By Gobel Brockman
In my 50+ years of experience in the kitchen (eating, not cooking) there are three things that I've learned:
1) Biscuits & gravy and hash browns are just as good for supper as they are for breakfast.
2) Cucumbers, mushrooms, broccoli, and cauliflower should never be eaten by human beings unless they're being tortured for information.
3) Chili is better the second day.
It's the last one that I want to focus on this week. Chili made the day before, reheated, and served with a peanut butter sandwich is quite the treat indeed, proving that leftovers aren't necessarily a bad thing. The problem is, that might be true in the kitchen, but in our relationship with Jesus it's not only bad, it's impossible. Let me explain:
The children of Israel had been delivered by God from Egyptian bondage. God performed many miracles for them before, during, and after their deliverance. One of those miracles was that He provided daily food for them in the wilderness. Each morning when they arose, a substance they termed "manna" covered the ground. It was described as white, shaped like a coriander seed, and tasted like wafers with honey. The condition for the provision was this: God would only supply enough for everyone a day at a time. They were commanded not to try to keep any "leftovers" for the next day. Some rebelled against this, and the next morning the leftover manna had bred worms and began to stink. They quickly learned that God meant what He said, and that they were going to have to get their food daily if they wanted to survive. (This story is found in Exodus 16.)
It's the same for you and me. Let me be honest - there are too many Christians struggling in their faith, seemingly just barely getting by, because they're trying to live for God on "Yesterday's Manna." They walk around in almost constant defeat, seriously lacking in faith and endurance. Why? Simple - "Yesterday's Manna" is causing them to stink. What do I mean? Well, let me ask you some personal but important questions:
*How long has it been since you've spent time with the Father? I don't mean just asking Him for things, I'm talking about spending time in fellowship with your Father.
*How much dust is on your Bible?
*Do you view church as a religious obligation, or do you see it as an opportunity to enter into God's presence with like-minded brothers and sisters in Christ?
I'm sure there may be a few people thinking, "You're just describing salvation by works." Far from it. What I'm talking about is keeping our relationship with Jesus fresh and current. That's relationship, not religion. In my 34 years of living for Jesus I've seen Him do some absolutely incredible things for me and through me - things I would have never experienced on my own. I am thankful beyond words for everything I've experienced in Christ. My point is that I can't live on those experiences alone - I look at them as "Yesterday's Manna." I need a fresh word from the Lord for TODAY. I need to spend time with Him in prayer, spend time reading His word (I'm constantly amazed at how you can read a Scripture you've read countless times before and still learn something new,) and ask Him to reveal Himself to me in new ways - TODAY. And here's the cool part: I get to do the same thing TOMORROW. And the next day, and the next...
As I type this I'm reminded of an old story: There once was a married couple driving down the road. The husband was driving and the wife was in the passenger seat. She was complaining to him that they weren't as close as they used to be. She then said, "I remember a time when we would sit right next to each other in the car!" The husband calmly shrugged his shoulders and said, "I haven't moved." I'm not telling you this week to attempt to earn your salvation by doing "churchy stuff," I'm telling you that if we want the continual presence of God in our lives, it requires us to daily make Him the first priority in our lives. In other words, don't try to get by on yesterday's experience. Go to God for today's fresh manna.
But I am going to go to my fridge for yesterday's chili. Mmmmmm....
Saturday, February 28, 2015
Sunday, February 22, 2015
I Want Patience and I Want It NOW!
By Gobel Brockman
"Which superhero would you be? Take the quiz now!"
Ah, those Facebook quizzes. You can learn a lot about yourself through them. What city you should live in, what decade you belong in, or even "what color best defines you." I saw one once about "Which superhero would you be?" I imagine most people probably hoped they were Batman, with a few Supermans thrown in. For me, I didn't have to take the test because I already know who I should be - I'd want to be The Flash. Why? Because he has the ability to be anywhere he wants in a matter of seconds. Man, if I had that power I'd abuse it on a regular basis.
I like going places, but I'm always in a hurry to get where I'm going. I'm always more about the destination than the journey. I'm sure I'm not alone in that. All the people on the roads totally ignoring the speed limit is proof enough. The problem is, I also catch myself treating my journey of faith the same way. I see where I want to be in my walk with Christ, and I want to be there NOW. There's one problem with that, however: God is rarely in a hurry. He's about both the destination AND the journey getting there.
There's something interesting to me in the Bible about journeys. In the stories of Noah's flood, Elijah's journey to Mount Horeb, and Jesus fasting and being tempted by the devil, in each case the Bible doesn't just say "forty days," but it says "forty days and forty nights." What that says to me is this: there were parts of their journey where they could clearly see what was going on around them, and parts where all around them was dark. I think that's an apt description of walking by faith in Christ. There are times we can see where we're going and how close we are to getting there, and other times when all we can see is pretty much nothing. But there's a valuable lesson we need to learn in those times: God is there in the days and in the nights.
You see, God isn't just concerned about getting us where He wants us, He's also concerned about what kind of men and women we are when we get there. It's in the journey where God speaks to us, teaches us, exposes things in us that need to be changed, and confirms to us that we're never alone - no matter how dark the 'night' is. He's not just taking us somewhere, He's trying to build our faith and our character in the process. After He rose from the dead, Jesus appeared to two men who were walking back home, distraught over what had taken place to Jesus. The Bible says their eyes were hidden from recognizing Jesus, and that as they walked together, Jesus opened up the Scriptures to them - to the point where the men said, "Didn't our hearts burn within us as He talked with us?" It wasn't at their destination that this happened, it was in their journey. God will talk to us in the journey - if we'll listen.
There are also times in when I need to be reminded to stop trying to rush God, because life's going by fast enough as it is. One of the hardest lessons for me is that life is going by quickly enough without me constantly trying to push the fast-forward button. If you're like me in this, my word of encouragement to you is this: God is about both the destination and the journey, and He's not going to rush through the trip. So sit back, listen and learn, and realize that God's taking you where He wants you - at His pace.
In other words - slow 'er down, Flash.
"Which superhero would you be? Take the quiz now!"
Ah, those Facebook quizzes. You can learn a lot about yourself through them. What city you should live in, what decade you belong in, or even "what color best defines you." I saw one once about "Which superhero would you be?" I imagine most people probably hoped they were Batman, with a few Supermans thrown in. For me, I didn't have to take the test because I already know who I should be - I'd want to be The Flash. Why? Because he has the ability to be anywhere he wants in a matter of seconds. Man, if I had that power I'd abuse it on a regular basis.
I like going places, but I'm always in a hurry to get where I'm going. I'm always more about the destination than the journey. I'm sure I'm not alone in that. All the people on the roads totally ignoring the speed limit is proof enough. The problem is, I also catch myself treating my journey of faith the same way. I see where I want to be in my walk with Christ, and I want to be there NOW. There's one problem with that, however: God is rarely in a hurry. He's about both the destination AND the journey getting there.
There's something interesting to me in the Bible about journeys. In the stories of Noah's flood, Elijah's journey to Mount Horeb, and Jesus fasting and being tempted by the devil, in each case the Bible doesn't just say "forty days," but it says "forty days and forty nights." What that says to me is this: there were parts of their journey where they could clearly see what was going on around them, and parts where all around them was dark. I think that's an apt description of walking by faith in Christ. There are times we can see where we're going and how close we are to getting there, and other times when all we can see is pretty much nothing. But there's a valuable lesson we need to learn in those times: God is there in the days and in the nights.
You see, God isn't just concerned about getting us where He wants us, He's also concerned about what kind of men and women we are when we get there. It's in the journey where God speaks to us, teaches us, exposes things in us that need to be changed, and confirms to us that we're never alone - no matter how dark the 'night' is. He's not just taking us somewhere, He's trying to build our faith and our character in the process. After He rose from the dead, Jesus appeared to two men who were walking back home, distraught over what had taken place to Jesus. The Bible says their eyes were hidden from recognizing Jesus, and that as they walked together, Jesus opened up the Scriptures to them - to the point where the men said, "Didn't our hearts burn within us as He talked with us?" It wasn't at their destination that this happened, it was in their journey. God will talk to us in the journey - if we'll listen.
There are also times in when I need to be reminded to stop trying to rush God, because life's going by fast enough as it is. One of the hardest lessons for me is that life is going by quickly enough without me constantly trying to push the fast-forward button. If you're like me in this, my word of encouragement to you is this: God is about both the destination and the journey, and He's not going to rush through the trip. So sit back, listen and learn, and realize that God's taking you where He wants you - at His pace.
In other words - slow 'er down, Flash.
Saturday, February 14, 2015
The Powerful Faith of Egg-Eaters
By Gobel Brockman
"The Great Egg Debate." I've heard it my whole life. When I was a kid, I remember that it kept going back and forth:
"You need eggs because of the protein."
"No, you shouldn't eat eggs because of the cholesterol."
"Well, you can eat eggs, but use moderation."
"Eat the whites but not the yolk."
"Eating eggs will give you vertigo, chronic halitosis, and may cause self-doubt in public settings."
(OK, I made that last one up.)
The "experts" always seemed to have facts and figures to back up their love or hatred of eggs. Opinions varied and seemingly changed with the wind. But through all of the pro and con debates and the endless barrage of "facts" that seemed to have short shelf lives, one thing has remained constant through the whole thing:
People who liked eggs kept right on eating them regardless of what anyone said.
My point in this (and yes, I have a point) is that in one way or another there's always something or someone that wants to scare us. If it's not about our food, it's about the cars we drive, the climate, terrorism, political upheaval, random mass shootings, or a myriad of other things. If you want to be scared these days you don't have to turn your TV to some horror show network, just turn to CNN or Fox News - they'll have you worried in no time. You don't need me to tell you that we're living in troublesome times. But what I want you to know is this - as a Christian, I absolutely refuse to live in fear. I will not do it. Not because I have confidence in myself, but because of what the Apostle Paul said in II Timothy 1:7: "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind."
You see, I don't have what it takes to defeat fear within myself - I'm not that tough. But what I do have is the Spirit of God within me. His Spirit gives me power to know that I am an overcomer through Christ. His Spirit reminds me that the love of God is with me wherever I go and in whatever I face. His Spirit gives me a sound mind in every situation so that I can think clearly regardless of what may try to bring fear into my heart. It was His Spirit that gave the three Hebrew children in the third chapter of Daniel the power to tell the Babylonian king, "We know our God is able to deliver us from you. But even if He doesn't, we will not bow to your idol." They held firm, and God did indeed deliver them. That same Spirit is available to you and me today. Fear and worry do not have to rule in your life; the peace and power of God will rule instead if you allow Him into your heart and life. What I'm telling you this week is simple - in a violent, uncertain world, you can have a quiet peace of mind that is certain that God has everything under control, and regardless of what happens your life and eternal soul are safe in His hands. As it says in Isaiah 26:3: "God will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed upon thee."
So commit your life to Christ, allow His Spirit to dwell in you, and walk in power instead of fear. (And if you like eggs, enjoy. I'm not crazy about them, so you can have mine too.)
"The Great Egg Debate." I've heard it my whole life. When I was a kid, I remember that it kept going back and forth:
"You need eggs because of the protein."
"No, you shouldn't eat eggs because of the cholesterol."
"Well, you can eat eggs, but use moderation."
"Eat the whites but not the yolk."
"Eating eggs will give you vertigo, chronic halitosis, and may cause self-doubt in public settings."
(OK, I made that last one up.)
The "experts" always seemed to have facts and figures to back up their love or hatred of eggs. Opinions varied and seemingly changed with the wind. But through all of the pro and con debates and the endless barrage of "facts" that seemed to have short shelf lives, one thing has remained constant through the whole thing:
People who liked eggs kept right on eating them regardless of what anyone said.
