Category: God First (Page 1 of 13)

The Crux of God’s Forgiveness is our Repentance

January 28, 2026 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

In my writing, I’ve been known to share the good, the bad, and the ugly of my life at times. I do this in hopes of encouraging others to seek their answers where I found mine, in the knowledge of Scripture. This knowledge helps us realize that if we follow Jesus according to His will, not ours, we will come to experience peace far beyond our own understanding. Our lives have many Satan-crafted pitfalls designed to inch us away from our Creator and towards a valley of eternal death.

As a young man, I was baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of my sins and lived faithfully for many years. Faithfulness does not mean being without sin; rather, it means making every effort to pursue righteousness by following Jesus’ teachings and keeping His commandments. Sometimes we fail; however, if we know Scripture, it helps us recognize our failures, return to our creator, repent of our sins, and ask for forgiveness. Since we know from scripture that baptized believers are in Christ, God will forgive us when we repent.

The crux of God’s forgiveness is our repentance.

To truly repent of sin is to turn away from those sins as we experience Godly Sorrow, dedicating ourselves from that point to the correction of our lives using the Word of God as our foundation. Scripture defines Godly Sorrow this way: “For Godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.” (2 Corinthians 7:10).

With Godly grief, we repent of sinful ways; this means we change direction and stop indulging in those temptations that go against God’s Holy Word. Scripture lets us know that baptized believers who choose to indulge and continue doing what we know to be wrong are crucifying Christ once again.

“For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them.” 2 Peter 2:20-21

also see: Hebrews 6:4-6, James 5:19-20, Hebrews 10:26-27

Although a baptized believer, I ended up spending 20 years with my soul in a lost condition as I had succumbed to a series of temptations and pitfalls designed by Satan.

I thought my faith was strong, but my decisions after a failed marriage proved my knowledge was weak, and my commitment shaken. I allowed myself, inch by inch, to pursue worldly desires over following Jesus. These infractions stacked and built to the point that during those 20 years, I feared correction could jeopardize my adopted lifestyle and possibly put my relationship at risk.

I was, however, acutely aware that my choices had me living in sin. This bothered me. Satan had successfully painted me into a corner, forcing me to choose between following Jesus according to His will or losing my soul.

Indeed, as scripture states, I was crucifying Christ to myself. Years I can’t get back, a bad example to family and friends that can’t be unset, where soul-risking damage was done. Today, I draw on those years as fuel for my efforts to never give up on encouraging others to grow in Christ, and I often pray that, if they won’t listen to me, God will put people in their lives they might. I cannot imagine ever allowing Satan to turn me away from God again.

I pray that if you’re reading this and reflecting on your own life, you find yourself right with God; but if not, I pray you will experience godly grief that produces repentance that leads to salvation without regret, rather than worldly grief that produces death.

God First, forever and ever, Amen!

If you’re not yet in Christ as a baptized believer:

God’s Grace: Ephesians 2:8, Romans 3:24, Titus 2:11, Acts 15:11
Hearing the Gospel:– Romans 10:17, John 8:32
Belief/Faith: – Hebrews 11:1, John 8:24, Romans 10:17, Acts 3:19
Repentance of sin: – 2 Cor. 7:9-10, Luke 13:3-5, Acts 17:30
Confess Christ: – Romans 10:9-10, Matthew 10:32-33, Luke 12:8-9
Baptism by immersion for forgiveness of sin: – Matthew 16:15-16, 1 Peter 3:21, Acts 2:38, Mark 16:16, John 3:5, Matthew 28:18-20, Ephesians 4:5, Romans 6:3-4, Colossians 2:12, Acts 8:36-39, Mark 1:9-10, John 3:23

Being wise in our own eyes

January 27, 2026 / Wayne Johnson / 1 Comment

Several years ago, on social media, someone posted this question: What came first, Sin or Law? Without any research, I replied with my explanation as if I knew what I was talking about. This person then pointed to Romans 5:13, which proved my thoughts wrong.

