I Peter

Why Choose Jesus?

February 11, 2016 by Tim Sherfy

Why choose Jesus? It’s a question I believe every disciple should be able to answer. To follow Jesus means our lives will be radically different from those around us. Living in such contrast to our culture should generate curious stares and abundant questioning. If no one is asking why you live the way you do, you are probably not modeling Christ well.

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So when people ask you why you follow Jesus, what do you say to them? Peter said we should always be ready to give reasons for believing as we do (I Peter 3:14-15). I’ll give you a couple of reasons why I choose Jesus, and follow with what that actually means to anyone who decides to follow Him.

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Leveraging Your Life

December 10, 2015 by Tim Sherfy

No matter who we are or what we do, our primary mission in life is to leverage everything we have to further the Kingdom of God. What this means is none of have any excuse for not serving God in every area of our lives. For too long we’ve made a distinction between those “in the ministry” and those who have traditional or secular jobs.

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In our family life, we look to others to give us spiritual direction while shirking our own responsibilities in that area. How we live our lives at work and at home will be a direct expression of where our hearts are in relation to our Creator. With that in mind, how well are you reflecting Christ? How are you leveraging your relationship with Him to further His kingdom?
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Holiness over Happiness

November 30, 2015 by Tim Sherfy

A vile disease has wormed its way into the hearts and minds of modern Christianity. The teaching of “God wants you to be happy” is preached from pulpits across the nation regardless of the fact this principle is not found in Scripture. I don’t find anywhere where God said to “Be happy because I am happy”. What I do find He says is to “Be holy because I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:15-16) There is a vast difference between holiness and what we equate with happiness.

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Before you get too depressed, know this: there is no joy like being obedient and faithful to Jesus Christ. Happiness is a fleeting emotion, counts for nothing, and fades as quickly as it came. Holiness lasts forever, counts for everything in the eyes of God, and is hard to shake once you’ve tasted its beauty.
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The Bottomless Sea

July 9, 2015 by Tim Sherfy

C.S. Lewis once said, “Remember that the ‘bottomless sea’ can’t hurt us as long as we keep on swimming.” That’s important to remember when we are going through dark times in our life. Jesus never promised a life spent pursuing Him would be easy. In fact, He told us it would be anything but easy (John 15:18-20, John 16:33, 1 Peter 5:10, James 1:2-3).

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Still, it is easy to question where God is in the midst of our struggle. We feel as if we’re drowning and see no way to get back to the surface. I can think of no better advice than what Lewis gave: just keep swimming! God is always closer than you think. He’s right beside you, reaching out His hand (Matthew 14:27-31).
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Smothering Others with Love

October 13, 2014 by Tim Sherfy

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In the book, “Servant God”, the author writes “God’s Kingdom is not defined by conquering our enemies in battlefields or courts of law but rather through our service and love for them. God’s Kingdom spreads by persuasion and truth, not force and coercion.” How often have we gotten this wrong throughout history? How often are we still getting it wrong in our everyday lives? We confuse politics with religion, and action with faith. Our job is to love and serve others, just like Jesus did. People are won for the Kingdom of God when they recognize the futility of their own efforts and their need for something outside of themselves to save them. They turn to God when they come to understand what He sacrificed on our behalf.