Tag Archives: guidance

Bible Gleanings, devotions

When the Way is Unclear | Bible Gleanings | August 29-30, 2026

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Only thirty miles from freedom, four runaway slaves stopped in their tracks beneath the starlit darkness. Behind them was a life of slavery, but before them was a frigid creek that appeared impassable—one they were instructed to wade through by the woman who promised to lead them to liberty. They had no lamps, no map, and no clear path ahead—just faith in Harriet Tubman and confidence that she knew the path to freedom. On the other side of the bitter stream was an abolitionist-friendly safehouse that would send them toward independence, but they didn’t know that. They didn’t know what Tubman knew, and they couldn’t see what she saw—so, not knowing the way to go, they trusted in the one who did.

And this is what the Scripture instructs believers to do when the way in life is unclear: “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Prov. 3:5-6, KJV). Life sometimes brings you to a creek you don’t want to cross—a tumultuous tribulation, a season of unanswered prayer, or a consequential decision that is nearly impossible to make. But remember, only the Lord sees what is on the other side. You do not know what He knows, nor can you see what He sees. Therefore, when you do not know the way to go, trust in the One who does. 

King Jehoshaphat once stood where the water looked deep. Advancing upon him were the mighty Moabites and the aggressive Ammonites, and he was severely outnumbered—or so he thought. With nowhere else to look, he looked up, and prayed, “O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you” (2 Chron. 20:12). This is what faith says in times of uncertainty: “I don’t know what to do, but I know where to look. I don’t know where to go, but I know who to follow. I don’t know how this will work out, but I know the God who works all things together for good.”

The guiding Shepherd is also the way-making Lord, and He will either lead you the right way or make a way when there isn’t one. When the Israelites fled from Egypt, they came to a standstill at the Red Sea with no way forward, and the Egyptians were hot on their heels. And although Moses did not know how they would escape, he trusted in God and said with bold faith, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD” (Ex. 14:13a). And the Creator parted the sea. The God who knows the way and makes the way is worthy of your trust when the way is unclear.

Brandon is the pastor of Bandana Baptist Church in Bandana, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife, Dakota, their much-prayed for son, Oliver, and their three dogs. Brandon and Dakota previously served as foster parents through Sunrise Children’s Services of Kentucky. Brandon is also a published author and his Bible Gleanings columns are featured in over sixteen publications throughout Kentucky, Illinois, Tennessee, and Indiana. He is also a devotional contributor for Kentucky Today, a news publication of the Kentucky Baptist Convention, and an editor at Reforming the Heart.

Bible Gleanings, devotions

Our Guide Forever | Bible Gleanings | August 8-9, 2026

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We never saw him again. Even when we did, we barely caught a glimpse of him. But before we parted ways, he smiled and said, “And that concludes our tour of Marvel Cave, ladies and gentlemen.” Our tour guide was off to lead another party of curious cavers after escorting us through the winding passages, spears of stalactite, and dripping cavernous chambers within this historic cave which lies 500 feet beneath Silver Dollar City. His only job was to direct us through a cave—not back to our cars, hotels, or other attractions in Branson, Missouri. While our guide knew everything about caves, he wasn’t an expert in everything—he could only take us as far as his knowledge would take him. 

There is, however, a Guide whose knowledge is limitless—and therefore, whose guidance is limitless. “For this God is our God for ever and ever,” wrote the psalmist, “he will be our guide even unto death” (Psalm 48:14, KJV). The Lord leads His people through every season of life and His guidance does not end until He brings them to their heavenly home. The great Shepherd steers His saints through life and toward life everlasting: “Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory” (Ps. 73:23-24).

He can straighten the most winding paths with His wisdom, brighten the darkest valleys by His illuminating light, and carry His people through the most tempestuous of life’s storms. No matter how heavy the burden, how confusing the decision, or how uncertain tomorrow may be, the God who knows the end from the beginning promises, “the LORD will guide you continually” (Isa. 58:11a). Even if you rode to the edge of the galaxy on the rays of the sun or descended to the floor of the ocean, the Lord would be there to lead the way: “If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me” (Ps. 139:9-10). And while every tour guide eventually says goodbye, the Lord says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Heb. 13:5). Moreover, He doesn’t merely tell believers where to go—He goes with them: “It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you” (Deut. 31:8a).

It is no wonder why generations of believers have prayed and found comfort in singing the words of He Leadeth Me by J. H. Gilmore (1834—1918), which says,

“He leadeth me: O blessed thought!

O words with heavenly comfort fraught!

Whate’er I do, where’er I be,

still ‘tis God’s hand that leadeth me.

He leadeth me, he leadeth me;

by his own hand he leadeth me:

his faithful follower I would be,

for by his hand he leadeth me.

Sometimes mid scenes of deepest gloom,

sometimes where Eden’s flowers bloom,

by waters calm, o’er troubled sea,

still ‘tis God’s hand that leadeth me.”

Brandon is the pastor of Bandana Baptist Church in Bandana, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife, Dakota, their much-prayed for son, Oliver, and their three dogs. Brandon and Dakota previously served as foster parents through Sunrise Children’s Services of Kentucky. Brandon is also a published author and his Bible Gleanings columns are featured in over sixteen publications throughout Kentucky, Illinois, Tennessee, and Indiana. He is also a devotional contributor for Kentucky Today, a news publication of the Kentucky Baptist Convention, and an editor at Reforming the Heart.

Bible Gleanings, devotions

Wherever He Leads | Bible Gleanings | June 13-14, 2026

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The boy was abruptly abducted. Convinced he would make a good slave, his kidnappers forced him to tend sheep in the extreme conditions of a remote land beyond the sea. Although not particularly religious, the excruciating ordeal compelled the young lad to pray. Finally, after five arduous years, he escaped from captivity by boarding a vessel that carried him home to the embrace of grateful parents who implored him never to leave again. But the runaway slave would eventually undertake the unthinkable: return to the land of his captors with the gospel of Christ—Saint Patrick of Ireland was his name.

The Lord constrained him to return to his nightmare of a life when an Irishman appeared in his dreams, pleading, “We beg you to come and walk among us once more.” Go back to the land that stole his freedom? Relive the past he fought so hard to forget? Saint Patrick said yes. He traded his own safety for service to his Savior and convenience for compliance with Christ’s calling on his life.

The results were miraculous. His evangelistic efforts contributed to the conversion of practically the entire population. An ancient painting of Patrick says it all. It depicts him driving out snakes—the “snakes” of idolatry and dark superstition, which he expelled by proclaiming the Man who crushed the head of the serpent (cf. Gen. 3:15). Even the Celtic slave trade that had once ensnared him diminished because of the transforming power of the message he preached.

A willing believer saying “yes” to a difficult task plus a wonder-working God is a powerful combination. As a matter of fact, the Lord’s greatest works are rarely accomplished the easy way. Moses had to repeatedly stand before an intimidating Pharaoh before Israel was delivered. Gideon had to defeat the Midianites with a significantly decreased fighting force (Judges 7:1-3). The first church had to endure severe persecution in order to multiply (Acts 8:1-4). Even Christ had to suffer and die upon the cross before being raised on the third day (1 Cor. 15:1-4).

God is most active in the hard places: the difficult conversation you don’t want to have, the uncomfortable sacrifice you don’t want to make, and the frightening step of faith you hesitate to take. This is why the Lord delights in servants who answer His sometimes-challenging calls and commands like Isaiah: “Here am I; send me” (Isa. 6:8). Indeed, the path of obedience might bring you face-to-face with your fears, but it will also lead directly to the breathtaking purposes of God. Therefore, the anthem on every believer’s lips ought to be that which is found in B. B. McKinney’s well-known hymn which says,

“It may be through the shadows dim,

or o’er the stormy sea,

I take my cross and follow Him;

wherever He leadeth me.

Wherever He leads I’ll go,

wherever He leads I’ll go,

I’ll follow my Christ who loves me so,

wherever He leads I’ll go.”

Brandon is the pastor of Bandana Baptist Church in Bandana, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife, Dakota, their much-prayed for son, Oliver, and their three dogs. Brandon and Dakota previously served as foster parents through Sunrise Children’s Services of Kentucky. Brandon is also a published author and his Bible Gleanings columns are featured in over sixteen publications throughout Kentucky, Illinois, Tennessee, and Indiana. He is also a devotional contributor for Kentucky Today, a news publication of the Kentucky Baptist Convention, and an editor at Reforming the Heart.

Bible Gleanings, devotions

God’s Positioning System | Bible Gleanings | December 27-28, 2025

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Without fail, I always added a thirty minute detour when I traveled to Louisville, Kentucky for classes and conferences, all because I failed to check my GPS. As you draw closer to the city, there is a hard-to-see exit off to the right—137B to be exact—and if you don’t switch lanes early, you will miss it because of the heavy traffic. Of course, I always zipped past it due to being immersed in classic rock on the radio or an audiobook. On the bright side, I got to explore several cities I had never visited before!

It wasn’t the fault of the GPS. It told me where to go. But it was up to me whether or not I listened. The GPS always gave the right directions, but I remained in control of the car. The availability of guidance wasn’t the problem—my lack of attention was.

And the same is true while traveling the heavenbound road of righteousness. The holy Scripture is the Lord’s GPS for our lives—God’s Positioning System. It tells us where to go, where not to go, what to do, and what not to do. As the psalmist declared, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105, KJV). The prophet Isaiah echoed the same truth: “And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left” (Isa. 30:21).

However, just as with a GPS, we must choose to listen to and obey the directions the Lord provides in His word. We are still behind the wheel of our own lives, and the fateful power of decision is in our hands. And we could avoid many regretful detours of disobedience if we simply heeded the guidance of God’s word. This is why the Lord gently urges us, “Listen diligently to me . . . Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live” (Isa. 55:2b-3a). And He graciously assures us, “But whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster” (Prov. 1:33).

