mrtonyfrench

To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.  1 Timothy 1:2

Paul’s greeting to Timothy is full of kindness and love. Paul also used a similar salutation in his second letter to the young pastor. He desires three things for Timothy—grace, mercy, and peace from the Lord.

Those divine concepts should be our desire for our fellow travelers as well. Our kindness and love should be demonstrated to others as we live our daily lives. We should be seeking to display these attributes to each person we come in contact with each day.

Grace

We have received grace from God. He has made us His child and adopted us into His family. He has saved us, reconciled us, and redeemed us from our sin. And God did these things not because we deserved it. We most assuredly did not! But the Lord grants us His favor on all those who will believe. Thanks be to God for His grace.

Mercy

God has withheld from us what we truly deserve. As sinners, we merit everlasting punishment and shame. As law-breakers, we deserve to be separated from God’s goodness forever. Yet, in His love, He has mercifully saved us and forgiven us through Christ’s sacrifice. We do not receive what we truly require due to God’s mercy. Jesus mercy is expressed through His finished work on the cross. Thanks be to God for His mercy.

Peace

God grants peace to all who receive Him. We receive the peace that is beyond understanding. The peace of Jesus helps us, sustains us, and secures us despite any and all adverse circumstances. Thanks be to God for His peace.

We have been given these wonderful gifts. Let us now show these gifts to those who are in need. May all around us see the grace, mercy, and peace of Christ in us.

Tony French

Love must be without hypocrisy. Detest evil; cling to what is good. 

Romans 12:9

Romans 12 is one of the most practical chapters in the entire Bible. After explaining our guilt and offering Christ as the answer to our depravity in the first portion of the letter, Paul goes on to explain how we are to live beginning in Chapter 12. It is one of the most important chapters in the New Testament.

Let us examine one verse from Romans 12 in this post. Three commands are given to us to learn and observe. A perusing of each one is in order.

**Love must be without hypocrisy. We are to love one another in a pure, authentic way. We shouldn’t simply be nice to people to their face and then tear them down behind their back. We shouldn’t to pretend to love for appearances sake. Rather, we ought to love people as Christ has loved us—sacrificially, purposefully, and fully.

We are all difficult to love at times. Yet, Christ loves us and gave Himself for us. Jesus now commands us to love one another. (John 13:34-35) That love must be true and without hypocrisy. 

**Detest evil. Christians are to live holy lives. We are meant to be set apart because of our salvation and due to the sanctifying work of Christ on the cross. Therefore, we are commanded by Paul to hate evil. Evil works, evil deeds, and even evil thoughts are in view here. We are not called to hate people. We are called to hate and detest the evil around us. May we detest evil and avoid it at every turn in order to example the difference that Jesus makes in our lives.

**Cling to what is good. We must pursue and hold onto the good in order to live consecrated lives also.  It’s not enough to avoid evil. We should also chase after the good, the noble, the true, the righteous, and the pure. Sometimes these qualities are difficult to find in our present age. But, we will find them if we only look.

Love authentically. Detest and avoid evil. Hold fast to what is good. Following these three commands will draw us closer to Christ each day. May the Lord help us to follow these commands!

Tony French

6 Listen, for I will speak of excellent things, And from the opening of my lips will come right things; 7 For my mouth will speak truth; Wickedness is an abomination to my lips. 8 All the words of my mouth are with righteousness; Nothing crooked or perverse is in them. 9 They are all plain to him who understands, And right to those who find knowledge. 10 Receive my instruction, and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice gold; 11 For wisdom is better than rubies, And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her.

Proverbs 8:6-11

Wisdom is personified as a virtuous women in Proverbs 8. This wisdom is opposed to the wickedness of the adulterous women one reads about in the earlier chapters of Proverbs. The virtuous women reveals Godly wisdom for holy living. Let us pursue these truths from God’s Word as we study the Holy Scriptures. And may God add His blessing to the study of the Bible, God’s Holy Word.

Biblical wisdom is excellent. It excels above all earthly pursuits and philosophies. This wisdom is righteous and sanctified. The instruction we find in God’s Word leads to a life of joy and peace. Christians have access to heavenly joy and peace no matter the difficulties they face. The excellence of Holy Scripture is unsurpassed and unstoppable.

God’s wisdom is also truthful. In a day in which truth is considered to be little more than circumstantial, subjective whims, the Lord’s wisdom is immutable and authentic. The principles we find in Scripture are worthy of our study and obedience. We can live in biblical truth and apply it to our lives each day without any hesitation. The wisdom of God is to be desired beyond anything this world can offer. It is the truth we see flowing from the one who is truth, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Let us be thankful for Godly wisdom. May we read and study the Bible knowing that it contains all that we need to traverse this life. And let us give praise that God has revealed Himself to us!

Tony French

So God created man in His own image; He created him in the image of God; He created them male and female.   Genesis 1:27

We live in society where life is cheap. We, as a nation, have forgotten the value of humanity. I want to take this opportunity to remind of us a Christian theology for life. It’s really quite simple when you think about it from a Biblical perspective.

1) God creates life. The Genesis accounts teach us that God created all things. The crowning arch of His creation is found in the creation of Adam and Eve. God creates life in His own image. The Imago Dei (image of God) is found in every human being. We are not mere animals or accidents of evolution. We are created by the one true God who alone gives life.

2) God values life. God is the giver of life and values it above all. Human begins are not to murder because God values life. (Exodus 20:13) Every human life, no matter the hardship, has value in God’s sight. There are no accidents or mistakes with God. He gives life and He values it.

3) God’s people should value and protect life. Since God creates life and God values life we, His people, should take steps to value and protect life. No life is unworthy and every life deserves protection from conception to death. A stand to protect life may not always be popular. But, the willingness to preserve life is always right and moral. 

I will grant that these principles are simplistic to understand. Even a child can grasp them. I would also say that in a sinful, fallen world, sometimes complications arise. I’m thankful that we have these principles to guide us along the way.

May we give thanks today to the giver of life. He is worthy of all our praise and honor!

Tony French

See, I have taught you statutes and judgments just as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should do thus in the land where you are entering to possess it. “So keep and do them, for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ “For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as is the Lord our God whenever we call on Him? Or what great nation is there that has statutes and judgments as righteous as this whole law which I am setting before you today? “Only give heed to yourself and keep your soul diligently, so that you do not forget the things which your eyes have seen and they do not depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your sons and your grandsons.               

Deuteronomy 4:5-9

In this Scripture passage, Moses is conveying to the people the importance of the Word of God. There are a few lessons that still apply to us today. Let’s examine them from the writings of Moses.

1) We need to learn the Word of God. Studying the Bible should be a daily pursuit for the Christian. Our hearts are dependent on the precepts and principles of the Scriptures and they enable us to lead a life of Godliness and holiness. Christian, commit to read the Word, study the Word, and absorb the Word each day.

2) We need to obey the Word of God. Moses implored the people to not just learn the Scriptures but to obey them diligently. James also reminds us to be a doer of the Word and not a hearer only. (James 1:22) As we learn the Bible, we ought to put it into practice. The teachings of Holy Writ are counter-cultural and lacking in our day. It is up to Believers to demonstrate true Christianity by what we say and do.

3) We need to teach the Word of God. At the end of this passage, Moses pleads with the people to teach their children and grandchildren the truths of Scripture. This teaching is to take place in the Church and in the home in our day. If we don’t pass along the great truths of the Bible to those who are coming after us, who will? Let us teach the Word, live the Word, and example the Word by how live to those around us each day.

Learn the Scriptures, obey the Scriptures, teach the Scriptures. This is the plan for a life that honor’s God. May we go and go likewise!

Tony French

For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? “And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? 28 “And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:25-34

Jesus warns us about the danger of worry in these seven verses. Worry is common in our world today. However, we can overcome fear and anxiety through trusting in Christ.

Excessive worry has some difficult consequences for the Believer. Allow me to mention three in this post.

1) Worry doesn’t change anything. Jesus’ words make this point beautifully. Who can add a single hour to your life through worry? The answer is no one. Why live in worry when we can live in trust? Anxiety wastes time and doesn’t alter our situation one bit.

2) Worry depletes our spiritual resources. Anxiety requires a great deal of effort and energy. Worry takes from your emotional reserves without replacing your spiritual resources. It is a bottomless pit that will consume you. Be careful, child of God.

3) Worry weakens our faith. We can either feed our faith or feed our worry. We cannot do both at the same time. It is far better to invest in our faith than to live in worry.

Obviously, there is much to be concerned about in world and our lives. Worry will come upon us. As Believers, we don’t have to live in worry. When fear overtakes you, talk to someone, visit a Godly counselor, see your Doctor if necessary. We all need help from time to time.

But also be reminded to “seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness.” He will lead us through these times of worry. And for that fact, we are thankful beyond measure!

Tony French

We live in a time of fake news and media speculation. It’s difficult to know what to believe and who we can trust. Blessedly, we can trust God and His Word. Let me remind of a few eternal truths from the Bible today.

As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.

John 3:14-15

**Jesus is the way to eternal life. He died on cross for the forgiveness of our sins. His love compelled Him to give His life for us. This is the most glorious truth we have ever known.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

John 14:6

**Jesus is the only way to eternal life. The only path to salvation and forgiveness of sin is through Jesus’s sacrifice and resurrection. Isn’t God so good and kind to reveal the way of salvation and make the path so clear and unequivocal? This truth is so amazing and wonderful for us.

So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”

John 20:21

**Christ has sent us into the world to deliver this good news. Christ death, burial, and resurrection are the heart of the gospel message. Because of the gospel, lives can be changed, sins can be forgiven, and the righteousness of Christ is added to our heavenly account. So many people need to hear this life-changing truth. And we are sent to share with everyone.

These are three truths every Christian can trust in and appropriate in their lives. You can count on them every day. I thank God today for the truth He has revealed!

Tony French

⁶ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

This post will focus on the peace of God. The peace of the Lord is what all God’s people desire and want. Yet, it remains elusive to Christians who struggle with doubt and fear. Paul’s teaching in verses 6 and 7 of Philippians 4 gives the Believer the roadmap to peace. An examination of these verses is in order.

Achieving the peace of God includes letting go of anxiety. How does one do such a thing? Letting go of worry involves focusing upon God and not one’s self. Moving past anxiety means remembering the Lord’s promises in His Word. And letting go of worrisome thoughts leads the Believer to rest in the power, presence, and sovereignty of the one true God, the covenant keeping God.  Discarding worry is paramount to realizing God’s peace.

The Christian is also commanded to be in prayer always and to allow thanksgiving to be a prominent part of their time with the Savior. Child of God, pray about everything and ask for God’s peace to invade your existence. Continue in thanksgiving and praise every single day. Gazing upon what one does not have leads only to despair. Being thankful for what one has been given propels the people of God to peace that passes all understanding.

Finally, let the requests of your heart be made known unto God. Ask in faith believing that God is able. He won’t always do what we want Him to do. The Lord is always faithful and does what is best for His children.

Achieving peace is a battle and sometimes Christians give in to fear and doubt. However, when we practice these precepts on daily basis, God’s people are able to live progressively free from fear. The people of the Savior will learn peace when they bring their thinking in line with Scripture and when they attack every anxiety through prayer.

We pray that God’s peace will be experienced and realized by each of you this week!   

Tony French

“You shall have no other gods before Me. “You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. “You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

Exodus 20:3-6

The first commandment teaches us to flee idolatry. God’s people are to worship God and no one else. Period. Blessings are promised for those who worship God and judgment is pronounced on those who worship idols.

Some may ask “does idolatry exist today?” The answer is a resounding yes. We may not worship gods of stone, iron, and wood. But we certainly have our false gods. Let me mention a few 21^st century idols.

**Money. Worship of money is common in our society. Some have replaced worship of God with worship of finances, material possessions and things.

**Notoriety. The advent of social media has produced an alluring call to be known. Clicks, likes, and comments have become the most important thing in the world to some. Being known has become their idol.

**Pleasure.  A reckless pursuit of pleasure is driving many to “bow the knee” to this idol in our time. Pleasure is fleeting and short-lived. Yet, a number of folks today seem to pursue a hedonistic lifestyle to the inclusion of everything else.

**Self. The worship of self is at the root of every idol when you truly consider it. Humans tend to love ourselves more than others and more than God. When that is the case, self-propagation, self-preservation, and self-worship are the inevitable outcome. Our greatest idol temptation is often what we see when we look into the mirror.

Let me say that money is not inherently evil. A desire to be know is not automatically sinful. And, God desires that we have pleasure in this life. It is when we prioritize these things over and above our relationship with Christ and seek them apart from God that we cross the line into idolatry.

Worship the Lord, dear Christian. Worship God for who He is. He is worthy!

Tony French

Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? “Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. “But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”  Luke 6:46-49

Jesus gives us three principles to learn in this passage. This parable teaches us to choose wisely when considering how we live our lives. We shall examine this familiar text and see how God would use it to help us.

1) There are two foundations on which to build our lives. One is obedience to Christ and one is disobedience to Christ. Those who trust Christ for salvation and seek to obey Him are building upon the rock. Those who forsake Christ are building their lives upon the sand. The true followers of Christ will last while those who reject Christ will be swept away. There are not many ways, only two. We either trust in Jesus or trust in something (or someone) else.

2) Every person is building upon one of these two foundations. There are no exceptions to Jesus’ teaching. People are either seeking to live for Christ or they are living for self. What we see here is a binary. Trusting Christ leads to life and forsaking Christ leads to destruction and separation from the mercy, grace, and goodness of God forever.

3) The troubles of life will be experienced by all. The “storms” of life come to everyone eventually. Jesus didn’t say if the storms arrive. Instead, He teaches us that the storms will arrive at some point.

The trials and difficulties of life reveal the foundation on which we are resting. The solid rock dwellers will be able to make it through this life and enter the presence of Christ. The sand dwellers will be swept away from the presence of Christ once and for all.

This is a powerful teaching. And it leads me to end this post with one question. What are you building your life upon?

Tony French