By Gobel Brockman
When I was 19 I worked at a factory in a foundry area. My job was to melt this material called babbitt and pour it into bearings as they spun in a machine. The babbitt had to be melted to 700 degrees before it was ready for use. I would take a metal ladle, dip it in the babbitt, and pour it into a funnel leading to the inside of the bearing. One night while doing this I accidentally bumped the ladle against the side of the machine, spilling some of the melted metal, and a small portion of it hit my left foot. It immediately burned through my pant leg, my sock, and all seven layers of my skin. (I hopped around and "danced like no one was watching" for a minute or two.) I didn't go to the clinic (guys don't go to clinics for stuff like that) and to this day I have a nickel-sized scar on my foot.
I mention this because it reminds me of some interesting words from John the Baptist found in Matthew 3:11:
"I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He (Jesus) who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."
"Baptized with fire." I can tell you that after my experience of dancing around with a hole burned in my foot that the thought of being baptized with fire really doesn't sound all that appealing. There are many directions I could go with this, but this week I only want to focus on one. The babbitt came in gold metal bars that had to be put into a pot and melted. Once the pot reached 700 degrees, an interesting thing happened: all of the dross (the "junk") that was in the babbitt rose to the top, and it looked disgusting. Before I could use the babbitt I had to use another ladle and scrape out all of the dross. But here's the part that was interesting to me: once you did that, the babbitt looked like a golden mirror, beautiful and shiny. You could clearly see your reflection when you looked at it.
Why does God not only want to baptize us with the Holy Spirit, but also with fire? That's a multi-faceted topic, but for this week let's focus on this: we all have a lot of "junk" in our lives. Bitterness, doubt, self-pity, the holding of grudges, and many other disgusting things that I'm sure that you're already aware of in your life. Being baptized with "the fire of God" will cause those things to come to the surface - which gives God the opportunity to get them out of our lives. The great thing about that is that once that happens, God can begin to look at our lives and see His reflection in us. I Peter 1:7 says this:
"That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ."
Do you feel like you're "going through the fire" right now? If so, don't panic, just let the Holy Spirit baptize you with that fire. I know it's not pleasant, it can indeed be painful, and I know it can bring some ugly stuff up, but it's necessary if we want those ugly things gone. I don't know about you, but the thought of being a reflection of God's character sounds pretty amazing to me.
As an added bonus, it just may make you "dance like no one's watching" too. Only this dance will be a joyful one that won't leave a scar on your foot.
Saturday, August 29, 2015
Saturday, August 22, 2015
"Listen With Your Face!"
By Gobel Brockman
There's a passage of Scripture that we love to quote that's found in Jeremiah 29:11:
There's a passage of Scripture that we love to quote that's found in Jeremiah 29:11:
"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." (NKJV)
That is a great Scripture that contains a great promise. God has awesome plans for His people. He desires to restore, bless, and encourage His children. He desires that we have hope in Him and His promises. The problem is that we usually end our reading with that verse, when there is an undeniable condition that follows in verses 12 and 13:
"Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." (Emphasis mine.)
"All your heart." What does that mean? It's simple - He wants more than just your occasional attention and circumstantial dedication. He wants you. God isn't looking for people who will say, "God, I will follow You as long as You provide for me, bless me, and make me happy." He already has more than enough of those kind of followers. What He is looking for is people who will simply say, "Lord, where You lead me I will follow, and I won't delay our journey by asking why we're going there." He's looking for people who will listen when He has something to say, and will put all distractions aside and give Him their full, undivided attention. I once heard a story about a little girl who was trying to talk to her Dad while he was in the middle of working on something in his garage. She kept saying, "Daddy, listen to me!" More than once he answered, "I am listening, honey." Finally she walked over to him, took his face in her hands and turned it toward her, and then said in her innocent little voice, "No Daddy, listen with your face!" What was she asking for?
She wanted his full, undivided attention.
In our case, the roles are reversed. Our Father is trying to get OUR attention because He has much to say to us. He wants to speak words of life, healing and hope. Words of direction that if heeded, will bring us to the center of His will and help us avoid heartbreak and disappointment. The question is, will we put down our distractions long enough to "listen with our faces?"
