Category: Doing God’s Will (Page 8 of 9)

Mistreating Jesus?

May 9, 2021 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

Jesus is not our equal; He is God. Jesus’s love for us is not an issuance of permission slips to treat Him as an equal.

According to Scripture, Jesus is the Word…

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
John 1:1-5

Jesus is our Messiah, The Lord of Lords, King of Kings, and we should treat him with humble reverence. Jesus is Holy (John 25:26, 1 Peter 1:15-16, Revelation 19:16 )

When one uses terms like ”OMG,” JESUS CHRIST!” or derivatives of these terms, we are mistreating our savior; we are mistreating God, and doing so is not harmless; it’s disrespectful.

This is one thing the Bible says about it:

“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.”
Exodus 20:7

Besides, one would think that anyone who knows God understands what God did for us, what Christ did for us, and would “seek” to make every effort to avoid using God’s name lightly.

Instead, we should want to show our love, appreciation, and respect with every word and action.

“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.’ ³¹The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Mark 12:30-31

God First!

God Provides the Growth

May 5, 2021 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

This knockout rose bush was given to us several years ago by our neighbors . I put it on the back porch intending to plant it, then forgot about it for almost 2 years. At that point it looked like sticks in a bucket, I almost threw it away. Instead, I made the effort and planted it. God provided it incredible growth and turned what was seemingly dead into this beautiful thriving bush full of roses.

I’ve seen and experienced God’s word provide the same incredible increase in people. It’s an amazing sight to see when someone once consumed by their own desires puts on Christ and puts God first in their lives. God, then provides the growth and they blossom into beautiful and caring followers of Christ.

Our God is an Awesome God!

God First!

“Go” is an action word

May 4, 2021 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

“GO” is something we just can’t do by being still. Jesus said,

“GO into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.“
Mark 16:15

Jesus also said;

“GO therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”
Matthew 28:19

God First!

Life Coach Recommendations

May 3, 2021 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

I would like to recommend my “Life-Coach highly.”

We were introduced when I was very young. Unfortunately, I moved far away and lost touch with him for a very long time. In those years, my life was chock-full of unnecessary and often self-inflicted, avoidable hurt and struggles. I came to realize I missed my Life-Coach and how much He could and would’ve helped me with my choices and understandings in those difficult times. If only I had not chosen to move so far away from him. Eventually, I did reconnect, and He greeted me with open arms, excited to see me return. My life Coach has worked side-by-side with me ever since, helping me stay on track and avoid many potentially harmful choices.

He now sits with me, listens to me, puts his arms around me, walks with me, and has taught me how to be joyful in challenging and good times. He provides me comfort that surpasses any understanding.

I highly recommend my “Life Coach” his name: “Jesus.”

He’s not the kind of coach you pay for, in fact; He loves all people so much he gave his life through in a horrible death so that we could all choose to embrace him as our Life-Coach and follow His teachings forever. He came down from heaven and conquered death, was raised from the dead that we might all have hope for eternal life in heaven.

Jesus lives! He is the King of all Kings, God’s only son who was with God from the beginning. The arms of Christ are outstretched to any who will choose to “put on” Christ and follow him. We find how to “put on” Christ in the God-breathed words of scripture, The Bible, our “Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.”

Jesus is the Ultimate Life Coach!

(John 1:1-5) from the beginning
(2nd Timothy 3:16) God-breathed
(Galatians 3:27) put on Christ
(Romans 6) united in Christ

God First!

IT IS MORE BLESSED TO GIVE THAN RECEIVE

May 1, 2021 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

Give What?

Time
Money
Food
Compassion
Love
Service

Give To who?

Spouses
Children
Family
Christians
Widows
Orphans
Elderly
Strangers
Those in need

All commandments are summed up in love.

“Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”
Romans 13:10 Esv

‭‭God First!

Worldly means vs The good life!

April 27, 2021 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

“Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62)

This verse really stands out to me; why? Because I spent years with my priorities skewed. I spent years doing what I wanted, seeking more fun, money, adventure, and things. I attempted to find and express my worth to self and others through what scripture refers to as “worldly means.”

At this time in my life, I found wisdom in my own eyes. It was self Indulging manipulating wisdom. As a result, I spent those years treating Our Creator as if He only mattered when nothing else did.

The big issue here is I knew better! I had an understanding of “The Good Life,” The one that is given to us by God through scripture, and I knew much of what I was doing went against God’s will for us. As a result, I lived those years apart from God, not truly realizing the negative impact I could have on others.

To look back and pine for those old times and start longing for that old lifestyle indicates my love for Christ is neither hot nor cold but rather lukewarm, and by not looking toward Jesus, the path I plow would become crooked. I would effectively be longing for a time when I was ”apart from God.”

How then would I be fit for the Kingdom of heaven?

Jesus Tells Us:

“I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.“
Revelation 3:16-17

“For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,”
HEBREWS 10:26

Proverbs 3:7 (wise in our eyes)
Isaiah 59:2 (separation)

God First!

“will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?”

April 23, 2021 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

Some spin God’s word to accommodate their desire rather than God’s plan, and others follow them. There are many reasons people do this, but I personally believe the main reason is not intentional but rather willful ignorance. Willful in the sense that one must have a willingness to study and accept scripture as a whole, and this takes effort and time. When we hear or read something different than what we actually practice, then why? For me, I want to know what Scriptures support that practice. Does it add or take away from God’s Word? Deuteronomy 12:32 and Revelation 22:18

The Lord’s path is straight and is available to us through God’s inspired word. We have no excuse for not exercising due diligence with self-study.

We are always learning, so; we can be mistaken; the real question is: Do we seek to correct ourselves when we realize we are wrong, or do we decide it’s a non-issue and do nothing? The bible is an accumulation of God’s Word and took thousands of years to come about. When we dismiss any of it as a non-issue, are we not effectively telling God His words are not important, we know better? (2 Timothy 3:16)

Paul is addressing the false prophet Bar-Jesus in Acts 13:9-10…

“But Saul (also known as Paul), filled with the Holy Spirit, stared straight at him and said, “You who are full of all deceit and all wrongdoing, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness – will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?”

God First! Every second of every day!

Written by: Wayne Johnson

Worldly Wealth Ends, but Love Transcends

April 22, 2021 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

I read an article about a man who was the founder of many U.S. companies. I read of the great wealth he amassed, the many jobs he created, the respect he had earned. The man died in 1934, and today… Virtually NO ONE knows him or his name.

Jesus tells us:

~ It’s not about this world.
~ to lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven.
~ Where our treasure is, there our heart will be also.
~ if you love me, you’ll keep my commandments.
~ The greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
~ the second greatest commandment is to love our neighbor as ourselves.
~ there is no greater commandment than these.

When we love as described in these commandments, we love as one who is “poor in spirit” as we recognize the power of God’s Love and know we are unworthy, yet we are grateful for God’s Grace. We embrace the need for God’s help rather than thinking we can do it on our own.

While there’s nothing wrong with amassing great wealth, The real challenge is to keep our hearts focused on the treasures of heaven, keeping God First in our hearts, keeping his commandments, doing his will through actions of love for Him and Others.

Earthly treasures are but a mist in time while love transcends for eternity

Thank you, Lord, for loving us!

John 18:36
Matthew 6:19-21
John 14:15
Mark 12: 30-31
Matthew 5: 3-12
Mark 16:16

God First!

written by: Wayne Johnson

Carried by the Angels

April 19, 2021 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

Many people have been separated from loved ones in care facilities because of Covid-19, powerless to be with their loved ones during those final moments on earth; this saddens me. I empathize with the hurt and pain of their hearts as they wanted to be with their loved ones. So, I leave you this thought in hopes that you will find comfort in it, as I do.

Our family was not physically with my dad when his soul departed his failing body and mind on that trip to Paradise back In Nov 2019; Although we were not physically with him when he passed that morning, I’m confident dad was not alone. I believe angels of God carried his soul to Paradise just as they did Lazarus in the illustration story that Jesus told of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:22). Jesus said: “The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side.”…

Dad was a Christian. He lived the life of a Christian, so we look forward to that day when we see each other again apart from physical bodies and mind and get to spend eternity together.

God First!

written by: Wayne Johnson

What can we give to God?

April 1, 2021 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

We are God’s creation; We are the focus of God’s love! During the steps of creation, we find this phrase stated several times “And God saw that it was good” However, it was after 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)

“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 )

Jesus died that we might have eternal life with Him, That our souls could have never-ending life in heaven in a new heavenly body. (2 Corinthians 5:1-10)

What can we give to God?

God wants us to love Him; He’s given us every reason to love Him. Our love is the only thing we can give God because it’s all we have to offer.

What does God want from us?

God wants us to recognize that He is, our God, the only God. He created us and everything we know and understand. He has made us a home beyond this world if; we chose to accept His grace and keep His commandments.

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.

Genesis 1:1-31
John 3:16
Mark 12:30-31
John 14:15
John 13:34

God First!
written by: Wayne Johnson

Category: Doing God’s Will (Page 8 of 9)

Mistreating Jesus?

God Provides the Growth

Life Coach Recommendations