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Bible Gleanings, devotions

The Snare of Spiritual Slumber | Bible Gleanings | November 2-3, 2024

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Exhausted from battle, Sisera catnapped beneath a rug, believing he was safe from danger—and he awoke with a tent peg lodged in his head (Jud. 4:17-21). Samson slept in Delilah’s arms without a care in the world, and she shaved his locks, sapping him of strength (Jud. 16:19). David swiped Saul’s spear while he obliviously slumbered on the ground (1 Sam. 26:12). When there is danger afoot, you cannot afford to carelessly fall asleep—you might wake up hairless, weaponless, or even dead. That is why Paul the apostle admonished all Christians to, “Be on the alert” (1 Cor. 16:13a, NASB).

Believers must be wide-awake, wary, and watchful for spiritual danger. Disciples of the Lord must keep their eyes peeled for spiritual danger lest they become blindsided. Soldiers in Christ’s army must keep their ears to the ground for spiritual threats so that they don’t end up on the ground in defeat. Saints must stay on their toes so that their feet will not slip into temptation. Victory in spiritual warfare requires vigilance, but sleeping on the job results in vulnerability and being vanquished.

And the threats believers should watch out for are the Tempter and temptation. Peter exhorted believers in 1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” If you are a believer, you must stay sharp because Satan is always stalking you. Similarly, Jesus commanded Christians: “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matt. 26:41). As a believer, your only defense against temptation is keeping your eyes peeled for the things which seduce you, and keeping your eyes on the Lord in prayer.

The Scripture tells us that the threats presented by Satan and posed by our own flesh are so cunning and crafty that we must watch for spiritual danger even while we pray. As Paul said in Colossians 4:2, “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.” Thus, like a soldier during the night-watch, we must stay awake and remain aware of Satan’s illusions and inducements, and our own fleshly inclinations to wander into wickedness. We must watch our surroundings and watch our souls. We must look around for the devil’s deceptions and look within, diligently watching our hearts which are prone to many seductions and lusts.

It is when we get caught napping that we fall into trouble. The great Puritan, William Gurnall, who wrote an impressive volume on spiritual warfare, said as much when he warned,

“The saint’s sleeping time is Satan’s tempting time; every fly dares venture to creep on a sleeping lion. Thus, the Christian asleep in security may soon be surprised so as to lose much of his spiritual strength.”

Sin and Satan never sleep, so neither can we.

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 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:

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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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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

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:

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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.

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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Wisdom for the Asking | Bible Gleanings | July 20-21, 2024

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It is the choicest and most cherished treasure one can obtain (Prov. 3:19). It is worth more than gold, silver, and precious jewels combined (Prov. 3:14-15). It keeps you safe from ruin and ensures prosperity and honor. It is a gift that God is delighted to bestow upon those who ask Him for it (1 Kings 3:5-9). And it is a quality highly regarded in the Scripture and lowly regarded in society, namely, wisdom.

Contrary to what is generally assumed, wisdom is not a quality belonging only to the elderly or experienced. King Saul died as a 72-year-old fool, while David exceeded him in wisdom when he was still a youth (cf. 1 Sam. 13:1; 18:14-15; 31:4-6). As a boy, Samuel the prophet had better discernment than his mentor, Eli the priest, who was ninety-eight years old (1 Sam. 3:1-21). Indeed, some wisdom is obtained from old age and experience as an old stone gathers moss. But a stone freshly cut from the mine gathers moss just as quickly if it is planted in the right place.

Wisdom is also not the same as knowledge. Going to Harvard or Yale won’t insulate you from foolishness or its repercussions. As Charles Spurgeon once preached, “Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom.”

Indeed, according to the Bible, wisdom is knowing the will of God and obeying it. It is the right use and application of knowledge from God’s word. Being wise means knowing and using the holy Scripture as your instruction manual for everyday life. Wisdom entails being a lifelong student in the school of godliness. Wisdom is all about knowing what God wants you to do and doing it.

The profit to be acquired from wisdom is of greater value than anything else this world affords. That’s why Solomon of old wrote in Proverbs 3:13-15, “Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her.” And all you need to do is ask God for it: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him” (James 1:5).

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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Abstaining from Anger | Bible Gleanings | July 13-14, 2024

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The insatiable flames of foolish fury burned within all three of them. Cain, Moses, and Jonah were all consumed with sinful rage, and its catastrophic consequences singed their lives. Cain was enraged when God favored Abel’s offering instead of his, and his anger and jealousy drove him to murder his own brother (Gen. 4:5-6). When the wilderness rock refused to yield water, Moses became furious and smote it twice, costing himself entry into the Promised Land (Num. 20:10-11). Jonah became exasperated when God showed compassion to his enemies, and he went down in biblical history as a sulking complainer instead of a heroic prophet (Jonah 4:1-4).

The testimony of Scripture is indisputable: sinful anger that goes unextinguished will burn your life in irreparable ways. That is why the Lord gives us many strong warnings and sober cautions in the Bible about wicked indignation. As David admonished, “Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil” (Psalm 37:8). According to Solomon, unrighteous indignation is a sign of fragility and foolishness: “Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly” (Prov. 14:29). And conversely, the ability to restrain anger is characteristic of great strength and wisdom: “Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city” (Prov. 16:32).

Undoubtedly, there is no shortage of situations which may tempt us to express such evil exasperation. There are plenty of hot sparks that may ignite us like a brush fire: slow traffic, bad customer service, being overcharged on a bill, or having arguments on social media. Sometimes we may be tempted to fly off the handle because of a contemptuous gesture from a spouse, being backstabbed by a family member, hearing an injurious word from one considered as a friend, or receiving a slanderous remark from an unbelieving coworker. Oftentimes, the mounting heap of daily frustrations are enough to make us as mad as a wet hen. 

Thankfully, the Scripture gives us great counsel for abolishing anger. The Lord commands us to listen more than we speak, and take a “chill pill” during angry moments: “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” (James 1:19, KJV). We are also exhorted by Paul to deal with anger immediately so that it doesn’t fester into something that the devil can use against us: “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil” (Eph. 4:26-27). And most importantly, the word of God tells us to leave vengeance to the Lord, the just Judge: “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord”” (Rom. 12:19).

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: