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Bible Gleanings, devotions

The Mind’s Junk Drawer | Bible Gleanings | November 29-30, 2025

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It taunted me with its rumbling voice. When I walked past it, it assaulted my self-esteem. The clutter-filled junk drawer in our house plagued me every time I opened it—until one day, I couldn’t take it anymore. I kicked into high gear and got it looking spick and span. The battle against the unsightly mess was won, but the war was far from over.

Only a week later, its oppression returned with a vengeance. The drawer overflowed again with loose change, screws, pens, and other I-don’t-know-where-these-go things. And that’s when it hit me—I discovered a cleaning hack that revolutionized my life. Namely, the difference between cleanliness and chaos boils down to what you allow to stay. The drawer must either be completely empty or filled with what belongs, so that what doesn’t can be thrown away.

A lightbulb went off in my head, and this reminded me of what happens inside my head and yours. Our minds can quickly become junk drawers—filled with cluttering thoughts that do not belong, which breeds spiritual chaos in our lives. The problem is, you can empty a drawer but you cannot empty your mind. You are always thinking about something. The remedy, therefore, is not to flush the mind, but to fill the mind with what belongs so that what doesn’t has nowhere to stay.

This is the mental master program Paul gave us in Philippians 4:8:

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

When you fill the drawer of your mind with godly thoughts, then ungodly thoughts have a harder time sticking around. But often, we must clear out the junk before we can fill our minds with sanctifying thoughts. Thus, Paul also taught that the way to eradicate “deceitful desires” is “to be renewed in the spirit of your minds” (Eph. 4:32).

We must “take every thought captive” to Christ, grabbing hold of wicked thoughts, and throwing them out (2 Cor. 10:5; cf. Jer. 4:14; Isa. 55:7). The Puritan Thomas Brooks once compared evil thoughts to unwelcome hotel guests, and counseled, “And like unruly philanderers and rakish revelers, they lodge and party day and night, defiling the rooms they lodge in with their loathsome filth and vomit. These vain, unruly guests must be kicked out the door without any warning or delay.”1

Certainly, a messy junk drawer doesn’t ruin the whole house, but a spiritually cluttered mind will ruin your whole life. Few things are more exigent than getting control of our thought lives, for “as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Prov. 23:7). And just as there is peaceful pleasure when opening a clean drawer, the Scripture promises peace to those whose minds are clean: “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you” (Isaiah 26:3a).

  1. Brooks, Thomas. The Vanity of Thoughts (Grand Rapids: Reformation Heritage Books, 2024), 1-2.

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.

Bible Gleanings, devotions

The Bitter Cup of Legalism | Bible Gleanings | November 1-2, 2025

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Coffee was once considered the devil’s drink of choice. Because coffee was popular among Muslims who drank it to stay awake during their evening worship services, Roman Catholic Church leaders during the 16th century claimed that it was a demonic concoction “of Islamic infidels.” That is, until Pope Clement VIII gave it a taste—and it didn’t take long for him to bless the bean. “This Satan’s drink is so delicious,” he remarked, “it would be a pity to let the infidels have exclusive use of it. We shall fool Satan by baptizing it.”1 And immediately, coffee conquered the continent and flowed all the way to the mugs we fill every morning.

Coffee-hating legalists nearly missed out on one of God’s greatest gifts to mankind, and legalism continues to rob believers of God’s gifts of joy, grace, peace, and Christian liberty. Legalism, if you didn’t know, is when we add man-made rules and religious traditions to God’s word, grading our holiness and that of others based on restrictions God never gave us in the Scripture. Legalism turns us into spiritual hall monitors who police piety based on personal preferences. And legalism rears its ugly head when we measure spirituality by clothing choices, denominational traditions, worship music styles, and strict abstinence from activities not explicitly prohibited in the Bible—things like watching secular movies, wearing blue jeans to church, or enjoying classic rock music. The Pharisees of Jesus’ time were steeped in legalism, demonstrated by their indignant insinuation that His disciples were heathen-like sinners because they didn’t ceremonially wash their hands before eating (Mark 7:1-5). 

The apostle Paul warned believers about the danger of legalism in Colossians 2:20-23,

“You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”? Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires” (NLT).

Simply put, legalism may appear holy, but it does not make you holy. It may keep your hands clean, but it cannot keep your heart pure.

