Category Archives: Bible Gleanings

Bible Gleanings, devotions

Open Doors | Bible Gleanings | June 1-2, 2024

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Open doors for gospel proclamation are all around us—we just have to walk through them. Our day-to-day lives are like long corridors with doors flung wide-open that we often pass by (1 Cor. 16:9; 2 Cor. 2:12). And as much as we should pray for such opportunities to present themselves, it is equally important to pray for the courage and strength to seize them. The same apostle who said, “Pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ” (Col. 4:3), also said, “[Pray] that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel” (Eph. 6:19). But be warned: be careful what you pray for—you might just receive it!

The Lord has answered this prayer in my life many times, but one occasion stands out. I was out of town for a ministry training, and I stopped in the local Waffle House to have some breakfast for dinner. And I overheard one of the other servers talking about “being spiritual” and watching witchcraft videos on TikTok. Initially, I didn’t give it a second thought. I went about my business, finished my meal, and left a gospel tract with the tip for my waitress. The Lord had opened a door for the gospel, but I passed it by.

I went to my car and saw the waiter in my side mirror as he scrolled on his phone. I felt compelled to go back in and have a gospel conversation. “I don’t want to start an argument,” I wrestled internally. “It will probably seem offensive anyway.” Then I remembered that this is a man for whom Christ died, who will face Him on the day of judgment, and I can tell him how to be forgiven and redeemed. And then it hit me: I had been praying for open doors and boldness to walk through them—and God put the answer to my prayer right in front of me.

Thus, I went back inside and said, “Hey there, I couldn’t help but overhear you talking about witchcraft,” I remarked. And a short gospel conversation ensued, but he was not offended at all. He was very courteous, thankful, and open-minded. And now, I am praying that the Lord will open the door of his heart so that he can believe the gospel (Acts 16:14). 

What open doors has God placed in your life? It could be a conversation with a coworker, a moment of vulnerability with a friend, or even a chance meeting with a Waffle House waiter. Will you step through those open doors with gospel courage?

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 Trouble with Tattle-Taling | Bible Gleanings – May 25-26, 2024

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Many aptly describe it as, “the season of the snitch.” Tattle-taling was at an all time high during the coronavirus pandemic. It was a time of social surveillance and “corona-shaming,” when blabbermouths and gossip-mongers dished the dirt on their own neighbors and coworkers who did not abide by strict health department guidelines. In February of 2021, the New York Times ran a story which suitably summarized the situation: “Snitching offered people a way to feel as if they were doing something good, at the expense of anyone who seemed to be doing something wrong.” The article concluded that blowing the whistle is part of the “ecosystem” of our society and is built into us as human beings. Therefore, the pandemic simply exposed who we really are: squealers who like to spill the beans on others so the beans aren’t spilled about us. 

Those well-versed in the Bible should not be surprised to hear this, since the Lord Jesus warned us about our tendency to be tattle-talers long before the pandemic occurred. Christ once cautioned, “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye” (Matt. 7:1-5).

It is written within our spiritual DNA to focus on the speck in our brother’s eye rather than the plank in our own. Our sinful heart shouts for joy when we hold up a mirror to others, and it shrieks in fear when we look in the mirror ourselves. And you can thank your first parents for this. When Adam and Eve sinned in Eden, they blamed everyone but themselves—Adam pointed his finger at God and Eve pointed hers at Satan (Gen. 3:12-13). Thus, like the first sinners, we judge others and dwell on their deficiencies in order to vainly put ourselves in the clear.

Fortunately, if you know Jesus, God is purging you of tattle-taling and replacing it with a love that covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8). And naturally, such sin-covering love uncovers a multitude of good and fixates upon what others are doing well (Phil. 4:8). As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13:6a, such Christlike love “rejoiceth not in iniquity.” In other words, this kind of love “doesn’t keep score of the sins of others” (1 Cor. 13:6a, MSG). Tattle-taling is not a Christian virtue—it is an unholy vice. That’s the word on the street, anyway.

