Tag Archives: devotions

Bible Gleanings, devotions

Popular with One Man | Bible Gleanings – April 8-9, 2023

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There was once a railway gatekeeper who routinely irritated the passengers on his train. Every night, no matter how frigid it was, he demanded that every passenger present their ticket before boarding. The passengers grumbled and protested, saying, “Sir, you are a very unpopular man tonight! Don’t you know that it’s freezing out?” And the gatekeeper said, “I only care to be popular with one man, and that is the superintendent.” He may have been more popular if he fulfilled the wishes of the passengers by letting them on without seeing a ticket, but his loyalty was to someone greater—and hence, he couldn’t be a people-pleaser. 

The apostle Paul felt the same way about serving Christ by proclaiming the gospel, although it would undoubtedly be considered offensive and unpopular by some. He said, “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Gal. 1:10). His loyalty was to God, not to man. He didn’t care about man’s approval; he only cared about God’s approval. As he remarked elsewhere, “But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts” (1 Thess. 2:4).

The smile of God matters more than the scowls of man. The “thumbs up” of God is more valuable than the “thumbs down” of man. Popularity with God is more vital than popularity with man. It is better to hear the Master say, “Well done,” even if it means hearing man say, “What have you done?” (Matt. 25:21; cf. Ex. 14:11).

Christ must be obeyed rather than man, even if it means beatings and imprisonment (Acts 5:29). Believers must pray with an open window even if it entails being thrown into a lion’s den (Dan. 6:13-28). Servants of the Lord must stand and refuse to worship the gods of this age, even if it includes being cast into a fiery furnace (Dan. 3:16-23). Gospel heralds must continue to preach repentance even if it means incarceration and the amputation of one’s head (Mark 6:14-29). Christ Jesus must be proclaimed even if it results in stoning or slaughter (Acts 7:54-60; 12:1-2).

The Lord’s opinion of you is the only one that ultimately matters, friend. He is the Judge to whom we must give an account: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil” (2 Cor. 5:10). Moreover, His authority infinitely exceeds the puny judgment of any ridiculing friend, taunting boss, or tyrannical leader. Therefore, do you want to be popular with man or with God?

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

Worry Kills | Bible Gleanings | April 1-2, 2023

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Worry kills. Scientists and researchers across the world unanimously agree that anxiety, worry, and distress can be deadly. A team of Australian researchers at Sydney’s Garvan Institute even confirmed this notion many years ago. They discovered that in times of high stress and worry, the human body releases a reactionary hormone called neuropeptide (NPY), which seeks to kill the good cells in your immune system. They remarked, “During periods of stress, nerves release a lot of neuropeptide, and it gets into the bloodstream where it inhibits the cells in the immune system that look out for and destroy pathogens in the body. That stress makes you sick is no longer a myth; it is a reality, and we need to take it seriously.”

However, long before this was confirmed by modern science, the Lord Jesus said the same thing: “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” (Matt. 6:27). According to Jesus, you cannot prolong your lifespan by worrying. Instead, worry will subtract from your lifespan! That’s why the old adage says, “Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its strength.” Therefore, given the dangerous consequences of worry, it is not surprising that Jesus commands us three times, “Do not worry” (Matt. 6:25, 31, 34).

But how does one win over worry? First, trust God’s gracious provision for your life. That is why Jesus emphasized over and over that God provides for His children: “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Matt. 6:26). Don’t worry about tomorrow—God is there. Don’t worry about your next meal—God will provide.

Second, pray to the Lord about the worries in your life, and cast your cares upon Him. Pray to God about anything that is causing you anxiety. In Philippians, Paul commanded: “The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (4:5b-7). Similarly, Peter encourages you to be, “casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).

“Be not dismayed whate’er betide,

God will take care of you;

Beneath his wings of love abide,

God will take care of you.

God will take care of you,

through ev’ry day, o’er all the way;

He will take care of you,

God will take care of you.” — Civilla D. Martin (1866—1948), “God Will Take Care of You.”

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

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

Landing on Grace | Bible Gleanings – November 12-13, 2022

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He was left dangling and fearing for his life. The young man was being hazed by his college fraternity, and he was carried to a secluded spot in the woods where he was lowered by a greasy rope into an abandoned murky well. He figured his friends would fetch him after a few minutes, but he was mistaken. His bones shook as he saw that they tied their end of the rope over a bar at the top of the well, leaving him hanging in mid-air. After a half-hour of shoulder-burning torture, he let go of the slippery rope and plummeted into the well—until he planted safely on the dirt two inches beneath his feet!

Solid ground caught him when he let go, and sovereign grace is always there to catch believers in Christ when they “let go” of the rope of obedience to God. When we sin against the Lord and let go of Him, we will never plummet all the way to spiritual death (cf. John 5:24; 2 Tim. 4:18). However, that doesn’t mean the fall to His sod of steadfast love will be pleasant. When sin loosens our grip on God, we will be bruised on the way down by His loving discipline and the charitable rebuke of our faithful brethren (Heb. 3:13; 12:11). And we may fall as far as Peter did, even denying that we know Christ (Luke 22:54-62), but if we truly belong to God, we will always land on His sovereign grace. 

Christian, sometimes you will lose your way, but Christ will never lose you. He promised, “And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day” (John 6:39). Sin may slick your hands and relax your hold on grace, but Christ’s nail-scarred hands will never let go of you. “I give them eternal life,” Jesus assured, “and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand” (John 10:28-29).

Of course, this is not an incentive to let go of the Lord. May God forbid that we view His sustaining grace as liberty to let go! To the contrary, the Lord calls us to “continue in the faith” and continue no longer in sinful ways (cf. Romans 6:1-4; Col. 1:21-23). Instead, this heartening truth is a holy rationale to wholly rely on God’s relentless grace to catch us when we fall. Therefore, all believers in the grip of grace may exclaim with the psalmist David, “Even there shall Thy hand lead me, and Thy right hand shall hold me” (Psalm 139:10, KJV).

The words of the hymn He Will Hold Me Fast perfectly capture the believer’s assurance of sovereign grace, saying:

“When I fear my faith will fail,

Christ will hold me fast;

When the tempter would prevail,

He can hold me fast!

Refrain:

He will hold me fast,

He will hold me fast;

For my Savior loves me so,

He will hold me fast.

2 I could never keep my hold,

He must hold me fast;

For my love is often cold,

He must hold me fast.

3 I am precious in His sight,

He will hold me fast;

Those He saves are His delight,

He will hold me fast. 

4 He’ll not let my soul be lost,

Christ will hold me fast;

Bought by Him at such a cost,

He will hold me fast.”1

  1. Habershon, Ada R. “He Will Hold Me Fast.” The New National Baptist Hymnal, 2001. Hymn published in 1906.
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

A Treat That Tricks | Bible Gleanings – October 29-30, 2022

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If you’re a jelly bean eater, prepare to spit them out for good. According to numerous sources, their glossy and crunchy coating is actually made from resin secreted by the female “lac bug” after it drinks the sap of trees. The chemical is released by the lac bug onto twigs and branches, where it is collected and later processed into flakes that are sprayed on candies like jelly beans, candy corn, and chocolate-covered mint patties. Because these treats appear delectable and delicious, you’d never suspect you were eating insect excrement. Now, that’s a treat that tricks!

Sin is also a “treat” that tricks. Sin always appears shiny, satisfying, and sugar-coated. It’s tantalizing appearance captures the eyes of our flesh, and its abominable aroma whets our sinful appetite (cf. Gen. 3:6; James 1:14-15). But in reality, sin is not a treat at all. It is the object of God’s hate, the source of man’s grief, and the root of all the world’s troubles (Psalm 5:4; Job 15:20-35). 

