Category: Being Prepared (Page 1 of 2)

The Best Part of our Story

February 16, 2026 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

I don’t like giving “Off-the-cuff” answers to questions, as my response often seems inadequate; I prefer to think before responding, but sometimes we must.

Case in point-
At a restaurant on Valentine’s Day, in 2024, a young man asked:

“What do you think is the best part of being married for so long?” (We must have really looked old to him) We had just met the lad about 90 minutes earlier when Virginia and I were at a restaurant reviewing the menu, trying to decide whether to stay or leave.

As mentioned, it was Valentine’s Day and our Anniversary.
The evening was not unfolding as I had planned. I had intended to have an early dinner at a nice Italian restaurant, but we got a late start. The restaurant’s website indicated they were NOT booking reservations, so I assumed “first-come, first-served,” but when we arrived, I saw the dreaded sign at the doorway: “Call for reservations.” It was about 5:30 PM; the place was almost empty, but they would not seat us. This plight pressured me to find someplace quickly; Virginia was hungry, and I still hoped to beat the main crowd. We found a restaurant we had never tried. It was not fancy nor the type of food we typically eat; In fact, it was entirely out of the norm for us.

It was a family-style Cuban Restaurant called Papis. We entered and talked with a young man behind the counter. We mentioned it was our Anniversary, looked at the menu, got his recommendations, and decided to stay. They sat us in a quiet booth where we enjoyed some flavorful dishes. Although we were apprehensive at first, stepping outside our norm made the evening even more enjoyable and memorable by night’s end. We showed our waitress a FB picture I’d recently posted of us over the years. Then, before we left, she presented us with a complimentary dessert, one of our favorites, “Flan.” As we were leaving, Virginia went to the ladies’ room as I waited at the counter. I thanked the young man for his food suggestions and began a casual conversation when he asked:

“What do you think is the best part of being married for so long?”

I was not prepared for that question. I thought briefly, looking for a quick answer, and said: Contentment – We are both very content with each other now. A moment later, I added: When you’re as young as you are, jealousies and things like that often get in the way, but with a good wife, you don’t have to worry about that.
Shortly after that response, I finally hit the nail on the head and stated:

“But actually, the best part was when we decided to include God in our lives and live that type of lifestyle.” The young man acknowledged my final answer and said, “Really?” Yes, Really!

Putting God first is by far the best thing we ever did for our marriage.

The young man then thanked me and said, “I really appreciate it!”

I wish my last response had been my first, so I could have expanded on it, as choosing to make God’s Word “The Standard” for our lifestyle has indeed been the most important decision Virginia and I ever made in our marriage. I could expand for hours on all the facets of why our marriage is strong, but the bottom line is that the decision to put God First has been the best part of our story by far!

Matthew 5:6
Acts 5:29
Proverbs 16:3
Matthew 6:24
Galatians 2:20
Galatians 6:9-10
2 Corinthians 8:6
Acts 10:35
Matthew 13:44-46
Proverbs 3:5-6
Proverbs 19:14
Proverbs 31:10
Ephesians 5:44-33

God First!

The 20-year battle within – Part 1

February 5, 2026 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

“I really need to go back to church,” I carried this thought in my mind for over 20 years; however, after my first marriage failed, I made destructive choices, destructive to my soul and my example to others. Choices that pulled me away from the teachings of God’s word. I met the woman who would one day become my wife, and though we were not yet married, we moved in together with my three-year-old son, who was in my custody.

I knew enough of God’s Word to recognize my choice was wrong, but I ignored God and spent the next 20 years living in direct opposition to Christ’s teaching. Arrogantly and foolishly thinking that if I died, I could claim ignorance, or use the perceived loophole of justification, that since we had the commitment of marriage, we didn’t need the paper. In my arrogance, I thought that if I came before Christ at Judgment, I’d be able to explain the circumstances that led to my situation, and Jesus would make an exception for me and respond: Oh, that makes sense and not hold me eternally accountable, yet Scripture points out that Jesus will and must treat everyone equally. “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.” Acts 10:34-35.

I was not doing what I knew was right, and by following my own desires, I was dismissing God’s Word, which means I was dismissing God.

There are no words to truly express how sorrowful I am today for these ungodly decisions, and my example during those years, nor for how grateful I am that I lived through them to the point of correction and repentance.

During this time, I deliberately stopped laying claim to the name “Christian” or attending services, thinking that my absence somehow made me less of a hypocrite. I look at these words now and think HOW SAD, how could I have been so foolish? I then avoided Christian friends, influences that might prompt my repentance or lead to any conversation about my salvation. By doing so, I ignored everything I knew to be true about my soul’s condition. I even prayed occasionally that it would not take a major heartache to prompt my return home, thinking I would set things right. However, if I had lost my life during those years, Jesus would have had no choice but to say, “‘I never knew you; depart from me, you worker of lawlessness.’ See Matt 7:21-23

Although I thought, in those early years, that I had faith and believed, my understanding was built on sand; I was no better than the demons mentioned in James 2:19, who believed and feared.

Had I truly understood, as I do today, the gravity of my decisions and the destructive power of my example, I would never have allowed myself that first inch into such a lost position so far away from hope.

Jesus’s message of love and forgiveness does not grant me special privileges in the name of forgiveness. I had no right to ignore His teachings and live as I wanted. Those commands, those teachings we find in Scripture, are there for a reason. I thought I knew God’s Word, but after I returned to the fold, I attended every class I could and discovered how little I truly understood.

I pray that anyone reading this who may be in a similar situation will begin immediately, set it right, and never waver again. It’s comforting to have certainty in our souls’ condition, knowing we will spend eternity with Jesus. 1 John 5:13

Acts 3:17-19, James 4:17, 1 Corinthians 10:11, Matthew 12:36, Acts 2:38, Luke 13:3, 2 Peter 3:9, 2 Chronicles 7:14, Ephesians 5:5, 1 Corinthians 6:18, 1 Corinthians 6:9, Matthew 15:19

God First!

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!

Our Forever Home

August 11, 2023 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

In the last few days, I’ve seen several memories once shared on social media of past celebrations, as today would’ve been Dad’s birthday. But in November 2019, Dad went to his forever home. Thankfully, because of Dad’s (and Mom’s) commitment to doing God’s will according to God’s will, our family gets to celebrate with much confidence the hope of eternal salvation that is now no longer a hope but a reality to our Dad and Mom.

Every person on earth has the same offer today.

The Son of God lived the perfect life; in His innocence, Christ was sacrificed on the Cross (The perfect lamb) and was resurrected to what Jesus referred to as His Father’s house, a place with many mansions where He would prepare a place for us.

Jesus tells us, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me”; “If ye love Me, keep My commandments.”; “For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.”

We miss our parents’ presence today but look forward to being with them again in that heavenly home prepared for those who love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength and will strive to keep Jesus’s commandments found in God’s Holy Word.

John 14:1-31 (the way, keep commands…)
Matthew 11:30 (burden is light)
Matthew 24:36-51 (No one Knows the Day or Hour)
1 Corinthians 15:52 (twinkling of an eye)

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

2 Timothy 4:7-8 (Fight the good fight)
2 Corinthians 1:3-11 (God of all Comfort)
Philippians 4:4-7 (The Peace of God)

God First!

After Death

April 5, 2023 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

Upon entering paradise, what will our first thoughts be? Will we immediately want to return to our family? 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.

On the torment side of Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham with Lazarus by his side. In his first thoughts, he asked Abraham to send Lazarus to cool his tongue with water, for the flames anguished him.

Abraham pointed out the large fixed chasm between them, which cannot be crossed in either direction, and how he had received good things on earth but Lazarus 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. Lazarus would now be comforted forever.

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 if someone should rise 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 God’s Will.

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.

God First!

Luke 16:19-31 (Rich Man and Lazarus)

Galatians 1:6-8 (twisting truth)

Philippians 2:12 (work out our own salvation)

Romans 1:16 (Salvation for everyone)

2 Timothy 2:15 (Study)

“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

Guard the Soil of your Soul

January 7, 2023 / Wayne Johnson / 1 Comment

We live in the midst of numerous blessings; Those we recognize and many more we don’t. Thank you, God, for All! Satan knows we always want more, so; he relentlessly seeks to prepare the soil of our souls with selfish desires.

Today, I found myself questioning whether a small thing we do to bring others joy is worth the effort. I know it will someday be meaningful to them, yet the effort often goes unacknowledged. Yesterday I began to think, why don’t we just quit; our efforts won’t even be missed. Nobody cares. It was at this point I realized Satan was tilling the soil of my mind trying to make me feel like we were wasting our time. He was attempting to plant seeds of self-pity and discontentment in order to have me waller in sadness and disappointment so I would give up.

