All posts by Brandon G. B.

Bible Gleanings, devotions

It’s All In Your Head | Bible Gleanings | November 23-24, 2024

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Without firing a single shot, eleven stouthearted soldiers who were skilled skiers secured victory for the Allies during World War II. The Nazis were promptly producing their own atomic bomb, utilizing a heavy water plant that was isolated in the icy hills of Norway—therefore, Operation Gunnerside was initiated in February of 1943 to neutralize it. After British troops were captured, tortured, and executed in an earlier attempt to demolish the facility, the Allies tried again, this time with Norwegian commandos who knew how to sneak around in the snow. The small squad jumped from a plane on the frigid night of February 16th, and after eleven days of strenuous snow-trekking, they quietly infiltrated the plant. While there, they patiently and painstakingly planted charges, disappeared without a trace, and sighed with relief when they heard explosions from a safe distance. 

The Allies were well-aware that winning the war required not only major victories like D-Day, but small-scale successes in places where the enemy appeared less threatening. As the Norwegian Army Colonel in charge of the effort rightfully remarked to those troops, “I cannot tell you why this mission is so important, but if you succeed, it will live in Norway’s memory for a hundred years.” He was right. Although Operation Gunnerside was relatively minor compared to other hard-fought battles, its effects were substantial. Although this seemingly insignificant mission was not a full-scale fight, it was a battle nonetheless—and it contributed to the end of one of history’s deadliest wars.

Similarly, there is another battle often downplayed and disregarded that has eternal ramifications: the battle in every believer’s mind. Even though there are no gunshots, the war waging in the Christian’s mind decides whether victory is won or lost in both temptation and tribulation. Indeed, every believer engages in daily formidable fights with the idolatry of the world, the iniquities of their flesh, and the instigations of the devil. However, a real rough-and-tumble is occurring in every Christian’s mind, where sin is constantly working on a mental nuclear bomb to destroy love for God and hatred of evil. Therefore, every saint must sabotage sin’s mind-operations by detonating truth-bombs which come from God’s word—truth which renews the mind and fills the mind with holy thoughts which evict evil ones (Rom. 12:2; Phil. 4:8-9).

Believers are admonished to do precisely that in 2 Corinthians 10:5, where Paul commanded, “take every thought captive to obey Christ.” Likewise, the apostle Peter exhorted: “Prepare your minds for action” (1 Peter 1:13a, NLT). Believers must arm themselves with the sword of the Spirit for this mind-war because sin will not easily give up the mental territory it once dominated with ease. Every Christian’s mind was once the devil’s playground and sin’s stomping ground, and neither will relinquish control without a fight. The bottom line is that if you know Christ, what you think matters—and it matters more than you think.

Brandon is the pastor of Bandana Baptist Church in Bandana, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife, Dakota, 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.

Excited for Christmas, or looking for a way to worship the Christ of Christmas during advent? If so, you may enjoy this 25-day daily devotional, written by Brandon for exactly this reason. Grab your copy today before December 1st to get started!

Bible Gleanings, devotions

Guidance from the Grave | Bible Gleanings | November 9-10, 2024

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Scores of smiling graduates suddenly began to stare soberly when Steve Jobs (February 24, 1955— October 5, 2011), founder of Apple, stated something startling during a commencement speech at Stanford University in 2005:

“Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life.”

And as astonishment filled the atmosphere, Jobs continued,

“Because almost everything—all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure—these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it.”

Jobs did not believe in God, but he did believe in the grave and the necessity of learning lasting lessons from life’s last stop.

And this king of technology unknowingly echoed the words of the king of Israel, Solomon, who shockingly said, “It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart” (Eccl. 7:2). If you are still alive, you need to attend more funerals and less feasts. But why should we choose a depressing funeral over a party with family, friends, and good food? Because funerals are ugly and unpleasant reminders of the inevitability of death. All funerals are a preview of our own, and they prevent us from pretending that we are immune from death.

