The best life is a God First life

Tag: Jesus (Page 1 of 2)

Being wise in our own eyes

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!

700 years before Christ

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!

Finding Truth

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

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!

Supplementing our faith; If you do this, you will never fall.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “supplement” as: 1 a: something that completes or makes an addition

The ESV uses the phrase “supplement our faith” in 2 Peter 1:5. Other versions use the terms

  • Support your faith
  • Give all diligence, add to your faith…
  • Add on your part all diligence

What an admirable pursuit for 2026

To pursue making our faith more complete by adding the attributes in this scripture, and bettering ourselves.

 “For this very reason make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness,  and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.  For if these things are yours and abound, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these things is blind and shortsighted and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be the more zealous to confirm your call and election, for if you do this you will never fall; so there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 1:5-11 ESV

God First!

Does God love some more than others?

As I contemplated this question, I concluded God loves the “response” of some more than others.

Like parents and children, one child might do as directed most of the time while the other doesn’t. Parents do not love the obedient child more than the other; however, they do love the obedient child’s response more than the disobedient response. The obedient response shows a desire to please the parents by doing as told. (its a response of love)

In Scripture, we learn that Jesus died for everyone in the world and that God shows no partiality. Scripture also tells us to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and Jesus said if we love Him, we will keep His commandments.

David was considered a man after God’s Own Heart; why? God tells us: “He will do my will.” Saul, on the other hand, lost his kingdom for doing “his own” will, not God’s.

King David made many huge mistakes and, unlike Christ, was far from perfect, yet David constantly turned to and relied on God; David pursued righteousness. (Respecting God and doing His will mattered to David)

We all have the same choice!

We can choose to follow God’s will by study, learning, and following the commands and examples of Scripture, to the best of our ability, or we can choose to follow our feelings, our ideas, or those adopted from others, then woefully expecting that if we are wrong, God will be ok with us because we had good intent. However, that is not what Scripture tells us, and when we do this, we set examples that mislead others from following Christ according to the directions God gave us in His Holy Word.

When we follow God according to His will, we spend our lives pursuing righteousness. In James chapter 5, we find the effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. To have our prayers accomplish much, pursuing righteousness should be our goal so that our hearts may be where King David’s was in devotion to God.

John 3:16 tells us: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”

“So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation, anyone who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him.” Act 10:34-35

“And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom He testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after My heart, who will do all My will.’” Acts 13:22 ESV

“But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought out a man after His own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be prince over His people because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.” Samuel 13:14

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” James 5:16 NASB

God First!

I believe in God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.

Anybody who knows me should know that I believe in God and that the Bible is 100% God’s Word. I believe Jesus is the son of God who lived the perfect life. Jesus allowed Himself to be sacrificed on the cross as it was the only way you and I could be redeemed, forgiven of our sins, and become eligible for eternal life in heaven with our creator.

We don’t earn forgiveness for our sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit to help us. (Acts 2:38-42) No, we find in scripture; it’s through God’s Grace that salvation is offered, and with Great sacrifice; nonetheless, to accept God’s Grace, we must be obedient to God’s will, and the Bible tells us exactly how.

I did not come to these conclusions by osmosis but rather through much study. I am a huge advocate of the personal study of God’s Word. Scripture tells us we are to each work out our own salvation. (Philippians 2:12) but we can’t do this without knowledge. (2 Tim. 2:15) This said,

I love sharing God’s Word and the salvation that has been extended to everyone. Scripture instructs believers to lovingly share the love of Christ with the world without adding or taking away from God’s Holy Words.

GOD FORCES NO ONE TO LOVE HIM but gives us thousands of years of history in 66 books as to why we should.

Likewise, I do not push my understanding verbally or in writing on anyone. All have the option to skip my post. Still, instead of ignoring it, I hope you read and find yourself challenged enough to study God’s Word, as my intent is to share God’s Word according to his Word.

God First!

  • 1 Peter 4:8
  • 1 Corinthians 16:14
  • 1 John 1:7
  • 1 John 3:1-24
  • Matt. 26:27-28
  • Romans 6:3-11
  • John 15:13
  • Grace: – Ephesians 2:8, Romans 3:24, Titus 2:11, Acts 15:11
  • Belief/Faith: – Hebrews 11:1, John 8:24, Romans 10:17, Acts 3:19
  • Repentance: – 2 Cor. 7:9-10, Luke 13:3-5, Acts 17:30
  • Confess: – Romans 10:9-10, Matthew 10:32-33, Luke 12:8-9
  • Baptism by immersion for the forgiveness of sin: – Matthew 16:15-16 1 Peter 3:21, Acts 2:38, Mark 16:16, John 3:5, Matt 28:18-20, Ephesians 4:5, Romans 6:3-4, Colossians 2:12, Acts 8:36-39, Mark 1:9-10, John 3:23

The Power is in the Gospel

Preachers and teachers are needed to share the gospel. But, be cautious; don’t put your faith in what you are told or who shared it. Ultimately, we are each responsible for our own salvation.

When we each stand before judgment, it won’t matter what someone tells us. We have God’s word at our fingertips. We must each study for ourselves so that we may learn and be able to discern the truth found in God’s Word.

“For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” Philippians 1:8-11 (NASB)

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.” Romans 1:16 (NKJV)

“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:6-8 (ESV)

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,” Philippians 2:12 (ESV)

God First!

Ignore them or get to know them

If you want to become close to someone, do you reach out by ignoring them? Do you talk to others, or do you talk with them? Many people say they believe in Jesus; some will even shout it from the rooftops, yet few truly spend time getting to know our savior. Jesus is the Word and has been with us since before creation.

When I speak of knowing Jesus, I’m not talking about feelings, like listening to music, watching a movie, or something that makes us emotional. No, I’m talking about getting to know Jesus through His Father, His life, His Words, His message and, His example. I’m talking about getting to know God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit through the God-breathed words of Scripture.

Ever had a best friend? (I hope you have) How did they become your best friend? Was it because other people kept telling you about them, or was it because you personally spent time with them and got to know them?

Personally, spending time with someone is when we truly get to know them rather than just what others think of them. So, likewise, God’s living Word is how we get to know God. As we spend time in those inspired God-breathed words, we draw closer to God, and He Draws closer to us.

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.. James 4:8

If we are in His word daily, it’s only natural to reflect in our daily conversations and how we conduct our lives. Is He?

What an opportunity we have to have Jesus as our best friend!

  • 1 John 4:8-19 (Love Love Love)
  • Romans 5:8 (showed His Loves for us)
  • 1 John 3:16 (Laid down his life for us)
  • James 4:8 (Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you)
  • John 1:1-17 (Jesus was with God in the beginning)
  • 2 Timothy 2:15 (Do your best and study)

God First!

Why?

In the book of Job; Who brought all the calamity to Job? It was NOT God. Who blamed God? It was NOT Job. Who believed Job would NOT turn from God? It was NOT Satan.

Job’s friends were wise, and much of their logic was sound. Their problem was that they misapplied their wisdom by trying to force it into Job’s situation, making assumptions, and leaning on their own understanding. They tried to deduce answers and assign blame, which made God angry with them.

When we lean on our own understanding and try to force it into God’s Word, we find ourselves missing out on the wisdom and love found in God’s Words. We miss out on the understanding and peace that can only come from listening and applying the Words of God rather than applying our own.

Scripture tells us to study. It tells us how to become” In Christ.” Jesus said: if you love me, you will keep my commandments. God’s Word is the way to wisdom, understanding, and peace.

God is Love, God is Good; Satan is the evil one!

  • Proverbs 3:5-6
  • 2 Timothy 3:1-17
  • Acts 2:38
  • Romans 6:1-23
  • 1 Corinthians 15:22
  • Job 1:1-42

God First!

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