John

Unified

April 16, 2020 by Tim Sherfy

Throughout history, we’ve seen times of trouble unify people around a common cause or enemy. In a divided world of hatred, offense, and self-interest, we could use some unity today. Perhaps something as insidious as a global pandemic will have the silver lining of unifying humanity, banding us together to fight the virus inflicting many and disrupting life as we knew it.

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Only time will tell. What I do know, as followers of Christ, His call is always for us to be unified, not only when trouble abounds. Our unity is so important that Jesus made it the subject of His last prayer for us before He allowed Himself to be crucified (John 17:20-23).

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God’s Peace

March 26, 2020 by Tim Sherfy

God’s peace is sometimes difficult to find amid the daily media barrage. But it is always there, waiting for you to relax into it. Jesus said, “My peace I give to you” (John 14:27). His peace transcends any fear, anxiety, or difficulty we will ever face. We need not fear any storm. Christ has proven He can calm the waves with a simple word (Mark 4:35-41).

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Nothing can overwhelm us so long as He is with us. There is nothing to fear. Satan would have you believe otherwise. He will do everything he can to unsettle you, to make you fearful, and to make you doubt. You can always be certain the devil will use every tool at his disposal to distract you from keeping your eyes on Jesus.

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From Flesh to Spirit

March 9, 2020 by Tim Sherfy

In our fallen world, we have all succumbed to living our lives for our fleshly, carnal desires instead of for our spiritual calling. God calls us to move from flesh to spirit, but most of us spend our time moving in the opposite direction. The world looks so enticing. Surely just sampling what it offers wouldn’t hurt anything, right?

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That strategy did not work out well for Adam and Eve, and by extension has caused us problems from the day we were born. We want the tangible delights we can taste, touch, and see. Oh, and we want them now. Our flesh is always pulling us towards the things of this world and away from our true spiritual nature.

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The Highest Calling

February 20, 2020 by Tim Sherfy

Serving God is the highest calling of life. It is a privilege, an honor, and a responsibility above all others. Serving God is rarely something one aspires to from their youth. Rather, it is an endeavor into which one grows. God is always calling out to His creation, beckoning them to fellowship with Him. When we respond, it becomes the highest calling we could ever receive. Nothing else in life could be more intense or deliver in a more profound way.

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Our response is often an arbitrary reflex of our free will, but the call itself is an intentional movement of God towards one whom He created. Why the God of the universe would choose to fellowship with one such as myself will be a mystery until the day I can ask Him. For now, I only know it is humbling. It is the highest calling.

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Can You Be a Christian Without Being a Disciple?

February 13, 2020 by Tim Sherfy

I heard a caller on a radio show ask, “Can you be a Christian without being a disciple?” I have been wrestling with this same thought of late. Before diving in, we should define the terms, so we are all on the same page. The term “Christian” now means many things in our world, but for this discussion, I mean someone who has trusted Jesus is who He says He was and has surrendered their lives to His Lordship.

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A disciple, again for our discussion, is someone who is constantly and consistently pursuing Jesus, desperate to live their lives as He lived His. My inclination is to say you cannot be a Christian if you are not a disciple. I could be wrong but let me give you some reasons for my belief, and then I’ll say a few words about why I might be wrong.