Moreover, sin only tastes sweet for a fleeting moment (cf. Heb. 11:25). Sin’s cunning coating of enjoyment wears off quickly, and it always leaves a foul taste in the mouth. As Job’s friend Zophar observed, “Though evil is sweet in his mouth, though he hides it under his tongue, though he is loath to let it go and holds it in his mouth, yet his food is turned in his stomach; it is the venom of cobras within him” (Job 20:12-14). Sin is bitter like wormwood and sour like unripe grapes to those who consume it (Deut. 29:18-19; Jer. 31:30). Those who relish every bite of sin will find sin biting them back (cf. Jer. 2:19).

What is truly sweet is experiencing the grace and goodness of the Lord God. For this reason, the psalmist urges, “Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!” (Psalm 34:8). At His right hand are “pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11). Furthermore, doing His will is always sweetly satisfying, and it never leads to bitter guilt or sour regret (John 4:34). The satisfaction He gives is not a trick—it is as real as it gets: “For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things” (Psalm 107:9).

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

His Workmanship | Bible Gleanings – October 22-23, 2022

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Repairing the rusting russet-colored sedan seemed like a waste of time to me. If you searched for “clunker” in Webster’s Dictionary, you’d see a picture of this car. It was in terrible shape: the tires were ashy from wear, the paint was chipped from weather, and the engine sputtered from sitting idle for so long. Despite its sorry state, it was my father’s restoration project for a few weeks. He took a hunk of junk, and burned time, broke sweat, and battered tools to make it run like new. 

Likewise, you are the heavenly Father’s “restoration project” if you have been saved by grace. The Scripture says, “For we are His workmanship” (Eph. 2:10a). The Lord bought you from sin’s junkyard, and He is always working on you to make you run like new (cf. Eph. 4:22-24; Col. 3:9-10). You are in His workshop of sanctification, but not for self-improvement. God is working on you to make you more like Christ: “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit” (2 Cor. 3:18). 

Like any good mechanic, the Father uses many tools to fix you up. The Bible is a hammer that God uses to flatten out the dents in your theology (Jer. 23:29). The local church is the place where God gives you a weekly “engine tune up” in order to run effectively for Him throughout the week. Trials and tribulations are the buff pads God uses to polish the scuffs on your faith (James 1:2-4). And prayer is the “jump” that cranks your engine for righteous living, since it is through prayer that we receive God’s own power to obey Him (James 5:16).

God isn’t finished with you yet, but He will finish what He started. The Scripture assures us, “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6). Until then, we must humbly submit to His means and methods of making us what we ought to be. And, we may exuberantly resound the words of He’s Still Workin’ on Me, the gospel classic which says: 

“He’s still workin’ on me

To make me what I ought to be;

It took Him just a week to make the moon and stars,

The sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars.

How loving and patient He must be!

He’s still workin’ on me!”

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 Questions, devotions

Jesus at the Center | Bible Gleanings – October 15-16, 2022

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The Last Supper is a world-renowned masterpiece painted in 1498 by Leonarda da Vinci. The mural depicts the well-known scene from the Gospels where Jesus celebrates the Passover with His disciples by breaking bread and drinking wine. The artwork has been praised for its aesthetic merit, but its theological merit deserves equal praise, as Christ is the focal point. Jesus is the “bullseye” of the painting, and therefore the first Person that catches your eye. The Lord isn’t an irrelevant extra who lingers in the shadows; He occupies the place of prominence at the very center.

This is also how our lives ought to be oriented as followers of Christ. Jesus is the preeminent Lord, and He deserves the prominent place in the center of your life (Col. 1:18). He will not settle for second place, nor is He satisfied with standing on the sidelines. Every area of your life must revolve around Him, just as the planets revolve around the sun. Jesus should occupy all the affection of your heart, all the thoughts of your mind, and all the sight of your eyes.

Jesus should be the center of our goal-planning and aspirations. “If then you have been raised with Christ,” said Paul, “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). Far above all earthly pursuits, we should serve Him and the interests of His kingdom. As Jesus said, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God” (Matt. 6:33a).

Jesus should also be the central focus of our churches. The preaching, singing, fellowship, calendar, and budget should orbit around Him. The right place for Jesus in the church is first place. As Paul said, “And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all” (Eph. 1:22-23).

Jesus should be the focal point of our marriage and family, too. The mysterious marriage of Christ and the church should take precedence over our earthly marriages. And, when a husband and wife put Jesus first, spiritual harmony is created in the home (cf. Eph. 5:22-33). We’ll keep our vows to one another better when we first honor our vows to Christ. Moreover, we are to raise children who focus their lives upon Jesus (cf. Eph. 6:4). 

Additionally, Jesus should occupy first place in our jobs and careers. We must work for our ultimate Boss first and foremost. When we arrive at work, we should clock in for Jesus. As Paul commanded, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” (Col. 3:23).

If your life were a painting, where would Jesus be?

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, Sermons

The Old Lighthouse | Bible Gleanings – October 8-9, 2022

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The old lighthouse may be crumbling, but it continues to beam guiding light across the stormy sea. The Hooper Island Lighthouse in Chesapeake Bay has been steering seafarers since 1901, but many people think it’s time for the old beacon to retire to the junkyard. What used to be a brilliantly towering cylinder of hope is now a worn out and rusty hunk of metal. However, according to the Washington Post, the lighthouse isn’t going anywhere since it remains as an “active aid to navigation for the U.S. Coast Guard.” Even though it is old and frail, it still has a pivotal purpose: lighting the way.

Similarly, all Christians are called to be a “lighthouse” for sinners sailing in the darkness of depravity. The “children of light” are commanded to radiate the light of the glory of Christ in order to direct wayward sinners to the “Father of lights” (cf. 1 Thess. 5:5; James 1:17). As Jesus said, “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-15).

The harsh elements of life will eventually cause us to rust and wither away, but this is our eternally significant purpose as long as we remain standing. The “outer self” is wasting away, and it’s not as vigorous as it used to be (cf. 2 Cor. 4:16). Indeed, you will fade like flowers of the field, and your radiance will dim with time (Isaiah 40:7). Moreover, with each passing day, you are closer to the dust from which you came (Eccl. 12:7). But, as long as God keeps you upright in the world’s waters, your critical mission is to shine gospel light to those who grope in the darkness of sin (cf. 2 Cor. 4:6).

“O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come” (Psalm 70:17-18).

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

Knowing God | Bible Gleanings – October 1-2, 2022

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It is indisputably evident that we are living during a time that may be nicknamed “the age of knowledge.” More information is accessible and can be dispensed quicker than ever before thanks to numerous technological advances. And our pile of accumulated knowledge grows higher every day. According to an article on Linkedin, our collection of knowledge is, “doubling every 12 hours [when] the doubling rate used to be 25 years in 1945.” Ancient civilizations would certainly be envious of our busting bookshelves, teeming universities, and instant access to breaking news.

The unfortunate truth, however, is that while our world has more information at its disposal than ever before in history, it is woefully lacking in the knowledge that matters most: a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ (1 Tim. 2:4). Our society knows everything except for the God who made everything (Gen. 1:1). The world knows all the nooks and crannies of every subject conceivable in the mind, but does not know the God whose mind is infinite (1 John 3:20). And thus, the Lord counsels in Jeremiah 9:23-24, “Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.”

Knowing God is eternally significant. The Scripture is incontrovertibly clear that no one can be saved apart from knowing God. “And this is eternal life,” said Jesus, “that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3). Moreover, many people will be cast from God’s eternal presence for not knowing God. Jesus warned, “On that day [of judgment] many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness’” (Matt. 7:22-23).

Do you know God? And, if you do know God, are you leading others to know Him, too?

“Jesus, O Jesus,

Do you know Him today?

You can’t turn Him away.

O Jesus, O Jesus,

Without Him, how lost I would be!” — Mylon R. LeFevre, “Without Him.”

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).