I'm Noticing a Change....

By Gobel Brockman


There's a word that I've heard quite frequently throughout my life in various settings:

Revival.

As a kid growing up in church, "Revival" meant that the church was going to have a series of meetings with a guest speaker who was usually louder and more excitable than the Pastor. Banners with the word "Revival" would be hung over the front door, with the hope that it would entice outsiders to come. I was also an EMT for awhile in the 80's, and we were trained in "reviving" patients. Musical groups and musical genres have experienced "revivals." Merriam-Webster defines it as "an act or instance of reviving:the state of being revived: renewed attention to or interest in something."

In the Psalms the psalmist prayed:

     

     "Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put away your indignation toward us! Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger to all generations? Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? Show us your steadfast love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation." (Psalms 85:4-7)

What got me thinking about this is that I recently took some time and reviewed many of my old Facebook posts from over the past few years. One thing I noticed is that where I used to make a lot of sometimes feeble attempts at humor or comment on other less-than-serious topics, I'm finding now that I spend much more time quoting Scripture or other Christian writings, or posting Christian songs that (hopefully) bring honor to Christ. I think it reflects a bigger change that is going on inside of me. I honestly don't believe that I'm the same person that I was a year or two ago. I'm finding my daily thoughts practically consumed with the things of God. I find myself constantly praying quietly - and sometimes doing so more loudly than I intend. I'm waking up either singing Christian songs or having new song ideas going through my head. I find myself simultaneously noticing the work of evil in the world, yet completely resting in the knowledge that God still has everything firmly under control.

In other words, I believe that God is answering my prayer to "revive me again."

Do I still sometimes struggle with moodiness? Sadly, yes. Have I lost my sense of humor? Thankfully, no. Have I reached a place where temptation is no longer a problem for me? Absolutely not. What I am saying is that God is doing something incredible in my heart, I know that He's not done, and I want every single thing He has for me. I also know that I'm not alone in this. I'm seeing many people feeling a stirring in their spirit to go "all-in" for Jesus, and I can't tell you how encouraged that makes me feel. We need to realize that there is more - so much more - that God has in store for those who truly seek Him with their whole heart. Many times when God is blessing us we think we're in over our heads, when the truth is we're barely ankle deep. We've yet to scratch the surface of what God truly wants to do in us and through us. As we live in a nation - and a world - that desperately needs a genuine move of the Holy Spirit, I desperately want to be a part of it. My prayer is that God is evident in my life to the point that others can't deny it, and that it would cause them to want it for themselves as well. If that is your prayer as well, join me in praying:

"Lord, will you not revive us again?"

Your Song May Have Scars in the Chorus

By Gobel Brockman


(This week's devotional is based on a story found in Acts 16. I encourage you to read it.)

Try as I might, I don't think I can truly picture the scene: Paul and Silas had just been severely beaten and were now bound in stocks, lying in jail. I also must keep in mind that "jail" in their time was a lot different than ours. It was cold, damp, and filthy. Physical abuse was a regular occurrence, and it was not uncommon for prisoners to die in this setting. What was their crime? Delivering a slave girl from demonic bondage who was bringing much financial gain to her owners by her fortune-telling. After Paul and Silas endured this beating and imprisonment, what were they doing at this low point in their lives?

"About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them." (Acts 16:25)

"Praying and singing hymns to God." I'm sure we all would have to admit that we have struggled at times to give God praise in situations that were far, far less extreme than what they were going through. However, hopefully we can learn from their experience and grow from it. The Bible goes on to say that "Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were unfastened." (V. 26) The jailer came in and asked, "What must I do to be saved?" Paul told him that if he and his household would believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, they would be saved. The jailer then took Paul and Silas home, and he and his entire family became Christians and were baptized that evening. But the Bible goes on to say something interesting: "And he took them (Paul and Silas) the same hour of the night and washed their wounds." (V. 33)

I want us all to learn a lesson that is contained in this story. Paul and Silas gave God praise in one of the darkest hours of their lives. God gave them a miraculous delivery, and as a result they were able to minister to a man and his family and bring them into faith in Christ. However, their journey to that point had left them wounded. I try to picture in my mind Paul and Silas simultaneously rejoicing at this family's salvation while grimacing in pain from the beating they had earlier endured. The apostles saw this family's sin being washed away while this family washed the apostle's wounds. Talk about contrasts. 

I've said all of that to say this: I believe that American Christianity just may be swiftly approaching a rude awakening. I believe that we may be about to learn that being a Christian is more than having Bible studies over lattes and attending worship conferences with fog machines and light shows. Paul and Silas saw the miraculous from God – and had the scars to prove that they were willing to pay the price to see it. It makes me hope that my faith – that our faith – is strong enough to endure anything like that. We're mistaken if we think we're going to go "all in" for Jesus and win the world's approval in the process. My prayer is that my faith in Jesus is strong enough that I can sing praise to Him regardless of what I am going through. Towards the end of his life Paul stated that "All who live godly in Christ Jesus shall be persecuted." (II Timothy 3:12) Our wounds may be physical, emotional, or spiritual, but our relationship with Christ is worth that risk. My circumstances can't dictate when I offer worship to Jesus, for He always deserves it. Period.

If I ever suffer scars for the name of Jesus, may they never silence my praise. I would hate to miss the miracle that just may be soon following.

It's Time

By Gobel Brockman



It doesn't take much observation or discernment to see that America is in a spiritually sad state. I believe that what we are seeing right now in this nation is the fruit of what the prophet Isaiah spoke to Israel many centuries ago:

"Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!" (Isaiah 5:20)

I firmly believe that this is a perfect description of "the good ol' USA" right now. However, I also agree with what I've heard several recently say:

"America is in the shape it's in right now because the church is in the shape it's in right now."

Simply put, it's not fair for the church to complain about America "calling evil good and good evil" when it seems many churches can't tell the difference themselves anymore. It's not fair for us to expect people who make no claim to be Christian to live up to a standard that we aren't living up to ourselves. I believe we are at a place in American Christianity where the words of the apostle Peter have never rang truer:

"For the time has come that judgment must begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?" (I Peter 4:17)

What am I saying? Simply this: If you believe that this country needs a Heaven-sent revival (and it does,) then the starting point is obvious: 
It's time for the church to get on our knees. 
It's time to get our noses back in the Word of God - and then actually live out what it says to us. 
It's time for the church to understand that God meant what He said about both salvation and the cost of rejecting it. 
It's time for the church to be more concerned about offending God and less concerned about offending people. 
It's time we asked God to help us genuinely love each other, care about each other, and show true Christ-like compassion to those who need it, but it's also time to call sin by its rightful name and confront it - as long as we FIRST do it in our own lives. (Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 7:3-5 about getting the beam out of your own eye before getting the speck out of your brother's.) 
It's time we stopped SAYING that we want to see God move in America and start living like we actually believe that He's looking for a people who will pay a price to see it happen.

Simply put - it's time.

"It Is Finished." Are We?

By Gobel Brockman


Easter - a time to remember the greatest story humanity has ever known. However, I'd like to think about it in a way that perhaps we don't as often as we should. I'd like to look at three things:

Jesus Christ
As we take this weekend to remember the death and resurrection of Jesus, this year I find myself focusing on three simple words He said on the cross: "It is finished." (John 19:30) Jesus knew why He came and what His ultimate mission was. With His sacrifice on the cross complete, and the price for all of mankind's salvation now paid, "It is finished" was all that was left to be said. His Father's mission for Him was completed.

The Apostle Paul
As Paul traveled on the road to Damascus he encountered the risen Christ. Paul soon learned that he was a chosen vessel for the ministry, and that much labor and hardship awaited him. For years he preached, worked, and served God and man faithfully. As he reached the end of his life, he said this in II Timothy 4:7: "I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." (Emphasis mine.) His Father's mission for him was completed.

You & I
Jesus had a God-given mission. Paul had a God-given mission. You and I - and all who name the name of Jesus - have a God-given mission as well. We may never see the things that Paul and the other apostles saw, or face what they faced, but we all have a calling on our lives to make Jesus known to those around us. Whether it is to preach, to serve, or to suffer for His name, may we all complete our mission. We all will face the end of our lives one day (read Hebrews 9:27) and when that time comes for me, I hope to be able to look at all that God wanted me to accomplish and be able to repeat with Jesus and Paul: "It is finished." For however much time you and I have left in this earth, may we, as Jesus and Paul, be about the Father's business.

If you're reading this and haven't received Jesus as Lord, I encourage you to know that Christ's work of the cross is finished - and it was done for you. If you have received Christ, then let's complete our calling. Time is short, the field is white unto harvest, and the laborers are few.

In other words, we're NOT finished - yet.