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Bible Gleanings, devotions

No Partiality | Bible Gleanings – March 25-26, 2023

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The teachers’ kids managed to get away with everything. They were all goody-two-shoes, while the rest of us were rabble-rousers. I was sent to the office for sword-fighting with pencils, but they wouldn’t get in trouble even if they fought with real swords! It felt like the elementary school creed was, “Rules for thee, but not for me.” We all noticed the preferential treatment, and how the teachers’ kids received special privileges just because of who their parents were. 

The Scripture is clear that we receive no special treatment because of who our Father is. The Lord is an impartial Judge who despises both the sins of His children and the sins of those who are not His children. Indeed, we possess many blessings and privileges that children of the devil do not have (cf. Heb. 12:7-8), but the Lord is unbiased when it comes to our obedience to Him. Peter said in his epistle, “And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile” (1 Peter 1:17). God the Father judges our deeds without favoritism—without regard to our status or privilege: “And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do” (v. 17a, NLT). 

God doesn’t jettison or lower His holy standard of righteousness when it comes to the sins of His offspring. As Paul said, “For God shows no partiality” (Rom. 2:11). God is never biased, partisan, one-sided, prejudiced, or unjust. His weights are equal, His judgment is just, and His assessment is always accurate. We enjoy many privileges as members of the household of God, but preferential treatment of our sin is not one of them.

In fact, God’s standard is actually higher for those who belong to Him. That’s why Peter also said, “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy”” (1 Pet. 1:14-16). Because our conduct is a reflection on the Father (whose children we are), we should take care to live as “obedient children.” If we have been saved by the Holy One, we ought to live holy. We must remember the words of king Jehoshaphat: “Now then, let the fear of the LORD be upon you. Be careful what you do, for there is no injustice with the LORD our God, or partiality or taking bribes.” (2 Chron. 19:7).

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 is proud to be the pastor of the family of believers at Locust Grove Baptist Church in Murray, Kentucky. 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, Sermons

Fear the Lord | Bible Gleanings – March 18-19, 2023

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Watching the roaring of the Niagara Falls with a healthy regard and respect for its immense power is what we might call regular fear. It is entirely natural to feel this way about something so immensely powerful. Staying far away from New York for fear of accidentally falling into the torrent is an unhealthy anxiety, what we may call ruinous fear. It is unnatural to be paralyzed by fear for no rational reason. However, gazing in amazement at the falls while simultaneously recognizing your own frailty is what we would call reverential fear; it is perceiving both the magnificence of the falls and your own smallness—and standing in awe as a result. 

And that kind of reverential awe is precisely what God expects when He calls us to fear Him (cf. Psalm 33:8; Eccl. 12:13; Luke 1:50). He doesn’t want us to be crippled by deleterious terror, the way a slave cringes before his master. Rather, the Lord desires that we possess and express a holy fear of His greatness and grandeur. It is a fear produced from understanding the supremacy of God and the sinfulness of man. Such reverential fear says, “Lord, I revere You because You are holy, righteous, and good—and I am not.”

It is the fear Isaiah felt when he beheld a glimpse of God’s glory. He cried out, “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!” (Isaiah 6:5). He fell in prostration before the Lord because he understood the gravity of his sin and the greatness of God’s holiness. It is the awe Peter felt when he witnessed the boundless power of Christ: “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord” (Luke 5:8b). It is the fear that the first church experienced when they watched God slay Ananias and Sapphira for telling a little white lie: “And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things” (Acts 5:11).

Such fear is the essence of wisdom—indeed, it is the very first step toward living wisely. As Solomon said, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge” (Prov. 1:7a). This is because fearing God is a mentality that understands both the foolishness of living in sin and the worthiness of living in obedience. That’s why Solomon also said, “The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death” (Prov. 14:17). A life of fearing God is truly the best life you can live: “The fear of the LORD leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm” (Proverbs 19:23).

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 is proud to be the pastor of the family of believers at Locust Grove Baptist Church in Murray, Kentucky. 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

Snail Trail | Bible Gleanings – March 11-12, 2023

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According to the Associated Press, Nigerian smugglers recently failed to conceal a clump of African snails that were being illegally shipped to a German market. Talk about snail mail! The article reports, “German customs officials say a trail of slime led them to a stash of almost 100 giant African land snails and other items hidden inside bags at Duesseldorf Airport this month.” You can’t hide snails; they’re too dirty. No matter how hard they try to stay hidden, they always leave behind a mucous trail that follows close behind.

Likewise, no matter how much we may attempt to hide our true character from others, the truth will eventually come out. As Jesus said, “Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known” (Luke 12:2). Our words and deeds always point straight to our hearts (Luke 6:45). Our actions speak volumes and they reveal who we truly are on the inside, despite the great lengths we may go to conceal it. You can’t smuggle your true self for long—your speech and conduct are a “snail trail” that always follows you. 

Even if you manage to disguise your true character from some people, it will inevitably be brought to light in the judgment of God. One day, the Lord will uncover what is covered and expose what is hidden. As Solomon of old assured, “For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil” (Eccl. 12:14). Similarly, Paul promised: “Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God” (1 Cor. 4:5).

Therefore, it is best that you don’t have anything in your life worth hiding. The best way to live a life without fear of exposure is to focus on building an exemplary life of godliness by living according to God’s commands and biblical principles (cf. Titus 2:7-8). Leave a trail of Christlikeness behind! That is why the Proverbs say, “Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out” (Prov. 10:9).

What kind of “character trail” are you leaving behind?

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 is proud to be the pastor of the family of believers at Locust Grove Baptist Church in Murray, Kentucky. 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 Dangerous Christ | Bible Gleanings | March 4-5, 2023

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In C. S. Lewis’ famous work, The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, Mr. Beaver tells Susan that Aslan, the ruler of Narnia, is a great lion. Susan is naturally surprised because she imagined that Aslan was a man, not a beast. “I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion,” she tells Mr. Beaver. And then she asks if he is a safe lion, to which Mr. Beaver replies, “Safe? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King.”

The same is true of Jesus, the King of kings (Rev. 19:16). He is dangerously unsafe, especially to those who love their sin, because He calls sinners to forsake their sins and follow Him. Jesus is dangerous to sinners in the same way that a lifesaver is dangerous to a swimmer basking in the warm ocean while a life-threatening tsunami roars behind him—the lifesaver might ruin his good time, but it will save his life. So also, the gracious Lord rips sinners from sin’s warm and merry waters, but He saves them from the tsunami of God’s roaring wrath. He may be dangerous, but He is good.

Moreover, Jesus is not safe for those who prefer comfort over sacrifice. Following Him is not cheap. You will have to deny your sinful flesh daily (Luke 9:23). You will have to put your hand to the plow without looking back (Luke 9:62). You will have to carry your cross all the way to death (Luke 14:27).

Therefore, Jesus admonished all His would-be followers to count the great cost of following Him. He warned, “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace” (Luke 14:28-32). Indeed, following Jesus is costly, but what a great gain it is! As Paul said, “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ” (Phil. 3:8).

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 is proud to be the pastor of the family of believers at Locust Grove Baptist Church in Murray, Kentucky. 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

Real Repentance | Bible Gleanings – Feb 25-26, 2023

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The satanically-inspired music, obscene video games, and t-shirts with lewd designs were all burned without a shred of regret. I was a new believer, and I had just read the words of Jesus, where He requires repentance from all who wish to follow Him: “So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33). Therefore, I incinerated the emblems of my former life because God had stoked the flames of true repentance in my heart. I knew that such things couldn’t come along in my new Christian pilgrimage—they had to be left behind for Christ. And that is what real repentance is all about.

Repentance is more than regret or remorse (cf. 2 Cor. 7:10-11). Repentance is not when you cry—it’s when you change. It involves a deliberate rejection and renunciation of sin. It is a holy determination that says, “I am done with sin and I am abandoning it for the Savior.” Repentance is letting go of your sins and taking hold of Christ (cf. Luke 9:23-27; 18:18-30).

Real repentance entails divorcing sin and “marrying” Jesus, no matter the cost. It is what the practitioners of black magic exhibited in Acts 19, which says, “Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver” (vv. 18-19). The loss of their valuable magic books didn’t matter when they were gaining Christ (cf. Phil. 3:7-11).

Have you genuinely repented of your sin and surrendered to Christ? Have you laid aside all the weights of iniquity that would keep you from following Christ (Heb. 12:1)? If so, repentance is something you should still practice as a believer. After all, the Lord calls even His children to repent (cf. 2 Chron. 7:14; Rev. 2:5, 16, 21-22; 3:3, 19). As the reformer John Calvin once said, “Repentance is not merely the start of the Christian life; it is the Christian life.”

Believer, sing the words of I Am Resolved in your heart and life as you continue to repent of sin:

“I am resolved no longer to linger,

charmed by the world’s delight;

things that are higher, things that are nobler,

these have allured my sight.

I will hasten to Him,

hasten so glad and free;

Jesus, greatest, highest,

I will come to Thee.

I am resolved to go to the Savior,

leaving my sin and strife;

He is the true one, He is the just one,

He has the words of life.”

— Palmer Hartsough (1844-1932)

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 is proud to be the pastor of the family of believers at Locust Grove Baptist Church in Murray, Kentucky. 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

Higher Ground | Bible Gleanings – February 25-26, 2023

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Everything seemed so small from such a high vantage point. We were transported by a lift to a mountaintop 1,800 feet above sea level at the SkyLift in Gatlinburg. And at such a great height, even the tallest towers in town appeared smaller than a child’s plastic building blocks. The lights that blazed below seemed to flicker like a match from high above. Everything that was mighty and remarkable became puny and small simply because of a change in perspective.

Likewise, the frivolous cares of this world may seem enormous when we are earthly-minded. Making headway in this world, achieving ambitious goals, and fattening our bank account all seem like towering buildings worth beautifying when our head is stuck below the clouds. However, the Lord calls us to scale higher ground. We need to become heavenly-minded, and stand atop Scripture’s mountain of truth in order to see earthly things as they truly are: puny. As Paul commanded, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Col. 3:1-2).

The value of man’s verdicts and opinions shrinks when you climb the mountain of biblical truth on the subject of judgment, for you will realize that the only judgment that counts is God’s: “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God” (Rom. 14:12). The merit of “living life to the fullest” shrivels when you ascend the hill of the Bible’s teaching on eternity, because it teaches that soul-preparation is what ultimately matters. As Jesus said, “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” (Matt. 16:26). The profit of amassing wealth and possessions wanes when you journey to the summit of the Bible’s warnings about temporal things, because it says, “For we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world” (1 Tim. 6:7). Even your greatest tribulations will deflate when you reach the pinnacle of the Scripture’s promises about heavenly rest, one of which says, “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Cor. 4:17).

How would climbing “higher ground” affect your perspective of earthly things?

“I’m pressing on the upward way,

New heights I’m gaining ev’ry day;

Still praying as I’m onward bound,

“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”

My heart has no desire to stay

Where doubts arise and fears dismay;

Though some may dwell where these abound,

My prayer, my aim, is higher ground.

Lord, lift me up, and let me stand

By faith, on heaven’s tableland;

A higher plane than I have found,Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.” —Johnson Oatman Jr. (1856-1922), “Higher Ground.”

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 is proud to be the pastor of the family of believers at Locust Grove Baptist Church in Murray, Kentucky. 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 End of the End | Bible Gleanings – February 4-5, 2023

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The world is coming to an end, and this causes some to panic like there is no tomorrow. Scientists today say that the cosmic catastrophic threats of climate change, asteroid collisions, and super volcanoes are always on the rise. They speculate that the earth could likely be incinerated by fire from the heavens above or molten fire from within earth’s core. However, according to the God who rules tomorrow, the earth will not annihilate itself. Instead, the One who created the world in the beginning will bring it to an end in one sweep (Col. 1:16).

The blanket of the heavens above will be peeled back and the earth below will dissolve like snow when the Ruler of creation returns to make “all things new” (Rev. 21:5; cf. Rev. 6:12-17). The incredible appearance of the Lord Jesus will mean the irrevocable disappearance of this present world. The apostle Peter assured us of this when he said,

“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:10-13). 

Everything under the clouds will return to dust when Jesus is escorted to earth on a white cloud (Rev. 14:14; cf. Acts 1:11). All of the world’s soaring skyscrapers, embellished empires, and notable nations will be zapped to ash by the refulgent presence of the exalted Lord. Every possession man has ever cherished and every dime stored in all the banks of the world will melt like wax. As Isaiah preached,

“Behold, the LORD will empty the earth and make it desolate, and he will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants. And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the slave, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the creditor, so with the debtor. The earth shall be utterly empty and utterly plundered, for the LORD has spoken this word” (Isaiah 24:1-3). 

