The best life is a God First life
Real love is not void of consequences; Real love includes rebuke and discipline.
From the revelation of Jesus…
“Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” Revelation 3:19-20
God First!
This picture is of a space shuttle leaving the atmosphere. It was taken from space by NASA a few years back, where a writer noted: “Amazing, isn’t it? How nano we are in the cosmic scale.” God’s creation is larger than anyone can truly comprehend, and we, even more “Nano” on a cosmic scale than this space shuttle.
God created us in His image!
He loves, knows, and Cares about every single one of us; He knows how many hairs are on our heads. Matthew 10:30 and Luke 12:7
God sees everything!
“The eyes of the Lord are in every place, Watching the evil and the good.” Proverbs 15:3
“Does He not see my ways And number all my steps?” Job 31:4
“God gave His only begotten Son that we may not perish but have everlasting life, should we choose to love Jesus enough to keep God’s commandments.” John 4:16
Although you are Nano in comparison to all of creation, you and each of us are known and loved by God as if we were the whole of creation.
God loves you!
God First!
The term “curses like a sailor” is often used to describe people who use a lot of foul language. Scully was a friend of my grandparents, and one year, as we visited my grandparents for the summer, my grandmother pulled us aside and let us know he was coming over and what to expect, warning us that Scully cusses worse than a sailor, but also pointing out he was a really good-hearted man and friend for many years. She hoped he would not do so in front of us; however, she knew it was just part of his makeup. When we met him, he was very kind, and they all sat around for a long visit. He may have been mindful of his language at first, but quickly fell into his habit.
What I remember most about Scully, whom I think we only met twice, was his friendliness towards my grandparents, his kindness, his tall, rather thin appearance, and his laughter. I remember he did cuss a lot, but I don’t remember what specific words he used most. As my grandmother pointed out, it was part of his makeup.
My ears were not so offended by his use of foul language that I could not appreciate all the good in the man, of which I believe there was much.
As I grew into adulthood, I never adopted foul language as a norm. Dad used it sometimes when I was little. He drank beer and even smoked some, but as he began taking us to church, I was about seven, Dad began viewing things differently, and over time, found Scripture in God’s Holy Word that made him want to stop, and he did. Cold turkey, he stopped smoking, never to return; the beer and cussing were habits that changed over time as he grew to appreciate God’s intent for us.
In later years, I used a curse word in front of dad, who then pointed out to me that foul language points out one’s inability to articulate well, that using disrespectful, foul, and hateful words is no more than a feeble attempt at attention when you lack a better vocabulary to command it. This thought helped me look for better ways to communicate rather than resorting to cussing. Dad also suggested I replace those types of words with something like Snacklefrackle (a word he made up), one I have used several times over the years, that people then ask, “What!”
I am glad that I never adopted curse words as part of my makeup and that Dad’s suggestions worked for me. I am thankful that I learned enough about God’s Word to know that God expects so much more of his disciples. (See Matt. 15:11, 5:22, Eph. 4:29, 5:4, James 3:2, Col 3:8)
I live in a neighborhood of 530 homes. I have many neighbors and friends who use foul language. I don’t condone its use; I don’t like hearing or reading it, nor the use of the Lord’s name in vain, which non-believers commonly use. The non-believer being one who is unwilling to study, learn, and do God’s Will, because if we believe, we follow and strive to live according to Christ’s example. Matthew 16:24-26 non-believers don’t strive to do His will. (James 2:14-26)
When opportunities arise, I voice my understanding of God’s Word, but I don’t live in a bubble; I know this is part of their makeup and habits. I also don’t join in with the habit.
I understand that if people truly believe in and understand God’s word, they don’t use it.
How can we be Christlike examples by living standoffish lives?
Doesn’t standoffish come across as “I think I am better than you” when we don’t? I know some of my friends abstain from using such language around me, and I appreciate their effort and the respect they show me in doing so.
As Christians, we have an opportunity to teach and share God’s Word in all that we do and speak. We have an opportunity to be a light in a world of darkness; let us not hide our light in fear but rather shine and encourage others to live for Christ.
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matt. 5:16
God First!
Upon entering paradise, what will our first thoughts be? Will we immediately want to return to our families? Will we first think,” But I’m not finished,” or will we immediately understand, we have no more worries; God is in control?
In the illustrated story of the rich man and Lazarus, the rich man did not go to paradise; nope, he went directly to torment. Scripture says nothing of the rich man being carried by angels, only of Lazarus.
On the torment side of Hades, the rich man saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. At first, he asked Abraham to send Lazarus to cool his tongue with water, for the flames were anguishing him. Abraham pointed out the large, fixed chasm between them, which cannot be crossed in either direction. He pointed out how he had received good things on earth, but Lazarus had bad things.
Simply put: the rich man’s selfish life had earned him a one-way ticket to his eternal home in torment.
On the other hand, Lazarus’s suffering on Earth was over; he was no longer in pain from sores or hunger. No longer would he be considered less than anyone else, and would now be comforted forever. In asking Abraham to send Lazarus with water or to his family, the rich man still seems to view Lazarus as a servant.
The rich man’s next thoughts were for his family; he wanted to send Lazarus or someone from the dead to warn his brothers of his demise. But alas, Abraham said, if they did not believe Moses and the Prophets, they would not be convinced even if someone rose from the dead.
I don’t know the answer to my initial questions; I suspect I would quickly understand. My opportunity to help others on Earth is over. Maybe my example or some of my words will carry on briefly, but as always, God is in control!
You see, today, in addition to Moses and the prophets, we have the completed Word of God; we have the New Covenant of God through Christ, and are told exactly how to follow God’s Will according to what God wants.
Scripture tells us: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16 ESV)
Twisting God’s Words has happened since the Lord’s Church began; however, the Truth is readily available to those who will take the time to study God’s Word and shew themselves approved.
We will each be held accountable for our salvation, and eternity is a long time to wish we had made better choices. It is my prayer that all will prioritize the understanding of God’s Word beyond what others have told us.
Let God’s Word speak and listen.
“The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His kingdom rules over all. Bless the Lord, O you His angels, you mighty ones who do His word, obeying the voice of His word! Bless the Lord, all His hosts, His ministers, who do His will! Bless the Lord, all His works, in all places of His dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul!”
Psalm 103:19-22 ESV
God First!
Let us always thirst and seek to drink from the water of life, conquering temptation, speaking boldly yet lovingly, sharing and standing for Christ, and never being cowards, that our heritage is with God as our Father. May we always seek to show Jesus that we love Him by keeping his commandments.
“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” John 14:15 ESV
“On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of His heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this He said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” John 7:37-39 (ESV)
“And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” Revelation 21:6-8 ESV
“Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. 9 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. 10 For
“Whoever desires to love life
and see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil
and his lips from speaking deceit;
11 let him turn away from evil and do good;
let him seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears are open to their prayer.
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.
“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, 19 in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, 20 because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. 21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.” 1 Peter 3:8-22
God First!
A lot of people get very excited about sports. It’s a topic of numerous conversations. Seldom am I with a group of men where sports is not immediately part of the conversation or dominates it.
Many parents rightfully recognize the benefits of raising their children to embrace the positive principles of sports and starting them in sports at a very early age. Lifelong friendships form as parents help each other with rides and mutually encourage their children and one another. As a result, Money, Time, and Schedules are eagerly managed so that parents can support events, practice meets, or games by attending, and the value of teamwork is fortified.
Families unite over sports talk, laughs, and jokes, discuss sports greats, sportsmanship, and teamwork, and often spend countless hours watching professional sports together. These bonding moments are excellent training and help build solid friendships and good character in our young adults, helping them navigate life.
Isn’t this precisely how we should prioritize, teach, and share Christ in our lives?
Shouldn’t our conversations and social media presence include glorifying and sharing the blessings of Christ, and showing concern for others?
If we showed our love for God the way we show our love for sports, how would our lives change?
What would it look like if our interest in God took priority over our interest in sports?
Imagine how excellent this world would be if the same effort we put into sports were put into following and sharing Christ’s message with everyone we interact with?
Sports may bring a lifetime of happy moments, but they should never take priority over God. With God, our blessings go far beyond this lifetime and lead us to our eternal home, a glorious place without tears, pain, or woes, forever Joy!
God First!
During the days of creation, we find the phrase, “And God saw that it was good,” repeated several times. However, it was not until God created man in His image that scripture tells us, “God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was VERY GOOD. (Genesis 1:31)
We are God’s creation!
“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 )
God is the creator of everything we see and comprehend; everything our minds think we know and understand; it’s all from God. So, what can we offer to God that He wants?
