Author: Brian Burdett

“Only hold fast what you have until I come. The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations.” – Revelation 2:25-26

Remember this promise of Jesus! Hold firmly to your faith, no matter what happens. Obey Jesus, no matter what happens. Jesus promises that no matter how confusing, discouraging, difficult, or deceptive things become, He has a glorious reward for everyone who faithfully believes and obeys Him. He has a glorious reward for you. If you are His follower, you will reign with Him in eternity.

Let this encourage you in difficult times. Whatever your situation may be today or tomorrow, if you hold firmly to Jesus as your Lord, you will receive authority over the nations. You will one day assist your King in governing the universe. Jesus wants you to understand and remember two precious truths whenever you’re going through a painful season of life, whether it’s caused by poverty, disease, disability, abuse, abandonment, assault, persecution, or simply the evil of a fallen world. The first is that Jesus is with you through all your sorrow and all your suffering. He lives in you, comforts you, and strengthens you to endure in faithfulness. The second is that when you do endure faithfully, then on the other side of your pain is a beautiful eternity in His presence full of joy and rewards and utterly free of all pain, sorrow, and grief.

Hold firmly to your faith in Jesus. Don’t let the trends of society or the pressures of people around you cause you to water down or walk away from that faith. Keep doing the works of Jesus until you go to Him or He comes back to us. Keep telling people about Jesus. Keep loving your neighbors and your enemies. Keep ministering to the most vulnerable around us. Keep making disciples. Keep obeying Christ rather than living in fear of people. Your future is already guaranteed! #FollowJesus

“An appalling and horrible thing
has happened in the land:
the prophets prophesy falsely,
and the priests rule at their direction;
my people love to have it so,
but what will you do when the end comes?”
– Jeremiah 5:30-31

God spoke through Jeremiah to a particular people and situation some 2600 years ago. And yet, He could easily be describing the present day, so take careful note of what He says! Today, we’re flooded with experts, prognosticators, politicians, and self-described prophets predicting the present and future based largely on whatever they want to happen. They speak to increase their own power, fame, influence, and wealth. Some claim to speak for God, while others are embraced as if they were speaking for God. Regardless, people today seek them out and can’t get enough of what they have to say.

Are any of them true prophets? Do any of them have real insight from the Lord? That seldom gets evaluated carefully. Today, all we care about is whether they’re saying something we already agree with, impressed by, or want to be alarmed by. Whether we want to be vindicated, angered, or alarmed, far too many of God’s people have an endless appetite for the word of these experts poured out on their favorite news channels, podcasts, blogs, and social media platforms.

Are you among them? What are you listening to, watching, and reading? Is it “news”? Is it opinion? Is it a self-proclaimed prophet? Or is it the unchanging Word of God? How much time and attention do you give to reading or listening to the Bible yourself, studying for yourself, and learning for yourself? How much time do you give to the prophecies, predictions, and analyses of others? Devote the greater portion of your time and energy to studying God’s word rather than loving prophets are are likely false.

Likewise, beware of “holy” men and women – pastors, preachers, bishops, leaders – who are busy doing their thing, following their own way or the way of other people rather than the way of Jesus. Jesus is the ruling king of the universe. He MUST rule in His churches. He must rule over His people. Don’t love a religious leader who isn’t obeying and teaching the clear word of Jesus. No matter how good they sound or kind they may seem, if they aren’t shepherding under the authority of our Great Shepherd, Jesus, they’re guiding their flock (real or virtual) to destruction!

Every follower of Jesus must be discerning about who and what they are following. To be prepared for these turbulent, latter days don’t follow someone just because you love them. Follow them because they’re speaking and following Jesus themself. #FollowJesus

“Return, O faithless children,
declares the Lord;
for I am your master;
I will take you, one from a city and two from a family,
and I will bring you to Zion.
– Jeremiah 3:14

Though God had devoted many verses to outlining Israel’s sins and idolatries, He still appeals for them to turn back to Him. He invites. He welcomes. He forgives. This is how God truly is! He is gracious and merciful in His nature, which means there is always grace and mercy waiting for those who seek it. Not a very, hatred, or rejection. Grace and mercy. Even if a person spent years rejecting God, disobeying Him, and pursuing false gods, false prophets, and false purposes. God is always ready to embrace anyone when they turn to Him through Jesus.

Through the work of Jesus Christ on the cross, God is ready to forgive every sin and adopt every repentant sinner into His family. As the verse describes, God is ready to receive each individual as he or she turns from sin and embraces Jesus as Lord. One by one, two by two, God is welcoming new believers to His family. With each profession of faith there is new life and new citizenship in the heavenly Mount Zion!

Return to the Lord! If you’ve never trusted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, trust Him today! The Risen Son of God is inviting you to new life in Zion through faith in Him. I you’ve trusted in Jesus in the past but have fallen away from God’s will and plan for you life, turn back to God right now! Admit your sin and pray for God’s forgiveness in the name of Jesus. He is always faithful to forgive and to cleanse us completely. Commit your life to #FollowJesus and be welcomed into the loving embrace of your Father in Heaven.

“For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.” – 2 Corinthians 11:13

Not everyone who calls him or herself a prophet, evangelist, apostle, bishop, or teacher is truly a servant of Christ. There have always been false teachers and leaders working their way into Christ’s church. Today, it’s very easy for anyone to call themself anything they feel like and gather some sort of following online or in person. Many dynamic personalities you find on social media, web sites, or even in churches are self-appointed and self-anointed. They may sound fantastic, tell you dramatic or unexpected things. They may do things that seem to be truly amazing. That doesn’t guarantee they’re truly a worker for Christ. Deceitful workmen continue to exploit people by claiming titles and roles that haven’t been given to them by Jesus.

Always be cautious in embracing someone who carries lofty titles they’ve given themselves. Test their teachings against Scripture. Are they consistent with the full counsel of God’s Word or are they distorting a few verses to say something they never actually said? Test their character and manner of life. Are they increasingly like Jesus or do they seem to be gathering wealth, power, and fame to use for their own advantage? Do they demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control) or the opposite? Are they pointing people to Jesus as their authority and example or are they pointing people to themself? Are they equipping people to go and make disciples of Jesus on their own or to gather more followers for that one human leader?

To be clear, nobody other than Jesus is perfect. Every apostle, prophet, or teacher will be flawed to some extent. But what is the overall pattern of their life? Is it one of increasing holiness and obedience to Jesus or one of increasing promotion of self? Does the person, and those surrounding them, have the aroma of Christ or of the world? Is their love for Jesus and for lost and hurting people or is their love for fame, influence, money, and power? Be discerning and #FollowJesus!

“Take every thought captive to obey Christ.” – 2 Corinthians 10:5b

Here is the great challenge of our new life in Jesus Christ! We are saved by God’s grace through faith in Jesus alone. We are made new creation in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. We are to be holy because our Savior is holy. And, we are to think holy thoughts with renewed minds because our Savior is holy and He lives in us.

In this modern age in which we live, this may be the most difficult task we’re given! We can, with God’s help, clean up our outward appearances and visible behaviors. Most Christians know this and are trying. But are you also working hard, in the power of the Holy Spirit, to take captive the racing, swirling, distracted, selfish, and chaotic thoughts that race through your mind? With all of the entertainment, information, and distraction that you are constantly bombarded with, are you intentionally trying to control your mind and take every thought captive to Jesus?

As a follower of Jesus, you should be trying to increasingly devote your thought life to Jesus. Not to yourself, not to thinking false or harsh things about yourself, not to indulging deceptive or ungodly feelings. To Jesus. In Philippians 4, Paul explains how to do that – by intentionally choosing to think about the good, noble, and holy things in the world. By filling your mind with Scripture, by meditating regularly on God’s Word, by spending joyful time in prayer, by listening to music that praises God, by listening to teaching and preaching that honors God, and by reading and watching media that lifts Jesus high.

Taking every thought captive is only possible through the Holy Spirit. Make the effort! It’s extremely difficult, but we’re called to try each day. Be aware of all the racing and circling and and swirling thoughts of your mind and rebuke those which are false, sinful, or disobedient to Christ. Taking every thought captive won’t happen overnight. It’s a process of growth and transformation in Christ. But now that you should and know that you can. #FollowJesus