The English hymn-writer William W. How (1823-1897) captured this wonderfully in O Word of God Incarnate, saying that the Bible

“. . . Floateth like a banner

before God’s host unfurled;

it shineth like a beacon

above the darkling world.

It is the chart and compass

that o’er life’s surging sea,

‘mid mists and rocks and quicksands,

still guides, O Christ, to Thee.”

Are you listening to your GPS?

Brandon is the pastor of Bandana Baptist Church in Bandana, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife, Dakota, their much-prayed for son, Oliver, and their three dogs. Brandon and Dakota previously served as foster parents through Sunrise Children’s Services of Kentucky. Brandon is also a published author and his Bible Gleanings columns are featured in over sixteen publications throughout Kentucky, Illinois, Tennessee, and Indiana. He is also a devotional contributor for Kentucky Today, a news publication of the Kentucky Baptist Convention, and an editor at Reforming the Heart.

Bible Gleanings, devotions

Follow the Light | Bible Gleanings – September 16-17, 2023

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A chilling fear and eerie coldness washed over me as we sank into the sunless and spine-chilling abyss. “No one should be here,” I thought. Only a person who finds pleasure in roaming aimlessly in nothingness until they die would feel at home there. My young imagination had even persuaded me that this place was a trap full of bloodthirsty monsters ready to strangle me with their sharp claws. In reality, however, it wasn’t even that bad—it was just my first visit to Mammoth Cave in south central Kentucky when I was a youngster.

Our family decided to participate in the “lantern tour,” in which everyone packed in behind the tour guide who carried an old-time kerosene lamp. And we soon realized that light was our most precious possession in the dark. We could hardly make out what was right in front of our faces without it. The winding passages, pools of water, and jagged rock formations were invisible without the guiding glow of the lantern. And thus, we all stuck close behind the leader with the light to avoid stumbling, slowing down, or straying off into a spooky section of the cave system.

Following the man with the light was wise, but it is even wiser to follow the Son of Man, who is the Light of the world. As Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). You don’t have to worry about wandering hopelessly through this dark world when you faithfully follow Jesus Christ. You won’t stumble in the darkness or stray into territory that is hazardous to your soul when you stick close behind the Light (John 12:46). He will guide you away from twisting tunnels of sin, perilous pits of wickedness, and prickly evils of the culture. 

Jesus has also provided His followers with a lamp that they can always carry with them: the word of God. As the psalmist declared, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105, KJV). Sin is exposed for what it truly is because of the light the Scripture casts (Rom. 7:13). The path of righteousness is also illuminated by its glow, as it reveals the steps you should take. And its bright light dispels the shadow that hides the true nature of the world.

Furthermore, believers are “children of light,” called to shine the light of Christ to those lost in the darkness of sin (Eph. 5:8; 1 Thess. 5:5). Jesus came to “give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death” (Luke 1:79a), and He spreads His saving light through those who have been “called out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9b; cf. Matt. 5:16). Will you follow the Light and shine His light to others?

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

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

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

devotions, Other

A Broken Compass | Bible Gleanings – November 21-22, 2020

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A Broken Compass

“I’ve got some bad news—we aren’t heading north.”

That was the draining report I gave to my friend as we exhausted ourselves attempting to hike in the right direction. An enjoyable day hike quickly became a frustrating struggle to find our way back. The rain was against us, turning dusty trails into sludge hungry for unsuspecting shoes. The trail markers were against us—some contradicted the trail map and most were indecipherable from being timeworn. The whole afternoon was burned up backtracking and circling back to places we’d already been to.

Something was off—we were seasoned hikers—being on the hamster wheel made no sense. Besides, since we trekked this trail system on previous occasions, our feet were somewhat acquainted with it. Why were we wandering and lost? Days later I found that a broken compass was responsible for our aimless ramble. Apparently, the circular plate that allows the needle to point northward had locked up. We were wandering and wayward because our compass was damaged. Going in the right direction was impossible because the device created to guide our steps was wrecked and ruined.

I’ve got some bad news—the compass of the human heart is likewise defective and disabled. The word of God teaches that we wander from the Lord because our inner compass is broken. No man’s heart points in the right direction towards God. As a matter of fact, “No one understands; no one seeks for God” (Romans 3:11). Our sinful and corrupt heart points toward evil and we are, “accustomed to [doing] evil” (Jeremiah 13:23). The feet of every sinner is fastened to the wrong path—the path away from God (Isaiah 53:6). Until the Lord repairs the compass of your heart by giving you a new one, you will hopelessly wander on the wayward path that leads to destruction (Matthew 7:13).

The good news is that God is ready to point your heart’s compass toward the path of godliness. He wants to give you a new heart and a new compass: “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules” (Ezekiel 36:26-27).

God will do this when you repent of your sin and trust wholly in Christ for your eternal salvation (2 Cor. 7:10; Romans 10:9-13). However, even after you experience this transformation, you are still prone to wander. Therefore, you must continually depend on God’s grace and the power of His Spirit to keep the compass of your heart pointing heavenward.

What direction does the compass of your heart point towards?

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

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

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