However, the remedy for legalism is not swerving to the opposite extreme and indulging in unrestrained and careless conduct. The solution is also not more rules—the answer is more Jesus (Col. 2:6). And we must obey the Lord out of gratitude for His saving grace (cf. 2 Cor. 5:14-15; Titus 2:11-12), and carefully assess our obedience according to what God has clearly written in His word. Additionally, we ought to enjoy and embrace the good gifts of God’s creation without guilt, and exercise wisdom while doing so. Otherwise, we will dilute the sweet cup of God’s grace and drink the bitter cup of legalism.

  1. Rick Beyer, The Greatest Stories Never Told (New York: HarperCollins, 2003), 30.

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.

Bible Gleanings, devotions

Idol Worship Stinks | Bible Gleanings | October 25-26, 2025

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The woman was “down in the dumps,” having entangled herself in a messy situation which prompted her to reassess her priorities. The Brinnon Fire Department in Washington State reported that a lady in her 40s requested emergency assistance, after falling headfirst into a vault toilet at a frequented hiking area. On the list of “worst things to happen to hikers,” this ranks as number two. How did she end up neck-deep?

She reportedly dropped her smartphone in the outhouse latrine and attempted to retrieve it—unsuccessfully. Initially, she tried fishing it out with her dog’s leash, and let’s just say her furry friend went home leashless that day. Next, she removed the seat and leaned into the abhorrent abyss to get closer—and that’s when it happened. The entire latrine collapsed inward, causing her to plunge into the filth below, where she dialed 9-1-1 from her soiled cellphone. All of this for a $200 smartphone. 

The lengths we will go for what we love and the things we are willing to do for what we value are truly astonishing. And many times, the price we pay in doing so is not worth the gain. But this is precisely what we do when worshiping gods that are not God. We often invest precious time, money, and energy into idols we believe will make us happier and more fulfilled—although they leave us down in the dumps. As the psalmist counseled, “The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply” (Psalm 16:4a).

Idol-worship always costs more than it pays, and the false gods of possessions, protection, power, pleasure, prestige, and position always take more than they give. As Jonah cautioned, “Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love” (Jonah 2:8). You can’t get from gods what you can only get from God. So, why give to gods and get nothing when you can give to God and get everything He promises?

Nevertheless, emulating Josiah of old (2 Chron. 34:33) and demolishing our idols is challenging because, as John Calvin once stated, our hearts are “factories of idols,” equipped with a golden-calf assembly line, eager to fashion a god from anything and everything. Paul likewise stated in Romans that we are prone to worship and serve “the creature rather than the Creator” (Rom. 1:25). This is why we are exhorted, “Flee from idolatry” (1 Cor. 10:14, KJV), and admonished, “Little children, keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21). Therefore, we must continually “turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them” (Acts 14:15b).

Idols are all glitter and no gold—God is God and always good. Idol-worship stinks—worshiping God satisfies. As David declared: “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11).

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.

Bible Gleanings, devotions

Know Your Enemy | Bible Gleanings | October 4-5, 2025

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Countless wars have been won following its principles, and countless more have been lost by ignoring them. Written over 2,400 years ago by a Chinese military strategist named Sun Tzu, The Art of War is essentially the Proverbs of conflict. Sun Tzu poured his greatest war wisdom into this treatise, and one of its most prominent principles is this: “Know the enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles you will never be in peril. If ignorant both of your enemy and of yourself, you are certain in every battle to be in peril.”

This proverbial proposition is particularly pertinent in our struggle against the devil. Satan succeeds in seducing us when his schemes remain a secret. But our chances of triumphing over the Tempter increase when we recognize his tools, tactics, and tricks. “Knowing is half the battle,” as G.I. Joe used to say, and we can only craft a battle plan against Satan once we understand his. And the Bible reveals Satan’s playbook in Luke 4:1-13, where he employed three strategies to tempt Christ in the wilderness: doubt, deception, and distortion.

The devil first enticed Jesus to turn stones into bread, not to relieve His hunger, but to doubt the provision of His Father (v. 3). Satan was essentially insinuating, “What kind of God would starve His only begotten Son? You better make bread because your ‘God’ isn’t providing for you this time.” And his wicked whispers reach our ears, too: “What kind of loving God would allow your prayers to go unanswered? What kind of Father allows His children to go without?”

The slithering serpent also tried to lure Christ into temptation through deception (vv. 5-7). The father of lies claimed that all sovereignty and dominion belonged to him, and he could, therefore, grant Jesus the greatest empires of the world. But the truth is that all power, authority, and glory are the Lord’s (Matt. 6:13b). Thus, Satan tells non-truths and half-truths but never the truth.

Lastly, the master of deceit used distortion to tempt the Lord Jesus (vv. 9-11). He twisted Psalm 91:11-12 to encourage Christ to leap from the temple roof to His death. The devil knows the Scripture and knows how to modify, misrepresent, and misuse it. He mixes lies with truth so that it is difficult to discern the difference. And this is not surprising since the first words uttered from his lying lips were, “Hath God said?” (Gen. 3:1a, KJV).

And for each of these strategies, there is one proven defense: the word of God. Christ resisted every temptation by declaring, “It is written” (v. 4, 8, 12), and we must wield the sword of the Spirit in Satan’s face. A dusty Bible on our shelves will not help us, but the word of God stored upon the shelves of our soul certainly will. To vanquish Satan, you must know your enemy and know your Bible.

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.

Bible Gleanings, devotions

Seeing the Unseen Work | Bible Gleanings | September 13-14, 2025

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I had witnessed a miracle: an apartment building had magically sprung up overnight. I was perplexed because I had driven through the area many times before, and never noticed any work being done—no work trucks, no construction crew, and no building materials. If someone living there had said a fourplex apartment was being built, I would have thought they were joking or lying. How, then, did an apartment structure appear out of nowhere? It didn’t—my view of the work was obscured by a grassy hill.

The big hill faces the road and the apartment building is nestled behind it—only the top floors and roof are visible. The hill hindered me from seeing months of hard labor: the laying of the foundation, the beams being raised, and the walls being put in place. Just because I couldn’t see work being done doesn’t mean work wasn’t happening—the problem was my perspective. Had I stood on the other side of the hill, I could have seen the work that was hidden from my sight.

Similarly, there is a “hill” obscuring our perception of the unfathomable work that our gracious God is always doing for our good and His glory—a veil between the physical realm we live in and the spiritual realm where God performs His sovereign will. But just because we sometimes do not see His providential work for our soul-betterment and His renown does not mean He is idle. The Lord is the hardest worker in existence—never clocking out or taking a break from doing whatever it takes to fulfill His good plan for His children (Rom. 8:28). He “neither slumbers nor sleeps” (Ps. 121:4), and as Jesus said, “My Father is working until now, and I am working” (John 5:17). Because of this, every believer can say with the psalmist,

“The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me; thy mercy, O LORD, endureth forever; forsake not the works of thine own hands” (Psalm 138:8, KJV).

From our limited perspective, we may think that God is inactive—not working in our efforts to reach the unsaved, not working in our marriage and in our kids’ lives, not working in our church, not working in our personal sanctification, and not working amidst our heartbreaking troubles. But God assures us, as He assured the prophet Habakkuk: “For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told” (Hab. 1:5b). Thus, we are commanded to “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7), trusting His plan and promises even when we cannot see the fulfillment of them with our physical eyes. The unseen God is at work in your life, and one day, when you stand in His presence on the other side of the hill, His perfect plan will be made plain. As Jesus promised, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand” (John 13:7).

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.

Bible Gleanings, devotions, Sermons

Following Jesus | Bible Gleanings | April 26-27, 2025

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Amid the noise of splashing water and the smell of squirming fish, Peter and Andrew heard a voice which arrested their attention—it was the voice of Jesus, who issued an invitation that would transform their lives forever: “Follow Me” (Mark 1:17a). Christ did not call these fishermen to follow traditions or adhere to a set of teachings. He did not invite them to attend synagogue services. He ordered these men to follow Him—to say what He said, do what He did, think what He thought, and go where He went. And anyone who heeds this same two-word heavenly summons will have both their life and eternity changed forevermore.

And when Christ urges you to follow Him, He expects nothing less than wholehearted obedience and absolute adherence to Him. When you follow Jesus, you don’t get to blaze your own trail, follow your own rules, or live any way you please. Followers of Christ walk the narrow road that leads to life, obey His commands in Scripture, and make it their aim to please Him. Following Jesus as Lord and Master even entails daily self-denial and sacrifice, as Jesus told all His would-be followers that they must say no to themselves and yes to any cross He gave them to carry: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). Thus, those who wish to follow Christ at all must follow Him above all.

