The best life is a God First life

Category: Obedience (Page 4 of 8)

Does your thinking call God a liar?

Sometimes we let our smarts get in the way of the obvious as we seek hidden meanings behind simple words rather than accepting them at face value. We do this with each other and sometimes with God’s Word. Doing so can easily cause issues with each other and with proper understanding.

With God’s Word, we can be certain there is only 1 perfect answer. We can be sure that answer will not conflict with any other parts of God’s word. God is perfect and cannot lie, and according to scripture itself, all scripture is God-breathed. To dismiss or decide that God doesn’t mean what he says in any part of God’s Words is to call God a liar.

Because scripture is all from God, we can rely on it not to contradict itself. For hundreds of years, many have tried to prove contradictions but failed. You can find answers to many supposed contradictions addressed in articles on the website https://www.apologeticspress.org/

  • “For God is not a God of Confusion…” 1 Corinthians 14:33
  • Be not wise in your own eyes; …” Proverbs 3:7
  • Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!” Isaiah 5:21
  • “…God, that cannot lie...” Titus 1:2 (KJV)
  • All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,” 2 Timothy 3:16

God’s Word is full of proof, facts and, knowledge on things to come, Science unknown to men when it was written; please consider it all before dismissing or thinking God’s Word does not mean what it says. Study and evaluate to learn instead.

God First!

Peaks and Valleys

Sometimes situations in life are tough, but with God’s help and our unwavering faith, we trudge forward, and eventually, those hard times become part of our wisdom, our strength, our faith, and good times bless us again.

Some days have peaks, others have valleys, but most are just rolling hills. Plant good seeds along your way, and when you look back, you will find beauty growing in your path.

wAYNE r jOHNSON

In Christ, we have access to the power of God

God: Unseen by the human eye, yet His power and love is evident in all of creation. Through Jesus, we are encouraged to tap into God’s power. Scripture tells us If we draw closer to God, He draws closer to us that we should work toward righteousness and demonstrate our love by keeping the commandments of Jesus. Although we live in the world, we should not be of the world, that so far as it depends on us, we are to live peaceably with all.

If God is with us, who can be against us!

  • IN Christ, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, who intercedes with our prayers.
  • IN Christ and through Christ, we can petition God in faithful fervent prayer.
  • IN Christ, we have God’s ear; we can turn those burdens ”out of our control” over to Him and trust in Him.
  • IN Christ, the God of all comfort, helps us in times of suffering.
  • IN Christ, we can have peace that surpasses understanding.

Scripture tells us how to be ”IN Christ,”

  • The Holy Spirit helps with our prayers. (In Romans 8:26)
  • The prayer of the righteous is well heard! (In James 5:16)
  • The closer we draw to God, the closer he draws to us (in James 4:8)
  • If you love me, you will keep my commandments. (In John 14:15)
  • God of all comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)
  • Christ disciples are Not of the world (in John 17:14-23)
  • “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)
  • “The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man” (Acts 17:24)
  • To be In Christ (Galatians 3:25-29)
  • They were cut to the heart, and they asked, What do we do? (Acts 2:38-41)
  • Live peaceably (Romans 12:18)

God First!

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

Is Truth Offensive?

When something contradicts what you expect to hear, some find it offensive, while it’s a challenge to others.

There are so many misunderstandings and false teachings about what God’s Word says on various topics; however, in God’s infinite wisdom, he gave us His own Words, and He gave us freedom of choice.

We can study independently, Or; we can believe and practice what others tell us is true. I ask; How smart is that?

It’s really difficult to deny the inspiration of scripture when you study and consider that the bible intertwines thousands of years with many different contributors. When you realize it does so without contradiction. When you find out about all the prophecies and science that scripture offers us that we now know as fact.

Of course, It does take an open mind willing to replace what we’ve been told with what we will discover with an intuitive investigation.

With freedom of choice comes accountability for our actions or lack thereof. Rather than choosing to be offended, why not choose to accept the challenge and pursue truth.

Trust God’s Word or man’s, but know; you had a choice.

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17

God First!

Recognize the lies: Get away from me, Satan

Occasionally we can become disheartened and discouraged when things happen out of our control.

Satan will jump on these opportunities to tempt us; He wants us to; throw our hands up in the air, give up, stop trying, sulk, become apathetic, go back to old ways, or try unexplored ways, to live like the worldly.

Satan wants us to believe the LIE that a life with no time for God is a life of fun, happiness, prosperity, and we deserve this. That God, for some reason, does not mean what he says.

God wants us to lean on Him, to cast our burdens on Him, to trust in Him, in His Word and His promises of eternal life. He wants us to understand consequences and keep His Commandments. He wants us to choose to stay the course he laid out for us in His Holy Word.

God gave us the freedom to chose, follow Christ, or follow the world.

Sometimes, we have to trudge through difficult times, but in His wisdom, God gave us a way to call on him through prayer, to approach His spotless throne through the sacrifice of his only begotten son, Jesus Christ. To humble ourselves and ask for his help.

By staying the course, we become a light to those around us, Family, friends, children, grandchildren, and even strangers.

So, when we feel disheartened or discouraged, and those temptations try to settle in, recognize who they’re from, push them aside, and pray.

Remember, you are loved, and you are an example to someone who loves you!

1st Peter 5:7-8
Psalm 55:22
James 5:14–16
John 14:15
John 3:16
James 4:10

GodFirst!

 

Life Coach Recommendations

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!

Worldly means vs The good life!

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!

Satan is the evil one

One of the most ridiculous things we can do in this world is to blame God for Satan’s actions.

“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”

Isaiah 5:20

God made us in his image, he gave us the freedom to choose, and the one thing God wants from mankind that is ours to give isOur love.” 

“God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’”

Acts 17:24–28

”We love Him because He first loved us.”

1 John 4:19

“Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.”

Psalm 136:1

God First!

FAKE NEWS

Fake news is nothing new to Christians. We have been bombarded with Fake News since the beginning of Christianity. Jesus’s disciples and apostles spread the Good News of our salvation through Christ by telling of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. They established congregations all over, giving us examples of Church actions, worship, and leadership. Many of the letters we find in the New Testament are addressing “Fake News” and it continues today. Our world is full of Fake News in Christianity, but there’s good news. We don’t have to be gullible!

God has given us the means to discern the Truth from the Fake. We have 66 books of inspired words from God to study so that we can discern God’s Will, God’s teachings, through His holy word, comparing them to the desires and teachings of mankind. The answers are not found in what someone says is of God’s Word but in what God’s word actually says.

God First!

Writer: Wayne Johnson

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