What are some of the most important things to teach your children

Clearly there are numerous books on raising children.  Many have world views and some gems have biblical foundations in their writings.  My wife and I have relatives that told us (pre-kids) that you do your best parenting before kids.  We did the proverbial laugh and thought that we had it all figured out.  That, as you know, was not entirely so.  Kids are hard work.  Kids teach us a lot and if you asked me before kids, during it now and or when they are grown if I would change my view on having children, my response will always be the same - I wouldn't trade them for the world.The older I get (I am in my mid-forties now), the more I believe that God gives us the right to parent in order to show us just how much He loves us.  For instance, when our kids really screw up or make huge mistakes, my initial thought is that I want to scream and sometimes (depending on the infraction) put them through the proverbial drywall.  That is, until I realize to my self and say, "Self, this is how you make God feel about you (ALL THE TIME!).  My posture changes, I calm down and show them love.  Truth in love to be precise.

The Bible doesn't specifically spell it our for us on how to parent, BUT it does give us a really strong foundation:

Make your faith real:

• Proverbs 22:6 ESV Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
• Deuteronomy 6:7 ESV You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
•  Psalm 127:3-5 ESV Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.
•  2 Timothy 3:16 ESV All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
•  2 Timothy 3:14-17 ESV But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
•  Matthew 19:14 ESV But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”
•  Romans 8:28 ESV And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Do not provoke your children:

• Ephesians 6:4 ESV Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
• Colossians 3:21 ESV Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.

Give them boundaries (don’t be afraid to discipline and say no):

• Proverbs 29:15 ESV The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.
• Proverbs 23:13 ESV Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die.
• Proverbs 13:24 ESV Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.
• Proverbs 29:17 ESV Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart.
• Proverbs 22:15 ESV Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
• Proverbs 19:18 ESV Discipline your son, for there is hope; do not set your heart on putting him to death.
• Proverbs 15:5 ESV A fool despises his father's instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is prudent.
• Proverbs 20:11 ESV Even a child makes himself known by his acts, by whether his conduct is pure and upright.

Pray

• Pray for God to call them to be his children
• Pray for the Holy Spirit to guide them to the truth
• Pray for their safety and wisdom
• Pray for their future spouses
• Pray for their ears and hearts to understand God's truth

Shepherd your child's heart (there is a book on this):

• Don't try to shape their behavior, instead challenge the way they think
• Don't try to argue them into submission, be consistent with your words and discipline
• Do encourage them to live a life worthy of God
• Do comfort them (give them love, security and warmth)
• Do urge them to live a life worthy of God

Parents that I respect the most are the ones who lead humble lives and have children that are jewels on their crowns.  Does that mean that they got everything right?  Of course not, but you can tell that there is something different with these parents.  Something worth looking into and perhaps asking them to mentor us on...

What are some of your lists?

Blessings,

D

With Accountability comes great responsibility

Accountability should be at the core of every bible believing ministry - no excuses.   Accountability means the state of being accountable, liable and answerable to those who are before you.  Before we go any further into this blog ask yourself this question, If Hebrews 13:17 tells me to submit to authority, then what does that mean for me if that authority has no accountability on Earth (because they most certainly do by our heavenly father)?  Ask yourself what does that mean for me if the person who I report to doesn't follow any code of accountability?You can Google just about any major mega-church and find gossip and lack of accountability in some of the most respected institutions of Growth and spread of the Gospel - what went wrong?  I have some thoughts on this and if any of these current or former leaders read this then my prayer is that truth (in love) will resonate and allow them to hear the Holy Spirit comfort them, encourage them, and urge them to live a life worthy of Jesus Christ.  I will not claim to have all the right answers nor can I say that what I may suggest in the post is the way that everyone should go.  What I will say is to test what Lance and I say through these posts - test them with Scripture and examine them closely and pray on what we say - if they pass this examination and test - well, then, the rest is up to you.

