Finding Faithful Friends | Bible Gleanings | August 22-23, 2026

August 21, 2026 Brandon G. B. Leave a comment

Straight lines look crooked with enough pressure from a crowd. Psychologist Solomon Asch demonstrated this during a landmark experiment in the 1950s. He seated one unsuspecting test subject in a room with numerous actors, and displayed two cards to everyone—one featuring a solitary straight line, the other displaying three lines of obviously varying lengths with only one matching the line on the first card. The assignment was straightforward: match the lines. So easy, a monkey could do it blindfolded.

Shockingly, over 75% of participants got the answer wrong. How did they fudge such a simple task? Because the actors were instructed to lie and swear that the shorter lines matched the one on the first card although anyone with eyes could see that they absolutely didn’t. Many of the respondents initially matched the lines correctly, but changed their minds due to peer pressure. Dr. Solomon concluded that human beings will do what is wrong even though they know what is right—all it takes is enough influence from others.

Solomon the Preacher reached a similar conclusion from the experiment of life: spend enough time walking with someone and you will eventually start walking like them—for better or worse. “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise,” he wrote, “but a companion of fools shall be destroyed” (Prov. 13:20, KJV). Who you befriend influences what you believe and how you behave. Friendship is formative, which is why you must stick close with companions of character and commitment who draw you closer to Christ and avoid “friends” who lead you astray by making sin easier and obedience harder. You cannot live righteously while walking with the wicked, nor can you live righteously without walking with the righteous—so choose your friends carefully.

When you hang around a fire for a while, smoke will cling to your clothes—when you hang around people who are playing with fire by living disobediently, their sin will cling to your life (Prov. 22:24-25). But when you fellowship with believers who are “on fire” for the Lord with white-hot zeal for His glory, the flame of your own zeal will burn hotter. The best kind of friend is one who improves your sanctification and holiness, not one who hinders it: “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another” (Prov. 27:17). Faithful friends also tell you what you need to hear rather than what you want to hear: “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy” (Prov. 27:6; cf. 27:9-10). Christlike companions, furthermore, love you at your worst—not at your best (Prov. 10:12; 17:9, 17; 19:4, 6-7).

Still, even the best of earthly friends will fail and disappoint—there is only One who will never leave you nor forsake you—the Friend of sinners: “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Prov. 18:24; cf. John 15:13-15; Rom. 5:8). Take an honest inventory right now of your closest friends—where are they taking you and how are they “making” you?

Brandon is the pastor of Bandana Baptist Church in Bandana, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife, Dakota, their much-prayed for son, Oliver, and their three dogs. Brandon and Dakota previously served as foster parents through Sunrise Children’s Services of Kentucky. Brandon is also a published author and his Bible Gleanings columns are featured in over sixteen publications throughout Kentucky, Illinois, Tennessee, and Indiana. He is also a devotional contributor for Kentucky Today, a news publication of the Kentucky Baptist Convention, and an editor at Reforming the Heart.

Bible Gleanings, devotions

Our Guide Forever | Bible Gleanings | August 8-9, 2026

August 7, 2026 Brandon G. B. Leave a comment

We never saw him again. Even when we did, we barely caught a glimpse of him. But before we parted ways, he smiled and said, “And that concludes our tour of Marvel Cave, ladies and gentlemen.” Our tour guide was off to lead another party of curious cavers after escorting us through the winding passages, spears of stalactite, and dripping cavernous chambers within this historic cave which lies 500 feet beneath Silver Dollar City. His only job was to direct us through a cave—not back to our cars, hotels, or other attractions in Branson, Missouri. While our guide knew everything about caves, he wasn’t an expert in everything—he could only take us as far as his knowledge would take him.

There is, however, a Guide whose knowledge is limitless—and therefore, whose guidance is limitless. “For this God is our God for ever and ever,” wrote the psalmist, “he will be our guide even unto death” (Psalm 48:14, KJV). The Lord leads His people through every season of life and His guidance does not end until He brings them to their heavenly home. The great Shepherd steers His saints through life and toward life everlasting: “Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory” (Ps. 73:23-24).

He can straighten the most winding paths with His wisdom, brighten the darkest valleys by His illuminating light, and carry His people through the most tempestuous of life’s storms. No matter how heavy the burden, how confusing the decision, or how uncertain tomorrow may be, the God who knows the end from the beginning promises, “the LORD will guide you continually” (Isa. 58:11a). Even if you rode to the edge of the galaxy on the rays of the sun or descended to the floor of the ocean, the Lord would be there to lead the way: “If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me” (Ps. 139:9-10). And while every tour guide eventually says goodbye, the Lord says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Heb. 13:5). Moreover, He doesn’t merely tell believers where to go—He goes with them: “It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you” (Deut. 31:8a).

It is no wonder why generations of believers have prayed and found comfort in singing the words of He Leadeth Me by J. H. Gilmore (1834—1918), which says,

“He leadeth me: O blessed thought!

O words with heavenly comfort fraught!

Whate’er I do, where’er I be,

still ‘tis God’s hand that leadeth me.

He leadeth me, he leadeth me;

by his own hand he leadeth me:

his faithful follower I would be,

for by his hand he leadeth me.

Sometimes mid scenes of deepest gloom,

sometimes where Eden’s flowers bloom,

by waters calm, o’er troubled sea,

still ‘tis God’s hand that leadeth me.”

Bible Gleanings, devotions

Little Providences | Bible Gleanings | July 25-26, 2026

July 24, 2026 Brandon G. B. Leave a comment

One might say it was an extraordinarily lucky shot when an archer randomly fired his bow into the air and somehow struck and severely injured the armor-covered King Ahab precisely where he was exposed (1 Kings 22:34). Some would conclude that the stars aligned when the midnight insomnia of King Ahasuerus could only be cured from reading an old book—one that just so happened to record the forgotten loyalty of Mordecai, compelling the king to honor him rather than hang him (Esther 6:1-11). Some would suppose that the widow Ruth carried around a rabbit’s foot and a four-leaf clover when she went to work in a field that serendipitously belonged to Boaz, her future husband and redeemer (Ruth 2:3). Some might believe it was a fluke of good fortune when the little boy with a sack lunch “coincidentally” stood near Jesus exactly when the multitudes needed to eat (John 6:9). Some may argue that fate smiled upon the apostle Paul, whose life was repeatedly spared simply because he was a Roman citizen (Acts 16:35-40; 22:22-29).

But according to Scripture, nothing is random—everything is ruled by the Lord (Prov. 16:33). Nothing is a happy accident—everything is a divine appointment (Psalm 139:16). Nothing is a coincidence—everything is a providence. “[God] works all things,” wrote Paul, “according to the counsel of his will” (Eph. 1:11b). And small things are part of all things.

They say that the biggest doors still swing on the smallest hinges and that every avalanche begins with a single snowflake. And the Bible teaches something even greater: the Lord often accomplishes His grandest purposes through the smallest details of everyday life. He doesn’t merely move mountains—He moves molecules. The God who governs the galaxies also intricately directs detours, delays, disappointments, and even daily decisions. As the Puritans used to say, the Lord’s greatest works are often His quietest works.

It is tempting to associate the Lord’s power with mighty miracles only, but miracles are frequently hiding in plain sight. Perhaps this is why Scripture says not to despise the day of “small things” (Zech. 4:10). He may use a minor inconvenience to completely redirect the course of your life or place you beside the right person at the right time to hear the right words to counsel or encourage you. He may use one sentence from one sermon to change your mind, one verse in Scripture to comfort your soul, one unexpected phone call that answers a prayer, or even one different route home to spare you from unforeseen harm. God tends to the little things like counting hairs (Matt. 10:30), ensuring that every star has a name (Ps. 147:4), feeding the sparrows (Matt. 6:26), giving the lions their prey (Ps. 104:21), and making the grass grow (Ps. 104:14). And He will never fail to superintend the little things in the lives of His people.

Bible Gleanings, devotions

He Knows His Own | Bible Gleanings | July 4-5, 2026

July 3, 2026 Brandon G. B. Leave a comment

Her life was a lie. Twenty-eight years passed before she discovered the life-shattering truth. In a quest to uncover her family lineage, Raylane Amaral submitted her DNA to a trustworthy ancestry firm. The first result hit her like a freight train: the woman she called “mom” was not her biological mother at all. Then came another revelation which left her questioning everything—she had a brother she never knew about.

The New York Post reported that Raylane contacted her newly discovered brother, who claimed his sister was born the very same day. Surely, she was that baby and reuniting with her real mother was finally on the horizon. Not even close. Raylane and her newfound brother learned that his “sister” had also been mistakenly sent home with the wrong woman, meaning that there had not been one mix-up in the hospital, but two. At last, the web of confusion untwined when the women tracked down their real mothers, while the hospital became trapped in a web of its own when all the families joined together in a lawsuit.

Stories like these are rare nowadays because of safeguards in maternity wards, but it serves as a reminder that human beings with the best intentions sometimes mix up who is who. The postal service occasionally delivers your neighbor’s mail to you. Waitresses sometimes bring the wrong meal to your table. Airports erroneously assign your luggage to someone else. But this is something the Lord will never do, which is why the Scripture says, “But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are his’” (2 Tim. 2:19a).

The all-knowing Christ similarly promised, “I know my own and my own know me” (John 10:14b). Paul likewise guaranteed, “But if anyone loves God, he is known by God” (1 Cor. 8:3). The Lord knows every believer by name and has recorded their names with indissoluble ink in the Book of Life (Phil. 4:3; Rev. 3:5). He will never forget His children—the only thing He forgets are their sins (Heb. 8:12). This is why God tenderly swore, “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands” (Isa. 49:15-16a).

You are known by God if you know Christ and there is no possibility of any mix-up. The Lord never questions whether or not you are His. You can never slip from His memory or be accidentally mistaken for an unbeliever. The hymn-writer Norman J. Clayton (1903–1992) said it best:

“Jesus, my Lord will love me forever,

from Him no pow’r of evil can sever,

He gave His life to ransom my soul;

Now I belong to Him;

Now I belong to Jesus,

Jesus belongs to me,

not for the years of time alone,

but for eternity.”

Bible Gleanings, devotions

God Sees a Venice | Bible Gleanings | June 27-28, 2026

June 26, 2026 Brandon G. B. Leave a comment

Mosquitos, mud, and not much else. A landscape littered with lugubrious and lonesome lagoons. Marshy banks at every turn, frequently submerged beneath murky seawater during high tide. A wasteland so barren that its eels and seabass envied the swamps of Louisiana. The most undesirable place on earth—and the least likely land to be transformed into a globally-known paradise: Venice, Italy.

This eyesore became a sight to behold thanks to a handful of retreating Romans who believed that ruins could be redeemed. When barbarians pillaged the Roman Empire, many fled with only their lives, but they carried Rome with them—and more importantly, a vision for what could be. They essentially rebuilt Rome upon these deserted islands, building a floating masterpiece embellished with marble palaces, monumental towers, winding canals, and a romantic allure that has enchanted tourists for generations. Looking at Venice now, it is hard to fathom that one of the world’s greatest wonders arose from a desolate no-man’s-land. But it did because, while everyone else saw a barren wilderness, the builders saw Venice.

According to the Scripture, the Lord is an all-wise and able architect who specializes in the same thing—He can see a Venice where there are valleys and vexations. Sometimes, life looks like a lonely lagoon when the tides of tribulation wash away your hopes and dreams, leaving you standing knee-deep in a marsh of misery. A troubled marriage, prodigal child, terminal diagnosis, or loss of a loved one can leave you staring at a wrecked landscape, tempting you to conclude, “Nothing good could ever come from this.” But God is so good that He can take what is not good and use it for the good of those whom He loves. This is why Paul promised, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28, KJV).

The Bible is replete with “Venices.” Joseph’s brothers saw him as a slave, but God saw the ruler of Egypt (Gen. 50:20). The women of Bethlehem saw a beleaguered Ruth, but God saw a woman whom He was writing into the ancestry of Christ (Ruth 4:18-21). The disciples saw a bloodied cross and a borrowed grave, but God saw an empty tomb and salvation for the world (Acts 2:23). The Lord sees things differently, and builds masterpieces from miseries (cf. Hab. 1:5).

Therefore, believers must wait upon the Lord and trust in His powerful providence (cf. Psalm 27:13-14; cf. Eccl. 3:11). Rome wasn’t built in a day, nor was it rebuilt overnight in Venice. And God’s providential plan progresses at His perfect pace as He lays one stone at a time. If you are sitting in a barren wilderness today, remember the Lord’s word to you:

“I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. I will put in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, the myrtle, and the olive. I will set in the desert the cypress, the plane and the pine together, that they may see and know, may consider and understand together, that the hand of the LORD has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it” (Isa. 41:18-20).

Where you see ruins, God sees redemption.

Other, Perspectives

The Footsteps of a Father

June 20, 2026 Brandon G. B. Leave a comment

“I ain’t never done this before, so I’m gonna walk where you walk.”

Words that cannonballed so forcefully into my heart that tears came splashing up through my eyes.

Our former foster son was walking directly behind me on his very first backpacking trip in May of last year. Being from the city, he had never even hiked, let alone spent a night in the woods. I, however, had backpacked and hiked enough to lose count. And, we happened to be walking a trail I knew like the back of my hand. I knew where the hills became slippery, where the enticing detours were which led to nowhere, and where the best shelters and springs could be found.

It was all unfamiliar territory to him.

He decided to copy me—step where I did, avoid what I avoided, go where I went, and follow my footsteps.

I had to recollect myself when he said this because he summarized fatherhood in a single sentence without knowing it.

My eyes became watery partly because I was grieved—this young man didn’t even know his father. He missed all his birthdays. He never taught him to ride a bike, skin a deer, rig a fishing pole, drive a car, or change a tire.

But the overwhelming sense of both privilege and responsibility were to blame for my tears as well. He had entrusted me to lead the way. He watched my every step because he believed I would take the right path.

I think about these wise words all the time, but especially as Father’s Day approaches. Indeed, fatherhood is all about teaching your children how to walk a path they‘ve never walked.

“Train a child in the way he should go,” commanded Solomon of old. This implies that children do not know the way to go. Dads should. The Lord has called us to lead biblically and courageously, leading from the front so that our children can walk behind in confidence, saying, “I ain’t never done this before, so I am gonna walk where you walk.”

Dads, long before our kids listen to our instructions, they watch our lives. Our words, choices, and conduct. They will follow in our footsteps, for better or worse. Let’s make sure we take the right path—the narrow way that leads to everlasting life. Let’s show them the dangers to avoid, the steps worth taking, and where they can find what they need to survive in a sin-cursed world.

Bible Questions, Other, Perspectives

The Most Misunderstood Verse on Marriage—And What It Actually Means

June 15, 2026 Brandon G. B. Leave a comment

Ancient words that are offensive and oppressive to modern ears. Clear and concise, but often confusing. And it is what Christ compels Christian wives to do:

“Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord” (Colossians 3:18, KJV).

The holy Scripture highlights here that a healthy and holy home requires a humble wife who honors her husband’s headship. Ladies of the Lord ought to lean into their husband’s leadership when he is lovingly leading. No family can fully follow Christ without the wife faithfully following her husband when he is following Christ. A husband can only steer the ship of the family with his wife by his side, holding up his arms when they are weary. A godly and submissive wife is the “we” in the “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Josh. 24:15).

Who is Being Spoken To?

The ears that should hear these words and the hearts that should believe and obey them are those of a married woman. Not ladies who are single, dating, or engaged. You are free from compliance with command if you are unmarried, and bound to obey it if you are. Furthermore, God is not talking to husbands or almost-husbands either. Married men, you cannot enforce submission from your wife, and boyfriends and fiancés haven’t even earned it yet.

What is Being Spoken?

But what does this mean? It doesn’t mean doing everything your husband says. It doesn’t mean, “All women go to the left, because the man is always right.” It doesn’t mean you are less-than your husband or a woman forced to live in a man’s world.

Simply put, submitting to your husband means willingly and joyfully submitting to his leadership when he submits to the Lord—and you do it for the good of the family and the glory of God. And submission looks like this: supporting his decisions once they are made. Disagreeing with him without being disagreeable. Encouraging rather than undermining his leadership. Praying for him to be a godly husband and father than constantly criticizing him.

Submission says, “How can I help?” Resistance says, “Why should I?”

That said, the Lord does not expect you to submit to an absent, abusive, or adulterous husband. He does expect you to submit to a husband who adheres to the word of the Lord and the Lord of the word. It is for this reason that the apostle adds at the end, “as it is fit in the Lord.” Walk behind him when he follows the compass of God’s word, not when he is headed south. Follow your husband when he follows the Lord—follow the Lord when your husband doesn’t.

And when a husband loves the Lord and loves his wife—proving it in a sacrificial and selfless way as the greatest servant of the household—a wife will have no problem submitting to his lead (Col. 3:19; Eph. 5:25). This is why believers, the Bride of Christ, so voluntarily submit to Jesus, the Groom. He has proven His love for us. He became the greatest Servant of all by humbling Himself to the point of death for sinners. Christ is a Savior you want to follow. Likewise, a husband who models Christ in his words and actions is a man you will want to lead you.

Now, what if your husband is an unbeliever? What should you do then? Thankfully, there is a wealth of wise counsel in the New Testament for this exact question. Paul in First Corinthians 7 teaches that divorce is never the solution, not even in a less-than-ideal marriage to an unbelieving spouse. Paul does say that if the unsaved husband demands a divorce, you are allowed to concede, but still, separation should always be a “no-go” and never the “go-to” (1 Cor. 7:10-11, 13, 15). And in 1 Peter 3, the apostle says that you should try your darndest to win them to Christ by your “conduct,” adorning yourself with internal qualities that point them to Jesus (1 Pet. 3:1-6).

Lastly, I wish to say again: submission does not mean inferiority. First of all, both the husband and wife have one Lord: Jesus Christ. Second, the Scripture’s metaphor of marriage conveys that the husband and wife are equal. The Bible describes the marriage of a godly man and woman as being “equally yoked” (2 Cor. 6:14). This portrays two cattle with their heads in a yoke together, both moving in the same direction, and both at the same level—ground level. And thirdly, consider this: was Christ Jesus less than God His Father because He submitted to Him? Of course not. The Son of God is one with the Father. He is equal to the Father because He is as much God as He is. Yet, He willingly and joyfully submitted to His good will because that was His role and responsibility as a Son.

The role and responsibility of redeemed wives is submission to a saved and continually sanctified husband.

Bible Gleanings, devotions

Wherever He Leads | Bible Gleanings | June 13-14, 2026

June 12, 2026 Brandon G. B. Leave a comment

The boy was abruptly abducted. Convinced he would make a good slave, his kidnappers forced him to tend sheep in the extreme conditions of a remote land beyond the sea. Although not particularly religious, the excruciating ordeal compelled the young lad to pray. Finally, after five arduous years, he escaped from captivity by boarding a vessel that carried him home to the embrace of grateful parents who implored him never to leave again. But the runaway slave would eventually undertake the unthinkable: return to the land of his captors with the gospel of Christ—Saint Patrick of Ireland was his name.

The Lord constrained him to return to his nightmare of a life when an Irishman appeared in his dreams, pleading, “We beg you to come and walk among us once more.” Go back to the land that stole his freedom? Relive the past he fought so hard to forget? Saint Patrick said yes. He traded his own safety for service to his Savior and convenience for compliance with Christ’s calling on his life.

The results were miraculous. His evangelistic efforts contributed to the conversion of practically the entire population. An ancient painting of Patrick says it all. It depicts him driving out snakes—the “snakes” of idolatry and dark superstition, which he expelled by proclaiming the Man who crushed the head of the serpent (cf. Gen. 3:15). Even the Celtic slave trade that had once ensnared him diminished because of the transforming power of the message he preached.

A willing believer saying “yes” to a difficult task plus a wonder-working God is a powerful combination. As a matter of fact, the Lord’s greatest works are rarely accomplished the easy way. Moses had to repeatedly stand before an intimidating Pharaoh before Israel was delivered. Gideon had to defeat the Midianites with a significantly decreased fighting force (Judges 7:1-3). The first church had to endure severe persecution in order to multiply (Acts 8:1-4). Even Christ had to suffer and die upon the cross before being raised on the third day (1 Cor. 15:1-4).

God is most active in the hard places: the difficult conversation you don’t want to have, the uncomfortable sacrifice you don’t want to make, and the frightening step of faith you hesitate to take. This is why the Lord delights in servants who answer His sometimes-challenging calls and commands like Isaiah: “Here am I; send me” (Isa. 6:8). Indeed, the path of obedience might bring you face-to-face with your fears, but it will also lead directly to the breathtaking purposes of God. Therefore, the anthem on every believer’s lips ought to be that which is found in B. B. McKinney’s well-known hymn which says,

“It may be through the shadows dim,

or o’er the stormy sea,

I take my cross and follow Him;

wherever He leadeth me.

Wherever He leads I’ll go,

wherever He leads I’ll go,

I’ll follow my Christ who loves me so,

wherever He leads I’ll go.”

Bible Gleanings, devotions

The Danger of Doing Nothing | Bible Gleanings | June 6-7, 2026

June 5, 2026 Brandon G. B. Leave a comment

The number of victims it has claimed is incalculable. Few can resist its hypnotic appeal. It leaves its targets with a heavier heart and a lighter wallet. Worst of all, most of its captives never learn their lesson, succumbing again and again to its seductions despite swearing to never surrender. It has made a fool of me and has likely done the same to you: the checkout lane.

That’s where all the junk is—candy bars, chips, soda, and other enticing empty calories that need no advertisement. And distributors have conveniently and cleverly placed such delectable treats there because they know you are stuck with nothing to do but wait in line—and look. You grab what you need and go your way in the rest of the store, but movement stops at the checkout lane. Temptation lies within arm’s reach, and before long, a chocolate bar or some other I’ll-never-buy-this-again item slithers into your shopping cart. Idleness plus temptation equals another pointless purchase, and another disappointed victim.

Doing nothing is dangerous, especially in the Christian life. Idleness presents believers with an opportunity to “check out” what sin has to offer. Inactivity leads to sin-activity. When movement stops, temptation starts. Just ask David—the Scripture says that he “tarried in Jerusalem,” dilly-dallying when he should have been at war until his eyes wandered toward a bathing Bathsheba, and the rest is shameful history (cf. 2 Sam. 11).

This is why the Bible speaks so strongly about idleness and spiritual neglect. Solomon cautioned that doing nothing to maintain your house will result in its deterioration, and neglecting to care for your soul will lead to its decline (Eccl. 10:18). He similarly taught that an idle person’s life will be overrun with evil, just as a vineyard becomes overgrown due to negligence from a lazy gardener (Prov. 24:30-34). Paul also asserted that failing to be busy doing the Lord’s work results in being busy doing the devil’s work (2 Thess. 3:11). The Scripture even teaches that an “abundance of idleness” was one of the greatest iniquities of Sodom (Ezek. 16:49).

But you can vanquish idleness the same way you overcome temptation in the checkout lane: be vigilant, look away, and keep on moving. Believers must watch themselves and watch out for the devil’s wiles (Gen. 4:7; Gal. 6:1; 1 Peter 5:8). Christians must also be “always abounding in the work of the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:58b), remaining occupied with serving Christ, praying often, reading Scripture, and participating in the local church. The great Puritan Isaac Ambrose wisely warned, “As a standing pool grows filthy of itself and full of toads and vermin, so the heart that is not engaged in something good and useful is a fit place for the devil to breed evil thoughts and filthy passions in.” Save yourself some money and be watchful in the checkout lane. And save yourself some regret by resisting the subtle danger of idleness.

Bible Gleanings, devotions

Butterfly Believers | Bible Gleanings | May 30-31, 2026

May 29, 2026 Brandon G. B. Leave a comment

Peck. Peck. Peck. The nettlesome noise awakened the woman from a sound sleep. A peckish sparrow perched outside her window trying to eat breakfast—a butterfly frantically fluttering against the inside of the glass. There was a misunderstanding—the butterfly believed it was history, and the hungry bird was frustrated because it couldn’t reach its meal due to the invisible barrier between them. The butterfly had no reason to have the butterflies—it was as safe as if it had been thousands of miles away.

Crippled with panic, yet completely protected. How frequently do we as believers suffer from paralyzing dread regarding our souls when we have no reason to? Lacking assurance, we often live as though our salvation hangs by a thread, as if heaven’s door is barely open and poised to slam shut in our faces. We fear losing our salvation, out-sinning the grace of God, disappointing our Savior one too many times, or being snatched away by the world or the devil. But according to the Scripture, there is something infinitely greater than a glass pane standing between us and falling away from the faith: the nail-scarred hands of Christ Jesus.

Jesus graciously assured that there is no reason for His sheep to live in trepidation: “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:28). Believer, your salvation does not depend on your grip of Christ, but upon His grip of you—and He will never let you go (cf. Heb. 13:5). He likewise promised, “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. . . And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day” (John 6:37, 39). And your name is inscribed in the Book of Life with immortal ink—even graven in the palms of His hands (Rev. 3:5; Isa. 49:16), and it cannot be erased by your transgressions nor made more permanent by your obedience.

Is this not why Paul exclaimed, “I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:38-39, KJV)? God’s grace-kept, eternally-secure, and never-lost children have no reason to live like anxious butterflies. Rather, there are a thousand reasons to mount up with wings as eagles and soar in the joy of blessed assurance. For all who are in Christ, the Lord’s promise remains unchanged: “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness” (Isa. 41:10).

Brandon's Desk

Finding Faithful Friends | Bible Gleanings | August 22-23, 2026

Our Guide Forever | Bible Gleanings | August 8-9, 2026

Little Providences | Bible Gleanings | July 25-26, 2026

He Knows His Own | Bible Gleanings | July 4-5, 2026

God Sees a Venice | Bible Gleanings | June 27-28, 2026

The Footsteps of a Father

The Most Misunderstood Verse on Marriage—And What It Actually Means

Who is Being Spoken To?

What is Being Spoken?

Wherever He Leads | Bible Gleanings | June 13-14, 2026

The Danger of Doing Nothing | Bible Gleanings | June 6-7, 2026

Butterfly Believers | Bible Gleanings | May 30-31, 2026

Resources from the Ministry of Pastor Brandon G. Bramlett