
  6. Just don't say it - Do what God calls us to do
  7. Serve others before we self serve us.

Maybe instead of taking God's word out of the hearts and minds of our citizens we need to be praying for God's will in this country instead of what's best for you and me.

My heart breaks for

  • Those who wear a uniform and serve our country (who are being treated and have been treated harshly)
  • For the innocent who are being unfairly treated
  • For those whose rights are being violated by others
  • For the brokenhearted
  • For those who lost loved ones
  • For those who God cares for

Whatever we do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Blessings,

Dante

The impact of wow

[youtube id="fMhJIglG53k"]Philippians 2:12-13New Living Translation (NLT)

Shine Brightly for Christ12 Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. 13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

Which word describes your life and your church to others:

  • WOW
  • WHOA
  • WOE

Which word describes your witness to others....?

Thoughts,Dante

What is God's will in your life

Proverbs-Main-Title-Slide-400x300Proverbs 1:1-7New International Version (NIV)

Purpose and Theme

The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:

for gaining wisdom and instruction;for understanding words of insight;for receiving instruction in prudent behavior,doing what is right and just and fair;for giving prudence to those who are simple,[a]knowledge and discretion to the young—let the wise listen and add to their learning,and let the discerning get guidance—for understanding proverbs and parables,the sayings and riddles of the wise.[b]

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,but fools[c] despise wisdom and instruction.

Proverbs is known as the book of Wisdom.  Solomon is identified as the writer of most of the book.  God gave Solomon his wisdom.  Proverbs is a book of instructions on how to live a life pleasing to God and how to live a life of peace.  Proverbs is a guiding light (the word of God is a light unto my path).

Are you in God's word?

Are you under its authority?

Before you go to bed tonight understand this:

Proverbs 9:10New International Version (NIV)

10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Who will you serve this day?  Self or God?

 

Blessings,D