mission

This is Not How We’re Supposed to Live

November 10, 2014 by Tim Sherfy

commitment,discipleship,american dream,mission,kingdom of god,Matthew 7:22

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There’s something that’s been eating away at my soul. I’ve written about it in one form or the other in the past but never seem to effectively articulate it, which is a very hard thing for a writer to accept. Here it is, as simply as I can put it. We’ve got a couple generations (at least) of people who call themselves Christians but live nothing like Jesus Christ. With apologies to my international readers, I’m going to be speaking from an American perspective, because that is the only context with which I have current first-hand knowledge. My suspicion is that all Western countries suffer from the same malady of malaise. We have sworn allegiance to Jesus but live for ourselves.

Reconnect with God

November 6, 2014 by Tim Sherfy

rest, mission,purpose,genesis 2:2,exodus 20:8-10,Philippians 4:13,simplify,bill hybels

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In his new book, “Simplify”, Bill Hybels states that being connected to God reminds him he doesn’t “need to fulfill someone else’s agenda, because I have my hand in the hand of the one whose plans and purposes my life is all about.” It’s easy to get so caught up in the expectations of others that we become overwhelmed, over-committed, and altogether out of control. We lose sight of what matters most in life. The world we live in today is moving faster than ever before. Attention spans are almost nonexistent; patience levels are low, frustrations are high, and the result is a world spinning out of control, plummeting into an abyss of evil that is difficult for us to even comprehend. There is an answer to this madness. There is a way out of the darkness.

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Complacency and Laziness

October 27, 2014 by Tim Sherfy

complacency,,laziness,Luke 10:27,mission,passion,gifts

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Complacency and laziness are two of the deadliest enemies we face in our walk with Jesus. There are more insidious and despicable foes that will come our way, but none are more dangerous and deceptive than complacency and laziness. They sneak up on you with stealth-like wonder and infest themselves throughout your entire body. Complacency says we’ve “prayed the prayer” or “live life as a good person”. We’re good. We can coast from here. Complacency is fed by those who teach that our works don’t matter when it comes down to it. As long as we believe in Jesus we’re safe. Laziness is the close companion of complacency. It convinces you that it’s okay to spend a few extra hours sleeping or eating or watching television. After all, the world will still be there when we’re done. Meanwhile children starve, families are homeless, and people die faced with an eternity separated from the God who loves them.

Smothering Others with Love

October 13, 2014 by Tim Sherfy

love,God's Kingdom,Kingdom of God,freewill

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In the book, “Servant God”, the author writes “God’s Kingdom is not defined by conquering our enemies in battlefields or courts of law but rather through our service and love for them. God’s Kingdom spreads by persuasion and truth, not force and coercion.” How often have we gotten this wrong throughout history? How often are we still getting it wrong in our everyday lives? We confuse politics with religion, and action with faith. Our job is to love and serve others, just like Jesus did. People are won for the Kingdom of God when they recognize the futility of their own efforts and their need for something outside of themselves to save them. They turn to God when they come to understand what He sacrificed on our behalf.

Rewards

September 29, 2014 by Tim Sherfy

Each of us, regardless of our success or social standing, will stand trembling and naked before the God of the universe. We will no longer have anything we accumulated on earth. Empty and naked, we will stand before the King. All we will have are the rewards that we stored in Heaven based on the things we did for Jesus while we were alive on earth (Matthew 6:19-21). We accumulate heavenly rewards by serving God and others in His name; by sacrificing everything for the sake of building His Kingdom. Building treasure in Heaven requires us to daily put our trust in God for our provision; not in our money, possessions, or achievements. As we do the things He told us to do (see Matthew 25:31-46, James 1:27, and Ephesians 5:1-5), we will increase our treasure in Heaven.

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