salvation

Ache for the Knowledge of God

August 31, 2023 by Tim Sherfy

I spend a lot of time reading the works of dead guys because I find so much more wisdom in their voices than in most of the celebrity theologians of our day. There was a hunger and passion in their words that resonates with my soul and compels me to action. Here’s a recent example from J. C. Ryle (1816-1900): “Let us cleave to Christ more closely, love Him more heartily, live to Him more thoroughly, copy Him more exactly, confess Him more boldly, follow Him more fully.”

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Is that the goal of our lives, indeed our every moment? Does it not quicken your pulse and stir your heart? If not, why not? Why do our hearts not ache for the knowledge of God like those who came before us?

Do You Hate Sin?

August 24, 2023 by Tim Sherfy

John MacArthur has said, “The mark of a true believer is a desire to know and obey God’s Word.” I agree with that completely. I would add another hallmark of a genuine believer is that not only does the sin of the world grieve them, but that their own sin absolutely disgusts them. Do you hate sin, or is it something you begrudgingly tolerate?

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Your answer says much about your relationship with Christ. We know God hates sin (Proverbs 6:16-19) and if we believe Jesus is the Lord that He is, then we must spend our days becoming as much like God as possible. He is our creator. He is our judge. If we love Him, we will hate what he hates.

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What are You Afraid of?

August 10, 2023 by Tim Sherfy

What are you afraid of? There are a multitude of things in this world that make us fearful. Natural disasters, violence, death, tragedy, injustice, job loss, lack of food or shelter… the number of things we could list is almost endless. The more pervasive sin becomes, the scarier and riskier this world appears.

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No one is safe from the depravity of man, but Christians have historically been singled out for some of the worst abuses this world dishes out. While many minority groups have experienced long periods of horrific mistreatment, it is Christians who have most consistently been persecuted for the past two thousand years. This is because Satan’s war is against anyone who calls on the name of Jesus.

The Hard Road

August 7, 2023 by Tim Sherfy

J. C. Ryle once said, “The true Christian is called to be a soldier and must behave as such; he is not meant to live a life of religious ease, indolence, and security. He must never imagine for a moment that he can sleep and doze along the way to heaven, like one traveling in an easy carriage.” That’s the exact opposite of how many Christians live today. Bad theology and teaching have created a generation of believers who lack an understanding of what it means to follow Christ.

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Never in history have those most devoted to Jesus lived a life of ease. Why would we think anything has changed? As long as God allows Satan to roam the earth, the devil will make sure followers of Jesus will be harassed, hated, and persecuted (John 15:18-20; John 16:33). The narrow path is the hard road (Matthew 7:13-14).

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Disciplined

July 27, 2023 by Tim Sherfy

When it comes to self-discipline, I see myself as more disciplined than many, but less disciplined than I should be. Reflecting on my life, I find I am now more disciplined than at other times in my life and less disciplined than at others. All this to say that self-discipline is a challenge we must constantly address and perhaps never fully master.

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And yet it is key not only to a productive life but to living life in a manner that glorifies and pleases our Lord. To be disciplined in ways that do not promote our spiritual growth may be noble pursuits, but in the end, they won’t count for anything. The only discipline worth pursuing is that which brings us closer to Christ and molds us into His image.

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