Maybe this, in part, is why God’s Word says:

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9)

Well, hear this, Satan; if it is good, I will try to do it!

Doing good is not about me; acknowledgment and appreciation are Not My Goals. Doing good is my goal, even if or when the recipients don’t recognize it!

As Jesus said to Peter: “Go away, Satan!”

When I chose to follow Jesus, I did what we find in Luke 11:24-26 in the story of the demons; I swept my house and put it in order. My mind is my house, and Satan and his friends are not welcome here.

“…But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).”

Each of us is engulfed in blessings even if we don’t recognize them. I am thankful for all those blessings. If we pay attention, we can catch satan in the act of tilling our minds and planting seeds of destruction in our souls and say: Get away from me, Satan. However big or small, Never give up on doing good!

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow du” to change.” James‬ ‭1‬:‭17‬ ‭

Thank you, Father God, for loving us!

God First!

The Power is in the Gospel

January 3, 2023 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

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!

Love of Sports, Love of God

April 4, 2022 / Wayne Johnson / 2 Comments

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 grasp the positive principles of sports and start them playing very early in life. Lifelong friendships build as parents help each other with rides and mutually encourage their children and each other.

As a result, Money, Time, and Schedules are eagerly manipulated so that parents can be supportive of events, practice meets, or games by their presence, and the value of teamwork is fortified. Families unite in sports talk, laughs, jokes, etc., discuss sports greats, sportsmanship, teamwork, missed opportunities, and often spend countless hours watching professional sports together.

These bonding moments are excellent training and contribute to building solid friendships and good character in our young adults to help 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 posts 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?

Would we start our children attending bible classes early in life?
Would we prioritize our schedules to ensure committed involvement in Church activities?
Would we prioritize teaching our children the love of Christ?
Would we encourage their understanding and development of leadership skills?

Imagine how excellent this world would be if the same effort we put into sports were put into following and sharing the message of Christ?

We would excel at learning everything we could about our creator. Jesus would be prominent in daily conversations and taking His name in vain, absent.

Instead, we would seek to be as Christ-like as possible, making every effort to do God’s Will according to what God tells us in scripture and our time would be arranged so that we could be involved in as many good works as possible.

If the world were to embrace God the way many embrace sports, we would put our service to God above all else, and our children would take notice. Just as they will notice, if we make exceptions, making exceptions sends the message that we believe it’s ok to deprioritize God from Time to Time, and that’s never ok!

Sports may bring a lifetime of happy moments but should never take priority over God, where blessings go far beyond this lifetime and lead us to our eternal home, a glorious place without tears, pain, or woes.

God First!

Acts 20:32
Jude 1:25
2 Timothy 3:15-17
1 Corinthians 14:26
Philippians 3:21
1 Thessalonians 5:11
Romans 1:12
Ephesians 4:15-16
John 3:16-17
John 17:3
Matthew 6:23-24
1 Timothy 1:17
1 Corinthians 2:9
1 Corinthians 8:6
Luke 15:7
Matthew 7:21-23
Matthew 25:46
Philippians 3:20-21
Revelation 21:9-12
Revelation 12:4

To God be the Glory!

February 27, 2022 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

Ever had someone take credit for your accomplishments? How did you or would you feel feel about it? Maybe it was a trivial matter, so you just let it go. I’ve done this too; it still rubbed me the wrong way, even if just a little. Now, let’s magnify the situation.

Suppose you developed a single cure for all cancers and shared it. Yet, instead of being appreciated, praised, and given credit for all your work, credit is taken or given elsewhere. Would you be upset?

I would probably do all I could to Let the world know; THIS IS MY DOING, AND I CAN PROVE IT. Stop giving credit elsewhere; I created this cure! I would assemble all my proof, witnesses’ testimonies, etc., and present them to the world as best I could. But, what if, rather than admit their deception, the unscrupulous attack the Truth with false information and lies to take or give credit elsewhere. How would you like this? How would you respond?

Unfortunately, This is how God is treated repeatedly.

