Monthly Archives: July 2021

My son, let them not depart from your eyes– Keep sound wisdom and discretion; So they will be life to your soul And grace to your neck. Then you will walk safely in your way, And your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid; Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet. Do not be afraid of sudden terror, Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes; For the Lord will be your confidence, And will keep your foot from being caught.

Proverbs 3:21-26

God is the source of all temporal and eternal blessings. Everything we have we owe to God (Deuteronomy 8:18). His compassion has been demonstrated to Believers again and again.

Therefore, the Christian’s confidence is in the Lord and we have the power to live by Godly wisdom. Those principles are aptly demonstrated in Proverbs 3:21-26. I pray that this passage of Scripture will bless you and challenge you this week.

Three basic commands flow from these verses. First, we are to continue to live by the wisdom of God’s Word.  We are to keep it before our eyes and our heart. The Bible shows us the way of safety and growth. Obeying the Word of God is vital for every Christian.

Second, God’s people are not to live in fear. Living by wisdom and living by fear are incompatible tasks in the life of the Christian. Fear may come upon us. But, fear will never be the guiding factor for our lives. God’s people must live by faith and not fear.

Ultimately, our confidence is in the Lord. Christians should not place our ultimate confidence in government, finances, or even in human beings. All of those entities will eventually fail us. Rather, Believers have faith in God. We have trust in God knowing He will never fail us. And that’s the best confidence anyone can have!

Tony French

Christ died for sinners. Jesus gave His life for us when we were at our worst, not our best. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross makes eternal life effectual in the lives of those who believe. May Believers always keep the death of Christ for our salvation at the forefront of our Christian faith.

Jesus died publicly for us. (Matthew 27:36) There were a good number of eyewitnesses to the crucifixion of our Lord. What Christ endured for us happened in the open for all to see. And since He died for us publically, may we never be ashamed to live for Him in all public settings.

Christ died willingly for us. Our Lord gave his life voluntarily on our behalf. (John 10:17-18) He has the power to lay down His life and take it up again. We glorify Him because of this point—He died for us willingly so that we could have eternal life.

Christ died lovingly for us. Jesus was crucified in place of sinners. He is our substitute in death and He paid the price for our sins. What a Savior!

I leave you with this verse from “It Is Well With My Soul.”

My sin not in part but the whole,

Is nailed to the cross

and I bear it no more,

Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, Oh, My soul!

Tony French

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!” And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.

Isaiah 6:1-4

Isaiah 6 is the one of the most remarkable chapters in the Old Testament. The prophet is permitted a glimpse into the throne room of Heaven. The sights revealed to Isaiah are overwhelming and awesome.

The scene opens with a description of God’s temple. It is majestic beyond compare. This vision reveals the splendor of the Lord as He is lifted up and his robe fills the temple. The Seraphim testify to the holiness of God continually. It must have been a sight to behold. 

 The sound is so powerful that it shakes the foundation of the temple.  And the holiness of God is seen, recited, and readily apparent. The house is filled with smoke and glory resonates from every corner of this place.

We desperately need this vision of God in our day. Many downplay God’s glory and their view of God is simply too small. He is great, mighty, worthy, holy, righteous, and awesome in all His ways. This is a true picture of the one true God who is revealed in Scripture. This is the mighty God we serve! 

Be encouraged and exhorted to serve the Lord, Child of God. Yahweh is great and greatly to be praised in all of His ways. Blessings upon you all!

Tony French

O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

1 Chronicles 16:34

God’s people should be a thankful people. Christians ought to have the spirit of thankfulness in all times and even in difficult situations. There are many things for which Believers should be thankful. Let us examine three.

**Be thankful for your relationship with Christ. He lived for your righteousness and died as your substitute upon the cross. You and I are saved and forgiven through the blood of Jesus. Thanksgiving for our redemption is never out of season. Child of God, thank Jesus for your saving you today.

**Be thankful that God has given us truth. The Bible is God’s truth spoken to us for our edification and sanctification. Christians have a truth that does not change and does not alter. While our world varies from day to day, we can trust in the Word of God that remains steadfast and sure. The grass withers and the flower fades, yet the Word of the Lord abides forever. (Isaiah 40:8) Let us give thanks for the Bible, God’s Holy Word.

**Be thankful for the people God has placed in your life. The Lord has given us family, friends, and fellow Christians to encourage and strengthen us. May we never take for granted those whom the Almighty has placed in our lives.

May God bless you all!

Tony French

Now when Jesus heard that John had been taken into custody, He withdrew into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth, He came and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet:  “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—”The people who were sitting in darkness saw a great light, And those who were sitting in the land and shadow of death, Upon them a light dawned.” From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Matthew 4:12-17

The earthly ministry and teaching of Jesus revolved around several themes. One of those themes is this—Jesus is the giver of life. Another is as follows; Christ is light to those in darkness. The Son of God came into this shrouded world to offer the light and the truth. The above quote from Isaiah 9 marks the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. And the motif of light would be seized upon by the biblical writers throughout the rest of the New Testament period.

Spiritual darkness now clothes the world which we inhabit. Lost-ness and unbelief permeate the people of this planet. The chaos and tumult of this world reveal the need for a Savior for all. The darkness needs the light.

And that is the good news of the gospel. Christ has come to live for us and die in our place. He paid our debt and offers forgiveness to those who will believe in His death and resurrection. Jesus will open the blinded eyes and lead people to relationship with God. The light of the world is Jesus. That is good news indeed!

Christian, let us pray that God will help us to spread the light. May our witness and testimony illuminate the truth about Jesus and what He can do for those who trust in Him.  The Savior taught us that Believers would shine the light so all could see.  (Matthew 5:14) Let us go and do likewise.

Tony French

Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.

1 John 2:15-17

The command we find in these verses is stark and easy to understand. The Christian is to love the Lord and not the things of the world. Love for God should be supreme in the lives of Believers.

The binary given here is this—God’s people cannot love God and the ways of the world at the same time. We must choose one or the other.  Actually, we will choose one or the other. Are we going to live for Christ or are we going to strive for the temporary fads of this world?

The lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes will fade into obscurity. The pride of life will eventually pass away. Worldly possessions, pleasures, and practices are only temporary and will ultimately be brought to nothing. 

By contrast, the Christian has eternal life. The Believer is led to do God’s will and will be with Christ forever. Great joy and peace is promised to those who trust in Jesus.

Who will you love most of all? Will you seek contentment in the things of the world or in a relationship with Christ Jesus? Place your faith in Jesus today for the forgiveness of your sins. Believe that He died and rose again for your eternal life. Trust in Christ and He will save you and grant everlasting life to you. Life in Christ is far, far better.

Tony French

For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.

2 Corinthians 5:14-15

Living for Jesus is a great and awesome privilege. Believers should live for Christ out of the abundance that Jesus has provided for them. Let us examine three practical reasons to live for Jesus each day.

Simply put, Believers have been commanded to obey the Savior. Christ said, “If you love me, you’ll keep my commandments.” (John 14:15) The Lord’s people are implored to follow Christ because we love Him and desire to serve Him. Following Jesus is not optional for the true, born-again Christian.

God’s people also pursue the Savior because failing to do so has consequences. Believers are either following Jesus or they are following self. Living for self leads us to sin which carries its consequence. While Believers are secure in Christ, our sin still has repercussions for our fellowship with God, for our closeness in prayer, and for our witness and testimony. Therefore, true Believers seek to follow the Lord so they can enjoy the blessings of God and 

avoid the fallout from sin.

All genuine Christians desire to be a witness for Christ. (Acts 1:8) Telling others about Jesus flows more freely from a life that is surrendered to the Savior. If God’s people are following Him (through the Scriptures, prayer, the church, etc.), they are much more likely to see that fate of the lost and tell them about the salvation that Jesus offers.  Living for Christ increases our evangelistic efforts and makes us a more effective witness to the truth that is needed by those who are far from God.

Follow Jesus, Child of God. You will not regret it!

Tony French

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:14

Following Jesus is difficult. At times, it is excruciatingly painful to be a disciple of Christ. The temptation to give up and live for self is palpable. Hardship should be expected for the true follower of the Savior.

The Apostle Paul endured many hardships as he was led by the Holy Spirit. He endured beatings, false imprisonments, prison, and shipwreck. Ultimately, according to church history, Paul gave His life for Jesus.

Yet, Paul never gave up on Jesus. He was constantly pressing forward and He continually kept his eyes on the prize. Paul did not quit on Jesus because he remembered his calling from the Lord. Historians believe that Paul was in prison when he wrote the letter to the church at Philippi. Even inequity and unfairness did not deter Paul’s desire to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus.

Paul’s example is worthy of emulation. Let us, as present-day followers Christ, have the same attitude as the apostle. We cannot give up or give in to Satan’s schemes to discourage us. Let us commit to following Jesus as long as there is breath in our body.

Christian, keep pressing forward and focus your eyes on the prize. Your future is bright and God is at work around you and within you. Don’t give up on Jesus!

Tony French