This embarrassed me; however, this embarrassment was one of the best things that could’ve happened to me. It helped me realize I had leaned on my own understanding rather than on my actual study of God’s Word.

It was my fault, I was wrong! I had attempted to be wise in my own eyes.

Since then, I have studied and researched scripture diligently so that I can give a scriptural reason for the hope that is in me and help others understand what God’s Word actually says.

I am especially thankful for this “One post,” which inspired me to study the most essential book in life with all seriousness. (God’s Word) I will always be thankful for the person who posted that question.

Scripture says;

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭ESV‬‬

None of this means I won’t miss or misconstrue something, but the more we know God’s Word, the better our ability to discern it. And, since we are all responsible for our own salvation, I will always encourage myself and others to self-study; it’s how we gain better discernment of God’s Word. Our souls depend on it.

2 Timothy 2:15
1 Peter 3:15
Romans 8:28

God First!

Take Pause, examine ourselves!

January 26, 2026 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

Everything good comes from God! Sometimes, we need to remind ourselves of this truism, do some self-evaluation, humble ourselves, and ask ourselves a few questions, like:

Am I genuinely striving each day to do God’s will, God’s way?
Am I drawing closer to God by including Him in prayer, in the words I use, and by my deeds?
Is my attitude reflecting compassion, love, and understanding towards others?
Are the majority of my thoughts selfless or consumed by self?
What have I or will I do today to show God my appreciation and thanks for all the good He provides in my life?

When we follow Jesus ‘His’ way, there is no need for regret; there is, however, peace that surpasses all understanding to guard our hearts and the assurance of eternal life in heaven with our creator.

Regardless of our circumstances, we can trust in God and count it all Joy.

“Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test.” 2 Corinthians‬ ‭13‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭ESV‬‬

This is the day that the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalms 118:24

James 1:17
James 4:8-10
Philippians 4:1-23
James 1:2
Proverbs 3:5–6
John 13:15
Philippians 2:5
1 Corinthians 11:1

God First!

700 years before Christ

January 25, 2026 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

Think about this prophecy, read it slowly, and take it into your heart and mind; Isaiah 53 was written about 700 years before Christ’s death and resurrection.

“He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment, and who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken. And they made His grave with the wicked— But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth. Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand. He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore, I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.”

Isaiah 53:3-12 ESV

God First!

Offering to pray with someone.

January 23, 2026 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

The day I wrote most of the following, I had the urge to ask someone if I could pray with them about concerns weighing heavily on their heart, not just pray for them; however, for some reason, I felt awkward about extending this offer of prayer and instead offered to include them in my prayers. After they left, I reflected on that moment and was disappointed in my hesitation. I believe wholeheartedly in the power of prayer and that God hears and answers prayers, but I’d missed the opportunity to share that understanding one-on-one.

There are several benefits to praying with someone rather than just for them; here are a few:

In praying with someone, we step out of our shells and open our hearts to their needs; by doing so, we display Christ’s love for them through prayer.
We show compassion and genuine interest in their situation while demonstrating our faith and trust in God’s ability to help them.
Our relationship with that person builds.
I’ve been told how such an unexpected invitation to pray inspired people to change their lives and move toward Christ dramatically, and I’ve seen them do so.

Christians care about others!

Praying for others is good, and praying with and for others can have a significant impact.

I’ve personally shared concerns with others and been unexpectedly asked: “Can we pray about this?

Admittedly, I was taken aback by their offer; however, these one-on-one moments are now fondly etched in my mind forever. I believe much good can come from praying with others and making such prayer invitations a habit.

In Acts chapter 4, the disciples prayed for boldness. As I grow stronger in Christ, I pray that God will help me overcome hesitations, great or small, and that I will serve Christ with all boldness.

If I never make a difference, it won’t be because I didn’t try!

