Luke

Two Foundations

November 13, 2025 by Tim Sherfy

We call Jesus Lord, but we don’t live like He is. While we hear what He says, we don’t act on what we hear. Since we do not obey His Word, we show we do not love Him (John 14:15). We still love and cling to the things of this world (1 John 2:15-17) although we claim to have left everything to follow Christ (Matthew 16:24). Our supposed Christian life is a house of cards.

Man thinking through which of the two foundations he will build his life upon, desiring to build on the bedrock of God's WOrd and live a life of surrender, commitment, and discipleship

We are building without a foundation and will crumble at the slightest breeze. When the storms come, the disaster will be catastrophic. Jesus said there are two foundations we can build our lives upon: the bedrock of obedience to His Word, or the shifting sand of cultural whims and man’s opinions (Matthew 7:24-27).

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Don’t Just Listen

November 10, 2025 by Tim Sherfy

We live in an age of incredible blessing. There are so many resources at our fingertips with which to study God’s Word. There are books, videos, websites, audio programs, and a plethora of churches where we can find God’s Word taught and expounded. Each of us could fill our days watching and hearing God’s Word preached and never run out of programming.

Woman clutching her Bible determined to have the focus and disipline to not just listen to the Word of God but to live out the commitment to obey it in discipleship to Christ through prayer and Bible study

Every one of us has the potential to know God in a deep and rewarding way. But don’t just listen to solid teaching. If you do that, you will go away not much different than you are today. The Word of God should not be background noise, something that plays throughout the day without ever penetrating any further than our ears (Ezekiel 33:31-32; Matthew 13:13-14). How dare we glance at the very Word of God with such casualness?

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Can You Live for Jesus?

November 3, 2025 by Tim Sherfy

Christian persecution is on the rise across the globe. It’s not just in countries where you might expect it, like North Korea, Eritrea, and Iran, but also in places you wouldn’t, like Australia and Great Britain. Perhaps, like me, as you read the horrific accounts of kidnapping, imprisonment, torture, and murder, you contemplate whether you would stand firm for Christ in similar circumstances.

Woman asking herself can you live for Jesus as contemplates her commitment, surrender, and salvation

I think most mature believers would say they are willing to die for Christ rather than deny Him as the Savior He is. I hope that is true of all of us. Even if it is, I must question the sincerity of the claim because there is a tougher question we must answer first. You say you are ready to die for Jesus, but can you live for Jesus?

Walking in God’s Will, Part 3 – Seeking to Know God’s Will

October 27, 2025 by Tim Sherfy

Today we continue to look for ways to ensure we are walking in God’s will. His will is not an unknowable mystery, and it is vital that we understand the will of God for us to live productive and fruitful lives worthy of our calling (Ephesians 5:15-17; Colossians 1:9-10). If you are jumping in for the first time, please check out “Walking in God’s Will, Part 1” and “Walking in God’s Will, Part 2,” to see the first five questions to ask when seeking to know God’s will.

Young woman who wants to be walking in God's will without duplicity or hypocrisy but in obedience surrendering to the lordship of the God of her salvation

There is no decision you will encounter in life that God’s Word does not give you the principles to know what you should choose. With that, let’s dive into the next set of questions you can ask to discern God’s will.

Deny Yourself

October 16, 2025 by Tim Sherfy

Jesus said if anyone wants to follow Him, they must first deny themselves (Luke 9:23). What does it mean to deny yourself? It means you must deny your ego. You have been bought for a price, and your life no longer belongs to you (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). You are a slave of Jesus Christ (Romans 6:22). How could you, a slave, think more highly of yourself than anyone else (Philippians 2:3-5)?

Young man contemplating what it means to deny yourself as he seeks the discipline to surrender his priorities and live with a commitment to discipleship without fear

You don’t have the right to make your own decisions, as every choice must now align with God’s will and His Word. As slaves of Christ, we are the lowest of the low, deserving of nothing, and any good that comes our way is only by the incredible grace of our Lord and King (Ephesians 2:8-9). We are nothing, but that’s okay, because He is everything!

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