By Gobel Brockman
If you've been to Sunday School more than three times, I'd say there's a great chance you've heard the story of Jonah. You've seen the felt board cutouts of a guy in a robe being thrown in the water, then a big fish comes and swallows him up. He's in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights, then God commands the fish to vomit Jonah onto dry ground. But I believe we need to hear the lessons he learned in that experience.
"The word of the LORD came to Jonah, son of Amittai: Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it..." (Jonah 1:1)
There are times that we feel we have no idea what God's will is for us. Jonah couldn't say that. He knew exactly what God wanted. Problem was, he didn't want to do it. We find later in the story that Jonah didn't want to preach to the people at Nineveh because he knew they would repent, and he didn't want them to. So he gets into a ship that's going in the opposite direction. But God sends a storm and causes Jonah to confess to the others that he is the reason for the storm, and their only hope is to throw him overboard. Then the fish comes and has a snack. The Bible says that from the belly of the fish Jonah prays a prayer of repentance. The fish vomits Jonah onto dry ground, and then what is to me the most interesting part of the story happens:
"Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you."
What does God do once Jonah repents? He picks right up where they left off. It's as if God was saying to Jonah, "OK, you took the long way around, and went through a lot that you shouldn't have, but you've came back to where you belong. Let's pick up and get going again." That speaks volumes to me for one simple reason - none of us have ever landed in a fish, but every one of us who proclaim to be Christians have failed God at points in our lives. It wasn't a matter of not knowing what to do, but like Jonah we knew exactly what we were supposed to do. We just didn't want to do it. So we went our own way, and paid the price for it. But when we do what Jonah did and realize that it was OUR sin that brought it on and repent, then we find the grace and forgiveness that only He can give us.
I'm speaking to those who have failed. Don't allow the Devil to make you think that God has no further use for you. Don't get the mindset that your calling and service to God is over. It's not. Our God is the God of the second chance. Thankfully, He's also the God of the third...the fourth...you get the point. If you have failed, repent. Begin to follow Christ with a new passion, which happens when we invite Him into our lives. You'll find your purpose and calling are still there. When Jonah finally preached to Nineveh, it sparked a revival in that town. When we allow God's restoration in our lives, and submit our will to His, we'll be amazed at what He accomplishes through us.
Simply put, God's grace is bigger than our failures. Man, am I glad for that....
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Saturday, April 20, 2013
I Heard You; What Did You Say?
By Gobel Brockman
We've all been there. We're introduced to someone for the first time. We're told the person's name, and begin a short, casual conversation. As we're about to go our separate ways, we want to say, "It was nice to meet you!" and call the person by name, but then realize we don't remember what it was. Why? We heard it, but we didn't hear it. Our mind was elsewhere - thinking of what we want to say, or wishing we were somewhere else. It's then that we are reminded that it's possible to hear without listening, and then we have to go away saying to ourselves, "I'll never forget good ol' What's-His-Name..."
In Mark Chapter 5, there's a story of a ruler who came to Jesus and asked Him to heal his daughter. As they were going to the man's house, one of his servants arrived and said, "Your daughter is dead, there's no need to trouble the Master any further." The Bible says something interesting. It says, "When Jesus heard this, He said to the ruler, Don't be afraid, only believe." He heard it, but He didn't hear it. Like us, His mind was somewhere else - but in this case, I believe His mind was on who He was and what was going to happen when they arrived. The girl was raised from the dead, and His power was proven once again. You may be facing a situation in which circumstance and common sense are whispering in your ear, "It's impossible. It will never happen. Why don't you just give up?" I urge you in those times to hear without hearing. No, I'm not telling you to ignore reality. Neither am I saying that a 'positive attitude' will get you through every situation. I'm saying that as a Christian, you have a Saviour and God Who has everything you need, and whether the specific situation turns out the way you want it to or not, He's going to get you through it and draw you closer to Him as a result.
There's another point here. You may or may not know that the name 'Satan' means 'Accuser'. He's named appropriately. One of his biggest tricks is to throw your past up in your face and say, "You'll never become anything. You're a drunk, a druggie, you've slept around, you've lied, cheated, stolen..."
and whatever else he can accuse us of. But I want you to know that when these accusations come, God doesn't hear them. What He hears and sees is our faith in the work of Christ on the cross, and He takes all of those accusations and responds, "Not Guilty". Is the Devil trying to make you feel like God can never do anything with you or through you because of your past? I'm here to tell you it's a lie. "The Accuser's" accusations are falling on deaf ears. God's on your side, and He hears your prayers for forgiveness and your declarations of faith. Now step out in faith, live for Christ daily with all of your heart, and believe God to do incredible things in you and through you.
What am I saying? Simply this: God has selective hearing. Do you hear me?
We've all been there. We're introduced to someone for the first time. We're told the person's name, and begin a short, casual conversation. As we're about to go our separate ways, we want to say, "It was nice to meet you!" and call the person by name, but then realize we don't remember what it was. Why? We heard it, but we didn't hear it. Our mind was elsewhere - thinking of what we want to say, or wishing we were somewhere else. It's then that we are reminded that it's possible to hear without listening, and then we have to go away saying to ourselves, "I'll never forget good ol' What's-His-Name..."
In Mark Chapter 5, there's a story of a ruler who came to Jesus and asked Him to heal his daughter. As they were going to the man's house, one of his servants arrived and said, "Your daughter is dead, there's no need to trouble the Master any further." The Bible says something interesting. It says, "When Jesus heard this, He said to the ruler, Don't be afraid, only believe." He heard it, but He didn't hear it. Like us, His mind was somewhere else - but in this case, I believe His mind was on who He was and what was going to happen when they arrived. The girl was raised from the dead, and His power was proven once again. You may be facing a situation in which circumstance and common sense are whispering in your ear, "It's impossible. It will never happen. Why don't you just give up?" I urge you in those times to hear without hearing. No, I'm not telling you to ignore reality. Neither am I saying that a 'positive attitude' will get you through every situation. I'm saying that as a Christian, you have a Saviour and God Who has everything you need, and whether the specific situation turns out the way you want it to or not, He's going to get you through it and draw you closer to Him as a result.
There's another point here. You may or may not know that the name 'Satan' means 'Accuser'. He's named appropriately. One of his biggest tricks is to throw your past up in your face and say, "You'll never become anything. You're a drunk, a druggie, you've slept around, you've lied, cheated, stolen..."
and whatever else he can accuse us of. But I want you to know that when these accusations come, God doesn't hear them. What He hears and sees is our faith in the work of Christ on the cross, and He takes all of those accusations and responds, "Not Guilty". Is the Devil trying to make you feel like God can never do anything with you or through you because of your past? I'm here to tell you it's a lie. "The Accuser's" accusations are falling on deaf ears. God's on your side, and He hears your prayers for forgiveness and your declarations of faith. Now step out in faith, live for Christ daily with all of your heart, and believe God to do incredible things in you and through you.
What am I saying? Simply this: God has selective hearing. Do you hear me?
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Treasures In Hidden Vessels
By Gobel Brockman
This past week I visited an exhibit in Cincinnati of The Dead Sea Scrolls. It was awesome. Seeing various passages of Scripture written on parchment hundreds of years ago was both interesting and eye-opening. Eye-opening because it caused me to think of where we are today. I'm typing this devotional on an iPad that has three different Bible versions downloaded on it. There are also other Bible apps available at very reasonable prices, and websites where I can read just about any Bible version I desire. I also have several Bibles in my house - some leather bound, others paper back, and a spiral copy as well. I dare say there are many reading this who can say the same thing. Which simply means this:
We're spoiled.
The people who were here during the time of the Dead Sea Scrolls didn't have these options. There weren't Internet connections in those days. Neither were there printing presses or photocopiers. If you wanted to read something, it had to be written by hand. And if someone wanted their own copy, it had to be written again. A long, laborious process that I honestly don't think we today can relate to. As I looked at the various pages that were on display, I thought of the people who wrote them. How much time did they devote to the task? How long did it take them? Who all read what they wrote?
We're spoiled.
As I stood there looking at all of this history, Luke 12:48 came to mind: "To whom much is given, much will be required..." Tell me that doesn't apply to this generation. Throughout the history of the church, men and women have suffered, bled, and died for a sacred Book that now is nothing more than a coffee table decoration in many homes. William Tyndale spent years translating the Bible into English for the common man - and paid for it with his life. I can't help but wonder what kind of Christians you and I would be today if we loved the Word of God like that.
It's not my desire this week to put anyone on a guilt trip. I simply want to remind us all that we have access to an absolute treasure that we take for granted way too easily. We all want direction and the will of God for our lives. I remind us all that it's at our fingertips. There's another Scripture that says "My people perish for lack of knowledge..." The knowledge is there. Let's recognize the absolute treasure that we have, make the Bible a daily part of our lives, and never take it for granted again.
Don't be spoiled.
This past week I visited an exhibit in Cincinnati of The Dead Sea Scrolls. It was awesome. Seeing various passages of Scripture written on parchment hundreds of years ago was both interesting and eye-opening. Eye-opening because it caused me to think of where we are today. I'm typing this devotional on an iPad that has three different Bible versions downloaded on it. There are also other Bible apps available at very reasonable prices, and websites where I can read just about any Bible version I desire. I also have several Bibles in my house - some leather bound, others paper back, and a spiral copy as well. I dare say there are many reading this who can say the same thing. Which simply means this:
We're spoiled.
The people who were here during the time of the Dead Sea Scrolls didn't have these options. There weren't Internet connections in those days. Neither were there printing presses or photocopiers. If you wanted to read something, it had to be written by hand. And if someone wanted their own copy, it had to be written again. A long, laborious process that I honestly don't think we today can relate to. As I looked at the various pages that were on display, I thought of the people who wrote them. How much time did they devote to the task? How long did it take them? Who all read what they wrote?
We're spoiled.
As I stood there looking at all of this history, Luke 12:48 came to mind: "To whom much is given, much will be required..." Tell me that doesn't apply to this generation. Throughout the history of the church, men and women have suffered, bled, and died for a sacred Book that now is nothing more than a coffee table decoration in many homes. William Tyndale spent years translating the Bible into English for the common man - and paid for it with his life. I can't help but wonder what kind of Christians you and I would be today if we loved the Word of God like that.
It's not my desire this week to put anyone on a guilt trip. I simply want to remind us all that we have access to an absolute treasure that we take for granted way too easily. We all want direction and the will of God for our lives. I remind us all that it's at our fingertips. There's another Scripture that says "My people perish for lack of knowledge..." The knowledge is there. Let's recognize the absolute treasure that we have, make the Bible a daily part of our lives, and never take it for granted again.
Don't be spoiled.
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Brother, Can You Spare a Quarter?
By Gobel Brockman
I like chocolate. (Who am I kidding - I love chocolate.) But I like sour candy even more. A box of Nerds won't last long around me. The reason I mention this is that there's a business on my mail route that has a 'gumball machine' by their door that has Spree in it. It's almost became a joke between the workers and me as to whether I'll buy some that day. I'm talking about this because I've noticed something about the quarter it costs to buy them: the face has a mouth on it, but it's never told me not to spend it on Sprees. It's never told me anything. The quarter is mine. I worked for it, and how I spend it isn't up to the quarter, it's up to me.
We're coming out of the Good Friday/Easter season, where we remember what Jesus did for our salvation. There's a Scripture that refers to this and says to us, "You are not your own, you are bought with a price." What does that mean? Just what it says - we are not our own. The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross didn't just purchase our salvation, it purchased US. And as such, He's free to 'spend' us as He wishes. The late John Wimber, instrumental in starting the Vineyard movement, used to say, "I'm just a coin in the Master's pocket. He can spend me as He wishes." That's hard for we Americans to understand, in a land where we 'vote' on everything from who our leaders will be to who the next singing sensation will be. As Christians, we are, if you will, 'bought and paid for'. And He gets to spend us as He wishes.
Which sometimes leads to a dilemma. We're perfectly happy to be spent in places we're OK with. However, we forget sometimes that He has a bigger agenda, and may choose to spend us in ways that are not to our liking. We all know the story of Jesus walking on water, but the part of that story that always sticks out to me is that Jesus told them to get in the boat and go to the other side. When they got in the midst of the sea, the storm came. Where were they? In the midst of where Jesus told them to go - they were literally in 'the center of His will'. He chose to spend them like that, knowing that 2,000 years later we'd still be talking about what He did on that water. I'd say He made a good investment with 'the coins in His pocket' that night.
I will not tell you that being a coin in the Master's pocket is always easy, for one simple reason - it usually isn't. Sometimes it is. What I will tell you is that wherever and however He chooses to spend us, it's guaranteed to be a wise investment. In ways that we may not be able to see, He's using using us to further His kingdom. And there's no greater feeling than knowing that He considered you to be enough to get the job done. It's an absolute joy to be used in the Kingdom of God, no matter where He spends us.
And it's OK that He does that. After all, He paid for it.
I like chocolate. (Who am I kidding - I love chocolate.) But I like sour candy even more. A box of Nerds won't last long around me. The reason I mention this is that there's a business on my mail route that has a 'gumball machine' by their door that has Spree in it. It's almost became a joke between the workers and me as to whether I'll buy some that day. I'm talking about this because I've noticed something about the quarter it costs to buy them: the face has a mouth on it, but it's never told me not to spend it on Sprees. It's never told me anything. The quarter is mine. I worked for it, and how I spend it isn't up to the quarter, it's up to me.
We're coming out of the Good Friday/Easter season, where we remember what Jesus did for our salvation. There's a Scripture that refers to this and says to us, "You are not your own, you are bought with a price." What does that mean? Just what it says - we are not our own. The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross didn't just purchase our salvation, it purchased US. And as such, He's free to 'spend' us as He wishes. The late John Wimber, instrumental in starting the Vineyard movement, used to say, "I'm just a coin in the Master's pocket. He can spend me as He wishes." That's hard for we Americans to understand, in a land where we 'vote' on everything from who our leaders will be to who the next singing sensation will be. As Christians, we are, if you will, 'bought and paid for'. And He gets to spend us as He wishes.
Which sometimes leads to a dilemma. We're perfectly happy to be spent in places we're OK with. However, we forget sometimes that He has a bigger agenda, and may choose to spend us in ways that are not to our liking. We all know the story of Jesus walking on water, but the part of that story that always sticks out to me is that Jesus told them to get in the boat and go to the other side. When they got in the midst of the sea, the storm came. Where were they? In the midst of where Jesus told them to go - they were literally in 'the center of His will'. He chose to spend them like that, knowing that 2,000 years later we'd still be talking about what He did on that water. I'd say He made a good investment with 'the coins in His pocket' that night.
I will not tell you that being a coin in the Master's pocket is always easy, for one simple reason - it usually isn't. Sometimes it is. What I will tell you is that wherever and however He chooses to spend us, it's guaranteed to be a wise investment. In ways that we may not be able to see, He's using using us to further His kingdom. And there's no greater feeling than knowing that He considered you to be enough to get the job done. It's an absolute joy to be used in the Kingdom of God, no matter where He spends us.
And it's OK that He does that. After all, He paid for it.
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