God wants us to recognize that He is the only God and that Jesus is His Son, who was with God at Creation. (John 1:1-5) He wants us to know that salvation comes only through the innocence of Jesus, who was sacrificed for our sins and then raised by God to sit at his right hand in heaven; King of Kings, Lord of Lords, only through Christ do we have hope of eternal life with God. He wants us to know that Jesus has prepared a heavenly home for us beyond this world if we choose to accept His grace and keep His commandments. God wants us to know that on the day of judgment, our souls will be given new heavenly bodies for our never-ending life, and He tells us so in His Word. ( See 2 Corinthians 5:1-10, Philippians 3:20-21, John 14:3-10)
So again, what can we offer God that God really wants?
God has given us every reason to love Him; He has given us the freedom to choose good over evil, and He wants us to love Him.
LOVE, love is the only thing we can give that God seeks from us, not by force but by choice.
May we all seek God first in our lives, love each other as Christ has loved us, and show Jesus that we love Him by keeping His commandments. This is what God seeks, it’s what God wants, and what God wants to reward us for.
The Greatest Command: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:28-34
God First!
Many years ago, while in my mid-twenties, I rented a house. After being there for close to a year, I fell behind on my rent. The landlord, Mr. Blackwell, a very nice man whom I liked very much, sent me my first pay-or-get-out eviction letter. For some reason, rather than understanding that this letter was necessary and that it was my fault, I got embarrassed, upset, and angry with him, and moved out. During my anger, I retaliated by leaving the water running in every sink and at every outside spigot. My intent was not to destroy but to cost him money in wasted water.
I was the one in the wrong, yet for some reason, I retaliated against the innocent, as we see many do today.
I got upset when I was told to pay or leave. I would later talk with Mr. Blackwell, who asked me, why did you leave the water running everywhere? I had no answer other than to apologize for my misplaced anger. I have remembered this bad decision many times over the years as I disrespected this good man with anger that should have been directed only at myself.
I certainly remembered this story when, many years later, as a landlord myself, a tenant fell far behind and skipped out, leaving our house in shambles and smelling of animal urine. I spent my recovery from a hip replacement tearing out carpet, removing and replacing pee-soaked subflooring, etc., so we could sell the house. I kept telling myself as I worked each day of those two months, I had this coming, although Virginia did not deserve the stress.
Unfortunately, it seems this type of misdirected anger is all around us every day, where self-accountability and common sense are discarded, and those in the wrong become angry at those doing the right things. When we can’t pay our rent or mortgage, it’s not our landlords’ fault. If we break a law and are held accountable, it’s not the fault of the police or our justice system.
In my scripture-based opinion, each person is responsible for their actions. I would much rather be held accountable here on earth than for eternity. I know that forgiveness for all things is possible if we will pick up the cross and follow Jesus by keeping His commandments, and that God is capable of mercy and of forgetting our sins. Still, I don’t believe Scripture teaches that forgiveness releases anyone from accountability.
Matthew 6:12, Proverbs 28:13, Romans 8:1-3, Romans 14:12, 2 Corinthians 5:10, Matthew 12:36, Luke 12:48, Isaiah 43:25, Hebrews 5:12, Jeremiah 31:34
God First!
This type of language is called “hyperbole.” It can engage 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 the intent of their statement to make it sound disrespectful 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 example, which I often use, I’m referring to putting in or taking out my contact lenses. No thought of disrespect or inconsiderate intent is aimed at or considered toward anyone in such a situation where they have literally lost an eye, and it would be wrong to accuse me of such.
I have used hyperbolic language naturally for many, many years. Long before I learned, it had a name and definition.
Jesus taught with hyperbolic language:
“Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?”
Jesus was not lying about a log; He used hyperbole to make a point, yet many in today’s media would call Jesus a liar if his teachings contradict their agenda.
We need to exercise much discernment in what we see and hear today, and then be slow to speak or judge, lest we join in spreading lies rather than be certain of spreading truth. It’s just way too easy to be gullible with all the untruth in media and Artificial Intelligence.
Definition: hy·per·bo·le [hīˈpərbəlē]
NOUN * Exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.
“being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips,” Romans 1:29
“He who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets, Therefore do not associate with a gossip.” Proverbs 20:19
“If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless.” James 1:26
“But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment.” Matthew 12:36-37
God First!
Stand Firm!
Study and learn God’s word so you can know God’s will for yourself rather than relying on someone else.
Pursue God’s will, for if God is with you, who can be against you?
(see Romans 8:31)
Be the Rock of faith that inspires others to learn and become rocks of faith themselves, especially to our little ones who see you as their examples.
Love others as Christ loves you.
Be mindful of this fact: The closer we draw to God, the closer he draws to us. (see James 4:8)
Trust in God!
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. “
John 13:34 ESV
God First!
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