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 Demand for Discernment | Bible Gleanings | May 18-19, 2024

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It was disgusting and only corroborated my cibophobia (the fear of getting food poisoning). A few weeks ago, I was enjoying one of my favorite convenient meals: a Jimmy Dean breakfast bowl. I was savoring the eggs, potatoes, and sausage, and I suddenly bit into something bitter. And I immediately spit it out without any hesitation! Thankfully, even after having COVID three times, my sense of taste is still healthy and it probably saved me from food poisoning. 

And there is a soul-sanctifying “taste” that all believers should possess—something that the Bible calls discernment. Discernment is having the spiritual sensitivity to spit out what is bad for us and our relationship with the Lord, and it will save us from soul-poisoning. When you bite into false teaching, discernment kicks in and says, “Spit this out right now! It’s no good for you.” When you bite onto sin, which always appears as sweet, discernment sounds the alarm and says, “This is poisonous and detrimental to your sanctification. Don’t take another bite.”

Believers are commanded throughout all the Scriptures to be discerning. “Do not judge by appearances,” said our Lord Jesus, “but judge with right judgment” (John 7:24). Paul likewise admonished, “But test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil” (1 Thess. 5:21-22). John the apostle similarly told us that we ought not believe everything we hear: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God” (1 John 4:1-2). The writer of Hebrews said that we ought to feast on the solid food of God’s word so that our “powers of discernment” can be trained (Heb. 5:14). And the apostle Paul prayed that believers would abound “in all judgment [or discernment]; that ye may approve things that are excellent” (Phil. 1:9b, KJV).

To further clarify, discernment is being able to see things the way God sees them. Discernment is having a heightened sense of what is right and wrong so that you can see things that are wrong when they look right. Discernment is being able to see a wolf in sheep’s clothing (Matt. 7:15). Discernment is seeing Satan when he disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14). Discernment is seeing the devil as a roaring lion when he appears as a cuddly kitten (1 Peter 5:8). Discernment is being able to see the appealing fruits of sin as the rotten and bitter fruits of demise that they truly are. Discernment is wearing the Bible as eye-glasses so that you can see the world, the devil, and the flesh for what they are.

Are you discerning?

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

Farewell and Thank You | Bible Gleanings – April 6-7, 2024

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American author Tom Peters once aptly quipped, “If a window of opportunity appears, don’t pull down the shade.” And it is with bittersweetness that I announce that the Lord has opened a new window for us in Bandana, Kentucky, and we have opened the shades. The saints of Bandana Baptist Church have extended the invitation to me to serve as their pastor, and the Lord has confirmed to us that this is His will. We trusted in the Lord and He made our paths straight (Prov. 3:5-6). They are a beacon of gospel light in Ballard County, and we could not be more thrilled to shine the light of God in Christ alongside them.

Unfortunately, this means that my columns in the Murray Ledger & Times will cease next week, as we have moved out of the area. Sharing the gospel and biblical truth through these columns has been an overwhelming joy for the last six years. I am so thankful for you and the hundreds of readers in Calloway and Marshall counties. Thank you for your kind letters over the years and for the funding that several of you have generously provided. The weekend column will not go away entirely, however, as Bro. Kim Reeder, pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Murray, will be taking it over for the time being. I encourage you to read his biblically-based and thought-provoking columns—you will not be disappointed.

Also, I will still be publishing books and devotional entries. Kentucky Today, a Kentucky Baptist publication, will be picking up my devotional columns. They will be available each weekend at www.kentuckytoday.com. Additionally, future devotional columns and entries will be shared on the Facebook page (www.facebook.com/biblegleanings), and my blog (www.brandonsdesk.com). 

Finally, Bible Gleanings: Volume III (containing the last nine months’ worth of columns and ones forthcoming) will be published and available for purchase on Amazon by Christmas of this year. Dozens of other books will be available on Amazon throughout this year as well; just type in my name on Amazon.com.