Those who “follow” Jesus only when it is convenient with a what’s-in-it-for-me attitude aren’t authentic followers. All throughout His life, Jesus was surrounded by large crowds of “fans” who flocked to Him only when He worked miracles and provided free meals of fish and loaves (Matt. 4:25; 8:1; Mark 3:7; 5:24; John 6:1-14). However, when they realized that following Jesus was costly, requiring surrender and submission, they followed Him no longer. As John recounted, “After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him” (John 6:66). Therefore, the questions we must continually ask ourselves are, Which am I? Am I a fan among the crowd, or a follower carrying a cross?

This column is from my newest book, 40 Days with Jesus, which is a forty-day daily devotional on the life, teachings, and miracles of Jesus. This book is available in hardcover and paperback on Amazon:

Bible Gleanings, devotions

The Need-Meeter | Bible Gleanings | April 11-12, 2025

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He was not possessed by a demon. Leprosy had not afflicted him. He wasn’t confined to a mat like a paralytic. He wasn’t stricken with sensory impairments, such as blindness or deafness. He wasn’t hanging on by a thread—his life was relatively good, aside from his wilted hand: “He went on from there and entered their synagogue. And a man was there with a withered hand” (Matt. 12:9-10a).

The man with a withered hand didn’t have the worst condition in the world, but what he suffered from was a big deal to him. And, it was a big deal to Jesus. Christ didn’t say, “Look, man. You have it good compared to other folks who are really struggling. I don’t have time for this. Have you tried physical therapy?” Instead, Jesus cared about the man’s well-being and sufficiently met his needs. As Luke recorded, “And after looking around at them all he said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored” (Luke 6:10).

This was not among Jesus’ top ten greatest miracles. He fed multitudes with fish and loaves, calmed raging storms, and healed every kind of disease (Matt. 14:13-21; Mark 4:35-41; Acts 10:38). He even raised Lazarus from the grave (John 11:38-44)! But the man with the withered hand didn’t need a feast, an exorcism, or a resurrection—he simply needed his hand restored. And Christ was willing and able to give the man exactly what he needed, although it was modest compared to the other great miracles He performed during His earthly ministry.

The truth is, all of our needs are significant to God, no matter how insignificant they may seem in comparison to the greater needs of others. Nothing is too small for His attention or too great for His power. The Lord’s care is so personal and precise that He even cares about what we eat and what we wear (Matt. 6:30-33). And when you come to Him for provision, like the man with the withered hand, “God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:19).

This column is from 40 Days with Jesus, my 40-day devotional on Christ’s life, teachings, and miracles, available for purchase on Amazon:

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.

Bible Gleanings, devotions

The Giver of Life | Bible Gleanings | March 29-30, 2025

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It is every parent’s worst nightmare. Their beloved daughter passed away after fighting a fatal illness. Worse, their hopes were previously raised by the possibility of her recovery, but it was too late. The prospect of a miracle had vanished. Unless, of course, the Resurrection and the Life Himself is standing nearby (John 11:25).

Jairus’ daughter died just as Christ was on His way to raise her to life (Luke 8:49). But, rather than consoling the family and continuing on His journey, He gathered the grieving family for a miracle they would never forget. Taking her lifeless little hand in His life-giving hand, He whispered, “Little girl, I say to you, arise” (Mark 5:41b). Immediately, a surge of death-overcoming resurrection power jolted her back to life, and she walked around the very bed she died upon! This little girl, who had quite a story to tell her friends, had encountered the Lord of life, joining the ranks of Lazarus and the widow woman’s son, both of whom were miraculously resurrected after being declared dead (cf. Luke 7:11-17; John 11:1-44).

Experiencing death is the worst of all human experiences—not even children are exempt from it. But the good news is that death is not exempt from the life-giving power of Christ. There is nothing a sinner can do to overcome death, but there is nothing that death can do to overcome the Savior. Death may eventually conquer every man, but it cannot conquer the God-Man and those who believe in Him: “For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him” (Rom. 6:5, 8-9).

This is why believers in Christ may exclaim with the apostle Paul, “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 15:54b-57).

