Monthly Archives: October 2021

⁶ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

This post will focus on the peace of God. The peace of the Lord is what all God’s people desire and want. Yet, it remains elusive to Christians who struggle with doubt and fear. Paul’s teaching in verses 6 and 7 of Philippians 4 gives the Believer the roadmap to peace. An examination of these verses is in order.

Achieving the peace of God includes letting go of anxiety. How does one do such a thing? Letting go of worry involves focusing upon God and not one’s self. Moving past anxiety means remembering the Lord’s promises in His Word. And letting go of worrisome thoughts leads the Believer to rest in the power, presence, and sovereignty of the one true God, the covenant keeping God.  Discarding worry is paramount to realizing God’s peace.

The Christian is also commanded to be in prayer always and to allow thanksgiving to be a prominent part of their time with the Savior. Child of God, pray about everything and ask for God’s peace to invade your existence. Continue in thanksgiving and praise every single day. Gazing upon what one does not have leads only to despair. Being thankful for what one has been given propels the people of God to peace that passes all understanding.

Finally, let the requests of your heart be made known unto God. Ask in faith believing that God is able. He won’t always do what we want Him to do. The Lord is always faithful and does what is best for His children.

Achieving peace is a battle and sometimes Christians give in to fear and doubt. However, when we practice these precepts on daily basis, God’s people are able to live progressively free from fear. The people of the Savior will learn peace when they bring their thinking in line with Scripture and when they attack every anxiety through prayer.

We pray that God’s peace will be experienced and realized by each of you this week!   

Tony French

“You shall have no other gods before Me. “You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. “You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

Exodus 20:3-6

The first commandment teaches us to flee idolatry. God’s people are to worship God and no one else. Period. Blessings are promised for those who worship God and judgment is pronounced on those who worship idols.

Some may ask “does idolatry exist today?” The answer is a resounding yes. We may not worship gods of stone, iron, and wood. But we certainly have our false gods. Let me mention a few 21^st century idols.

**Money. Worship of money is common in our society. Some have replaced worship of God with worship of finances, material possessions and things.

**Notoriety. The advent of social media has produced an alluring call to be known. Clicks, likes, and comments have become the most important thing in the world to some. Being known has become their idol.

**Pleasure.  A reckless pursuit of pleasure is driving many to “bow the knee” to this idol in our time. Pleasure is fleeting and short-lived. Yet, a number of folks today seem to pursue a hedonistic lifestyle to the inclusion of everything else.

**Self. The worship of self is at the root of every idol when you truly consider it. Humans tend to love ourselves more than others and more than God. When that is the case, self-propagation, self-preservation, and self-worship are the inevitable outcome. Our greatest idol temptation is often what we see when we look into the mirror.

Let me say that money is not inherently evil. A desire to be know is not automatically sinful. And, God desires that we have pleasure in this life. It is when we prioritize these things over and above our relationship with Christ and seek them apart from God that we cross the line into idolatry.

Worship the Lord, dear Christian. Worship God for who He is. He is worthy!

Tony French

Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? “Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. “But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”  Luke 6:46-49

Jesus gives us three principles to learn in this passage. This parable teaches us to choose wisely when considering how we live our lives. We shall examine this familiar text and see how God would use it to help us.

1) There are two foundations on which to build our lives. One is obedience to Christ and one is disobedience to Christ. Those who trust Christ for salvation and seek to obey Him are building upon the rock. Those who forsake Christ are building their lives upon the sand. The true followers of Christ will last while those who reject Christ will be swept away. There are not many ways, only two. We either trust in Jesus or trust in something (or someone) else.

2) Every person is building upon one of these two foundations. There are no exceptions to Jesus’ teaching. People are either seeking to live for Christ or they are living for self. What we see here is a binary. Trusting Christ leads to life and forsaking Christ leads to destruction and separation from the mercy, grace, and goodness of God forever.

3) The troubles of life will be experienced by all. The “storms” of life come to everyone eventually. Jesus didn’t say if the storms arrive. Instead, He teaches us that the storms will arrive at some point.

The trials and difficulties of life reveal the foundation on which we are resting. The solid rock dwellers will be able to make it through this life and enter the presence of Christ. The sand dwellers will be swept away from the presence of Christ once and for all.

This is a powerful teaching. And it leads me to end this post with one question. What are you building your life upon?

Tony French

Praise the Lord! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty expanse. Praise Him for His mighty deeds; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness. Praise Him with trumpet sound; Praise Him with harp and lyre. Praise Him with timbrel and dancing; Praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe. Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!

Psalm 150:1-6

How are we to praise God?

**Praise Him in every place.

**Praise Him for His works and power.

**Praise Him with music and song.

**Praise Him with instruments and worship.

**Praise to God is to be offered by everyone.

May God bless you this week!

Tony French

We live in a time of fake news and media speculation. It’s difficult to know what to believe and who we can trust. Blessedly, we can trust God and His Word. Let me remind of a few eternal truths from the Bible today.

As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.

John 3:14-15

**Jesus is the way to eternal life. He died on cross for the forgiveness of our sins. His love compelled Him to give His life for us. This is the most glorious truth we have ever known.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

John 14:6

**Jesus is the only way to eternal life. The only path to salvation and forgiveness of sin is through Jesus’s sacrifice and resurrection. Isn’t God so good and kind to reveal the way of salvation and make the path so clear and unequivocal? This truth is so amazing and wonderful for us.

So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”

John 20:21

**Christ has sent us into the world to deliver this good news. Christ death, burial, and resurrection are the heart of the gospel message. Because of the gospel, lives can be changed, sins can be forgiven, and the righteousness of Christ is added to our heavenly account. So many people need to hear this life-changing truth. And we are sent to share with everyone.

