Your First Love

"Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love."
~Revelation 2:4

Do you remember your first love? Mine was Michael Ashby. We were both thirteen and met at the county fair. By the time summer ended, we had planned our wedding, designed our dream home, and named our kids. But then school started and we were freshmen...high school! I met Alan, he met Cherie and our "love" was gone. Of course, over the next few years, there were several loves of my life, all just as fleeting, and although I can't remember their names, I will always remember my very first love.

Life is a busy place. We have a lot to do and it seems as if there just isn't enough time to get everything done. Some days, I don't know how I get anything done because it seems like nothing is ever really done. But the one thing we must do is remember Who we are supposed to put first above all else - Jesus Christ. 

It's easy to put off reading the Bible, praying, or taking time for praise and worship in our daily lives. It's not unusual to sit in church and tick off all the things we still need to get done if only the preacher would finish his sermon. It's common to try and finish up that one last chore, or last bit of paperwork before finally collapsing into bed without a single hallelujah passing our lips. But if Christ is truly our first love, shouldn't we make time for Him?


"One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple (Psalm 27:4)."

Do you remember the day you accepted Christ as your Savior? I do. I remember the overwhelming joy and love I felt. I was so overcome that I cried for days. I couldn't even speak about what happened to me without bursting into tears. It was the greatest experience of my life. But I also remember how, as time went by, I let the duties of life creep in and replace that joy. I had a husband, a young child, a job, responsibilities to tend to. I went to church three times a week but I found myself thinking of all I could be doing if I wasn't "required" to be sitting in church. I also found that on the days I didn't go to church, I picked up my Bible less and less.

That is how the devil works. He uses the little things, the normal things of life to subvert our attention from God. It is up to us to be diligent and watchful. There is nothing more important in life than our relationship with the Lord, and like any relationship, we have to nurture it. 

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8)."

There is a spiritual battle we all must be aware of. Once we become a Christian, we are a target for the demons of hell. The devil knows how the story ends, and he's determined to take as many as he can to hell with him. He knows the Word of God better than we do! He can also appear as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14), sneaky as he is.

But what he does and who he is won't matter if we keep our first Love first. Jesus first. Jesus first thing in the morning by thanking Him, reading Scripture, and prayer. Jesus throughout the day by meditating on His Word, and speaking to Him when we have a moment alone. Jesus at every meal; Jesus at dinner with our families. Jesus before bed; no matter how exhausted we are, there is time to thank Him for our day. 

"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples (John 15:5-8)."

Read Numbers 4:34-6:27

A Year of Blessings by Marie McGaha © 2018

Where's Your Self-Control?

"For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control."
~1 Timothy 1:7

When I look around at the world today, I don't see a lot of love or self-control. I do see a lot of fear and hatred, and people out of control who are trying to control what others think, say, or do. This world is in complete contrast to what Jesus teaches. In fact, biblical teachings and the world around us is diametrically opposed. The world says what is right is wrong; what is wrong is right; what is up is down, and what is day is night. Everything we see around us is contrary to the Bible.

We could go back to the Garden of Eden and dissect mankind throughout history, but we would still be able to conclude that humans make really bad choices based on emotion, desire, and selfishness. We haven't really evolved much since Cain killed Able. I think our technology just allows us to see human depravity up close and personal. Before we had computer technology, it was much easier to pretend the degradation of society either didn't exist, or it didn't affect us. Now, it's in our face 24/7.

In spite of all that, Jesus' words are still true today. He did not come to condemn the world, but to save it (John 3:17). He is still the light of the world (John 8:12), and there is still only one right path to follow (John 14:6). 

 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.  For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few (Matthew 7:13-14)."

It is easy to do the wrong thing; to follow the crowd; to think only of right now; to be selfish; to indulge in our cravings; to revel in fleshly desires - it is easy to be a sinner and the devil laughs with delight with every step we take in the wrong direction. What is that saying... The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing man he doesn't exist? Absolutely.

Or, as the song, "When I Die" by Blood, Sweat & Tears says, "I can swear there ain't no heaven but I pray there ain't no hell... only my dying will tell."

I pray no one finds out about hell the hard way. Once we die, all second chances have ended. There is no way to change our minds once we stand before Truth. Most people think the worst part of hell is the sulphur and brimstone, but I think it's the eternal separation from God, knowing we had the choice but chose selfish desires over the King of Glory. Choose today the path you take and remember, it has eternal consequences.

"And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15)."

Read Numbers 3:1-4:33

A Year of Blessings by Marie McGaha ©2018

Join The Army

"Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes burned like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:

KING OF KINGS AND
LORD OF LORDS."

~Revelation 19:11-16

When I was a kid, we used to sing a song in Sunday school called "I'm In The Lord's Army."

"I may never march in the infantry

Ride in the cavalry
Shoot the artillery
I may never fly o'er the enemy
But I'm in the Lord's army!
Yes sir!"

As we sang, we stomped our feet, clapped our hands, rode imaginary steeds, and flew around the room with our arms out like wings. It was great fun and allowed us to be loud in church! We had no real idea what being in the Lord's army actually meant, and I sometimes wonder how many adults really take the task seriously. Sometimes, when talking to other Christians, it seems as if being a Christian is something people do, rather than who they are.

Following Jesus requires effort, determination, and, above all, faith that Jesus is who He says He is, and will do what He says He will. Being a Christian requires more than showing up at church on Sunday, and mumbling along to a few hymns. It even requires more than a few acts of service, like teaching Sunday school or cleaning the church. Being part of the Lord's army requires a heart change, a mindset change, and a lifestyle change. It's not about performing tasks to show our righteousness like the Pharisees did, it's about a total life transformation from the inside out (2 Corinthians 5:17).

We live life from the outside in, or in other words, we internalize outside circumstances and they become the things we believe. Following Jesus requires we chuck all that and live from the inside out. 

"Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did (1 John 2:6)."

Not that we are to wear robes and sandals, walk everywhere, or even preach the Word of God. Jesus lived His life loving others, serving others, and helping other people. He was kind, caring, and didn't look at people's outward appearances but at who they were if they only internalized His message.

We will one day ride as part of Heaven's armies and it will be glorious, but while we're here on Earth, we are still part of the Lord's army. The church is Heaven's army in this world and we need to start acting like it. We can all reach the lost in very real ways if we emulate Jesus and show the same love and care for a hurting world.

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:34-35).”

Read

Leviticus 22-Numbers 2

A Year of Blessings by Marie McGaha ©2018

A Greater Homecoming

"Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints."
~Psalm 116:15

Billy Graham went home to be with the Lord yesterday. The world is a sadder place but I know Heaven is rejoicing, and so is Mr. Graham. He served the Lord for most of his life and led countless people to salvation. Truly, his death on earth, his homecoming in Heaven was "precious in the sight of the Lord." However, God sees each of His children's earthly deaths as 'precious'. There is no difference in His love for one over another. 

Sometimes we can get bogged down in what another person does compared to what we are doing. Maybe we see our pastors or Sunday school teachers reaching others and leading them to Jesus and think that our efforts just don't compare. Maybe we've looked at the lives of well known Christians like Billy Graham, Mother Teresa, or Corrie ten Boom, and think they must have a special place in Heaven that we will never see. But the truth is, God doesn't play favorites. He only looks at our hearts.

"But glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God (Romans 2:10-11)."

"Then Peter opened his mouth and said: 'In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality' (Acts10:34)."

Each one of us who have accepted Christ as our Savior is precious in the sight of God. Our lives and deaths are as meaningful to Him as those we esteem higher than ourselves. While some may be mourned by more people here on Earth, the only one that counts is Jesus. No matter how we are eulogized here, no matter how many tears are shed, the only words that matter are the ones Jesus speaks about us to our Heavenly Father.

"Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in Heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in Heaven (Matthew 10:32-33)."

If you have not confessed Jesus Christ as your Savior, today is the day to make that eternal decision so Jesus will confess you before God.

"But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved (Romans 10:8-9)."

Read
Leviticus 19-21

A Year of Blessings by Marie McGaha ©2018

Walk On Water

"And Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me." Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"
~Matthew 14:28-32


It takes faith in what you're doing to step out of what is comfortable to do something that might bring great success, or see you fall flat of your face. Part of the thrill of success is the margin of defeat. If you're old enough to remember ABCs Wide World of Sports, you've heard host Jim McKay say,  "Spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of sports... the thrill of victory... and the agony of defeat... the human drama of athletic competition..." We all remember when McKay said, "agony of defeat," how the skier, Vinko Bogataj, slid down the ramp, only to slide of the edge and fall into the crowd below. Why did he miss his opportunity of victory? Probably for the same reason many of us do -- we take our eyes off the focal point. Even if it's only for a split second, it can be enough to send us off the edge.
In the verse for today, Peter sees Jesus walking on water, and although the disciples first thought they were seeing a ghost, Peter was brave enough to step out of the boat. He walked on the raging sea toward Jesus, but what happened next? He took his focus off Jesus and looked at the water being violently blown about by the wind. It probably took no longer than a breath for doubt to flash through his mind before he found himself sinking. How many times have we done the same thing?

"So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? (Hebrews 13:6)." 

There is so much going on in our lives that take our focus off Jesus, even the little things. I recently realized how much of my time was going to unnecessary activities like Facebook, playing games on my phone, or being too tired at the end of the day to anything but curl up in front of the TV until I fell asleep. These might seem like minor distractions but how much of that time could I dedicated to prayer or Bible study?

The Bible tells us to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17); how can I pray if my focus is on a screen in front me while I diligently pop bubbles to set baby bunnies free? I'm not saying there's anything wrong with taking some time to relax and unwind; we just have to remember what is most important in our lives. If our priority isn't Jesus, we are going to lose our focus , and like Peter, we'll find ourselves sinking.

"Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15)."

Read

Leviticus 16-18

A Year of Blessings by Marie McGaha ©2018

Live!

"For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!" 
~Ezekiel 18:32

Have you ever noticed how the Word of God is being trampled upon, and thrown out of everything from the Ten Commandments on courthouse lawns to some churches ripping out chapters they don't like? It all began in 1963 when Madalyn Murray O'Hair decided she did not want Bibles or prayer in school  because she was an atheist. (Interestingly, her son, William became a Baptist minister). That began a downhill slide in America that continues to this day. We see it on the news every single night with school shootings, crimes of every type, and depravity of every kind, but then, when something happens, God is the first one that people blame. 

You cannot simultaneously ban God on every level and then blame Him for not being there. 

God created us for His glory, not because He needed someone to worship Him, not because He needed someone to tell Him how great He is, but because of His great love for His creation. God's desire is that each and every one of us come to Him in love and repentance. If everyone in this world would bow before God, ask for salvation and repent of their sins, we would be living in the Garden of Eden once again.

"The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance (2 Peter 3:9)."

God could've ended this whole mess centuries ago but because of His great love, He continues to give us time to come to repentance, to understand our need for Him, and to ask for His help. Yet, we continue to ignore Him, deny Him, blaspheme His name, and then blame Him for all that is wrong. Psalm 136 tells us God's love endures forever and we are to give thanks for that love. Instead, we pat ourselves on the back for the good and blame Him for the bad.

God has been so patient with us but that patience will not always be ours. The day is coming when we will stand before the God of gods and Lord of lords. We will stand face to face with the Creator of everything and answer for who we are. Jesus Christ came to earth as the Lamb of God to save us. When He returns, it will be as the Lion of Judah to gather His own to Him, and to bring judgement upon the others. Whether, through our death or through the Second Coming, we will know Jesus Christ is Lord.

"For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God (Romans 14:11)."

“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city (Revelation 22:12-14)."

Today is the day for salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2) because we have no idea what tomorrow holds for us. If you were to open your eyes tomorrow morning to find you were standing before God Almighty, is He welcoming you with open arms in the Name of His Son, Jesus? If not, today is the day of salvation for you.

Read

Leviticus 13:47-15:33

A Year of Blessings by Marie McGaha ©2018

He's Calling

"I must perform my vows to you, O God I will render thank offerings to you. For you have delivered my soul from death, yes, my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of life."

~Psalm 56:12-13

Prior to dedicating my life to the Lord, the way I lived had earned me a place in hell. In fact, I deserved that place just like we all do, because every one of us have 'sinned and fall short of the glory of God' (Romans 3:23). None of us are worthy of God's great love and if not for Christ's sacrifice on the Cross, none of us would have the slightest chance of making it to Heaven. We are flawed -- fatally flawed. It doesn't matter what we've done, from the most sadistic murderer to the sweetest cookie-baking granny; if we haven't accepted Jesus as our Savior, we will never be good enough to step into Heaven.

"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us (1John 1:8)."

Fooling ourselves into thinking the Bible is no longer relevant, or that we don't need Jesus is one of the greatest lies the devil has perpetrated on mankind since Christ rose from the grave. And, as time draws nearer to the end of days foretold in Revelation, the lies and schemes of satan grows. We see it all around us all over the world, yet we blame God and deny Christ instead of getting on our knees and asking forgiveness. 

