Tag Archives: Christ

July 16, 2026 · 9:00 pm

By Faith

7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith. 8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because sheconsidered him faithful who had made the promise. 12 And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore. 13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a istance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

Hebrews 11:7-16

36 Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground. 39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, 40 since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

Hebrews 11:36-40

Let us consider three thoughts from Hebrews 11 today:

**At times, faithful people are empowered by God to do great things

**At times, faithful people are empowered by God to endure great suffering

**God’s people believe it by faith before it is received.

May the blessings of God be upon you all!

Tony French

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July 13, 2026 · 9:00 am

The Awesome Word of God

The Bibles teaches us the following thought; “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.”  (2nd Timothy 4:3)  This powerful prophesy perfectly describes a growing segment of the church today. There are some who desire to fit the Bible to their convictions rather than allowing the Bible to shape their convictions.

The Word of God is our standard and our rule of faith. We should order our lives by its teachings and not seek to force our own preferences upon the Scriptures. From the Bible, the believer derives their core beliefs and doctrine. We can know the truth and it will set us free. (John 8:32)   

It is important for Christians to know what they believe and why they believe it. For instance, why do we believe in Jesus? The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is a good place to begin. Jesus died, was buried, and rose again. He predicted His death, burial, and resurrection. Who else could do such a thing but God alone?

Why do we believe in the resurrection? The first reason is the eyewitness testimony of the risen Savior. (1 Corinthians 15) There were many witnesses (up to 500) to Jesus resurrection. Also, many of those who encountered the resurrected Savior were willing to give their lives for their commitment to the truth that Jesus was raised from the dead. Ultimately, we believe that Jesus is alive by faith. (Hebrews 11:1-6) The risen Savior is the foundation and the heart of Christian belief.

May we always be ready to give an answer for our beliefs. But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect (1st Peter 3:15)

Tony French

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July 9, 2026 · 9:00 pm

Supreme Savior

13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Colossians 1:1-14

The Greater Force

The account found in Luke 8 isn’t primarily about demons—it’s about the supremacy of Christ. He is greater than every force of darkness. He is greater than our problems, our fears, our doubts, and our sins.

This is why believers in Christ need not fear demonic possession. The Spirit of God dwells within us, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. Light and darkness cannot coexist in the same space.

But this protection isn’t automatic for everyone. It comes through a relationship with Jesus Christ—through turning from sin and trusting in His finished work on the cross. He didn’t just defeat demons during His earthly ministry; He defeated sin, death, and Satan himself through His crucifixion and resurrection.

Tony French

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July 6, 2026 · 9:00 am

Jesus Changes Lives

30 Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him. 31 And they begged Jesus repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss.32 A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs, and he gave them permission. 33 When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.

Luke 8:30-32

The Encounter That Changes Everything

The man among the tombs had a life that seemed beyond hope. The community had tried everything. Nothing worked. He had suffered “for a long time.”

The demons recognized Christ immediately. They even tried to intimidate Him by using His full title: “Jesus, Son of the Most High God.” It was like a tiny dog yapping at a grizzly bear—all noise, no threat.

The demons couldn’t stand in His presence. They begged not to be sent into the abyss. Jesus, demonstrating His complete authority, sent them into a herd of pigs that then rushed down a steep bank into the lake and drowned.

When the townspeople came to investigate, they found the formerly demon-possessed man “sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind.”

This is the power of an encounter with Christ. Where there was chaos, there is now peace. Where there was nakedness and shame, there is now dignity. Where there was insanity, there is now soundness of mind.

Bring your mess to Jesus today. He will forgive your sin, redeem your past, and cleanse your unrighteousness. God is able!

Tony French

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July 2, 2026 · 9:00 pm

Faith In God

1Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. 4 By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead. 5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Hebrews 11:1-6

Have Faith In God……

**Faith means believing even though we can’t see or experience it through our senses.  (1)

**Faith is the means of salvation through Jesus Christ. (2) (6)

**Faith gives us courage to obey God (3-5)

**Faith is how we please God (6)

Lord, increase our faith! (Luke 17:5)

Tony French

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June 25, 2026 · 9:00 pm

Lamb of God (2)

10 And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. 14 For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. 15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: 16 “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” 17 Then he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” 18 And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.

