purpose

Are You a Spectator Christian?

May 7, 2015 by Tim Sherfy

A spectator is someone who attends an event and watches from the sidelines. They don’t actually get involved, but they want to be near it. That’s as far as they want to go in being part of it. So I ask you: are you a spectator Christian? Have you filled yourself up on knowledge about Jesus without ever actually internalizing it?

spectator christian,spectator Christianity,get in the game,love,commitment,discipleship,the person Jesus created you to be,the person God created you to be

image © luis_escriv

Of course the knee-jerk reaction of most would be to bristle at the question. Why would anyone ever admit to such a shallow commitment, right? So keep this just between you and God when you answer. Let’s all be honest here. Are you actively engaged in following Jesus or simply a spectator Christian?
[Read more…] about Are You a Spectator Christian?

When All is Said and Done

April 13, 2015 by Tim Sherfy

When all is said and done, all that matters is what you have done with Jesus. Your big house won’t matter. Your car won’t matter. How much you’ve accomplished in life will not matter. Almost all of the things with which we concern ourselves are temporary, fleeting, and useless.

when all is said and done,greg boyd,servant God,self-love,Romans 7:15,Romans 14:10-12,Romans 14:12,Ecclesiastes 2:11,chasing after the wind

image © Andy Dean – Fotolia

Our daily pursuits – outside of what we do for Jesus – are as futile as chasing after the wind (Ecclesiastes 2:11). It’s a sobering exercise to take inventory of one’s life and discover how much of it we live for ourselves, and how little time is spent on things that actually matter.
[Read more…] about When All is Said and Done

God on a Leash

March 5, 2015 by Tim Sherfy

daron earliwine,pub theology,pub pastor,unleash power,unleash,God's power,God's love,commitment,discipleship,following Jesus,surrendering everything

image © Halfpoint – Fotolia.com

I recently heard Daron Earliwine preach a sermon where he relayed a story about having to keep his new puppy on a leash when they walk. After giving it some thought, he surmised that the reason he keeps his new pal on a leash is because he doesn’t trust him. They haven’t developed the level of trust where Daron can rely on his dog to stay with him in every circumstance. Since the dog can’t be fully trusted, Daron feels safer keeping him on a leash where he can exercise a modicum of control over his actions. His point was that we often treat God in the same way. We keep Him on a leash, so to speak, because we don’t fully trust Him. Let me explain a bit further.

[Read more…] about God on a Leash

Stare at God

February 19, 2015 by Tim Sherfy

Photo Credit: Étienne Ljóni Poisson via Compfight cc

What if we stared at God every moment of our day? The Bible tells us we should fix our eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:1-2), but how often do we make a conscious effort to do that? More importantly, what does that look like in real life? I’ve recently been trying to work this out for myself. The key is to first get a proper mental image of God. Check out Revelation 4:8-11, where it describes angels who do nothing but praise God, all day. They are so consumed with His beauty that they can do nothing else. God is the perfection of all that is good. He is perfect and unconditional love, and is constantly in pursuit of you, reaching out to you. Look at Isaiah 6:3-5, where the prophet feels ruined just from looking at the beauty of God. Keep that picture of God at the forefront of your mind.

[Read more…] about Stare at God

Your Greatest Achievement

February 12, 2015 by Tim Sherfy

success,schievement,well done good and faithful servant,meeting Jesus,God's will,Matthew 25:31-46,the sheep and the goats,love,I Corinthians 13,Matthew 25:23

What is the greatest achievement you can think of in life? If you could achieve your dreams, what would they be? How do you define success? Think of the biggest goal you can imagine. Dare to dream your biggest dream. Now think what it will feel like if we live our life in such a way that when we meet Jesus He says to us, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master” (Matthew 25:23). Wouldn’t your wildest dreams, all of your greatest achievements combined, pale in comparison to that one conversation?