James 5:16-18
Ephesians 6:19
Ephesians 5:2
John 13:34
1 Thessalonians 5:9-11

God First!

Prayer, Don’t deprive God, Don’t deprive yourself, Don’t deprive others, Ask for prayers Doing so gives others the opportunity to help and God the opportunity to hear those prayers. Do you truly believe

Depriving self deprives God

January 21, 2026 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

I was reviewing some of my memories on Facebook. It’s now been 13 years since I had my hip replaced and 7 years since the pulmonary embolism that nearly took my life.

I’m undoubtedly grateful that we live in a time of such incredible medical understanding, doctors, and treatments. I’m also certain that without God’s help, our insurance, and today’s medical advancements, I would probably be suffering greatly or dead by now, and unable to be the caregiver of my beautiful wife. I’m so blessed to be here and thankful to be able to serve.

One of my most valuable memories from these events was having people take time from their busy lives to come to the hospital and pray with me, and knowing that many others were praying as well.

People knew to pray because I had asked for their prayers. I asked for prayers because I believe God answers them, and, thankfully, in these instances, He helped me recover, per many requests. I’m often surprised when someone says they believe in prayer, but later, when they need prayers, they hesitate to ask for them on their own behalf, as if they don’t want to bother others with their problems. By doing this, they deprive others of the opportunity to help and deprive God of the opportunity to hear all those prayers.

Much good came from both of these experiences. God is good, and God is love, all the time!

God wants our prayers, and He wants us praying for others.

In Jesus Name!

John 14:13-14
James 5:16
Philippians 4:6
3 John 1:2
Ephesians 3:14–19

Finding Truth

January 19, 2026 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

It’s been said,” Believe none of what you hear and only half of what you see.” With AI, editing and narrative pushing, this saying is obsolete. We cannot believe anything we see or hear in the media without extensive investigation.

Our media is inundated by ego-driven, biased commentators who call themselves reporters. In their “Reports,” they give us partial information and tell us what to believe in what we saw and heard from them. Purposely attempting to sway and distort our thinking. And they do this under the false label of ”NEWS.”

AI has many good purposes, yet it is also being abused to create fake media, distort the truth, and even spread lies through video, pictures, and sound. Lies that seem credible. With all this bad information, the most astute become gullible. As viewers and listeners, we are truly out of the loop when it comes to firsthand knowledge and should be very careful in forming and stating opinions, as without direct knowledge, we speak from a foundation of sand. This sandy foundation is full of countless weeds amongst elements of truth—a large puzzle with many pieces. When we take positions and voice opinions without in-depth research, we become part of the problem, unwittingly spreading lies.

Misinformation is nothing new; it has been with us since Adam and Eve. It’s just light-years faster to spread with today’s fingertip technology.

In Genesis 3:4-5, God’s own words were distorted by Satan when he told Eve, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Adam’s knowledge was direct from God in Gen 2:16-17, he was told “…You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” It’s unspoken whether Eve’s knowledge was directly from God or Adam, but her response to Satan showed she knew it was forbidden.

Satan could be considered the first “Reporter” with his agenda-driven distortion of truth.

Since Adam and Eve, Satan has not given up; he is relentless in trying to distort God’s Word. However, if one really wants to know the truth, God’s Word is where we find it; Jesus is the Firm Foundation we need that leads us to eternal life.

This world is full of lowercase churches, but Scripture speaks of Only One Church, the Church Christ built, the one His life, death, and resurrection founded. The more we know of Christ and all Scripture, the more equipped we are to discern the truth and the more capable we become to spread the seeds of absolute truth.

Let us not be gullible but rather pursue the truth of Scripture, doing our best to serve God according to God’s intent, His purpose, His word.

Otherwise, Satan is the only one planting seed and cultivating the land. We need the truth exposed in our lives—people need to understand why we turn to Jesus, why we believe the truth of Scripture, and how the Truth of God’s Word equips us to discern the truth amid lies.

