Tony French Speaks

You have heard that October is Pastor Appreciation Month. We have been celebrating November as Jesus Appreciation Month. Listen in as several share why they appreciate Jesus.

But isn't that too lame of a word to express how we feel about Jesus. Yes. Yes it is.

Telling people how they should treat other people is a dangerous affair. Most people do not want anyone meddling in their business. Today we barge through that door, and tell everyone that they are not doing it the way Jesus has in mind.

Wives. Husbands. Children. Listen up!

After coming face-to-face with our own lust and anger, we realize that God has come for us while we were still living under their influence. Above that, He expresses his compassion, kindness and forgiveness towards us, and wants us to live under their influence, instead of our lust and anger.

As we see the impact of His compassion and kindness, our natural response is one of gratitude. We start to live in peace. 

When we realize that it is in the depth of our own lust and anger that God comes for us, we begin to see what compassion, kindness and forgiveness looks like. We begin to understand how much God loves us and cares for us. Then we can begin to treat ourselves with that same compassion and forgiveness. Once we have a grasp on how God treats us, and we begin to treat ourselves that same way, then we can begin to treat others with kindness, compassion and forgiveness.
We can take off the old and put on the new.

Lust and anger. Nobody wants to talk about it, but we must face it head on to have any chance of removing their influence over our lives.

Since Christ has done such a big work in us, what is our response?


To set our minds on the things above. We put our focus and energy into eternal things. Better things. 

Mankind thinks that if we follow the rules we will show ourselves to be good. Maybe even good enough to appease God.


Jesus has another plan. He makes us good. His work did that. We are now set free from the rules of this world.


We are called to let Him live his life through us. This is a much higher calling. One that cannot be defined or contained by a set of rules or precepts. This is real life and freedom. Following Jesus in his holiness.

Jesus did all the heavy lifting. He was crucified, raised from the dead and ascended to the right hand of the Father.


For those who are 'in Christ', Jesus also did a lot of work on you too. You have received Christ, are rooted and built up, established in Jesus. You were taught by the Holy Spirit. You have been filled with Jesus, you have been buried with Jesus. You were raised with Jesus.You were made alive with Jesus, having all of your sins forgiven.

This is great news for us.