Category Archives: Devotion

April 28, 2025 · 9:00 am

Because He Lives

The resurrection of Jesus Christ brings hope. The promises of God’s Word rest on a steadfast assurance that results from Christ’s resurrection. When Jesus rose from the dead, every word of His teaching was verified and His ability to keep his promises was proved. The resurrection was truly the singular event that changed everything.

Many souls are searching for hope in our day. People are searching for a sense of hope in human relationships, finances, technology, and even religion. And, every day these so-called sources of hope promise much and deliver little. That’s not to say that these things are evil or unnecessary. They simply are incapable of fulfilling the longing of the human heart. Only Jesus can satiate that longing for hope, peace, and joy that we so desperately need. 

Because Jesus is alive, we can trust His Word. Because Jesus is alive, we can believe his promises. Because Jesus is alive, we can know our ultimate destination. Because Jesus is alive, we know He will be with us no matter what may arrive at our doorstep. As we examine the risen Savior, we can see more and more clearly that the empty tomb changed everything!

“Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,

Because He lives, All Fear is gone.

Because I know He holds the future,

And life is worth the living just because He lives.”[1]

[1] Gaither, Bill., Because He Lives, Gaither Music Company, 1971

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April 21, 2025 · 9:00 am

The Empty Tomb

“He has risen!” (Luke 24:6)  That simple, powerful phrase changed the course of history and eternity at once. Jesus death, burial, and resurrection had been predicted throughout His ministry. And now it was fulfilled just as He had said. He was no longer dead, but alive forevermore.

The resurrection is the heart of the Christian faith. Without it, Paul tells us our “faith is vain and we are yet (still) in our sins.” (1st Corinthians 15:17)  The resurrection, though an audacious claim, proved the veracity and truthfulness of the Messiah. It serves as verifiable evidence that everything He said was truth and that He was indeed the very Son of God.

What a difference the resurrection of Christ makes in our lives. Without it, we are lost and hopeless. Through the finished work of Christ, we are brought near to God through the wonder of reconciliation. (2nd Corinthians 5:18-19) The resurrection gives us “the hope that our sins are paid for (Romans 4:25), death has been defeated (Hebrews 2:14), and the hope of eternal life when we repent and turn to Christ, accepting what He has done for us.”[1]

How should we as believers respond to this hope? I would imagine that there would be many responses, but praise and sharing are two that come to mind. Our worship and praise should be centered on all that Christ has accomplished for us and in us through His completed work of sacrifice and resurrection.

Given that we have received so much, how can we not share it? Those early disciples centered their witness on Christ’s death and resurrection. We should do no less today.

He has risen indeed!

Tony French

[1] http://billygraham.org/decision-magazine/april-2011/the-resurrection-myth-or-history/

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April 17, 2025 · 9:00 pm

Christ’s Prayer For Believers

In John 17, Jesus prays for His own. This passage is stirring and wonderful. What were Jesus “prayer requests” in this passage? Let us examine three of them.

**Jesus prays for the Believer’s Spiritual Protection

Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. 

John 17:11

**Jesus prays for the Believer’s Joy

But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. 

John 17:13

**Jesus prays for His People’s Unity

And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

John 17:22-23

Let us be thankful for the prayers of our Savior.

Tony French

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April 10, 2025 · 9:00 pm

The Cross of Jesus

Let us focus upon the cross today. At the cross, our salvation was secured and our hope was restored. Jesus’ completed work upon the cross secured the forgiveness of our sins and reconciliation with God for all who will believe.

At the cross, Jesus took our place. John declared that Jesus is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) As the Passover lamb served as a substitute for the people of Israel, so, Jesus is our “once and for all Lamb” who died in our place.

At the cross, God’s love for humanity was shown in the greatest possible way. Paul writes, But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) Jesus’ crucifixion is the greatest example of God’s love toward sinners that has ever been and will ever be. 

At the cross, the humanity of Christ is amplified. He hurt, He experienced excruciating pain, and He had terrible thirst (John 19:28). Jesus is fully God and yet fully human. At the cross, His divine love led him to voluntarily suffer bodily and die for us in the worst possible way. He died bodily as the sacrifice for our sin so that we could be reconciled to God.

Remember the cross this week. Let us remember what Christ endured for us. Let me end with the words of this great, old hymn.

Alas and did my Savior, bleed and did my sovereign die?

Would He devote that sacred head for sinners such as I?

At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light,

And the burden of my heart rolled away,

It was there by faith I received my sight

And now I am happy all the day.

Tony French

“At the Cross” Isaac Watts and Ralph Hudson

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April 7, 2025 · 9:00 am

The Importance of The Church

13When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”  14So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”  15He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”  16Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”  17Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 

Matthew 16:13-18

4 reasons to be a part of the Church:

1. The Church belongs to Jesus

2. Jesus is building the Church

3. The Church will prevail

4. The Church will be with Jesus forever

Tony French

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March 31, 2025 · 9:00 am

Pray Like Jesus

41And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” 43 Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. 44 And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

Luke 22:41-44

3 Lessons from Jesus’ Prayer Life

**Pray Fervently

**Pray Regularly

Luke 5:16 So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.

**Pray Persistently

Luke 18:1 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart.

God bless you as you pray like Jesus this week!

Tony French

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March 10, 2025 · 9:00 am

GRACE

One aspect of Christianity that separates it from virtually all other faith systems is the way God bestows His grace on us. Someone once described biblical grace as “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.” Such a description is applicable indeed. We receive the best that God has through the sacrifice of Christ.

Jesus paid the debt so that we could be free. Jesus paid the penalty for our sin so that we could reconciled to God. Jesus endured the horrors of separation so that we would never be separated from God. God’s grace is amazing indeed!

I pray that you will be encouraged from the Scriptures with these thoughts about God’s amazing grace.

Psalm 103:8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.

Psalm 116:5 Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; Yes, our God is compassionate.

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Romans 3:24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus.

Romans 5:20 The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.

Tony French

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March 4, 2025 · 9:00 am

Thankful

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. 

Psalm 100:4

We are commanded to be thankful as Believers in Christ. Thankfulness is not a suggestion, it is a command. How can we grow in thanksgiving? How can we increase in giving thanks to God? Try these three steps.

**Realize your blessings. Take a moment each day and realize just how much God has blessed you. Take a look at your material blessings, your physical blessings, and your spiritual blessings. Write them down and take inventory of God’s goodness. This first step will put you on a path of thankfulness as we become cognizant of the bounty God has heaped upon us.

**Focus on what you have been given. Too often we focus our hearts upon the things we don’t have. God’s has blessed us mightily, but, we tend to focus our minds on what we have missed. If you desire to grow in thankfulness, focusing on God’s blessings will help you to comprehend the goodness and grace of God.

**Make thanksgiving a daily part of your prayer life. As you pray each day, give thanks. Paul tells us we are to make our requests known to God “with thanksgiving.” (Philippians 4:6)  Praying with thanksgiving to God for His goodness multiplies our “thanksgiving quotient” as we grow in Christ.

Try these steps this week and it will make a difference. Let us strive, as Christians, to make Thanksgiving more than a season or a day. May we seek to make thanksgiving a way of life every day!

Tony French

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February 24, 2025 · 9:00 am

Gracious God

The LORD is gracious and full of compassion, Slow to anger and great in mercy.

Psalm 145:8

As we study God’s Word, we find much encapsulated within this particular verse. This writing tells us something of the nature and character of God. What does it say to us?

**God is Gracious

God grants to us gifts and blessings which we do not deserve. He loves us when we are un-loveable. And He calls to human beings everywhere to repent and receive salvation.

**God is Compassionate

He doesn’t cast us aside and He continually seeks relationship with us. God is much more compassionate than we are. When our compassion wanes, God’s compassion is just beginning.

**God is Patient

God is “slow to anger.” He patiently waits and pursues, at the same time, those who are far from Him. This is not to say that God never becomes angry, for we know He does and rightfully so. Yet, His patience and longsuffering are astounding and wonderful to behold.

**God is Merciful

When we repent and trust Christ as our Savior, God graciously forgives us and spares us from what we truly deserve. His wrath was poured out upon Jesus. Therefore, He is just in mercifully keeping us from eternal separation from Himself and granting to us eternal life. (John 3:16)   Mercy tells us that God withholds from us what we truly deserve.

Friend, you are blessed!

Tony French

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February 17, 2025 · 9:00 am

Love One Another

“Love one another.” (John 13:34)  This command is given 15 times in the New Testament. Over and over again, we, as Believers, are commanded to love one another. It is one of the most oft-repeated directives in all of Holy Scripture.

We should love one another because Christ first loved us. (1 John 4:19)  Jesus’ love was shed abroad through His life, ministry, death, and resurrection. He loved us when we were far from Him. (Romans 5:8-11)  Therefore, we should love one another as God has loved us. Christ’s love for us should serve as an impetus for loving our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Let us also love one another because it reflects the character of God. The Scriptures teach us that “God is love.” (1 John 4:8)  Love is not optional if we desire to accurately reflect the truth of God as we seek to minister and witness to the lost. Our love for one another is a most powerful “proof” that we are in Christ. (John 13:35)  People can argue with many things. But, they can’t argue with our love for one another when it is portrays the nature of God.

We ultimately love one another because it is commanded by the Word of God.  The command is clear and direct. If we are Christians who take the Scriptures seriously, we must love our fellow believers.

Yes, we are called to love all people. Learning to love all people begins with learning to love our fellow Christian. It is not always easy, but, it is always worth the cost.  Will you make a commitment to grow in your love for one another today?

Tony French

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