James

When Will You Live for Jesus?

May 21, 2026 by Tim Sherfy

When will you live for Jesus? It’s a question every person must answer in their lives. In fact, it’s a question we all answer with our lives. How we spend our days in some ways determines where we will spend eternity. I say this because if we love Jesus, we will reflect that love in the way we live. (John 14:15; 1 John 2:3-6) Someone who will spend eternity in Heaven will first have a transformed heart on earth. (2 Corinthians 5:17; Ezekiel 36:26)

Even so, our sin nature is vicious and strong. (Romans 7:18-23; Galatians 5:17) The Devil will do everything in his power to keep us from living a life that looks like Jesus. (1 Peter 5:8; Ephesians 6:11-12) We must decide every day whether we will listen to the father of lies or the Author of Life. (John 8:44; Acts 3:15)

Three Requirements for Following Christ

May 14, 2026 by Tim Sherfy

There are three requirements for following Christ. They aren’t the only three, of course, but these three serve as the foundation for all the others. Jesus spelled out these commands in Luke 9:23: “Then He said to them all, ‘If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.’”

Three simple rules, all with massive implications and responsibility. If you wish to follow Jesus, this is what it takes. Most will say, “It’s too much, it’s too hard, and it’s too far.” Remember what Jesus did for you. He gave up everything. He suffered, bled, and died. These three requirements are nothing compared to what He already did for you.

Consistency

May 7, 2026 by Tim Sherfy

Consistency is what most hinders us from living a life that looks like Christ. We can live for Jesus in the moment, maybe even for a day or a week, but given enough time, we waver. Old habits creep in, and new habits get lost in the busyness of our day-to-day lives. Before we know it, and despite our best efforts, we are once again stuck in a pattern of life that looks much more like the world than it does Jesus.

What’s wrong with us? We know what He did for us. We love Him. Why does it never seem to be enough? I wish I had a definitive answer for you, but I don’t. I do have some ideas, though.

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Never for Nothing

April 23, 2026 by Tim Sherfy

Do you ever grow discouraged in your walk with Christ? People who reject Him, spit on His image, and defame His name go unpunished and even seem to live more carefree and happy than we do. Are you ever tempted to ask, “Is this all worth it?” Wouldn’t it be easier to just stop trying to follow Him and swim against the tide than to always seem to face conflict and struggle? (Psalm 73:3-5)

Maybe you wonder if the payoff will be worth the price? When the world is intent on wearing you down (John 16:33; 1 John 5:19), doubts will creep into the hearts of even the most steadfast. But following Jesus is never for nothing. It is worth the struggle, and He is always worth the pain. (Romans 8:18; Hebrews 12:11)

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Hypocrisy

April 20, 2026 by Tim Sherfy

If you paid a stranger to watch the way you live for a week, what would they say was the focus of your life? Would they see Jesus? Would they understand what it meant to be a Christian from watching what you did and listening to what you said? We Christians can talk a pretty good game, especially when we’re cloistered safe inside our places of worship or surrounded by like-minded believers.

The manner in which we exercise our faith is less convincing. There’s an old word for that: hypocrisy. Nobody I know ever wants to be called a hypocrite, but if your actions don’t align with your words, what else would someone call you? To behave like this is the same as looking at yourself in a mirror and then forgetting what you look like the moment you turn away. (James 1:23-24)

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