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Moral Fiber....

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The standard dictionary definition of moral fiber is "strength of character, firmness of purpose, resolution or toughness of spirit."I think what surprises me most in how people, even Christians compromise themselves on a daily basis.  Now before you turn off this post and think, "oh no, here goes another hypocrite" - wait!  I want to explain something to you:  Lance, Gary and myself sin every day.  None of us can sit here and tell you the success of our lives and that would be it, because for us to do that, then we would have to times that by a multiplicity of some factor for all the wrongs we do on a daily basis (ask our wives).

Before I sit there and pontificate on delicate matters let's agree to disagree here  and still be friends.  I mean we can agree that we have different values and ethics and belief structures, but if we are real about our faith and trust in God then we can say no "one person" on earth can encapsulate God's moral fiber.  That would require to keep God's moral law (the 10 commandments) that were before Jesus's sacrifice on the cross for all of our sins.  Before this hope, we had to abide and live by God's moral law.  In James 2:10 we read that if we break just one of God's commandments, then we are guilty of them all.

So let's put this in perspective, let's again agree on the fact that God the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ) and the Holy Spirit (all three in one are the Triune God).  That being said, then he gave us his Holy Word (the Bible).  Presupposing that we can use that for reference to God's precepts and values, then let's take a look at some things that may make us guilty:

  • Anger
  • Sexual Immorality (pornography, lust, tv shows that compromise, cable, internet, and fill in your "blank"
  • Impurity
  • Sensuality
  • Idolatry, Sorcery
  • Enmity, Strife, Jealousy and Fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy
  • drunkenness, orgies and the like
What are you filling your heart, mind, soul and body with that would lead you to a path of immoral fiber and away from God's moral fiber.  Call it what you will, but the world's definition of moral law versus God's definition are nowhere close.  God is a holy God.  God is not mocked.  In the end, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord.  If you do not know him, then you are at odds with God, that is = you reject Jesus then God rejects you - simple as that.
The point that I am trying to make here is at what point in our life do we want to let go and let God - have it all.  Does he control our mind, body, soul and strength?  Do we seek his counsel and his lead in all that we do?

Some Scripture on Moral Fiber:Matthew 15:18–20 (ESV) But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. 20 These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does ...

Job 2:3 (ESV) And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason.” ..Proverbs 17:3 (ESV) The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the Lord tests hearts.

Romans 5:3–4 (ESV) Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,

1 Chronicles 29:17 (ESV) I know, my God, that you test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. In the uprightness of my heart I have freely offered all these things, and now I have seen your people, who are present here, offering freely and joyously to you

2 Peter 1:5–6 (ESV) For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godlinessTitus 2:7–8 (ESV) 7 Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity,8 and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.

 

So what can we do about it?

Get serious, don't compromise and read his word daily and pray continually - see what you here?  Here what you read and listen!

Blessings,

Dante

My bucket list for Christmas 2012

As my wife and I move closer into the very dear and near season of Christmas we find ourselves talking about parenting and things that we have done so far to date with our kids.  Their ages range in the adolescent stages of life, yet we realize how important this stage is.  We have done very well, in my opinion so far, is their understanding of just how much God loves us (as I believe that they know unconditionally how much we love them) as God loves us.  My wife and I have been consistent in our parenting and the kids know that mom and dad mean what they say.  Please note that there is a lot more here to fill in, but I just want to talk about some of the details.

Places where we find ourselves both needing improvement is teaching them more responsibility and independence.  What I am saying here, is that we are not "helicopter parents" where we hover over them, but rather, we find ourselves doing for them just because that's what we do.

Two weeks before Thanksgiving my wife and I unplugged from television.  We turned it off.  The job I am in makes it almost impossible for me to completely "unplug" as my career and news flow is dependent on world events and weather, however, we did unplug from television.  There were a few reasons:  1) Our middle daughter was a little bit sassier and her wardrobe was changing.  2) The older and younger were too dependent on this and 3) one of their teachers challenged my son's class  just after we unplugged (the timing couldn't have been better).

This season of Christmas I decided to make a bucket list for myself and our family to do (feel free to let me know yours or if you have any better ideas).  Here it goes - 25 days of Christmas Bucket List (in no particular order):

1)  Do something nice for someone (serve them without expectation of receiving anything in return

2) Adopt a family for Christmas and share the blessing of giving moreso then receiving

3) Help someone in need (financially)

4) Help someone in need (spiritually)

5) Help someone in need (physcially)

6) Visit a charity/hospital and serve the people/patients

7) Invite family and friends to church (to hear the Gospel of CHRISTmas

8) Play board games with kids

9) Read "doors" book to our children (25 days of Christmas)

10) Visit our neighbors and serve them

11 thur 25 - what do you recommend?

Blessings,

Dante

Thanksgiving and Praise

By the President of the United States of America.A Proclamation.

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consiousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

 

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.

 

Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the Unites States the Eighty-eighth.

 

By the President: Abraham Lincoln

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What Jesus did (for you)

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 The 10 Commandments of the Old Testament:  Remember that whether you live by your own standards of life, or by the standards set forth by the living Word of God, then you have to believe that evil does not prevail.  That people have to answer to a higher "source".  Some call it "karma" while others call it the inherit code of law that is engraved in each one of our DNA.  Whether you believe it or you don't, one thing is for sure, no question, is that everyone will have to give an account - will have to testify that there is a God.  If you can read this and agree with it, then we can look at what's God's law was for those of us that are under the curse (the original sin) and remember that if we are guilty of one transgression of the law, then we are guilty of them all.  Here is the list of the Old Testament:

New Living Translation

Then God gave the people all these instructions:

 

1. You must not have any other god but me.

2.  You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands.

3. You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name.

4. Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. For in six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.

5. Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

6. You must not murder.

7. You must not commit adultery.

8. You must not steal.

9. You must not testify falsely against your neighbor.

10. You must not covet your neighbor’s house. You must not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.

The Commandments of Jesus:What Did Jesus Teach About the Ten Commandments?

By COGwriter

 

Commandment 1 "You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve" (Mat 4:10). "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and the great commandment" (Mat 22:37). "

Commandment 2 "You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve" (Mat 4:10). "You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve" (Luke 4:8). "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:24).

Commandment 3 "Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men" (Mat 12:31). "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts,...blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man" (Mat 15:19-20).

Commandment 4 "What man is there among you who has one sheep, and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath" (Mat 12:11-12). "And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath" (Mat 24:20); there would be no reason to pray this if the Sabbath was not going to be in existence. "And He said to them, 'The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath'" (Mk 2:27); this verse tells all who will see which day is the Lord's Day

Commandment 5 "For God commanded saying, 'Honor your father and your mother' and 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death'" (Mat 15:4). "Honor your father and your mother" (Mat 19:19). "Honor your father and your mother" (Mk 7:10). "Honor your father and your mother" (Mk 10:19). "You know the commandments:...Honor your father and your mother" (Luke 18:20).

Commandment 6 "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder', and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment. But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment" (Mat 5:21-22). "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders...These are the things which defile a man" (Mat 15:19-20). "You shall not murder" (Mat 19:18). "...murders...All these evil things come from within and defile a man" (Mk 7:21,23). "Do not murder" (Mk 10:19). "You know the commandments:...Do not murder" (Luke 18:20).

Commandment 7 "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery'. But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Mat 5:27-28). "But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery" (Mat 5:32). "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts...adulteries, fornications...These are the things which defile a man" (Mat 15:19-20). "And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery, and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery" (Mat 19:9). "You shall not commit adultery" (Mat 19:18). "...adulteries, fornications...All these evil things come from within and defile a man" (Mk 7:21,23). "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery" (Mk 10:11-12). "Do not commit adultery" (Mk 10:19). "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery" (Luke 16:18). "You know the commandments: Do not commit adultery" (Luke 18:20). "'Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery'...And Jesus said to her...'sin no more'" (John 8:4,11). "Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation" (Rev 2:22).

Commandment 8 "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts...thefts...These are the things which defile a man" (Mat 15:19-20). "You shall not steal" (Mat 19:18). "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer', but you have made it a den of thieves" (Mat 21:13). "...thefts...All these evil things come from within and defile a man" (Mk 7:22-23). "Do not steal" (Mk 10:19). "You know the commandments:... Do not steal" (Luke 18:20).

Commandment 9 "Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord. But I say to you, do not swear at all" (Mat 5:33-34). "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts...false witness...These are the things which defile a man" (Mat 15:19-20). "You shall not bear false witness" (Mat 19:18). "Do not bear false witness" (Mk 10:19). "You know the commandments:...Do not bear false witness" (Luke 18:20). "And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars" (Rev 2:2).

Commandment 10 "Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on" (Mat 6:25). "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts...These are the things which defile a man" (Mat 15:19-20). "...covetousness...All these evil things come from within and defile a man" (Mk 7:22-23).

"I have kept My Father's commandments" (John 15:10).

So it is clear that Jesus taught everyone of the ten commandments and that he also kept them.

 

 

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRqXOaWUdVM]

Therefore, what did Jesus do for you?  Listen to the song, again, at the beginning!Blessings,Dante

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