We need to share what we have learned, as WE CANNOT SPREAD TRUTH WITH SILENCE!

Matthew 16:18
Ephesians 4:4-6
John 14:6
Acts 4:12
1 Timothy 2:5
Deuteronomy 4:2
Revelation 22:18-19
Revelation 12:9

God First!

Hearing our names

January 14, 2026 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

I went to my room tonight and immediately heard Virginia say my name over the baby monitor, “Wayne?”

To see what she wanted, I went back downstairs, drawing closer to her so I could hear her better and give her my full attention. Basically, I just comforted her, gave her another peppermint kiss goodnight, and went back upstairs, telling her on my way out of the room how much I love hearing her say my name.

This is also true of my son calling me “Dad,” my grandchildren calling me “Grandpa,” my nieces and nephews calling me “Fantastic Uncle Wayne.”

or even a brother or sister in Christ calling me Brother.

I’m grateful for all these designations, as each one warms my heart in its own unique way.

I believe God and Jesus feel much the same way. They love hearing us say their name with respect, as we do when we approach them in love, through prayer and supplication

Dear Lord, Heavenly Father, Father God, in Jesus Name… All designations of love that reach for the heartstrings of our Heavenly Father, drawing us closer to Him and Him closer to us.

James 4:8, Scripture tells us: ” Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you…” One way we do that is through prayer. We are told to pray without ceasing, and to cast our burden upon the Lord, and he will sustain us.

So, why not take a moment right now and pray, calling upon the name of the Lord, let him hear you call his name.

He wants to hear from you!

1 Corinthians 1:2
Acts 2:38–41
Psalm 145:18
1 Thessalonians 5:16–18
Psalm 55:22
1 Peter 5:7
Isaiah 41:13
Matthew 11:28–29
Philippians 4:6
1 John 5:14
Psalm 116:2

God First!

Update on God First Cup efforts,

January 7, 2026 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

I have now given several cups to strangers and invited them to visit the congregation I attend. In doing so, I have noted what they can expect during their visit, stating: we are not an “entertainment church,” but rather we are a Church that focuses on teaching and studying God’s Word.

This point is made because I have been invited by others to visit their church with the preludes, “It has a great band,” “You will love the band, “The lead singer in the band is awesome,” and so forth. So, I want people to understand that I am not inviting them to be entertained, but rather to worship and learn.

Before giving away a mug with its message, I generally ask one or two questions

Do you believe in God? These answers have been: Yes, No, sort of, I believe in a higher power, and I am a Buddhist. If they are Believers, I often ask, do you go to Church somewhere? Yes, No, I’ve been looking for one, not yet, I’ve been thinking about it, and I don’t believe in God.

I ask these questions to avoid offending the disbeliever by giving them a cup they don’t want; however, for everyone else, my desire is to plant seeds by giving them this cup of inspiration that states, “the best life is a God First life.”

Recently, I talked with a young lady at the carwash who said she did not go to church anywhere and sort of believed in God. I still offered her a cup, pointing out the message of love on and inside the cup, while giving her a Buford CoC card with service times, address, website, and phone number, and invited her to visit and learn more.

Opportunities abound. I stopped and gave mugs to a family down the street with two small children. They are outside a lot and exchange waves with us when we drive by. As they received their cups, they told me they had been looking for a Church. We also have a new family across the street with three small children who currently attend a church. I gave them cups and invited them to visit. We’ve given cups to people on our daily park walks, and yesterday to the receptionist, where we had our dog Casper groomed, and invited her to visit.

It’s my hope that these gifts will inspire some of these people to attend and learn, but at the very least, this God First message is planting seed and being seen in their homes, cars, and hands, so I pray for open hearts and fertile soil.

