I Peter

Hate or Regret?

July 6, 2026 by Tim Sherfy

When it comes to sin and evil, are they something you hate or regret? The difference is not wordplay or subtlety. It’s one thing to feel bad about disobeying God and quite another to be repulsed at the thought of ever doing so. Our sin is the reason Jesus had to suffer and die in our place as an atoning sacrifice. (Isaiah 53:5-6; 1 Peter 3:18) To come to a place of repentance requires more from us than just regretting Jesus had to go through that.

He doesn’t need you to feel bad for Him. What Jesus desires is that you recognize your need for His sacrifice. (Mark 1:15; Luke 5:32) The Lord cannot tolerate sin (Habakkuk 1:13; Psalm 5:4-5) and as we are called to look and act like Him (Ephesians 5:1-2; 1 John 2:6), we too must hate every sin and every form of wickedness. (Romans 12:9; Psalm 97:10)

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A Slave of Jesus

July 2, 2026 by Tim Sherfy

There’s no such thing as a free person. Each of us is a slave of Jesus Christ or a slave to sin. (Romans 6:16-18; John 8:34-36) We can talk about freedom and independence all we want, but they are both a myth. We are all slaves to something or someone. That doesn’t have to be a bad thing. I am more than happy and grateful to declare myself a slave of Jesus Christ, bound to do whatever He tells me to do. (Galatians 1:10)

He died for me, so I will live for Him. (2 Corinthians 5:14-15; Romans 14:8) He bought me at the price of His blood and very life. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 1 Peter 1:18-19) I no longer live outside of Christ. (Galatians 2:19-20; Colossians 3:3) I am His and He is mine, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. (John 10:14; Song of Songs 6:3)

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Never Doubt the Power of Jesus

June 25, 2026 by Tim Sherfy

Never doubt the power of Jesus. Scripture is replete with descriptions of His authority and power. You would have to be a fool to deny it. But we’ve all proven our propensity for being fools time and again. For unbelievers, God’s power should cause feelings of terror such as they have never known. His wrath is beyond their greatest fear and most horrific imagination. It is indeed a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Hebrews 10:31)

For those of us who are His, His power should be a constant comfort as we realize no problem is too big for Him to solve. (Jeremiah 32:17; Luke 1:37) No situation is too great for Him to rescue us from. The power of Christ is unlimited and unstoppable. (Psalm 115:3; Matthew 19:26)

The Beauty of the Gospel

June 22, 2026 by Tim Sherfy

Does the gospel still fascinate and overwhelm you? Do you still marvel at the outrageous generosity of God in selecting you to be one of the chosen few? (Ephesians 1:4-5; John 15:16) Or, as time has gone by, have you grown cold and indifferent to the beauty of the gospel? When we first awaken to the truth of God’s love and sacrifice, it’s almost impossible to keep it to ourselves.

We want to share the truth of Jesus with everyone we meet. But then comes the rejection and the ridicule. It seems not everyone is so excited to hear about Christ. Our love for Him does not fade, but many times our zeal does. (Revelation 2:4-5; Romans 12:11) Sharing Jesus becomes an afterthought and the gospel something we came to accept but no longer think about.

Your Habits

June 15, 2026 by Tim Sherfy

When you die, if those you care most about inherited only your habits, how well off would they be? Would they be on the road to drawing closer to Jesus or drifting off the narrow path? (Matthew 7:13-14; Hebrews 13:7) We all leave something behind at death. The good news is we can decide how great or small that spiritual inheritance will be. Of course, that’s also the bad news.

We’re not acting in love towards those we leave behind if we aren’t pursuing and developing good spiritual habits as if it’s our full-time job. Our responsibility is not just to become Christ-like ourselves, but to instruct and encourage others to do the same. (Matthew 28:19-20; 2 Timothy 2:2) This is about more than your legacy; it’s your spiritual calling in Christ. (Ephesians 2:10; Philippians 3:14)

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