Articles by Bill Sherrill at Heartlight

There Is No Tomorrow

sherrill@cox-internet.com (Bill Sherrill) — Tue, 19 May 2009 00:00:00 -0500

We spend so much time worrying about those things over which we have little or no control and so little time doing the things which we can do to insure the future. We have no real control over the length of life, but tremendous opportunities to provide for the quality of the life we have.

Jesus spoke to his listeners from the mountain concerning this very matter. "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" (Matthew 6:27). His conclusion is, "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own" (Matthew 6:34).

Still, we continue to allow the anxieties of those things we cannot control draw from us the energy we need to enjoy the productive life that we could have.

We always seem to concern ourselves with predicting our own future. And we are seldom, if ever, accurate! Again, James addresses the plans for the coming day this way:

Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that" (James 4:13-15).

James' words give us an interesting commentary on the words of Jesus. It is not a matter of being thoughtless about tomorrow, but rather we are to keep things in proper perspective. The rule then is this: Be free from anxiety by trusting God to oversee the matters of your life. And even when making the everyday plans for an orderly life, remember that you are always in the will of God. The most significant matter is to always be willing to live in the Father's will!

So, for today, determine what you can do that will last forever. Don't put that matter off. One of the best ways to be free from anxiety is to not only know that you are in the hands of God, but to be certain that you are prepared to meet Him face to face. After all, there is no tomorrow, there is just today.

Bill is a long time minister in Nacogdoches, Texas who loves world missions. His passion for ministry has led him all over the world. In addition to his work as a minister, he is also a licensed professional counselor. Bill's family is also involved in ministry and service to the world and community.

Website: Bill Sherrill's Thought for the Week

Who Will Roll Away the Stone

sherrill@cox-internet.com (Bill Sherrill) — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0500

And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week they went to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?" (Mark 16:1-3 RSV).

The women were faced with the sad and depressing task of preparing the body of Jesus for permanent burial. Because the Sabbath laws were strict, they had time only for the barest necessities of burial on Friday afternoon. And even that had cost them. They were ceremonially unclean and had to miss much of the holy celebrations taking place at the time of Passover. Now the problem they faced was how they would be able to roll away the great stone which sealed his tomb.

Isn't that really something? All about them the very Heaven of Heavens was bursting with jubilation, yet they could only see the common and mundane.

Friday, the sun had darkened, earthquakes terrified Jerusalem, and the veil of the Temple which separated the Holy place from the Holy of Holies had been ripped in two by unseen hands. The dead rose from their tombs and walked the streets. Yet this morning, the women who knew Jesus best just wondered, in their grief, about a rock over the door of the tomb. And then, the mystery of the ages began to be revealed to these humble women. Jesus is not dead! Even then, neither they nor the men who had followed Jesus could possibly grasp the power of that statement. The work of God, planned from before the foundation of the world had come to pass!

Almost 2,000 years later, mankind is not much different. While "The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork" (Psalm 19:1), mankind is still concerned about who will move the stone! The women never dreamed of the resurrection. They certainly would not have expected angels to remove the stone. In spite of the years they spent hearing Jesus' words and seeing his miracles, they looked for no help from the God of the universe.

Today, people still live in the presence of the mighty hand of God and wonder. They do not wonder about heavenly glory or chariots of fire. They never see, through faith's clear eye, the power of the One True God. They simply walk in doubt and are concerned about the simplest of earthly things, deaf to the thunder of His might and blind to the brilliance of His Glory. The women fretted about who would roll away the stone to open the tomb and let them in to show their faithful love to Jesus, but they never dared to dream that God would open the tomb to let us all out. But, that is what God did!

Website: Bill Sherrill's Thought for the Week

True Peace

sherrill@cox-internet.com (Bill Sherrill) — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0500

At once, Jesus said to them, "Don't worry! I am Jesus. Don't be afraid."

Peter replied, "Lord, if it is really you, tell me to come to you on the water."

"Come on!" Jesus said. Peter then got out of the boat and started walking on the water toward him.

But when Peter saw how strong the wind was, he was afraid and started sinking. "Save me, Lord!" he shouted.

Right away, Jesus reached out his hand. He helped Peter up and said, "You surely don't have much faith. Why do you doubt?" (Matthew 14:27-31 NASB).

I'm sitting here, in the quiet of late evening, listening to beautiful music and I feel a peaceful calm. I can almost see one of the gentle mountain streams of my youth sparkling in the silver moonlight. Isn't it wonderful when all our surroundings gently caress us into a mellow quietness? One is almost called on to softly repeat the old saying, "God's in His heaven, all's right with the world."