If you’re interested in using the cups to help you plant seeds or invite others, reach out to me. Although I cannot afford to give all of them away, I am reselling them for pennies above my actual cost and including the paper message inside each cup. By having others purchase some of the cups, I can buy enough to get reasonable prices and do it over and over.

God First!

Godly Sorrow, Repentance, Forgiveness, Baptism, Salvation, Accountability, Responsibility

A story Change

January 5, 2026 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

I caught him stealing; he had broken into our home. I was upset and nervous as I held the gun. Then, he began begging me not to call the police, let him go, insisting he would not come back. We started talking, and he told me the harsh circumstances of his life that led him to this moment of crime. I began telling him about Christ and the forgiveness of sin available to him through Christ, how, if he would repent of his sins, change the direction of his life, and put on Christ in baptism, he could have forgiveness and eternal life in heaven, as well as a better life here on earth.

We sat at the table, opened a Bible, and studied for several hours. He came to understand God’s gift of grace, the Sacrifice of Jesus that offers us eternal life if we will pick up the cross and follow Jesus according to His will, not ours. We also discussed how following Christ does not relieve anyone of accountability for their actions.

During our study, this criminal came to believe in Christ, experienced godly sorrow, and wanted to begin making things right, so he reached into his pocket and handed me the jewelry he had taken. By doing so, he began taking responsibility for his actions and attempted to make things right. He informed me he wanted to be baptized. After hearing the word of God, he repented, confessed Jesus as the Son of God, and we took him to the pool and baptized him for the forgiveness of his sins, immersing him in water in accordance with Scripture.

After baptism, he understood that his decision did not absolve him of the consequences of his actions. His heart had changed; he now wanted to take responsibility and accept accountability, and I applauded his decision. We then called law enforcement.

Because of his sorrow and request that I forgive him; I did so and chose not to press charges. His decision to make things right was admirable, but it would be costly for him, since he had also broken into other homes and entered our country illegally. He knew, in his heart, that he needed also to correct these wrongdoings.

At least now, when he is deported to his country, he takes with him a greater purpose: to spread what he has learned about the message of Christ with others. Maybe he will return to America legally someday. I gave him my study Bible and contact information. I look forward to hearing from him about his efforts to share Christ.

While this story is fictitious, it’s also possible.

Following Christ does not negate accepting responsibility and accountability for one’s actions; it enhances it. If we genuinely love Jesus and righteousness, we will want to do what’s right, even if it means exchanging our loss of earthly freedom for eternal life in heaven. (Matthew 16:24-26, John 14:15, Romans 6:1-14, Mark 16:15, Philemon 1)

Scripture’s definition of Godly Sorrow: (2 Corinthians 7:9-13)

God’s Grace: Ephesians 2:8, Romans 3:24, Titus 2:11, Acts 15:11

Hearing the Gospel:– Romans 10:17, John 8:32

Belief/Faith: – Hebrews 11:1, John 8:24, Romans 10:17, Acts 3:19

Repentance of sin: – 2 Cor. 7:9-10, Luke 13:3-5, Acts 17:30

Confess Christ: – Romans 10:9-10, Matthew 10:32-33, Luke 12:8-9

Baptism by immersion for forgiveness of sin: – Matthew 16:15-16, 1 Peter 3:21, Acts 2:38, Mark 16:16, John 3:5, Matthew 28:18-20, Ephesians 4:5, Romans 6:3-4, Colossians 2:12, Acts 8:36-39, Mark 1:9-10, John 3:23

God First!

Category: God First (Page 1 of 13)

The Crux of God’s Forgiveness is our Repentance

Being wise in our own eyes

Take Pause, examine ourselves!

700 years before Christ

Offering to pray with someone.

Depriving self deprives God

Hearing our names

A story Change

Recent Posts

Recent Comments

Categories

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

ADVOCATE FOR CHRIST

Archives

Contact us:

Recent Posts

Recent Comments

Categories

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

ADVOCATE FOR CHRIST

Sign up now

Archives

Contact us: