Category Archives: Bible Gleanings

Bible Gleanings, devotions

The Giver of Life | Bible Gleanings | March 29-30, 2025

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It is every parent’s worst nightmare. Their beloved daughter passed away after fighting a fatal illness. Worse, their hopes were previously raised by the possibility of her recovery, but it was too late. The prospect of a miracle had vanished. Unless, of course, the Resurrection and the Life Himself is standing nearby (John 11:25).

Jairus’ daughter died just as Christ was on His way to raise her to life (Luke 8:49). But, rather than consoling the family and continuing on His journey, He gathered the grieving family for a miracle they would never forget. Taking her lifeless little hand in His life-giving hand, He whispered, “Little girl, I say to you, arise” (Mark 5:41b). Immediately, a surge of death-overcoming resurrection power jolted her back to life, and she walked around the very bed she died upon! This little girl, who had quite a story to tell her friends, had encountered the Lord of life, joining the ranks of Lazarus and the widow woman’s son, both of whom were miraculously resurrected after being declared dead (cf. Luke 7:11-17; John 11:1-44).

Experiencing death is the worst of all human experiences—not even children are exempt from it. But the good news is that death is not exempt from the life-giving power of Christ. There is nothing a sinner can do to overcome death, but there is nothing that death can do to overcome the Savior. Death may eventually conquer every man, but it cannot conquer the God-Man and those who believe in Him: “For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him” (Rom. 6:5, 8-9).

This is why believers in Christ may exclaim with the apostle Paul, “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 15:54b-57).

This column is from 40 Days with Jesus, my 40-day devotional on Christ’s life, teachings, and miracles, available for purchase on Amazon:

Brandon is the pastor of Bandana Baptist Church in Bandana, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife, Dakota, and their three dogs, Susie, Aries, and Dot. Brandon and Dakota are also foster parents through Sunrise Children’s Services of Kentucky. Brandon is also a published author and a religious columnist for the Advance Yeoman newspaper in Ballard County, Kentucky. He is also a devotional contributor for Kentucky Today, a news publication of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. His columns are also featured in the Times-Argus newspaper of Central City, Kentucky, West Kentucky News of western Kentucky, and the online blog, Reforming the Heart.

Bible Gleanings, devotions

The Power of Peacemaking | Bible Gleanings | March 22-23, 2025

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He ordered his troops to draw their swords and prepare for a massacre. They were four-hundred strong, and the world was about to witness unprecedented bloodshed. However, thanks to the delicate intervention of one wise woman, not a single casualty ensued. As king David prepared to slaughter an irrational Nabal and all his men, an amiable and perceptive woman named Abigail brought gifts to David and negotiated skillfully (1 Sam. 25:2-38). Immediately, David and his men put away their swords—never even meeting Nabal face-to-face—and Abigail saved countless lives through one risky act of peacemaking.

And this is precisely what Jesus instructs His followers to do in the seventh beatitude of the Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matt. 5:9). Simply put, a peacemaker is one who makes peace with others. Peacemakers do their best to live in harmony with those around them: “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all” (Rom. 12:18). Peacemakers don’t stir the pot or go to every fight they are invited to; instead, they bury the hatchet and build bridges. As Paul urged, “So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding” (Rom. 14:19).

Peacemaking also entails striving to bring peace between people who are at odds with one another. Instead of starting or stoking fires, peacemakers focus on extinguishing them. Like Moses, they try to resolve conflicts between people who are better off working together (Ex. 2:13-14). They put their best foot forward to mend fences, like Jonathan who sought to reconcile David and Saul (1 Sam. 19:1-7). Peacemakers work to assist others in making amends, such as Paul, who carefully and gently endeavored to establish peace between Euodia and Syntyche, and Philemon and Onesimus (Phil. 4:2-3; Philem. 8-10).

And the most principal prerequisite for peacemaking is being at peace with God. Enemies of the Lord cannot make peace because they are at odds with Him (Rom. 5:10). Only those who are God’s friends through faith in Christ’s saving work may enjoy this peace: “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1). And this peace provides believers with a significant incentive to make peace with others. For, if God sacrificed much by sending His beloved Son to Golgotha to reconcile sinful man to Himself, how much more should saved sinners sacrifice comparatively little—like an awkward conversation or time spent in prayer—to restore relationships and live at peace with others? This is why peacemaking proves that one is a child of God: “for [peacemakers] shall be called sons of God” (Matt. 5:9b).

This column is from 40 Days with Jesus, my 40-day devotional on Christ’s life, teachings, and miracles, available for purchase on Amazon:

Brandon is the pastor of Bandana Baptist Church in Bandana, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife, Dakota, and their three dogs, Susie, Aries, and Dot. Brandon and Dakota are also foster parents through Sunrise Children’s Services of Kentucky. Brandon is also a published author and a religious columnist for the Advance Yeoman newspaper in Ballard County, Kentucky. He is also a devotional contributor for Kentucky Today, a news publication of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. His columns are also featured in the Times-Argus newspaper of Central City, Kentucky, West Kentucky News of western Kentucky, and the online blog, Reforming the Heart.

Bible Gleanings, devotions

The Mercy Mandate | Bible Gleanings | March 15-16, 2025

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They tugged on his white and bushy leg to rescue him from the narrow trench. It was entirely his fault—the curious sheep dove in head first and got himself in a jam. But when some sympathetic passers-by noticed that he was helpless and hopeless, they gently lifted him up. Once out, he yapped and bleated before landing in the same ditch after another foolish leap. And, the sheep-heroes came to the rescue yet again.

The Lord commands believers to show mercy to others—recognizing their needs and being moved in our hearts to meet them (Micah 6:8; James 2:13). Mercy lifts others up when they are down—even when their struggles are a result of their own foolish and sheeplike choices. This is what Jesus emphasized in the fifth beatitude of the Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are the merciful” (Matt. 5:7a). Thus, to be merciful is to be sympathetic and empathetic toward others, not standoffish or indifferent. And mercy challenges our sinful and selfish nature, calling us to gracefully care for needs other than our own.

The opposite of mercy is passing by your half-dead neighbor because you see them as a nuisance or inconvenience, like the merciless priest and Levite (Luke 10:30-32). But, showing mercy means having a broken heart for someone’s brokenness and going the extra mile to meet their needs, just like the Good Samaritan: “But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back’” (Luke 10:33-35).

Furthermore, the Lord Jesus has a multitude of mercy for the multitude of man’s problems, as displayed throughout His earthly ministry. He healed the sick, fed the hungry, was patient with the stubborn, forgave the unforgivable, and consoled the bereaved (Matt. 14:14; John 6:1-14; 8:1-11; Luke 7:11-17). And He commands His followers to do the same. Jesus even taught that the Father is the optimum exemplum of mercy that all believers should follow because He is merciful to the merciless, and to those who jump head first into trenches of their own making: “But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:35-36).

This column is from 40 Days with Jesus, my 40-day devotional on Christ’s life, teachings, and miracles, available for purchase on Amazon:

Brandon is the pastor of Bandana Baptist Church in Bandana, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife, Dakota, and their three dogs, Susie, Aries, and Dot. Brandon and Dakota are also foster parents through Sunrise Children’s Services of Kentucky. Brandon is also a published author and a religious columnist for the Advance Yeoman newspaper in Ballard County, Kentucky. He is also a devotional contributor for Kentucky Today, a news publication of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. His columns are also featured in the Times-Argus newspaper of Central City, Kentucky, West Kentucky News of western Kentucky, and the online blog, Reforming the Heart.

Bible Gleanings, devotions, Sermons

Sorrow for Sin | Bible Gleanings | March 8-9, 2025

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David was too sick to his stomach to eat and slept on the ground in mourning clothes when Nathan the prophet confronted him about the gravity of his murder, lying, and adultery (2 Sam. 12:7-17). Upon discovering that they only had forty days to get their act together and turn to the Lord, the Ninevites wiped the smiles from their faces and donned frowns of repentance (Jonah 3:1-10). Ezra tore his clothes, ripped out his hair, and sat in the dirt for an entire day when learning about the Israelites’ insensible iniquity (Ezra 9:3-4). A torrent of tears spilled from the eyes of the sinful woman who interrupted Jesus’ dinner with Simon the Pharisee—enough tears to wash Jesus’ feet, as a matter of fact (Luke 7:37-38). After denying Christ thrice, despite swearing to never do so, a regretful and repentant Peter “went out and wept bitterly” (Luke 22:62). 

Every child of God should shed tears of remorse and repentance when realizing the seriousness of their sins against God. And this is the meaning of Jesus’ command to His disciples then and now to be marked as, “those who mourn” (Matt. 5:4a). Certainly, while the Lord cares about all legitimate mourning (Psalm 56:8), Jesus is speaking having a broken heart for the sin which breaks God’s heart. Christ’s command is repeated in James 4:9, where the apostle exhorted, “Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.”

The Corinthian Christians also felt this holy grief. That is why Paul commended it in 2 Corinthians 7, where he wrote, “As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death” (2 Cor. 7:9-10). Therefore, believers must weep when they sin against God, taking a page out of Ezra’s confessional prayer: “O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens” (Ezra 9:6; cf. Lam. 5:15-16).

Fortunately, the Lord consoles the contrite: “they shall be comforted” (Matt. 5:4b). God comforts those who experience godly sorrow—never before they do, but always afterwards. Those who continually mourn over sin will be continually restored and reassured by the “God of all comfort” (2 Cor. 1:3). And this comfort will be fully realized when believers see the Lord face-to-face in eternity, in a place where sin is barred from entering: “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Rev. 21:4).

This above column is from my book, 40 Days with Jesus, which is a forty-day daily devotional focusing on the life, teachings, and miracles of Jesus. This book is available in paperback and hardcover on Amazon:

Brandon is the pastor of Bandana Baptist Church in Bandana, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife, Dakota, and their three dogs, Susie, Aries, and Dot. Brandon and Dakota are also foster parents through Sunrise Children’s Services of Kentucky. Brandon is also a published author and a religious columnist for the Advance Yeoman newspaper in Ballard County, Kentucky. He is also a devotional contributor for Kentucky Today, a news publication of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. His columns are also featured in the Times-Argus newspaper of Central City, Kentucky, West Kentucky News of western Kentucky, and the online blog, Reforming the Heart.

Bible Gleanings, devotions

Grace for the Guilty | Bible Gleanings | March 1-2, 2025

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The women who discovered the empty tomb were frozen by fear, but it was time to get moving. This was not the time for fascination, but rather, for proclamation. The angel commanded them to hightail it and spread the good news to the brokenhearted disciples (Matthew 28:7). The eternally significant message of Jesus’ resurrection would not reach the others by their staring into the tomb, but through their sharing that it was empty. “Go,” declared the angel, “tell them all the good news. And make sure you track down Peter. Whatever you do, don’t forget to tell Peter” (cf. Mark 16:7).

Peter. His name was as good as mud. He caved underneath the weight of fear and denied his Lord not once, but three times (Mark 14:66-72). The most outspoken disciple failed to speak up for Jesus. He messed up big time, and weeping bitterly in the shadows, he disappeared from the scene. “It’s all over now,” he must have thought. “I can never be saved. Jesus will never forgive me. I’m done for.”

But the angel’s message was clear: Peter’s story was not over. The risen and victorious Lord was calling him back by name. Even after such a humiliating failure, Jesus did not write Peter off. He wanted him to know that He was alive, and eagerly awaited their reunion. Only a few hours prior, Jesus had bought Peter with a price, paid for his sin of betrayal with His life, and now testified through His resurrection that God had accepted the atoning work of His beloved Son.

Perhaps there are times when you feel like Peter: “Well, that’s it then. I am too sinful to be forgiven. I’ve messed up too much.” But Jesus’ message of grace is for you, too. If you had accompanied those women 2,000 years ago, the angel would say to you: “Jesus hasn’t written you off. He still loves you. He wants you to be forgiven.” And Peter would be the first sinner to tell you that you cannot out-sin the grace of the Lord Jesus. As a matter of fact, He died and was raised for you, knowing that you have blown it: “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).

This devotional column is from my newest book, 40 Days with Jesus, which is a forty-day daily devotional focusing on the life, teachings, and miracles of Jesus. This book is available in hardcover and paperback on Amazon:

Brandon is the pastor of Bandana Baptist Church in Bandana, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife, Dakota, and their three dogs, Susie, Aries, and Dot. Brandon and Dakota are also foster parents through Sunrise Children’s Services of Kentucky. Brandon is also a published author and a religious columnist for the Advance Yeoman newspaper in Ballard County, Kentucky. He is also a devotional contributor for Kentucky Today, a news publication of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. His columns are also featured in the Times-Argus newspaper of Central City, Kentucky, West Kentucky News of western Kentucky, and the online blog, Reforming the Heart.

Bible Gleanings, devotions

It Is Finished | Bible Gleanings | February 22-23, 2025

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Everything suddenly grew eerily quiet and frightfully dark. The mocking voices of the multitudes hushed and darkness enveloped the land for three hours. The Son of God was nailed to a crucifix, suspended between life and death, bearing the full weight of God’s wrath against sinners. Then came the ninth hour—Jesus’ last hour of life on earth. He lifted His bloody head, and after drawing a deep breath, His voice shattered the silence as He cried out, “It is finished” (John 19:30).

It was not a howl of defeat, but a cry of victory. Jesus had completed His ultimate mission: to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). And God, fully satisfied with His saving work, tore the veil of the Temple in two, signifying the end of separation between a holy God and sinful man (Luke 23:45). The earth shook, the rocks shattered, and the tombs opened, as creation itself testified to the eternal weight of Christ’s cry from the cross (Matt. 27:51-52). The redemption of sinners was complete.

And no one can add to Christ’s work by their obedience, nor subtract from it by their disobedience—it is finished. The most righteous saint cannot improve on what Christ has done, and the most vile sinner cannot take away from what Christ has done—it is finished. Sin can no longer condemn those for whom Christ died, neither can Satan accuse them any longer—it is finished. The sting of death has been nullified because death died through the death of Christ—it is finished. For those who believe in the finished work of Christ, there is no more sin debt to pay, no more death to fear, no more wrath to face, and no more separation from God to suffer from—it is finished.

The devotional column above is from my newest book, 40 Days with Jesus, which is a forty-day daily devotional focusing on the life, teachings, and miracles of Jesus. This book is available in hardcover and paperback on Amazon:

Brandon is the pastor of Bandana Baptist Church in Bandana, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife, Dakota, and their three dogs, Susie, Aries, and Dot. Brandon and Dakota are also foster parents through Sunrise Children’s Services of Kentucky. Brandon is also a published author and a religious columnist for the Advance Yeoman newspaper in Ballard County, Kentucky. He is also a devotional contributor for Kentucky Today, a news publication of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. His columns are also featured in the Times-Argus newspaper of Central City, Kentucky, West Kentucky News of western Kentucky, and the online blog, Reforming the Heart.

Bible Gleanings, devotions

The Crucified Christ | Bible Gleanings | February 15-16, 2025

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Although only four words, it is one of the profoundest statements in the entire Bible: “And they crucified him” (Mark 15:24a). The Creator was nailed to the tree He created. The Giver of life was giving His life. The Lord who condemned murder was being murdered. The omnipotent Lord hung lifeless and helpless.

The hands that made the universe were pierced with nails. The feet that deserve to be kissed in homage were stabbed by pins. The head adorned with glory was crowned with a thorny crown of mimicry. The lungs that breathed the breath of life into sinners’ lungs were being filled with blood. The King of kings was a criminal subjected to punishment.

The Judge of all the earth was judged as guilty. The Light of the world was enveloped in darkness. The Living Water declared, “I thirst” (John 19:28b). The Word became silent in death. The Christ was stripped of glory and wore garments of reproach.

The Lamb was being slaughtered. The scapegoat was bearing our sins outside of Jerusalem. The Suffering Servant was serving by suffering. The One who upholds the universe by His sovereignty allowed Himself to be held captive by wicked sinners. The Shepherd was struck down to save His sheep. 

And the question begging to be asked is, why? According to the Romans and Jews, it was because He blasphemously claimed to be the “King of the Jews.” That was the inscription engraved above His head at the top of the cross. However, according to the God whose sovereign will put Him there (Isaiah 53:10), Christ went to the cross to pay for His people’s sin debt in full. As Paul wrote in Colossians, “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross” (Col. 2:13-14). Christ was crucified for you.

The devotional column above is from my newest book, 40 Days with Jesus, which is a forty-day daily devotional focusing on the life, teachings, and miracles of Jesus. This book is available in hardcover and paperback on Amazon:

Brandon is the pastor of Bandana Baptist Church in Bandana, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife, Dakota, and their three dogs, Susie, Aries, and Dot. Brandon and Dakota are also foster parents through Sunrise Children’s Services of Kentucky. Brandon is also a published author and a religious columnist for the Advance Yeoman newspaper in Ballard County, Kentucky. He is also a devotional contributor for Kentucky Today, a news publication of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. His columns are also featured in the Times-Argus newspaper of Central City, Kentucky, West Kentucky News of western Kentucky, and the online blog, Reforming the Heart.

Bible Gleanings, devotions

You Are Barabbas | Bible Gleanings | February 8-9, 2025

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The mob multiplied into a multitude, and their enraged voices grew hoarse from shouting. They demanded that justice be served to this alleged blasphemer and revolutionary. Nothing less than the maximum penalty under the law would satisfy them. However, the governor failed to find sufficient evidence to exact such a swift and severe punishment. Therefore, he turned justice over to the mob and, bringing out an actual convicted felon, he gave them a choice: punish one man and let the other go.

“Whom do you want me to release for you,” asked the governor, Pilate. “Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” (Matt. 27:17). These two prisoners stood before him. One had a bruised and battered face from the prior night’s abuse, while the other smiled with a menacing grin of rebellion. One was wrongly accused of blasphemy and spoke not a word in His defense, while the other was justly found guilty of murder and leading violent uprisings. One Man remained strangely calm, while the other shifted around impatiently, hoping to be released.

The choice was in the hands of the crowd: either release an innocent Christ and re-chain a murderous Barabbas, or release Barabbas and put Jesus to death. Suddenly, a single voice rang out, joined by hundreds of others: “Not this man, but Barabbas!” (John 18:40b). Pilate tried one last time to persuade them otherwise, rightly asking, “Why? What evil has he done?” (Mark 15:14a). But the crowd erupted like waves crashing on the shore: “But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him.” So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified” (Mark 15:14b-15).

Thus, Christ’s punishment ensured Barabbas’ freedom. The unfair treatment of the Lord Jesus may produce heartache and perhaps even anger, but it should result most of all in humbling self-abasement, considering that we are Barabbas. Who we are in this story is clear. Sinners are guilty and the Son is righteous. Sinners deserve to die and Christ deserved to live.

And yet, because of the great love with which Christ loved us, He traded places with Barabbases like us. The guiltless Christ took on our guilt. The spotless Lamb of God became marred by the filth of our sin. The righteous Jesus became unrighteous in our place. It was just as the prophet Isaiah predicted: “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:4-5).

The devotional column above is from my newest book, 40 Days with Jesus, which is a forty-day daily devotional focusing on the life, teachings, and miracles of Jesus. This book is available in hardcover and paperback on Amazon:

Brandon is the pastor of Bandana Baptist Church in Bandana, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife, Dakota, and their three dogs, Susie, Aries, and Dot. Brandon and Dakota are also foster parents through Sunrise Children’s Services of Kentucky. Brandon is also a published author and a religious columnist for the Advance Yeoman newspaper in Ballard County, Kentucky. He is also a devotional contributor for Kentucky Today, a news publication of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. His columns are also featured in the Times-Argus newspaper of Central City, Kentucky, West Kentucky News of western Kentucky, and the online blog, Reforming the Heart.

Bible Gleanings, devotions, Sermons

The Foot-Washer | Bible Gleanings | February 1-2, 2025

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Confusion permeated the room. The air was heavy with a sense of mystery. This particular evening just felt different. Jesus stood up from the table, wrapped a towel around His waist, and poured water into a basin without saying a word. And puzzled glances were on every face as the Creator stooped low to wash the dirty feet of His disciples as a slave-servant.

The Lord washed His followers’ feet with carpentry-calloused hands, and then He got to Peter, who naturally objected to the notion of His Savior bringing shame upon Himself by performing the task of a slave. He protested, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” (John 13:6b, emphasis mine). What was Jesus doing? Did He consume too much wine? Had someone stolen Jesus’ identity to impersonate Him and make Him a laughing stock?

Suddenly, Christ broke the silence, explaining why He had stooped to such a low level, although He was the Lord of glory: “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you” (John 13:14-15). The Savior demonstrated supreme humility, doing what only slaves did, in order to give all of His disciples a model of others-focused service to follow. Jesus was essentially saying, “Do for each other what I’ve done for you: serve like a slave.”

This is specifically what Paul the apostle meant when he commanded all Christians, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:3-5).

According to Paul, if the exalted Christ temporarily set aside His divine rights and glory for the salvation of unworthy sinners, then believers can certainly put the needs of others before their own. And if Jesus washed the feet of sinners, then His saints can surely wash each other’s feet through burden-bearing, need-meeting, prayer-uplifting, encouragement-giving, reproof-issuing, and any form of loving service that puts others first.

The devotional column above is from my newest book, 40 Days with Jesus, which is a forty-day daily devotional focusing on the life, teachings, and miracles of Jesus. This book is available in hardcover and paperback on Amazon:

Brandon is the pastor of Bandana Baptist Church in Bandana, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife, Dakota, and their three dogs, Susie, Aries, and Dot. Brandon and Dakota are also foster parents through Sunrise Children’s Services of Kentucky. Brandon is also a published author and a religious columnist for the Advance Yeoman newspaper in Ballard County, Kentucky. He is also a devotional contributor for Kentucky Today, a news publication of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. His columns are also featured in the Times-Argus newspaper of Central City, Kentucky, West Kentucky News of western Kentucky, and the online blog, Reforming the Heart.

Bible Gleanings, devotions

The Good Shepherd | Bible Gleanings | January 25-26, 2025

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If Mike Rowe’s Dirty Jobs had been filmed in ancient times, the tough and time-consuming job of shepherding would have certainly gotten its own episode. Every day, all day, they were herding sheep and preventing them from getting separated from each other. Sheep also had to eat, and since they weren’t hunters or predatory, shepherds had to find and furnish food for their flocks. Shepherds were also tasked with warding off hungry predators that prowled the area, as sheep could not defend themselves against such dangers. Sheep are also incredibly naive and dangerously curious, making it perplexing that, “Curiosity kills the cat,” is a more popular saying than, “Curiosity has killed many sheep”! Thus, a shepherd’s hardest assignment was leading the stubborn flock.

And this is the job Jesus willingly signed up for as the Good Shepherd. Christ tends to His own sheep through leading and feeding, just like earthly shepherds. But unlike human shepherds, Jesus leads His flock all the days of their life, both beside tranquil waters and dark valleys (Psalm 23:2b-4). Moreover, He feeds His sheep with the green pasture of His nourishing and sanctifying word (Psalm 23:1-2; Matt. 4:4; John 17:17; 1 Peter 2:1;). And without this soul-nurturing food, the Lord’s sheep will collapse from deprivation while climbing life’s hills and valleys.

Furthermore, while most earthly shepherds are unable to distinguish one sheep from another, the Good Shepherd knows all of His sheep by name and everything there is to know about them: “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me” (John 10:14). None of the Lord’s sheep blend into the fold, resulting in being forgotten. Rather, every member of His flock is known, loved, and cared for, as though they were the only one.

The Good Shepherd is also superior to human shepherds because He will never lose one sheep among His fold. He promised, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:27-28). Nothing can ever sever or separate you from the Lord’s flock. But most of all, Jesus is greater than earthly shepherds because He was willing to die for His sheep: “and I lay down my life for the sheep” (John 10:15b). The Good Shepherd died as a spotless Lamb to obtain the flock of God with His own blood (Acts 20:28).

The devotional column above is from my newest book, 40 Days with Jesus, which is a forty-day daily devotional focusing on the life, teachings, and miracles of Jesus. This book is available in hardcover and paperback on Amazon:

Brandon is the pastor of Bandana Baptist Church in Bandana, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife, Dakota, and their three dogs, Susie, Aries, and Dot. Brandon and Dakota are also foster parents through Sunrise Children’s Services of Kentucky. Brandon is also a published author and a religious columnist for the Advance Yeoman newspaper in Ballard County, Kentucky. He is also a devotional contributor for Kentucky Today, a news publication of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. His columns are also featured in the Times-Argus newspaper of Central City, Kentucky, West Kentucky News of western Kentucky, and the online blog, Reforming the Heart.