Category Archives: Bible Gleanings

Bible Gleanings, devotions

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

Leave a comment

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:

Bible Gleanings, devotions

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

Leave a comment

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:

Bible Gleanings, devotions

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

Leave a comment

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.

Bible Gleanings, devotions

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

Leave a comment

“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:

Bible Gleanings, devotions

A Terrific Tapestry | Bible Gleanings | August 24-25, 2024

Leave a comment

The rear view is a mess, but the front view is a masterpiece. That is what you’ll see if you glance at both sides of a tapestry. Tapestries are an ancient art form that requires an extraordinary amount of forethought and expertise. And to make one, a weaver will arrange threads vertically on a loom and then interweave threads of different colors horizontally. The end result is a breathtaking portrait which showcases the skill and creativity of the weaver.

However, the most striking feature of a tapestry is its backside, which looks like regurgitated rainbow spaghetti or a ball of yarn that an angry toddler twisted up. The back of tapestries are chaotic and unpleasant, lacking structure and meaning. But, simply turn it over and you’ll find that the weaver knew what he or she was doing. The front side view reveals that each thread, knot, and braid has a role to play and a pivotal purpose. It all depends on how you look at it.

That is how your life is in the grand scheme of God’s providential plan. He is weaving together every joy and sorrow, every day and every tomorrow, as part of His beautiful plan for your life. By stitching together every triumph you enjoy and every trouble you despise, He is creating a breathtaking tapestry which points to His handiwork. The Lord is the master weaver who knows exactly what He is doing. As Paul famously declared in Romans 8:28, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

Unfortunately, all we can see is the backside of our life’s tapestry, which is rarely resplendent. Perhaps all we see are unanswered prayers and seemingly senseless suffering that looks like a jumbled disaster of threads and knots. But, no matter how much our lives may look like a mess, the Scripture is clear that everything has a place in the glorious masterpiece that the Lord is putting together (Eph. 1:11). And although we cannot see the whole picture, our simple but strenuous role is to trust that God is weaving something wonderful together. As Solomon wisely counseled, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding” (Prov. 3:5, KJV). 

There will come a day when we shall see our life’s tapestry from the frontside, but it will happen when God finishes it in heaven. One day, we will understand how every vexation and victory was necessary for God’s perfect plan to come together. As the Puritan Thomas Watson assured us, “Yet, in the end, all will be made clear and plain. Here we see but darkly as through a glass, but in heaven, the veil shall be pulled off, and we shall clearly see the love of God in all that befell us.” The terrific tapestry is coming together— just trust the process and the One doing the weaving.

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

Stop Whining and Start Worshiping | Bible Gleanings | August 10-11, 2024

2 Comments

Complaining. We are all guilty of it. Studies show that most people gripe once every minute during a regular conversation. According to Psychology Today, the average adult burns 8 minutes and 45 seconds grumbling daily, which translates to 1,300 gripes a year! Even worse, a 1996 study by Stanford revealed that whining may actually “physically damage the brain,” demonstrating that complaining is not only counterproductive, but also catastrophic.

Complaining is also corrosive for a Christian’s credibility. According to the apostle Paul, the presence of whining reveals an absence of worship. He commanded believers, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or disputing” (Phil. 2:12b-14). Paul was essentially saying, “Banish bellyaching from your life to demonstrate that God is working in you.” Therefore, complaining contradicts our claim to know Christ, whereas contentment corroborates our confession.

Remember the incessant murmuring of the Israelites in the Old Testament? They griped while they were enslaved in Egypt (Ex. 2:23). Then after the mighty deliverance they experienced, they complained that they weren’t in Egypt (Ex. 16:2-3). And when God miraculously provided manna for them in the wilderness, they grumbled because they didn’t have meat (Num. 11:1-6). They even whined because the taste of the water was not to their liking (Ex. 15:24)!

Picture this: you’re a pagan sojourner who encounters one of these grumbling Israelites. You’d immediately think, “They don’t have anything to be thankful for. There’s nothing exciting or appealing about their ‘God.’ They complain about desert life about as much as I do.” You wouldn’t give a second thought to the fact that the Israelites had just experienced the greatest deliverance in history by the hand of Almighty God. And that is why whining is detrimental to a believer’s testimony—it doesn’t persuade people that we have been liberated from spiritual slavery into salvation because of Jesus Christ. It is no wonder, then, that Paul said we must not grumble like the Israelites (1 Cor. 10:10).

