Fear

Fear the Right Things

September 25, 2023 by Tim Sherfy

Jesus taught we should not fear those who can kill our bodies but not harm our souls. Rather, the only one we should fear is the One who can destroy both our body and soul in Hell (Matthew 10:28). Fear is inevitable for all of us, but we must fear the right things. If we fear the wrong things, we will live our lives without joy and even in a state of paralysis.

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Those who know Christ need not fear anything in this world. Everything here is temporary, so anything we would fear will be temporary as well. Recognizing all pain, discomfort, sickness, or need is temporary should alleviate much of the anxiety we tend to feel.

Do You Hate Sin?

August 24, 2023 by Tim Sherfy

John MacArthur has said, “The mark of a true believer is a desire to know and obey God’s Word.” I agree with that completely. I would add another hallmark of a genuine believer is that not only does the sin of the world grieve them, but that their own sin absolutely disgusts them. Do you hate sin, or is it something you begrudgingly tolerate?

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Your answer says much about your relationship with Christ. We know God hates sin (Proverbs 6:16-19) and if we believe Jesus is the Lord that He is, then we must spend our days becoming as much like God as possible. He is our creator. He is our judge. If we love Him, we will hate what he hates.

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Jesus Knew

August 17, 2023 by Tim Sherfy

All of us would prefer to live a life free of persecution. No one wakes up thinking, “Wow, I hope someone will persecute me today!” But everyone who calls Jesus Lord knows persecution will come their way. For some, it will be physical, for some mental, and for others, it will be social persecution. No matter how it manifests itself, Jesus promises we will face persecution in this world (John 15:20).

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For some, that one fact is enough to make them reject Christ. It’s a hard sell for most people. They can’t see past this life here and now and understand what they will gain by receiving Christ and holding fast until the end. The promise of persecution is enough to make anyone hesitant and nervous. Jesus knew the persecution that was coming, and He didn’t flinch. Instead, He embraced it for you.

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What are You Afraid of?

August 10, 2023 by Tim Sherfy

What are you afraid of? There are a multitude of things in this world that make us fearful. Natural disasters, violence, death, tragedy, injustice, job loss, lack of food or shelter… the number of things we could list is almost endless. The more pervasive sin becomes, the scarier and riskier this world appears.

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No one is safe from the depravity of man, but Christians have historically been singled out for some of the worst abuses this world dishes out. While many minority groups have experienced long periods of horrific mistreatment, it is Christians who have most consistently been persecuted for the past two thousand years. This is because Satan’s war is against anyone who calls on the name of Jesus.

Our Brothers and Sisters

July 31, 2023 by Tim Sherfy

“Christians in other nations are not a topic about which we can be uninterested or a cause that we can occasionally champion. They are our family, our brothers and sisters for eternity,” writes Voice of the Martyrs president Cole Richards. Violence against Christians is ramping up in many nations. As the days grow shorter and evil increases, the people of God are increasingly finding themselves the target of man’s hostility.

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Because we may still have a modicum of religious freedom where we live is no excuse to forget our brothers and sisters who are suffering. We should be on our knees every day praying for their strength, perseverance, and deliverance. We must also realize that the same persecutions are coming for us, and we must be ready to stand with the same resolve as our brothers and sisters.