"If My people who are called by My name humble themselves, and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14)."

We are all called to be God's people through Jesus Christ, and if we were to all repent and accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, this would be a very different world. Heed the call of Christ today and change the world one soul at a time.

Read

Leviticus 11:1-13:46

A Year of Blessings by Marie McGaha

©2018

Marriage Is A Covenant

"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends."

~1 Corinthians 13:4-8

My husband had this engraved on a leather wall plaque for me as a wedding present 18 years ago, and it has hung over our bed ever since. Over the years, our resolve to live out those words in our marriage has been tested but our love has never failed. 

The divorce rate is now 53%, including marriages among Christians. It seems people are too ready to give up, to go where life looks easy and fun. The problem with that is, life is never easy and the fun is short-lived. Whatever you don't find in your marriage now, you won't find in a relationship with someone else. Marriage is not 50/50, it's 100/100, 100% of the time. If you're only putting in 50%, you're cheating yourself and your spouse.

God never intended for marriage to be a part-time position. He designed marriage as a covenant contract between a husband, a wife, and Himself. The  covenant marriage is a bilateral agreement between parties with equal  privileges and responsibilities. God has likened marriage to the relationship between Christ and the Church, although that is not to say the husband is greater than the wife. The husband's responsibility is to both his wife and Christ, while the wife is responsible to her husband and God. Husband's are commanded to love their wives, while wives are commanded to respect their husbands (Ephesians 5:22-33).

"For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body (Ephesians 5:23)."

When both spouses realize that Christ is head of their marriage, and the marriage is a binding contract between spouses and God, the idea of the strength of the marriage begins to change. A cord of three is stronger than a twine of two.

"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)."

Read

Exodus 39-40

A Year of Blessings by Marie McGaha

©2018

So, You're Not A "Couple"

"To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single, as I am. But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
~1 Corinthians 7:8-9

Suicide attempts, calls to suicide hotlines, and successful suicides go up by about 75% from February 13 to February 16. While some might find that ridiculous, we live in a society that glorifies the short-term relationship and ridicules marriage. We also live in a world where the media rules by dictating what we wear, where we go, what movies to watch, music to listen to, and how we are to spend holidays. Even non-holidays like Valentine's day.

Being single is not an affliction. In fact, the Apostle Paul was single and says that it allowed him to be closer to God because his time wasn't divided with duties to a wife. He also says there is no difference in how we should look at singles. A person who can control his sexual desires should remain single, but if not, then marry (1 Corinthians 7).

While there was no Valentine's day and no Christian Mingle in Paul's day, I'm sure if there had been, he'd have had a few things to say about that too. Since he doesn't, I have a couple of things to say. The idea of Valentine's day is ridiculous. My husband and I don't treat it any differently than any other day of the year. We don't need a date on the calendar to tell us to show our love for one another. Love is something we walk out each and every day of our lives. Candy and flowers do not say he loves me, but the years he's been faithful, reliable, responsible, honest, and affectionate do tell me he loves me.

If we walk with the Lord, then whether we are married or single should also be up to the Lord. That is a part of our faith walk. Will you serve the Lord as fully married as you do while single? That is for each one to prayerfully decide with God, and not by relying on the calendar.

Read
Exodus 36:8-38:31

A Year of Blessings by Marie McGaha
©2018

Love One Another

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

~John 13:34-35

The word "love" and it's variations, appear more than 500 times throughout the Bible. Most of those are speaking about God's great love for us but it also talks about us loving God and each other. We might not think it's difficult to love God but even after we've been Christians for a while, we can still find it difficult to love one another. Especially when we are told to love each other the way God loves us.

To love another person the way God loves, means no matter what; unconditionally; whether or not they love us back; forgiving them no matter how they may hurt us; praying for them and showing them Jesus through our actions. Loving someone requires sacrifice, not just words that fade into the wind.

"Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another (Romans 19:10)."

When we make an effort to show love to others, it has a two-fold affect. First, we become kinder and more Christ-like. It's difficult to be self-centered when we give to someone else. Secondly, it changes the person we are showing love and kindness to. We cannot know what might be going on in their hearts but a little love and human kindness might be the difference in choices they have to make. Acts of love take so little but can mean so much.

The Bible tells us that we love because God first loved us (1 John 4:19). And when we show true Christian love to others, they also experience the love of God through us. 

Share the love. Be a blessing!

Read

Exodus 33:7-36:7

A Year of Blessings by Marie McGaha

©2018