Four Essential to Finishing Well

2 Timothy 4:6-18 (NIV)6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

Personal Remarks9 Do your best to come to me quickly, 10 for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. 12 I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. 13 When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments.

14 Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. 15 You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message.

16 At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. 17 But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen"

Four Essentials to Finish Well:

1. Daily Time - daily time of focused community with God
   • In the word
   • Set time to be in quiet time with God
   • In prayer
2. Daily Appropriation - begin our time with God by reviewing the Gospel
   • Remember that we are prone to sin and to wander
   • Only through the perfect sacrifice of Jesus are we saved
   • His time should be my time
3. Daily Commitment - we need to do our part as disciples of Christ
   • We need to become a living sacrifice - Romans 12:1-2New International Version (NIV) A Living Sacrifice "12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
   • We have to put our old sin nature to death daily (for some - daily, for others - hourly and still for others - minute-by-minute)
4. A Firm Belief in the Sovereignty and Love of God
   • God is Sovereign - He's got this whole world in His Hands.  Lamentations 3:37 Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it? 38 fIs it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come?"
   • Because God is Sovereign we are free let him take our vengeance, to take our problems and to take our hands in all that we do

We need to make this a daily habit:

The Habit PoemI am your constant companion.I am your greatest helper or heaviest burden.I will push you onward or drag you down tofailure.I am completely at your command.Half of the things you do you might as well turnover to me and I will do them - quickly andcorrectly.I am easily managed - you must be firm with me.Show me exactly how you want something doneand after a few lessons, I will do it automatically.I am the servant of great people,and alas, of all failures as well.Those who are great, I have made great.Those who are failures, I have made failures.I am not a machine thoughI work with the precision of a machineplus the intelligence of a person.You may run me for profit or run me for ruin -it makes no difference to me.Take me, train me, be firm with me, andI will place the world at your feet.Be easy with me and I will destroy you.Who am I? I am Habit.

• Author Unkown

What does God's Disciple look like

When you think about what a true disciple of Christ looks like, who and what do you imagine that looks like?  Is it a Pastor, an Elder, a Deacon, and a Ministry leader in your Church?  Is it a parent or a friend or a mentor? Is it you?  If someone were to walk up to you now and ask you to tell them what is a disciple?  What does one look like?  How does one act?  Let's take this in a more serious matter:  If you call yourself a Christian, someone who has put their trust in Jesus and believe that He has paid it all for your sins and because of that you are saved, does that make you a disciple of Jesus Christ?  Should it?  In every aspect of your life?  Your spending, your savings, your time, your talent, your entertainment, your filters?  Does the Word of God hold authority in your life?  Do you pray often?  Do others hold you accountable?If people were to look on your life, as a disciple of Jesus Christ, would they see more of you or more of Him in your life?  That is to say, would your life, love and actions turn people toward wanting to know God or would it repel them to despise your beliefs and your faith?

Does any of this really matter?   What does Scripture have to say on this (CLICK HERE).

Do you believe that every one will die and that after this there will be  a judgement?  Does that thought make you think what you do and build in this life matters?  Are your building your kingdom and your desires or are you building God's Kingdom?

In Matthew 28, Jesus tell his disciples the following:

The Great Commission

Matthew 28:16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

That is pretty clear-cut in what every church is called to do.  What every ministry should be pointing toward and to what every Christian needs to be doing in their life.  If you are a parent then your number 1 mission field is your spouse and your family.  If you are a leader, then all those who follow your leadership should be pointed to Christ in the way that you are leading.  If you are a servant and you are serving - then you should be serving Christ with all of your heart, mind, body, soul and strength.

Some true characteristics of a biblical disciple:

• A disciple is one who listens (and not only listens) and does the will of the one who is teaching them (in this case:  Jesus Christ).  So a disciple of Christ is someone who learns from him to live like Him.
• A disciple is one who gives the Word of God authority over their entire life (Time, Talent and Treasure)
• A disciple is one who yields to the Holy Spirit and is in step with the Spirit.
• A disciple is one who worships without restraint (in their time, their talent and their treasure)
• A disciple is one who serves others without expecting to be served
• A disciple is one whose life (even without words) points others to Christ (or at least to a higher authority)
• A disciple is one who is accountable to Scripture and to his brothers and sisters
• A disciple is one who puts God first in all things
• A disciple is lead by the Spirit to tear down idolatry in their lives (meaning if alcohol is an idol, if drugs is an idol, pornography, sex, bad language, anger, pride, sports, entertainment, _____ - is an idol then you destroy and/or remove that idol from your life.
• A disciple is one who prays regularly
• A disciple is one who is a good steward of his time, talent and treasure
• A disciple is one who waits on God and does not pursue his own lust of the eyes or pride of life
• A disciple is one who does not just know Jesus as Savior but can call Him an intimate friend

What does discipleship look like to you?  Who is the authority in your life?  Is it God?  Does your time, your talent and your treasure affirm that?

How can you be Christian and not do the will of God and obey his words.  Not just hearing the words, but doing what they say?

Left on our own devices, we fail.  BUT with God and His Son and His Spirit - ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!

Who do you trust?

Blessings,

Dante

Which path to follow

Matthew 24:12-13 (NIV) ¹² Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,¹³ but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.Proverbs 4:26-27 (NIV) ²⁶ Give careful thought to the^[a] paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. ²⁷ Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.

To be a legacy dad and a follower of Jesus Christ, your life will bear the fruit of the Spirit no matter what.  As an Elder of my church and the men's ministry leader I can honestly tell you that you can look at Christians and know them by their fruit, which is not to say that we will know whether or not that they are saved by Jesus Christ as that privilege will only be known between God and them.  The fruit of the Spirit, though, cannot help but overflow from that person's life if they truly are saved.

There is a transformation, a change, a repentance to go the other way.  That person is no longer guided by self-indulgence, rather, they feel the presence of the Holy Spirit who guides them in which way to go.  Does this mean that we will always get it right?  Of course not!  Does this mean that we will stop sinning and making mistakes?  Of course not!  The one thing that will be is their fruit:  Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Gentleness and Self-Control.

When you get to be as old as I am (48 and counting) you can be honest with yourself and say that the Word of God (the Gospel) does offend!  The Gospel tells us that Jesus is the only way.  When you read the Bible (honestly read, and study and meditate) then you will come upon three expressions to your spirit and walk with God:  1) The Word will reveal truth and encouragement and the path that you are taking and you will feel a WOW moment and know that you are on the right path and that you are not grieving the Holy Spirit.  2) When you read, like me, and come across a key verse or passage and are immediately convicted by the Spirit and have un-confessed sin and/or are angry with a brother or sister you are left with a feeling of WHOA, then you know that the Spirit is guiding you in the way that God wants you to go.  3) When you are reading, studying and reflecting on the word and you are immediately given the feeling of WOE and you know that your life is completely out-of-bounds and out of God's will for your life, then you are given two choices:  A) Continue to wallow and sin or B) Repent.  Turn.  Go the opposite way and ask for God's forgiveness.

I think the problem with culture and society is that they are no longer prone to Biblical truth and that their ears become itchy with truth and the way that God calls us to go.  Honestly ask yourself how can a holy God tolerate sin?  Why did God send His only begotten Son to die for our sins if society (and culture) keep re-writing what's right and what's wrong?  How can we say that we need a Savior if there is nothing to be repenting of?  Seriously ask yourself what is right (having a biblical lens on culture and the world) and what is wrong (and sinful?)

1 John 2:15-17New International Version (NIV)

On Not Loving the World

¹⁵ Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father^[a] is not in them. ¹⁶ For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. ¹⁷ The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

Psalm 1New International Version (NIV)

BOOK I

Psalms 1–41

Psalm 1

¹ Blessed is the one    who does not walk in step with the wickedor stand in the way that sinners take    or sit in the company of mockers,² but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,    and who meditates on his law day and night.³ That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,    which yields its fruit in seasonand whose leaf does not wither—    whatever they do prospers.

⁴ Not so the wicked!    They are like chaff    that the wind blows away.⁵ Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,    nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

⁶ For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,    but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

There are two things that we cannot avoid without punishment:  1) Death and 2) Taxes.  Whether you deny the truth and embrace sin or whether you accept truth and trust God remains to be seen in the fruit in your life.  But ask yourself this question:  Would I rather error on the side of the World or the side of God?  As for me and my house, we will choose to serve the Lord.

So what are my responsibilities as a Legacy Dad and a disciple of Christ:

• Love the Lord my God with all my heart, mind, soul and strength
• Love my neighbor as myself.
• Speak truth in love
• Testify to God's truth.
• Leave judgement up to God (we are not to judge - especially harshly
• Lead my family
• Be prophet, priest and king of my wife and kids
• To be above reproach
• To bear the fruit of the Spirit
• To have integrity.

Dare to take this step, trust God and lean on him and not the world's understanding of right and wrong.  Speak truth (by reading the Bible) and show the love of Christ to your neighbor!

Blessings,

Dante

We will remember

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Mr. President, General, the distinguished guests here with us today, my fellow citizens: In America's cities and towns today, flags will be placed on graves in cemeteries; public officials will speak of the sacrifice and the valor of those whose memory we honor. In 1863, when he dedicated a small cemetery in Pennsylvania marking a terrible collision between the armies of North and South, Abraham Lincoln noted the swift obscurity of such speeches. Well, we know now that Lincoln was wrong about that particular occasion. His remarks commemorating those who gave their "last full measure of devotion" were long remembered. But since that moment at Gettysburg, few other such addresses have become part of our national heritage—not because of the inadequacy of the speakers, but because of the inadequacy of words. I have no illusions about what little I can add now to the silent testimony of those who gave their lives willingly for their country. Words are even more feeble on this Memorial Day, for the sight before us is that of a strong and good nation that stands in silence and remembers those who were loved and who, in return, loved their countrymen enough to die for them. Yet, we must try to honor them—not for their sakes alone, but for our own. And if words cannot repay the debt we owe these men, surely with our actions we must strive to keep faith with them and with the vision that led them to battle and to final sacrifice. Our first obligation to them and ourselves is plain enough: The United States and the freedom for which it stands, the freedom for which they died, must endure and prosper. Their lives remind us that freedom is not bought cheaply. It has a cost; it imposes a burden. And just as they whom we commemorate were willing to sacrifice, so too must we—in a less final, less heroic way—be willing to give of ourselves. It is this, beyond the controversy and the congressional debate, beyond the blizzard of budget numbers and the complexity of modern weapons systems, that motivates us in our search for security and peace. War will not come again, other young men will not have to die, if we will speak honestly of the dangers that confront us and remain strong enough to meet those dangers. It's not just strength or courage that we need, but understanding and a measure of wisdom as well. We must understand enough about our world to see the value of our alliances. We must be wise enough about ourselves to listen to our allies, to work with them, to build and strengthen the bonds between us. Our understanding must also extend to potential adversaries. We must strive to speak of them not belligerently, but firmly and frankly. And that's why we must never fail to note, as frequently as necessary, the wide gulf between our codes of morality. And that's why we must never hesitate to acknowledge the irrefutable difference between our view of man as master of the state and their view of man as servant of the state. Nor must we ever underestimate the seriousness of their aspirations to global expansion. The risk is the very freedom that has been so dearly won. It is this honesty of mind that can open paths to peace, that can lead to fruitful negotiation, that can build a foundation upon which treaties between our nations can stand and last—treaties that can someday bring about a reduction in the terrible arms of destruction, arms that threaten us with war even more terrible than those that have taken the lives of the Americans we honor today. In the quest for peace, the United States has proposed to the Soviet Union that we reduce the threat of nuclear weapons by negotiating a stable balance at far lower levels of strategic forces. This is a fitting occasion to announce that START, as we call it, strategic arms reductions, that the negotiations between our country and the Soviet Union will begin on the 29th of June. As for existing strategic arms agreements, we will refrain from actions which undercut them so long as the Soviet Union shows equal restraint. With good will and dedication on both sides, I pray that we will achieve a safer world. Our goal is peace. We can gain that peace by strengthening our alliances, by speaking candidly of the dangers before us, by assuring potential adversaries of our seriousness, by actively pursuing every chance of honest and fruitful negotiation. It is with these goals in mind that I will depart Wednesday for Europe, and it's altogether fitting that we have this moment to reflect on the price of freedom and those who have so willingly paid it. For however important the matters of state before us this next week, they must not disturb the solemnity of this occasion. Nor must they dilute our sense of reverence and the silent gratitude we hold for those who are buried here. The willingness of some to give their lives so that others might live never fails to evoke in us a sense of wonder and mystery. One gets that feeling here on this hallowed ground, and I have known that same poignant feeling as I looked out across the rows of white crosses and Stars of David in Europe, in the Philippines, and the military cemeteries here in our own land. Each one marks the resting place of an American hero and, in my lifetime, the heroes of World War I, the Doughboys, the GI's of World War II or Korea or Vietnam. They span several generations of young Americans, all different and yet all alike, like the markers above their resting places, all alike in a truly meaningful way. Winston Churchill said of those he knew in World War II they seemed to be the only young men who could laugh and fight at the same time. A great general in that war called them our secret weapon, "just the best darn kids in the world." Each died for a cause he considered more important than his own life. Well, they didn't volunteer to die; they volunteered to defend values for which men have always been willing to die if need be, the values which make up what we call civilization. And how they must have wished, in all the ugliness that war brings, that no other generation of young men to follow would have to undergo that same experience. As we honor their memory today, let us pledge that their lives, their sacrifices, their valor shall be justified and remembered for as long as God gives life to this nation. And let us also pledge to do our utmost to carry out what must have been their wish: that no other generation of young men will every have to share their experiences and repeat their sacrifice. [ See APP Note below. ] Earlier today, with the music that we have heard and that of our National Anthem—I can't claim to know the words of all the national anthems in the world, but I don't know of any other that ends with a question and a challenge as ours does: Does that flag still wave o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? That is what we must all ask.Thank you. Remarks at Memorial Day Ceremonies at Arlington National CemeteryMay 31, 1982 (by President Ronald Reagan)

Thank you all for serving against tyranny and evil men!  Thank you for knowing the cost and being willing to pay it!

Blessings to all who have served and continue to serve this Memorial Day!

Vision

“Where there is no vision, there is no hope,” - George Washington Carver.“The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision,” - Helen Keller.

Vision gives leaders a purpose and road map to where they need to be, to go, to dream, and to end up.  A church that follows a leader who uses vision to have others take ownership in that vision is both humble and God-honoring, with structure and purpose.  In the book Courageous Leadership, Bill Hybels quotes Romans 12:8,  “the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads,[a] with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.” (ESV).  He states that when we read this, those of us that have the gift of leadership better sit up and take notice, and we better lead with diligence.  “Why, because the Church, the bride of Christ, upon which the eternal destiny of the world depends, will flourish or falter largely on the basis of how we lead.”

Through Jesus Christ, who is the Author of our salvation, we find the hope in him and through His Spirit to boldly approach his task to go and make disciples and to preach and teach the good news.  In addition, we are to train others to love, to be in community and to carry each other’s burdens, and to be in relationship with others.  An effective leader can dream and cast vision, but is doomed if he/she cannot convey this vision to others in such a way that they fail to take ownership in that vision.  Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained.”  Bill Hybels states, “They can’t focus, can’t reach their goal, can’t follow their dream.  An older translation says, “Without vision, the people perish.”  Hybels says “Vision is a picture of the future that produces passion.”

In Men of Faith, we worship, read scripture, pray and carry each other’s burdens.  We created an environment that yields to the truth: God’s word!  We share with each other our most honest feelings, and we have set a tone that trust is there and what is said there stays there.  In other words, we see community and relationship.  The vision that Men of Faith has is to bring men to the Word of God, pray to God and watch the Holy Spirit change men.  The word of God encourages, convicts and comforts men in their daily lives.

In Legacy Dad, both Lance and I have a heart for men and women and our hope is to use the blog as a tool to share God’s word and our life experience through ministry.  Also, to challenge and use biblical truth in application.  Our vision is to see this ministry turn into a full-time ministry using our gifts and talents to make a difference in others.  The purpose of Legacy Dad is to share real men’s journeys, Biblical-based wisdom and the latest research on what works in life – in easy to read weekly life lessons and devotionals.  We are transparent, Bible-based and give you the latest advice on manhood, parenting, marriage and faith.

Our hope is that we can equip as many men, fathers and parents as possible and create a generation of leaders that leave a real legacy for their children and the generations to come

How would I measure success in ministry with the vision of its leaders:  1) What fruit is it bearing?  2) Do others own the vision?  3) Are others being listened to?  Are they sharing their fears and desires with their leader? If so, does the leader weigh those and incorporate that into the path of their vision? 4) Most importantly – is the vision pointing others to Christ?  If not, why not?

Blessings,

Dante

Final Charge to Legacy Dads

Final Charge to Timothy

^{1 Timothy 6:11} But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. ¹² Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. ¹³ In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you ¹⁴ to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵ which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords,¹⁶ who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.

Legacy Dads (and to those who journey it is to be this man of God)

Things you can do right now to start this process:

• Prayer (ask for the Lord to reveal those things in you that need to change)
• Repent
• Pursue God (through prayer and the reading of his word)
• Pursue Godliness (God is holy!  Put your own sin nature to death daily)
• Pursue Faith (Believe and receive the Holy Spirit and God's testimony)
• Pursue Love (how do others see Christ through your behavior and attitude - do these need to change?)
• Pursue Endurance (train yourself in the way that God's word tells us to go)
• Pursue Gentleness (this does not mean to be a whimp) - Be pure in heart and encourage, comfort and urge those
• If you are a believer, a disciple, a legacy dad THEN Fight!  Fight the good fight of faith because Ephesians 6 is not lying about spiritual warfare
• Take hold of your faith!

In all that you do, let the Word of Christ dwell in each of you richly.

Be blessed!

Dante