Reformation – Dobra Family Ministry

Household Prayer: God’s Patience – repent and get to work

“Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?” Romans 2:4 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/rom.2.4.LSB

Brothers, meditating on Romans 2:4. God has been kind and patient with the people of America. I pray we, His church, repent and dedicate ourselves to “reach our communities with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” I pray we, through our homeschooling and family discipleship, “raise up Godly generations after us, and with these generations take the Kingdom of God to all the earth.” (Jamestown Chaplain, Pastor Robert Hunt, 1607) I pray God would move us to not just “report” or complain about the pagan culture around us, but to “reform” it by making disciples, teaching them all you have commanded, and being willing “to do God’s will on earth as it is in heaven” building and living out the God honoring culture we desire. (Kirk Cameron, IFI)

“We do hereby Dedicate this Land, and ourselves, to reach the People within these shores with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to raise up Godly generations after us, and with these generations take the Kingdom of God to all the earth. May this Covenant of Dedication remain to all generations, as long as this earth remains, and may this Land, along with England, be Evangelist to the World.” Pastor Robert Hunt, the chaplain of Jamestown, knelt upon the cross and offered a prayer of dedication after landing at Virginia May 14, 1607. The Founders’ Bible, 2012, Shiloh Road Publishers https://thefoundersbible.com/

“Cameron said he makes a distinction between reporters and reformers. Reporters are “the huge numbers of us who spend a lot of our time ‘reporting’ to each other about developments we see in our present period of cultural setback,” he writes in “Born to Be Brave.” Reformers are those who move beyond talking, who step up and courageously act either to change or to present alternatives to that culture… Cameron said he believes that every human possesses the virtue of courage. If we can find that courage and act on it, even when that means going against a corrupt system, then we can inspire others, he said… “When false systems like communism and socialism fail to produce the utopia that they promise, eventually the cat’s out of the bag, the gig is up,” he told The Epoch Times. “The mouse trap has sprung, but if the mouse isn’t underneath the hammer bar, he has a chance to run and tell all the other mice, and they have a chance to turn the thing around.”” Kirk Cameron: A Call for Spiritual Renewal Starts at Home https://link.theepochtimes.com/mkt_app/article/kirk-cameron-a-call-for-spiritual-renewal-starts-at-home-5740553?utm_campaign=app-cc&utm_source=ref_share&utm_medium=app&c=share_gift&pid=iOS_app_share

“What we need is a revival. This requires humility, prayer, and a willingness to do God’s will on earth as it is in heaven. Let us pray that He will revive each of our hearts with Himself, transforming our state and nation as we seek to “do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God.” (Micah 6:8) https://illinoisfamily.org/faith/divided/

“… we can’t be lulled into complacency. The American experiment isn’t on autopilot; it is not “safe and secure.” Our work is far from over. Right now, we have an opportunity, a window, to fortify the moral foundation of this experiment — to restore, promote, and protect what Washington called the two great pillars of our political prosperity: religion and morality. If America is to thrive, if we are to pass this precious experiment down to future generations, we must remember this: political and economic greatness cannot survive without moral goodness. As the scriptures declare: Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.” https://washingtonstand.com/commentary/perkins-once-again-the-sacred-fire-of-liberty-is-preserved-

“And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.” Galatians 6:9-10 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/gal.6.9-10.LSB

THE GOOD NEWS

There is a God that created the heavens and the earth. We humans are created in His image.

We are sinners, we have rebelled against Him, our Creator. Our rebellion has brought “all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice… envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness” to the world. Romans 1:29-31 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/rom.1.29-31.ESV

Therefore we justly deserve our due punishment of death and damnation, “as it is written: ‘None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.’” Romans 3:10-12 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/rom.3.10-12.ESV

But good news! God is merciful and loving. Jesus is God the only begotten Son and He took our punishment upon Himself in our place. Jesus rose from the dead, defeating death and securing the hope of our salvation.

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.” 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/1co.15.3-8.ESV

““Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”” Acts 2:36-38 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/act.2.36-38.ESV

We need only repent and believe it. Repent: turn away from our sins, proclaim Jesus is lord and savior, and we will be forgiven our sins and have life ever after! “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”” Romans 10:9-11 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/rom.10.9-11.ESV

There is hope. Believe in Jesus! ““For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/jhn.3.16.ESV

It doesn’t matter who you’ve been or what you’ve done, God stands with arms wide open, ready to forgive you. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/1jn.1.9.ESV

Household Prayer: God’s Providence in Ordinary Families

“You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.” Deuteronomy 6:4-9 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/deu.6.4-9.LSB

Brothers, I once again find myself meditating on the providence of God through history, but today really amazed by His working through “ordinary” faithful families. From Adam and Eve, Noah and his sons, Abraham, Ruth the great grandmother of David leading to Mary and Joseph, to our Savior Jesus the Christ! Amazing grace! I pray we labor to know God, to pass the faith on to our children, and to make Him known in all spheres of our lives. Happy reformation day! (Deut. 6:4-9, Ps. 127:3-5, Malachi 2:15, Eph. 6:4)

“In matters of doctrine you will find orthodox [true faith] congregations frequently change to heterodoxy [false faith] in the course of thirty or forty years & that is because too often there has been no catechizing of the children in the essential doctrines of the Gospel.” —C.H. Spurgeon

““Hear, O Israel! Yahweh is our God, Yahweh is one! You shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as phylacteries between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 6:4-9 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/deu.6.4-9.LSB

“¶Behold, children are an inheritance of Yahweh, The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one’s youth. How blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them; They will not be ashamed When they speak with enemies in the gate.” Psalm 127:3-5 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/psa.127.3-5.LSB

“Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth.” Malachi 2:15 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/mal.2.15.ESV

“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/eph.6.4.ESV

Household Prayer: Repentance and Reformation

“Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. And I prayed to the Lord my God, and made confession, and said, “O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments, we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments. Neither have we heeded Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings and our princes, to our fathers and all the people of the land. O Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us shame of face, as it is this day…O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name.”” Daniel 9:3-19 NKJV https://bible.com/bible/114/dan.9.3-19.NKJV

Brother’s I’ve had to confess and repent before my family this week. They called me out on some attitude issues. Praise God! I also read Daniel’s prayer for his people this week. I pray we would come before God in confession and repentance when we stumble. I pray we would, like Daniel, confess on behalf of our families and pray for reformation in our souls as the heads of our households. “O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name.” Daniel 9:19

Four steps to reformation: Lord’s Day Worship! Give your children a Christian education! Sing! Cultivate Christian fellowship!

Lord’s Day Worship! “Preach, pray, sing, and celebrate the sacraments… with exuberant, expectant faith.”

Give your children a Christian education! “next to Lord’s Day worship, teaching disciples to obey Jesus in everything is the next most important thing we do, and parents (and fathers in particular) are commanded to teach their children all day long, every day about how everything relates to Christ, how the whole Bible applies to all of life. Children are the heritage of the Lord, and they are arrows and weapons in the hands of warriors. Therefore, the training and teaching and thorough enculturation of children in the knowledge and love the Lord is essential.”

Sing! “a singing people is a joyful people, and the joy of the Lord is our strength. And if you’re not careful, you might break out in song in the streets, around your dinner table, or after football games.” “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” Eph 5:19

Cultivate Christian fellowship! “we work, we build, we sing, we marry, we worship, and we feast because we are walking in the light and have fellowship with God and another.”

Excerpts from https://tobyjsumpter.com/how-to-start-a-reformation-in-four-easy-steps/

“when the world went crazy and our tyrants began tyrannizing, the only thing you had to do to win was be open. Have church, don’t mandate masks or vaccines, sing to the Lord, declare His word with authority, and celebrate the sacraments (in person) and face to face. The churches that did this have grown, and in some places they have simply exploded. Some ministers were arrested; some were fined. But everywhere there has been fruit… I believe that when God gives us Reformation, it will mostly consist of a bunch of people doing relatively ordinary things with God’s extraordinary blessing upon them. So this is not rocket science. This is not some kind of deep, esoteric masterplan. This is just simple obedience in faith. But if someone were starting from scratch, and they wanted to know what I think are the top four things they should do in order to work for Reformation and Revival, this is what I would say: …” https://tobyjsumpter.com/how-to-start-a-reformation-in-four-easy-steps/

Reformation Discipleship Group 2020

“Western civilization is the product of the Reformation. The Reformers threw open the windows of God’s light after a thousand years of spiritual and cultural darkness.” — The Barbarians are Here: Preventing the Collapse of Western Civilization in Times of Terrorism by Michael Youssef
https://a.co/aAyIr8F

Hope for civilization (highlights)

Find the faithful remnant in the church. (Eph. 4, Matt. 16:18)
Study and proclaim the pure Gospel (1 Cor. 15:1-8), contend for the faith against false gospels. (Jude)
Focus on Jesus. Reform society with truth and grace, not Marxist (anti-Christ) social justice. Reenchant the culture with God’s truth. (Matt. 4:18-30, Matt. 5:11-16, Matt. 28:18-20)

Fear God more than man.
Repent of timid lukewarmness.
Be about the business of making disciples that make disciples.

