Month: February 2021

Twisting words is lying

February 28, 2021 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

If I wrote a book full of incoherent words, phrases, sentences, and paragraphs and threw in a few random pictures, I could have the best-selling book of incoherency in these times.

A book that simulates watching today’s news where the goal seems to be to purposely complicate the uncomplicated by twisting every word and distorting every sentence so as to completely destroy its original intent.

Where the simplest truth cannot be heard or understood because of the useless but loud chatter.

Simply put, purposely twisting words to apply narratives other than their original intent is lying, and only satan loves lies.

Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, but those who act faithfully are his delight.
Proverbs 12:22

You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
John 8:44

Favorite bible verses change, what is yours today?

Favorites; Yesterday and Today

February 26, 2021 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

Recently I saw a post asking, what’s your favorite Bible verse? As I briefly pondered this question, I realized my favorite Bible verse has changed over the years.

For years I leaned on the following verses and repeated them most often: Matthew 7:7-8 and Luke 11:9-10. At that time in life, I did not have a good understanding of these Scriptures, yet I latched onto them as my favorites. They helped prod me to ask, seek, and knock.

In recent years other verses come to mind most often. The following would now be three of my favorites:

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:33-34 ESV
“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Galatians 6:9-10 ESV
“…The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” James 5:16b

At this moment, no matter where we are in our spiritual life, Jesus, through God’s Word, can help us. When we study Scripture, we gain from the verses and stories we read. Some will become our favorites. One thing to keep in mind, As we journey and grow in our biblical understanding, we can rest assured, “If it’s good, it’s from God.” James 1:17-19

What are your favorite verses?

The gift we can give God that God wants?

February 24, 2021 / Wayne Johnson / 1 Comment

God gave mankind a unique opportunity. He created us in His image and gave us the ability to give to Him the one thing He really wants from his Creation. “Our Love by Our choice” I can think of nothing else we can offer God that He simply could not create for himself. In Matthew 22:37-40, Jesus points out that all the law of the prophets is dependent on Loving God with every ounce of our being and loving our neighbors as ourselves. In John 14:15, Jesus tells us, If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And in John 13:34-35, A New commandment to love others as Christ loved us.

How can we know God’s commandments if we don’t study? Someone said to me, “it does not matter what we believe; we are all headed to the same place.” Why would God document thousands of years of interactions between Himself and mankind, that we may know him and provided us a pathway through the sacrifice of His Son on the Cross if it doesn’t matter what we believe?

We have been given the opportunity to accept God’s Grace through our loving obedience, which we strive earnestly to give because we love God. It’s that love that creates in us the desire to do God’s Will, according to God. While it might be comforting to say, it doesn’t matter what we believe, teach and practice, it’s not what we find in the words, examples, and precepts of Scripture.

The Bible is the most available book on the planet, and according to God’s word, all scripture is “God-breathed.” (2nd Timothy 3:16). I never want to hear Jesus say to me the words He mentions in Matthew 7:21–23. According to Scripture, it matters to God what we believe, what we teach, and the example we set.

I never want to take God’s love for granted; Instead, I want to give God, The one gift he values from you and me. “Our Love” We can do this by studying and sharing the message of Christ, keeping his commandment, pursuing righteousness. Doing all that we can to follow the commands, examples, and precepts of God according to God’s Word, not ours.

God First!

Absolute Truth

February 18, 2021 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

Absolute truth is the only truth from God.

Shades of gray have nothing to do with God.

Jesus put it this way…

“Let what you say be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything more than this comes from evil.” ‭‭MATTHEW‬ ‭5:37‬ ‭ESV‬‬

God First!

When our Faith is in the Lord

February 12, 2021 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

Joy is in our hearts; it is unwavering and unscathed by the winds of happiness or sadness as our trust is NOT, In Ourselves, Our Emotions or Others.

Our Faith Is In The Lord!

May others always see the joy in our hearts through our actions and reactions. Not as fleeting emotions, but as resident parts of our very being. (Joyful souls)

Share the joy!

God First !

“Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”
1st Peter 1:8-9

Why every week?

February 9, 2021 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

The first day of the week comes every week, and it’s called Sunday. On this day, because we love God and are grateful for the love we have received, we set aside time to communion with fellow Christians and Christ. (Matthew 18:20)

We partake of unleavened bread and the fruit of the vine as a remembrance of Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrection, His body, and His blood, which was shed that we might have eternal life in heaven.

We do so because of the example we find in Acts 20:7, here we see his disciples gathered on the first day of the week to remember Jesus’s sacrifice the way Jesus instituted it.

Before His death and resurrection, Jesus taught the concept of eternal life through His body and blood in John 6:22-71. Jesus also set forth this remembrance in the accounts we find in: Matthew 26:26-30 and Luke 22:14-21

After Jesus’s resurrection, Paul addresses the Church at Corinth in 1 Corinthians 11: 17-34 They were guilty of abusing this time of communion.

It’s fair to surmise from Scripture that this should be a solemn time when we seriously examine ourselves, judge ourselves, and reflect on the cross. A time when we reflect on the love and sacrifice Jesus extended to us. Making it possible for us to have eternal life in Heaven. 1 Corinthians 11:26-29

God First!

Before Time God is God, and God is Love and After Time. ALWAYS

God is Love, God is Good

February 5, 2021 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

So good that he can not be tempted with evil.

“Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.”
‭‭James‬ ‭1:13‬

“So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.“
1 JOHN 4:16

“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!“
PSALMS 107:1

God First!

GLUTTON FREE!

February 4, 2021 / Wayne Johnson / 2 Comments

(Yes, it’s spelled right)

After a life-threatening huge push at the beginning of 2019, I embarked on the challenge of eating better so I could live longer, so I could do my part to be here for my wife and family as a contributor. I was 60lbs overweight, with sugar levels of 465 and an A1C of 11.6 (the chart ends at 12)

I realized that my life as a glutton must end, so I made two critical changes immediately.

1. Portion control

While in the hospital, I was given one scoop of three different items, and this is where I took my cue. (It looked like a snack). Once home, no matter how much was made, these small portions were all I ate. In the beginning, I had no snacks between meals.

2. Eliminate most sugar

a) I stopped all soft drinks. I drink water, unsweet tea, unsweetened hot tea, and black coffee.

b) I stopped all white bread. ( it turns to sugar quickly) if I had bread at all, it was not more than 1 piece for the day.

c) If I fix pasta it was whole wheat.

In 6 months, I lost 60 pounds.

In the evenings, while watching TV, I would get urges to eat something, so I took one cinnamon graham cracker, added more cinnamon, and probably took 20 minutes to eat it, trying to savor and extend the moment.

I learned to be glutton-free, and It’s an ongoing battle.

To reach my goals, I replaced many habits with new, better habits. It’s much easier to replace habits than to break habits. It’s now 2021. It’s been a little over 2 years since this all started. The struggle not to overeat or eat sweets continues to be a challenge.

I have also found there’s an eerie similarity between sinful actions and bad eating choices. Just like with wrongdoing, the more I give into glutton temptations, the less guilty I feel the next time the temptation arises.

Over the last 18 months, I have found myself little by little loosening the self-imposed restrictions. Telling myself that larger portions of healthy foods with occasional sweet treats are ok. While there is some truth to this thought, I don’t think I want to lose those feelings of guilt when I break my own rules because the farther I get from my original commitments, the closer I get to those old bad habits. So, I embrace the feelings of guilt that help me stay true to my commitment.