These are three truths every Christian can trust in and appropriate in their lives. You can count on them every day. I thank God today for the truth He has revealed!

Tony French

⁸ Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;¹⁰ that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.

Philippians 3:8-10

In this passage of Scripture, the Apostle Paul commits to three precepts in this verse that are still applicable to Christians in the present day. Let us be challenged and blessed by this Scripture this week. And I pray that God will encourage you as you study the Bible.

Paul’s first pursuit was to know the resurrection power of Christ. The resurrection of Jesus is the central event in all of history. When the Savior rose from the dead, hope was realized, God was exalted, and everything changed. Paul had a deep desire to know and experience a relationship with the risen Savior. May we pursue that type of relationship with Christ through His Word, His Church, His presence, and the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Apostle’s second commitment was knowing Christ’s sufferings. He wanted to understand and experience something of what Jesus endured on behalf of sinful humanity. Paul suffered much during his ministry and probably understood better than most what Christ endured though no one can fully comprehend the Savior’s suffering.

Christians today may not be called to suffer to the same extent. Yet, we know that the way of the cross can be difficult, painful, and lonely. However, we always know that in the midst of the pain and heartache Christ is with us. Let us know Christ not simply in the good but also in the sorrowful.

Paul’s last task was to be conformed to Christ’s death. The Apostle committed to living in the reality of Jesus’ forgiveness and mercy. The past was under the blood and Paul was moving forward in the full salvation that he had received.

The same goal ought to be apparent in the lives of Believers today. We have been saved, forgiven, redeemed, and sanctified. Let us not go backwards into the life we once had. Go forward, Child of God, in full assurance of your forgiveness and redemption through the blood of the Savior. (Ephesians 1:7)

Tony French

So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.

Romans 14:12

We are given a sobering warning in Romans 14. We will all come under the judgement of God one day. No one will escape.

Everyone who refuses to trust and believe in Christ will be separated from God’s goodness, mercy, and grace forever. The lake of fire is their ultimate destination. (Revelation 20:15) Conversely, all who trust in Christ are saved and justified forever. Their eternal destiny is Heaven. (John 14:1-6)

Christians will also give an account of our lives. Living with this reality ought to affect how we think, talk, and act. In light of this truth, let us consider three things today.

1) Our thinking needs to be aligned with God’s Word. Christians ought to study the Scriptures each day so that our thinking will be correct and Godly. Our minds need renewal day by day. (Romans 12:1-2) Renewal takes place when we study the Bible each day.

2) We should be very careful in choosing our words. Christ warned us that we will give an account for “every idle word.” (Matthew 12:36) Words are easily spoken and impossible to take back. Choose your words wisely, Believer.

3) Let us make every effort to make sure that our actions are holy and Godly. Jesus is our example each day. Christians, let us imitate Christ in our daily lives. It will be to our benefit to do so.

God bless you!

Tony French 

Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? “Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. “But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”  Luke 6:46-49

Jesus gives us three principles to learn in this passage. This parable teaches us to choose wisely when considering how we live our lives. We shall examine this familiar text and see how God would use it to help us.

1) There are two foundations on which to build our lives. One is obedience to Christ and one is disobedience to Christ. Those who trust Christ for salvation and seek to obey Him are building upon the rock. Those who forsake Christ are building their lives upon the sand. The true followers of Christ will last while those who reject Christ will be swept away. There are not many ways, only two. We either trust in Jesus or trust in something (or someone) else.

2) Every person is building upon one of these two foundations. There are no exceptions to Jesus’ teaching. People are either seeking to live for Christ or they are living for self. What we see here is a binary. Trusting Christ leads to life and forsaking Christ leads to destruction and separation from the mercy, grace, and goodness of God forever.

3) The troubles of life will be experienced by all. The “storms” of life come to everyone eventually. Jesus didn’t say if the storms arrive. Instead, He teaches us that the storms will arrive at some point.

The trials and difficulties of life reveal the foundation on which we are resting. The solid rock dwellers will be able to make it through this life and enter the presence of Christ. The sand dwellers will be swept away from the presence of Christ once and for all.

This is a powerful teaching. And it leads me to end this post with one question. What are you building your life upon?

Tony French

Praise the Lord! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty expanse. Praise Him for His mighty deeds; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness. Praise Him with trumpet sound; Praise Him with harp and lyre. Praise Him with timbrel and dancing; Praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe. Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!

Psalm 150:1-6

How are we to praise God?

**Praise Him in every place.

**Praise Him for His works and power.

**Praise Him with music and song.

**Praise Him with instruments and worship.

**Praise to God is to be offered by everyone.

May God bless you this week!

Tony French

We live in a time of fake news and media speculation. It’s difficult to know what to believe and who we can trust. Blessedly, we can trust God and His Word. Let me remind of a few eternal truths from the Bible today.

As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.

John 3:14-15

**Jesus is the way to eternal life. He died on cross for the forgiveness of our sins. His love compelled Him to give His life for us. This is the most glorious truth we have ever known.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

John 14:6

**Jesus is the only way to eternal life. The only path to salvation and forgiveness of sin is through Jesus’s sacrifice and resurrection. Isn’t God so good and kind to reveal the way of salvation and make the path so clear and unequivocal? This truth is so amazing and wonderful for us.

So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”

John 20:21

**Christ has sent us into the world to deliver this good news. Christ death, burial, and resurrection are the heart of the gospel message. Because of the gospel, lives can be changed, sins can be forgiven, and the righteousness of Christ is added to our heavenly account. So many people need to hear this life-changing truth. And we are sent to share with everyone.

These are three truths every Christian can trust in and appropriate in their lives. You can count on them every day. I thank God today for the truth He has revealed!

Tony French