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Four Years
Four years ago my brother Gabe had the brilliant idea of starting this website. It’s been a wild and crazy ride filled with ups and downs, twist and turns, but somehow, by the grace of God, we’re still going strong four years later. If you haven’t registered for our drawing yet, DO SO NOW!!!!!! The prizes are going to be pretty cool. We’re adding a few surprises, like a date with Gabe…ha, jk on that one…but make sure you register before next Wednesday if you want to be eligible for next week’s drawing. And don’t forget to tell all your friends to sign up too.
I was going through the archives of my old columns the other day and I was surprised to see how many I had actually written (close to 150, wow). As I went back to read a few of them I thought to myself, “WHAT WAS I THINKING??” Ha, but really it was nice to go back through and see where God has taken me over the last few years. I have a written reminder of my life, the ups and the downs, the goods and the bads, and all the in betweens.
If there’s one thing I can say about the last four years, it’s that God continues to remain faithful. Even when we’re not faithful, He still is. I’ve gone through some struggles and hard times but somehow, every Wednesday, God’s given me something to write about. I pray that the words I write have somehow affected your life as well. I try to relate my own experiences in my Christian walk in order to drop something into your heart. I try to relay what God is speaking into my own life throughout the week and put it into words that are easy to understand and able to help you in your life.
To me, Christianity is much simpler than people make it out to be. Religion has made it about rules and regulations and time and service. Sure, those things are needed, but when it all comes down to it, the most important thing is our relationship with God. That’s one of the reasons we started Put Him First. It’s more than just a catchy phrase or slogan. It’s more than something we wear on our t-shirts. It’s a lifestyle.
Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
If we really did Put Him First in everything we do in our lives, I believe that everything would fall into place. If we as Christians believe that God is in control of everything, why don’t we put our total focus on seeking Him? If He has the answers to all of life’s problems, why do we turn elsewhere when we have struggles? Why do we let the concerns of this world get us down when we know that our eternal home is in Heaven?
When asked what the most important commandment is, in Mark 12:29-31, Jesus answered, “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.”
First and foremost, if we love God with all of our hearts, everything else falls in line. The second commandment Jesus gives here is to love our neighbors, but that too stems off first command of loving God.
1 John 4:20 says, “If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?”
And all the other commandments God gives us fall under these two. Don’t get me wrong, we have certain things that we have to do. Different ministries God has placed us in require certain responsibilities and sacrifices. But as we draw closer to God, those things start not to seem like rules and restrictions anymore. They become part of who we are. We don’t party or go to clubs anymore because that doesn’t reflect Godly character. We go to church not because someone is making us go or because we have to go, but because we want to be in the presence of God. We obey God’s commandments not because we’re afraid He’s going to strike us down with a lightning bolt, but because we love Him. Reading His Word no longer puts us to sleep, but it inspires us and gives us life.
When we get our priorities straight and we start lining our lives up with God’s Word, then we are able to live a free and abundant life. I can honestly say that when I’m walking in God’s calling and doing His work that is when I am the happiest and most alive. When I’m at His feet in worship that is the place where I can go to get my strength. When I’m writing for God and doing music for Him, that’s where my ultimate joy derives from.
Four years of Putting God First and many more to come. GOD BLESS!!!!!
w/muchluv,
geno
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