The Lord will do this to make way for another world: a new heaven and a new earth. The apostle John saw this magnificent day in the near future and said, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more” (Rev. 21:1). This sin-cursed world will be gone, and in its place will be a world where sin is no more. God will wipe the slate clean and clear the plot. As God Himself said, “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind” (Isaiah 65:17).

Hence, it only makes sense to live for the world to come if this world is passing away (cf. 1 John 2:15-17). The chief end of knowing the end is near is to prepare for the end! Therefore, lay up for yourself treasures in heaven (Matt. 6:19-21). Work for the kingdom that shall never perish (Dan. 7:14). Don’t settle for the “fool’s gold” of the world; instead, wait with faith for the coming of the New Jerusalem, where the city streets are paved with gold (Rev. 21:21). 

“This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through

My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue;

The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door,

And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.

O Lord, you know I have no friend like you,

If heaven’s not my home, then Lord what will I do?

The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door,

And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.” — This World Is Not My Home, A. P. Carter (1891-1960)

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 is proud to be the pastor of the family of believers at Locust Grove Baptist Church in Murray, Kentucky. He and his wife Dakota live there with their three dogs, Susie (Jack Russell), Aries (English Shepherd), and Dot (Bluetick Beagle).

Bible Gleanings, devotions

If God Wills | Bible Gleanings – January 28-29, 2023

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He didn’t receive a miracle, but his friend did. His friend was delivered from death, but he wasn’t. The Bible says that the suffering experienced by the disciples James and Peter ended quite differently. James was martyred by Herod, but Peter was miraculously freed from prison by a heavenly angel (Acts 12:1-19). Considering that there wasn’t a hair’s difference between them, why was James allowed to die while Peter was granted freedom?

Because sometimes God wills to deliver His people and sometimes He doesn’t. God did not love Peter more than James. Peter had not prayed more fervently or with more faith than his colleague. Peter was not a better follower of Jesus than James. It was simply the sovereign will of God to grant Peter deliverance while withholding it from James.

God may also deliver you from your suffering and trials, or He may allow them to persist. The sun of His providence may dry up the clouds of trouble, or it might hide behind them for a torrential season. You can petition the Lord to end your afflictions (cf. Psalm 13:1), and He may will them to cease today or to last for a thousand tomorrows. God may allow you to keep your thorn in the flesh, or He may gracefully remove it (2 Cor. 12:7-10). God may deliver you from the fiery furnace, or He may deliver you over to fiery afflictions such as those endured by Job (Job 1:6-22; Dan. 3:24-27).

You cannot know what the sovereign will of the Lord is. He has written a novel for your life that only He may read. As Moses said, “The secret things belong to the LORD our God” (Deut. 29:29). However, you can be certain that whatever God wills for His children is good. Paul declared, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28; cf. Ezra 8:22).

“My Jesus, as Thou wilt:

O may Thy will be mine!

Into Thy hand of love

I would my all resign.

Through sorrow or thro’ joy,

Conduct me as Thine own,

And help me still to say,

“My Lord, Thy will be done.”

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 is proud to be the pastor of the family of believers at Locust Grove Baptist Church in Murray, Kentucky. He and his wife Dakota live there with their three dogs, Susie (Jack Russell), Aries (English Shepherd), and Dot (Bluetick Beagle).

Bible Gleanings, devotions

Bad Company | Bible Gleanings – January 21-22, 2023

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It didn’t make sense. How could this have happened? How did a brand new bag of lemons go bad so quickly? Except for one moldy lemon I had forgotten to discard, they were all glistening and golden yellow. This mystery left me sour—how did they all turn from ripe to rotten in a week? 

The good lemons had apparently acquired the invasive mold from the bad lemon. Mold is an aggressive fungus that contaminates everything within its reach in the blink of an eye. Hence, the miniscule mold of one rotten lemon was enough to corrupt all the healthy ones. As the old adage says, “One bad apple can spoil the barrel.” It must also apply to lemons!

It also applies to the company we keep as believers. No matter how much of a “good lemon” you are, you can easily acquire infectious sin from fellowshipping carelessly or continuously with “bad lemons.” The Bible is clear that even good Christians can be corrupted if they keep evil company. The apostle Paul admonished, “Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals”” (1 Cor. 15:33). The applicable Proverbs also warn against keeping bad company: “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm” (Prov. 13:20).

