I Corinthians

Nothing Without God

July 20, 2015 by Tim Sherfy

As I was praying recently, a thought occurred to me: “I am nothing except what You are through me.” We love to pose and posture. We love to talk about our accomplishments and achievements. But the reality is nothing we do would be possible if not for God. He created us, gave us our skills and abilities, provided our wisdom, and nurtured our development.

nothing without God,gifts,humility,mission,purpose,1 Corinthians 3:12-15,Matthew 7:21-23,the sheep and the goats

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Not a single thing we have ever done would be possible if not for some gift of God. That doesn’t mean everything we’ve done is good or blessed, but it does mean we are all absolutely useless and weak except for the providence of our loving Creator.
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Christianity is…

June 8, 2015 by Tim Sherfy

Christianity is misunderstood and misrepresented. Instead of a movement of people that act and look like Jesus, the word has been co-opted to identify people of a particular political bent who live a particular lifestyle. Christianity is not about people who claim they believe in God. The Bible says even demons believe in God (James 2:19), and no one would ever call a demon by the name “Christian”!

christianity is,love,James 2:19,Christianity,Luke 10:25-28,injustice,sheep and the goats,I Corinthians 13:4-5,I Corinthians 13,I Corinthians 13:4-7,Isaiah 58:6-10,Matthew 25:31-46

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Christianity is not a list of do’s and don’ts; it is not about saying a certain prayer or attending a certain church on Sunday. Christianity is all about believing in, and replicating, the character of God. Christianity is first, foremost, and always about love.
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Living in Love

April 16, 2015 by Tim Sherfy

In a recent post (see “When All is Said and Done”) I discussed how it is vital that we live our lives with an eye toward retelling our story to Jesus. This is an important concept to grasp, because each of us will one day have to give an account of our lives to Him (Romans 14:10-12).

living in love,greg boyd,servant God,I Corinthians 16:14,Romans 14:12,Romans 14:10-12,Ephesians 4:29,love,discipline,discipleship

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With that in mind, I wanted to look at practical ways we can live to ensure we have a pleasing story to tell. This isn’t a list of “do’s and don’ts”, but rather a motivation that must invade every aspect of our lives. That motivation is love.
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Your Greatest Achievement

February 12, 2015 by Tim Sherfy

success,schievement,well done good and faithful servant,meeting Jesus,God's will,Matthew 25:31-46,the sheep and the goats,love,I Corinthians 13,Matthew 25:23

What is the greatest achievement you can think of in life? If you could achieve your dreams, what would they be? How do you define success? Think of the biggest goal you can imagine. Dare to dream your biggest dream. Now think what it will feel like if we live our life in such a way that when we meet Jesus He says to us, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master” (Matthew 25:23). Wouldn’t your wildest dreams, all of your greatest achievements combined, pale in comparison to that one conversation?

Working for the Lord

November 20, 2014 by Tim Sherfy

mission,Colossians 3:23,Ephesians 2:10,I Corinthians 10:31,Isaiah 43:7,working as unto the Lord

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Early in my days in the corporate world, the first time I was given a position with my own office, I hung a sign over my desk that quoted Colossians 3:23. It said, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” It often comforted me when those I was working for were severely frustrating me and trying my patience! That passage helped re-center me and remind me of what was truly important. While that sign and office are long gone, the daily reminder that verse afforded me has stuck with me throughout my life. Recently as I was exercising, a similar thought, no doubt inspired by my recollection of that verse, occurred to me. That thought was to test all of my activity by whether or not it glorifies God. This is how we can do all things as working for the Lord. Everything we do must be for Him.

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