However, times like I am enjoying this moment can hardly be viewed as tests of the strength and nature of Christian character. Let the lightning crash, the thunder roll and torrents of the storm wash at the very foundations of the house. Hear the roar of traffic, the noisy clamor of the city and feel the jostling of the rushing crowd. Face the bleakness of an empty wallet, the helplessness of joblessness and the gnawing hunger of too many missed meals. Then, and perhaps only then, can one know how comforting true faith can be.

On the other hand, finding peace in the midst of tumult, joy in the face of oppression and hope when the night seems darkest shows us that God is in His heaven and He also dwells in the heart of the humble, the contrite, the downtrodden, and the outcast. Now that is the nature of the God I need! I rejoice in God, the Lord who stands boldly between me and the terrors of the night and rescues me from a thousand devils in pursuit. One who may be disappointed when I fail to walk on the raging sea because I lose sight of Him, but He always reaches down a gentle hand to lift me up when I cry for His help.

Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7 NLT).

Website: Bill Sherrill's Thought for the Week

How Do We Measure Success?

sherrill@cox-internet.com (Bill Sherrill) — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0600

How do we measure success?

Is it based on job performance? Perhaps for some it is the kind of job one has. Or for another, the level of income or property one holds. A few, wiser than most, may measure success by the heritage left in their descendants. Are these true measures of one's own personal success? It may be that any or all of them contribute to the appearance of success, but are they valid measurements?

Success, at least for those claiming to follow Christ, must be measured in the degree to which one becomes like Jesus (Colossians 1:28-29). I am not making claims for perfection or negating the benefits of grace (Philippians 3:8-16), but I am pointing us toward the real values -- values which the Savior placed in the forefront time and time again (Luke 9:23-25).

Is it any different when we seek to measure the success of a congregation? I think not. Over and over I hear or read of some preacher of a church that is touting its method of attaining success. All too often the evidence of that success is measured in growth in size and/or monies involved. Don't misunderstand me, I am not against growth and liberality. What I question is whether that is a significant measure of the success of a church. Like the individual above, should not the measure be the depth of soul rather than the size of soil?

Spiritual giants are measured by service and heart. I list both, because one without the other has little value. The apostle Paul makes that very clear in his famous chapter on love (1 Corinthians 13). He lists great areas of sacrifice or accomplishment, but finds them of no effect unless they are motivated by the heart. Unfortunately, most of us are well aware of the pride which great acts of service can produce if not tempered and motivated by a heart of love.

In addition, fidelity to the perceived doctrines of the faith tend to puff up rather than build up (1 Corinthians 8:1; Revelation 2:3-5). Jesus revealed the "greatest commandment" as "love God with all your heart" and adds, the second is "love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:36-40). He points us clearly to these real values.

For his disciples who are to be the leaders of Jesus' new emerging church, the Lord takes a towel and a basin of water and washes their feet (John 13:12) and reminds them that they must do for each other what he has done for them (John 13:13-14). He reaffirms a principle he had repeatedly taught them earlier, "He who will be great among you will become the servant of all" (Luke 22:26).

In the wonderful and terrifying scene of the final judgement that Jesus shares in one of his parables, the Lord makes no mention of wealth, power, or doctrine. The measure of the true child of God is found in whether or not he responded with a servant's heart when he encountered the needs of his fellows:

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me (Matthew 25:35-36 TNIV).

In answer to their question of "When did we see you ... ?" Jesus responded, "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me" (Matthew 25:40).

Whether as an individual or as a church, God judges our hearts based on our service and our service based on our hearts. Can we pass the test? Maybe even more to the point, are we willing to use it as the measure of our success?

Website: Bill Sherrill's Thought for the Week

Brother, Can You Spare a Light

sherrill@cox-internet.com (Bill Sherrill) — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0600

What ever happened to the attitude, "It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness?" One hears so much today that is critical. There appears to be something wrong with everything from the world to the family.

This attitude is certainly true in matters of religion. Day after day one is bombarded with complaints and pronouncements concerning the faults, flaws and failures of the church. It is too stiff and traditional or it is too informal and emotional. It does too much overseas when there is a crying need right here at home or it has lost all sense of mission. It doesn't care for the poor or it squanders its money on transients and bums. I could go on and on and on, but the point is made.

