Tag Archives: God

January 9, 2025 · 1:00 pm

Enjoy

24 Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. This also, I saw, was from the hand of God. 25 For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, more than I? 26 For God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His sight; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting, that he may give to him who is good before God. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.

Ecclesiastes 2:24-26

Solomon’s counsel here is stark. Due to the meaninglessness of life, we should enjoy God’s blessings. God’s provision is reason enough to give thanks and praise for all that He does.

As we view life from God’s perspective, we find that life is not meaningless. As we trust in Christ and follow Him, our life develops an eternal nature that gives us something the world cannot give.

God is the giver of all blessings (James 1) and all good things. And He is with us every step of the way.

This world’s goods, pleasures, and power can never give us the meaning and significance we so desire. But, when we are adopted into God’s family, our life takes on an entirely new dimension. We receive a hope and purpose that is not of this world.

Don’t get me wrong. The life of the Christian is not perfect and trials and difficulties await us all. Through our Savior, we are able to endure even the most challenging of circumstances and come through them in victory. As a Christian, life is anything but meaningless.   

Tony French

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November 4, 2024 · 9:00 am

One

4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Ephesians 4:4-6

Paul speaks here of the “ones” of the Christian faith. They are…

**One Body

**One Spirit

**One Hope

**One Lord

**One Faith

**One Baptism

**One Father

There are not many ways to heaven. Only one way leads to paradise. Jesus is the way. Christ is the one way. Christ is the only way.

Tony French

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October 14, 2024 · 9:00 am

Hear

“Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

This portion of Scripture was called the Shema by the Jewish rabbis. It was often quoted by Jewish worshipers in the synagogue meetings. The lessons it teaches are universal and important for Christian believers in our day. What are those lessons?

**There is only one God.

The great truth of this passage tells us that there is only one true, authentic God. In a society that trumpeted a multitude of gods and goddesses, Moses declares that the only true God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

We would do well to remember this truth in our time. Many idols still vie for our attention. Yet, for the Christian, there is only one God revealed in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

**We must pass the Christian faith on to the young.

The Hebrew people were commanded to continually teach the precepts and principles of the Law. They were to pass on their faith to the next generation. Failure to transfer these principles from God’s Word resulted in much pain and heartache for the nation of Israel. The people of God were to continue to faithfully teach the Word of God so that future generations would not forget the miracles, blessings, and provisions that God had provided for His people.

This principle still has great import for today’s Christian. If we don’t teach the truths of Scripture through word and deed to our children and young people, who will? The world system is contrary to the truths of the Scriptures. Therefore, we must teach the truth, preach it, and live it so that our children may grow in the faith.

**We must teach the truths of the Bible by utilizing every opportunity.

The Jewish people were commanded to teach the truths of the Law in the morning, throughout the day, and in the evening. The point was this; use every teachable moment to pass along the ways of God, the truth of God, and the greatness of God to the young.

As Christians today, our command and call is exactly the same. We should be taking advantage of every occasion we are given to teach the plain truths of Scripture. Let us point out God’s blessing and goodness. May we remind our children that God is with us at all times. Let us teach them of Christ’s died and rose again for the salvation of souls.  Let us not hold onto our faith, let’s pass it on.

Tony French

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April 25, 2024 · 6:00 pm

Wisdom of God

14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.

James 3:14-16

In this passage, James teaches the Church about the failure of worldly wisdom. Jealousy and selfish ambition causes people to have an improper view of themselves and “lie against the truth.” Human beings can be deceived so easily and it’s important for God’s people to be on guard against this scheme of the evil one. 

Worldly wisdom does not come from the Lord. James describes this wisdom as “earthly,”  “natural,” and even “demonic” in nature. What sounds good and right to the worldly person is often diametrically opposed to Christ’s will and His Word. This earthly philosophy leads to chaos and further sinfulness when followed.

God’s people have the wisdom that comes from above. God’s Word provides us with the truth. The Holy Spirit leads us to righteousness and true goodness. And the Lord’s Church holds us accountable to the truth as we meet regularly for worship.  

Let us be thankful and give praise for the wisdom of Christ. Without it, we would be tossed to and fro by godless teaching and wisdom.

Tony French

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April 18, 2024 · 9:00 pm

Ministry

Serving Jesus should be a burning desire within the life of a Christian. We are called, commissioned, and sent to serve Christ through serving others. This post will deal with concrete reasons we can and should serve Jesus every day. Why should we serve?

*He loves us. Christ loves us, therefore, we ought to serve Him. His love was manifested to us when were at our worst. Shouldn’t we be willing to give Him our best?

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.  Romans 5:8-11

*We should also minister to others because it is worth the cost. Service is never easy. We would much rather be served than serve our fellow humans. In the end, attending to the needs of others will cost us. However, it also gives us blessing, strength, and joy knowing that when we love others we are following in Christ’s footsteps. Serving Jesus is always worth the effort.

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

*Finally, let us serve out of our growing love for Christ. Giving ourselves to others is an expression of our love for God. Let us serve Him because we love Him.

Bless the Lord, all you His hosts, You who serve Him, doing His will.  Psalm 103:21

And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.  1 John 4:21

Dear Believer, commit to serving Jesus this week. After all, it’s the least that we can do!

Tony French

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February 26, 2024 · 9:00 am

Promise Keeper

God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Corinthians 1:9

God is faithful. Even when we are not faithful to Him He is always faithful to us. He is faithful in so many ways.

**God is faithful to provide for us.

And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:19

**God is faithful to be with us.

“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”

John 14:18

**He is faithful to give us eternal life.

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.”My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. “I and the Father are one.”

John 10:27-30

God is indeed faithful. He never leaves us, He provides for us, and we will be with Him forever. If God is faithful, what else do we need?

Blessings be upon you all!

Tony French

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February 5, 2024 · 9:00 am

Faithful God

God’s faithfulness to His people is a constant theme of Scripture. His faithfulness is demonstrated to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God’s faithfulness is revealed in His dealings with the nation of Israel. He was faithful to the kings, the priests, and the prophets. Even when His people were not faithful, God always was.

The theme of God’s faithfulness continues into the New Testament. We are told that God is still faithful to Christians today as we peruse the pages of Scripture. Let us examine three ways that God is faithful to Believers in our day.

**God is faithful to forgive us and reconcile us through the work of Christ upon the cross.

God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.  1 Corinthians 1:9

**God is faithful to help us fight temptation and overcome it.

No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13

**God is faithful to forgive us and cleanse when we confess our sins to Him.

If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.  1 John 1:8-10

God is faithful to us. May we live in this reality day by day. And may we give thanks for His faithfulness and declare to all generations!

Tony French

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December 4, 2023 · 9:00 am

Savior

Who is Jesus? The opinions are varied and mixed. While almost everyone believes there was a historical Jesus, there is much division about who He truly is and what it all means.

What does the Bible say about this topic? How would Scripture answer that question? It would be impossible to tell of everything the Bible says about Jesus nature and work in one blog post. So let’s examine three truth claims about Jesus from the Word of God as we seek to elucidate this quandary.

**The Scriptures declare that Jesus is the Son of God. Peter declared Him to be the “Son of the Living God” (Matthew 16:14) in his declaration. Also, Jesus has the power to forgive the sinner (Matthew 9:1-6) and He pronounced Himself as “Lord of the Sabbath.” (Luke 6:1-5) John expressed Jesus’ deity by saying “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14) in his Gospel.

These statements make a compelling case for the deity of Jesus. The Holy Word of God thunders the truth of Jesus’ divinity from the lips of Savior and the pen of the apostles. When one examines the Bible, we must realize that the Scriptures declare that Jesus is indeed the Son of God!

**Jesus is the Savior of the world. Everyone who believes in Him and trusts Him for salvation shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16-17)  He lived for our justification, died to pay our sin debt, and rose again to prove that everything He said was true. (1 Corinthians 15:3-4) 

He is the Savior, and He is the ONLY savior. We find this truth expressed in John 14:6, Acts 4:32, and 1 Timothy 2:5. One can choose to accept this precept or reject it. However, this truth is objective and eternal and cannot be changed.

**Jesus is the judge.  He is the long promised Messiah (Matthew 16:14) and He is the one who will judge the nations. (John 5:22)  All Believers will answer to Christ for the way they have lived one day. (2 Corinthians 5:10) People may choose to reject His salvation and His mercy. But, no one will escape His judgment.

Are you ready to stand before Christ? Have you trusted Him for your salvation believing He died, was buried, and rose again for you? Trust in Him today. He is the Son of God, He is the Savior of the world, and He will judge everyone at the appointed time. Trust Him today while you still can!

Tony French

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November 30, 2023 · 9:00 pm

Careful Speech

This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; or the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.

James 1:19-21

The Word of God gives us a command in this passage; deal with your anger. While we will get angry from time to time, we must also learn to deal with anger in a healthy way. Our goal is this-we should control our anger instead of our anger controlling us. 

To this end, James give three commands to help us. First, be quick to listen and here all sides. Second, be slow to speak. Resist to the urge to speak and learn to listen. Finally, be slow to become angry. Evidently, we have a choice in this matter. We can, by the power of God, learn to control our anger.

Uncontrolled anger does not bring about a righteous life. And uncontrolled anger makes it more difficult for us to access and apply God’s Word to our life. Do you have an anger problem? Deal with it!

Tony French

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November 20, 2023 · 9:00 am

Incarnation

One of the great tenets of the Christian faith surrounds the person of Jesus Christ. We proclaim that He is all God and all man. Somehow, through the miraculous power of God, Jesus received humanity in the incarnation.

Today, let us think about the one who came to identify with us. He felt the emotions we feel and Christ experienced life as we experience it. Let us look as some examples.

**He became hungry.

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry.  Matthew 4:1-2

**He became tired and rested.

So He came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph; and Jacob’s well was there. So Jesus, being wearied from His journey, was sitting thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.  John 4:5-6

**He was thirsty at times.

There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.”

John 4:7

**Jesus cried.

“Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept.

The mystery of the incarnation is deep and profound. Jesus experienced the entirety of humanity and yet remained without sin for us. He loves us today. And He understands because, He’s been there.

Tony French

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