John

Through the Lens of Christ

July 11, 2024 by Tim Sherfy

What if we lived our lives viewing everything and everyone through the lens of Christ? What if we saw others the way Jesus sees them, and only engaged in activities Jesus would engage in? How might our lives be different, and how might we impact the world for the sake of the gospel and the glory of our King? Every day, we do things to further our goals and desires.

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Humanity is nothing if not self-absorbed. From the time we wake each day, we are thinking about how we look, planning what we’ll do, and talking about ourselves to others. We live our life through the lens of what we want and we do it without even thinking about it. What if we got a bit more intentional about things and kept Christ front and center?

Pursuing Lies

July 4, 2024 by Tim Sherfy

How long will we love what is worthless and spend our days pursuing lies? It’s a question King David asked concerning his enemies thousands of years ago and one that God is still asking of us today (Psalm 4:2). David asked it of his enemies, but I doubt anyone reading this considers themselves an enemy of God. How, then, can we explain why we are living our lives for such worthless pursuits?

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We declare ourselves to be enemies of God when we reject Him and pursue the things of this world (James 4:4). Howl at that statement all you wish, but Jesus said those who aren’t with Him are against Him (Matthew 12:30). We can’t be for God and reject His commandments at the same time (John 14:15). We cannot serve two masters because we will love the one and hate the other (Matthew 6:24).

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Great Is Thy Faithfulness

July 1, 2024 by Tim Sherfy

While rehearsing the classic hymn, “Great is Thy Faithfulness”, I found myself asking, “To what is God being faithful?” As I thought through all the ways God shows Himself faithful in my life, it occurred to me that above all, God is faithful to Himself. He is faithful to His character, which does not change (Numbers 23:19). The fact He never wavers to any degree is proof of His faithfulness.

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That He is faithful to Himself assures us He will always be faithful in kindness, goodness, mercy, grace, love, and even in His wrath (James 1:17). God’s faithfulness is great because it is reliable, trustworthy, righteous, and altogether holy. When we sing, “Great is thy faithfulness,” we are praising God for His unchanging character, unwavering love, and unstoppable power.

Did God Really Say

June 27, 2024 by Tim Sherfy

Since the beginning, Satan has been using the same tired line to make believers doubt the goodness and authority of God. When he was tempting Eve, the Devil said, “Did God really say…” (Genesis 3:1). Satan knew very well what God had said. He wasn’t mistaken when he misquoted God, but it was a deliberate aberration meant to make Eve think less of God and more of herself.

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We know this because Eve added to God’s word in her response to the serpent (compare Genesis 2:17 to Genesis 3:3). Pride has been with us for a very long time indeed. Eve resisted the temptation at first, but gave in at least in some part because of the doubt Satan planted in her mind with his insidious question. There is a reason God declared the serpent the most cunning of all creatures (Genesis 3:1).

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Persecuted for the Sake of Jesus

June 24, 2024 by Tim Sherfy

Vineet is a follower of Christ in India. When he was younger, Hindu militants forced to him leave his parents and home because of his faith. Since then, he has twice more been kicked out of towns and had his property seized. All because of his faith in Christ (Matthew 5:10-12). This isn’t unusual in India, a nation that is growing ever more hostile to Christianity. What struck me about Vineet was his courage and faithfulness.

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Older now, he leads a Bible study deep in the jungle away from the eyes of forces who wish to silence him. After years of suffering and injustice, Vineet simply says, “I have dedicated my life to serve and be persecuted for the sake of Jesus. I will do this until my last breath. Nothing can separate me from the love of God” (2 Timothy 3:12; Romans 8:38-39). This man’s life is inspiring and should encourage each of us to examine our commitment to Christ.