Author: Brian Burdett

“For you say, “I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing,” not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.” – Revelation 3:17

What was true of the ancient church in Laodicea is often true of modern churches and Christians in the west. Broadly speaking, we live and work amongst some of the wealthiest people in the wealthiest country to ever exist. By the historical standards of the world, most reading this post are wealthy. You probably know where you will sleep tonight, probably have no doubt your next meal will happen, and obviously possess wondrous electronic devices for accessing social media.

We can easily mistake material comfort and financial prosperity for spiritual health. When things go well in a worldly sense, we often let our bank accounts, homes, vehicles, and myriad other possessions hide our true spiritual poverty: the weakness of our relationship with Christ, the deficiencies of our faith and trust in the Lord. The greatest threat to life-changing, transformational faith lived in obedience to Jesus Christ may well be the false sense of independence brought about by comfort and wealth in this world. When we lack the things of the world, we’re forced to depend on God. When we have abundance, we easily forget that we’re still completely dependent on God. Rather than seeking to work in the strength of Christ, we quickly become content to operate in our own strength and resources. That’s disastrous in a spiritual sense, for churches and for individual Christians.

Take some time to do a spiritual inventory today. Are you fully depending on Jesus as your provider? Or are you reasonably content with the things you have? Is your peace and security derived from your Lord or from your situation? Do you recognize your need – day in and day out – for your Savior? Do you imagine you’ve got things under control or do you easily remember that it is God Who is in control? If you’ve quietly slipped into the mistake of Laodicea, repent of it, go back to relying on the Lord, and #FollowJesus

“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” – John 1:12

What a powerful truth! Think about it and let it fill and overwhelm you with joy and gratitude… Believing in Jesus, welcoming Him into your heart as Lord of your life, results in being adopted as a child of God. In Christ, you are an enormously loved child forgiven your sins, washed clean, and made new. A co-heir with Christ, your older brother. United with Him. Sealed by His Holy Spirit, the guarantee of your eternal inheritance. Past darkness has been swept away and replaced by the glorious life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

That’s really it… As John 1 explains, Jesus, the eternal Word of God, Who is God, became flesh and was born into our world over 2000 years ago. He lived among us, taught us, revealed grace and truth to us, lived a sinless life, then died as the sacrificial Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world. Which is why God’s grace welcomes us as His children when we believe in His Son.

If you don’t believe, what’s stopping you? If you do believe, who in your life has yet to receive Jesus and become a child of God? #FollowJesus

“When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.” – Revelation 1:17-18

One of the most precious and important things revealed about Jesus in the “Revelation of Jesus Christ” is Who He is right now. Jesus is the first and the last. He is eternal, not created, and He is undying. He is God the Son, the Second Person of the Godhead. Jesus is the living one. Not dead but eternally risen and alive forevermore. He alone holds the keys of death and hell. He is the Just Judge of all mankind.

Jesus isn’t some abstract idea. He isn’t like famous dead religious leaders of the past. He isn’t a pleasant memory of a once great teacher or prophet. He is alive forever! He is ruling and reigning over creation with the keys of life and death, heaven and hell in His nail-scarred hands. This is Who you’re invited to entrust your life to. This is Who you have a relationship with if you’ve put your faith in Him. This is Who will never leave nor forsake you. Who is surely with you all of the days until He returns at the end of the age.

This is who invites you to take up your cross each morning and follow Him. The leader, guide, and God Who is forevermore. The living King and Judge of all creation. He is worthy to be followed. His burden is light if you will bind yourself to Him and walk in step with Him. Accept His invitation and #FollowJesus

“When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him.” – Luke 23:8

This encounter between Herod Antipas and Jesus is a perfect illustration of the limitations of miracles. Herod wasn’t seeking God. He wasn’t interested in salvation. He didn’t want to hear and understand the message of Jesus. He just wanted a show! Something to amuse and amaze him. Something he could talk about at parties.

This was a common reaction during the earthly ministry of Jesus. Crowds flocked to Him to see or benefit from His miracles. But few truly listened or believed with life-changing faith. Such is the surprisingly limited impact of miracles. Miracles certainly can draw a crowd. Those most directly touched by them may well come to believe. But they don’t tend to produce widespread faith. That typically comes through the teaching and proclamation of the good news. Jesus understood and lamented this reality during His time on earth.

In all likelihood, this is why God remains strategic about when He performs miracles. God is always present and always at work in the world. But bringing people to faith is primarily accomplished through the work of the Holy Spirit in response to the sharing, teaching, and preaching of the Gospel. Miracles have their place, especially where God’s Kingdom is first breaking into an area. However, God knows that miracles are far less impactful from an eternal perspective than we imagine.

Can God work miracles? Absolutely! Does God work miracles? Certainly! Is it right to pray for and celebrate miracles? Of course! But never forget that it is the personal sharing of the Gospel that is God’s top way to bring people to the greatest miracle of all – becoming new creation as a gift of grace given through faith in Jesus Christ! #FollowJesus

“And when he came to the place, he said to them, ‘Pray that you may not enter into temptation.’” – Luke 22:40

As Jesus was going into the Garden of Gethsemane to prepare Himself for the cross through prayer, He gave these instructions to His disciples. Jesus would use the next few hours to wrestle in prayer with some profoundly deep aspects of God’s will. His disciples, on the other hand, simply needed to be praying for themselves. For the trial ahead of them. That they wouldn’t be tempted by cowardice to run away or deny knowing Jesus (they did). That they wouldn’t give in to the temptation to sleep rather than laboring faithfully in prayer in solidarity with Jesus (they did).

Had they prayed as Jesus told them to, only God can say how their experience that night might have been different. However, clearly they didn’t pray and they certainly gave into temptation. Let that be a lesson to us – it is good and appropriate to pray that we don’t enter into temptation. We should be actively praying for that alongside all our other prayer requests. Those are prayers God will often answer by the sheltering and strengthening power of His Spirit in you. Make time each day to pray seriously for yourself that you wouldn’t enter into temptation. #FollowJesus