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Bible Gleanings, devotions

The Demand for Discernment | Bible Gleanings | May 18-19, 2024

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It was disgusting and only corroborated my cibophobia (the fear of getting food poisoning). A few weeks ago, I was enjoying one of my favorite convenient meals: a Jimmy Dean breakfast bowl. I was savoring the eggs, potatoes, and sausage, and I suddenly bit into something bitter. And I immediately spit it out without any hesitation! Thankfully, even after having COVID three times, my sense of taste is still healthy and it probably saved me from food poisoning. 

And there is a soul-sanctifying “taste” that all believers should possess—something that the Bible calls discernment. Discernment is having the spiritual sensitivity to spit out what is bad for us and our relationship with the Lord, and it will save us from soul-poisoning. When you bite into false teaching, discernment kicks in and says, “Spit this out right now! It’s no good for you.” When you bite onto sin, which always appears as sweet, discernment sounds the alarm and says, “This is poisonous and detrimental to your sanctification. Don’t take another bite.”

Believers are commanded throughout all the Scriptures to be discerning. “Do not judge by appearances,” said our Lord Jesus, “but judge with right judgment” (John 7:24). Paul likewise admonished, “But test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil” (1 Thess. 5:21-22). John the apostle similarly told us that we ought not believe everything we hear: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God” (1 John 4:1-2). The writer of Hebrews said that we ought to feast on the solid food of God’s word so that our “powers of discernment” can be trained (Heb. 5:14). And the apostle Paul prayed that believers would abound “in all judgment [or discernment]; that ye may approve things that are excellent” (Phil. 1:9b, KJV).

To further clarify, discernment is being able to see things the way God sees them. Discernment is having a heightened sense of what is right and wrong so that you can see things that are wrong when they look right. Discernment is being able to see a wolf in sheep’s clothing (Matt. 7:15). Discernment is seeing Satan when he disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14). Discernment is seeing the devil as a roaring lion when he appears as a cuddly kitten (1 Peter 5:8). Discernment is being able to see the appealing fruits of sin as the rotten and bitter fruits of demise that they truly are. Discernment is wearing the Bible as eye-glasses so that you can see the world, the devil, and the flesh for what they are.

Are you discerning?

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.

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Nurturing What is Fake | Bible Gleanings, October 24-25, 2020

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Nurturing What Is Fake

Caelie Wilkes felt accomplished and proud. For two years, she successfully nurtured and cared for a succulent given to her by a friend. Her other house plants had shriveled and died, so she was feeling particularly gratified, considering she did not have a green thumb.

Things were different for this little succulent. Caelie carefully watered it when necessary. She read articles online on how to properly tend to succulents. And when friends tried to help the plant, she became protective like a mama bear. The leaves were firm, waxy, and green—all indicators of vibrant health. The succulent emitted joy as it sat in the kitchen window, illuminating the area.

One day, she determined it was time to repot the lucky plant. And it was then that she made a shattering discovery—the succulent she had religiously fostered was plastic! Beneath the surface was artificial sand and Styrofoam. USA Today covered this true story and Caelie remarked, “I put so much love into this plant! I washed it’s leaves. Tried my hardest to keep it looking its best, and it’s completely plastic!” She expended a considerable amount of time and strength to nurture what was fake all along.

Albeit an amusing story, what is quite tragic is that we can each do this in our spiritual lives. Like Caelie, we can spend time and effort in nurturing what is fake—tending to a hypocritical life that is as fake as plastic. You can give the impression that you are righteous while your heart is full of unrighteousness. God said to the Israelites, “[These] people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men” (Isaiah 29:13). Mere lip service while your heart is distant from the Lord is a plastic succulent in His sight.

Jesus sternly warns about nurturing a fake-succulent-kind-of-life: “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 6:1). A day is coming when God will reveal the “roots” of all people, and it will become clear who is genuinely righteous and only righteous by appearance (2 Peter 3:10). Therefore, nurture authenticity instead of hypocrisy. Tend to and maintain an authentic, genuine life of righteousness.

You can begin by first trusting wholly in Christ as your Savior and Lord. If you have already done that, then strive to live righteously in order to be seen only by the Lord. Be more concerned with the inward condition of your heart than the outward appearance of your life. Be honest about your faults and shortcomings. Depend daily on God’s real grace to live a real righteous life. And don’t worry about watering the “plastic succulent.”

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).