The best life is a God First life

Tag: In Christ (Page 1 of 2)

Wow, if only the Apostle Peter knew

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!

SATAN IS THE EVIL ONE

 – 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!

Inspiration

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!

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

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!

What does God want from us?

God gave mankind a unique opportunity. He created us in His image and gave us the ability to give back to Him, the one thing God really wants from His Creation.

“Our Love, by our choice.”

Think about it: Other than your love, what can you offer God?

God is the Creator of everything we know and understand. Everything!

With great and painful sacrifice beyond our understanding, we have been given the opportunity for eternal life with the Godhead: with the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, in a new heavenly home Jesus created for us.

God consistently provides for us, and all He really asks is that we truly love Him as He has first loved us.

Why would we not want to show our gratitude with our every breath?

In His Holy Word, Jesus told us how to show our love by keeping His commandments. Scripture shows us how. There is nothing tricky or confusing about it. Jesus created only one Church, His Church, the One He established, the One He died for, and He told us how to be a part of His Church by becoming in Christ.

Giving of ourselves, showing our love with effort

Jesus said, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” ‭‭(Matthew‬ ‭22‬:‭37‬-‭40‬)‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Jesus also gave us a New Commandment in John 13:34-35. We are to “love others as Christ loved us.”

Scripture demonstrates that what we believe, teach, and set as our example matters to God. Let us never take God’s love for granted, but rather give God the one gift God values most from His creation.

“Our Love” by Our Choice.

In (John 14:15), Jesus explains, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”

Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matt. 11:28-30)

1 Corinthians 14:33-40 (not confusion)
Matthew 7:21 (Not everyone)
Matthew 16:18, Ephesians 1:4 (One Church)
1 Corinthians 13:1-13 (Love)
John 14:2-3 (many mansions)
1 John 4:19 (He first loved us)

God First!

Starting conversations with a gift of love

Virginia and I walked along a nearby circular, wooded path, doing our thing, saying hello to everyone who passed. We greeted one man, probably in his early 30s, exchanged pleasantries, and continued walking, seeing him again about halfway around the circle. Only this time, we all stopped and chatted for a moment.

His name was Mitch, and during our conversation, I asked if he believed in God. He responded, “Yes,” then said he was about to ask me a similar question because he felt the love of Jesus in us earlier. While speaking, I reached into my backpack, told him I wanted to give him something, and began retrieving a God First cup with its messages. While doing so, explaining, “I don’t want to give this gift to someone who won’t appreciate it, which is why I asked if you believed in God.” As Mitch took the cup of inspiration, he was extremely appreciative.

We spoke briefly about some of the responses I have received sharing these cups with others, and how I have been saddened by the percentage of people who state they don’t believe, maybe as high as 25%. I mentioned one seemingly bitter lady who recently responded: No, I don’t, and I DON’T WANT TO BE PREACHED TO EITHER!” (She later wanted to know why I asked)

During our very brief conversation, we covered a few topics. Mitch mentioned love and the Holy Spirit a few times, emphasizing his understanding of the Holy Spirit’s role in our lives.

I mentioned how we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit by baptism (citing Acts 2:38) and emphasized the importance of studying and learning God’s Word, according to His Word, that we might truly understand and not be swayed from the truth.

How Scripture states, “… each one of us will give an account of himself to God.” Pointing out that I will not be held accountable for his actions, nor will he be for mine; however, we can certainly help each other out along the way.

We mutually agreed that it was important to share God’s word with love, as scripture commands, rather than in a spirit of condemnation.

We discussed that the word ‘Belief’ is often used too loosely. How scripture points out. Even the demons believe—and shudder! So, just saying, “I think there’s someone up there” isn’t enough.

As an example, I mentioned some state: that baptism is not essential to salvation, yet scripture plainly states, “Baptism now saves us.” Though the conversation was short, I also invited Mitch to visit our local congregation, The Buford Church of Christ, where the emphasis is on study and worship that’s modeled on the practices of early Church worship, rather than on entertainment so prevalent in many churches today., so, along with the God First cup, I also gave him a card with the location, Worship and Bible study times, etc.,

(I wrote this synopsis from memory and a few notes made as we walked away from Mitch. Although I did not quote word for word all the verses below in our conversation, I did refer to most of them and explained if we had time, I could find and show him all the scriptures I was referring to.)