This column is from 40 Days with Jesus, my 40-day devotional on Christ’s life, teachings, and miracles, available for purchase on Amazon:

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.

Bible Gleanings, devotions

The Power of Peacemaking | Bible Gleanings | March 22-23, 2025

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He ordered his troops to draw their swords and prepare for a massacre. They were four-hundred strong, and the world was about to witness unprecedented bloodshed. However, thanks to the delicate intervention of one wise woman, not a single casualty ensued. As king David prepared to slaughter an irrational Nabal and all his men, an amiable and perceptive woman named Abigail brought gifts to David and negotiated skillfully (1 Sam. 25:2-38). Immediately, David and his men put away their swords—never even meeting Nabal face-to-face—and Abigail saved countless lives through one risky act of peacemaking.

And this is precisely what Jesus instructs His followers to do in the seventh beatitude of the Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matt. 5:9). Simply put, a peacemaker is one who makes peace with others. Peacemakers do their best to live in harmony with those around them: “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all” (Rom. 12:18). Peacemakers don’t stir the pot or go to every fight they are invited to; instead, they bury the hatchet and build bridges. As Paul urged, “So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding” (Rom. 14:19).

Peacemaking also entails striving to bring peace between people who are at odds with one another. Instead of starting or stoking fires, peacemakers focus on extinguishing them. Like Moses, they try to resolve conflicts between people who are better off working together (Ex. 2:13-14). They put their best foot forward to mend fences, like Jonathan who sought to reconcile David and Saul (1 Sam. 19:1-7). Peacemakers work to assist others in making amends, such as Paul, who carefully and gently endeavored to establish peace between Euodia and Syntyche, and Philemon and Onesimus (Phil. 4:2-3; Philem. 8-10).

And the most principal prerequisite for peacemaking is being at peace with God. Enemies of the Lord cannot make peace because they are at odds with Him (Rom. 5:10). Only those who are God’s friends through faith in Christ’s saving work may enjoy this peace: “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1). And this peace provides believers with a significant incentive to make peace with others. For, if God sacrificed much by sending His beloved Son to Golgotha to reconcile sinful man to Himself, how much more should saved sinners sacrifice comparatively little—like an awkward conversation or time spent in prayer—to restore relationships and live at peace with others? This is why peacemaking proves that one is a child of God: “for [peacemakers] shall be called sons of God” (Matt. 5:9b).

This column is from 40 Days with Jesus, my 40-day devotional on Christ’s life, teachings, and miracles, available for purchase on Amazon:

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.

Bible Gleanings, devotions

The Crucified Christ | Bible Gleanings | February 15-16, 2025

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Although only four words, it is one of the profoundest statements in the entire Bible: “And they crucified him” (Mark 15:24a). The Creator was nailed to the tree He created. The Giver of life was giving His life. The Lord who condemned murder was being murdered. The omnipotent Lord hung lifeless and helpless.

The hands that made the universe were pierced with nails. The feet that deserve to be kissed in homage were stabbed by pins. The head adorned with glory was crowned with a thorny crown of mimicry. The lungs that breathed the breath of life into sinners’ lungs were being filled with blood. The King of kings was a criminal subjected to punishment.

The Judge of all the earth was judged as guilty. The Light of the world was enveloped in darkness. The Living Water declared, “I thirst” (John 19:28b). The Word became silent in death. The Christ was stripped of glory and wore garments of reproach.

The Lamb was being slaughtered. The scapegoat was bearing our sins outside of Jerusalem. The Suffering Servant was serving by suffering. The One who upholds the universe by His sovereignty allowed Himself to be held captive by wicked sinners. The Shepherd was struck down to save His sheep. 

And the question begging to be asked is, why? According to the Romans and Jews, it was because He blasphemously claimed to be the “King of the Jews.” That was the inscription engraved above His head at the top of the cross. However, according to the God whose sovereign will put Him there (Isaiah 53:10), Christ went to the cross to pay for His people’s sin debt in full. As Paul wrote in Colossians, “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross” (Col. 2:13-14). Christ was crucified for you.

The devotional column above is from my newest book, 40 Days with Jesus, which is a forty-day daily devotional focusing on the life, teachings, and miracles of Jesus. This book is available in hardcover and paperback on Amazon:

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.