Tag Archives: Christian

Make The Most of Our Time

7 Truly the light is sweet, And it is pleasant for the eyes to behold the sun; 8 But if a man lives many years And rejoices in them all, Yet let him remember the days of darkness, For they will be many. All that is coming is vanity.

Ecclesiastes 11:7-8

We should seek to make the most of this life. We only have one life to live. Beholding the sun is pleasant and wonderful. However, our opportunities to witness sunrises and sunsets on this planet are finite.

Paul commands us to “redeem the time because the days are evil.” (Galatians 6) Even if we live to a great age, death is still coming for all of us (Hebrews 9:27). Make the most of your time, friend.

Lost people need to know Jesus. The Church has members who need ministry. Let us not be slothful with our time. Let us invest our time in the service of our King!

Tony French

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Walk By Faith

5 As you do not know what is the way of the wind, Or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child, So you do not know the works of God who makes everything. 6 In the morning sow your seed, And in the evening do not withhold your hand; For you do not know which will prosper, Either this or that, Or whether both alike will be good.

Ecclesiastes 11:5-6

This wisdom in this Scripture passage is so valuable for Christians. We don’t understand how the Lord works nor will we ever be able to fully comprehend the ways of God in this life. Until we can learn to live with this tension, we will never grow in our faith. If we demand that God explain Himself, we will live lives of confusion, panic, and desperation. It is far better to accept this fact and trust Him by faith.

Solomon uses two examples in these verses. We cannot trace the ways of the wind. We may understand it better in our day. However, the dynamics of wind remain not fully understood, even today.  For instance, why do tornadoes move as they do? Why do tornadoes destroy certain homes but leave others untouched?  We simply don’t know.

We cannot understand fully how babies form in the womb. Certainly, we know much more about the gestation process in our day than they did in Solomon’s time. The mystery of childbirth persists.  While our understanding of the “what” has increased, the underlying reasons—the “why”—remain to be explored. My point is not to give a biology lesson. I only mean to remind us that life is enigmatic and difficult to ascertain.

Paul tells us “we walk by faith and not sight.”  (2 Corinthians 5:7) God doesn’t make us privy to everything He does to grow our faith. Trust Him, Believer!

Tony French

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Unity

The Lord loves unity among His people. His desire is to see His people living in oneness. Christ is glorified as we, His people, relate to one another in unity. Consider these verses:

Psalm 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!

 John 17:11 “I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are.   

John 17:22 “The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one;

John 17:23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.

Ephesians 4:1-3 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Ephesians 4:23 Until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

Colossians 3:14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

May we continue to grow in oneness, unity, and love!

Tony French

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Endings

3 If the clouds are full of rain, They empty themselves upon the earth; And if a tree falls to the south or the north, In the place where the tree falls, there it shall lie. 4 He who observes the wind will not sow, And he who regards the clouds will not reap.

Ecclesiastes 11:4-3

These verses are somewhat cryptic in nature. What is meant by these sentences? Perhaps the writer is reminding us of the inevitable fact that all things eventually end in this life. Nothing lasts forever “under the sun.”

The clouds form, give rain, move, and then vanish. Trees are planted, they grow, and eventually, they die and fall. The inevitable monotony of life goes through these cycles many times per day unhindered.

As humans, we realize that our lives are limited. This realization ought to spur us on to make the most of the time we have left. We will face God one day—may we commit to spending our lives wisely for Christ.

Tony French

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Spiritual Training

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

Mark 13:31

The Bible: Preparing The Christian By Strengthening The Christian

Have you ever wondered how to live a life that pleases God? Psalm 119:9 poses this question: “How can a young man cleanse his way?” The answer follows immediately: “By taking heed according to Your word.” The Bible serves as our preparation manual for godly living. It equips us with the knowledge and wisdom we need to navigate life’s challenges and to serve God effectively.

Think of the Bible as a spiritual gym where we exercise our faith muscles. The more we engage with it, the stronger and more prepared we become to face life’s trials and temptations. It shapes us like a potter molds clay, preparing us to be vessels fit for God’s use.

Tony French

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Wise Stewardship

Wise Stewardship

1 Cast your bread upon the waters, For you will find it after many days. 2 Give a serving to seven, and also to eight, For you do not know what evil will be on the earth.

Ecclesiastes 11:1-2

This week we continue looking at wisdom for the day. How can we live among the vagaries and vanities of life? Let’s explore.

The preacher’s teaching instructs us to be wise stewards of our resources. His theme in these verses is investing for the future. We are called to prepare for the future and be wise in how we lay aside present and future provision realizing that God is the source of all that we have been given.

Verse 2 addresses reducing risk through investment diversification.  This advice is wise in monetary investing. This principle can also be relevant in relationships and various other aspects of life. Let us invest in a wide variety of people so that we will have the friends we need when we need them.

In Verse 6, Solomon echoes this theme of wise stewardship. The verse reads “In the morning sow your seed, And in the evening do not withhold your hand; For you do not know which will prosper, Either this or that.” Once again, diversity of investments is wise and provides a hedge against failed crops and failed speculations. Investing in relationships, however, brings a far greater reward.

Tony French

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Trust

Life is uncertain and life is difficult.  Who can we trust in when our needs arise? Who can help us?

We learn very early that life is uncertain. And, each passing year only affirms this truth more and more. Is there any hope?

Yes, His name is Jesus. There is hope in Christ. We can trust Him in all things. Trusting Christ will not make our lives perfect. But, we will never be ashamed when we trust Him.

Consider these thoughts from God’s Word………………..

**We can trust in Christ’s goodness

Psalm 34:8 O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!

**We can trust in Christ’s presence

Matthew 28:20 And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

**We can trust in Christ’s peace

John 14:27 “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.

I pray that you will blessed this week as we continue to trust in Jesus!

Tony French

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Promises

17 Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobles, And your princes feast at the proper time– For strength and not for drunkenness! 18 Because of laziness the building decays, And through idleness of hands the house leaks. 19 A feast is made for laughter, And wine makes merry; But money answers everything. 20 Do not curse the king, even in your thought; Do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom; For a bird of the air may carry your voice, And a bird in flight may tell the matter. 

Ecclesiastes 10:17-20

Keep something in mind as you read through Ecclesiastes. Life may feel chaotic, but it isn’t truly out of control.  God is in control. He is sovereign over all things. He providently works the “counsel of His will” for His glory and for “our good.” (Ephesians 1:11 & Romans 8:28).

Seeing that all this is true, we can trust God. Life possesses inherent meaning, and it is not appropriate to characterize God as inactive.  He is working on our behalf and moving history to His desired end.

We cannot trust our feelings and emotions alone. Feelings can fool us. We must trust in the revealed word of God. He will do what He has promised.

**He has promised His presence (Matthew 28:20)

**He has promised His power (Romans 15:30)

**He has promised His peace (John 14:27)

**He has promised us a place in heaven (John 14:1-3)

Trust in God’s promises. They are trustworthy and true.

Tony French

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Loved

You are loved! You are loved more than you can ever know.

The Bible tells us how much we are loved. God’s Word has revealed the one, true God who loves us in word and deed.

He loves us unconditionally……

Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

He loves us unwaveringly…….

Romans 8:38-39 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.

He loves us sacrificially……

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

We should never frustrate the love of God by living in willful sin. But, we know that He will forgive us when we call on Him in repentance. (1 John 1:9-10)

We know that it may not always feel like God loves us. But, we also know that His love is not based on feelings. God loves us because He chooses to love us.

Always remember the love God has for you. May this simple truth undergird and encourage you this day, and every day!

Tony French

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Persuasive Force

 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of Godmay be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

The Bible is the persuasive force for salvation and growth in the life of a Believer. Maturity and growth occur through the study and application of God’s Word. The Scriptures promote maturity, joy, and peace for the Christian. 

The Bible isn’t just a moral guidebook; it’s a powerful tool that God uses to draw us to Himself. Through its pages, we discover the grand narrative of creation, fall, and redemption. We learn about our own sinful nature and our desperate need for a Savior. But we also encounter the incredible news of God’s love and grace, manifested in the person of Jesus Christ.

Romans 10:17 reminds us that “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” It’s through Scripture that we’re persuaded of our need for salvation and led to put our trust in Christ. But the Bible’s persuasive power doesn’t stop at salvation – it continues to work in our lives, urging us towards spiritual maturity and deeper devotion to God.

Tony French

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