“And the LORD answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it” (Habakkuk 2:2).

Bible Gleanings is a widely-read weekend devotional column, written for the Murray Ledger & Times in Calloway County, Kentucky.

Brandon is the founder and main contributor to Brandon’s Desk, the blog with biblical resources from his ministry. He pastored the family of believers at Locust Grove Baptist Church in Murray, Kentucky for six years. He and his wife Dakota live there with their three dogs, Susie (Jack Russell), Aries (English Shepherd), and Dot (Bluetick Beagle).

For more devotional entries like this, check out Brandon’s latest book, Bible Gleanings Volume II, which features 100 daily devotionals gleaned from God’s word:

Bible Gleanings, devotions

He Is Alive | Bible Gleanings – March 30-31, 2024

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There are many iconic tombs around the world, each one famous for what they contain. Egypt’s towering pyramids are notorious for housing the mummified bodies of ancient pharaohs and their treasures. The royal tombs of Westminster Abbey are renowned because they are the resting place of English nobles. The Green Dome in Saudi Arabia is distinguished because it holds the body of Muhammad, the founder of Islam. The legendary Ming Tombs in China contain the bodies of thirteen emperors who reigned during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 A.D.).

The stone tomb of Jesus Christ of Nazareth is remarkable as well, but not because of what is inside, for it is empty! Jesus was buried in a borrowed tomb after His brutal crucifixion and He rose victorious from the grave three days later. The Bible tells the story:

“When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you” (Mark 16:1-7).

The female followers of Christ expected to find a lifeless body after what they witnessed on Calvary’s hill. The remaining disciples fled into hiding, fearing that the Jews would also execute them (John 20:19). Even Peter, the most outspoken disciple, had fled for his life after three times denying Christ (Luke 22:54-62). None of Jesus’ disciples waited by the tomb for His triumphal resurrection. Their doubt and fear, however, had no effect on reality: Jesus had indeed risen bodily, defeating the power of sin and death.

Do you believe that Christ arose from the dead as Lord? Believing that He is the risen Lord is the only belief that saves. The apostle Paul wrote, “Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). If you have believed, are you telling others about Him? “Go quickly and tell,” the risen Lord commands (Matt. 28:7a). Spread the news that the tomb is empty, and that all who believe in Christ have everlasting life!

Bible Gleanings is a widely-read weekend devotional column, written for the Murray Ledger & Times in Calloway County, Kentucky.

Brandon is the founder and main contributor to Brandon’s Desk, the blog with biblical resources from his ministry. He pastored the family of believers at Locust Grove Baptist Church in Murray, Kentucky for six years. He and his wife Dakota live there with their three dogs, Susie (Jack Russell), Aries (English Shepherd), and Dot (Bluetick Beagle).

For more devotional entries like this, check out Brandon’s latest book, Bible Gleanings Volume II, which features 100 daily devotionals gleaned from God’s word:

Bible Gleanings, devotions

His Eyes Are Upon You | Bible Gleanings – March 23-24, 2024

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The latest developments in facial recognition technology has caused many to wear frowns on their faces. This high-tech programme works by measuring facial features in images and videos in order to identify people. Facial recognition software is embedded into your smartphone, employed by workplace security systems to identify employees, and utilized by law enforcement to track down wanted persons using CCTV footage. But this doesn’t put a smile on everyone’s faces, including some legislators in Massachusetts who passed laws in 2020 regulating its use on the grounds that it invaded personal privacy. One political activist, writing for the New York Times, expressed their reservations by saying, “One of my concerns was that we would wake up one day in a world resembling that depicted in the Philip K. Dick novel The Minority Report, where everywhere you go, your body is tracked; your physical movements, habits, activities, and locations are secretly compiled and tracked in a searchable database available to god knows who.” Evidently, many people don’t want the whole world to know all about them—including their faces.

However, the fact we all must face is that there is a God who knows everything about us—whether we like it or not. The omniscient Lord knows and sees everything that you do, think, and feel (1 John 3:20). Indeed, His knowledge of you is so complete and comprehensive that He cannot learn anything new (Isaiah 40:13-14). He knows your past, present, and even your future before it happens (Psalm 139:16). The God who named all the stars knows your name, and yes, even your face as well (Psalm 147:4).

Those who have transgressed His law should find this terrifying. No sin or sinner is hidden from His studious sight (Heb. 4:13). All of our evils are committed under the watchful eye of His just judgment. He knows all of our deepest (and darkest) secrets (Psalm 44:21). Because of His unsearchable and inscrutable ways, we cannot escape His all-encompassing knowledge of our many iniquities: “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good” (Prov. 15:3).

But those who are heart-broken should find this heart-comforting. The Lord understands what you are going through more than anybody, and He knows what you need before you even ask Him (Matt. 6:8). Even the number of hairs on your head are known to Him, if you are His child (Luke 12:7). He also carefully records your many sorrows in a detailed record book: “You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?” (Psalm 56:8). His eye is on the sparrow, and His eye is upon you (Matt. 10:29-31).

Knowing that God knows you ought to produce a humbling cry which says, “What is man, that thou art mindful of him?” (Psalm 8:4a, KJV).

Bible Gleanings is a widely-read weekend devotional column, written for the Murray Ledger & Times in Calloway County, Kentucky.

Brandon is the founder and main contributor to Brandon’s Desk, the blog with biblical resources from his ministry. He pastored the family of believers at Locust Grove Baptist Church in Murray, Kentucky for six years. He and his wife Dakota live there with their three dogs, Susie (Jack Russell), Aries (English Shepherd), and Dot (Bluetick Beagle).

For more devotional entries like this, check out Brandon’s latest book, Bible Gleanings Volume II, which features 100 daily devotionals gleaned from God’s word:

Bible Gleanings, devotions

The Just Judge | Bible Gleanings – March 16-17, 2024

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An Oklahoma judge was recently judged to be unfit to judge because of poor judgment. According to the Associated Press, the former district judge sent over five-hundred text messages to friends during a murder trial, “including messages that mocked prosecutors and were sprinkled with emojis.” Obviously, judges should oversee cases with serious solemnity and meticulous attention to detail since lives are at stake and justice must be served. Justice is not a joke, and this ex-judge is currently on trial for “gross neglect of duty, oppression in office, lack of proper temperament and failure to supervise her office.” If she hadn’t been caught on CCTV cameras, she may have issued an unfair verdict that reduced the criminal’s charges.

Guilty sinners like you and I might wish that the Judge of all the universe is just as careless and neglectful of our spiritual crimes. We may hope that He is too preoccupied with controlling the cosmos to remember the multitude of our trespasses and sins. But the verdict of the Bible is that God keeps a perfect ledger of all our evils (Rev. 20:12-15). Every last sin—from the time of our birth to our death—will be recorded in the books that shall be opened on the Day of Judgment. God sees all of our iniquities (Heb. 4:13), and He could even see them with His eyes closed (cf. Psalm 11:4).

The good news is that the same Judge fully and finally forgives those who are in Christ. Those whose names are written in the Book of Life do not need to worry about any books containing a record of their sins because they have been erased and forgotten (Jer. 31:34; cf. Psalm 103:12). Jesus traded places with guilty sinners, and He cancels the gargantuan sin debt of anyone who trusts in Him (Col. 2:14). That is why Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” The one who has faith in Jesus is justified by the Judge Himself and declared innocent because of the substitutionary atonement of Christ (Rom. 3:21-26).

Jesus bore your punishment, paid your penalty, and died the death you deserve (Rom. 6:23). As Isaiah the prophet declared, “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. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isa. 53:5-6). Have you trusted in the Christ who was judged in your place or are you hoping that God is too busy to keep up with your sins?

Bible Gleanings is a widely-read weekend devotional column, written for the Murray Ledger & Times in Calloway County, Kentucky.

