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¹⁸ Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. ¹⁹ And He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” ²⁰ Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.

Matthew 4:18-20

The command “follow Me” was given to Jesus’ first disciples early in His ministry. It’s an imperative that Christ still extends in our time. Every day Jesus calls people to follow Him.

How can we follow Christ in our day? Let us think of a few ways that we can go after Jesus in our context. This list is not an exhaustive list but may it spur our thinking on this subject.

1) Believe

Following Christ requires humans to believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Disciples of the Savior trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of sin and the salvation of their lives. Being saved is mandatory for following after Jesus and salvation flows to us through believing in Christ by faith.

2) Bible Study and Prayer

Reading the Bible, studying the Word, and praying to God are all part and parcel of following Jesus. Through prayer, Believers speak to God and through the Bible, God speaks to the Christian. The Word of God reveals the truth we need to pursue Jesus.

3) The Church

While Christianity is much more than attending a worship service at a church, it is not less than that. God’s people need to be together to worship, minister, serve, give, and learn through the ministry of the Church. Following Christ means being a part of His body (Romans 12:5) and the organism that He is building. (Matthew 16:18)

Follow Jesus, Child of God. It is the best way to live!

Tony French

The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.

Psalm 103:8

Let’s remember three things about the nature and character of God this week…….

**God is compassionate and gracious. His love is everlasting to His people and the grace of our Lord is able to save to the uttermost. (Hebrews 7:250 The Almighty is gracious beyond measure.

**God is slow to anger. The Lord does not lose His temper as humans do. He is patient, kind, and does not desire that any should be eternally lost. (2 Peter 3:9) The Lord is longsuffering and slow to anger.

**God abounds in love. God is much more loving and kind that humans are. Christians also know that the Lord is more loving than we tend to be. God is love. (1 John 4:8) He sent His Son to die for our sins and calls us to Himself. God abounds in love and is generous in love towards His creation.

God bless you as you study God’s Word, seek His face, and serve the Lord by serving others!

Tony French

“You shall not sacrifice to the Lord your God an ox or a sheep which has a blemish or any defect, for that is a detestable thing to the Lord your God.”

Deuteronomy 17:1

Old Testament worship under the Law of Moses required sacrifices from God’s people. The Jews were obligated to bring sacrifices that were slain on their behalf for the forgiveness and covering of their sins. Such oblations coincided with certain times and seasons of the year and were continual reminders of God’s goodness despite the sin of His nation.

An important aspect of sacrifice is taught in Deuteronomy 17. Every sacrifice had to be without defect and as close to perfect as possible. Blind and lame animals would not be accepted by the Lord. Sick and dying animals were never to be offered to God. It was a detestable act to bring an unworthy sacrifice before Jehovah. He requires the best.

These Old Covenant sacrifices are pictures and symbols of Jesus. The perfect, spotless Messiah lived for our righteousness. He perfectly upheld and obeyed the Law and never strayed from His Father. Then, He died as the perfect, righteous Son of God to take away the sins of humanity. (John 1:29)  The Lamb died as the just for the unjust and the righteous for the unrighteous.  God gave His every best for us.

Since God gives His best to us, may we give our best to Him. Christian, may we serve Him and trust Him day by day. And I pray that our love for the Lord grows stronger with the passage of time. God bless you all!

Tony French

¹ Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 11:1-2

The author of Hebrews points us to three actions that Jesus performed on our behalf through the cross of Calvary. Our wonderful Savior gave Himself up, suffered for lost people, and died on the rebel’s behalf for the remission of sins. A wonderful Savior is Jesus our Lord!

Christ endured the cross for us. He was tortured and shed His blood willingly. Jesus died upon the cross for our sinfulness and He was slain on our account. The agony the Son of God endured was beyond comprehension. His love for us compelled Him to be wounded in our place.

Jesus was shamed for our benefit. He died as a common criminal in a public execution so that sinful humanity could be forgiven and restored to God. The shameful nature of His death was palpable as those at the foot of the cross jeered Him and mocked Him. Yet, Christ, the perfect one, endured the shame for you and me.

The Savior triumphed over death and the cross. He rose again and took His rightful place at the throne of God. He sat down at the right hand of the throne signifying that the work of redemption and justification is complete. No other sacrifice would be needed. Jesus paid it all!

In light of these wonderful acts, let us fix our eyes upon Jesus as the writer of Hebrews instructs us. He is the author and finisher of our faith. In Christ, the Believer is complete, sanctified, and secure. Jesus won the victory decisively and fully. And that is something for which to thank the Lord for all of eternity.

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

1 Peter 5:6-7

He cares for you! God’s tender care and mercy toward His children is overwhelming to consider. Peter teaches Believers to release all their anxieties and worries to God because He cares for His own. It is a wondrous thought indeed that God cares for lowly human beings.

God cares for Christians purposefully. The Lord is never haphazard about His compassion for His children. He purposefully and willfully provides the concern His people need at all times.

God also cares for Believers personally. He knows all of our doubts, fears, and anxieties and He provides the hope and love we need. Our Lord does not use a one size fits all solution for His people. He personally and providentially leads and guides each of His children to what they need for each day with tender, loving care.

God cares for us powerfully. God’s power and grace are more than enough to sustain and keep His sons and daughters for this life and the life to come. His power is awesome and wondrous. And He is able to keep every promise through His mighty strength. He cares and is able to do what is necessary to uphold us through this life.

Cast all your cares, fears, and worries upon God, dear Christian. Pray and seek after God today. He cares for you!

Tony French

“For I am the Lord your God, who upholds your right hand, Who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you.”
Isaiah 41:13

God is our help! Our Lord not only helps us, He is our help in every way. The Creator aids and comforts us by His power and might. God has promised us His strength and He will deliver.

The Lord helps in ways that are seen. He provides for His people and sustains them through difficulty and trial. His abiding presence is with us through every joy and every sorrow. The Spirit of God lives within every Believer and God’s Word brings help and direction when the Christian is in need. God helps in ways that are seen and tangible.

The Almighty also helps in ways that are unseen. There is no telling how many times that God has protected and sustained us in our lives and, yet, we were totally unaware of His working. So much of what the Lord does is not readily discernable to the eyes of the saved.  We know that God helps, strengthens, and gives power to endure to every Believer nonetheless.

God is our refuge, help, and strength. Let us give thanks and worship the Lord for all that He has done. He is all we need.

Tony French

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

John 14:27

A great need in our day is the need for peace. The world which God’s people inhabit is filled with chaos, conflict, and even violence. In other words, our society is anything but peaceful.

Nevertheless, Christians can have peace. Believers are promised serenity that Jesus gives. Peace is available to those who believe in Christ. And it’s a peace that is unlike anything this world can offer.

The Lord’s people have peace in Christ because He has saved us, sanctified us, and secured us for all of eternity. Jesus is our provider, our sustainer, and our friend. He knows all that we face and He is kind and compassionate toward us at all times.

Do you have relationship with God through Christ Jesus? Have you believed in Christ’s death and resurrection for the forgiveness of your sins and received the gift of eternal life? Lasting, life-changing peace is only available to those who have been adopted into God’s family by trusting in Christ alone. Trust in the Savior for your salvation. Trust in Him today!

Tony French

Then He said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.”

Luke 22:46

Just before Jesus’ destiny at the cross He withdraws to pray in Gethsemane. Christ asks His disciples to pray with Him, yet, they cannot stay awake. Jesus finds them sleeping and implores them to rise and pray to avoid temptation. Let’s look these two words for a moment.

“Rise”—The disciples needed to awake from their slumber. There were vulnerable to temptation and they didn’t even realize it.

God’s people in our day also must arise and awake from our spiritual stupor. We are being bombarded every day with deceptive messages that come against us in every area of life. Let us arise and be awake to the schemes of the world, the flesh, and the devil.

“Pray”—Christ’s followers are also commanded to pray in this verse. Praying keeps temptation away. It’s difficult to pray and commune with God and be drawn away in deceit at the same time. Pray, child of God.

I don’t mean to imply that Christians who pray never sin. That certainly is not the truth. I do mean to say that Christians who have healthy prayer lives are less apt to give in to sinful practices. The work of sanctification the Holy Spirit performs on heart of the Believer serves as protection from the schemes of the evil one.

If we desire to avoid temptation, then we must seek God. Our hearts will either be moving closer to God away from the Lord. Prayer does many things for Believers. And praying keeps the Christians heart and mind focused on God and not the things of the world. Let me end by saying it this way. To keep temptation away, rise and pray.

Tony French

Then He said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.”

Luke 22:46

Just before Jesus’ destiny at the cross He withdraws to pray in Gethsemane. Christ asks His disciples to pray with Him, yet, they cannot stay awake. Jesus finds them sleeping and implores them to rise and pray to avoid temptation. Let’s look these two words for a moment.

“Rise”—The disciples needed to awake from their slumber. There were vulnerable to temptation and they didn’t even realize it.

God’s people in our day also must arise and awake from our spiritual stupor. We are being bombarded every day with deceptive messages that come against us in every area of life. Let us arise and be awake to the schemes of the world, the flesh, and the devil.

“Pray”—Christ’s followers are also commanded to pray in this verse. Praying keeps temptation away. It’s difficult to pray and commune with God and be drawn away in deceit at the same time. Pray, child of God.

I don’t mean to imply that Christians who pray never sin. That certainly is not the truth. I do mean to say that Christians who have healthy prayer lives are less apt to give in to sinful practices. The work of sanctification the Holy Spirit performs on heart of the Believer serves as protection from the schemes of the evil one.

If we desire to avoid temptation, then we must seek God. Our hearts will either be moving closer to God away from the Lord. Prayer does many things for Believers. And praying keeps the Christians heart and mind focused on God and not the things of the world. Let me end by saying it this way. To keep temptation away, rise and pray.

Tony French

“Nevertheless, in Your great compassion You did not make an end of them or forsake them, For You are a gracious and compassionate God.

Nehemiah 9:13

God is gracious. He is gracious to His people. God extends mercy to those who do deserve it the least and extends pity and empathy to those who are far from Him. The Lord withholds what we truly deserve (punishment, separation, judgment) and gives us what we cannot merit (relationship with God).

God is gracious in the good times. His love and compassion are abundant when His blessings flow. Seeing the grace of God when the sun shines is an easy task indeed.

God is gracious in the difficult times. His mercy is great and new every morning. (Lamentations 3:22-23) The faithfulness of the Lord is unmatched. He is gracious when the storm clouds gather and when the rains fall.

The God of the universe is gracious at all times. We cannot earn His grace and we don’t ever come to a state of deserving God’s Love. Through Christ Jesus, the Lord is gracious and forgives, saves, restores, and secures those who trust in Him for evermore.

God, is, gracious!

Tony French