“So we must speak the truth, but we must always speak the truth in love. We must speak rationally, reasonably, with hearts full of love for those who are teaching falsehood. Don’t expect to be loved in return. Often, in their attempts to intimidate and silence us, apostates will accuse us of being unloving and even hateful.” https://a.co/29hwHt2

Reach the lost and equip the saints for the work of ministry. (Eph. 4:12)
The Gospel of the Kingdom must be proclaimed to the world. (Matt. 24:14)
Speak the truth in love. (Gal. 6:1, Eph. 4:11-15)

The Church in Babylon: Heeding the Call to Be a Light in the Darkness by Erwin W. Lutzer
https://a.co/5yok0Rt

“We have to change our church philosophy from telling to training.”

People, not buildings.
Community not crowds.
Training not just telling. True Jesus discipleship: “come follow me”
Prayer not programs.
Hard truths not just positive suggestions. (Acts 17:1-10, 1 Peter 4:14, 2 Tim. 3:12, Heb. 10:32-36)
Christ is head of the church! (Rev. 2:10)

Reformation Discipleship 2020

Hope for civilization (highlights)

Find the faithful remnant in the church. (Eph. 4, Matt. 16:18)
Study and proclaim the pure Gospel (1 Cor. 15:1-8), contend for the faith against false gospels. (Jude)
Focus on Jesus. Reform society with truth and grace, not Marxist (anti-Christ) social justice. Reenchant the culture with God’s truth. (Matt. 4:18-30, Matt. 5:11-16, Matt. 28:18-20)

Where to start? If revival is to come it must start here.

“If God is God, then judgment awaits the church. Look at the state of our society. Look at the state of moral disarray our nation is in.” — Saving Christianity?: The Danger in Undermining Our Faith — and What You Can Do about It by Michael Youssef
https://a.co/hNgppNi

Fear God more than man.
Repent of timid lukewarmness.
Be about the business of making disciples that make disciples.

“Preacher after preacher, church after church, denomination after denomination—Christians are selling their spiritual birthright. So-called evangelicals have become ashamed of the evangelium, the Good News of Jesus Christ. They have sought friendship with the world, acceptance by the world, and praise from the world, and they have mutilated the Bible and diluted the gospel in the process. Instead of faith and boldness, they prize uncertainty, thinking that they are somehow “saving Christianity.” But as the apostle Paul writes, “If the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?” (1 Cor. 14:8) https://a.co/4uFvt7t

Reach the lost and equip the saints for the work of ministry. (Eph. 4:12)
The Gospel of the Kingdom must be proclaimed to the world. (Matt. 24:14)
Speak the truth in love. (Gal. 6:1, Eph. 4:11-15)

Training not Telling

“We have to change our church philosophy from telling to training.”

The Church that will survive in Babylon (highlights)

People, not buildings.
Community not crowds.
Training not just telling. True Jesus discipleship: “come follow me”
Prayer not programs.
Hard truths not just positive suggestions. (Acts 17:1-10, 1 Peter 4:14, 2 Tim. 3:12, Heb. 10:32-36)
Christ is head of the church! (Rev. 2:10)

Reformation Discipleship Small Groups

A Reformation Discipleship Small Group: The general covenant would be a group of 3 to 4 couples with a full discipleship focus to reform discipleship in the church and reenchant the world with the truth and grace of the gospel. When ready, there is a commitment from each member to start their own group with the same model and similar covenant.

This will be a discipleship group, so it will focus on “training not telling.” We will cover these general areas (not exclusive or exhaustive):

Unity of the faith: Eph. 4, Apostle’s Creed, Nicene Creed, 1618 Baptist Confession
False gospels and gods: Apologetics. Contending for the faith. Jude
Family Discipleship: 1 Tim. 3:1-13
- Family worship
- Providing: Finances, Eduction, Safety, Discipleship
Great Commission: Follow Jesus discipleship. Matt. 28:18-20, Acts 17
Spiritual Battle: public prayer. Matt. 5:11-16
Evangelism
- Multiplication: Matt. 4:18-22

Each of these areas will include Bible study, example and practice by each household. We will be “doing” not just discussing. For example, for family worship we will discuss the key elements in bible study, then we will model how we do family worship and the resources we’ve found helpful, then ask each member to do the same. For evangelism we may discuss how we would witness to someone that holds to one of the false gospels or false gods including play acting, personal experiences, and conclude with some neighborhood outreach or service activity. For spiritual battle and evangelism we may discuss abortion and practice how we would share our faith and witness to an abortion customer or employee, then spend time in public prayer outside the planned parenthood. At a time determined by the leader when discipleship has been adequately covered, the group will multiply and each member form their own.

“The cosmos has a future. There will be a new Heaven and a new earth. Elements of the original cosmos will carry over, and that is really good news because the redeemed are included in what gets carried over. We live by the light of tomorrow’s sun, and that sun is the Lord God (Rev. 22: 5). This is the basis of our piety, the substance of our daily duties.” — The Household and the War for the Cosmos: Recovering a Christian Vision for the Family by C.R. Wiley
https://a.co/fEDNy11

“Another war was waged by a hero for a princess, and once she was won, she became a queen, but not of a little kingdom in the center of Italy. She became queen of the Cosmos. And the Bible ends with their wedding day. And they live happily ever after that. Here’s the coronation of the queen from Revelation 19: 6–8 and 21: 1–4:
The Household and the War for the Cosmos: Recovering a Christian Vision for the Family by C.R. Wiley
https://a.co/cfd6M7W

Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage supper of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”—for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.””

Reformation Day

Martin Luther’s nailing of his ninety-five theses to the church door on October 31, 1517, provoked a debate that culminated finally in what we now call the Protestant Reformation...

Reform: to make changes in order to improve.
Reformation: 16th century movement for the reform of the church.

Sola Fide, by faith alone.
Sola Scriptura, by Scripture alone.
Solus Christus, through Christ alone.
Sola Gratia, by grace alone.
Soli Deo Gloria, glory to God alone.

Be a light of the Grace and Truth of Jesus Christ in the darkness!

[Jesus] also said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket or under a bed? Isn’t it to be put on a lampstand? For nothing is concealed except to be revealed, and nothing hidden except to come to light. If anyone has ears to hear, he should listen!”
(Mark 4:21-29)

Scripture is the source of truth, not traditions of men.

[Jeusus] answered them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written:

These people honor Me with their lips,
but their heart is far from Me.
They worship Me in vain,
teaching as doctrines the commands of men.
(Mark 7:1-23)

Martin Luther’s nailing of his ninety-five theses to the church door on October 31, 1517, provoked a debate that culminated finally in what we now call the Protestant Reformation…

Today, Luther’s legacy lives on in the creeds and confessions of Protestant bodies worldwide. As we consider his importance this Reformation Day, let us equip ourselves to be knowledgeable proclaimers and defenders of biblical truth. May we be eager to preach the Gospel of God to the world and thereby spark a new reformation of church and culture. (1)
“What Is Reformation Day All About?” FROM Robert Rothwell Oct 29, 2014 www.ligonier.org/blog/what-reformation-day-all-about/

Do not be deceived by false teachers!

Then Jesus replied to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and they will deceive many.
(Matthew 24:4-5)

Now the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will depart from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons, through the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared.
(1 Timothy 4:1-4)

Do not fear, even the Demons must obey Jesus!

As soon as [Jesus] got out of the boat, a man with an unclean spirit came out of the tombs and met Him…
When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and knelt down before Him. And he cried out with a loud voice, “What do You have to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You before God, don’t torment me!” For [Jesus] had told him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”

“What is your name?” [Jesus] asked him.

“My name is Legion,” he answered Him, “because we are many.” And he kept begging Him not to send them out of the region.

Now a large herd of pigs was there, feeding on the hillside. The demons begged Him, “Send us to the pigs, so we may enter them.” And [Jesus] gave them permission.
(Mark 5:1-20)

Martin Luther, Sola Scriptura, The Creation Museum.

Martin Luther’s Small Catechism Download