Brandon is the founder and main contributor to Brandon’s Desk, the blog with biblical resources from his ministry. He pastored the family of believers at Locust Grove Baptist Church in Murray, Kentucky for six years. He and his wife Dakota live there with their three dogs, Susie (Jack Russell), Aries (English Shepherd), and Dot (Bluetick Beagle).

For more devotional entries like this, check out Brandon’s latest book, Bible Gleanings Volume II, which features 100 daily devotionals gleaned from God’s word:

Bible Gleanings, devotions

The Failure of False Gods | Bible Gleanings – March 9-10, 2024

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A toy power drill is stashed away in a box at our house that we keep to occupy the multitude of my wife’s nieces and nephews. It is plastic, devoid of electricity, and always produces entertainment (and sometimes a pounding headache). In my closet is a Black and Decker cordless drill—it is the real deal, and the tool I always use when there is a job to do. I’m not a genius, but I know better than to grab the Fisher Price toy drill when I need to drive a screw through a wood plank or door hinge. I know that the fake drill is incapable of getting the job done because I’ve seen the power of the real drill and the powerlessness of the phony one. 

Likewise, the God of the Bible is the real deal—the true and living God—not only because He has displayed His power in creation and salvation, but because all counterfeit gods are powerless. The Lord is God not only because of what He can do, but also because of what false gods cannot do. Idols cannot speak, love, or answer prayer—and the Lord God does all three (Psalm 115:4-8). False gods only bring disappointment, dissatisfaction, destruction, depression, and—apart from repentance—damnation from God. The only One who can provide lasting joy, enduring satisfaction, abiding contentment, and everlasting life is the God whose name is the Lord. 

Idols cannot be faithful to you. All they can do is fool you and fail you. The false gods of possessions, pleasure, prestige, power, and position will never give you unconditional love, unceasing care, and eternal soul-satisfaction. Besides, idols are only so-called “gods,” as Paul said: “For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”—  yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist” (1 Cor. 8:5-6).

Therefore, only the Lord God is worthy of your service, trust, and worship. He never disappoints, deceives, or dismays. He will satisfy you with good things (Psalm 103:5). He will love you relentlessly (Romans 8:38-39). Do you serve and love Him or the false gods of this world? The choice is as obvious as choosing between a real drill and a toy.

Bible Gleanings is a widely-read weekend devotional column, written for the Murray Ledger & Times in Calloway County, Kentucky.

Brandon is the founder and main contributor to Brandon’s Desk, the blog with biblical resources from his ministry. He pastored the family of believers at Locust Grove Baptist Church in Murray, Kentucky for six years. He and his wife Dakota live there with their three dogs, Susie (Jack Russell), Aries (English Shepherd), and Dot (Bluetick Beagle).

For more devotional entries like this, check out Brandon’s latest book, Bible Gleanings Volume II, which features 100 daily devotionals gleaned from God’s word:

Bible Gleanings, devotions

The Right Thing After the Wrong Things | Bible Gleanings – March 2-3, 2024

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The best thing to do is always the right thing to do—especially after doing the wrong thing. And that was the experience of an intoxicated driver in North Yorkshire, England. Earlier this month, English police received a call from a man who turned himself in over the phone, confessing that he had been driving drunk. He made the reckless decision to get behind the wheel after a long weekend of heavy drinking, but fortunately, he realized his mistake and reported himself to the authorities. According to the Associated Press, “When officers arrived, the 52-year-old man was in a van on the side of the road. A breath test revealed he was three times over the legal limit.”

He made the best decision after making a bad decision. He did the right thing after doing the wrong thing. And that’s what the Lord commands us to do when we’ve done the wrong thing. When we sin against God, we cannot go back in time to undo our actions. But, we can set things right by “turning ourselves in” to the Lord through confession of our sins.

Unconfessed sin yields nothing but destruction, demise, and dismay. “Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper,” warned Solomon, “but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy” (Prov. 28:13). Achan of old learned the hard way that failure to confess one’s sins results in wreckage and woe (Josh. 7:1-15). And David reminds us that sin will consume us until we confess it: “For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer” (Psalm 32:3-4).

Thankfully, cleansing and forgiveness is available when we contritely confess our sins to the Lord: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). When David eventually confessed his sins, God forgave him as well: “I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah” (Psalm 32:5).

Therefore, when you commit sin, immediately confess it to the Lord in the place of prayer. Refrain from self-punishment, and do not dwell on your guilt. Do not engage in other good works to appease your conscience either. Instead, be frank and forthright about your sin, as king David was after he committed adultery with Bathsheba and slew her husband: “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words  and blameless in your judgment” (Psalm 51:3-4).

Bible Gleanings is a widely-read weekend devotional column, written for the Murray Ledger & Times in Calloway County, Kentucky.

Brandon is the founder and main contributor to Brandon’s Desk, the blog with biblical resources from his ministry. He pastored the family of believers at Locust Grove Baptist Church in Murray, Kentucky for six years. He and his wife Dakota live there with their three dogs, Susie (Jack Russell), Aries (English Shepherd), and Dot (Bluetick Beagle).

For more devotional entries like this, check out Brandon’s latest book, Bible Gleanings Volume II, which features 100 daily devotionals gleaned from God’s word:

Bible Gleanings, devotions

Run the Race | Bible Gleanings – February 24-25, 2024

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It’s a flat-out pancake race. Held in the English town of Olney, the annual Pancake Day Race is a centuries-old street-sprint in which contestants hold a pan containing a pancake while they run. The race is tied to Shrove Tuesday (or Fat Tuesday), the liturgical holiday of “food indulgence” which immediately precedes the day of Lent. According to the Associated Press, the race originated in 1445, when a “harried housewife [heard] the church bells signaling the Shrove Tuesday service and raced off with her skillet.” And you don’t have to be a pancake expert to compete—you just have to “stack up” against the competition. 

Some races like the Pancake Day Race are purely for entertainment, with no tangible reward. Other races are more serious, such as those in the Olympics, which offer mammoth monetary benefits. However, one race is more momentous than any marathon on earth because it offers rewards of everlasting worth, and that is the race of the Christian life. The Bible often describes the believer’s life on earth as a strenuous race that ends at the finish line of heaven. As the writer of Hebrews commanded, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith” (Heb. 12:1-2a).

Like any race, the race of the Christian life is not easy. It requires a great deal of “holy sweat” and disciplined effort (1 Tim. 4:7). The temptation to quit and rest from the run of redemption is always present. The glaring absence of runners in the race (Matt. 7:13-14), or the sight of other Christians who appear to be getting farther than us might be discouraging at times, too. Above all else, the weight of sin often slows our advance as we attempt to run with endurance. 

We may even be tempted to look behind us and become disappointed at how poorly we ran in the past. But, according to Paul, we cannot focus on the failings of yesterday—we must keep running and facing forward. He encouraged, “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. 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” (Phi. 3:13-14).

We must keep moving, fixing our gaze upon Jesus, who will meet us at the end of the race (2 Tim. 4:7). One day, we will cross the finish line when we cross from death to life in eternity. Until then, we must keep on running: “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it” (1 Cor. 9:24).

Bible Gleanings is a widely-read weekend devotional column, written for the Murray Ledger & Times in Calloway County, Kentucky.

Brandon is the founder and main contributor to Brandon’s Desk, the blog with biblical resources from his ministry. He pastored the family of believers at Locust Grove Baptist Church in Murray, Kentucky for six years. He and his wife Dakota live there with their three dogs, Susie (Jack Russell), Aries (English Shepherd), and Dot (Bluetick Beagle).

For more devotional entries like this, check out Brandon’s latest book, Bible Gleanings Volume II, which features 100 daily devotionals gleaned from God’s word: