The best life is a God First life

Category: Heart (Page 4 of 4)

Be sure your enemy is not; you

Throughout the Bible, we are given numerous examples of people attempting to do their own thing instead of what God asked them to do, and; we see the results.

In the following scriptures we are told not to add or take away…

  • Deuteronomy 4:2
  • Deuteronomy 12:31–32
  • Revelation 22:18-19

God’s Words are Perfect to accomplish His will! They are not written to confuse.

It takes the efforts of mankind to cause confusion, efforts that, if honestly viewed, are derived by personal desires (most likely, the most well-intended desires) or worse yet, because we think we have a better way than God.

Somehow some are convinced they are not really adding to God’s Word when they add to God’s word. They think they are just making it more interesting to pique interest and get more people to come. They have affixed themselves to the tactic that unless worship can constantly appeal to the senses, it’s boring so, it must be entertaining to get people in the door.

Maybe, with this thinking, the heart is in a well-intended place, but we need to adopt God’s way if it’s to be in the right place.

When we try to improve on worship, leadership, and structure beyond what God-breathed scripture gave us using God’s writers, examples, commands, and inferences under the New Testament. We become that which we would say; we stand against. By approving of these additions, we make ourselves liars, False Teachers, enemies of God.

In reading the warnings of these Scriptures, I would say we should treat God’s Word with the utmost respect and be ever so careful not to add or take away from them.

Jesus says; “if you love me, keep my Commandments,” which we find throughout the New Testament. All God’s commandments hinge on loving God with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind because, if we love God in this way, we will question our own desires, we will question our motives, even when they seem right in our eyes.

“For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

Matthew 12:50
  • 1st Corinthians 14:33
  • 2 Timothy 3:16 – Gods inspired Words
  • 2 Timothy 4:3-4
  • Mark 12:30 – Greatest command
  • John 14:15–24 – “keep my Commandments.”
  • Proverbs 3:7, 21:2 – In our own eyes
  • Jude 1:1-25 – once for all delivered
  • John 14:6 – through him
  • John 5:23 – Honor Son and Father
  • John 6:38 – God Will by Jesus
  • 2 Peter 2:1-22

God First

Writer: Wayne Johnson

Doing without expectation of reciprocation

– At some point in life I decided that doing things for others should be done without expectation of any reciprocation. For me, this was the best attitude to have toward helping others.

In reflecting, I think in part it’s because I’m a little selfish. I don’t want to risk feeling that someone owes me something because I did something for them of my own accord. In other words, I don’t want to risk feeling angry or overly disappointed if, for some reason, they are unwilling or can’t help me at a later date.

Rather than calling it selfish, a better word might be “guarded” as in guarding my heart. By purposely deciding ahead of time that nothing is owed due to my effort, not even as much as a simple thank you, my heart is guarded against potential bitterness or disappointment.

By extending help without any expectation of reciprocation, I’m actually protecting my heart from becoming bitter should the situation arise when I could use some help and can’t seem to get it. I remind myself, “I am owed nothing,” which helps me stop my thoughts from going down that bitter path of anger and disappointment. Instead, I trust that God will provide for me if I need it, and then I let it go and dismiss it from my mind.

One thing for sure, whatever my real motivation, I’ve never regretted when I’ve had the opportunity and took the time to help others. That’s always a win for me.

God First!

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