Tag: God First (Page 1 of 9)

Jesus is our Rock, our foundation.

April 6, 2026 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

Let us mimic Christ
Let us be the rocks of faith set firmly on the cornerstone of Christ!
Let us be the stability of Christlike love that others can count on
Let us not waver from righteousness when the winds of desire or difficulty blow.
Let us be the example of Christlike love in all that we do

Stand Firm!

Study and learn God’s word so you can know God’s will for yourself rather than relying on someone else.

Pursue God’s will, for if God is with you, who can be against you?

(see Romans 8:31)

Be the Rock of faith that inspires others to learn and become rocks of faith themselves, especially to our little ones who see you as their examples.

Love others as Christ loves you.

Be mindful of this fact: The closer we draw to God, the closer he draws to us. (see James 4:8)

Trust in God!

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. “
John 13:34 ESV

Ephesians 2:20
Mathew 7:24-27
Proverbs 10:22
Timothy 2:22
1 Corinthians 10:1-6

God First!

In 2021, my sister-in-law and her two teenage children would meet with some brothers and sisters in Christ for evening walks. On one ride, she tried to spark a conversation with her son and asked him, “If you were to die tomorrow, what would you wish you had gotten done today?”

The unexpected answer

April 4, 2026 / Wayne Johnson / 1 Comment

In 2021, my sister-in-law and her two teenage children would meet with some brothers and sisters in Christ for evening walks. On one ride, she tried to spark a conversation with her son and asked him, “If you were to die tomorrow, what would you wish you had gotten done today?”

She expected a secular answer, but his response was: “Be Baptized.”

This question led to further discussion of God’s Word and what scripture tells us is necessary for eternal Salvation. That night, my nephew made the best decision we can ever make in life. He chose to be baptized into Christ and follow Christ for the rest of his life.

Michael believed, repented, confessed Jesus as the Son of God, and was baptized into Christ in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit for the forgiveness of his sins, and was added to the Lord’s Church, as we find in Scripture.

Later, Michael Jr. told me he had been thinking about it for a while. You never know what’s on someone’s mind.

The timing of his mother’s question and a follow-up question of “Why wait?” Seemingly perfect.

Self-Study Scriptures:

God’s Grace: Ephesians 2:8, Romans 3:24, Titus 2:11, Acts 15:11
Hearing the Gospel: Romans 10:17, John 8:32
Belief/Faith: Hebrews 11:1, John 8:24, Romans 10:17, Acts 3:19
Repentance: 2 Corinthians 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

God First!

Wow, if only the Apostle Peter knew

April 3, 2026 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

On the day of Pentecost, when Peter preached the first gospel sermon, do you wonder why? Why is it that when Peter and the other Apostles (in Acts 2) were asked by the crowd whose hearts had just been pierced by the message of Christ,” Brothers, what do we do?”

Why did Peter NOT answer the crowd’s question with: “Accept Jesus into your heart and recite with me these words in a prayer, and you will be forgiven, you will be saved.”

WOW, if only the Apostle Peter, who was filled with the Holy Spirit, had known what many people claim today. That they could “just” accept Jesus into their hearts and recite a prayer to be saved; however, that’s “NOT” how Peter answered.

Peter never said, “baptism is an outward sign of an inward decision.” In fact, no such prayer is found in God’s Word. INSTEAD, Peter (filled with the Holy Spirit) tells them exactly what God wanted them to do… “And Peter said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38 ESV)

None of Peter’s responses indicates that any of God’s instructions were mutually exclusive.

In verse 41, God’s Holy Word says: “So those who received His word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.” (Acts 2:41 ESV)

So, right after they received the message of Christ, they immediately followed the Apostle’s instructions and were immersed in the waters of baptism. They could have set appointments; they could have done so in small groups over weeks, but instead, we find urgency is implied: “So those who received His word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.” (Acts 2:41)

That day, about 3000 souls were added to the Church! (Don’t you know that took a while?)

These scriptures show us that hearing, believing, repenting, and being baptized in the name of Jesus Christ is how we obtain the Holy Spirit.

Who did the adding? Who was being saved? Verse 47 “praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:47 ESV)

Please, don’t take my word for it. Take God’s word for it. “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)

“Knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation.” (2 Peter 1:20)

Below are several passages on Grace, belief, repentance, confessing Jesus’ name, and baptism for study.

• 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: – 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!

Phone calls of love

April 2, 2026 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

Being the recipient of brotherly or sisterly love reminds us we are loved, whether the love expressed is on a grand or minuscule scale, whether it’s a card, a visit, a gift, or simply a caring wave from across the way.

Showing our love for others can make a positive difference in someone’s life while also adding Joy to ours. Don’t discount the little stuff, like a simple phone call. It says we care enough to call.

Make time to reach out; don’t think of the call as obtrusive but rather inclusive.

You’re not making a sales call; you’re making an “I Care Call.

”Why wait for sickness or turmoil to make a call? If they can’t answer, leave a short message; if they are busy, simply let them know you are thinking of them. The call says: You care!

Phone calls are such simple, easy ways to do good and express Christ-like love for others; you never know how much your phone call could mean in someone’s day, or even how it could provide comfort precisely when someone needs it most.

Time is one of the most precious gifts we have to offer; Making an “I care call” reminds others they are loved; who wouldn’t want to do that?

Hebrews 13:16
Philippians 2:4
Galatians 6:2
John 15:12
Proverbs 3:27
Acts 20:35
Galatians 6:9-10
Matthew 5:161
Thessalonians 5:15
Hebrews 10:24
1 Corinthians 11:1

God First!

“OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD”

April 1, 2026 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

This is not always our first reaction; however, if this were not possible by Christians, God would not have told us to do it.

God knows what’s best for us, and it behooves us to trust Him and keep His commandments.

“To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:20-21 ESV

In God we trust

God First!

SATAN IS THE EVIL ONE

March 28, 2026 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

– If you feel farther away from God today than you have in the past, the question becomes, WHO MOVED? HINT: it was NOT God.

“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James 4:8 ESV

It stands to reason that the opposite is also true if we move away from God.

“And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper,” Romans 1:28 NASB

– If there is any evil in it, it is not from God

“Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.” James 1:13 NASB
“This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him, there is no darkness at all.” (1 JOHN 1:5 NASB)

– God is Love

“The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” (1 JOHN 4:8 NASB)

– God is Good

“For the Lord is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations.” PSALMS 100:5 ESV

– All the Time

“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

Sometimes, we are tempted to blame God when our hearts are torn in anguish and pain. We struggle to reason why tragic things happen to good people, innocent children, loved ones, or maybe to ourselves. We might ask, why me? Why us? Why them? We may experience a tragic loss or have other life-altering events we don’t understand. Crime, Cancer, Alzheimer’s, Dementia, Covid, Heart issues, Blood or Breathing issues, accidents, Lyme disease, to name only a few.

We want an explanation, we want to assign blame, but blaming God is misplaced.

As we see from the scriptures above, there is NO evil in God. There is, however, refuge, hope, and prayers answered. There is the possibility of eternal life in heaven for those who choose to become “In Christ” and keep His commandments according to God’s will, NOT our own.

“For He makes the sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.” (Matthew 5:45)

Satan is the evil one; take refuge in Jesus. When we move away from Jesus, we are moving closer to Satan; closer to forever tears.

Jesus is our only hope for eternal life, where there are no illnesses, pain, or tears. Where our souls will live with new bodies, and our hopes become reality forever in heaven with pure love.

Acts 2:38-41, 1 Peter 3:20-21, Colossians 2:11-13, Romans 6:4-5, John 3:5, Mark 16:16, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Titus 3:5, Matthew 28:19–20, Acts 10:48

God First!

Allowing Satan to win is not and option, Fight the good fight

Inspiration

March 27, 2026 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

Not every moment is as upbeat as I want it to be. Sometimes, sadness and reflection can bring us down. When this happens, holding these verses in our hearts and minds can help lift our spirits.

I hope sharing them here will help lift yours as well.

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want, I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:12-13

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God that is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.” 2nd Corinthians 1:3-5

“What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.” ‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬ ‭ESV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” ‭‭James‬ ‭4‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭ESV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew‬ ‭6:31-34‬ ‭ESV‬‬‬‬

“Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that He made to us—eternal life.” ‭‭1 John‬ ‭2‬:‭24‬-‭25‬ ‭ESV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

“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.” ‭‭Galatians‬ ‭6‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ESV‬‬‬‬‬

God is Love!

God First!

A Walk in the Park

March 25, 2026 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

Smiles, laughter, beauty, and sounds bring an epiphany of joy to our hearts as we walk in God’s creation.

We pause from time to time to listen and breathe; we feel the cool air as it caresses our skin, as it moves the leaves of the trees; our eyes, overwhelmed by the beauty of morning light as it speeds, seemingly still, warming our faces and bringing sparkles to our eyes.

It’s all perfect!

With each step, God conducts a combination of peaceful, calming sounds for us to hear.

It’s all perfect!

As squirrels rustle through the limbs of the trees and the leaves on the ground, water flows calmly through the nearby creeks, over rocks and tiny waterfalls, accompanied by crickets and tree frogs, creating a symphonic, heavenly background of sound to feature the birds as they sing and whistle in the trees.

A beautiful symphony of God, it is perfect!

~Wayne R Johnson

God’s perfection surrounds us daily; it helps quiet our souls, take time, make time, to soak it all in. We are so blessed to be part of and amid His creations. Let’s notice what we often overlook, the peace and love our Heavenly Father provides.

God is perfect, Love never ends, it is well with my soul.

Psalm 119:24 Psalm 104:1, Psalm 19:1, Ecclesiastes 3:11,

God First!

The Prayer that led to Root-Growing change

March 24, 2026 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

I remember a time when my desire to solve “out-of-my-control” situations was so great that it became all-consuming and overwhelming. I had to realize my inadequacy and humble myself to the one person who could help: God!

I am thankful we don’t have to face life’s difficulties alone, aren’t you?

I am grateful that through Jesus we can humbly pray to God, share our concerns, and lay our burdens at Jesus’ feet, trusting that God will provide.

I was feeling overwhelmed by concerns beyond my control when, one night, I decided to turn them all over to Jesus in an in-depth, on-my-knees prayer. It turned into a prayer full of tears and begging. A prayer of repentance for not having already trusted and turned these concerns over to Jesus and God’s loving hands. At the end of that prayer, an unexplained weight lifted from my shoulders. I got up from that prayer, trusting and believing God would help, and He did.

It was NOT a click-of-a-switch change, but rather a ROOT-GROWING change that took time and my trust. From that moment onward, my attitude changed, and I began a lifelong shift that helped me focus on what I could control and pray for what I couldn’t. I came to trust that God’s hands were on my concerns. While I’ve had moments of despair since then, it doesn’t take long to remember and realize I must turn it over to God and Trust God.

There is no better solution!

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

1 Peter 5:6-7 ESV

No need to be Anxious

“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

God of All Comfort

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 Who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ, we share abundantly in comfort too.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-5

God First!

If the Words from the pulpit step on your toes, Be Grateful

Ouch! If it Strikes-our-core, be grateful!

March 23, 2026 / Wayne Johnson / 0 Comments

If the words from the pulpit step on our toes, be grateful. If the words from the pulpit never step on our toes, be concerned.

God’s word can ’take us by the ear’ and guide us to better ourselves, or it can be used to” tickle our ears”.

None of us is perfect, so rather than taking offense when lessons strike at our core, why not embrace their intent to encourage us to be better? Why not open our guarded hearts and embrace self-examination, comparing our decisions to God’s expectations in Scripture?

God’s way is the healthy way, it’s the perfect way!

Putting on Christ, Love of Christ, and Trust in Christ are where we find salvation, mental calm, and God’s comfort. It’s how we can have peace in the midst of chaos and Joy in the midst of pain.

With God, we can be certain every word is true and rely on every promise. God offers peace that surpasses all understanding.

All things are possible with God, and every person has the opportunity to be forgiven. Our souls will live somewhere for eternity, and our choices today decide where.

“Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.”
3 John‬ ‭1:2‬‬‬

God First!

Tag: God First (Page 1 of 9)

The unexpected answer

Wow, if only the Apostle Peter knew

Phone calls of love

“OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD”

SATAN IS THE EVIL ONE

Inspiration

A Walk in the Park

The Prayer that led to Root-Growing change

Ouch! If it Strikes-our-core, be grateful!

Recent Posts

Recent Comments

Categories

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

ADVOCATE FOR CHRIST

Archives

Contact us:

Recent Posts

Recent Comments

Categories

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

ADVOCATE FOR CHRIST

Sign up now

Archives

Contact us: