mrtonyfrench

Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

Nehemiah 8:10

The joy of the Lord is our strength. As Christians, we find our joy in Christ and Christ alone. God’s people find the might they need for daily living by understanding that Christ saved them, loves them, and will be with them each and every day. We gain strength by realizing that we are in Christ, our names are written in Heaven, and no one can take away our salvation.

The joy of the Lord is not found in our money. The joy of the Lord is not found in our position. The joy of the Lord is not placed in our fame, prosperity, or pleasure. Joy and peace are found in knowing Jesus as Savior and Lord. Only Jesus can lead us to peace, joy, and power as He lives His life in us each day. (Galatians 2)

Child of God, rejoice. The joy of the Lord is yours. The joy of the Lord will never leave you. Be encouraged and uplifted today. Why? The joy of the Lord is your strength!

Tony French

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith;  2 Timothy 4:7

Paul’s last letter to Timothy contains this stirring, triumphant chorus. Paul, realizing the end was near, proclaimed that He had “finished the course” of his life. He had been faithful. And Paul stayed in the fight until the end.

Paul’s example leads us to consider how we can finish well with Jesus. Many Christians do not end their journey properly. Some end up in bitterness and defeat and others simply quit before the end. May that NOT be the case with us. Let’s look at how we can finish our time well.

1. Be committed. One way to finish well is to keep showing up. Show up when the days are good and when the times are difficult. Keep serving when you feel like it and when you do not feel good. Be committed and stay in the fight.

• Keep your eyes on Jesus. Study His Word, be faithful to His church, and listen to the Holy Spirit day by day. Ask Christ for strength through your daily prayers. We serve Jesus and He is the one we are seeking to please.

• Finally, realize that your ministry matter to God. What you do for Christ is not in vain. God sees and He will bless your work in ways that are seen and in many more way that are unseen. Ministry can be discouraging. But, even when it seems like failure, know that every effort for Christ will produce something good for the Kingdom of God. (Galatians 6:9)

Fight the good fight. Finish course. Believer, keep the faith. You will not regret it!

Tony French

“If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity they will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword they will be killed.” This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God’s people.  Revelation 13:10

In this passage of Scripture, John reveals the horrors of the last days. Violence and murder, among other evils, will increase all the more and find their crescendo in the Tribulation period. The dastardly conduct of people in this time will shock and sicken us.

We are not yet in the Tribulation period, but, we are growing ever closer. The signs of Scripture are beginning to be more and more evident. (Matthew 24-25, 2 Timothy 3, & 2 Peter 3) Christians are called to continue forward in love for God, love for others, and service to others. How can we do this? Let’s examine the last part of Revelation 13:10.

**First, grow in patience.  As Believers, we should live by relying on God’s promises. His promises are true and God is faithful. However, there is often a great deal of time that passes before we see the promises that God has given us come to pass. Patience will be required of every Christian who desires to thrive in the middle of a wayward culture.

**Next, grow in endurance. According to the dictionary, endurance is defined as the strength to continue or last. May we look to God through prayer, His Word, and His church in order to gain the strength necessary to continue in our life with Christ. We will never regret enduring to the end.

**Finally, grow in faithfulness. Someone once said, “The Christian journey is a long walk of faithfulness in the same direction.” Keep living in accordance to God’s Word. Walk in obedience towards the Jesus’ direction.

Victory is ours. We don’t see it yet but we are assured of it. Grow in patience, endurance, and faithfulness each day.

Tony French

All my close friends abhor me, And those whom I love have turned against me. ²⁰ My bone clings to my skin and to my flesh, And I have escaped by the skin of my teeth. ²¹ “Have pity on me, have pity on me, O you my friends, For the hand of God has struck me! ²² Why do you persecute me as God does, And are not satisfied with my flesh? ²³ “Oh, that my words were written! Oh, that they were inscribed in a book! ²⁴ That they were engraved on a rock With an iron pen and lead, forever! ²⁵ For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth; ²⁶ And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God, ²⁷ Whom I shall see for myself, And my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!

Job 19:19-27

The book of Job has a remarkably advanced theology despite being written early in human history. In chapter 19, though Job is suffering tremendously, he rests in the hope of the ultimate glory of being with his Redeemer. We are not sure how God revealed this truth to him. Yet, Job’s claim of final glory with his creator is undeniable in this text.  

Job teaches us that his Redeemer lives and that he shall be resurrected to enjoy the presence of God. New-Covenant Believers call this the doctrine of glorification. Glorification speaks of the future when Christians are in heaven with their Savior forever. We await that day with great anticipation.

Those who believe and trust in Christ for salvation are saved, sanctified, and secure forevermore. The body may die and be buried. However, the spirit goes to be with Jesus and will one day be united with a resurrection body which God’s people will inhabit for all eternity. (1 Corinthians 15:37-58)

Eternity in Glory awaits those who are justified in Christ Jesus (Romans 4:23-25, 5:1, 6:23) Will you believe and be saved today? Realize your sin and God’s righteous judgement are immutable, turn from your sin and believe in Christ who died and rose again on your behalf, trust in Christ and call upon Him to save you. (Romans 10:9-13) He will save you when you trust in Jesus by faith.

Glorification is secure for every Believer. Jesus is preparing a place for all of His children. (John 14:1-3). Believe in Jesus and you can say with Job that in my flesh I shall see God someday.

Tony French

 If Your law had not been my delight, Then I would have perished in my affliction. I will never forget Your precepts, For by them You have revived me. I am Yours, save me; For I have sought Your precepts. The wicked wait for me to destroy me; I shall diligently consider Your testimonies. I have seen a limit to all perfection; Your commandment is exceedingly broad.

Psalm 119:92-96

Psalm 119 teaches us the importance of God’s Word. It is the longest chapter in Holy Scripture and it is all about the Word of God. Let’s look at three things the midpoint of this chapter reveals to us.

God’s Word protects us. The Bible protects us from sinful behavior and bad decisions that lead to awful consequences. When we read and obey it, we are spared the horrible ramifications of sin.

God’s Word preserves us. The Bible provides spiritual nourishment that keeps us healthy. The spiritual nutrition of the Word preserves our spirit just as physical food preserves our body. Read it each day and replenish your soul through the precepts of God.

God’s Word perfects us.  Reading and studying the Bible helps us to relinquish sinful behaviors and attitudes. The Word also reveals to us the proper practices of holy living. We are changed by the Scriptures when we absorb them into our lives.

Let us give thanks today for God’s Holy Word. The Bible protects us, preserves us, and perfects us. Read it every day, dear Christian.

Tony French  

Now it came about after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ servant , saying, 2 “Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel. 3 “Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses. 4 “From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and as far as the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun will be your territory. 5 “No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. 6 “Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 “Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. 8 “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. 9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”   Joshua 1:1-9

After the death of Moses, Joshua is called to lead Israel into the land of promise. He has observed Moses for many years. Now, Joshua will take the mantle of Moses and lead the people through the conquest.

The words of this chapter still speak and instruct us today. We may not be leading an army on a military campaign. However, Christians today are called to fight (among other battles) the battle for holiness, Godliness, and self-control. May we take the word of God to heart today just as Joshua did in his day.

1) Trust in God’s promises. Joshua was told to trust in God because God is faithful. The Lord had been faithful to Moses and He would be faithful to Joshua. And God will be faithful to us.

Joshua declared God’s faithfulness at the end of His life as well. Not one of God’s promises had failed. (Joshua 21:45) Trust in God knowing He is able to keep His promises!

2) Be strong in the Lord. God’s Word commanded Joshua to be strong and courageous three separate times in these verses. The point cannot be missed. We are to be strong and courageous knowing that we trust in the all-powerful, all-seeing, unchanging, one true God!

3) Cling to God’s Word. Joshua is taught to hold to God’s Word. He is to meditate on it at all times while never straying from God’s Word. Our efforts to fight our battles must be grounded in the Bible as well. Let us seek to observe and obey all that it teaches us day by day.  

Tony French

¹ “Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. ² He comes forth like a flower and fades away; He flees like a shadow and does not continue. ³ And do You open Your eyes on such a one, And bring me to judgment with Yourself? ⁴ Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? No one! ⁵ Since his days are determined, The number of his months is with You; You have appointed his limits, so that he cannot pass. ⁶ Look away from him that he may rest, Till like a hired man he finishes his day. ⁷ “For there is hope for a tree, If it is cut down, that it will sprout again, And that its tender shoots will not cease. ⁸ Though its root may grow old in the earth, And its stump may die in the ground, ⁹ Yet at the scent of water it will bud And bring forth branches like a plant. ¹⁰ But man dies and is laid away; Indeed he breathes his last And where is he? ¹¹ As water disappears from the sea, And a river becomes parched and dries up, ¹² So man lies down and does not rise. Till the heavens are no more, They will not awake Nor be roused from their sleep. ¹³ “Oh, that You would hide me in the grave, That You would conceal me until Your wrath is past, That You would appoint me a set time, and remember me! ¹⁴ If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, Till my change comes.

Job 14:1-14

Job’s soliloquy in chapter 14 is difficult to read. He tells us that nature can spring back to life, yet, mankind dies, is buried, and ultimately forgotten in the grave. Job’s diatribe is similar to what one reads in the book of Ecclesiastes about life under the sun.

In verse 14, Job asks an important question. If a man dies, shall he live again? As one examines Scripture, they find the answer to that inquiry to be one word—yes! Those who know Christ will be raised to life just as Jesus was resurrected. Christians may experience physical death but resurrection awaits all true Believers. The New Testament teaches important aspects of this truth time and again. Let’s examine three of them this week.

**Believers will receive a new body at the resurrection of the saints. (1 Corinthians 15:35-58) This body will be imperishable, incorruptible, and like unto the body of our Savior. Christians will inhabit these new bodies forever with Jesus. What a day that will be!

**Believers will receive rewards at the last resurrection. (Colossians 2:18, 3:24, Hebrews 10:35) These rewards will be based on how the Christian lives in this present day. The rewards are separate from salvation which is based on grace through faith and is irrevocable. However, God’s people will be given crowns for serving Christ faithfully. Then, we will all cast our crowns at Jesus feet when we see Him as He is. (Revelation 4:9-11)

**Christians will dwell with Christ forever. (John 14:1-3) The greatest reward that the Saved receive is the prize of Jesus’ presence. Just being with our savior will make everything worthwhile.

Will Christians live again? Absolutely. Thanks be to God for His glorious mercy and grace!    

Tony French

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.     Ephesians 3:20-21

God is able! He is able in every circumstance, every situation, and every problem. Nothing overwhelms God. He is able!

God is able! He is able to do more than we can ask. Christ is able to do more than we can ever think or even imagine. Pray in faith. He is able!

God is able! The power of the Holy Spirit is at work in us. He is changing us, comforting us, and abiding with us every day of our lives. Lean into His power every day, dear Christian. He is able!

God is able! He is able to do more than we could ever imagine doing. Give God the glory. Trust in Christ each day to provide for you, protect you, and be with you.

Trust in God today. Believe Him and obey Him. For He is able!

Tony French

Dear Christian, are you down? Does your life seem more difficult each day? If that is the case, be uplifted today from God’s Word. Hear what God has declared about you!

1) God is working all things for your good and for His glory.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.  For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren. Romans 8:28-29

2) God is for you, God loves you, and He cares for you.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?  Romans 8:31

3) God will give us everything we need for life and service to Him.

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?  Romans 8:32

4) God will never leave you.

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Romans 8:38-39

Tony French

O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.   Romans 7:24-25

Wretched. It’s a difficult word. The word is defined as one who is in a miserable state, one who is pitiable. Wretched is a word we don’t use very often and it’s is not a word we use of ourselves.

Paul reveals that he considers himself to be wretched and contemptible apart from Christ. Though we may not use the word, deep down we know the same is true of us. We know that we have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. (Romans 3:23) We perceive that our righteousness and goodness will never be enough. We understand that we are guilty of breaking God’s law.

Thankfully, Paul tells us the rest of the story. He gives thanks to God through Jesus Christ. Why? Because he knows of God’s grace. Paul explains this as he writes the inspired letter to the church at Rome. Paul knows that Jesus paid the penalty and died as our substitute. He teaches that God justifies believers by faith. Paul proclaims that his sin has been imputed to Jesus account and that Jesus righteousness has been imputed to his account. Jesus won the victory over sin!

What Paul revealed is true of all Christians. Our sin has been removed, forgiven, and cleansed. We have been given the righteousness of Christ through the grace and mercy of God. In our own flesh we are wretched.  But, in Christ, we are wholly new, completely saved, and on our way to Heaven. We ought to be thankful to Jesus every moment of every day!

Tony French