Faith

Fill My Hands

May 28, 2020 by Tim Sherfy

There is significant pain in the world today. So many are in need. As followers of Jesus, we cannot ignore the plight of the sick, hurting, hungry, disabled, elderly, or dispossessed. We have so much. My prayer is for God to fill my hands so I can share what He gives me with others in need. I’m not particular about what God might put in my hands. He knows best what those around me need, so I’ll leave the details to Him.

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I know He blesses us all with a unique blend of skills, talents, and passions. What He fills your hands with may differ from that with which He fills mine. That’s the beauty of the Kingdom of God. We are all different and able in concert to be used in ways we could never accomplish on our own.

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One Day at a Time

May 21, 2020 by Tim Sherfy

Following Jesus must be done one day at a time. Jesus told us we shouldn’t worry about tomorrow because today has enough trouble of its own (Matthew 6:31-34). In Proverbs, Agur prayed for just enough provision for today, not for a month, a year, or a lifetime (Proverbs 30:8). Agur was a wise man, so if his advice was to focus only on the day ahead of us, that should probably good enough for us. But when Jesus says it, then as His disciples, we must live as He says.

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As you study the life of Christ, you see a man who took each day as it came. He was never in a rush and never harried. He spent each day dealing with whatever situation was presenting itself. The only long-term agenda He seemed to have was obeying His Father. Everything else was dealt with as it came.

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What is Discipleship?

May 18, 2020 by Tim Sherfy

I am becoming more and more bothered when I read prayer requests for discipleship movements. A popular refrain among churches today is they want to be creating disciples who create disciples who create disciples. This is a worthwhile goal. At the same time, if churches aren’t creating disciples, then what are they creating? What is it they were teaching before discipleship? I am convinced one who is not a disciple is not a follower of Jesus.

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To follow Jesus is to be His disciple. You cannot separate the two. To be blunt, to be saved is to be a disciple. You cannot be one without the other. For too long we have pedaled a cheap grace, allowing people to profess a belief in Christ without explaining the level of commitment a true confession requires.

Faith Demands Obedience

May 11, 2020 by Tim Sherfy

Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “Faith is only real when there is obedience”. James, the brother of Jesus tells us faith without works is useless (James 2:15-17). What good is it if we see someone in need and wish them well as we walk by (James 2:15-16)? Saving the best for last, Jesus teaches us that God loves those who obey Him; those who obey Christ will live with Him forever (John 14:23).

Obedience is not optional for followers of Jesus. It is proof of our devotion to Him. Quoting James again. “Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith from my works. (James 2:18).” Our faith isn’t faith at all unless we obey Christ. Obedience is not an add-on. It is the essence of what it means to follow Jesus.

In Control?

May 7, 2020 by Tim Sherfy

It’s amusing how much control we think we have. Some people even refer to themselves (or have others refer to them as such behind their backs) as control-freaks. They must be in control of every situation and detail, or they aren’t happy. Most of us like to feel in control of our time, our finances, and our entertainment. In the grand scheme of things, this would be hilarious if it weren’t so sad. As human beings, we’re in control of almost nothing.

We can’t control the weather, the economy, or the government. We can’t control how fast we fall asleep, how tall or short we are, or one bit of our DNA. I submit the only things we control are our faith, our attitude, our outlook, and our actions. That’s it! It may not seem like a lot, but if we make wise decisions in these four areas, we will live an amazing life, just as God intends for us.

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