DEPTH CHARGE 2015

DEPTH CHARGE 2015

I've been praying and meditating on God's word to Disciple Christian Motorcycle Club for 2015. For our first few years we sought breadth. Perhaps selfishly or for reasons of pride, we wanted to grow. We grew across America and elsewhere. Last year the 2014 word was Depth. We wanted to see relationships deepen across the country. We asked bros to be reaching across state lines especially to build stronger relationships with Disciple bros outside their charters. The challenger program was part of that. Rather than breadth of size,  we wanted roots, deep conversations. We've gotten there. If you are a hangaround and up I bet you speak to Disciple bros in another state almost weekly if not daily, and experience the same depth with them that you do with bros in your own charter. 

2015 is the year of DEPTH CHARGE. In 2014 we grew in numbers, and your relationships grew. Now it's time for YOU to grow deep, and recharge Spiritually. It's time to take the focus off the mite in the eye of others, and drop a depth charge on the beam in your eye. Matthew 7:1“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

It's time to deepen your relationship with God, and yourself.  Yes, you should know yourself. David writes in Psalm 139:23 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. In essence David is asking God to show him anything about himself that God wants to change. Any hidden sin that he is missing, something that David was OK with, but that God has an issue with. Here is an example from my life: I was OK with smoking, but during prayer God kept after me that it wasn't ok with Him, that it caused a barrier between Him and I. It was something I had to give up in my pursuit of righteousness and a closer relationship with God. 

I submit to you that we all have things, secret hidden areas where we dont shine a light, where we need to change and grow. And when we do, God will reveal the next one to us. 

We get saved and stop sleeping around. Then God convicted us about porn, so we stopped that.  Then He started in on foul language,  so we stopped that. Then we felt pretty Holy about ourselves, and He starts in on us about not reading the Word daily. So we do,  then He moves on to not acting all self righteous about doing all of that. Then he convicts us on how we speak to others, being patient and polite. See, God doesn't ask us to fix everything at once,  it would be too much.  He asks us to keep taking steps toward the cross,  steps toward Jesus.  One step at a time,  one day at a time. 

In Arabic, this is the basic meaning of the word 'jihad' (oh Lord I just set off the Feds keyword search program,  here come the men in black). While it's come to mean so much more recently, the Arabic word jihad simply means 'effort'. Effort to search out sin in our lives and sever ties with it. It takes effort and discipline to genuinely search out our own secret sins and behead them.  And then, on to the next shortcoming and change that too, while trying to chop off the Medusa heads growing on stump of the first one. You give up smoking, and think that struggle is done.  Till you give up cussing,  and find the smoking is trying to sneak back in,  and pot smoking is trying to squeeze back through the door with it. [editorial note, yes I did metaphorically mix jihad, beheading, Greek mythology and Christianity in one epic paragraph as a rhetorical device. Stay focused here, I'm neither Muslim nor pluralist]

This year is our year of personal jihad. This year is our year of hunting down sin in ourselves, finding the beam in our eye, and dropping a DEPTH CHARGE on it. 

Depth charges are interesting. They are used to hunt sin, I mean submarines, hiding way below the surface where they can't be seen. Stuff that's hidden from others, but that Jesus sees. Stuff that prevents things from going well in other areas of your life.  You may not even see them as connected until you kill the hidden sin off, and some other area of your life is affected. You stop smoking, and then realize that it improved your marriage because your wife sees it as you having a sincere desire to change,  and wants to reward you. It's kind of the same way an enemy submarine might not be doing anything bad when it's caught in the middle of the ocean, but can go on to sink ships elsewhere. 

Depth charges aren't a one and done proposition. Hunting sin, I mean submarines, generally requires dropping hundreds of depth charges over a long period of time as the sin,  I mean submarine,  snakes about under the surface trying to avoid detection. It takes no time at all to form a bad habit, but it takes waging energetic jihad with great personal and spiritual effort to break a bad habit. But Jesus is on your side. The first step is identifying, finding and admitting the beam in your eye and Jesus can take it from there. Mostly that beam has been there a while, and yet you never saw it, even though others around you have. They may never have said anything about it.  Or they may have been trying to tell you over and over again, and you just wouldn't listen. 

If you have trouble finding bad habits or hidden sin,  just ask your wife. I'm sure she can give you a direction to look in lol. Or ask the bros that you have been growing depth with over the last year. Then take those things to Jesus in honest and open prayer.  Be willing to admit what you've see as a splinter or even a nothing, is in fact a beam. Start strategizing how to begin droppimg depth charges on it. 

