Author: Brian Burdett

“But they flattered him with their mouths;
they lied to him with their tongues.
Their heart was not steadfast toward him;
they were not faithful to his covenant.”
– Psalm 78:36-37

Psalm 78 is a beautiful review of Israel’s history. However, the problems described throughout the psalm usually weren’t one-time issues. The truth is that God’s people still struggle with what’s described in these verses! We flatter God with our mouths. We sing and say beautiful words of praise in church and perhaps even in social situations. Yet our hearts easily wander away from the Lord and obedience can be lacking from day to day.

Few Christians would say that anything or anyone is more important to them than God. We definitely say the right words. But do our lives reflect hearts that are fixed steadfastly on God as #1? Often our hearts are very much more concerned with earthly matters of work, family, money, power, reputation, fame, comfort, pleasure, security, or control. These things can be good and important but not if they are the dominant concern of our mind and heart.

Are your emotions driven more by God or by people or things around you? What gets you most excited? What gets your mind racing and heart pumping on any given day? What gets you most scared? Most anxious? Most exhilarated? Is it God? A person? A thing?

What fills your daily schedule and monthly calendar? Are they full of the things of God or of people, places, and things?

What would your bank and credit card statements say is the dominant theme of you life? God’s Kingdom or your own?

Don’t let God merely be one good thing among many in your life! It’s the natural tendency for Christians and the opposite of what Jesus taught. If you do, you will miss out on so very many blessings. Make the Lord #1 at all times and in all ways. #FollowJesus

“Jabez was more honorable than his brothers; and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, ‘Because I bore him in pain.’” – 1 Chronicles 4:9

For God’s people, the past doesn’t define us! Many people believe it inevitably does but that’s a lie! We live in a world that tries to define us, manage us, label us, or limit us based on our past. Our experiences, our locations, our families, our failures…. These certainly have influence and impact but they shouldn’t define us. Unfortunately, we can easily fall into the trap of letting them define us, believing that because something painful or shameful has happened to us that we’re forever stuck, defined, or controlled by that thing.

That isn’t how it works in God’s eyes! Amidst a long list of unusual names, we encounter Jabez whose name was “pain”. Apparently his birth was so traumatic and painful that his mother gave him a name that forever reminded her of pain. That would be tough to deal with! Imagine being named and labeled pain your whole life! Your own mother calls you pain as an ongoing reminder that you caused her great pain. It would be awful!

However, Jabez rose above that, becoming a godly, prayerful man whose character in the Lord was so much greater than normal that he is forever remembered in the Bible. Jabez is a wonderful reminder of the truth that “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away, behold the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17) When you trust in Jesus, you’re made new! Completely, fully new…

Your past may still carry pain. It may still feel like it should limit you. But in Christ, the past doesn’t need to have any power over you. All your guilt has been forgiven. All your shame has been washed away by the blood of Jesus. You aren’t defined by failure, by disappointment, by suffering, or by the names and labels others call you. You are a child of God! You are loved and adopted! You are made new and united with Jesus Christ!

Don’t let the pain of your past hold you back. Embrace Jesus and accept His loving two-word invitation, “Follow me”. Follow Jesus into a better, brighter future. Follow Jesus into a future defined by His ongoing love and presence in your life. #FollowJesus

“For when he dies he will carry nothing away;
his glory will not go down after him.”
– Psalm 49:17

Consider this helpful reminder from God’s Word – you can’t take it with you! We’ll all die one day, unless Jesus returns first. When we do, any money we’ve saved, invested, earned, swindled, or otherwise accumulated will be left behind. It will no longer do us any good and won’t be under our control.

Jesus talks a great deal about money. Our money-obsessed culture would be wise to listen. We should all listen. Jesus is very clear that money won’t save us and that accumulating money tends to be hazardous to our spiritual health. We start thinking more about money than we do about God. We start getting more emotionally invested in money than we are in Jesus. While money itself isn’t evil, fixating on money leads to all sorts of evil.

