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

Completed Devoted

What if we trained for a marathon race at 25 percent?  What if we committed to our partner 30 percent?  What if we paid taxes on only 30 percent of our income?  What if we spent very little time investing in our family and our marriage?  In all of these questions what do you think the likely end result would be?  Would it be a happy ending?  Would it be edifying?  Would it be worth it to change these questions to what if I gave it my all?I don't think very many of us would even remotely try to argue that results would certainly be much different.  All this being said to ask our question of where does our devotion truly stand with the Creator of this Universe?

Some key verses for you to ponder:

• Deuteronomy 6:5 "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
• 1 Samuel 12:24  "Only fear the LORD and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.
• Proverbs 3:9 Honor the LORD from your wealth And from the first of all your produce;
• Romans 12:1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
• 1 Corinthians 6:20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.
• 1 Corinthians 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?
• 2 Corinthians 5:15 and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:12 so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.
• 1 Peter 4:2 so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.

If we were to honestly look at the daily journals of our lives (Our time:  How are we spending it?  Our Treasure: If we were to show everyone in our lives and our churches how God really matters, would our checkbooks show it?  Our Talent:  When we are saved, Scripture tells us that the Spirit gives us fruit, so how are we sharing that?)

Some of us need to take serious inventory of our lives:

• Ask your spouse to list the top 5 things that are important to you (Where does God line up with that?)
• Ask your children to list the top 5 things that are important to you (Is God even mentioned)
• Take a look at your time (Where is God on that list)
• Take a look at your treasure (What does our checkbook and spending tell us?)
• Take a look at your talent (Are you using it for God's kingdom?)

My next post will be on prioritizing...

Blessings,

Dante

TOP 10 WAYS TO BUILD YOUR CHILDREN UP

TOP 10 WAYS TO BUILD YOUR CHILDREN UP:#10     TEACH THEM HEALTHY BOUNDARIES

#  9     TEACH THEM TO RESPECT THEMSELVES (AND THEIR BODIES) AND OTHERS

#  8     TEACH THEM GOOD STEWARDSHIP (OF TIME, OF TALENT AND OF TREASURE)

#  7     INVEST YOUR TIME IN THEM (THEY NEED MORE THAN QUALITY - THEY NEED BOTH QUALITY AND QUANTITY)

#  6     PUT YOUR PHONE DOWN, MAKE EYE CONTACT AND SHOW THEM THAT THEY MATTER TO YOU DAD

#  5     SHOW THEM YOUR FAITH:  MAKE THE BIBLE AN AUTHORITY IN YOUR LIFE, MAKE SERVING OTHERS A PRIORITY, MAKE YOUR FAITH REAL TO THEM

#  4     DATE THEM (TAKE THEM OUT ON ONE ON ONE DATES: IF THEY ARE YOUR DAUGHTERS THEN SHOW THEM HOW A LADY SHOULD BE TREATED.  IF THEY ARE YOUR SONS THEN SHOW THEM HOW TO TREAT LADIES AND BE A GENTLEMEN.

#  3     TELL THEM ABOUT GOD - READ THE WORD WITH THEM. PRAY WITH THEM, OPEN UP TO THEM.

#  2     LOVE THEM, KISS THEM, HUG THEM - DO NOT WITHHOLD LOVE WITH THEM.  EVEN WHEN THEY MESS UP - FORGIVE THEM AS GOD HAS FORGIVEN US.  SHOW THEM HOW TO APOLOGIZE AND TO FORGIVE (AND THEN SHOW THEM HOW LOVE DOES NOT KEEP SCORE, DOES NOT KEEP RECORD OF RIGHT AND WRONG.

#  1     TELL THEM ABOUT GOD.  ABOUT JESUS AND ABOUT HIS SPIRIT.  SHARE WITH THEM WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR US THROUGH HIS SON JESUS AND WHAT JESUS HAS GIVEN US AS HE SITS AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD - HIS SPIRIT.

The Habit Poem

The Habit Poem I am your constant companion.I am your greatest helper or your heaviest burden.I will push you onward or drag you down to failure.I am completely at your command.Half the things you do, you might just as well turn over to me,and I will be able to do them quickly and correctly.I am easily managed; you must merely be firm with me.Show me exactly how you want something done, and after a few lessons I will do it automatically.

I am the servant of all great men.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, though I work with all the precision of a machine.Plus, the intelligence of a man.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 and I will put the world at your feet.Be easy with me, and I will destroy you.

Who am I?

I am a HABIT!

(Author unknown)

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My son has a very fast brain and also has central processing disorder and ADHD in that he has a hard time following through.  My wife and I have been working on giving him tools, by which he can survive later in life, to help him through daily routines.  My wife sent this to me last night via Facebook and we both had to sadly laugh as our son has all 9 (as even some of these things apply to us): DSM-IV-TR Criteria for ADHD, Inattentive Type A child must display six of nine of the behaviors listed below: 1.often fails to give close attention to details, or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork, work, or other activities; 2.often has difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or play activities; 3.often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly; 4.often does not follow through on instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties in the workplace (not due to oppositional behavior or failure to understand instructions); 5.often has difficulty organizing tasks and activities; 6.often avoids, dislikes, or is reluctant to engage in tasks that require sustained mental effort (such as schoolwork or homework); 7.often loses things necessary for tasks or activities (toys, school assignments, pencils, books, or tools); 8.is often easily distracted by extraneous stimuli; and, 9.is often forgetful in daily activities. - our son has all 9 of these by the way.

Even with some of his disorders he is a straight A student.  The problem, though, is that he can become disheartened or frustrated in his daily jaunts because he lacks the central ability to process. His brain is amazing.  His memory is photographic.  His heart and compassion and understanding of God's scripture blows me away.

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This got me thinking on our daily walks.  Without a healthy habit, without a good routine, how can we, as Legacy Dads, succeed in our mission  - we simply cannot.

Some good habits that we can learn from Jesus:

• Put good habits to practice in your daily life (get into the word, pray, walk with other brothers and be honest and accountable - Galatians 6:7-10 and James 1:22-25)
• As disciples of Christ, we simply cannot lack discipline (1 Timothy 4:7)
• Avoid these 3 things (don't let them influence your daily healthy habits:  1) The World 2) The flesh and 3) The Devil)
• Do not grieve the Holy Spirit - repent, confess, pray and listen
• Worship and Quiet time need to be healthy habits in your life
• Start fasting - it does the body good
• Serve others and use the gifts to glorify God
• Fellowship with other brothers
• Give
• Share the Gospel

Blessings,

Dante

Speak Words...

This past Saturday, in men's group, we talked about our words and deeds in life. We never know who is watching and/or listening to our testimony.  The Book of James has a lot to say on this matter and really puts it out there for those of us who profess the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior.   All of this, being said, relies solely on the fact that without Jesus nothing is possible for life.  Words also happens to be a sermon series in our church and has been very powerful on how it is speaking to the body of Christ.After the men's group, one of my fellow elder brothers texted 3 other brothers and myself, "Gents I have loved this song for a long time for many reasons and play it/bump it  often in the car with my kids.  This morning's discussion immediately made me think about this song and about how often, because of selfishness, I collapse into the evil one's trap (the snare of the fowler), and choose death talk. May we listen.  May we plead.  Holy Spirit come and convict me/us to do what is not natural for us (unselfishness) and choose to speak life.  Love you guys.  Pass along"

The song that he is referencing is from Toby Mac called Speak LIfe

[youtube id="ZeBv9r92VQ0"]

Some of the lyrics states:

Some days, life feels perfect.

Other days it just ain't workin.

The good, the bad, the right, the wrong

And everything in between.

Though it's crazy, amazing

We can turn a heart with the words we say.

Mountains crumble with every syllable.

Hope can live or die

So speak Life, speak Life.

To the deadest darkest night.

Speak life, speak Life.

When the sun won't shine and you don't know why.

Look into the eyes of the brokenhearted;

Watch them come alive as soon as you speak hope,

You speak love, you speak...

You speak Life, (oh oh oh oh oh oh) You speak Life. (oh oh oh oh oh oh)

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The book of James puts it this way:

James 1:19-27 (NIV)

Listening and Doing

19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

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As I have share one of my favorite poems called Watch Your Words, by Frank Outlaw:

“Watch your thoughts, they become words;

watch your words, they become actions;

watch your actions, they become habits;

watch your habits, they become character;

watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”

The next time you engage life and speak into it:

• With your spouse
• With your children
• With your work
• With your church
• With your community
• With your neighbor
• Especially with God

Guard your tongue:

James 3 (NIV)

Taming the Tongue

3:  1 Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.

3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

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This past Saturday morning's bible steady convicted me and encouraged me in the following ways with my wife, my kids and my Christian walk:

• Guard my heart, my mind, my soul, my spirit and my tongue
• Guard my thoughts
• Speak words of hope to those that I can influence
• Speak about Christ more often
• When the Holy Spirit puts a word, a thought, a person in my heart and mind - then call that person, text that person, love that person (you never know how much they may need it)
• Speak truth in love to my wife and kids and those in my influence
• Watch my character around those that come across my daily path
• Share the gospel always

As you read through this, think on the things written here and reflect on those things that you have to do, confess, give-up and grow.

Blessings,

Dante

Top 10 ways to build up your child

Whether in church or in your neighborhood or at any social gathering, all of us like to watch how other people live.  We are people who are built for community, just like our Creator is in community as the Triune God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit).  That being said, no matter the socioeconomic status that a parent may be in, one thing is constant in parenting - there are good and intentional parents, there are mediocre parents, and than there are parents who are self-absorbed, and if we are honest, are not really good parents.Before you dismiss me on this, think about the Christian walk - there are Christians who abide in God's word and walk in step with His Spirit and yield to biblical truths;  there are Christians who try to serve two masters:  1) the world and 2) God, and then realize that they are divided and conflicted in which way to go; there are Christians that have a lot of head knowledge of God, but have never connected  the heart (the question then becomes did they ever surrender to self and truly repent to God as Savior?  That is not for us to decide but that is between them and God.) Scripture gives us a way to know them by their fruit (Galatians 5.)  All of this is to make the point that there is no clear-cut way to parent.  Many of us, if we are honest, can look at any set of parents and realize that even with different parenting methods, there are those 3 types of parents.  Today, however, I would like us to focus on the good parenting and give us 10 ways that are good and healthy ways to build up our child.

Deuteronomy 6:5-7 (ESV) 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 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.

Here are 10 healthy ways to build up your child

1. Give them your time - it is not just about quality, your child also needs your quantity of time.  Dad's (and Mom's) when you give your child time, please put your phones down, turn off the television, hide the Ipads and give them your 110% devotion of time.  Let them know and feel like there is nothing else that matters when you are in that moment with them.  Love on them, hug them, reassure them and do life with them.  Get involved in their likes (not your likes for them).
2. Show them your faith - Revolutionary Parenting is a book by George Barna that gives a good study on what it is like to raise be a Revolutionary Parent and I highly recommend this read.  Your child (children) are watching you and looking to see if there is a higher authority that you submit to.  Meaning:  Is God real in your life?  Is your faith real?  Do you practice what you preach?  When you sin, do you repent?  When you are wrong, do you apologize and ask for forgiveness and make it right?  Is your faith something that is caught or just taught?  If it is just taught and not giving them the desire to own your faith for themselves, then they will likely reject your faith.
3. Encourage, Comfort and Urge - 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12a (NIV) 11 For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God.  Giving your child real confidence and truth in love is a sure-fire way for this child to be confident in who they are and when Jesus calls them to be His, they can find their identity in Christ, which is even healthier for them and their life.
4. Discipline them - Proverbs 19:8 (ESV) 8 Whoever gets sense loves his own soul;  he who keeps understanding will discover good.   Proverbs 13:24 (ESV) 24 Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.  Your child needs boundaries and they are constantly testing those boundaries to see how far they can go.  Be consistent with the crime, do not waver and do everything in love (not anger).  For if God shows us mercy, we should be quicker to show those who we have been given stewardship over more mercy.  Give them a safe home and comfortable boundaries to thrive and to be secure.
5. Disciple them - Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV) 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
6. Point them in healthy directions - Proverbs 22:6 (ESV) 6 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.   The older I get, the more this verse makes complete sense to me.  A lot of people, I believe, take this verse as if the child will never sin or depart from God's will...this is not a true conclusion (in my opinion) because we are all sinners and we are all broken, therefore, why wouldn't our children sin and depart from God's will?  The key to this verse, for us parents, is to make our faith real to them and show them that we will always yield to Scripture in our lives and that our faith is real.  When we guide them in the direction and facilitate life with them (we cannot always protect them from making mistakes or failing or falling) because that what life is.  We can guide them like a Sensei does in martial arts, for Sensei means:  "One who has gone before".
7. Tell the truth - Let your "yes" be yes and your "no" be no (be consistent) and do not teach them to lie by lying to them.  This doesn't mean that you don't protect their innocence as adolescents because we have to shelter them and their innocence while we can.  But as we discern their maturity in handling such matters in life, then be consistent in their lives by showing them character and integrity.
8. Look for the teachable moments - whether you are at the breakfast, lunch or dinner table (or wherever opportunity thrives) share life with them in your experience and in giving them ethical dilemmas.  Give them a place to express themselves and to open up to you in order to see how faith in Scripture gives us the answers in every situation.
9. Love your spouse - if you truly want to be a good parent to your child, then love your spouse.  Read 1 Peter 3 and Ephesians 5.
10. Love them - tell them, hold them, kiss them and share God's word with them.  Do not withhold love from them.

What are some of your ways to build up your children?

Blessings,

Dante

Legacy Dad

1Thessalonians 2:11-12 For you know how, like a father with his children,  we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and gloryThis week was an insanely busy week for me both at work, home, and in the Church.  I wake up notably early and often leave the house while others are drooling on their pillows.  A few of my colleagues were traveling this week.  Secondly, I had an Elders meeting on Tuesday, and LTR class on Wednesday and my wife and I had a business date on Thursday.  I also like to go to bed no later than 10:30pm on work nights and this week I was not off to bed anytime before 11:30pm.

I prayed a lot. I talked with God a lot. I thanked Him a lot.  All this to say to you that for some strange reason, I wasn't fatigued or grumbling, rather, I was excited for what God is doing in men's lives around me.  The picture to the right was sent by another fellow Elder of mine who took this picture of another really good friend of mine.  This friend told him that he could only take this picture if it were in relation to Legacy Dad - The Elder obliged!  Both of these men are legacy dads (the one posing for the picture and the other taking the picture).

This is not to say that they do not get everything right, because like Lance and I - they don't.  It's not to say that they are always on their "A" game at home with their wives, at work with their colleagues or in the community with society, because they don't.  However, the one thing that they do have is the full attention of the kids.  The love and adoration of their kids and wives who like the walk that they are taking in their faith.

The legacy dad in this picture has 3 beautiful young ladies.   Yes, I said three little girls, which means college three times and three weddings (yes I said three weddings).  Look at the picture of his little girl.  She is so excited that dad has the time to meet her in her world.  It doesn't matter if it is a book, playing dolls, going on  a date or the like; what matters is that she has his full attention.  She has his time and he is in her world.

I have watched this legacy dad in his walk (along with some other dads in my mini-church) and it is amazing how much talent and gifting each of these men.  What is more amazing is that they want to make a difference in their kids lives (and they are).

Some things to remember about raising your kids:

• Be consistent - moms and dads need to be in unity and bear fruit of the Spirit with their kids
• Be loving - shepherd your child's heart and do not be a helicopter parent or a let everyone else raise my child parent
• Be Available - Yes kids want your quality time, that is, they want you to be focused on them and not on your phone.  They need more than your quality -  they need your quantity of time
• Be the leader - (Ladies- if you are reading, this is for the men) - love your wife.  Be kind to her and serve her.  Love your children by treating your wife the way that you preach to your kids.  Guide them in spiritual matters (take the lead - don't let your wife bear the brunt) and be honest about who you are ( a sinner saved by grace)
• Be Merciful - forgive them as God has forgiven you
• Be confident - Lance and I were talking about our kids last night (mine younger and his a lot older) and there has to be a time where you let them go and be their own people.  This is where you 1) trust God and 2) have confidence that no matter their choices, that God has them in His sights and He is in control - So PRAY OFTEN!

In all that you do, trust and acknowledge God.

Oh and by the way, the guy in this picture prayed for God's leading in a big request and the coolest thing to watch happen since that prayer with his wife - is watch the Lord move and answer!

Blessings,Dante