Or start with the fruits of the Spirit found in Galatians 5. Do you feel love, joy, peace, patience, kindness and long suffering? If not, take that to God in prayer. As the Germans might have said, He has ways to make you talk.  Or walk. My prayer is that God will keep me humble patient and wise. When I started praying that, He started giving me opportunities to learn life lessons along those lines. Maybe you need that too, those qualities are in short supply in his world. 

Finally, ask yourself the Disciple Christian Motorcycle Club Four Questions:

1. What is the voice of God telling you to be obedient about? If you don't hear Him talking,  that's an issue in and of itself.  We must be sensitive to the guiding of the Holy Spirit. 

2. Why is He saying it?  Why do you keep feeling conviction about something that you might have thought was OK before. Knowing the heart of God is critical to choosing to change. 

3. What is the biblical example? Search the Scriptures, there is always someone that's gone through what you have. 

4. What are you doing to change it? 

Things are growing and changing in the world,  and in Disciple Christian Motorcycle Club. In 2015 we men must grow and change too. Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

James Disciple Johnson 
Natl President and Founder 
Disciple Disciple Christian Motorcycle Club 

DEPTH CHARGE 2015 http://disciplecmcblog.blogspot.com/2015/01/depth-charge-2015.html

43 NAZARITE

Disciple Christian Motorcycle Club realizes that many of its members come from a lifestyle that included the use of harmful substances like tobacco, drugs and alcohol in the past. As Christians we strongly believe that drugs are out of line completely with a holy lifestyle, and as a disciple we agree not to ever use illicit drugs. Further, we recognize that alcohol and tobacco are not helpful to our witness, may cause a brother to stumble, are unhealthy, and we do not allow the use of alcohol or tobacco while representing the club in your cut, or soft colors. We do recognize the freedom of believers to make a personal choice in the privacy of their own homes when they are out of the cut or soft colors, on alcohol and tobacco.

In order to help the brothers who wish to live a drug free life style, we have established a drug free leadership on a national and state level.

DRUG FREE

To recognize any full patch member who has been a previous drug and/or tobacco user, and is now drug free for a minimum of 90 days, a 1x4 inch DRUG FREE patch is earned. Should a member fail in this area of their life by using drugs or tobacco, this patch must be cut off for 90 days, and notify their Charter and State Nazarite for free counseling and prayer. According to the American Heart Association, the "nicotine addiction has historically been one of the hardest addictions to break." The pharmacological and behavioral characteristics that determine tobacco addiction are similar to those that determine addiction to drugs such as heroin and cocaine.

43 NAZARITE 

Any DRUG FREE member with six months clean and sober can take the 43 Nazarite fast, shown below, to earn the 43 Nazarite 1x4 patch. Fasting is the time of prayer between a man and God. While it may be that the requirements of the Nazarite fast have no implications on your status as a Christian, we believe that dedicating this fast to God is a way of showing that you take the drug free life style seriously. Additionally, to wear this patch, one must take a solemn vow before God to abstain from the use of alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs, for life, in the presence of an existing Nazarite patch holder. While Disciple recognizes that many members may not use drugs alcohol or tobacco, these patches are designated for those who have struggled with and overcome these addictions. Should a member fail in this area of their life, this patch must be cut off for 90 days, and notify their Charter and State Nazarite for free counseling and prayer. 

43 NAZARITE Officers

Any 43 Nazarite patch holder may be considered for a Nazarite leadership position, on a charter, state or national level. These leadership positions function as a local Disciple sponsor for men who are struggling with alcohol, tobacco, drug, or other types of addiction. Charter level 43 Nazarites answer to state 43 Nazarite leadership, who answer to national leadership. Individualized training is provided for these positions. The position names for these are: CHARTER NAZARITE, STATE NAZARITE, NATL NAZARITE.

43 NAZIRITE FAST: minimum of 30 days, duration is ‘as the Lord leads you’. Special exemptions may be made by the National Nazarite.

1. Make a formal swearing of an oath of service to God [Numbers 6:2] to abstain for life from Alcohol, Nicotine/Tobacco, and Illicit Drugs

2. Abstain from drinking wine and fermented liquor, including vinegar derived from either wine or any fermented liquor, and will abstain from eating grapes fresh or dried or eat anything that comes from the vine [Numbers 6:3-4].

3. Let his hair grown uncut for the length of the vow [Numbers 6:5] (this does not necessarily include the beard but may by choice)

4. For the entire period of the vow he must not come in contact with a (human) corpse.  He is to remain ritually clean and cannot defile his ritual cleanliness even in the event a parent or sibling dies [Numbers 6:7].

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NO TEXT CONFLICT

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IN DISCIPLE THERE IS A COMPLETE BAN FOR ALL DISAGREEMENTS THROUGH TEXT MESSAGE, FACEBOOK MESSAGE, FACEBOOK POST OR ANY SOCIAL MEDIA. ALL DISAGREEMENTS, ARGUMENTS ABOUT DOCTRINE, CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM, ARGUMENTS, CLARIFICATION OF ORDERS OR ANY OTHER DISSENTION IS ONLY IN PERSON OR ON THE PHONE.

If it is serious enough to bring up, then it gets brought up TO THAT BROTHER, IN PERSON, OR ON THE PHONE. Differing viewpoints is wonderful. We are diverse. However text messaging is not an appropriate medium for conflict resolution.

Resolution of Conflict: The defining attribute of Disciple is Unity. Other clubs may come and go, but Disciples stick together. Disciples DO NOT speak against each other, they SPEAK TO each other. Disciples do not speak against the leadership to other Disciples, they SPEAK TO the leadership. Disciples do not complain about the club to each other, they WORK TO make the club better BY TAKING THEIR COMPLAINT TO THE LEADERSHIP.

Taking offense at something another brother does or says to you is a sign of spiritual immaturity. If you are offended at another brother, or do not understand what they said or did, YOU GO TO THAT BROTHER. You DO NOT go to another brother and talk about what a brother did. YOU GO TO THAT BROTHER. Any Disciple who comes to you and talks bad about another brother is OUT OF LINE and IN REBELLION against the club and the Word of God. You must tell him that he is in the wrong, that he needs to GO TO THAT BROTHER and work it out.

WE FOLLOW WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT CONFLICT RESOLUTION If your brother wrongs you, go and show him his fault between you and him privately. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother. But if he does not listen, take along with you one or two others, so that every word may be confirmed and upheld by the testimony of two or three witnesses. If he pays no attention to them [refusing to listen and obey], tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a pagan and a tax collector. Truly I tell you, whatever you forbid and declare to be improper and unlawful on earth must be what is already forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit and declare proper and lawful on earth must be what is already permitted in heaven. Again I tell you, if two of you on earth agree (harmonize together, make a symphony together) about whatever [anything and everything] they may ask, it will come to pass and be done for them by My Father in heaven. For wherever two or three are gathered (drawn together as My followers) in (into) My name, there I AM in the midst of them. Then Peter came up to Him and said, Lord, how many times may my brother sin against me and I forgive him and let it go? [As many as] up to seven times? Jesus answered him, I tell you, not up to seven times, but seventy

times seven! (Matthew 18:15-22 AMP)

HOW DISCIPLES RESOLVE CONFLICT: Go to the brother. If you cannot resolve it, go to the brother again with the charter President or Vice President. If you cannot resolve it, the charter president takes it to the International President or Vice President. 

FAILURE TO FOLLOW THESE RULES may result in being kicked out, or being made

a prospect. 

THIS IS A PLACE WHERE WE LIVE THE BIBLE, not just a place where we talk about it. The Bible takes strife, people who cause strife, spreading dissension among brothers, backbiting and argumentative people very seriously. God says it is an abomination to Him (Prov 6:19) to spread strife among brothers. 

I understand if you have never been in a place where you are expected to follow what the Bible says about conflict resolution, and where those rules are rigorously enforced. But we are going to keep this club from going the route of churches that split, MCs that fall apart etc etc. WE WILL BE UNIFIED and YOU WILL FOLLOW THE RULES or you will be educated the first time, kicked the second time to earn your place back by being mentored, and you will be removed completely from the club the third time. No exceptions. Get it, or get out. We are DOERS of the Word, not just HEARERS!

DISCIPLES ARE UNIFIED IN BROTHERHOOD!

WE LOVE WOMEN SUPPORTERS IN THE CLUB!

1. A WORD FROM THE PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER: This is an MC for men, and one thing I CAN TELL YOU FOR SURE, WHEN YOU ADD A WOMAN IN THE PATCH, YOU DONT HAVE A BROTHERHOOD ANYMORE, I DONT KNOW WHAT IT IS, BUT IT IS NOT A BROTHERHOOD!! WE love the ladies, we involve them, there is an awesome SUPPORT DISCIPLE back patch for them but the brothers run the club by how the Brothers Vote. And I am the tiebraker.......WWW.DISCIPLECMC.COM

THE PSALM 112 CONTRACT

The Psalm 112 Contract

Psalm 112 describes a righteous man and gives Gods earthly promise for a righteous man. Just like any contract, the things God promises come with some caveats. If you want to see these benefits, then you have to live up to your part of the contract. When people look at what the Bible says, they assume that if those benefits are not happening in their lives, then the Bible must be a lie and not mean what it says. But in reality, we need to LOOK AT OUR OWN ACTIONS and correct those, then we can expect God to fulfill his Word in our lives. 

Notice that none of this is in the context of salvation. Only repentance and the blood of Christ can give you salvation. Salvation is the eternal reward for faith in Christ. But also, Proverbs 11:31 says the righteous are rewarded here on earth. Once you are saved, you are expected to crucify the flesh and become a new creature. So, what does the new Creature look like? And what is the reward for a righteous life?

The text of Psalm 112 is at the bottom, lets look at the things God promises one by one, and then what your part is you want to see these things operating in your life. Note that if you are not keeping your part of the deal, God is not obligated to provide these blessings in your life.

GOD PROMISES: In order of how they appear in the text

1. Happiness: twice the text promises happiness if we keep up our end of the bargain! Happiness cant be bought, you cant find it in a bottle or a pill, it only comes from a life truly submitted to God.

2. Children will be powerful in the land; his descendants will be blessed: God obligates himself to watch over our children and provide the same blessing we have. They take their own path, but how we live impacts Gods protection over them to some level

3. His family will be wealthy and rich, and he will be prosperous forever: Run it in the Hebrew, it says the same thing. God is talking about money here. Yup, it's a promise.

4. Light shines in the darkness for good people: TOUGH TIMES ARE PROMISED, darkness happens. But God will always provide a way out! Psalm 34:19 repeats this: Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but The Lord delivereth him out of them all! How awesome is it to know that God has promised you a way out, if you stay on the path! 

5. Will never fail; he will always be remembered: The KJV says "He shall not be moved forever", people will remember your contribution even after you pass on. What a legacy!

6. He is certain to see his enemies defeated: God doesnt say YOU have to do the defeating! He says you will SEE the defeating! So sit back and give your enemies over to God, because HE promises that they will be defeated, how cool is that??

7. He will be powerful and respected: nuff said! When you stand up and live a righteous life, people will notice and respect you. You will be put into positions of power. I see this in my business and personal life.

8. The wicked see this and are angry: God isnt talking about secret blessing here, He is talking about open blessing that even wicked people can see, so blessed that they HATE it! When they have positive results from their wicked ways, they can count on losing it, unhappiness, just the opposite of what God promises you!

SO WHATS MY END OF THE BARGAIN?

1. Praise the Lord! No matter the circumstance, no matter the trial, no matter the success, you have to remove a negative tongue and CHOOSE to praise God. I submit to you that somtimes, your trials and tribulations are just a test to see if you choose to praise God anyway. Just ask Job.

2. Honor The Lord: there is a lot to that. Talk to Him. Live worthy of the sacrifice of Christ. You dont just get to do whatever you want, you were bought with a price. If you choose to live in sin, the Bible says that is like crucifying Christ all over again. Honor God in your relationships, what you look at on the internet, in your money and giving. In every area of your life, acknowledge Him.

3. Takes pleasure in obeying his commands: If tithing is a big chore and you act like a baby about it, complaining about giving a back to God after all He has done for you, then dont expect a blessing. No matter how hard the task, take pleasure in it, and He will reward that. 

4. Merciful: You dont just get to unload on every idiot. Mercy means treating people better than they deserve. That is a hard one. Its not taught in school, instead we are taught to be merciless and cruel, careless, thoughtless, never thinking of the needs of others. Imagine what a shift that is to be merciful. No wonder we dont see all the blessings of God, happiness, riches and wealth. How often do we make a point of being merciful?

5. Be Kind: that means friendly, tolerant, warm hearted, considerate. Again, this is important to God, but how often do we ACT this way?  

6. Just: honorable and fair in ones dealings, consistent with what is morally right. In our marriage, in our business, in our personal relationships.

7. Generous with his loans: Marked by abundance in giving or sharing, knowing that God gave so much to us, that we are willing to open it all back up to him. Again, this is not what the world teaches. 

8. Who runs his business honestly: Another thing God wants to see out of someone who He is going to bless. How are you treating others? Are you getting a sense of how important this is to God?

9. Not afraid of receiving bad news; his faith is strong, and he trusts in the Lord. He is not worried or afraid: Hebrews 11 says Without Faith, it is impossible to please God. If you truly believe that God has your back, why would you be worried about circumstances? If God has a contract to bless you, why not sit back and trust Him to take care of things rather than freaking out about them? Can the Emperor and Creator of the universe not fix anything He wishes?

