Daily Life

Asking the Tough Questions

September 15, 2011 by Tim Sherfy

Following Jesus in an authentic Biblical way brings us face to face with some of the toughest questions in life. When we choose to abandon what Christianity has come to represent and instead follow Jesus with all of our heart at any cost, we will find ourselves walking a very lonely path. It is far easier to say a simple prayer and attend church an hour each week than it is to forsake everything you have and pursue Christ with relentless passion. Being a follower of Jesus will rarely gain you popularity, wealth or respect. Jesus warned us that we will be despised by our own families, persecuted and even killed (Matthew 10:16-26; Matthew 24:9). For those of us in the West, these can seem to be extreme and foreign concepts. Meanwhile, every day in countries around the world, people are ripped from their homes, tortured and put into prisons with squalid living conditions for the rest of their lives. These people understand what it means to give everything for Jesus.

Spoiled Rotten Brats

September 12, 2011 by Tim Sherfy

Western believers must be ever diligent to prevent themselves from being sucked into the materialism that permeates the culture of our day. It seems we are often more concerned with keeping up with the Jones’ rather than serving them. Without a clearly defined list of priorities based on the teachings of Christ, we will easily fall prey to the temptation of acquiring wealth and goods that will burn in the fire instead of storing up treasures that will last for eternity (Matthew 6:19-20). We are called to be separated from the ways of the world, not to indulge in them (Romans 12:2; 2 Corinthians 6:15-17). Our lives should look like that of Jesus, not our next door neighbor’s.

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Our Amazing God

September 8, 2011 by Tim Sherfy

The love of our God is beyond words. He created us out of His love and the desire to share it with others. He was and is totally self-sufficient, but He has so much love that He could not help but share it. From the beginning He has desired to collaborate with us in the creation of human history. He gave us everything we would ever need, yet if you are anything like me, you rarely take the time to contemplate how amazing is our God.

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The Danger of Nationalism

September 5, 2011 by Tim Sherfy

I’ve lived in America for all of my adult life, and I certainly appreciate the freedoms that privilege has afforded me. Like many in this country, I am deeply concerned about the direction we are heading, and I miss the heady times of the past. Yet a disturbing trend I’ve noticed among believers is to elevate this concern to their chief topic of conversation. They put far more energy into political causes than they do into the mission of the Kingdom. I understand the emotion; I spent ten or fifteen years heavily wrapped up in politics as well. This is a dangerous game for Christians, and I believe it is a sinister weapon of the enemy.

Following Jesus is a Choice

September 1, 2011 by Tim Sherfy

When you committed your life to Christ, this was a choice you determined to make. No one can do this for you; following Jesus is a personal commitment and a personal decision (Joshua 24:15). For many, this is the only choice they will make. In reality, we must choose repeatedly throughout our lives to follow Him. Being a disciple is not a one-and-done kind of deal.

commitment,discipleship,following Jesus is a choice

We choose to commit our lives to Him, and then we must spend the rest of our lives choosing to follow Him because following Jesus is a choice we make every day (Luke 9:23). When the rubber meets the road, many choose to take the off-ramp. Making a one-time decision is easy; a lifetime commitment is something exponentially more.