Jesus teaches that it’s far better and wiser to recognize that all money is a gift from God, given by Him for us to manage on His behalf. Though we can’t take money with us when we die, when we manage it well, we send it on ahead of us as treasure in heaven. That treasure will last forever and be of benefit to us forever. How can we send money ahead of us to heaven? By managing our money for Christ’s Kingdom!

We turn earthly money into eternal treasure when we invest it in churches and ministries that share the good news of Jesus Christ with those who need to hear it. We manage our money for Christ’s Kingdom when we invest it in churches and ministries that demonstrate the love of Jesus for the most vulnerable in their community and the world – the poor, the oppressed, the sick, the uneducated, widows and orphans.

Rather than living to pile up money in ever increasing amounts (which will never feel like enough), earn money to provide for your family and then give generously and joyfully to bless dozens, hundreds, and thousands in your community and to the end of the earth. Sow into eternity. Find ways to change the physical and spiritual lives of people for generations. It isn’t difficult to do, it just requires the intention and discipline to do it. We live in an amazing age where we’re able to turn the excesses of our situation into blessings for people both near and far. Live simply. Bless abundantly. #FollowJesus

“And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.” – 2 Samuel 2:11

God’s will and plan unfolds according to His timing, not ours. David was supposed to be King of all Israel. He’d been anointed by Samuel years earlier. Yet he’d had to spend years running and hiding from murderous King Saul. After Saul’s death, David was king only of his own people for seven and a half years. It would have been so easy for David to grow impatient and frustrated. He was often given opportunities to “take a shortcut” to power that would have been sinful. In every case, David resisted that temptation but it must have been difficult. It would have been so easy for him to throw up his hands, conclude he’d misunderstood God, angrily question God’s presence and power, and simply give up. Or take an ungodly shortcut to the throne. Thankfully, David never wavered in his faithful obedience though he certainly asked questions.

God’s ways aren’t our ways and His thoughts aren’t our thoughts. God experiences time in a very different way from us. He is perfectly patient and His timing is always perfect even though it usually doesn’t line up with our preferred schedule. We easily grow impatient and doubtful, questioning whether God has forgotten us or failed. We too easily doubt God’s will, presence, plan, or goodness, just be cause we have to wait a few days, weeks, month, or years to see God move. We must discipline ourselves to be patient! God’s people must be faithful and patient in waiting for His perfect timing. We must trust that He is waiting until the timing is perfect to bring Him the most glory.

When we know God’s will, we must do God’s work, and be patient for God’s timing to bring all things to fruition. God is faithful. He will accomplish His will. He will always keep His promises. However, it will all be according to His timing, which is infinitely more perfect than our own. In the meantime, be faithful. Be holy. Be prepared. Be prayerfully patient. #FollowJesus

“The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” – Mark 12:31

Every day is a good day for a little self-examination! How are you doing at loving your neighbor the way you love yourself? Before you answer, remember that Jesus made clear in Scripture that your neighbor includes people like you and people different from you. Your neighbors are those like you in appearance, ethnicity, race, education, and economic status and people quite different from you. Your neighbors are the people who live close to you and the people you happen to randomly encounter lying in the road. Your neighbors are people in need and people who seemingly don’t need anything.

So…do you love your neighbor? The way you love yourself??? If you show yourself grace and understanding when you have a bad day, do you show that love to everyone you encounter? If you’d spare no expense to take care of your needs, do you show that love to everyone you encounter? If you’re inclined to indulge yourself even when you know better, do you show that love to everyone you encounter? If you’re patient with yourself and your shortcomings, recognizing that you’re a work in progress, do you show that love to everyone else in your life?

This Great Commandment should challenge you every single day. Every…single…day. This is the love Jesus has toward you. He calls you to imitate Him. He commands you to love others in this way. So examine yourself and if you fall short, ask for God’s grace and then show it to your neighbors. #FollowJesus