Despite the fact that God’s proof is all around us. That Science, Math, and History truly support what we find in Scripture, and that God is the most logical explanation as the Creator of everything we know many actively work to give credit elsewhere. Sadly, the gullible then fall prey to praising the creations of God rather than God Himself. History shows people inherently desire to worship something; they want to put faith in something they deem greater than themselves. Worship and praise have been given to such things as the moon, the sun, stars, mountains, water, fire, animals. Numerous statues have been made and erected to worship, and numerous theories have been invented and taught.

Today, many give the credit that belongs to God to those touting disbelief under the disguise of science. Technical-sounding words are created and used to create hypothetical theories and then presented as sound science.

Think about it, Theories are taught to our most gullible, our children, and told it is science. Our children are taught to believe our creation was a fluke accident where nothing exploded into something rather than God Created All. That a spec of absolutely nothing too small for our eyes to see exploded into something that created planets in a perfect universal placement to provide life on Earth. Then, over billions of years developed into the perfectly designed world of nature and life, we live in today. That Animal and Human life were some natural phenomena and that our human ancestry is monkeys. If not from God, Where did our intelligence come from?

Were you taught this? Did you or do you currently lend “ANY” credence to these theories today? God gave us free will that we may choose to look at the evidence. God would not have given us so much proof if expected blind faith only.

EVERYTHING CREATED IS GOD’S DOING, AND HE PROVES IT –TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

Genesis 1:1
Romans 1:20-25
Revelation 4:11
John 1:3
Colossians 1:16
1 Corinthians 8:6
Nehemiah 9:6
Psalm 33:6
Genesis 1:1-37

Genesis 1:27
Psalm 19:1
Hebrews 11:1-3
John 1:1-3
Exodus 34:14
Deuteronomy 5:9
Exodus 20:1-26
Jeremiah 10:12
Isaiah 45:18

Romans 10:17
Proverbs 3:13
James 1:5
1 Peter 3:15-16
Isaiah 1:18
John 20:31
2 Timothy 2:15

God First!

Learning from self-evaluation

February 12, 2022 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

Self-evaluation is not about longing for our past but instead learning from it!

Some say: Always look forward, never look back! So, if by looking back, you find yourself longing for those past days and focusing so much on what you once did that it distracts you from being content and enjoying what you can still do at the moment, this is a valid point. In this respect, I struggle in tennis, falling prey to looking back and longing for the game I once played with its power and speed. But, in doing so, I steal from the moment and all it could be If I would just let it.

However, self-reflection and evaluation are different from looking back and getting stuck in the past. When we evaluate ourselves, we create opportunities to take pauses and learn from our experiences.

Self-reflection is essential, it does indeed stir up feelings of embarrassment, regret, and sadness, but it also stirs up levels of self-validation, self-approval, smiles, and laughter which can add to our contentment.

For example, looking back on one such moment was embarrassing and funny.

It was in the late 80s; There was once a popular sitcom cartoon on TV called “The Simpsons,” One of the characters was “Bartman,” which was the superhero alter ego of “Bart Simpson.” Although I was not a fan of the show, Virginia gave me a pair of Bartman shorts for my 30th Birthday.

A couple of weeks later, probably in November of 1989, we met our friends Jan and Wayne to play mixed doubles tennis. It was a chilly day, so we all started in warmups. As we played, the clothing trickled off till I was down to a T-shirt and my new shorts. A few points after removing my warmup pants, Jan paused the match to ask: Are you going to play in underwear? I quickly stated: No, these are Bartman shorts; Virginia got me for my Birthday.

Jan responds: with a flap in the middle?

I was instantly embarrassed as I realized they were “Bartman boxers,” not shorts. I had never worn boxers and assumed they were regular shorts. Needless to say, I immediately put my warmup pants back on, was relentlessly teased, and we laughed about it.

However, this moment of embarrassment etched a permanent place in my mind, and I learned at least three things from experience.

Assumptions are dangerous (Be more careful)
Details are important (Pay closer attention)
Relentless teasing ( It’s going to happen)

Without self-reflection and self-evaluation, we hinder self-accountability, which helps us make better choices on what to and not do in the future.

Scripturally, We find attributes of self-reflection and evaluation attributed to many of King Soloman’s writings. A man gifted with wisdom from God. And, in the Psalms of David, more on this later.

God First!

Category: Being Prepared (Page 1 of 2)

The Best Part of our Story

The 20-year battle within – Part 1

Being wise in our own eyes