Have you noticed that most of the good things that get done are done by those who believe in themselves enough to try and do something to make a difference? Groups seldom begin a work and are not even likely to carry on one unless there is one who can inspire the others. Churches do not do great things. People in churches do them. The wealthy may give large gifts, but the poor widows are the large givers. Remember what Jesus said: "She has given more than all of them" (Luke 21:3).

"They" -- those church folks or church leaders we often talk about in the third person -- will not make us happy. "They" will not meet our spiritual needs. "They" will not make our families strong. Happiness, spirituality, and strength never come from what "they" do. These things are the direct results of what we do while seeking God!

Cervantes' Don Quixote has stirred the hearts of generations, not because he belonged to an active group, not even because he was successful in his quest. He inspires because he tried. In a world grown cold and calloused, he dared to dream the impossible dream. This befuddled old man continues to stir that good place in the human heart where each of us hides our own dreams. He started no raging fire of reform, but he did light a small candle. That small flickering flame changed the lives of those around him. How about you? Have you got a match? Well then, light a candle!

Website: Bill Sherrill's Thought for the Week

A Matter of Perspective

sherrill@cox-internet.com (Bill Sherrill) — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0600

Point of view has so much to do with the interpretation of an incident. I have just returned from 3,000 miles of driving though some of the most beautiful scenery one could imagine. We traveled through Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Eastern New York. The colors of fall were absolutely gorgeous!

We stood in awe amid the brilliant maples while listening to the roar of plummeting waterfalls. I wondered how anyone could choose to live in a zone where there was no changing of seasons. But, that is a point of view.

I was filling my gas tank at a station in Dansville, New York, and commented to the owner about how wonderful it must be to have this kind of beauty every year. His response was, "I don't see the colors that way. I know when the trees begin to change it is only a few days before another long, cold, hard winter!" It was a matter of perspective.

Those deprived of opportunities often pursue them with a passion, while those on whom such things are lavished may despise them. That which is common is never as enticing as that which is rare or just out of reach. The old saying is far too true, "The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence."

I wonder if this is not also the explanation for many who find it so difficult to be active in the gatherings of the church? In many of the missions with whom I correspond, they report instances of people walking many miles just to be able to meet with fellow Christians. Sadly, here where transportation is the best in the world and few of us ever wonder where our next meal is coming from, we are reluctant to meet. In fact, it seems that many only come out of habit or guilt. Somewhere they have been taught their motivation is that they must go to church and take communion or go to hell. So, they manage to make the morning service, not because they look forward to the fellowship with other believers, but to be absolved for one more week. It is a matter of perspective.

Every year the Sherrill/Lynn families meet at a retreat center in Arkansas called Wyldewood for Thanksgiving. It is the high point of the year for many of us. We anticipate with joy the occasion of togetherness with family. It is a matter of perspective.

I wish with all my heart that the family of God would burn with that same anticipation! I wonder if some will find it burdensome to think of an eternity with all those boring church people in heaven? I guess it is a matter of perspective!

Website: Bill Sherrill's Thought for the Week

Symbol and Reality

sherrill@cox-internet.com (Bill Sherrill) — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0500

What is the cross to you? When one speaks of the cross of Jesus, what images does this call to mind? Humankind uses images to bring our thoughts into focus. Without images, we would have no language and no means of storing experiences. In religion, some are concerned that images might come to be idols, and that is certainly a possibility. However, awareness that good can become bad if improperly used does not negate the fact that we cannot function without images -- whether they are tangible or only visualized mentally.

What does all this have to do with the cross? Everything!

The cross is the focal point of our connection to God. If everything we have in the history of God's dealing with His creation had a connecting line to one image, ultimately, that image would be the cross (2 Corinthians 1:19-20). From the promises given from the time of the fall in the Garden of Eden to the teachings of the early church and the prophecies of the Eternal Kingdom, the cross stands central. It is God's new rainbow shining brightly to a storm-tossed, fearful and turbulent world. As the rainbow is a symbol of God's promise of safety from destruction by another great flood, the cross is His promise of safety from the ferocious storms of Satan.

The danger is not in the symbol. The danger is in failing to see the reality which is only represented by the symbol. The sacrificial love of God in Christ is the reality of the cross. Holding to the symbol in time of distress will do nothing for our safety, but holding to the reality will sooth our troubled spirits and heal our sin sick souls.

For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2 NASB).

But may it never be that I should boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world (Galatians 6:14).

Website: Bill Sherrill's Thought for the Week