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Let us give thanks today for the Word of God. God has revealed Himself to us. He has given us much of Himself. The Bible may not answer every question we have. But, it contains a storehouse of inexhaustible riches that cannot be exceeded.

**We should be thankful for the eternal nature of God’s Word. All else will fail and every other writings will cease. But the Word of the Lord will abide forever.

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.  Matthew 24:35

**We ought to give thanks for the power of God’s Word. God’s Word is powerful and active in our world and in our lives as Christians. God’s uses the Scriptures to change us and shape us in ways that are seen and unseen.

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.  Hebrews 4:12

**Let us be thankful for the inspiration of God’s Word. The Bible is “God-breathed” and profitable in our lives. There is no other writings that rival it in the entirety of the universe.

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

As we continue in this New Year, let’s make a commitment to study God’s Word faithfully and diligently. Let us be exhorted to read it and know it better than we ever have. And may we seek to obey its commandments and follow its precepts more closely each and every day!

Tony French

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.Luke 2:11Jesus is our Savior. He is our Deliverer and our Rescuer. He came as a babe in a manger to ultimately die for our sins, pay our sin debt, and satisfy the wrath of God on our behalf.Jesus saves us completely. Hebrews 7:25 tells us “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” We are saved to the uttermost and we are saved completely from our sins. All of our sins have been nailed to the cross and removed forever. Jesus intercedes for us and secures us forever through His blood.Jesus saves us compassionately. His love for us compelled Him to arrive in the manger and then to go to the cross. Jesus teaches us “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” We are unworthy. Jesus loves us and gave Himself for us despite our undeserving nature.Jesus saves us confidently. Our salvation gives us great confidence and faith. We can trust Christ because we are saved, sanctified, and secured. Our security then fuels our obedience to Him. Have confidence child of God. You are on the winning side! Aren’t you glad we have a Savior? I know that I am. Tony French

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’; But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. f anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.

Matthew 5:38-42

How do you end a feud? One way is retaliation. This is what Jesus describes in v. 38 when he quotes “eye for eye, tooth for tooth” from Leviticus 24:20.

The problem with this method is that it never tends to end. More and more revenge and retaliation is needed to settle the score.

Jesus gives us a new way. This way can be summed up as non-retaliation and forgiveness. Christ uses hyperbole to make the point of non-retaliation. Turn the other cheek and non- resistance are the way of kingdom living. If the Roman soldier’s compel you to carry there armor a mile, carry it two miles. These examples serve to illustrate the importance of not seeking revenge.

Forgiveness is not mentioned explicitly here but it is in view in light of the totality of Scripture. Biblical forgiveness means to cancel the debt. One can certainly see how forgiveness fits into Jesus teaching at this point. In the Kingdom of Heaven, Christians do not seek revenge and retaliation, rather, we are to go forward in love, forgiveness, and reconciliation. Jesus shows us the way by being our example.

Tony French

“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’  But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.

Matthew 5:33-37

Jesus attention now turns to the keeping of promises, dealing with mistreatment, and loving those around you in this passage of Scripture. As you read these, please keep in mind that Jesus is giving instruction for living as a Christian. That instruction is radically different from what we hear in society and even what we think in our fleshly selves. We are presented with an entirely new way of living in the Sermon on the Mount. We ought to learn these principles and seek to live as a resident of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Making vows was an important aspect of the Jewish religion. Therefore, many vows and promises were made by the people to God and to others. However, vows and promises were often broken as the limits of humanity and the frailty of life proved to be too big of an obstacle to overcome.

It is out of this context that Jesus addresses vows. He teaches that it is better not to make a promises than to make one and break it. It is better not to “swear an oath” by heaven, earth, Jerusalem, or even our own heads. This seems to imply that elaborate wording was not the most important aspect when making promises and vows. 

What was the most important aspect? KEEPING the vow is what truly matters. If you make a promise then keep it. Otherwise, don’t make a promise or vow.

Jesus said “let your yes be yes and your no be no.” If you say “yes” to a vow then do everything in your power to keep it. If you say “no” then stick to your word. Flowery words are just words. Being truthful is what matters most of all!

Tony French

love the church!  God has given me the opportunity, throughout my life, to serve the church as a worship leader, youth leader, a servant, and as pastor. I have given my life to the church and I have no regrets. 

Those who do not participate in the corporate life of the church are missing so much. Tremendous blessings are found as one serves alongside their fellow members in the Body of Christ. We learn so much from one another simply by meeting together regularly, serving together faithfully, and living our lives in the shelter of the people of God. 

The church is not perfect. This should not surprise anyone as we understand that the church is comprised of imperfect sinners. But, even our imperfections allow us the opportunity to both give and experience forgiveness. Our faults allow us the joy of experiencing a love from fellow church members that is not based on performance. We should seek holiness and avoid sin at every turn.  It’s good to know, however, that when we fall, there are those who will stand with us and not forsake us in the Body of Christ.  

Are you a part of the church? Are you searching for a place where you will experience true meaning and purpose? I encourage you to be a part of the local church.  Jesus loves His Body and He is building the church for His glory (Matt. 16:18). It for all of these reasons that I love the church!     

Tony French