Hebrews 10:10-18

Jesus is our great, perfect, ultimate sacrifice. Through Christ’s substitutionary death on the cross, forgiveness and salvation are granted to all who believe in Him. Jesus is the author a new, perfect, eternal covenant based on God’s grace.

The Mosaic Covenant sacrifices could never fully remove sin and guilt. However, Jesus’ sacrifice gives full and complete redemption to the sinner. The writer of Hebrews spells this out in Chapter 10.

**Jesus Offered Himself (10)

**Jesus offered Himself Once For All (12-14)

**Jesus Purifies Us Through His Blood (14)

**We Are Forgiven On The Basis Of Jesus’ Sacrifice (17-18)

Tony French

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June 18, 2026 · 9:00 pm

Lamb Of God (1)

1 The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. 2 Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. 3 But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. 4 It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5 Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; 6 with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. 7 Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—I have come to do your will, my God.’” 8 First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”—though they were offered in accordance with the law. 9 Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. 10 And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Hebrews 10:1-10

Hebrews 10 serves as a contrast between the Mosaic Covenant lambs and the Christ, the New Covenant Lamb of God. Three points about the earthly lambs are made in these verses:

** Earthly Lambs Had To Be Offered Continually (1-3)

**Earthly Lambs Could Never Take Away Sin (4-7)

**Earthly Lambs Needed To Be Spotless (Exodus 12:5)

We will examine Christ’s role as the Lamb of God next week. Blessings upon you all!

Tony French

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June 15, 2026 · 4:42 pm

Adversary

8Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. 

1 Peter 5:8-9

The Destroyer’s Strategy

Satan’s methods haven’t changed much over the millennia. Like a serpent that can slip through the smallest crack in a foundation, he looks for any opening to bring destruction into our lives. He doesn’t always announce himself with dramatic possession or obvious evil. Sometimes his work is far more subtle.

Consider the small compromises we make. The “harmless” entertainment we consume. The spiritual practices we dabble in without considering their source. The anger we nurse. The bitterness we cultivate. The lies we tell ourselves.

Peter warned that our adversary prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Lions are patient hunters. They watch. They wait. They look for the weak, the isolated, the vulnerable.

Be on your guard, Christian!

Tony French

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June 11, 2026 · 6:00 pm

The Greater Power

26 They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, which is across the lake from Galilee. 27 When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!” 29 For Jesus had commanded the impure spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places.

Luke 8:26-29

The Greater Power: Finding Freedom from Destruction

In the quiet hills overlooking the Sea of Galilee, an extraordinary encounter took place that would forever change one man’s life—and teach us profound truths about the spiritual battle we all face.

Imagine a man so tormented, so completely overtaken by darkness, that he lived among the tombs rather than among the living. He wore no clothes. Chains couldn’t hold him. Society had given up on him. His family could only watch in horror as the person they once knew became unrecognizable.

This wasn’t just a story from ancient times—it’s a vivid picture of what destruction looks like when evil is given free reign in a life.

The account from Luke chapter 8 presents us with a sobering reality: there is a very real enemy who seeks to kill, steal, and destroy. This isn’t a comfortable truth. We live in an age that either dismisses spiritual warfare entirely or becomes unhealthily obsessed with it. But the Scripture presents a balanced view—one that acknowledges the reality of evil while proclaiming the supremacy of Christ.

Tony French

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June 4, 2026 · 6:00 pm

New Covenant

11 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. 16 For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. 17 For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives. 18 Therefore not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood. 19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you.” 21 Then likewise he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry. 22 And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. 23 Therefore it was necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than hese. 24 For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; 25 not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another— 26 He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, 28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

Hebrews 9:11-28

The New Covenant of Christ is….

**A Cleansing Covenant

**An Eternal Covenant

**Through The Cross of Christ

**Dependent On Christ’s Work

**Fully Realized In Heaven

There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel’s veins. And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains!

Tony French

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