Maybe we will meet Mitch again one day and have further discussion, or, better yet, he will visit our Buford Church of Christ congregation, feel the love of Christ so prevalent in the members, and embark on learning more.

Scripture references made:

• Romans 14:12 (each will give account)
• Acts 2:38 (receive the gift of the Holy Spirit)
• Mark 16:16 (believe and be baptized)
• 1 Peter 3:21 (Baptism now saves us)
• 2 Timothy 2:15 (study to Shew thyself approved)
• Matthew 7:21-23 (Not everyone)
• James 2:19 (Even demons believe)
• 1 Peter 3:15 (Share with love)
• Ephesians 6:16-20 (share boldly)

“For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” Romans 8:6

God First!

*AI generated photo

The 20-year battle within – Part 1


“I really need to go back to church,” I carried this thought in my mind for over 20 years; however, after my first marriage failed, I made destructive choices, destructive to my soul and my example to others. Choices that pulled me away from the teachings of God’s word. I met the woman who would one day become my wife, and though we were not yet married, we moved in together with my three-year-old son, who was in my custody.

I knew enough of God’s Word to recognize my choice was wrong, but I ignored God and spent the next 20 years living in direct opposition to Christ’s teaching. Arrogantly and foolishly thinking that if I died, I could claim ignorance, or use the perceived loophole of justification, that since we had the commitment of marriage, we didn’t need the paper. In my arrogance, I thought that if I came before Christ at Judgment, I’d be able to explain the circumstances that led to my situation, and Jesus would make an exception for me and respond: Oh, that makes sense and not hold me eternally accountable, yet Scripture points out that Jesus will and must treat everyone equally. Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.” Acts 10:34-35.

I was not doing what I knew was right, and by following my own desires, I was dismissing God’s Word, which means I was dismissing God.

There are no words to truly express how sorrowful I am today for these ungodly decisions, and my example during those years, nor for how grateful I am that I lived through them to the point of correction and repentance.

During this time, I deliberately stopped laying claim to the name “Christian” or attending services, thinking that my absence somehow made me less of a hypocrite. I look at these words now and think HOW SAD, how could I have been so foolish? I then avoided Christian friends, influences that might prompt my repentance or lead to any conversation about my salvation. By doing so, I ignored everything I knew to be true about my soul’s condition. I even prayed occasionally that it would not take a major heartache to prompt my return home, thinking I would set things right. However, if I had lost my life during those years, Jesus would have had no choice but to say, “‘I never knew you; depart from me, you worker of lawlessness.’ See Matt 7:21-23

Although I thought, in those early years, that I had faith and believed, my understanding was built on sand; I was no better than the demons mentioned in James 2:19, who believed and feared.

Had I truly understood, as I do today, the gravity of my decisions and the destructive power of my example, I would never have allowed myself that first inch into such a lost position so far away from hope.

Jesus’s message of love and forgiveness does not grant me special privileges in the name of forgiveness. I had no right to ignore His teachings and live as I wanted. Those commands, those teachings we find in Scripture, are there for a reason. I thought I knew God’s Word, but after I returned to the fold, I attended every class I could and discovered how little I truly understood.

I pray that anyone reading this who may be in a similar situation will begin immediately, set it right, and never waver again. It’s comforting to have certainty in our souls’ condition, knowing we will spend eternity with Jesus. 1 John 5:13

Acts 3:17-19, James 4:17, 1 Corinthians 10:11, Matthew 12:36, Acts 2:38, Luke 13:3, 2 Peter 3:9, 2 Chronicles 7:14, Ephesians 5:5, 1 Corinthians 6:18, 1 Corinthians 6:9, Matthew 15:19

God First!

The Crux of God’s Forgiveness is our Repentance

In my writing, I’ve been known to share the good, the bad, and the ugly of my life at times. I do this in hopes of encouraging others to seek their answers where I found mine, in the knowledge of Scripture.  This knowledge helps us realize that if we follow Jesus according to His will, not ours, we will come to experience peace far beyond our own understanding. Our lives have many Satan-crafted pitfalls designed to inch us away from our Creator and towards a valley of eternal death.

As a young man, I was baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of my sins and lived faithfully for many years. Faithfulness does not mean being without sin; rather, it means making every effort to pursue righteousness by following Jesus’ teachings and keeping His commandments. Sometimes we fail; however, if we know Scripture, it helps us recognize our failures, return to our creator, repent of our sins, and ask for forgiveness. Since we know from scripture that baptized believers are in Christ, God will forgive us when we repent.

The crux of God’s forgiveness is our repentance.

To truly repent of sin is to turn away from those sins as we experience Godly Sorrow, dedicating ourselves from that point to the correction of our lives using the Word of God as our foundation. Scripture defines Godly Sorrow this way: “For Godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.” (2 Corinthians 7:10).

With Godly grief, we repent of sinful ways; this means we change direction and stop indulging in those temptations that go against God’s Holy Word. Scripture lets us know that baptized believers who choose to indulge and continue doing what we know to be wrong are crucifying Christ once again.

 “For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.  For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them.” 2 Peter 2:20-21

also see: Hebrews 6:4-6, James 5:19-20, Hebrews 10:26-27

Although a baptized believer, I ended up spending 20 years with my soul in a lost condition as I had succumbed to a series of temptations and pitfalls designed by Satan.

I thought my faith was strong, but my decisions after a failed marriage proved my knowledge was weak, and my commitment shaken.  I allowed myself, inch by inch, to pursue worldly desires over following Jesus. These infractions stacked and built to the point that during those 20 years, I feared correction could jeopardize my adopted lifestyle and possibly put my relationship at risk.

I was, however, acutely aware that my choices had me living in sin. This bothered me. Satan had successfully painted me into a corner, forcing me to choose between following Jesus according to His will or losing my soul.

Indeed, as scripture states, I was crucifying Christ to myself. Years I can’t get back, a bad example to family and friends that can’t be unset, where soul-risking damage was done. Today, I draw on those years as fuel for my efforts to never give up on encouraging others to grow in Christ, and I often pray that, if they won’t listen to me, God will put people in their lives they might.  I cannot imagine ever allowing Satan to turn me away from God again.

I pray that if you’re reading this and reflecting on your own life, you find yourself right with God; but if not, I pray you will experience godly grief that produces repentance that leads to salvation without regret, rather than worldly grief that produces death.

God First, forever and ever, Amen!

If you’re not yet in Christ as a baptized believer:

  • 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 of sin: – 2 Cor. 7:9-10, Luke 13:3-5, Acts 17:30
  • Confess Christ: – 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, Matthew 28:18-20, Ephesians 4:5, Romans 6:3-4, Colossians 2:12, Acts 8:36-39, Mark 1:9-10, John 3:23

The best advice

So often, the best advice is not what we want to hear, as it does not give us what we “think” we want. So, we reject it!

We view our situation as unique; the biblical answer; too simple.

Biblical advice would require us to change our mindset, which, in a sense, implies the problem is with us. It requires effort on our part to correct our understanding and change direction.

God’s word points out that there is nothing new under the sun (in this world) and that if we humble ourselves to the Lord, He will lift us up.

God’s word is full of the best advice!

God’s advice may not be what we think we want. However, the best answers are found in God’s Word, and if we strive to follow it according to His will, God will bring us joy and peace that surpasses all understanding. He is, after all, the God of all comfort.

 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 will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.  For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5

  • Ecclesiastes 1:9
  • 1st Peter 5:6
  • Philippians 4:7

God First!

The Power is in the Gospel

Preachers and teachers are needed to share the gospel. But, be cautious; don’t put your faith in what you are told or who shared it. Ultimately, we are each responsible for our own salvation.

When we each stand before judgment, it won’t matter what someone tells us. We have God’s word at our fingertips. We must each study for ourselves so that we may learn and be able to discern the truth found in God’s Word.

“For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” Philippians 1:8-11 (NASB)

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.” Romans 1:16 (NKJV)

“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:6-8 (ESV)

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,” Philippians 2:12 (ESV)

God First!

« Older posts

© 2026 Advocate for Christ

Theme by Anders NorenUp ↑