Category: God First (Page 1 of 11)

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!

God’s Test

June 13, 2023 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

God is all-knowing, so; if inclined, God has the ability to know what choice we will make when He puts us to the test so; Why test us?

Maybe the testing is not so much for God’s benefit but rather our benefit and, possibly, those for whom we are examples. Perhaps our response to God’s test is to help ground our faith. Maybe it’s to prompt us to seek answers in His Word, to seek Him in prayer, or cast our anxieties on Jesus, things that solidify our trust and deepen our root system.

The realization of our failure has the ability to do the same. We may not realize we are being tested, but each of us knows in our hearts if we do right or wrong.

Abraham was put to the test with his choice regarding Issac and God could know if he would pass or fail. As Abraham passed the test, Abraham gained from the trial. In Abraham’s case, we all gain from reading his story.

As the rooster crows three times, Peter failed his test, and Jesus knew he would. Still, in his disappointment and sorrow, Peter became even more committed after Jesus returned and later ascended into heaven—another example to all who read his story.

Even Jesus was tested, but because He knew scripture, He answered the test with scripture. Let us study so that we may confront the test with God’s Word in our hearts.

1 Thessalonians 2:4
1 Peter 1:7
James 1:3
Deuteronomy 13:3
James 1:12-13
Matthew 4:1-11
1 John 4:1
Genesis 22:1–19
Hebrews 11:17-19
1 Peter 1:7-9
Acts 1:9-12
2 Timothy 2:15

God First!

A Country with God

May 17, 2023 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

In 2015 a wealthy businessman, not a politician, decided to run for the United States Presidency. Everything I knew of him was contrived from what I had seen on TV, read in news articles and magazines, heard others say, and by watching “The Apprentice.” TV show

Armed with all this “information,” I concluded that I did not like the man.

I considered myself an independent voter, not a party voter, so whenever possible, I listened to him and others give their speeches.

I would watch CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC, & FOX News.

In doing so, I noticed commentators repeatedly telling me what to think and feel about his remarks before telling me what he said; This became a problem for me as what I saw and heard in live speech contradicted what I was being told to believe.

In the 2016 Republican runoff, I voted for Ted Cruz. Yet, after Trump’s win, I watched more speeches, interviews, and debates.

Over time, it became evident that his words were being blatantly twisted like a tornado which prompted me to wonder why?

Why such a consorted effort to change the intent of his words? This practice piqued my interest.

I became intrigued by the direction Trump wanted to take our country and that although he never claimed to be a Christian, his message included doing many things that coincide with the principles of love for God, love and concern for others, and Christian beliefs in general. Although Trump’s speech is very coarse at times, he continuously gives recognition to God more than any president in recent history.

Trump: “In America, we don’t worship government; we worship God.”

To me, Trump’s speeches targeted American Growth and epitomized a common-sense approach; building a better America for all Americans.

I liked this message and his repeated recognition of God.

After continually watching his words mutilated into things he did not say or intend, I narrowed my news consumption to FOX; Unfortunately, in my opinion, they have now fallen prey to misleading viewers as well.

Today, NEWSMAX is my station of choice. Newsmax airs many of Trump’s speeches in their entirety. I appreciate being able to make my decisions by seeing first-hand what he says instead of being told what to think and believe by commentators.

Hate has been spewed at Trump from multiple directions, yet he continues to find solutions to problems.

I have been appalled by the relentless attacks and accusations repeatedly proven untrue by people abusing their power, both Democrats and Republicans.

These attacks lend much credence to the “Swamp” concept that several in power feel threatened by this wealthy businessman who has battled tirelessly for the people of our country.

Despite Insurmountable odds and fabrications created by his opponents, President Trump has trudged through the lies and kept most if not all of his political promises bringing strength and respect back to our country. Just imagine how much more good he could’ve accomplished had Trump not been treasonously inundated by the now-proven-to-be Russian hoax. So many people have been misled and taught to hate Trump.

Before Covid, we were starting to thrive; I want to see us on that path again.

President Donald J Trump earned my respect and my future vote because he did much to improve America, not as one nation under Trump, but as One Nation Under God!

A country with God is a Country Blessed a Country without God is a country lost.

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

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

February 12, 2023 / Wayne Johnson / 2 Comments

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

Would you believe it!

February 2, 2023 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

Would you believe it? These sticks and stones just ended up on the tree stump seen in this picture, looking like this cute face all by themselves. It was simply an accident.

No, me neither. Logic tells us someone definitely laid these sticks into their positions. This face was created by design.

Do you also realize it is far more probable that this artwork all landed into place by accident than to believe that anything other than God created everything we see, smell, breathe, feel, and know?

IN THE BEGINNING, GOD created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)

It’s the most logical conclusion, and both science and math support it.

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!

Prayer request

May 31, 2022 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

Lately, I see more prayer requests on social media than I have ever seen before. Although it’s sad to see so many people dealing with sickness, death, fears, and concerns, I am very grateful that many recognize the power of prayer and know they should ask for prayers from their brothers and sisters in Christ.

As I encounter these requests, it’s quite normal for me to pause and pray before moving forward. I don’t often know the recipients of my prayers personally. However, I know from their request that they believe in God’s power to help and provide comfort as they have asked for prayers.

We can see from Scripture that God wants us to pray and wants to be included in our daily lives. But, more than that, and with; good reason, God wants to be the center of our life. Scripture clearly demonstrates God’s desire to be included in our daily lives, so putting God first would consist of prayer before action.

John 15:7 (Notice conditions)
1 John 5:14
James 5:14-16
2 Corinthians 1:11
Matthew 7:7
Luke 11:9
John 16:24
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
James 1:5
Romans 12:2
Romans 12:12
Ephesians 6:18

Get Mercy

May 13, 2022 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

- - God shows us, love,
  - Encourages us to love,
  - Teaches us to love,
  - Motivates us to love,
  - Expects us to love,
  - Responds to our love,
  - Commands us to love,
  - Yearns for us to love

God want’s our love!

But,

God wants us to freely give it with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love others as Christ loved us.

Is it any surprise?

The only
gift we
can give God
Is, Our Love

That’s right, our love is all we can give. God can create anything else.

God has extended mercy to mankind through the gift of grace but its up to us to accept this offer of grace by loving him and keeping His commands.

_{Jesus tells us: “If you love Me, you will keep my Commandments.”}_{(John 14:15)}

_{He tells us: …”The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 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. The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”}

^{(Mark 12:29-31)}

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

Category: God First (Page 1 of 11)