Tag Archives: strength

Bible Gleanings, devotions

Soul Strength | Bible Gleanings – June 24-25, 2023

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The soul needs strength. The inner self is a battery that must be constantly recharged. The spirit within you is a lamp that requires electricity. The soul is an engine that only operates when it is fully fueled. The Bible calls this “strength,” and it is needed in ample supply to perform several crucial tasks: 

(1) You need strength to stand your ground against the devil. Paul commanded, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:10-11). As a Christian, you are engaged daily in hand-to-hand combat with Satan and the powers of darkness. And defeat is sure for any believer who tries to deflect Satan’s fiery arrows with the shield of their own strength (cf. Jer. 17:5-9). Therefore, strengthen yourself in the might of the Almighty.

(2) You need strength to fulfill your mission. Joshua of old faced an impossible task: conquering the land of Canaan with an undersized army of Israelites. Because of this, the Lord repeatedly urged him to be strong: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9). Of course, plundering the land of Canaan is not the Christian’s task today; instead, the mission we have been given is plundering the house of Satan with the gospel sword to liberate captives (Matt. 12:28-29; cf. 28:16-20). And this great task of making disciples requires the strength of the only God who can save sinners.

(3) You need strength to bear the weight of adversity. The gargantuan weights of trials and tribulations will crush you if you are not resting on the right arm of God’s strength. The burdens they impose are too heavy for your shoulders to bear—so cast them on the Lord’s shoulders (Psalm 55:22). Seek strength in your suffering from the One who suffered the unbearable on your behalf. Paul realized that the Lord’s strength is sufficient, and that is why he confessed, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

How does the Lord strengthen you for these things? First, the Lord strengthens you through prayer, filling your heart with strength as you fill heaven with your fervent petitions (cf. Psalm 105:4; Eph. 3:16-17). Second, He strengthens you by His word, providing the nourishment your soul needs to be strong (cf. Psalm 119:103; 1 Peter 2:1; Heb. 5:12). Third, He strengthens you through ongoing fellowship with and encouragement from His people, just as Jonathan fortified David’s grip on the Lord (1 Sam. 23:16). “Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!” (1 Chron. 16:11).

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:

Bible Gleanings, devotions

The Greatness of Weakness | Bible Gleanings – Jan 22-23, 2022

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It wasn’t the hottest sermon I had ever preached, but it was certainly the hottest building I had ever preached in. I was scheduled to preach to a group of eager youngsters at a youth summer camp, but I had no idea that obstacles were also on the schedule. In the middle of the week, the air conditioning kicked off in the chapel, elevating the indoor temperature to about 90°. When it was my time to preach, I couldn’t concentrate. I was saturated in perspiration, and the students were straining to stay cool. To make matters worse, not one student came to the altar at the end of the service.

Later that evening, a student named Alex remarked, “Brother Brandon, I’m gonna be honest with you—and no offense—but I didn’t hear a single word you said.” Jeez! Talk about adding insult to injury! However, Alex repented of his sins in that very hour, and explained to me that God was speaking so loudly to him during my sermon that he couldn’t hear me at all! To this day, that was the best post-sermon compliment I have ever received.

Paul the apostle was right—the power to save souls rests not in the messenger, but in the message:

“And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God” (1 Corinthians 2:1-5).

God will use you despite your imperfections and inadequacies. Preach to the unsaved even when you are nervous or uncertain. Disciple the hungry souls under your care even when your efforts appear fruitless. Encourage the despondent even when you feel that your words won’t make a difference. Pray for the wayward even when it feels like your prayers go no higher than the ceiling.

Do not rely on your skills or speaking abilities; instead, rely on God’s strength and His promise to speak through you (Matthew 10:20). Do not confide in your own intelligence or wisdom; rather, trust in the Lord’s incomprehensible power to convert souls (Romans 1:16). Do not give up if you see no success when doing the work of the Lord—depend on the sufficiency of God’s grace (2 Corinthians 9:8).

Don’t forsake doing good if you think you’re not any good at doing good! D.L. Moody once said, “If you don’t go to work for the Lord because you’re afraid of making mistakes, you will probably make the greatest mistake of your life—that of doing nothing.”

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).