priorities

Complacency

March 27, 2017 by Tim Sherfy

Complacency is a killer disease for would-be disciples. As soon as you think you are in a great place with your disciplines and in your relationship with God, you are in trouble. Unfortunately, I have learned this (more than once) the hard way. Each time I think I’ve grown so close to Christ I could never fall away, I’ve quickly found myself spiraling downward. It’s not as if you wake up one day and decide to walk the opposite direction.

complacency,dilligence,re;ecntless,commitment,disciplines,discipline,habits,spiritual disciplines,spiritual habits,distractions,priorities,disciple,discipleship

image © Alex F via Fotolia

It always happens subtlety and slowly. You won’t even recognize it’s happening. You skip your morning prayer time, “just today”, because of something else going on in your life. Then you find yourself putting your needs ahead of others. The next morning you skip prayer time again. And so, the spiral begins…

[Read more…] about Complacency

After God’s Own Heart

March 23, 2017 by Tim Sherfy

As I was getting ready for bed, a question crossed my mind: “What if I woke up tomorrow and hit it hard to live as a man after God’s own heart?” What would that look like? What if, once and for all, everything in my life reflected the love of Christ, and everything I did was for His glory? Perhaps it’s an impossible task. We’re human and not capable of perfection. I know I’ll fail. My life will never be the image of God I want it to be. But what if I never try?

after God's own heart,commitment,discipleship,mission,passion,priorities

image © Mele Avery via Fotolia

What if I reach the end of my life and realize I never took my commitment to Christ as seriously as I should have? I don’t want to die knowing I could have done more. I don’t want to face Jesus having lived a life half done. I want to pour it all out at his feet right here and right now.

Who Does God Want You to Be?

March 20, 2017 by Tim Sherfy

Who is it you want to be? More importantly, who is it God wants you to be? If the answers to both questions are not aligned, you are setting yourself up for a life of frustration and emptiness. No matter how far you advance on your dream of becoming who you want to be, if it isn’t the person God wants you to be, there will always be a gnawing hole inside. There will be an ache none of your success can fill.

who does God want you to be,God's will,God's will for my life,what should I do with my life,humility,priorities,love,mission,purpose,John 14:9,if you've seen me you've seen the father,Mark 9:35,the first shall be last,Matthew 25:31-46,sheep and the goats

image © jacquesduro via Fotolia

We were designed and created to serve and love God, to live in relationship with Him. Our thoughts were meant to be as His thoughts, our actions and motivations the same as His. Until we reconcile who God wants us to be, we will never become who we truly desire to be.

True Religion

February 23, 2017 by Tim Sherfy

One of my favorite Bible verses is James 1:27, which says, “Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” As religions go, this list of requirements seems extraordinarily short. Yet there’s so much to discover in this little verse.

true religion,James:1:27,look after orphans and widows,priorities,selfishness,unstained,God's will,commitment,discipleship,love,Matthew 6:33,seek ye first

Jesus didn’t come to instill a new religious order on earth. Rather, He came to establish a way of life. All Jesus wanted, and still wants, is for people to seek God with all their hearts (Matthew 6:33). Everything else falls into place once we get that part down. Why then does James call out requirements for religion God will accept, a true religion?

[Read more…] about True Religion

The Myth of Security

February 20, 2017 by Tim Sherfy

Much of our lives are spent chasing the myth of security. We seek to live in safe neighborhoods, work in good parts of town, and save to achieve financial security. So much time is spent pursuing the myth of security we rarely have time to think about living dangerously. Unless and until we are ready to sacrifice our own comfort and security, we will never be able to take the light of Jesus into the darkest places on earth.

myth of security,selfishness,priorities,Jesus is Lord,purpose,God's will,discipleship,safety,comfort,John 16:33,in this world you will have trouble,Matthew 8:18-20,foxes have holes,homeless,Matthew 10:21-22,brother will hate brother

If we won’t shine the light within us, who then will go and rescue the hopeless, the desperate, and the lost? Instead of pursuing the myth of security, we should be bounding headlong into the certainty of risk and danger.

[Read more…] about The Myth of Security