The only fitting response to redemption is gratefulness, not grumbling. Believers should never do anything while murmuring; rather, all things should be done unto the glory of God and with rejoicing (1 Cor. 10:31). We should obey the will of the Lord with glad submission, although it may be difficult at times. And we should shout praises instead of mumbling complaints when God’s providence permits painful situations to come our way. As believers, we should stop whining and start worshiping.

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 Pernicious Sin of Partiality | Bible Gleanings | July 27-28, 2024

Leave a comment

He considered becoming a Christian, but the church rejected him. When the famous Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi (October 2, 1869—January 30, 1948) was a student, he read the Gospels and became intrigued by Christianity. He found the Christian faith particularly appealing because it seemed to offer a solution to the discriminatory system that plagued the Indian people. Therefore, he attended a Christian church one Sunday, only to be startled when the ushers refused to give him a seat. He never returned after they told him to worship “with his own people,” and he reportedly commented,  “If Christians have caste differences also, I might as well remain a Hindu.”1

Such favoritism and bias in the treatment of others is what the Bible calls partiality. And it is condemned, chastised, and castigated in the same holy Scriptures which Gandhi studied. As James the apostle commanded, “My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory” (James 2:1). Partiality is the attitude which says to some,  “I like you because you are like me,” and to others, “And I don’t like you because you aren’t like me.” Partiality occurs when we wrongfully judge someone or write them off because of their politics, opinions, doctrinal beliefs, or even things like their past, personality, or appearance.

And the only way to kill the vice of partiality is to feed the virtue of impartiality. Believers should esteem everyone with equal scales, whether they are in the family of God or not. We ought to love and serve our like-minded neighbor and the one with whom we have nothing in common. God doesn’t play favorites and neither should we (cf. Deut. 10:17-18; Acts 10:34; Rom. 2:11; 1 Peter 1:17). Followers of Christ should never show “favoritism to gain advantage” (Jude 16).

Simply put, we must treat others as our Lord Jesus did—with a plumb line and an impartial eye. The Gospels tell us that Jesus preached the gospel to both the adulterous woman at the well and the religious teacher, Nicodemus. Christ reclined at table with Pharisees and ate dinner with sinners. Our Lord also praised the poor woman for the last penny she gave to the synagogue, and was just as delighted when rich men like Matthew and Zacchaeus gave up their livelihoods to follow Him. And most notably, Christ freely forgave sinners without favoritism, whether it was the pitiful paralytic lowered through Peter’s roof or the criminal crucified beside Him. If the Lord of glory showed no partiality, then how can we?

  1. Gandhi was also unfairly critical of Christianity, so everything he says should be taken with a grain of salt. In this case, he was correct.

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

Wisdom for the Asking | Bible Gleanings | July 20-21, 2024

Leave a comment

It is the choicest and most cherished treasure one can obtain (Prov. 3:19). It is worth more than gold, silver, and precious jewels combined (Prov. 3:14-15). It keeps you safe from ruin and ensures prosperity and honor. It is a gift that God is delighted to bestow upon those who ask Him for it (1 Kings 3:5-9). And it is a quality highly regarded in the Scripture and lowly regarded in society, namely, wisdom.

Contrary to what is generally assumed, wisdom is not a quality belonging only to the elderly or experienced. King Saul died as a 72-year-old fool, while David exceeded him in wisdom when he was still a youth (cf. 1 Sam. 13:1; 18:14-15; 31:4-6). As a boy, Samuel the prophet had better discernment than his mentor, Eli the priest, who was ninety-eight years old (1 Sam. 3:1-21). Indeed, some wisdom is obtained from old age and experience as an old stone gathers moss. But a stone freshly cut from the mine gathers moss just as quickly if it is planted in the right place.

Wisdom is also not the same as knowledge. Going to Harvard or Yale won’t insulate you from foolishness or its repercussions. As Charles Spurgeon once preached, “Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom.”

Indeed, according to the Bible, wisdom is knowing the will of God and obeying it. It is the right use and application of knowledge from God’s word. Being wise means knowing and using the holy Scripture as your instruction manual for everyday life. Wisdom entails being a lifelong student in the school of godliness. Wisdom is all about knowing what God wants you to do and doing it.

The profit to be acquired from wisdom is of greater value than anything else this world affords. That’s why Solomon of old wrote in Proverbs 3:13-15, “Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her.” And all you need to do is ask God for it: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him” (James 1:5).

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

Abstaining from Anger | Bible Gleanings | July 13-14, 2024

Leave a comment

The insatiable flames of foolish fury burned within all three of them. Cain, Moses, and Jonah were all consumed with sinful rage, and its catastrophic consequences singed their lives. Cain was enraged when God favored Abel’s offering instead of his, and his anger and jealousy drove him to murder his own brother (Gen. 4:5-6). When the wilderness rock refused to yield water, Moses became furious and smote it twice, costing himself entry into the Promised Land (Num. 20:10-11). Jonah became exasperated when God showed compassion to his enemies, and he went down in biblical history as a sulking complainer instead of a heroic prophet (Jonah 4:1-4).

The testimony of Scripture is indisputable: sinful anger that goes unextinguished will burn your life in irreparable ways. That is why the Lord gives us many strong warnings and sober cautions in the Bible about wicked indignation. As David admonished, “Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil” (Psalm 37:8). According to Solomon, unrighteous indignation is a sign of fragility and foolishness: “Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly” (Prov. 14:29). And conversely, the ability to restrain anger is characteristic of great strength and wisdom: “Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city” (Prov. 16:32).

Undoubtedly, there is no shortage of situations which may tempt us to express such evil exasperation. There are plenty of hot sparks that may ignite us like a brush fire: slow traffic, bad customer service, being overcharged on a bill, or having arguments on social media. Sometimes we may be tempted to fly off the handle because of a contemptuous gesture from a spouse, being backstabbed by a family member, hearing an injurious word from one considered as a friend, or receiving a slanderous remark from an unbelieving coworker. Oftentimes, the mounting heap of daily frustrations are enough to make us as mad as a wet hen. 

Thankfully, the Scripture gives us great counsel for abolishing anger. The Lord commands us to listen more than we speak, and take a “chill pill” during angry moments: “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” (James 1:19, KJV). We are also exhorted by Paul to deal with anger immediately so that it doesn’t fester into something that the devil can use against us: “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil” (Eph. 4:26-27). And most importantly, the word of God tells us to leave vengeance to the Lord, the just Judge: “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord”” (Rom. 12:19).

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 Savior Who Seeks Sinners | Bible Gleanings | July 6-7, 2024

Leave a comment

I searched high and low for it, but it was sleeping with the fishes. My iPhone evidently decided to try its hand at scuba diving, as it dove out of my pocket during a recent kayaking excursion. I lost it at the bank and did everything I could to retrieve it, but to no avail (what a “sinking” feeling!). I looked for it in the murky and muddy depths, and called it from my wife’s phone in hopes that its vibrations would cause bubbles to rise to the surface. I even tried submerging my head to see if I could hear it ringing, but my efforts were useless. 

Although I never recovered my smartphone, I did learn a lesson: I was willing to go to great lengths (and depths) to recover something that was lost because it was valuable to me. And this is the humbling lesson which the Lord teaches us in the Bible’s great story of redemption. Just as I searched tirelessly for my lost phone, the Lord relentlessly pursues lost sinners because of His love for them. He leaves the ninety-nine sheep to find the one that is lost (Luke 15:4). Like the woman who sought her misplaced coin, the Lord diligently searches the whole world for the wayward (Luke 15:8-10).

As a matter of fact, the Lord runs after those who run away from Him, just as He pursued the first sinners in the Garden of Eden and rebellious Jonah who vainly attempted to escape His presence (Gen. 3:8; Jonah 1:3-4). And there is no greater demonstration of God’s searching and stop-at-nothing love than the cross of Calvary, where the Lord purchased the salvation of sinners with the blood of His beloved Son (1 Peter 1:18-19). Upon the gruesome hill of Golgotha, the Lord sacrificed His Son because of His love for those who hate Him and transgress His law. As Jesus famously said,

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:16-17, KJV).

This is why Christ came into the world: “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).

Have you experienced the Savior’s steadfast love? Can you sing with the hymn writer John Newton (1725-1807), “I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see”? If so, are you willing to go to the greatest lengths and depths to deliver the gospel’s soul-saving message to those who are lost? Do you long to see sinners gathered into the flock of God like Jesus does (Matt. 23:37)? 

“I will sing the wondrous story

Of the Christ who died for me.

How He left His home in glory

For the cross of Calvary.

I was lost, but Jesus found me,

Found the sheep that went astray,

Threw His loving arms around me,

Drew me back into His way.”

— “I Will Sing the Wondrous Story.” Francis H. Rowley (1854-1952)

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: