Tony French Speaks

Would you rather know about God, or know God?It is great to have information about God, but that doesn't hold a candle to actually knowing God. God created us to be in intimate relationship with him.Let's pursue God, not just knowledge about him. There is not comparison.

We are committed to being the kind of people who reflect both the purpose and the personality of Jesus by leveraging the gifts Jesus has given us for the benefit of others, both inside the church and outside the church.

We believe that living life together in a safe "me too" community is the best opportunity for pursuing truth and grace and experiencing the life that God has in mind for us.We were not made to live life on our own. We are created for relationship. We believe the local church is family.

We believe that following Jesus involves implementing a strategy to enthrall yourself with God and eliminate any obstacles or responses that stand against God’s good intentions for you.

No matter what you have done wrong, we believe that by grace through faith in Jesus alone, it is still possible to be reconnected back into intimate relationship with God.Probably the most important value at The Christian Center is this one. We believe that relationship with Jesus is possible. And that relationship can change everything about you.

Every group of people has rules that they live by. The church is no different. Here at the Christian Center we intentionally have chosen seven values. Our first value is Biblical Authority.We believe that the Bible is God’s Word and has the ability to show us a better way to live, if we are willing to put ourselves under its authority and adjust our lives to what God reveals there as true and best We are people of The Book. We use it to reveal truth. Truth about God. Truth about His Kingdom. Truth about ourselves. When we need to gain insight into life, we first turn to the Bible to see what it has to say. It reveals our foundational truths. We do not change God's word to align with out view of things, we change our view of things to align with God's word.

We can learn a lot about God by looking at the Christmas story.In our minds, we think we know how things ought to be, and how God ought to do them. The funny thing is, God normally doesn't work that way. The craziness of the Christmas story can give us insight into the way that God works in our lives.

The birth of Jesus initiates many of the blessing of God, one of them is joy.Because of Jesus, we can have joy. Joy that is not based on our circumstances.

As we look towards the birth of Jesus, we also look towards what Jesus brings.This week we look towards the Prince of Peace. The one that brings peace that is beyond our understanding. The peace that replaces anxiety.

Advent is the time before Christmas when we look towards the coming of Jesus, As we look towards Jesus, one of the first things we see is hope.Not wishful thinking, but longing for the good that is coming in the future. The good in the near-term future and the good at the renewal of all things.

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

This is the best news ever:Christ in you, the hope of glory