Matthew

Satan’s Promises are Always a Downgrade

January 7, 2019 by Tim Sherfy

No matter how appealing they may seem at the time, Satan’s promises are always a downgrade from what you already have in Christ. Accepting the promises of the evil one is akin to trading in a brand-new car with all the bells and whistles for a forty-year-old vehicle that barely runs. Of course, The devil is far subtler than this.

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He’s more like the used car salesman who sells you a car which looks beautiful on the outside and even runs great for the warranty period but afterward becomes erratic and unreliable until you find yourself stranded in the middle of nowhere.

Are You Sinking?

January 3, 2019 by Tim Sherfy

Are you sinking? Does it feel as if the waves of this life are on the verge of pulling you under? Perhaps the busyness and stresses of life are weighing you down so much you can’t seem to rise to the surface. I submit any time you feel as if you are sinking is because your focus is somewhere other than Jesus. It sounds so simple, just look at Jesus and life will be smooth sailing.

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Well, not exactly, and keeping our focus on Christ is far easier said than done in a world where Satan never ceases to bombard us with distraction after distraction. If you said, ‘yes’ to the “Are you sinking?” question, it’s probably time to evaluate whether we’ve taken our eyes off Jesus and placed them somewhere else.

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What Does Love Require?

December 24, 2018 by Tim Sherfy

In Andy Stanley’s excellent new book, “Irresistible”, he puts forth a question which sums up how we are expected to live as followers of Christ. The question is, “What does love require of me?” This simple question brilliantly sums up what Jesus declared to be the greatest commandment of the law and the prophets (“Love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and mind”), and His command for the new covenant (“Love your neighbor as yourself”) (see Matthew 22:36-40).

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image © Elena Arkadova via Fotolia

You can apply this question in every situation as you go throughout your day. It will change your interactions with people. It will alter your mood and transform your life. Oh, and it will drive you crazy!

New Covenant People

December 17, 2018 by Tim Sherfy

Ezekiel 36:26 says, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” While there are certainly many implications of this prophecy, one I think is often overlooked is Ezekiel prophesying of the transition from the old covenant to the new. The old covenant (or testament) was a series of laws given by God to the nation of Israel. Most of these laws were engraved on stone tablets, so the people’s hearts were committed to following what was engraved in stone.

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The new covenant was ushered in by Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. He fulfilled all the old covenant. This new covenant was for all people, not only for the people of Israel. Instead of adhering to a series of laws, we are now commanded to simply love one another so we might reflect the love of our Creator.

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God Calls You by Name

November 29, 2018 by Tim Sherfy

I’ve seen a quote sprinkled around the internet, not sure of its original source, but it says, “The devil knows your name but calls you by your sin. God knows your sin but calls you by your name.” This is an astute and accurate description of the difference between the way we are seen by God and the adversary. God loves everything about you.

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He created you to look like Him and is so intimately familiar with you He knows the number of hairs on your head (Luke 12:6-7). Satan, on the other hand, only knows who you are. In fact, the closer you draw to God, the more aware of you the devil becomes. He knows who you are, but he hates you because of whose you are.