Author: Brian Burdett

“He chose David his servant
and took him from the sheepfolds;
from following the nursing ewes he brought him
to shepherd Jacob his people,
Israel his inheritance.”
– Psalm 78:70-71

God chooses whom He chooses and He empowers those He chooses. David was the youngest of many sons, a humble shepherd, a nobody in the eyes of the world. Yet God saw within David a heart of faith which would make for a great king. God raised David up and used him in mighty ways we read about and celebrate 3000 years later.

Every follower of Christ has good works already prepared for him or her to do, regardless of age, health, wealth, status, or ability (Ephesians 2:10). Have no doubt that God will empower you to do whatever He’s called you to do. Focus instead on having that heart of faithful obedience, a pliable heart willing to follow wherever God leads.

Devote yourself to serving God, discerning where He would have you serve and trying out possibilities until you find the works He’s prepared for you. Serve well and do not doubt the eternal impact of your service! And stay near to God so that you know when He is calling you to different works of service that already await!

“Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.” – Acts 20:26-27

As Paul considered his uncertain future and said farewell to his beloved friends in Ephesus, he reminds us of the great weight of responsibility that every follower of Christ bears toward other people. We who know the truth of the Gospel and enjoy the blessings of Christ in us have a responsibility to share the full Gospel (not just the popular parts) with others.

Along with the great blessings of God’s grace, we’re called to share the bad news of human sin and the good news of God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ. We’re responsible for proclaiming the sacrificial death and victorious resurrection of Christ to those we encounter. We’re equipped to share what we have learned of Scripture (and perhaps more importantly, our love of Scripture) to others, that our faith may continue to spread through the rising generations.

This responsibility isn’t meant to frighten us (perfect love casts out fear), but should motivate us to stay focused on the work of God’s Kingdom every day of our lives. There are people In our lives we need to reach and people in our lives we need to teach. There are people we need to encourage and people we need to admonish. We all have a role to play in making disciples and there is accountability for failure to play that role, just as there is reward for faithful service. Let us boldly declare the whole counsel of God!

“And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.” – 1 Kings 19:11-12

2020 feels something like a devastating windstorm followed by a violent earthquake followed by a sweeping fire! Thus we must learn not to be overwhelmed or distracted by the thundering chaos that surrounds us, but to listen for the low whisper of God’s voice. Every follower of Christ has God’s Spirit within them and He speaks to us. However, we must discipline ourselves to listen for His voice amidst the hustle and bustle of our lives, for His voice is most often a whisper.

God speaks to us in many ways. First and foremost, He speaks through His Word. This makes sense, for it is His Word, given to His people for all time. If we aren’t interested in seeking to hear His voice here, He’s unlikely to speak to us in other ways! His Word gives us what we need to navigate the challenges we encounter in life. However to hear His voice we must discipline ourselves to be reading His Word daily and systematically. And we must read with hearts open to hear what God is saying to us through His Word.

God speaks to us through the unexpected insights and wisdom of our godly friends. People can certainly be mistaken, but we must recognize when sometimes the people God places in our lives are actually speaking on His behalf.

God certainly speaks to us by laying clear impressions on our hearts. Here we must be carefully discerning. We must make sure we aren’t hearing our own voice or the devil’s. Nonetheless, as we learn to hear God’s voice, it becomes clearer and more distinctive.

In times like these, Christians must be diligent and disciplined in quieting ourselves, finding quiet times and places, and listening for the low whisper of God’s voice guiding and encouraging us.

“Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.” – Acts 17:16-17

What a great example for Christians! Traveling alone in Athens, Paul becomes so upset by the widespread idolatry around him that he was compelled to share the gospel with anyone and everyone who happened to be wherever he was. He shared Christ in the synagogue and the marketplace, the sacred to the secular.

What would it look like if every ChristIan today got so upset about the widespread idolatry in the culture surrounding us that we began lovingly sharing Christ with everyone who happened to be in the same place we were??? Our culture and lives are full of idols, things which function as gods driving and motivating us and others: power, pleasure, politics, sex, entertainment, applause, sports, health, wealth, fame, comfort, convenience, safety, family, career, and celebrity, just to name a few.

What if, instead of either joining in the idolatry ourselves or silently shaking our heads about it, we shared Christ instead? Faithfully, daily, as we go, and with whomever we encounter. Sharing Christ is the only truly effective way to push back against the idolatry filling everything around us. May we each become more like Paul!

“Then he brought them out and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ And they said, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.’” – Acts 16:30-31

Yes, it really is that simple! Overwhelmed by the power and presence of God, the Philippian jailer wanted what Paul had – salvation! That night salvation came to his entire household as they all listened to Paul explain the gospel, they all believed, and they were all baptized before breakfast.

When you consider how simple their story is, you realize how much we humans like to complicate things! We want to add things to the gospel to prove we have value, give ourselves an illusion of control, or provide safeguards to the faith which God didn’t ordain. That isn’t the gospel – there’s nothing we can add to the work Christ did on the cross. There’s nothing we can ever do to earn, deserve, or merit salvation in the slightest bit. There are no mandatory rules, rituals, or prolonged training that we should put between people, belief, and baptism.

Believe, be saved, and be baptized – it really is that simple! That’s the Good News!!!