Placing yourself in the same sack as the ungodly ensures that their sin will creepily cling to you. As Solomon warned, “Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked” (Prov. 25:26). You can still associate with the wicked; after all, how else will you fish for men (Mark 1:17)? However, you must never let your guard down or keep only evil company. Even Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners, but He never participated in their sin (Matt. 9:10; cf. John 8:29).

Abstain from the company of “bad lemons” just as David did when he declared, “I do not sit with men of falsehood, nor do I consort with hypocrites. I hate the assembly of evildoers, and I will not sit with the wicked” (Psalm 26:4-5). Don’t hold hands with the ungodly, “lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare” (Prov. 22:25). Remain diligent especially when striving to help others overcome sin, so that their sin doesn’t entice you: “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted” (Gal. 6:1). And surround yourself with other “good lemons” in God’s family, namely, those who are living exemplary lives of godliness: “Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us” (Phil. 3:17).

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 is proud to be the pastor of the family of believers at Locust Grove Baptist Church in Murray, Kentucky. He and his wife Dakota live there with their three dogs, Susie (Jack Russell), Aries (English Shepherd), and Dot (Bluetick Beagle).

Bible Gleanings, devotions

Leaving Jesus Out | Bible Gleanings – January 14-15, 2023

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The blank white space says it all. There is a glaring empty delineation in the center of Adolph Menzel’s famous painting, Frederick the Great’s Address to His Generals Before the Battle of Leuthen, and it is right where the main character was meant to be. Menzel intended to depict Frederick’s rousing oration to his generals given on the eve of the Battle of Leuthen in 1757, but he never finished it. The wintry landscape of the battlefield and the gaudy uniforms worn by the generals are portrayed in photorealistic detail, but there is a flagrant void where Frederick the Great should be! Menzel burned all of his time beautifying the things that mattered the least while leaving out the central character.

And while Menzel’s infamous work may be an imperfect portrait, it is sometimes a perfect portrait of our lives. More often than not, we tend to the minor matters of life and embellish the things that do not matter eternally. We scrupulously paint the canvas of our careers, personal ambitions, and worldly achievements while omitting the central figure, the Lord Jesus Christ. It is very easy to give ourselves fully to everything else except the One who gave Himself up for us (Eph. 5:2). Many times, there is a white space in our lives where Jesus should be. 

The white space glares when we tirelessly serve the greedy god of Mammon instead of selflessly serving the Master, Jesus (Matt. 6:24; cf. Col. 3:23-24). The white space scowls when we offer the Lord the leftovers of our earnings after having spent it all on ourselves (Prov. 3:9-10; Mal. 3:8). The white space gradually widens when we work painstakingly toward the achievement of our own personal goals, rather than pursuing the goal of testifying to Jesus and finishing our course (Acts 20:24). The white space rears its ugly head when we fail to redeem the time God has given us because our schedules are jammed with frivolous matters (Eph. 5:16). The only way to prevent a white space from emerging is to paint Jesus in the “foreground” of our lives, and tend to the “background” aspects after putting Him first in everything. 

“Thou shalt have no other gods before me,” the Lord commands in the Decalogue (Ex. 20:3). Similarly, Jesus calls us to seek Him and His kingdom first (Matt. 6:33). Does not the one and only God deserve to be our one and only God (Isa. 45:5)? Does not the First and the Last Himself deserve to be the first in our lives and not last (Rev. 1:17)? Does not the exalted Lord of all deserve to be the Lord of all that we are and all that we do (Eph. 1:20-23)?

When we are done painting the portrait of our lives, will there be a blank space where Jesus belongs?

“All to Jesus I surrender,

All to Him I freely give;

I will ever love and trust Him,

In His presence daily live.

I surrender all, I surrender all;

All to Thee, my blessed Savior,

I surrender all.”— Judson W. Van De Venter, I Surrender All.

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 is proud to be the pastor of the family of believers at Locust Grove Baptist Church in Murray, Kentucky. He and his wife Dakota live there with their three dogs, Susie (Jack Russell), Aries (English Shepherd), and Dot (Bluetick Beagle).

Grab a copy of Brandon’s latest book, Bible Gleanings Volume II, which features one-hundred more daily devotions gleaned from Scripture: