Author: Brian Burdett

“Yet your people say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just,’ when it is their own way that is not just.” – Ezekiel 33:17

God spoke these words over 2500 years ago but He could easily have been talking about the present day! We live in a world where we’re told that up is down, good is bad, and right is wrong. The nature and existence of truth is disputed and the only thing many will agree on is that God’s way is wrong. This can be discouraging and confusing for those who love the Lord. Repeated enough times, you might become tempted to question God’s way amidst a godless culture. Don’t give in to that temptation!

Hold firmly to God’s Word! Know that God’s way is the one true path of justice, righteousness, love, grace, and mercy. Remain steadfast in speaking God’s truth in love. This entire chapter in Ezekiel was focused on explaining the man of God’s responsibility to speak the truth even when nobody wants to hear it and everyone rejects it. Likewise, followers of Jesus today are called to continue making disciples of Jesus who obey EVERYTHING He commanded. That isn’t going to be popular, it probably won’t be appreciated, and it may be described as hateful. It isn’t.

Bringing people into relationship with their Creator and teaching them to obey God is the greatest act of love there is! Affirming things that are false and cheering people in their willful rebellion against God that only inevitably leads to an eternity of suffering is truly hateful. Don’t let volume, visibility, and repetition confuse you. The way of the Lord IS just. #FollowJesus

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” – Romans 5:1

There are only two possible relationships a human being can have with God. Peace with God or war with God. War with God is our natural state. We’re all born into war with God and live in that war unless something radical happens to bring us into peace with God. Why? Because we all sin. We all act selfishly at times. We all do things our way rather than God’s way at least some of the time. Every sin is rebellion against God’s authority as Creator. Every sin is an act of war.

Even when we have the sense that God is real and that we’re in a bad situation with Him, we still can’t get ourselves out of that war. Not by ourselves. Even when we resolve to become really good, really moral people who do good things every day, we still remain at war with God. Why? Because even when we’re doing those good things, our hearts and minds betray us and we think or say things we shouldn’t. We act out of pride. We look for the applause of others. We hope our status in the eyes of others will rise. All the self-discipline in the world still can’t keep us from rebelling against God in our hearts and doing good things for our selfish reasons. On our own, there’s only one possible relationship with God – war.

Fortunately, God has provided a way out of war for anyone who wants peace with Him. That is by surrendering yourself to Jesus, the Son of God and making Him the Lord of your life. That’s a commitment that must be made by faith in Him. You must believe that Jesus is the Lord Who died on the cross and rose from the dead. When you believe that, turning away from your rebellion and sin and toward Jesus your Savior, then you are “justified” by faith. To be justified is to be declared “not guilty” by the judge.

How could you be declared “not guilty” after a lifetime of rebellion? Because Jesus, the innocent Son of God, took your guilt on Himself at the cross. Jesus took your guilt so you can receive His innocence. When that happens, you have peace with God. Though you may still sin, there is forgiveness for that sin. The war is over for you and you can enjoy the peaceful relationship with God you were always made to have. #FollowJesus

“And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness” – Romans 4:5

On this Labor Day, Paul provides a timely reminder that work can never make anyone righteous. Work is a good thing given by God before the Fall into sin. Though work has been corrupted by sin and cursed because of sin (which is why it sometimes feels like a four-letter word), work was still part of God’s plan for us. Nonetheless, no amount of good work, hard work, or brilliant work can ever make us righteous in the eyes of our perfectly righteous Creator.

From the very beginning, righteousness has reckoned by God as a gift given through faith. That was true of Abraham (the focus of Romans 4) and it remains true for us. The word for that gift of undeserved righteousness is grace. Grace is a gift by God. We don’t earn gifts. If we earned a gift, it wouldn’t be a gift, it would be a paycheck. But there’s no way for imperfect people to earn perfection. There’s no way for unrighteous people to make themselves perfectly righteous. If we are to be declared righteous, it won’t be by our flawed, tainted, limited efforts. It will be by God’s declaration on the basis of Christ’s perfect work on the cross. That is our only path to righteousness – by God’s grace through faith in Jesus.

As you labor, remember that while it is good and necessary to work, your efforts won’t make you more loved or accepted by God. You are already loved beyond all imagination once you believe in Jesus the Christ as your Lord! #FollowJesus

“But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is just and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die.” – Ezekiel 18:21

Even in the darkest days of the Old Testament times in Israel, God offered forgiveness and grace. People mistakenly imagine the Old Testament to be a record of God’s wrath but it’s actually a record of His long-suffering patience and grace toward those hostile to Him. Even though all wickedness and sin is rebellion against His authority over creation, God still desires to forgive the rebel and the sinner. He made us in His image and He would far prefer to be reconciled to us than to have to give us the just consequences of our vile actions.

This is made abundantly clear through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. God sent His Son, Jesus, into our world to do the work for ours sins to be forgiven and God’s perfect justice to be fulfilled. Jesus lived a life without sin and then sacrificed Himself on a cross so that our debt of sin would be paid. By that work on the cross, God’s grace is now freely available to everyone who repents of their sins and believes in Jesus as Lord. Jesus died and rose from the dead so that repentant sinners who trust in Him will receive forgiveness and eternal life.

If you’re struggling with feelings of guilt or a belief that God can’t forgive you, please know that He absolutely can and will forgive you! Believe in Lord Jesus and ask God to forgive your sins, your mistakes, and your guilt and He will. With complete certainty, God will wipe your slate clean in His eyes. He will never think about your past sins again. He will welcome you into His family and love you as His child. He will seal you with His Holy Spirit and Jesus will unite with you. #FollowJesus

“That is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.” – Romans 1:12

The Apostle Paul recognized there was great value in coming together with other believers to encourage each other’s faith. He understood that life in a fallen world is difficult. He certainly understood suffering, sorrow, pain, and opposition. While he was an incredible apostle filled with the Holy Spirit, he still greatly desired to be with other Christians. He understood that when Christians gather and share stories about God’s goodness and faithfulness, reminding each other of the love and sacrifice of Jesus, that we grow stronger together. In that growth, we all have greater impact for God’s Kingdom here on earth.

If anyone could get by on their own without spending time with other believers, it should have been Paul. He certainly did know times of isolation that God used to prepare Him. Nonetheless, he earnestly desired to spend time with other Christians. This wasn’t just to teach and encourage them, but to be encouraged by them. It wasn’t just to build their faith but to have his faith built. If this was important to Paul, it should be important to every believer!!!

Every follower of Jesus needs to have a community of other believers where you genuinely encourage each other in your faith. This isn’t about casually hanging around. This must be a place where you truly know each other and share stories of God’s activity during both the good and bad times of life. Christians aren’t meant to go it alone for any extended period of time. Without other Christians in our lives, we stagnate in our faith. We wander. We get distracted. We inevitably drift away from God.

Don’t go it alone! If you aren’t already in meaningful community with other Christians, join one. If there isn’t one, make one. #FollowJesus