Advocate for Christ

The best life is a God First life

Category: God will provide (Page 1 of 2)

After Death

April 5, 2023 / / 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

The Best Part of our Story

February 15, 2022 / / 1 Comment

I don’t like giving “Off-the-cuff” answers to questions as my response often seems inadequate; I prefer to think before responding. Last night was no exception when 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) I had just met the lad about 90mins before when Virginia and I were standing at the restaurant counter reviewing the menu. We were trying to decide, stay or leave.

It was Valentine’s day and our Anniversary. So far, the evening was not going according to my plan. I intended to have an early dinner at a nice Italian restaurant, but we started late. The restaurant website indicated they were NOT booking reservations, so I assumed “first come, first serve,” 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 snafu put me under pressure to find someplace quickly; Virginia was hungry, and I still hoped to beat the main crowd.

We found a restaurant we had never tried before. It was not fancy nor the type of food we typically eat; In fact, 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, 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, we found that being out of our norm added to the evening and made it 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 lady’s room as I waited at the counter. I thanked the young man for his food suggestions and began some 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 for a brief moment looking for a quick answer and said: Contentment – We are both very content with each other now. Then, a short moment longer, I added: When you’re 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 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.

Choosing to make God’s Word “The Standard” for our lifestyle has 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: The decision to put God First has by far been the best part of our story!

  • 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!

God Knows

January 7, 2022 / / 0 Comments

“In a world that blames God for disasters, yet credits luck for life’s blessings, we need reminding that the Lord alone is the universal Maestro. Evil and suffering are not from his hand, yet he is mighty enough to work the worst of circumstances for our ultimate good and his own exalted glory. It is ours to choose whether we will cooperate with his unfolding redemptive drama—whether we will submit our lives to his will. Each step taken and a word spoken should be a confession of just who is crafting our life’s story.”

Above is an excerpt from the book: The Epic of God – by Michael Whitworth; the book is an in-depth look at Genesis that I found very interesting. I introduced the book to my wife and happened to reread the introduction when the above excerpt stuck out to me. I posted the above in 2016 on Facebook – I wonder now as I see it in my FB memories if God knew I would need this reminder later in life and that I would share it with all who read my articles (of course, he did).

  • Psalm 139:4
  • 1 John 3:20
  • Hebrews 4:13
  • Isaiah 51:3
  • Psalm 119:76
  • Matthew 5:4

Thank you for your help!

December 8, 2021 / / 0 Comments

Everywhere I turn, I see God’s help extended to our family.

I see what I believe is God’s providence working in our lives and prayers answered. I’ve prayed many times that God would put people in the lives of loved ones to help them on their journeys. I’ve then heard some remarkable stories on how some friendships came to be. Sometimes, unlikely friendships grow into the best kind of friendship; The iron sharpens Iron kind of friendship. I have no doubt that God hears our prayers. I also have no doubt that God has compassion for our pain and comforts those who love Him as only the God of all comfort can and will do.

Without God, we are nothing; Without love, we are nothing; we all need help from time to time and should be humble enough to realize it, pray for it, and remember just to say; thank you!

God’s answer to prayers is not always evident immediately, but sometimes, when you pause later in life, you can view the bigger picture and become aware of uncountable blessings.

So for my family and me to God and all His loving servants! Thank you!

God is Love!

  • 2nd Corinthians 1:3-5
  • James 5:1-20
  • Proverbs 27:17 (iron sharpens)
  • Romans 8:28
  • Philippians 4:8

God First!

Little by little

November 23, 2021 / / 1 Comment

Have you ever opened your mouth and said things you didn’t really mean to come out the way they did? Well, I did this recently. I listened to a presentation regarding the ongoing efforts of one of the missionary works our congregation help’s support and was amazed at all the accomplishments of this ministry. It touched my heart with the desire to help them continue and do more to the glory of God.

In talking with the missionary, I asked what the best way to give additional help is? right after his answer, I made my regretted statement to the effect: “I was not as blessed as others, “financially, but….”

Instantly, I did not like my statement and how it sounded as I am fully aware that I am very blessed, including financially, when compared to many in this world, and I thank God daily for every blessing.

I was trying to convey that I realized there was a great need for the help they were providing and appreciated seeing how they were helping. Recognizing this made me wish I had thousands upon thousands I could offer to help meet the overwhelming needs.

I didn’t want my question to be misleading as to what I meant by: “additional.” So, I attempted to clarify my question poorly and decrease any expectation of grandeur I may have accidentally implied. I hope I never make such a foolish statement again!

This scenario did remind me of a question my wife once asked me. I had just recently started going back to Church services, and she was not yet going but saw a check I had written, and asking very pointedly, she said;

What are you trying to do, buy your way into heaven?

Well, honestly, no, but my donations at that time were very sporadic, so for us, the check she saw looked big. My wife began attending, studying the bible, and later chose to be baptized according to Scripture.

As our faith and understanding grew, we realized although sporadic giving was helpful, it was not nearly as much as it seemed when we wrote the occasional check. So together, we budgeted a small amount for weekly giving. In comparison to previous years, we found that by doing this, we were helping far beyond those periodic checks just by giving a small amount each week that we could manage.

I should have remembered this lesson before my regretful statement to Mani. And, I pray God continuously blesses those who can write the large checks and that they will never give up doing so.

I need to keep in mind that if I budget small amounts, I can still help in significant ways, and if others do the same, we can all humbly make a vast difference within our abilities. Then, as our blessings increase, so can our help.

In the end, those small amounts can help spread God’s Word, Save lives and bring soul-saving truth to the masses.

Galatians 6:9-10 says:

“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.”

To God be the glory,

God First!

Doing our part – takes work!

November 10, 2021 / / 0 Comments

Believers in God don’t sit around waiting on God to provide everything for them!

No, that would be sluggishness (laziness) and is not the role we find endorsed by God in Scripture; God expects us to work! It would be misrepresentative of scripture to believe it’s all about what God can do for us when so much is about what we can; Go and Do!

God expects us to do our part in providing physical and spiritual nourishment. God has given mankind a working role since the beginning. (Gen.2:15) Throughout Scripture, we find being a sluggard has been condemned while effort has been rewarded. (Matt.25:24-30)

Working towards righteous goals may take much patience; on our part, and we should be mindful of that fact that seeing the full results of our efforts may never happen; even so, in our ongoing, consistent unrelenting effort, we can know that working for good; will reap good in time if we don’t quit.

How can we know this? Because God tells us so.

“And let us not grow weary while doing good, for, in due season, we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” Galatians 6:9

If we do our part, God will always do His!

  • Proverbs 18:9
  • 2 Thessalonians 3:10
  • Proverbs 26:14
  • Proverbs 26:16
  • Proverbs 24:30–31
  • Mark 16:15-16

(Several proverbs address sluggards)

God First!

Turn it over to God

October 19, 2021 / / 0 Comments

Sometimes, it sounds trite to say, “JUST TURN IT OVER TO GOD,” but this is where our trust in God, faith, and belief come into play. When Christians strive to follow Christ with obedient faith, we are striving towards righteousness. In (Mark 11:24) we are told, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” So how do we turn it over to God? Well, we pray, we believe, and we trust in God’s answer, which allows us to let it go.

Once, I became so consumed by my concern for a loved one that it affected everything I did, even my marital relationship, until the day I realized that all my attempts to help were nothing more than temporary fading patches.

Both I and my loved one needed to know that God WAS the answer, NOT me or anything else. I asked myself, who would be there for them if I was gone? As I thought about my question I realized, God was the only answer! So, that night, I got on my knees and prayed; through heartfelt tears. I begged and pleaded in anguish and fear, asking God to help them, asking God to put people in their lives that could help them. I know that God’s will is the best will for all of us so, I took my cue from Christ’s example in the garden, and I asked that God’s will, be done. I turned my cares over to Jesus. My prayer that night wasn’t me giving up on that person in any way. I just realized as never before that God has complete control and mine is extremely limited. That night, I literally felt a great invisible weight removed from my shoulders, replaced by a trusting calm.

After this prayer, when I heard from this person about self-inflicted difficulties, I limited my involvement and encouraged them to seek God’s will, to pray, and offered to pray with them. To this day, I still pray for this person every day, and they have now come a long way from those days, now including God in all that they do.

Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” In 1 Peter 5:6-7, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for He careth for you.”

In summary, don’t allow yourself to be consumed by things you can’t control, Turn them over to God. Pray and seek help from the one who can help when no one else can, the one who created everything you see and know, the one who created you and loves you like no other – The God of Love, who is Love.

When Christians strive to follow Christ with obedient faith, we are striving towards righteousness. When we turn that which we cannot control over to God, it’s not trite; it’s where our trust, faith, and belief come into play and substantiate our trust in God. God is love and will carry us through. For Christians, this world is not our home. Christians look forward to the fact that there will be no tears in heaven. By putting God First in our lives, we make this world a better place by our loving actions.

God’s word tells us to believe, repent, and confess the name of Jesus and be immersed in the watery grave of baptism for the forgiveness of our sins. In (Acts 2:38) we find in doing so, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. By doing so, we live with the knowledge that heaven is now our eternal home.

  • 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 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

God First!

Problems come and go.

September 30, 2021 / / 0 Comments

Today’s problems sometimes seem insurmountable, but so did several past problems; if you think about it. Many issues that once daunted our thoughts are now; no more than distant memories.

With God’s help and our trust in God, we can resolve and overcome difficulties, even count them all Joy as our faith is strengthened by trusting God. God tells us to ask for help, to lay our burdens on Jesus, of whom we have been given the avenue of prayer, by praying in Jesus’ name. As disciples of Christ, we are told to believe, and our request will be answered, that “…the prayer of the righteous person has great power as it is working”.

God wants us to accept his Grace through our Obedient Faith so we can look forward to an eternal existence with Him—one without hardship, without pain, where there are no tears, full of joy and song.

Our short span is but a speck of sand in outer space yet a spec God deemed worthy of Christ- His only begotten son who died that we might be forgiven and live forever with God!

Whatever we do; Include God and seek to pursue those things he asks of us in Scripture. Not adding or taking away from His Word.

  • James 1:1-8
  • James 5:16
  • Matthew 21:22
  • Matthew 6:34
  • Revelation 21:4
  • Matthew 19:26
  • Hebrews 13:14
  • John 3:16
  • Deuteronomy 4:2
  • Revelation 22:18-19

GOD FIRST!

It helped me overcome stress; Maybe it could help you.

September 22, 2021 / / 0 Comments

I once found myself extremely stressed as multiple concerns snuck up, combined, and weighed me down. I remember feeling so distraught and so overwhelmed I knew not what to do. Then, I decided to write down my thoughts. Not for the purpose of sharing them with others but rather to take those muddy thoughts in my mind, organize them, and put them somewhere else. (like on paper) For some reason, doing this helped me considerably to think clearer in the following days. It helped me prioritize my thoughts and clear away the mud in my mind.

I still do this from time to time. In fact; If you’re reading this, you see I share some thoughts on my website and other social media platforms but certainly, not all.

I also have found that just as important as writing down those thoughts, to begin with, Is to read them back later, even if I find that what I wrote to be nothing more than incoherent Babel, which is embarrassing if I have shared it publicly (but that doesn’t matter).

What does matter is the point: writing down my thoughts and rereading them helped me clear my mind and get the garbage out. It helped me discern the issues and separate what I could control from those out of my control.

If you’re struggling in some way, maybe writing can help you also. So, take a little time and write for yourself, even if no one but you ever reads it.

Don’t discount prayer! I highly suggest pray, then write. Maybe even write out your prayer telling God what’s on your mind. This helps you recognize those anxieties you can’t control so you can turn them over to the one who can; Jesus.

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.“

1 Peter 5:6-7

I extend these thoughts in the hope that what’s helped me through some difficult times may help others.

God First!

The most valuable time of the day is the time we take to pray!

Worry changes nothing! (Except maybe our health)

September 9, 2021 / / 0 Comments

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:34

While it’s true that we need to prepare and be prepared, it does absolutely no good to worry. Worry changes nothing! (Except maybe our health).

With or without worry, we will still have to navigate through each day’s trouble on that day. While this seems easier said than done, all things are possible with God. The key is to be “In Christ” and allow the God of all comfort to be with us in every trial.

Include God in everything: Pray

“do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus“.

Philippians 4:6-7
  • Matthew 6:34 (worry)
  • 1 Peter 5:7 (turn burdens over)
  • 1st Thessalonians 5:16–18 (response)
  • 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 (Comfort)

In Christ

  • 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 forgivness 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

God First!

« Older posts

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

ADVOCATE FOR CHRIST

Sign up now

We attempt to post daily, but it’s not always possible to post that often.

We don’t spam!

Contact us:

Contact us: wa***@ad***************.com“>wa***@ad***************.com

© 2024 Advocate for Christ

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