Tag Archives: Lord

Thankful

As Christians, let us express thanksgiving for………

**God’s Grace

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.

Ephesians 2:8-9

**God’s Mercy

Although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 

1Timothy 1:13

**God’s Forgiveness

 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. 

Ephesians 1:7-8

**God’s Power

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 

1 Corinthians 1:18

**God’s Compassion

Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-23

**God’s Presence

 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Deuteronomy 31:6

**God’s Security

27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.

John 10:27-29

Leave a comment

Filed under Devotion

The Lord

Let us consider our Lord today! Let us consider the one we serve. Who is the Lord?

The Lord is good.

Psalm 100:5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

The Lord is loving and kind.

Psalm 107:43 Let the one who is wise heed these things and ponder the loving deeds of the Lord.

The Lord is gracious and compassionate.

Psalm 111:4 He has caused his wonders to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and compassionate.

The Lord is worthy of praise.

Psalm 113:2 Let the name of the Lord be praised, both now and forevermore.

The Lord is our creator.

Psalm 118:24 This is the day which the LORD has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

May God bless you with a glorious week!

Tony French

Leave a comment

Filed under Devotion

Tragedy

Tragedy is a fact of life. Living on planet that is dominated by sin and rebellion ensures that tragedy, heartache, and pain will always be with us. Natural disasters and man-made disasters are all too common in our world.

Some tragedies are seen by all and are experienced on an international or national level. Other calamities affect us in our local sphere. Still other tragic circumstances are felt on a very personal and deep level.

How do we respond to tragedy? How are we (as Christians) to respond when loss, death, heartache, and pain strike our country, our family, our church, and our lives? Perhaps these three thoughts will help.

In times of tragedy, the first act the Christian needs to undertake is prayer. We absolutely should pray. We ought to pray for the victims and their families. We should pray that God’s comfort and strength would be felt and realized in their lives.

We should also proceed with caution when dealing those who have suffered a tragedy. Sometimes, our words may cause more harm than good.  Spouting platitudes such is “it was God’s will” and “there is a purpose for everything” are not helpful when someone is grieving and in pain. In times of tragedy, people need our presence more than they need our words. We ought to be there for them, cry with them, and love them.

Obviously, I do believe that God has a plan and that Romans 8:28 or Jeremiah 29:11 are true. I do believe that these verses teach essential and eternal principles. I’m merely suggesting that these phrases are not helpful in the time of grief because they imply that people should just “get over” their tragedy. Let’s not make the situation worse than it already is. Instead, let’s love people in and through their grief.

Finally, we must respond with compassion to those who are suffering. We are all sinners and we all need Jesus. Let’s not withhold compassion from someone who is experiencing a tragedy because we may disagree with them. Jesus came and died for us even when we were in sin (Romans 5:8). Let us respond with the same level of compassion as our Savior.

Following these three principles will not make things better overnight. Overcoming tragedy and grief is a painful process that could take years. In the meantime, may we as God’s people commit to helping, serving, and loving those who are suffering and hurting. And as we minister, may we realize that we will need the same type of ministry when tragedy strikes our lives as well.

Tony French

2 Comments

Filed under Devotion

The Standard

1 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels. Some of the Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?” Jesus answered them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God, and taking the consecrated bread, he ate what is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.” Then Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

Luke 6:1-5

Many folks have different opinions about the nature and character of Jesus. But what does the Bible reveal about Jesus? Luke 6 reveals important truths about Christ that we need to see. Today, we will explore one of these topics in detail.

**Jesus is the Standard

In a world where the Pharisees and Sadducees believed their interpretations were the ultimate standard, Jesus boldly declared Himself as the true measure of Scriptural hermeneutics. He is the one who defines, fulfills, and perfects the law.

This truth serves as a powerful reminder for us today. How often do we, like the religious leaders of Jesus’ time, elevate our preferences and traditions to the level of Scripture? We must be cautious not to add to or subtract from God’s Word. Jesus alone is the head of the church, and His Word is our ultimate authority.

Tony French

2 Comments

Filed under Devotion

Live Wisely

2 While the sun and the light, The moon and the stars, Are not darkened, And the clouds do not return after the rain; 3 In the day when the keepers of the house tremble, And the strong men bow down; When the grinders cease because they are few, And those that look through the windows grow dim; 4 When the doors are shut in the streets, And the sound of grinding is low; When one rises up at the sound of a bird, And all the daughters of music are brought low; 5 Also they are afraid of height, And of terrors in the way; When the almond tree blossoms, The grasshopper is a burden, And desire fails. For man goes to his eternal home, And the mourners go about the streets. 6 Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosed, Or the golden bowl is broken, Or the pitcher shattered at the fountain, Or the wheel broken at the well. 7 Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, And the spirit will return to God who gave it. 8 “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “All is vanity.”

Ecclesiastes 12:2-8

The Preacher warns us one last time to live wisely because death will come to us all. These verses are filled with metaphors that detail the brevity and sure end of life……

In the day when the keepers of the house tremble,

And the strong men bow down;

When the grinders cease because they are few,

When the doors are shut in the streets, And the sound of grinding is low;

For man goes to his eternal home, And the mourners go about the streets.

Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosed,

Or the golden bowl is broken, Or the pitcher shattered at the fountain, Or the wheel broken at the well.

Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, And the spirit will return to God who gave it.

These metaphors represent fading human vitality and life’s end.  Youth fades, bodies break down, spirits fail, and death comes to all.

Thanks be to God for our salvation. These events will transpire in our lives. We possess everlasting life and a place in heaven.  Death will not be the end for us. Rather, it will be the fulfillment of all that God has promised us. Death awaits, but Christ will be with us every step of the way and will lead us home.

Tony French

Leave a comment

Filed under Ecclesiastes

God’s Justice

God is just. His justice is spoken of frequently in Scripture. There is coming a day when Christ will judge the world in holiness and righteousness. In that day, every wrong will be made right. On the Day of Judgment, every injustice will be corrected. Here are a few thoughts about God’s justice.

Psalm 33:5 He loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the lovingkindness of the LORD.

Psalm 37:28 For the LORD loves justice And does not forsake His godly ones; They are preserved forever, But the descendants of the wicked will be cut off.

Psalm 101: 1 I will sing of lovingkindness and justice, To You, O LORD, I will sing praises.

Luke 18:7 Now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them?

Let us be thankful for our God who will is just and pure. Thank you for reading this post. May God bless you all!

Tony French

Leave a comment

Filed under Devotion

Judgement

9 Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, And let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth; Walk in the ways of your heart, And in the sight of your eyes; But know that for all these God will bring you into judgment. 10 Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, And put away evil from your flesh, For childhood and youth are vanity.

Ecclesiastes 11:9-10

This section concludes with a final warning. We will all be judged. The New Testament tells us that all will be judged by God. Both believers and non-believers will ultimately appear before Him.

Believers will give an account for how they have spent their lives. Though our salvation is secure, we will appear before Christ to answer for our works. Christian, live in light of this judgement.

Unbelievers will be judged for their rejection of God. All who refuse to believe, will be cast into the lake of fire to remain for all eternity (Revelation 21).

Our task is to share the gospel with lost people so that they may come to the knowledge of truth and be saved. Let us live in a way that honors God and draws persons to the cross. We only have one life to live. We should dedicate our lives to serving the Savior.

Tony French

Leave a comment

Filed under Ecclesiastes

Monotony

 10 Whatever one is, he has been named already, For it is known that he is man; And he cannot contend with Him who is mightier than he. 11 Since there are many things that increase vanity, How is man the better? 12 For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he passes like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will happen after him under the sun?     

Ecclesiastes 6:10-12

The monotony of life occupied much of the author’s inspired writings. Three themes emerge in that last part of this chapter.

  • God knows us. He knows our situations and our circumstances. And God is under no obligation to tell us why He does what He does. The creature cannot contend with His creator.
  • God knows what is best for us. This premise can be difficult to grasp as we struggle in a sinful world. But, it is the truth. He knows what we need before we even ask Him (Matthew 6:8)
  • We do not know what is best for us. Humans honestly believe that more of the world’s riches, fame, pleasure, and authority will bring ultimate happiness in peace. We are pushed towards that end every day through our media, our entertainment, and even our own minds. But at the end of the day, we don’t know what we truly need. Thankfully, God’s Word reveals to us the nature of the need and the only one who can truly meet that need.

Let us thank God for His wisdom and grace for our daily lives.

Tony French

Leave a comment

Filed under Ecclesiastes

The Cross of Jesus

Let us focus upon the cross today. At the cross, our salvation was secured and our hope was restored. Jesus’ completed work upon the cross secured the forgiveness of our sins and reconciliation with God for all who will believe.

At the cross, Jesus took our place. John declared that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) As the Passover lamb served as a substitute for the people of Israel, so, Jesus is our “once and for all Lamb” who died in our place.

At the cross, God’s love for humanity was shown in the greatest possible way. Paul writes, But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) Jesus’ crucifixion is the greatest example of God’s love toward sinners that has ever been and will ever be. 

At the cross, the humanity of Christ is amplified. He hurt, He experienced excruciating pain, and He had terrible thirst (John 19:28). Jesus is fully God and yet fully human. At the cross, His divine love led him to voluntarily suffer bodily and die for us in the worst possible way. He died bodily as the sacrifice for our sin so that we could be reconciled to God.

Remember the cross this week. Let us remember what Christ endured for us. Let me end with the words of this great, old hymn.

Alas and did my Savior, bleed and did my sovereign die?

Would He devote that sacred head for sinners such as I?

At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light,

And the burden of my heart rolled away,

It was there by faith I received my sight

And now I am happy all the day.

Tony French

“At the Cross” Isaac Watts and Ralph Hudson

3 Comments

Filed under Devotion

Unchanging

God is immutable. In His essential nature and person, God never changes. He works in different ways at different times. But, He never alters or wavers in His attributes and in who He is. Consider the following…….

**God’s Power Never Changes

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 

Romans 1:16

**God’s Word Never Changes

The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.”

Isaiah 40:8

**God’s Character Never Changes

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:38-39

**God’s Promises Never Change

For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. 

2 Corinthians 1:20

Tony French

Leave a comment

Filed under Devotion