Skip to main content

firsts


There are so many things we can list about what is first.  We could talk about our first words or first steps.  You might move on to share your first thoughts or first actions after something happened.


But I start this week with some thoughts about firsts.  There are important.  


Years ago I heard about some ministry impacting students in big ways.  It was not something that was getting the church lots of attention.  Simply needs were met and people were hearing about Jesus.


That is when back2school was born in some conversations I was part of.  There are so many firsts that I can share, but we are in the middle of our 17th year of back2school and ready to serve students once again.  This is a great opportunity.  


Think with me for a few minutes about some of the first things…


1 John 4:19  NLT  

We love each other because he loved us first.


God loved us first.  He sought us and blessed us first.  Long before we thought about Him, God was thinking about us.  His love is incredible and endless.


Revelation 2:4  NLT  

But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first!


Complaint from God?  Yes.  God speaking to one of the churches of Revelation that had grown cold and with less heart than they had in the past.  That is why the complaint made so much sense as God pleaded with them to return to the things they did at first.


Matthew 6:33 NLT 

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.


In fact the most important thing is to seek God.  Before you worry about what you are going to eat or what you are going to wear, seek God.  Go back and read Matthew 6.  Seek God above all else and see how God works in and through your life.


There is more.  Get ready.  It takes movement.  You cannot stay where you are and keep moving forward or growing stronger people of faith.


2 Corinthians 8:5  NLT  

They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do.


Those people have been my heroes since I first read those verses.  The reason they served is because they were following God and seeking Him more than untying else.


May that same thing be found true of you and me.  Seek God first.  Love God like we did at first.  

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Have you heard of EDITH BURNS?

Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas . She was the patient of a doctor by the name of Will Phillips. Dr. Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people. His favorite patient was Edith Burns.  One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because of Edith Burns.  When he walked into that waiting room, there sat Edith with her big black Bible in her lap earnestly talking to a young mother sitting beside her.  Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way: "Hello, my name is Edith Burns.  Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain the meaning of Easter, and many times people would be saved.  Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse, Beverly. Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking her blood pressure. Edith began by saying,"My name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?"  Beverly said, "Why yes I do."  Edith said, "Well, what do you
Post a Comment
Read more

why is it Good Friday?

  Holy Week is the time we focus on God and His gift of salvation.  We come to Friday.  The day we remember the cross, Jesus’ death and all God has done for you and me   Why do they call this day “Good Friday” because it doesn’t seems good?   Jesus was treated as a criminal.  He was beaten so much that He could not recognize Him.  His pain would have been too much for you or me to endure.  That is especially from Scripture I’ve read or as in the movie the  Passion of the Christ .   Yet it is a good day.  It is Good Friday because God had our good in His heart.  What Jesus did that day changed our forever direction. Here are some thoughts that come to me:   He is Redemption and Redeemer   He too our Pain and Punishment   He is our Righteousness and Reality   He is the Savior and Life   All of those happened from the cross.  It was meant for the worst lawbreakers.  It was not meant for a Savior who never broke a law.  It was lifted high so that onlookers could see the price Jesus.   Look
Post a Comment
Read more

Day 8 in Cuba

We have just come off and incredible weekend, and it is day 8 of the mission trip in Cuba.  Thank you to all who have been praying for this trip, the mission team and the impact it will have on those we serve.   Please don’t stop praying. Last week Alex and I served with a mission team in the mountains of southern Cuba.  There were several challenges, but God gave us safety, provision and opportunity to serve some of the sweetest people I have ever met.  No running water… sporadic electricity generated by a small, logo dammed up river, no transportation other than animals, limited food sources and more.  These people love the Lord and sharing their faith with others. Over the weekend we made our way back to Havana.  On Friday our vehicle broke down leaving us on the side of the road for several hours.  We then boarded a bus and rode 14 hours.  We arrived safely and even got some rest. Sunday was so, so good.  We visited two partner churches.  In the morning we were with one church that
Post a Comment
Read more