Category Archives: devotions

Bible Gleanings, devotions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bible Gleanings, devotions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bible Gleanings, devotions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Brandon is the pastor of Bandana Baptist Church in Bandana, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife, Dakota, and their three dogs, 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 Lord Who Is Near | Bible Gleanings | September 7-8, 2024

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

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

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

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

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

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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, 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.

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

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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, 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.

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

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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, 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.

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