mrtonyfrench

Of the sons of Issachar, men who understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their kinsmen were at their command.

1 Chronicles 12:32

As the Kingdom of Israel is being firmly secured in the hand of David, a roll call of support is given in 1 Chronicles 12. A family clan called the sons of Issachar are included in this group. These leaders of this ancient Israelite tribe were renowned for the ability to discern the times in which they lived. Though there number was relatively small (as compared to the other tribes listed here), the men of Issachar were considered a valued and necessary component to David’s kingship.

How can we learn to discern the times in which we find ourselves? Understanding the times is not an exact science. But, there are steps we can take to help us. Knowing how to read the situations we face will aid us and propel us into taking strides that will honor God and fulfill His desires. Let us examine these truths.

1) Stay in the Word of God. David cries out in Psalm 119:33 Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, And I shall observe it to the end. God’s people need to continually read and study the Bible. Understanding our times requires us to stay in the Word every single day. The Bible will guard us from sin, guide us to truth, and grant us the peace we so desperately need. God will teach us and transform us as we stay in the Scriptures.

2) Test everything by the Word of God. How can we know right from wrong? By bringing our decisions under the scrutiny of the Bible. If God’s word warns against something, we can trust in Him and go in the opposite direction. If the Bible commands us to do something, we can obey in full confidence. God validates our path as we study and live by His Word.

There will be occasions where discernment will be difficult to ascertain. So verify the truth through the lens of God’s Word.  In Psalm 119:137, we are taught the following principle—Righteous are You, O Lord, And upright are Your judgments. Testing our decisions by God’s standard will keep us in a state of righteousness and holiness all the days of our lives.

3) Pray about everything. Pray without ceasing. (1 Thessalonians 5:17) Prayer is a prerequisite for determining the times. Continual interaction and fellowship with God through prayer will allow us to see our lives better from God’s perspective. And an eternal perspective keeps us grounded in the truth and allows us to see the things that are far better for us.

Understanding our times is not always simple and clean. We need the leadership and guidance of the Lord to truly discern our ways. Dear Believer, stay in the Word and continue in prayer. God has promised to lead us and guide us as we seek Him!

Tony French

And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.
Romans 8:23-25

Do you need some good news, child of God? Do your spirits need a lift today? Think on this thought for awhile. We are adopted, redeemed, and saved by faith.

Believers have been adopted into God’s family. We are redeemed from the bondage of sin and we shall receive a new body in the resurrection of the saints. (1 Corinthians 15:51-58) And it’s all because of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone. We can’t see it all at this juncture. We will see the promises of God fully revealed by and by.

Faithful Christians believe even when we can’t see everything. Faith in Christ calls us to trust even when we don’t have all the answers. Faith is necessary to please God and faith is vital for relationship with God. (Hebrews 11:6)

We have the victory through Christ’s great salvation. He has saved us, adopted us, and redeemed us from sin. The Christian’s call and desire is to live by faith each day. May we seek to live our lives through the Spirit of God.  Jesus purchased the victory for us through His death and resurrection. He is worthy!

Tony French

¹ My soul waits in silence for God only; From Him is my salvation. ² He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken.

Psalm 62:1-2

David, the author of Psalm 62, went through many ups and downs in his life. He understood the nature of life on this planet as he saw its best and its worst. A man of war, David knew battles, triumphs, and death. But through it all, the psalmist leaned upon Lord and His unwavering providence.

These two verses from Psalm 62 mention three avenues by which God sustained and supported David. The Lord God still uses these means of grace to encourage, comfort, and support Christ-followers today. Let us examine them in brief this week.

**God is our Rock. David’s message here teaches Christians that God is our ultimate Defender. The Lord is our place of defense and our trust in Him is never in vain. Our belief in Christ will be vindicated in the end. God is our Rock! 

**The Lord is our Salvation. The Lord will deliver His people in the end. Though trials and difficulties will arise, God’s people trust in the Lord to bring them through. Believers will be delivered from this life of sin, this vail of tears, and this body of death one day. The Lord is our Salvation!

**The Almighty is our Stronghold. He is our Protector from the storms and our Shield from the enemy. God is with us through our faults and failures. Our salvation is secure through the protective power of God’s grace and mercy. People will let us down and we often let ourselves down in this life. God, nevertheless, holds us in His hand and protects our relationship with Himself to the very end. The Almighty is our Stronghold!

Be encouraged, Child of God. The best is yet to come!

Tony French

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 1:6

Christian, be confident today. God is not finished with you. The Lord will complete what He has begun in you. He will not let you down.

Christian, be confident today. Be confident not in your own works or your own abilities. Be faithful in the Lord. Be assured in what Christ has done and what He has promised. Your life has meaning and purpose because you belong to Christ. (1 Peter 2:9) And you will be with Jesus forever and ever.

Christian, be confident today. The Spirit of God lives within you and you are sealed until the day of redemption. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Ephesians 4:30) The Holy Spirit has the power to keep and sustain you all the way. You can trust Him.

Be confident, child of God. God will sustain, secure, and complete His promises in you in His timing. Of those things you can be sure!

Tony French

And He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.

2 Corinthians 5:15

Christ died for us so that we might live. He has saved and rescued us from our sins. The Savior has justified us, taken away our guilt, and given us His righteousness. Jesus is the atonement for sin and by His blood we are cleansed forevermore. The death of our Lord made all this a reality in our lives.

But, what now? How do we live in light of these precious gifts? Paul teaches us to live for Christ. We no longer live for ourselves, we live for Him. We are to seek Him day by day and follow the instruction we find in Scripture. We ought to read and study the Bible because it is God’s word that tells us how to live. Living by the dictates of Scripture will guard us and guide us as we go through our lives.

We do not live for Jesus to be saved or to maintain our salvation. No, Christ has saved us fully and to the uttermost. (Hebrews 7:25) We live for Christ because He has saved us. He has delivered us and set our lives upon the solid rock of Himself. We have been made new creations and we should seek to demonstrate our new status in Christ to others.

(2 Corinthians 5:17)

Since we have been saved and sanctified, we must live our lives to please the Lord. We no longer live for ourselves and our desires. May we follow Him until we see Jesus face to face!

Tony French

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