Furthermore, death compels us to stop playing pretend so that we can live for what truly matters. You know what you don’t think about at funerals? Trivial and transient things like money, possessions, careers, sports, and presidential elections. All of life’s “side issues” take a back seat in the funeral home when someone you know is up front in a coffin. Funerals force you to think, “One day, it will be my turn. Am I ready to meet my Maker? What legacy will I leave behind? Will those in attendance have to say nice things to cover up the odor of my bad reputation, or will I leave behind a good name that glorifies the name of Christ?”

Death is the great priority-rearranger. As Jobs later remarked in his speech, “Death is life’s change agent.” Indeed, the more we think about it, the more we should reconsider and reshape our goals, attitudes, hopes, dreams, prayers, and longings—and that’s the point of Solomon’s counsel. The living should “lay it to heart” that they will not live forever on earth, and thus, all of the living should prepare for eternity and live a life on earth that counts for the glory of God. The grave will give us guidance for life, if only we will listen.

Brandon is the pastor of Bandana Baptist Church in Bandana, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife, Dakota, 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.

Pick up a copy of Brandon’s latest book, Fundamentals for the Faithful, which explains the importance of all the basics which every believer should know:

Bible Gleanings, devotions

The Snare of Spiritual Slumber | Bible Gleanings | November 2-3, 2024

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Exhausted from battle, Sisera catnapped beneath a rug, believing he was safe from danger—and he awoke with a tent peg lodged in his head (Jud. 4:17-21). Samson slept in Delilah’s arms without a care in the world, and she shaved his locks, sapping him of strength (Jud. 16:19). David swiped Saul’s spear while he obliviously slumbered on the ground (1 Sam. 26:12). When there is danger afoot, you cannot afford to carelessly fall asleep—you might wake up hairless, weaponless, or even dead. That is why Paul the apostle admonished all Christians to, “Be on the alert” (1 Cor. 16:13a, NASB).

Believers must be wide-awake, wary, and watchful for spiritual danger. Disciples of the Lord must keep their eyes peeled for spiritual danger lest they become blindsided. Soldiers in Christ’s army must keep their ears to the ground for spiritual threats so that they don’t end up on the ground in defeat. Saints must stay on their toes so that their feet will not slip into temptation. Victory in spiritual warfare requires vigilance, but sleeping on the job results in vulnerability and being vanquished.

And the threats believers should watch out for are the Tempter and temptation. Peter exhorted believers in 1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” If you are a believer, you must stay sharp because Satan is always stalking you. Similarly, Jesus commanded Christians: “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matt. 26:41). As a believer, your only defense against temptation is keeping your eyes peeled for the things which seduce you, and keeping your eyes on the Lord in prayer.

The Scripture tells us that the threats presented by Satan and posed by our own flesh are so cunning and crafty that we must watch for spiritual danger even while we pray. As Paul said in Colossians 4:2, “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.” Thus, like a soldier during the night-watch, we must stay awake and remain aware of Satan’s illusions and inducements, and our own fleshly inclinations to wander into wickedness. We must watch our surroundings and watch our souls. We must look around for the devil’s deceptions and look within, diligently watching our hearts which are prone to many seductions and lusts.

It is when we get caught napping that we fall into trouble. The great Puritan, William Gurnall, who wrote an impressive volume on spiritual warfare, said as much when he warned,

“The saint’s sleeping time is Satan’s tempting time; every fly dares venture to creep on a sleeping lion. Thus, the Christian asleep in security may soon be surprised so as to lose much of his spiritual strength.”

Sin and Satan never sleep, so neither can we.

Brandon is the pastor of Bandana Baptist Church in Bandana, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife, Dakota, 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.

Pick up a copy of Brandon’s latest book, Fundamentals for the Faithful, which explains the importance of all the basics which every believer should know:

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A Soft Answer | Bible Gleanings | October 26-27, 2024

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The vile voicemails and pestering phone calls wouldn’t stop. Michael Weisser was the newly installed rabbi of the oldest Jewish congregation in Lincoln, Nebraska, and a local KKK leader tried to run him out of town by harassing him over the phone. As the intimidation intensified, Michael and his wife started receiving hate mail with messages such as, “The KKK is watching you, scum.” They even received unsettling packages with white supremacist brochures and pamphlets. The Weissers didn’t know what to do, until Michael got an idea: return good for evil.

After doing some research, Michael learned that the man’s name was Larry Trapp, and he began leaving Trapp voicemails as well—but not the kind you’d expect. On one occasion, Weisser left a message, saying, “Larry, there’s a lot of love out there. You’re not getting any of it. Don’t you want some?” One day, Larry answered the phone angrily, and Michael responded to the wheelchair-bound KKK leader, “I know you’re in a wheelchair and I thought maybe I could take you to the grocery store or something.” The fervor of Trapp’s fury subsided and he replied, “That’s nice of you, but I’ve got that covered. Thanks anyway.”

Michael eventually got through to Larry through similar conversations and acts of kindness. According to the New York Times, Larry resigned from the Ku Klux Klan on November 16, 1991, and he and Michael became good friends. The Weissers even converted their living room into a bedroom for Larry when his health declined, and he died in the same loving home that he once threatened. Although Michael didn’t believe in the Old Testament’s book of Proverbs, he certainly believed in the effectiveness of what Solomon wrote in Proverbs 15:1, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Michael also unknowingly practiced the words of Proverbs 25:15, which says, “With patience a ruler may be persuaded, and a soft tongue will break a bone.” 1

This Jewish rabbi exemplified what all Christians should do: speak softly to the spiteful. Someone with a fiery spirit of fury will only be fueled if we respond with the same level of anger. However, someone’s anger can often be extinguished by the water of a soft answer. Believers can diffuse distressing situations with hostile persons by choosing their words carefully and remaining calm. When a believer’s speech is “seasoned with salt,” it may often smother flames of hostility (cf. Col. 4:6). 

The greatest Jew—Jesus—also exemplified this. During His unjust trial before Pilate, Jesus never lost His cool (Matt. 27:11-14). When Peter rashly cut off the guard’s ear, Jesus calmly told him to put his sword away (Matt. 26:52-54). Even while being crucified, Christ did not pray a curse upon His enemies—He prayed for their forgiveness (Luke 23:34). Try responding to the scornful with a soft answer, and you may be surprised by the results.

  1. This story has also been told in Jonah Berger’s insightful book, How to Change Anyone’s Mind on pp. 51-60. ↩︎

Brandon is the pastor of Bandana Baptist Church in Bandana, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife, Dakota, 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.

Pick up a copy of Brandon’s latest book, Fundamentals for the Faithful, which explains the importance of all the basics which every believer should know:

Bible Gleanings, devotions

We Are Going Home | Bible Gleanings | October 19-20, 2024

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They were hopelessly and helplessly stranded on the beaches of northern France with no way home. Over 300,000 Allied troops were geographically incarcerated on the French seaport of Dunkirk, and the German army was closing in. Knowing that they were facing annihilation, the British government launched Operation Dynamo during those early days of WWII, with the goal of transporting the troops to safety across the English Channel. A fortified fleet of over 800 naval vessels began shipping soldiers home on May 26 of 1940, and the magnitude and multifariousness of the evacuation inspired Winston Churchill to call it “a miracle of deliverance.” The soldiers knew a homegoing was coming soon, and they held out hope until help arrived.

The same is true for all saint-soldiers who serve the Savior. When Jesus returns, all believers will be relieved of and rescued from their warring against the flesh, the world, and the devil. A heavenly homegoing is hastening for God’s holy nation because the return of the King of kings and Lord of lords draws nearer with every passing day. The Lord’s people will not be trapped in their sinful bodies interminably, nor will they battle the world’s wickedness and Satan’s wiles indefinitely. And Christ will not send boats after His saints—rather, He will personally deliver them, riding on a white horse to rescue them with His irresistible might (Rev. 19:11-16).

God gives His beleaguered and battle-hardened people such blessed assurance in Philippians 3:20-21, where Paul wrote, “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.” One glorious day, Jesus will raise and resurrect His redeemed people, and render ruin, retribution, and reckoning unto the damned, the devil, and even death—and it will be the mightiest miracle of deliverance ever. The great evacuation will look something like this:

“For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:16-17).

Until then, all believers must hold out hope that the Helper will arrive in due time. As Christians, we are “waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). And let us occupy our waiting by praying the next-to-last words in the Scripture, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20b, KJV).

Brandon is the pastor of Bandana Baptist Church in Bandana, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife, Dakota, 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.

Pick up a copy of Brandon’s latest book, Fundamentals for the Faithful, which explains the importance of all the basics which every believer should know:

Bible Gleanings, devotions

Slack in Zeal | Bible Gleanings | October 5-6, 2024

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It definitely wasn’t music to my ears—quite the opposite, as a matter of fact. I tuned my guitar strings as low as possible to slacken them and make them easier to remove. But just for fun, I attempted to play a song on the loosened strings, but they were too relaxed to strike a chord. The low hum of the strings sounded like two growling dogs squabbling with three yowling cats. Despite its beauty and value, the guitar was useless because the slackened strings frustrated it from fulfilling its fundamental function: producing a lovely sound.

Likewise, what rings true in the Scripture is that the believer’s primary and paramount purpose is to glorify the Lord by producing a life-song that causes Him to rejoice with singing (Zeph. 3:17). The Lord wants His people to compose a beautiful and blended “melody” of faith, hope, love, and joy, along with all other virtues required for a God-pleasing harmony (cf. Psalm 19:14). And zeal is to Christian living what tuned guitar strings are to music: without it, the rhythm is ruined. Unfortunately, a believer’s life sounds like a broken record when zeal and passion are slackened. That is why Paul said that a saint’s zeal must be tuned up and turned up in order to live a life that is like music to God’s ears: “Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord” (Rom. 12:11).

Zeal, which is the devotion and diligence with which we serve the Lord, should never smolder or be smothered—it should always burn blazing hot. Whatever we do for the Lord should be done with all of our might, with fervent enthusiasm and passionate haste, not with laziness or lethargy (Eccl. 9:10). The Lord wants us to be “zealous for good works” (Titus 2:14), meaning that we should be eager and excited about doing good things in His name and for His glory. He even commands us to be zealous in our repentance, to be gleeful instead of gloomy when wholeheartedly turning away from our sins (2 Cor. 7:11; Rev. 3:19). And most importantly, the Lord wants us to be like Christ, who was consumed with zeal for the Lord’s house (John 2:9).

Thus, every believer’s constant prayer should be something like the opening two stanzas of O Thou Who Camest From Above, a timeless hymn written by Charles Wesley (1707-1788), which says:

“O thou who camest from above the fire celestial to impart, kindle a flame of sacred love on the mean altar of my heart! There let it for thy glory burn with inextinguishable blaze, and trembling to its source return in humble prayer and fervent praise.”

Brandon is the pastor of Bandana Baptist Church in Bandana, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife, Dakota, 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.

Pick up a copy of Brandon’s latest book, Fundamentals for the Faithful, which explains the importance of all the basics which every believer should know:

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Whimsical Worship | Bible Gleanings | September 28-29, 2024

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God rejected Cain because of it (Gen. 4:5). It caused Nadab and Abihu to be incinerated by holy flames (Lev. 10:1-2). According to 2 Chronicles 26:19, it was the cause of Uzziah’s sudden and swift leprosy. It is why the earth split open and swallowed up Korah, Dathan, and Abiram (Numb. 16:31-35). What was it? Careless worship.

The Scripture is replete with stories of those who vainly attempted to “worship” God on their own terms, and scorched spots on the ground where people once stood reveals how the Lord feels about it. Many irreverent worshipers in the Bible approached the Lord of glory recklessly and rashly, with no recognition of His remarkable resplendence—and they paid the price. With too low a view of God and too high a view of themselves, they offered worship to God which was not in line with His character or commands. They were cursed by their own carelessness when they tried to worship the Lord in ways He had not prescribed, and with an indifference He had prohibited. Thus, the testimony of Scripture could not be clearer: God cares about the way in which we worship Him. 

God wants our worship to be sincere, submissive, and Scripture-aligned—and He values that over merely outward expressions. He doesn’t care about lip-service as much as He cares about heart-surrender (Isa. 29:13). The authenticity of our worship matters more to God than the amount of our worship. One heart which fears and adores Him is worth more than thousands of hypocritical and half-hearted offerings: “What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the LORD; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats” (Isa. 1:11; cf. Amos 5:21-25). The Lord even tells us that He would rather receive no worship than receive negligent, nonchalant, or nonsensical worship: “Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the LORD of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand” (Malachi 1:10).

All of these stories and stern strictures sound forth one sobering and sanctifying truth: God is holy, and worshiping Him is serious business. The Lord is not the “man upstairs,” a cosmic grandpa, or a spiritual Santa Claus—He is a consuming fire (Heb. 12:29). Because of this, worship is not a game nor something we should enter into lightly. Rather, the Lord should be worshiped with utmost awe, vigorous obedience, and maximum reverence. Because of the gravity of His presence, the greatness of His character, and the glory of His name, our worship of Him in public and private must be wholehearted, not whimsical.

Brandon is the pastor of Bandana Baptist Church in Bandana, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife, Dakota, 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.

Pick up a copy of Brandon’s latest book, Fundamentals for the Faithful, which explains the importance of all the basics which every believer should know:

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Pressing On | Bible Gleanings | September 21-22, 2024

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They called it the “Miracle Mile,” and for good reason. Unbeknownst to the 35,000 spectators at Vancouver’s Empire Stadium on August 7, 1954, they were about to witness a race that would go down in history. During the British Empire and Commonwealth Games held that year, fans stood to their feet as Roger Bannister of England and John Landy of Australia competed head-to-head in a nail-biting one-mile run. Both finished in under four minutes, but only one took home the gold: Roger Bannister, who actually lagged behind for the majority of the race. However, during the final 90-yard stretch, Bannister closed the gap when John Landy committed the race-ending error of glancing over his shoulder to see where his opponent was. Because of Landy’s momentary lapse of concentration, Bannister left him in the dust and won the race.

When running a race, you cannot afford to look back, around, or down—you may lose momentum and the race altogether. To win the race, you must concentrate on the finish line and keep pressing on. And the same is true for the believer’s race of endurance toward the finish line of glory. Looking back on previous failures, looking down in discouragement, and looking around at what the world is doing will substantially impede any Christian running on the narrow road. That is why Paul the apostle said, “But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13b-14).

As believers, we must not look back with regret at the once-loved sins we have abandoned, like Lot’s wife, who longed to return to sinful Sodom and godless Gomorrah (Gen. 19:26; Luke 17:32; cf. Num. 11:5-6; Gal. 4:9). We must also resist looking down in dismay because of past sins, which may have caused us to fall behind in our race. While we must never forget who we were apart from Christ (Eph. 2:11-13), we must not dwell on already-forgiven sins to the point where we think about them more than God does (Heb. 10:17). Furthermore, we cannot afford to look around, enticed by the evils of those who aren’t even in the race. The world may roar from the stands, tempting us to take part in the works of darkness, but we must not become sidetracked (Prov. 1:10-19; 24:1).

Instead, we must look forward to the finish line and Jesus, who awaits us with a crown of victory (2 Tim. 4:7-8; cf. Heb. 12:1-2). We must press on toward glory with every grace-empowered spiritual muscle, whilst singing the words of We Shall Run and Not Be Weary, written by Barney Elliott Warren (1867-1951), which says, “I now am running in the Christian race, to gain the promised prize; through Jesus’ matchless, saving, keeping grace, we’ll crown Him in the skies.”

Brandon is the pastor of Bandana Baptist Church in Bandana, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife, Dakota, 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.

Pick up a copy of Brandon’s latest book, Fundamentals for the Faithful, which explains the importance of all the basics which every believer should know:

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Already, But Not Yet | Bible Gleanings | September 14-15, 2024

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My former treasurer handed me a check, but advised, “You can’t cash this until Tuesday.” My name was right there on the “pay to the order of” line, so it was as good as mine—no question. But there was a catch: I had to wait. The check was already in my hands, but I couldn’t receive its full benefits until the date written in the top right corner. It was in my possession, but not yet. 

Many other things may be in our possession, but not in actuality. A package from Amazon may be your purchased property, but it is not officially yours until it arrives on your doorstep. A foster child you’re in the process of adopting may be as good as yours, but they won’t legally be yours until a judge grants you permanent custody. An engagement ring may signify that your fiancée is effectively your wife, but the union won’t be legally binding until the wedding day. A house or vehicle may be in your name, but you might be paying them off until Jesus returns!

And the same is true for the believer’s heavenly inheritance. As believers, we are Christ’s bought-and-paid-for property right now, but we have yet to arrive at heaven’s doorsteps (1 Cor. 6:20). Even now, we enjoy the rights and privileges of being His adopted children, but Jesus isn’t finished preparing our heavenly home (Eph. 1:5; Rom. 8:23; John 14:1-3). As the church, we are His beloved and blood-bought bride, but the wonderful wedding day is still to come (Eph. 5:25-33; Rev. 19:6-8). While on earth, we are His possession, with His own name written upon us, but Jesus has not yet returned to take what is rightfully His (1 Peter 2:9; Rev. 3:12; John 14:3).

Heaven is already in our possession, but heaven isn’t in possession of us. We have to wait until the date of our death to “cash in” on our heavenly inheritance. Paul said it best in Ephesians 1:13-14, “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.”

Thus, as believers, we sing both, “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine,” and, “O, what a foretaste of glory divine!” Jesus is ours and we are His, according to Fanny Crosby’s (1820-1915) timeless hymn, Blessed Assurance. However, our experience of Jesus on earth is merely a preview of glory—we still have a lot of waiting to do. On earth, we see God’s blessings, hear His voice in Scripture, and our hearts are full of joy and peace, but simultaneously, “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him” (1 Cor. 2:9, KJV).

Brandon is the pastor of Bandana Baptist Church in Bandana, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife, Dakota, 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.

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The Lord Who Is Near | Bible Gleanings | September 7-8, 2024

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“I started crying because I knew I would never talk to him again,” the rising celebrity comedian confessed. He was referring to “friendship ghosting,” which is when a friend abruptly stops communicating with you. Unfortunately, those who make it big in Hollywood sometimes allow their egos to inflate so that there’s no room for the people they were friends with before they became hotshots. When a person reaches the top of society’s totem pole, they tend to forget about those on the bottom, including close companions and relatives who helped them in pursuing their dreams. Many famous and successful people become like the chief cupbearer, who forgot about poor Joseph in prison once his position in Pharaoh’s court was restored (Gen. 40:21-23).

Incredibly, this is not the case when it comes to the One who has been crowned King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev. 19:16)! Although the Lord Jesus has been elevated and exalted to the highest position of supremacy and sovereignty in the entire universe (Eph. 1:20-23; Phil. 2:9-11), He is not forgetful of His suffering and sinful saints on earth. Even though Christ wears many glorious diadems upon His head (Rev. 19:12), He knows the number of hairs on your head (Luke 12:7). Although He is seated at the most holy place at the Father’s right hand, He always inclines His ear to hear your prayers (Psalm 3:4), and He even prays on your behalf (Rom. 8:34). Christ has entered the holy of holies in heaven and holds the names of His children near His bosom, just as the Israelite priests wore the names of the twelve tribes on their breastplates when they entered God’s presence (Ex. 28:29; cf. Heb. 9:24; 10:19-22).

As the Puritan Thomas Watson assured, “Some, when raised to places of honor, forget their friends, [but] though Christ be in glory, he knows how to pity and succor [or help] thee. Christ, though in a glorified state, hears thy sighs, and bottles thy tears.” Watson was right. As the writer of Hebrews reminded us, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:15-16). Christ is never guilty of friendship ghosting. Although He is the Lord of all, He is a friend that sticks closer than a brother (Prov. 18:24).

Brandon is the pastor of Bandana Baptist Church in Bandana, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife, Dakota, 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.

Pick up a copy of Brandon’s latest book, Fundamentals for the Faithful, which explains the importance of all the basics which every believer should know: