Matthew

The Price of Salvation

December 2, 2024 by Tim Sherfy

Prices for everything keep going up at a pace that is more than nauseating. In my whole life, I don’t think I ever remember anyone saying, “I can’t believe the price of everything keeps dropping!” Inflation is high and the cost of living is even higher. But one price that has never changed is the price of salvation. It was always free, is free today, and will always be free (Ephesians 2:8-9).

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It’s the greatest bargain in the world and almost no one is talking about it. When you find a good deal on anything, the first thing you want to do is share it. Why isn’t it the same with the incredible gift of salvation through Christ?

Your Love of Christ

November 25, 2024 by Tim Sherfy

In times of severe testing, what keeps you persevering for the faith? When life hands you one setback after another, how do you maintain hope? The obvious answer for believers is always, “Jesus”. But what about Jesus compels you to get knocked down over and over, then get up tomorrow to do it all again? What drives your desire to suffer in this life?

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There are a lot of very good answers to this question: “He commands us to obey Him” (John 14:15). “We know our calling is to suffer” (1 Peter 2:20-21). “A great reward awaits those who hold fast until the end” (Revelation 2:10). These are all true and good reasons to carry on. But none of these reasons will be strong enough to carry you when the pressure becomes extreme. The only thing that will sustain you in the toughest of times is your love of Christ.

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The Hardest Part

November 21, 2024 by Tim Sherfy

From the research I’ve done on persecution, the hardest part is not the persecution itself, but the preparation before it begins. Standing firm in the face of pain or injustice is a small thing if one dedicates their life to living in full obedience and surrender to Christ (Philippians 1:27-28). The hard work comes before. The real difficulty is the lifetime of saying no to the pleasures and temptations of this world.

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There are countless stories of people persevering through hard times. But how many examples can you recount of people putting aside their dreams, passions, and desires so they can devote themselves to Christ? How many people are dying to themselves every day and picking up their cross (Luke 9:23)?

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Fear of Dying

November 18, 2024 by Tim Sherfy

The fear of dying is one of the top two fears afflicting people. Some research states it is the most common fear, while other studies place it second behind public speaking. I couldn’t find any concrete numbers detailing what percentage of Christians fear death, but over the years, I have heard more than a few believers express a fear of dying.

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That’s a little hard for me to get my head around because true followers of Christ want nothing more than to spend eternity with Him. We can’t do that until we die. To my mind, it is irrational for someone who believes in the resurrection of Jesus to have any fear of dying. We might fear the circumstances that lead to our death, but dying itself should fill us with nothing but hope and joy (1 Corinthians 15:54-57; Philippians 1:21-23).

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Thank God for Your Salvation

November 14, 2024 by Tim Sherfy

How often do you thank God for your salvation? If you are like me, it isn’t often enough. Sometimes in prayer, I will get overwhelmed when I think of all the Lord has done on my behalf. All the blessings, all the battles won, all the moments that have no other explanation apart from Him-all of those combined don’t come close to the incredible gift of His salvation.

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Where would you be without the love of Christ? Without Him, this life would be meaningless and unbearable. Without Him, we have no hope for the future and no purpose in life (Ephesians 2:11-12). Yet we go through day after day without thanking Him for His priceless and matchless gift (2 Corinthians 9:15).