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Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:58

In the fifteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians, Paul is making the case for the resurrection of Christ. He begins with the eyewitness testimony of the apostles and moves to the order of the last resurrection. The apostle then points us to the hope of our resurrection and the promise of a new body. He ends the writing with a charge to stay strong and not give up.

Paul gives four commands in verse 58. These imperatives are given as a result of Christ’s resurrection and because of our future hope in Jesus. We would do well to heed these principles as we follow Christ. Let us examine them in brief.

1) Be steadfast. The Greek word here contains the idea of being firm or settled in our convictions. God has revealed His truth, the only truth, and we must remain firm in our beliefs and our dogmas.

2) Be immovable. This Greek word has the following definition—not to be moved from its place. Our hope is in Christ Jesus. Through His death and resurrection our sin is atoned and we are reconciled to God. No one can take this relationship away from us. Therefore, stand firm and do not be moved.

3) Always abound in the work of the Lord. Serving the Lord and ministering in His name should not be drudgery. Instead, we ought to serve from a position of abundance. God has equipped us and is with us in every situation. He will supply what we need and use us for His glory. Child of God, abound in service to the Lord.

4) Know that your work is not in vain. God adds to and multiplies the works that are completed in His name. Our service for Christ is never unnoticed by the Savior and it always accomplishes good for the Kingdom of God. We may not see the full effect of our labors in this life. But, we can rest assured that our toils are never empty and we can abound in the work of the Lord more and more.

Tony French    

I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders.

Psalm 9:1

I am thankful. God has blessed me (and all Believers) with many wonderful blessings. Let us give thanks to the Lord today.

1) Let us give thanks for His provision. The Lord has been faithful to us and has supplied our needs. (Philippians 4:19) He has arranged and ordered the circumstances of our lives to give us what we need when we need. Give thanks to God for His provision.

2) Let us give thanks for His presence. The Spirit of God lives within us and is always with us. (1 Corinthians 6:19) No matter where we go or what we face the Lord is with us and He leads us and guides us along the way. Give thanks to God for His presence.

3) Let us give thanks for His purpose. God directs our steps and will ultimately bring us home to Heaven. (John 14:1-3) He works through all things that come our way in order to shape us and transform us to be more like Jesus. (Romans 8:28) Give thanks for God for His provision.

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting. 

Psalm 118:1

Tony French

So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

Romans 8:12-17

God’s people live by the Holy Spirit. We may not always realize that fact, but, it is true nonetheless. The Spirit of God lives within us and leads us each day. (1 Corinthians 6:19)

Paul juxtaposes life in the Spirit and life according to the flesh in these verses. He makes it clear that the Spirit and the flesh cannot coexist in our lives. We either pursue the Spirit or we adhere to the old nature. As we follow the Spirit, the old nature is being put to death.  This process will take place for the remainder of our time here upon earth. Living by the Spirit is the command of this text.

We are made children of God through the Holy Spirit. Believers are no longer slaves to sin. Rather, we have been ushered into the family of God through adoption.  Where we once were far off and separated from God, Christians now have closeness with God as we cry out to our Father. Upon the cross, Christ was separated from the Father so that we would no longer be estranged from God.

Paul also reminds us that we are not only children, but heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ. God has promised us an inheritance that will include His power, peace, and everlasting presence both in this life and for all of eternity. There may be suffering along the way and life will not always be fair. We have the victory through Jesus nonetheless.

Praise be to the glorious name of Jesus, great things He has done!

Tony French

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