Advocate for Christ

The best life is a God First life

Category: Messaging (Page 2 of 2)

Improving on Gods ways

August 4, 2021 / / 0 Comments

When we worship according to God’s word, we don’t offer strange fire. In other words, we don’t try to improve on the Lord’s commands no matter how well-intended and innocent we believe our hearts and minds to be. Doing God’s will is what pleases God! Scripture is riddled with examples of this point. Jesus says, “if you love me, you will keep My commandments.” Jesus does NOT SAY: if you love me, you will attempt to improve on my commandments.

If we are truly honest with ourselves, we should realize that attempting to glorify God in any way other than what God laid out before us by command and example in New Testament scripture is really an attempt to glorify ourselves. No matter how unwittingly.

Does anyone really believe their ideas are better than God’s? To me, attempting to conform scripture to today’s culture is foolish and backward thinking. It’s also dangerous thinking that puts souls at risk.

Instead, we should be doing all we can to show our love and respect for God, By making sure we are not ourselves doing as Nadab and Abihu did in doing their own thing rather than what God asked.

STRANGE FIRE(unauthorized)

‭‭“Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them. And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord. Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord has said: ‘Among those who are near me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified.'” And Aaron held his peace.”

Leviticus‬ ‭10:1-3‬ ‭ESV

Let’s diligently work to spread God’s word according to God’s Word and help our families, culture, and society understand and want to conform to God’s ways remembering that heaven is the ultimate goal and available for all who will follow Jesus and keep His Commandments.

God First!

Advocate for Christ!

July 30, 2021 / / 0 Comments

To be clear to my new friends who are reading my post. Some have made assumptions. I am not a pulpit, preacher; I am not affiliated with any denomination. I am simply a Christian, an Advocate for Christ. I worship and study weekly with my brothers and sisters in Christ at the Buford Church of Christ congregation in Buford, Ga. The use of ”God First!” as my profile or to end many writings is because I believe God should be first in our lives. I believe that with God at the helm those ”In Christ” have God’s promise for eternity in heaven. Comfort and joy are ours to have from the “God of all Comfort,” even during the horrendously sad and difficult stuff.

Many people wear spirit wear to depict their favorite teams, school, sport, etc. My idea of ”spirit wear”- is the term God First! (seen on many of my clothes) Sometimes its presence sparks a conversation and probably curtails language I’d prefer not to hear. While it’s true that I do sell items with “God First!” It’s not for personal gain but rather to help those who love God share that love with the world. I started using the term “God First” because I believe putting God First adds significant Joy to our lives. I care about myself, my family, and others, so why would I not want to share such a message? A message that makes life better for all who choose to live by it, a message that offers the promise of everlasting life with our loving creator.

God has given us every reason to love Him as He first loved us; I am extremely grateful for all of God’s creation and sacrifices that we might have an eternal home with Him. Eternity is a serious matter, and loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength is a natural response to those with an understanding of God’s love for us.

I once heard this from Brother Don Blackwell – ”The Lords Church is not a country club for saints; it’s a hospital for sinners.”

  • 2 Corinthians 1:3-9
  • Mark 12:28-34
  • 2 Timothy 2:15
  • 1 John 4:19

God First!

We really miss out when we predetermine not to listen!

June 9, 2021 / / 0 Comments

When someone disagrees with me on important issues, especially scriptural issues where we have God’s own words as a standard, it can be aggravating, however; If I am not already familiar with their position, I will still listen and research their assertions to be certain I have not misunderstood something.

I will not take offense if they disagree. If anything, I am challenged. My first assumption is not anger towards them but rather that I need to understand better the facts and reasoning behind my own position to help us both gain a better understanding.

These days the word “Offended” is popular and seems to be used to dismiss reasoning and detour discussion in place of working together to find solutions via reason and research.

In the New Testament, we read that Paul went to synagogues to reason with leaders about fulfilled prophecies of Scripture and tell them of Christ, yet many did not listen. Most likely, some were predetermined not to listen and instead took offense to what Paul demonstrated to them from scripture and explained them from his personal experience.

To me, accepting God’s Grace through obedient faith and acting on that faith is important. We can’t have obedient faith, without understanding and that comes from study and reasoning, not feelings. As Jesus puts it… “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

God’s Word is important; Keeping God’s commands and precepts is important to our souls, our eternal life. For this reason, I persistently encourage everyone to study and reason with truth and love that we can learn together and mature in the body of Christ. We really miss out when we predetermine not to listen.

  • Acts 17 (Paul and Silas in the synagogues)
  • Acts 18 (Reasoning resisted and blasphemed)
  • John 14:15 (If you love Me…)
  • Ephesians 4:25 (We are to speak Truth with others, not avoid it)

God First!

Would $$$ Change our Motivation to share Christ?

May 11, 2021 / / 0 Comments

If someone offered us $100 for each person who came to worship service based on our invitation (with no limit), How many people would we invite?

1, 10, 100, more?

If our answer is more than we would invite without such a monetary incentive, we have a real question to ponder…

Why would I not be this zealous for the Lord without immediate personal gain?

All Christians are to share the message of Christ and plant the seeds of Truth leading to eternal life in Heaven; Scripture tells us God will provide the growth.

To God be the glory!

  • Matthew 28:19–20
  • Matthew 19:21
  • 1st Corinthians 3:6-7
  • Mark 16:15

God First!

FAKE NEWS

April 24, 2021 / / 0 Comments

Fake news is nothing new to Christians. We have been bombarded with Fake News since the beginning of Christianity. Jesus’s disciples and apostles spread the Good News of our salvation through Christ by telling of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. They established congregations all over, giving us examples of Church actions, worship, and leadership. Many of the letters we find in the New Testament are addressing “Fake News” and it continues today. Our world is full of Fake News in Christianity, but there’s good news. We don’t have to be gullible!

God has given us the means to discern the Truth from the Fake. We have 66 books of inspired words from God to study so that we can discern God’s Will, God’s teachings, through His holy word, comparing them to the desires and teachings of mankind. The answers are not found in what someone says is of God’s Word but in what God’s word actually says.

God First!

Writer: Wayne Johnson

Putting my eyes in

”Oops, I almost forgot to take my eyes out.”

March 23, 2021 / / 0 Comments

Or, “Got to put my eyes in” This type of language is called: “hyperbole.” It can be engaging to the listener by bringing more attention to an otherwise dry statement.

In today’s culture, especially in our news, hyperbolic language is often distorted and twisted to be ”Literal Language” no matter how obvious the exaggeration. By treating hyperbolic statements literally, one might call someone a liar or twist their statement’s intention to make it sound like it was meant to be disrespectful to something or someone when there was no such intent.

My point is: We would do well to pay more attention to the intent of messages rather than getting caught up and inflamed by spin. Generally, the intent of a hyperbolic statement is obvious; unless you’re looking to change the message to further a different agenda, you should get it.

In my case, I’m referring to my contact lenses. By the way, I have used hyperbolic language naturally for many, many years. Long before I learned, it had a name and definition.

Definition:

hy·per·bo·le [hīˈpərbəlē]

NOUN

* Exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.

God Bless America

God and Country

January 28, 2021 / / 0 Comments

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

When we say the pledge of allegiance, we promise loyalty and support to each other.

The Merriam dictionary defines “Republic” as:

“a government in which supreme power resides in a body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by elected officers and representatives responsible to them and governing according to the law.”

So we, the people of the United States of America, are “the republic,” and our flag represents our unity of power. In 1954, the pledge of allegiance was modified one last time with the most important words of all added: “One Nation under God.” These four words acknowledge our nation as being under God. In other words, God First!

These words demonstrate that the majority of “We the People” recognize our nation’s strength is beholden to God, and we are thankful to God for his incredible blessings.

The pledge also states: “indivisible with liberty and justice for all.”

The concept here is that we will not allow ourselves to be divided and that the power of the people is to be used to pursue liberty and justice for all.

Some believe Christians should abstain from politics and set the example of not voting because they don’t like the choices, pointing out that heaven is the only true Christian nation.

I understand and agree that God should be first in all our lives. And for true Christians, Heaven is their final home.

However, I don’t believe that speaking up for the values and principles of Christianity in our country or against destructive policies in this worldly government somehow, someway, means we have pledged our loyalty to the Country instead of to Christ and His Kingdom.

To me, Such statements encourage silence and apathy and discourage speaking up and taking a stand for good. When we stand for good, we stand for God and promote the message of Christ as God is Good.

Our example and words in and out of politics should encourage others to want to know the reason for the hope that is in us. 1 Peter 3:15

I appreciate that our “Pledge of Allegiance” includes: “One Nation Under God.”

I am both an Advocate for Christ and part of “We The People”; I speak with my vote and voice.

When I speak against evil and against unjust actions, and when I speak for liberty, I am NOT excluding God. I am taking a stand for God. I am doing my part to ensure that “We, the people,” continue to acknowledge God at the Helm. I vote with those I believe best align with God’s Word.

“A Country without God is a Country lost; a Country with God is a Country Blessed.”

In my opinion, WRJ

Eternal Confidence

Eternal Confidence

January 27, 2021 / / 0 Comments

The main goal of a disciple of Christ is to advocate for Christ, not to go to Heaven.

Why?

The true disciple is someone who, out of love and gratitude, acts to accept the grace of God by following the commandments of Jesus, one who puts on and lives for Christ, as defined in scripture.

For them, Heaven is a promise, so their focus is not only on their eternal salvation; it’s on helping others share in that promise and the confidence found therein: Eternal salvation.

“And being made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,”

Hebrews‬ ‭5‬:‭9‬
  • Hebrews 10:35-36
  • 1 John 4:17
  • Mark 16:15-16
  • Galatians 3:26-27
  • 2 Corinthians 5:17–19
  • Acts 2:37-42
  • Romans 6:4, 8:31-33
  • 2 Corinthians 1:3-5
  • Isaiah 41:10
  • Philippians 4:6-7
  • 1 John 2:22-25
  • Ephesians 3:12

God First!

Seeding Social Media

Seeding Social Media

January 25, 2021 / / 0 Comments

We can plant seeds of evil or seeds of good. Some view social media as the devil’s playground because many abuse it. Some air their dirty laundry, some are disrespectful and hateful, some spread gossip and the list goes on and on.

I view Social media as farmland, farmland with equal opportunity to spread good seeds, good thoughts, praise, laughter, accolades, and the message of Christ. We can just as easily spread seeds that build each other up as we can spread the seeds of Satan.

We need to keep in mind the things we like, share, and say on these platforms are an extension of ourselves. Wouldn’t you love to see social media inundated with uplifting posts, shares, and likes by good people wanting to make positive change? It starts with us.

If we’re not planting good seeds in the farmland, the seeds of weeds Satan plants will take over the land.

God is good; let’s share the goodness!

God First!

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