Monthly Archives: November 2023

November 30, 2023 · 9:00 pm

Careful Speech

This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; or the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.

James 1:19-21

The Word of God gives us a command in this passage; deal with your anger. While we will get angry from time to time, we must also learn to deal with anger in a healthy way. Our goal is this-we should control our anger instead of our anger controlling us. 

To this end, James give three commands to help us. First, be quick to listen and here all sides. Second, be slow to speak. Resist to the urge to speak and learn to listen. Finally, be slow to become angry. Evidently, we have a choice in this matter. We can, by the power of God, learn to control our anger.

Uncontrolled anger does not bring about a righteous life. And uncontrolled anger makes it more difficult for us to access and apply God’s Word to our life. Do you have an anger problem? Deal with it!

Tony French

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November 27, 2023 · 9:00 am

Help

The word “help” occurs over 185 times in the Scriptures. The word is found in the Old and the New Testament many times over. Why? God realizes that we are needy creatures and that we need His power, His love, and His mercy.

The book of Psalm contains several references to help. Let us look at three instances of the help that God provides for His people.

**Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield.

Psalm 33:20

We are called to wait upon the Lord. This waiting is not a call to passivity but to increase in faith. Waiting means we are to do what He has called us to do until further instruction. We don’t know when our help will arrive. We only know that God is the only one that can provide it and that He is our “help and shield.”

**God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.

Psalm 46:1

The help the Lord provides is present when we truly need it. Oftentimes, God doesn’t remove the trouble, instead, He helps through the trouble. He is our refuge and strength when everything else fails in our lives.

**If the LORD had not been my help, My soul would soon have dwelt in the abode of silence.

Psalm 94:17

Christ is our ultimate help. We would be separated from God forever without the salvation that He provides. As sinful human beings, we would indeed “dwell in the abode of silence” separated from God forever. Thanks be to God for the victory He has given us.

Dear Christian, these principles are for you.  Look to God as your ultimate help. Trust Him through all things. It is not easy, but, He has promised to be your help!

Tony French

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November 23, 2023 · 6:00 pm

Thankful

Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.

James 1:16-18

God is the source of all of our blessings. Every perfect gift comes from above. We should be thankful for all that God has done.

As we fight temptation, as we deal with disappointments, and as we live on mission for Christ let us consider this thought. God gives us what we need and we can be content in His provision. Sin can spring from the restlessness of our heart and the discontentedness of our spirit.

Learn to be content in all things (Philippians 4), Child of God. Let us be thankful at all times whether we feel like it or not. Contentment leads to godliness. God is our source. And He’s all we need.

Tony French

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November 20, 2023 · 9:00 am

Incarnation

One of the great tenets of the Christian faith surrounds the person of Jesus Christ. We proclaim that He is all God and all man. Somehow, through the miraculous power of God, Jesus received humanity in the incarnation.

Today, let us think about the one who came to identify with us. He felt the emotions we feel and Christ experienced life as we experience it. Let us look as some examples.

**He became hungry.

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry.  Matthew 4:1-2

**He became tired and rested.

So He came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph; and Jacob’s well was there. So Jesus, being wearied from His journey, was sitting thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.  John 4:5-6

**He was thirsty at times.

There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.”

John 4:7

**Jesus cried.

“Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept.

The mystery of the incarnation is deep and profound. Jesus experienced the entirety of humanity and yet remained without sin for us. He loves us today. And He understands because, He’s been there.

Tony French

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November 16, 2023 · 9:00 pm

Process

But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.

James 1:14-15

In this section of Chapter 1, James get to the heart of the sin playbook. If we can learn how this process works, we can learn to recognize and defeat it. Let’s examine the process of sin for a moment.

Desire—All sin begins with desire. Not all desires are evil. Often, wholesome and good desires can be perverted to lead us into sin. Desire is not sin, but, desire can be used to begin the temptation process in our lives.

Deception—Once desire is established in our minds, temptation moves to deception.  When we are deceived, we have a tendency to get a skewed outlook on life. Our desires lead to us to believe the wrong things about God, about the Bible, and about ourselves. We begin to believe that we know better than God and that we can ignore the Bible. Deception is dangerous and deadly.

Disobedience—The next step is outright disobedience to God’s Word and commands. Sin leads us away from God and towards ourselves. Sin allows us to become our own god! What a terrible sequence this process of sin reveals.

Death—The final stop for the sin process is death. All sin leads ultimately to death. When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden of Eden, it lead to death. They lived for many years after their sin. Yet, eventually, inevitably, they died. Sin leads to death and destruction. (Romans 6:23)

How do we overcome sin and temptation? Realize that God’s Word and God’s ways are best. When desires well up within you, remember what God’s Word tells us. Remember His commands and avoid deception in your life. Recall that God gives us commands and boundaries to protect us and help us to live Godly, peaceful lives.

And then fight it! We are not helpless in this matter. God’s Spirit lives within us (1 Corinthians 6) and He helps us overcome. Trust God to help you endure the temptation and overcome by the grace of God (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Tony French

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November 13, 2023 · 9:00 am

In Christ

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight 9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him 10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him 11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, 12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.

Ephesians 1:3-12

In Christ Jesus, Believers have…………………

**Redemption. We are forgiven and set free from sin in order to live for Christ. We are forever and always redeemed by the blood of Jesus.

**Inheritance. The Believer’s inheritance is safe forevermore and eternally secure. The promises of Heaven and the hope of the presence of God are wonderful beyond measure. Jesus is preparing a place for us (John 14:1-4) and we will be with Him for always.

**Sealed.

The sealing of the Christian makes our salvation secure. No can take it away. Paul tells that this truth; “you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (1 Corinthians 6:20) We are His eternally and our life with Him is everlasting.

In Christ, Christians have redemption, inheritance, and the promise of security through the seal of the Holy Spirit. Hallelujah!

Tony French

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November 9, 2023 · 9:00 am

Temptation

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.

James 1:13-14

A warning is issued as James begins to define how to overcome temptation. The Apostle tells us that God never tempts us to sin. God cannot be tempted and He doesn’t tempt us to sin.

God will test us and try us in order to grow us in Christ. He will allow difficulties into our lives from time to time. But, He will never tempt us to sin. Our flesh tempts us and the Devil will tempt us. God never will.

When tempted, Child of God, know that the Lord will never tempt us to sin and disobey His Word. The Spirit of God will always lead us to be obedient to the Bible. Thanks be to Lord!

Tony French

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November 6, 2023 · 9:00 am

Refuge

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Psalm 46:1

People today are fond of saying “our times are troubled.”  On certain days, such a pronouncement would be an understatement. Violence, carnage, and mayhem reign in our streets and our hearts. Each new tragic episode is said to be the worst episode that has ever taken place. Well, it’s the worst at least until the next tragedy comes around.

As each tragedy comes and goes, humans become more despondent and distressed. We ask “what causes these things to take place?” and “how do we stop this?” Unfortunately, from a human perspective, there are no easy answers.  Each side on the political spectrum simply doubles down on their arguments. But nothing seems to change.  Tragic, terrible, events teach us that there will never be true peace on earth until King Jesus rules and reigns.

In the meantime, what are we to do? Remember, the truth of God’s Word. When tragedy and hurt come our way, be cognizant of God’s unchanging truth and unchanging love. Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Why?

He is our refuge. Christ is the one we can turn to in every situation. He experienced pain, sorrow, injustice, betrayal, and even death for us. Turn to Him as your refuge from the tragedy, the violence, the pain. Pray, trust, and keep believing in the goodness of God despite what you see going on around you.

He is our strength. He is the reason you and I are able to keep going. Jesus is the cause of our worship, our service, and our obedience. And He is the reason you’re able to get out of bed in the morning. Trust in Him—He is your strength.

He is our help.  Christ has been your help, He is your help today, and He will always be your help. He is our might and He will carry us through.

God never promised perfection in this life. Evil will always be a part of this world until Jesus returns. Keep recalling what God has declared. He is your refuge, your help, and your strength.

Tony French

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November 2, 2023 · 9:00 pm

Persevere

Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

James 1:12

The apostle gives Believers everywhere assurance and hope as face the worst days of their lives. Trials and tribulations will come to everyone. Christians, however, persevere during the difficulties because they have the promises of God. True Christ-followers receive eternal life with Jesus. And nothing can take that away.

The crown mentioned in verse 12 is the crown of life, or the crown of eternal life. Those who are truly saved will persevere. We may sin and we may make mistakes. But, the true Believer will not quit and give up. They keep on going even when it’s tough. The ultimate reward is life with Christ for all eternity.

Are you ready to give up? Realize that God is with you and that your trials are leading you to Christ.

Tony French

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