First and foremost, I want to say that whatever I may say, Lance may say, a preacher or elder or teacher or business leader may say - if it is not about Jesus Christ being the first and the last - then it is very unfruitful in the ways of building disciples of Jesus Christ.  Jesus doesn't want fans - he wants followers.  That means that each and every one of us, who profess the name of Jesus Christ as Savior, we were bought with a price.  Our lives no longer belong to us or our wants, they belong to God.  What we do in this life is how we honor him with our stewardship of His time, talent and treasure that He gives each and every one of us who belong to Him..

Some questions, that we as members of bible believing churches can ask leadership who have accountability:

• What is their fruit?
• Who are they accountable to (a church board?  a board of Elders?  A consistory?)?
• As I test what they say, teach and witness to, does it hold true to Scripture?
• Is it about Jesus, reaching the disconnected and growing the connected?

What is their fruit?  On a piece of paper draw a line down the middle of the page.  On the left side write the subject:  Fruit of the Sinful Nature and on the right side write the subject:  Fruit of the Spirit?  Your list should be based solely on what Scripture says in Galatians Chapter 5.  The Apostle Paul gives the Church a stern warning in this before he gives us the list of each fruit in Galatians 5, "13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another."

Who are they accountable to?  If your church leader(s) do not have biblical accountability in their lives, in their work and in their daily regiments, I want to caution you.  In my church, we have a Consistory, which consists of the three offices of the Church:  The Pastoral, Elders and Deacons who oversee the Church.  The Management Team in some churches is set up to "manage" the daily operations of the Church, while the Elders are called to take care of the Spiritual well-being of the church and to make sure that the word of God is preached and to care for the flock.  The Deacons are called to take care of the needs of the church and the pastoral is called to teach and preach and feed God's sheep through the Word of God.  We have accountability and we encourage each other to live a life worthy of Christ.  We gauge each other on the fruit that we see.  Sometimes we disagree, sometimes we can even argue, but as long as the word of God is consistent in our lives, then we can agree to disagree letting the truth of God's word reign in our lives.

Examine & Test:  Do we/they pass the test?  2 Corinthians 13:5-9 (ESV) 5 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! 6 I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test. 7 But we pray to God that you may not do wrong—not that we may appear to have met the test, but that you may do what is right, though we may seem to have failed. 8 For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. 9 For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. Your restoration is what we pray for."  One of the things that makes me cringe, as an Elder in our church, is when individuals say that this is what God is saying to them and what they should be doing (Please don't take this wrong, because we both know that the Holy Spirit dwells in those who are followers of Christ and the Holy Spirit guides us in the ways that we ought to go.  We also believe that God talks to us through His Spirit, His Word, His preaching and teaching and when the Fruit of the Spirit is pouring over that direction).  What I am talking about here is when someone says that God is telling them something and nothing that I just previously mentioned lines up with that.  One of the things that I see most men struggle with (including me) is submission and obedience.  Hebrews 13:17 (ESV) "17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you."  Before you believe that you are giving us leaders a "blank check" read this from Jesus's brother, James 3:1-2 (ESV) Taming the Tongue, “3 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.” Leaders will be judged at a greater strictness (by whom, you ask, He who will judge all of us - Jesus Christ).

There are two leaders that I really respect and I have come to really appreciate their preaching and teaching.  I appreciate how they challenge each of us to be better in their walks.  I appreciate how they love the church and the body and how they love Jesus.  Are these men perfect?  By no means, they are all mere men and they sin every day (trust me - we all do).  So, than, if they do not have accountability, a board of Elders and Deacons and a Consistory to hold them in that accountability, then what are we to do for the body?

On the other side of this, are those who have been hurt, misguided, victimized and or maligned by lack of this accountability.  Does this allow us, who profess the name of Jesus Christ, to blog about, tear them down, print nasty and bitter words?  What is the fruit in this?  What does this say to the lost (the World) who is watching?  Does that make them want to follow Christ and his teachings?  Does that make them want to believe in the Word of God and the power of His Spirit to overcome the worst of sins in each and every one of us?

Are these words that are printed, recorded and redistributed loving one another?  Are they made to build up the church and to edify its members?  Are they there to love our neighbor as ourselves?  I would like to gently say - NO!  These words are from the pit of hell (not the person writing them or the individuals who have been made victims or the like).  I am talking about the very essence of these words - they are from the pit of hell.  How can I say this?  How can I know this?  How can I believe this?  Please re-read Galatians 5, Ephesians 4 and the very word of God.

These blogs, these news stories, these videos are bearing the fruit of the sinful nature (discord, disunity, factions and the like).  Any fruit that bears the fruit of the sinful nature IS FROM THE PIT OF HELL!

Now that I have probably made some of you uncomfortable, some hurt and some confused, let me re-direct you back to the point of this article - ACCOUNTABILITY.  The last point about accountability is this:

Is it about Jesus? (are we bearing his fruit?  Are we reaching the disconnected?  Are we growing the connected?)  Are church has a few core mission statements and one of the biggest is that it should always be about Jesus (from beginning to the end) and the other that we use a lot is:  Reaching the Disconnected and Growing the Connected.  I love this because Jesus first loved me in all my broken-ness.  His father (God the Father) loved me so much that He gave His only Son for me.  And if that weren't already enough, when He rose again (Jesus the Christ) and now sits at the right hand of God, He gave His Spirit to each one of us who confess His name.  Talk about love!  Talk about forgiveness!  Talk about the great story ever told.  If you are in a church (which we are called to be in community as God the Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit are in community.  This is healthy and this is the body of Christ.  Therefore, we are to build each other up, to teach each other how to use our gifts.  We are to edify each other in truth with love.

No matter how bad the offense, the leader, the lack of accountability I can clearly promise you (through the very word of God) that every tongue will confess and every knee will bow.  I can promise you that those are teach and lead and direct God's sheep in the wrong direction - will be held at a higher level of judgement.  All of this belongs to God.  I can also tell you this, without any doubt, that God IS IN CONTROL.  No matter the right or the wrong, God is still in control.  His plans will succeed and he will never fail.

What if we go through these very trials and tribulations to build us up and to test our faith in order for God to use us for greater things for His Kingdom.  Can we pass the test?  Can we forgive as Christ has forgiven us?  Can we love the Lord our God with all of heart, mind, body and soul and just like this commandment, can we love our neighbor as our selves?

This is the Gospel.  This is the truth.

If you are a leader and have no accountability then repent, turn from these ways and make it all about God.  Love!  If you are a follower or a member of a body of the church, then submit and obey and trust that God is in control.  Ask the right questions to those who truly have biblical accountability because when do ask these leaders they will pray, reflect and repent because it shouldn't be about them, rather, it is always about God and His Kingdom.  If you find yourself speaking for God and no one else confirms this, nor scripture nor the fruit of the Spirit THEN REPENT, turn the other way and love!  Love one another thus fulfilling the command of Jesus.

If you are a leader and a denomination that says that you have accountability and you and your church are trying to justify sin (that is clearly listed and labeled truth in Scripture) then REPENT and turn away from these wicked practices.  God will forgive and his church will restore you as we are called to do.  If you are a member and you are living in sin and/or trying to justify sinful (hypocritical) behavior then REPENT and turn away from these evil practices.

When the body comes together in unity and loves one another, NOT EVEN THE GATES OF HELL can prevail.

Thoughts?

D

How to be a man - part 2

In the Book of Job, we read the following text:Job 29 English Standard Version (ESV)

Job's Summary Defense

29 And Job again took up his discourse, and said:

2 “Oh, that I were as in the months of old,

as in the days when God watched over me,

3 when his lamp shone upon my head,

and by his light I walked through darkness,

4 as I was in my prime,[a]

when the friendship of God was upon my tent,

5 when the Almighty was yet with me,

when my children were all around me,

6 when my steps were washed with butter,

and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!

7 When I went out to the gate of the city,

when I prepared my seat in the square,

8 the young men saw me and withdrew,

and the aged rose and stood;

9 the princes refrained from talking

and laid their hand on their mouth;

10 the voice of the nobles was hushed,

and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.

11 When the ear heard, it called me blessed,

    and when the eye saw, it approved,

12 because I delivered the poor who cried for help,

    and the fatherless who had none to help him.

13 The blessing of him who was about to perish came upon me,

    and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.

14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me;

    my justice was like a robe and a turban.

15 I was eyes to the blind

    and feet to the lame.

16 I was a father to the needy,

    and I searched out the cause of him whom I did not know.

17 I broke the fangs of the unrighteous

    and made him drop his prey from his teeth.

18 Then I thought, ‘I shall die in my nest,

and I shall multiply my days as the sand,

19 my roots spread out to the waters,

with the dew all night on my branches,

20 my glory fresh with me,

and my bow ever new in my hand.’

21 “Men listened to me and waited

and kept silence for my counsel.

22 After I spoke they did not speak again,

and my word dropped upon them.

23 They waited for me as for the rain,

and they opened their mouths as for the spring rain.

24 I smiled on them when they had no confidence,

and the light of my face they did not cast down.

25 I chose their way and sat as chief,

and I lived like a king among his troops,

like one who comforts mourners.

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Following up on a previous post that I wrote about manhood, we discussed the following in our Men of Faith Group this morning:  What does biblical manhood look like for a disciple of Christ.  How does God want us to be true men:

DIVINE PURPOSEJeremiah 29:11-12 (ESV)11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare[a] and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.

1 Thessalonians 4:3- (ESV) 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification:[a] that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body[b] in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God;

UNDIVIDED HEART

1 Corinthians 13:11 (NIV) 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.

Psalm 119[a] א Aleph 1 Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord.

STRONG AND COURAGEOUS

Deuteronomy 31:6 (NIV) 6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 (ESV) 13 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done in love.

1 Kings 2:2 (ESV) 2 “I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man,

ABOVE REPROACH

1 Timothy 3:2-7 (ESV) 2 Therefore an overseer[a] must be above reproach, the husband of one wife,[b] sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.

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Wherever you are in your journey as Christ's disciple, it is never too late to fear the Lord (in awe of Him) and confess and repent and move toward the man that he wants you to be.  For me, on vacation recently, I realized that one of the things that I was struggling with was a divided heart.  I love the Lord and I read His word and pray everyday, but the Lord revealed to me that I was not pursuing him, rather I was be routine with Him instead of relational.

God doesn't just want a part of us, he wants all of us including our attention and focus (He wants a relationship with each of us).

Are there any things that you have to let go of and/or repent of to be the man that God wants you to be?

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Blessings,

D

Your way versus God's way

Joseph Reassures His Brothers¹⁵ When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?” ¹⁶ So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions before he died:¹⁷ ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept.

¹⁸ His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. “We are your slaves,”they said.

¹⁹ But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? ²⁰ You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. ²¹ So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.

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I am not sure about the rest of you, but I truly love the story of Joseph.  When I think about God's faithfulness, I am completely amazed at how life and history have unfolded into ways that can only be explained by God.  That is, to say, that left on our own accord, life would be hopeless.  I have seen musicals and the movie, but each time that I read Genesis I glean more and more through the years.  To give you a background in this story, for all intensive purposes Joseph:

• Was spoiled
• Was not liked by his brothers
• Was mistreated
• Was betrayed
• Was falsely accused
• Was put in prison (he was innocent)
• Was neglected
• Was a dreamer

Through all of this God's provision and sovereignty reigned through and through this true story.  Through Joseph's rough life, he encountered pain and distress and anxiety and the like.  He probably felt very alone a lot of times and felt depression along the way.  Right up until the point that God gave him the interpretations of men's dreams.  God enabled him to be the second man in command under just Pharoh.  Because of this, God's promise to Abraham was sustained and His way went on to present day - Jesus is alive and sits at the right hand of the Father.

When we start to think that this world is about us and what we want and how it can best serve us - we miss the whole enchilada, that is, we miss God's plans and blessing for our lives.  When we live in a secular world that becomes more hell bent on the world's form of truth versus biblical truth (we have grave problems).  Life is never supposed to be easy nor should we expect that if we are professing Christ.  God loves us!  Jesus said that if we bear his name that we will be persecuted.

God knows the plans for us because He is the I AM!

We are not in control, God is.

If God is for us, then who can really be against us?

We need to learn the secret to life:  Contentment

What are some ways that you need to give up?

Let Go and Let God!

Blessings,

Dante

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

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