First Things

Hello sisters! 

The Lord's mercies are new ever morning aren't they! How many He has bestowed upon us, His children! It's encouraging and humbling to ponder on them isn't it. 

Hope you are all strong in the Lord and not growing weary in well doing! If you have to cook or clean or care for children or working in a ministry or any of the things we women may do...and many things you do over and over we don't want to grow weary. Keep holding fast and doing your works unto the Lord sisters, setting your affections on things above. 

I wanted to share some various scriptures to encourage us today. Sometimes some subjects come to you and you ponder on them and see what scripture says about them. I was thinking about some things that the scriptures talk about as being first. 

This should encourage us sisters in what we are seeking which is God first and not ourselves or the world anymore like we used to. 

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 

This is the first and great commandment. 

And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Matthew 22:37-39

This one too..

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Matthew 6:33

Those encourage me to keep going in what we do in loving the Lord and being about obeying Him and spending our time in His business. Of course we know the commands for women and so obeying those with contentment and thankfulness is part of loving God. And we don't give up reaching out in love to lost souls even if most reject their only hope. 

(What pretty creations our God made too!) 

And we sisters make sure to first look at our own lives and address our issues before helping others. 

Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

Matthew 7:5

And we know to be always making sure our actions are in line with God's ways for us. And having sisters to remind us of so many areas is such a blessing because there's so much to remember! I'm thankful for the sisters in Christ that I know. We learn so much from one another and just living life together in the Lord and sharing. 

 

I love this here also that our Lord told us not to be terrified... 

And we know the world around us may be afraid of all kinds of bad things going on in this sin affected world. We know that must first come to pass before the end!

But remember this sisters on what will come after... 

And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

Luke 21:28

Praise God...He has it all under control! And we can rest and trust in Him. 

 

This gives us comfort knowing how things will be at the Lord's return...

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

Oh and this one tells us what's going to be first...

Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

2 Thessalonians 2:3

We have been warned many times haven't we sisters of the deception that will enter. So that also gives us an answer as to why there will so few of the faith in the last days. We know to expect this and keep obeying the scriptures even if not many else want to and they bend God's word and do things He tells us not to and keep their own traditions. 

 

For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

1 Peter 4:17-18

Let that stir us to greater zeal in clinging to the ways as taught in the New Testament, fearing God who gave all this truth to us through His Son and chosen men.

A sister shared this scripture... 

We know the eternal destiny of all people will be in either one of the extremes...great joy and peace and light with the Father or great punishment separated from Him in darkness in eternal hell fire. We keep on trying to warn others about that. 

We know the gospel is first and foremost in our lives in how we find eternal life. We cannot just add any 'good works' onto our life and expect to make it to heaven. We need a transformed life through Christ, repentance to Him and His ways, being born by His Spirit washed and made new. Only this will lead to true works of obedience as fruit we are His as He works through and in us as we strive to obey. And we must remain in this faith in Christ enduring in good works bringing forth fruits of righteousness by the Spirit in us until the end. We know to live first for the Lord, loving Him most, denying ourselves is only our reasonable service. He is now our Lord and Master and we obey Him! What a joy to have the hope to come! 

And the Lord provided daily bread for another day of which I share a little of my Titus 2 duties...

And some pineapple chia pudding... 

I love how easy chia puddings are to make because as long as you remember a rough guide of the ratio of chia seeds to liquid as being 1 to 4 you can make up your own variations and such. (I've shared a recipe here before.) 

Well I must go now sisters but I leave with some scripture pictures which are gifts from a sister. (Thank you sister for your love of the Lord and the saints!) 

Jesus gives His peaple peace...what a great gift that is. 

Love to you all, 

Sister Michaela

Find the gospel to eternal life explained here.