My point in this (and yes, I have a point) is that in one way or another there's always something or someone that wants to scare us. If it's not about our food, it's about the cars we drive, the climate, terrorism, political upheaval, random mass shootings, or a myriad of other things. If you want to be scared these days you don't have to turn your TV to some horror show network, just turn to CNN or Fox News - they'll have you worried in no time. You don't need me to tell you that we're living in troublesome times. But what I want you to know is this - as a Christian, I absolutely refuse to live in fear. I will not do it. Not because I have confidence in myself, but because of what the Apostle Paul said in II Timothy 1:7: "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind."
You see, I don't have what it takes to defeat fear within myself - I'm not that tough. But what I do have is the Spirit of God within me. His Spirit gives me power to know that I am an overcomer through Christ. His Spirit reminds me that the love of God is with me wherever I go and in whatever I face. His Spirit gives me a sound mind in every situation so that I can think clearly regardless of what may try to bring fear into my heart. It was His Spirit that gave the three Hebrew children in the third chapter of Daniel the power to tell the Babylonian king, "We know our God is able to deliver us from you. But even if He doesn't, we will not bow to your idol." They held firm, and God did indeed deliver them. That same Spirit is available to you and me today. Fear and worry do not have to rule in your life; the peace and power of God will rule instead if you allow Him into your heart and life. What I'm telling you this week is simple - in a violent, uncertain world, you can have a quiet peace of mind that is certain that God has everything under control, and regardless of what happens your life and eternal soul are safe in His hands. As it says in Isaiah 26:3: "God will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed upon thee."
So commit your life to Christ, allow His Spirit to dwell in you, and walk in power instead of fear. (And if you like eggs, enjoy. I'm not crazy about them, so you can have mine too.)
Saturday, February 7, 2015
Accepting the Challenge
By Gobel Brockman
This past summer I attended a Christian festival, and I walked by a tent where a Bible study was being held. It had already started, so I snuck in and sat on the grass in the back. They were discussing something they were calling "The 365 Challenge." Basically the idea was, "If you were given 365 seconds to tell someone about Jesus, what would you say?" During the drive home afterwards I spent a lot of time thinking about that. (A lot longer than 365 seconds.) This is what I came up with:
(Start the clock:)
"In His lifetime Jesus made a lot of claims about Himself. In John 14 He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but by Me." In John 10 He said, "I am the door; all who came before Me were thieves and robbers." In John 8 He told the Jewish leaders, "Before Abraham was, I am." (They knew what He meant by that, because they immediately wanted to stone Him.) At various times He said such things as, "I am the bread of life," "I am the good shepherd," "I am the light of the world," and "I am the resurrection and the life."
"There are many, many other things He said about Himself, and many things others said about Him that He didn't discourage. All of this leads me to the conclusion that Jesus is one of two things: either He is the biggest liar and fraud that has ever walked on this planet, or He is exactly who He claimed to be. There is no middle ground. There's no claiming that "he was a good moral teacher." People who are good moral teachers don't make such outrageous claims about themselves and attempt to deceive all who are listening. He's either a liar or He's everything He said He was. So how do we know which is true?"
"At one point Jesus said, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." (He was talking about His crucifixion and resurrection.) They indeed destroyed the 'temple' on the cross, but three days later Jesus was raised from the dead. Every "I AM" statement He made about Himself was confirmed in that moment. He was – and is – "the resurrection and the life." His death paid the price for humanity's sin, which proved that He is indeed "the way, truth, and life." Millions have found their way out of spiritual darkness because He is indeed "the light of the world."
"There are some in Christianity – especially American Christianity – that seem to be presenting Jesus as some sort of product to be obtained, as if His primary role is to cater to our whims and needs. "Is your life a mess? Come to Jesus - He'll make it all better!" seems to be the message. I submit to you that He is not that at all. He is the sovereign King of Kings and Lord of Lords who deserves obedience and worship. There's a story in the Bible of a woman caught in adultery who was brought to Jesus. After exposing her accuser's hypocrisy and watching them walk away, He then told the woman, "Neither do I condemn thee. Go and sin no more." There are many who love the Jesus that says, "Neither do I condemn thee" but want nothing to do with the Jesus that says, "Go and sin no more." The problem with that is the same Jesus said them both - and they are equally valid. It is Jesus that you and I will one day stand before and give an account of our lives. You may say, "I don't believe that." That doesn't matter - you'll be there anyway. Every knee will bow before Him, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Why? Because Jesus loved the unlovable, gave hope to the hopeless, and offered grace and mercy to all who will receive it. He defeated sin, death, Hell, and the grave, and is forever Savior and Lord. He backed up His claims with actions that no man or demon could (or can) defeat."
"In His life, death, resurrection, and in everything that He's done since, Jesus has proved that He's exactly who He claimed to be."
(Stop the clock.)
(I'll reserve the remainder of my time for another devotional.)
This past summer I attended a Christian festival, and I walked by a tent where a Bible study was being held. It had already started, so I snuck in and sat on the grass in the back. They were discussing something they were calling "The 365 Challenge." Basically the idea was, "If you were given 365 seconds to tell someone about Jesus, what would you say?" During the drive home afterwards I spent a lot of time thinking about that. (A lot longer than 365 seconds.) This is what I came up with:
(Start the clock:)
"In His lifetime Jesus made a lot of claims about Himself. In John 14 He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but by Me." In John 10 He said, "I am the door; all who came before Me were thieves and robbers." In John 8 He told the Jewish leaders, "Before Abraham was, I am." (They knew what He meant by that, because they immediately wanted to stone Him.) At various times He said such things as, "I am the bread of life," "I am the good shepherd," "I am the light of the world," and "I am the resurrection and the life."
"There are many, many other things He said about Himself, and many things others said about Him that He didn't discourage. All of this leads me to the conclusion that Jesus is one of two things: either He is the biggest liar and fraud that has ever walked on this planet, or He is exactly who He claimed to be. There is no middle ground. There's no claiming that "he was a good moral teacher." People who are good moral teachers don't make such outrageous claims about themselves and attempt to deceive all who are listening. He's either a liar or He's everything He said He was. So how do we know which is true?"
"At one point Jesus said, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." (He was talking about His crucifixion and resurrection.) They indeed destroyed the 'temple' on the cross, but three days later Jesus was raised from the dead. Every "I AM" statement He made about Himself was confirmed in that moment. He was – and is – "the resurrection and the life." His death paid the price for humanity's sin, which proved that He is indeed "the way, truth, and life." Millions have found their way out of spiritual darkness because He is indeed "the light of the world."
"There are some in Christianity – especially American Christianity – that seem to be presenting Jesus as some sort of product to be obtained, as if His primary role is to cater to our whims and needs. "Is your life a mess? Come to Jesus - He'll make it all better!" seems to be the message. I submit to you that He is not that at all. He is the sovereign King of Kings and Lord of Lords who deserves obedience and worship. There's a story in the Bible of a woman caught in adultery who was brought to Jesus. After exposing her accuser's hypocrisy and watching them walk away, He then told the woman, "Neither do I condemn thee. Go and sin no more." There are many who love the Jesus that says, "Neither do I condemn thee" but want nothing to do with the Jesus that says, "Go and sin no more." The problem with that is the same Jesus said them both - and they are equally valid. It is Jesus that you and I will one day stand before and give an account of our lives. You may say, "I don't believe that." That doesn't matter - you'll be there anyway. Every knee will bow before Him, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Why? Because Jesus loved the unlovable, gave hope to the hopeless, and offered grace and mercy to all who will receive it. He defeated sin, death, Hell, and the grave, and is forever Savior and Lord. He backed up His claims with actions that no man or demon could (or can) defeat."
"In His life, death, resurrection, and in everything that He's done since, Jesus has proved that He's exactly who He claimed to be."
(Stop the clock.)
(I'll reserve the remainder of my time for another devotional.)
Sunday, February 1, 2015
W.W.I.D.?
By Gobel Brockman
Picture this: You're in prayer, and you know the Father is hearing you. You're walking in fellowship with Him and in obedience to Him. You know that anything is possible for Him and nothing is too complicated for Him. So with that in mind, you make your request, and the answer comes immediately:
"NO."
"NO?" What happened? Maybe you weren't sincere enough. Maybe you didn't make your case well enough. Maybe you just need a little more faith, or you just need to choose your words more carefully. So you repeat your prayer, but with more intensity. Perhaps the Father will be moved by your tears and your commitment.
"NO."
Now you know how Jesus felt.
Never has anyone on this earth been closer to the Father than Jesus was - after all, He was Immanuel, "God in the flesh." If anyone could get agreement out of Him it should have been Jesus. Yet, there He was in the garden of Gethsemane, a huddled mass covered in sweat, blood...and a quiet resolve. Rather than lash out at His Father and accuse Him of not caring about His plight, He stood up, embraced the will of God, and changed all of creation for all of eternity.
W.W.J.D. - "What Would Jesus Do?" A few years ago this was plastered all over T-shirts, bumper stickers, and bracelets. I understand the thought behind it, but I sometimes think we've lost the full implication of that question. It's not just W.W.J.D. in a work situation or a family crisis, but W.W.J.D. when His prayer was answered with a "NO"?
I've already answered that question. The question we have to answer is W.W.I.D.? (What Will I Do?) I recently read a statement that said, "Being a true disciple of Jesus requires us to say 'Yes' to Him before He even asks the question." I think that's a brilliant way to look at it. It's easy to say yes if we know the question's going to be, "Can I bless you today? Need some extra cash? Want Me to get rid of that illness for you?" But what if the question He wants a "Yes" to is, "Will you still follow Me in the times I seem silent? I know that you're struggling financially right now, but do you still trust Me? That person you love more than life itself - do you love Me more?" Tough questions. Whoever said being a Christian is easy has never fully grasped what all's involved in the commitment. I've said many times that God wants to change more than just how you spend your Sunday mornings - He wants fully committed men and women who will believe that saying "Yes" to Him regardless of the question is the only option.
W.W.J.D.? He would walk in love and acceptance of God's plan, knowing that His ways and thoughts are supreme.
W.W.I.D.?
Good question.
Picture this: You're in prayer, and you know the Father is hearing you. You're walking in fellowship with Him and in obedience to Him. You know that anything is possible for Him and nothing is too complicated for Him. So with that in mind, you make your request, and the answer comes immediately:
"NO."
"NO?" What happened? Maybe you weren't sincere enough. Maybe you didn't make your case well enough. Maybe you just need a little more faith, or you just need to choose your words more carefully. So you repeat your prayer, but with more intensity. Perhaps the Father will be moved by your tears and your commitment.
"NO."
Now you know how Jesus felt.
Never has anyone on this earth been closer to the Father than Jesus was - after all, He was Immanuel, "God in the flesh." If anyone could get agreement out of Him it should have been Jesus. Yet, there He was in the garden of Gethsemane, a huddled mass covered in sweat, blood...and a quiet resolve. Rather than lash out at His Father and accuse Him of not caring about His plight, He stood up, embraced the will of God, and changed all of creation for all of eternity.
W.W.J.D. - "What Would Jesus Do?" A few years ago this was plastered all over T-shirts, bumper stickers, and bracelets. I understand the thought behind it, but I sometimes think we've lost the full implication of that question. It's not just W.W.J.D. in a work situation or a family crisis, but W.W.J.D. when His prayer was answered with a "NO"?
I've already answered that question. The question we have to answer is W.W.I.D.? (What Will I Do?) I recently read a statement that said, "Being a true disciple of Jesus requires us to say 'Yes' to Him before He even asks the question." I think that's a brilliant way to look at it. It's easy to say yes if we know the question's going to be, "Can I bless you today? Need some extra cash? Want Me to get rid of that illness for you?" But what if the question He wants a "Yes" to is, "Will you still follow Me in the times I seem silent? I know that you're struggling financially right now, but do you still trust Me? That person you love more than life itself - do you love Me more?" Tough questions. Whoever said being a Christian is easy has never fully grasped what all's involved in the commitment. I've said many times that God wants to change more than just how you spend your Sunday mornings - He wants fully committed men and women who will believe that saying "Yes" to Him regardless of the question is the only option.
W.W.J.D.? He would walk in love and acceptance of God's plan, knowing that His ways and thoughts are supreme.
W.W.I.D.?
Good question.
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