10. He is certain to see his enemies defeated: Vengeance is mine says The Lord. If you are holding a grudge, harboring unforgiveness, choosing to try to rectify things yourself, then YOU are the one who is in charge. Why not sit back and let God handle it. Isnt He capable? I dont have to get revenge. I honestly feel sorry for people who do me wrong, because i know that God will repay them for their deeds so much harder than i can. 

11. Gives generously to the needy: Do you make a habit of giving to the needy? If not, God notices that. It a key part of Him being able to trust you with wealth and riches. If he knows He can get money THROUGH you to others, He knows how to get money TO you. If you hold on to all of it like its yours, you will see it be harder to get. Read Proverbs 11:24 One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.

12. THIS ONE IS MENTIONED TWICE: his kindness never fails. So when God mentions it twice, you really need to focus on being that kind of person.

Praise the Lord! Happy is the person who honors the Lord, who takes pleasure in obeying his commands. The good man's children will be powerful in the land; his descendants will be blessed. His family will be wealthy and rich, and he will be prosperous forever. Light shines in the darkness for good people, for those who are merciful, kind, and just. Happy is the person who is generous with his loans, who runs his business honestly. A good person will never fail; he will always be remembered. He is not afraid of receiving bad news; his faith is strong, and he trusts in the Lord. He is not worried or afraid; he is certain to see his enemies defeated. He gives generously to the needy, and his kindness never fails; he will be powerful and respected. The wicked see this and are angry; they glare in hate and disappear; their hopes are gone forever. (Psalm 112:1-10 GNT)

WHAT IS A MA?

WHAT IS A MA?

To join Disciple Christian Motorcycle Club, a member must sponsor you. Their job is to check you out, get a feel for you, make sure you are legit, answer your questions, and help you through the process of joining the club. In Disciple, we call that person your ma, and its always a tighter bond formed between a ma and their son in the club. You will be assigned a ma by the club by the time you reach the hangaround stage.

WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO?

Call your ma once a week. Texting or a facebook message is not the same thing. If you call, leave a message. Your ma is trying to keep you in communication, make sure they are there to handle any problems, issues or questions you have, and teach you the Disciple way. The only way that can happen is if you are following through with your ma. For every week you miss calling your ma as a prospect, you get an additional week of prospect time.  Do what your ma suggests, even it you don’t understand it.

WHAT DOES A MA DO?

1.       Keep out the bad seed:  weed out people who aren’t right for Disciple. That may mean they just want a patch but don’t want brotherhood, drug users, cops, folks who don’t understand or want the commitment etc.

2.       Water the good seed:  Bring your sons into the club. Call them, reach out to them, nurture their interest. Teach them to call you. Don’t just expect that supporters are going to call you because you posted your number on facebook. Dont be lazy, bossy and demanding. By the time someone is a prospect they should understand the concept of calling their ma, but don’t expect every brand new supporter to get it. While we have to be hard on some prospects, many men are experienced and serious enough that they don’t need that treatment and will be turned away by being unnecessarily pushed.  You need to reach out to them and SHOW brother hood to teach them brotherhood.

3.       Teach you the Disciple way: Teach MC Culture, make sure they understand what kinds of pics to post or not post, what kinds of things to say and not say, how to introduce themselves, and the hierarchy of the club. Make sure they know the rules and what to expect.

4.       Bring your sons up for a vote to be a hangaround, prospect or full patch when their time is up, or when you feel they are ready. If it needs to be longer then you are the one that decides that.

A ma should never be the closest bro to somebody who's coming on board. If you bring your buddy to the club, you should not be his ma. 

Same goes for  the only full patch in the area. An example would be our new full patch in Maryland, as he brings other guys on board, he should not be their ma.

Remember the ma is there to bounce issues off of. If you are the set man, the only full patch in the area, and the ma, then if there's any conflict between you and that new guy coming up, he doesn't have someone else to go to.

The idea of the ma is that it's somebody who's geographically nearby. But he isn't necessarily going to see you everyday, or be your closest bro. A ma is a confidant, someone to go to when there are issues. This gives a series of checks and balances for conflict in the club between bros.

GOD IS GREAT 888

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GETTING SAVED IS JUST THE BEGINNING!

Too many have gotten it into their heads that inviting Christ into their hearts is the end of the Christian walk, that once they walk the aisle, say the prayer and get dunked in the baptismal, its all over, and they should go back to living exactly how they were before.

But the opposite is the case. Getting saved is the BEGINNING of the Christian walk.

Now comes the part about sanctification, being set aside for the work that Christ needs done, being set aside and living on a different level than unbelievers. You are supposed to be WALKING IN GOOD WORKS that were prepared for you beforehand (Eph 2:10). Works dont save you, the blood of Christ does, through faith. And Faith without works is DEAD (James 2:14). Continuing in the same sin that we were in before we were saved, failing to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit and prophetic words from the Godly men around us, Heb 6:6 calls this deserting Christ. They are crucifying the Son of God again and publicly disgracing him. Therefore, they cannot be led a second time to God. Thats powerful stuff. 

Each day the Bible calls us to crucify our flesh, seek to grow closer to the image of Christ, be perfect as God is perfect (Matt 5:48), to meditate on things that are beautiful, good and pure. For note, that is exactly the opposite of worldly music and TV. Men of God dont waste time on foolish things as we did when we were not mature (1 Cor 13:11), because we realize that the time is short, and the time wasted on foolish things is another soul going to hell that we didnt reach but were supposed to, another destiny step missed, another opportunity to be studying and learning.

Fill your mind with the things of God. Theres nothing wrong with watching a football game or whatever, but would a man of God waste more time on football that what he was in the Word for the day? Would a man of God become the next Billy Grahm by playing video games, watching more TV that he was in the Bible and praying for the day? 

If we never miss an episode of our favorite show, but dont think a bit about missing a day in the Word (or a week, or a month), if we can spend 6 hours catching up on our show, but would never consider spending an hour in prayer and worship, WHAT ARE WE TELLING GOD? What are our priorities? Which one is more important to us? If we always fill our minds with fantasy and false TV shows, but would never consider a regular monthly/weekly fasting schedule before God, why would it surprise us that we never walk in the power of the Holy Spirit, teach and disciple other men, see the unseen world, pray with power against demonic forces, operate in the 1st Corinthians 12 spiritual gifts, lay hands on the sick and see them healed, or lead people to the Lord on a regular basis?

Instead, we go on filling our mind with crap, and saying that none of these things ever happen any more.

And we miss out on them when they do, because they are happening to men who push further into the mysteries and deep things of God, that we can ever imagine doing. 

Its time for men to make a committment, step up, and signal God that they are ready to leave weakness behind, and walk in power.

GOD IS GREAT 888
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Not Taking Offense

In the biker world its all about respect. What did you say to me!? Do you know who I am!? You can say the wrong thing to the wrong guy and end up in a lot of hot water. In the Christian biker world, it isn't much different. I wont go into details, but suffice it to say that in some states, no Christian club can wear an MC patch, because of what some guy did years ago that another club took as disrespect.

As well, there is a tragic history of Christian clubs breaking up, splitting off, fracturing or ceasing to exist at all, just over what one bro said to another, or how one bro took offense to something. That is a crying shame.

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 13 that we Christians should not be easily angered, or keep a record of wrongs suffered. If someone says something out of line and you get all offended, the Bible indicates that you are an immature person. That's heavy.

So what should you do if you are offended by something someone does? The Bible says in Matthew 18 (copied below) that you talk to that person. Very often such things end in a 'sorry bro, didn't realize that offended you, i wont do it again". If they wont listen to you the Bible then says you go to them with another brother, and if they wont listen to you then, you take them to the elders of the church.

Lets contrast this with how things often happen in the real world, and how this destroys motorcycle clubs. In the real world, when we take offense, we don't talk to the person who offended us. Instead, we go around to our closest bros and tell them about what made us mad. We see who we can get on our side. We build it up and build it up in our own minds, playing it over and over until it becomes a big deal and there is no turning back, or hope of reconciliation. We try to turn others against that bro, we spread rumors, gossips and half truths until everyone knows that we are dissatisfied. This is how many friendships and motorcycle clubs have been broken up.

If this is how you operate, the Bible says you are not mature, you are operating out of ignorance and spreading dissension among brothers. The Bible says in Proverbs 6 that God sees spreading dissension among brothers as an abomination, a word reserved for the worst sin imaginable. However, the good thing is ignorance can be fixed!

When you find yourself offended by someone take these steps:

1. Pray for forgiveness in your heart toward that brother.

2. Genuinely pray that brother receives a blessing.

3. Go to that brother in sincerity and tell them you were offended and how. Give them a chance to see it from your perspective, and apologize. Take the opportunity to see if from their perspective.

4. If you feel there is no resolution, follow the Biblical step of taking it to ONE other brother.

5. If that brother and you feel its needed, take it to all the bros.

Finally, remember that you are Biblically OUT OF LINE if you go talking to all the other brothers BEFORE you have taken these steps, and you will be in sin against God for doing so. Love for the brothers is first and foremost. If you see a brother who is out of line with this, you need to stop him and correct him, and not allow him to sow division in you, or in any other bros.

READ what the WORD Says: 

Matt 18:15 If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16 But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

18 “I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

19 “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”

21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times”.

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Brotherhood, and Compromise

The first and overriding principal of a motorcycle club is Brotherhood. Consider the bros. Include the bros. As president of the club, I can make any decision I want. But if I do not consider the bros, then they lose respect for me. To some extent, we are subject to the brotherhood, and must always consider the feelings and input of the bros when we make decisions, especially as it relates to the club, the money, and the things the club does.

In a club there are many viewpoints. If I make decisions without the brothers, I disrespect them. In the end, I am the president, and I make the decisions. But I ask for the input of the bros, because I respect them. By doing this, I show that I value them, that they have earned my respect. This is the mark of any leader. Leaders are expected to make tough calls and hard decisions. But to do so, leaders must seek wise counsel, consider and weigh all the options, before laying out the best course. Unilateral leaders may find that in the end, no one is following them.

Knowing, and acting on the needs and wants of others is key to brotherhood. Our society directs us to 'look out for number one', that our happiness is the most important thing. But selfishness is not honorable. If I can do good for myself, I must also stop and ask, can I do the same good for my brothers? Would it be right for me to hold on to all the gifts I have, and use them only for myself, without ever blessing my brothers through my gifts? How do I spread the love, and consider my brother before myself?

In the end many clubs are split up by selfish brothers. If anyone challenges them, they cannot admit their faults. Disagreements will happen. That's why there are club meetings, voting, and in the end, the ultimate decision lies with the president. How we resolve conflict is the key to brotherhood. How we can accept our brothers even when we disagree over things, that is the key to brotherhood.

Proverbs 17 says a brother is born for adversity. Sometimes they help you face it, sometimes they are the cause of it. But in the end, its all about the brotherhood. If you can face adversity and disagreements among your brothers, see their viewpoint, accept them, and compromise where needed, you are on the path to brotherhood!
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Talking Like Paul

Imagine if we all talked like Paul. Imagine if instead of 'Hey,  whats up?' we said 'Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.' Paul was a powerful man of God, and he spoke like it. 

In these last days we are living in, speech is primarily negative. We spend a lot of time making fun of each other, and the Bible says this is how we 'grieve the Holy Spirit of God'. A common slang  that is supposed to mean "You are a funny guy" is instead verbalized as "You stupid!" We look for ways to cut each other down, make jokes about each other, and each of these lead to the narrative that Satan wants us to believe.

See Satan needs to take our power from us, he needs us to view ourselves as stupid, helpless, without spiritual power or conviction,  and sinful. The more that he can use speech to make us feel this way, the more he hamstrings us and our ability to wage spiritual warfare.

But how does Paul say to talk about each other? 

Eph 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Let us look for ways to build each other up, compliment each other, call out strengths instead of weaknesses, bring out power instead of confusion. YOU ARE AN AWESOME SPIRIT BEING! Its time to start talking like one!

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Thoughts on Brotherhood

By Prospect Shawn

There is a lot said about brotherhood in the Bible. We see many examples of the right aspects of brotherhood, as well as the wrong. It has been said that a real gift is something that money can't buy, and death can't steal. When it comes to brotherhood, nothing can take it away from you. 

One thing that I love to ponder about Disciple Christian Motorcycle club is that death can't steal the brotherhood that we have. Death can only temporarily separate us until we are united once again in heaven. 

I believe there is no greater way to carry out the mission that Christ left for us to do, than being a part of this brotherhood. Jesus made a point out of reaching the unreachable, by loving the unlovable, teaching the unteachable. 

For so long the biker world we live in was counted as dark water when it comes to Christians. The main thing I love about Disciple CMC is the realness of it. Disciple CMC shows the respect and love Christ would expect for His children, while following the biker protocols and reaching out to other clubs. There is nothing that is off limits when it comes to the lengths Disciple CMC will go to make sure that the community we serve sees the light and love of Jesus Christ. 

God, help us to continue to reach Our brothers with the message that you have for them. No matter what colors they wear, or past consumes them. Help us to show by the way we live and ride that we care, AMEN!

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Biblical Selection of Men

Did you know the word "Piss" is in the Bible? This is the easiest way to win a bet, because most people don't know. The context of its use is in a warrior selecing a certain group of people, and you can find it in the King James Version, in 1 Samuel 25. Its used by David, who throughout the Bible proves repeatedly that he is a rough warrior, with a keen eye for chosing the men he allowed around him. 

In 2 Samuel 23, you can read about the Mighty Men of David. Hand picked men, selected by David. David's Mighty Warriors (also known as David's Mighty Men or the Gibborim) are a group of warriors singled out by name in the Books of Samuel. The text (2 Samuel 23:8-39) divides them into the "Three", of which there are three, and "Thirty", of which there are more than thirty. The text explicitly refers to The Three and The Thirty as if they were both important entities, rather than just an arbitrary list of three or 30-plus significant men.

The reason these men were selected, was because of their actions, clearly spelled out in Samuel. Actions that were above and beyond the actions of the men around them. These men did things that made the Bible pause, call them out by name, and chronical their capabilities. This is key for you in your life as you select the men around you, and key for a motorcycle club, as it selects the men that it allows to earn the patch. Not all men acheive the the same things in their lives, or demonstrate the characteristics that you need around you. Having proven Mighty Men of Valor around you is a key to success in your walk, and in having a strong Christian (or even non-Christian) motorcycle club.

Some Biblical accounts put the number of soldiers under David's control at over a million. Yet only Thirty were given the title of David's Mighty Men, and out of that, there were Three who stood out. In other words, there were many brothers, many warriors around David, but only some that earned a place close to David. The Bible does not give us clarity on how David chose these men, so lets look at some ways that Biblical characters have chosen the men they allowed around them. Lets call it Revelation, Reccomendation and Observation

Revelation from God

Gideon faces a battle where he has 32,000 soldiers, in Judges 7. We face a daily battle called life where we have many friends, acquaintences, bros and folks who call themselves Christians. In the Bible, God reveals to Gideon that he only wants 300, or about 1% of the men to accompany Gideon into battle. I suggest to you that if we were to allow God to pick through our 'Friends' to find the ones that will bring us closest to Kingdom Destiny, perhaps only 1% would make it. God uses a number of tests for Gideon, the first test is if anyone is scared, ok they can leave, and more than two thirds of the men leave. In a motorcycle club, if you are afraid of the tough biker men you will witness to, or are unable to ennunciate your witness to them because you are intimidated, well, you can learn or you can leave. Then God uses a second more unusual test for Gideon, how the men drink water. Those that drink it in a cautious and manly fashion can stay, the rest can leave, and only 300 men are left. See, in a motorcycle club, you need cautious manly men, and during the prospecting phase, as the man is earning his patch, the Brothers have a chance to understand the character of the prospect, and whether he is fit for the unique battle that God has charged Disciple Christian Motorcycle Club with. In Luke 6:12-19, Jesus spends the night praying, and in the morning calls his Disciples to him, and selects only 12 of them to be Apostles. In the same way, our club prays that God will reveal to us the right men to assist us on our mission.

Reccomendation from Other Men

In Acts 6, the Apostles called all the disciples together and said, “Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom", and these were the men who were chosen to lead the group of believers. In the same way, the Brothers in a motorcycle club vote, choose and elect who will lead them, and appoint a President, VP, Road Captain, Sgt at Arms, each who has tasks to perform. As well, the brothers vote on whether a prospect meets the needs of the club or not. They comment to each other on whether the prospect has all the qualities needed for the club, and what the prospect needs to work on. Each brother may have something unique to teach the prospect, and it is a club function to ensure the prospect learns what he needs to learn. Without a reccomendation from a man in the club, the brothers will not allow a new person to prospect, and without a vote from ALL the brothers, the prospect will not receive his full patch. 

Observation on Your Own.

In 1 Timothy 5:22, Paul tells Timothy "Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands". This refers to the ordination of men for ministry. In any case where a man must be ordained or checked carefully to ensure he meets the requirements for ministry, there is time taken with prayful consideration. Pastors are not just put in the pulpit without training, consideration or observation by other men. Apostles were not chosen at random by Jesus, He observed them, He prayed over the decision. The Elders in acts were not chosed at random, they were men of observed character for the position.  In the same way, a motorcycle club must observe and consider the actions of each prospective member to ensure he meets the goals of the club. A club like Disciple Christian Motorcycle Club needs men who can minister to rough and tumble independent strong men, even 1%ers. This is why there is such a careful and timely process for inducting new members. A time for each man to prove he is interested in this unique ministry opportunity.

In conclusion, take time choosing your friends. Follow a Biblical model. Dont just run with random people, unless you want random results. Carefully selecing and vetting your Brothers will lead you to Kingdom results that further your destiny.

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