Comfort

13 But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. 16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.

2 Thessalonians 2:13-17

Let us consider three thoughts from 2 Thessalonians 2 as we seek the Lord. I pray these truths will comfort, encourage, and direct us as we follow Christ.

**Give thanks for your salvation

**Hold Fast to the Word of God

**Be Comforted in Christ

God bless you!

Tony French

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Love Of God

“We love Him, because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19) This verse is one of the most beautiful and striking verses in all of Scripture. The Bible instructs us that our love for God is a response to His love for us. He loved us before we ever loved Him.

How much does God love us? How can describe God’s love?

God’s love for us is undeterred. He loves us no matter where we born. He loves us no matter our station in life. Our financial status, our skin color, and our background do not deter the love of God. God does not love our sin and He does not love all of our choices. But, He loves us, oftentimes, in spite of ourselves.

God’s love for us is undeserved. In Romans 5:8, Paul says “But God commended His love toward us in that even while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Isn’t that amazing? God loved us not when we were good. He loved us at our absolute worst. He even loved us enough to die for us. The undeserved love of Christ is wonderful indeed.

Finally, God’s love for us is unmatched. Others may love and care for us. However, their love will never be able to match the love of God. He loves us more than anyone.

The Bible commands Believers to “walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us.” (Ephesians 5:2) We are to love Him and love others in response to His love expressed to us. If we have been given such a great gift of love, how can we withhold this gift from others?

Tony French

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New Year

The New Year always begins with much promise. It seems like a chance to start over and try to do better. At times, we are able to improve and strengthen our lives. At other times, it feels as if we waste our new beginnings and revert to old patterns.

While our improvement is hit and miss, God’s new beginnings are always perfect. We, as humans, sometimes fail to meet our goals and hit the marks we establish. God always accomplishes and completes what He starts.

Let us perceive a simple truth from God’s Word as we begin this New Year. As Believers, we have been made into new creations. 2nd Corinthians 5:17 reveals this truth when Paul says “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”  Through the power of forgiveness and the gift of salvation, we have been made into brand new persons in the sight of God.

We are now forgiven where once we were condemned. We are now found where once we were lost. We are now alive where once we were dead. We are now justified where once we were guilty. We have been made new through the blood of Jesus!

Certainly, we still struggle with sin. And this truth does not mean that we are perfect in this life. It means that we are being made perfect and that one day we will be complete when we are with Jesus forever.

Have you been made into a new creation through the forgiveness of your sins? Have you trusted Christ for your salvation? New Year’s resolutions are fine. But, having a relationship with God through Jesus Christ is infinitely better. Believe in Him and trust Him through faith today!

Tony French

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Born For Us

And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Luke 2:7

The Savior has come. Sing hallelujah!

The Savior has arrived. Let us give thanks to the Lord.

The Savior is here. There is now hope for the hopeless.

The Savior has come. There is help for the helpless.

The Savior has appeared. The forgiveness of sins is possible.

The Savior has entered. Jesus takes away our guilt and gives us His righteousness.

The Savior is with us. And He is with us forevermore!

May God bless you all with a glorious Christmas Season.

Tony French

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The Gift of Jesus

What is Jesus bringing us this Christmas? It’s an interesting question. Might I suggest these four gifts.

**Light to See

The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined.

Isaiah 9:2

**Life Worth Living

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

John 10:10

**Love to Share

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

John 13:34

**Living Truth

And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

John 8:32

God bless you and have a wonderful, merry Christmas!

Tony French

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Last Days

Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessnessis revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God. Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

As we live in these last days, let us keep these thoughts in mind listed below. Let us find encouragement in Christ amid our troubles.

**Christ is returning

**Lawlessness will proceed Christ’s Coming

**Anti-Christ will proceed Christ’s Coming

**At present, the Holy Spirit restrains evil

**Many will be deluded

Tony French

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Holy

Holiness is a moral attribute of God. At its core, holiness means to be distinct, set apart. The biblical word “holy” (as it applies to God) carries with it the idea of God being separate and distinct from any other person or anything else in the entirety of the universe. Holiness also imparts the fact that God (being uncreated and eternal) “does not depend on anyone or anything to bring Him into existence or to sustain Him in being.” [1]

God’s holiness means He is majestic and powerful. The Scriptures declare “There is no one holy like the LORD, Indeed, there is no one besides You, nor is there any rock like our God.    (1 Samuel 2:2) God is above and beyond all His creation. He is sovereign over all creation.

Isaiah’s vision of God holiness was breathtaking and awesome. Around the throne of God, the angels cry out “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory.”  (Isaiah 6:3). Nothing can compare to the God of Scripture.

In Revelation 4, John gives us a companion scene to Isaiah’s vision. The cries of “Holy, Holy, Holy” rise up continually amidst the throne of God. He is awesome, mighty, and powerful. No one can resist His plans.

Dear fellow Believer, the God of the Bible is holy. The God we serve and owe everything to, He is Holy, Holy, Holy. He calls us to be holy and separate as well. “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 6:7) He is holy. Therefore, we should seek holiness every day.

Tony French


[1] John S. Feinberg, No One Like Him, pg. 340

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Day Of The Lord

Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness[a] is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God. Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

2 Thessalonians 1:1-12

Principles to help Christians prepare for the Day of the Lord……

**Give thanks for God’s goodness

**Trust God for vengeance

**Trust the Lord to set things right

**Pray earnestly that Christ will be glorified in us

Be ready, Child of God. Blessings upon you all!

Tony French

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Danger

“Woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.”

Luke 6:24

It’s easy to fall into the trap of placing our trust in material wealth and possessions. We live in a world that constantly tells us that more is better, that financial security is the key to happiness. But Jesus challenges this notion, reminding us that worldly riches are fleeting and ultimately unsatisfying.

This isn’t a blanket condemnation of wealth itself, but rather a warning against the worship of money and the false sense of security it provides. As the Apostle Paul reminds us, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils” (1 Timothy 6:10). Our true security and provision come from God alone, who promises to supply all our needs according to His riches in glory (Philippians 4:19).

Tony French

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Christ’s Return (1)

12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. 13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. 14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:12-17

How do Christians prepare for the coming of the Lord? Paul answers this question in I Thessalonians 5. The principles the apostle gives are not to be taken as exhaustive. Rather, they are reminders of the proper disposition for the Believer as he/she awaits the return of the Savior.

Paul mentions the following for our obedience:

**Be Helpful (12-14)

**Be Respectful (12-13)

**Be Merciful (15)

**Be Joyful (16)

Be Blessed!

Tony French

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