Another verse that we've been hearing a lot lately is II Chronicles 7:14:
"If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."
An interesting thing to me is that the Hebrew word for "pray" in this verse is "palal" and a variant of it means "to make or wear a path." My prayer for myself and for all who claim Jesus as Savior is that we will take our prayer lives to a new level - that we would in the Spirit "wear a path" to the Father. I love feeling the presence of God. I love watching people be blessed in "The River" (what our church refers to as the manifest presence of God) as we corporately worship Jesus. But may God take us to a place where He has no problem getting our attention because our consecration to Him will allow for nothing else. While our hearts are enjoying His presence may our faces always be turned towards Him.
As we commit our lives to prayer, fasting, and seeking God, may we lay aside the distractions, devote ourselves completely to the Lord, be willing to "listen with our faces" and obey, and go deeper in "The River." There's so much more waiting for us there!
Saturday, August 15, 2015
God Has a Camera on Your Ceiling
By Gobel Brockman
This past week I spent two days in the hospital. I underwent a 48 hour EEG with full video monitoring. What that means is simple: everything I did, every word I said, and every move I made was captured on camera. If I was reading, they knew it. (I read three books in those 48 hours.) If I was watching TV, they saw it. (The patient liaison came in to ask why I hadn't been watching the TV that much.) If I moved from the bed to the chair, the camera on the ceiling followed me. I wasn't allowed to leave the room, and the only privacy I had was to be found in the bathroom. Let me quickly add that everyone at the hospital was extremely nice and helpful, and they did their best to put me at ease. But the idea that I was constantly being watched was on the forefront of my mind for the entire stay. I had to remind myself that the constant observation wasn't a bad thing; it was for my medical benefit.
As I've mentioned before, one thing that is interesting to me about ministry is that you look for life lessons in just about everything. A seemingly insignificant observation while driving to the store can end up being a sermon illustration. During my 48 hours of medically-induced "incarceration," a Scripture found in Psalms 139:1-8 kept going through my mind:
"O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether. You have hedged me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it. Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there." (NKJV)
That passage of Scripture has a very simple meaning: I am never out of God's sight. That can indeed be a scary thing if you're doing things that you know you shouldn't be doing. Man may never see or know the sinful things we do, but not only does God see them but He will one day hold us accountable for them if we refuse to repent and accept Christ's sacrifice. But this week I don't want to look at this in a negative light; knowing that there is nothing that happens in my life that escapes God's attention is also extremely comforting to me. Yes, He knows my sin and my failure. Yes, I need to take those sins and failures to Him and receive His forgiveness and restoration. But He also sees every tear, every pain, every worry, and every second of doubt and uncertainty that I go through. When I've endured the loss of loved ones, He was there with His comfort. When my bills were greater than my income, His provision made a way. In my darkest times when I felt that all hope was lost, He was there to gently whisper, "Hope isn't lost, because I'm still here. I haven't brought you this far to leave you now."
Some of you reading this may be facing some pain or uncertainty in your life right now. An illness that treatment doesn't seem to be helping. A family member who seems to keep straying farther and farther away. An addiction that seemingly can't be overcame. Perhaps you're not answering your phone right now because the only question you have about the call is "Which bill collector is it this time?" If that's you, and you have given your life to Christ, you need to know this right now:
God has His eyes on you.
He knows when you lie down and when you arise. He knows your thoughts, your pain, and your confusion. He knows your temptation to throw up your hands, turn away in disgust, and just walk away from the whole thing. And here's the good news - none of it pushes Him away from you or make Him love you any less. The Bible says this in Romans 8:38-39:
"For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Child of God, hear that message clearly: NOTHING can separate you from the love of God. Regardless of what you're facing right now, God sees, God knows, and God cares. Take it to Him now in faith and trust Him.
Don't hide from His camera - it's a waste of time to try anyway. Let Him see, and let Him help.
This past week I spent two days in the hospital. I underwent a 48 hour EEG with full video monitoring. What that means is simple: everything I did, every word I said, and every move I made was captured on camera. If I was reading, they knew it. (I read three books in those 48 hours.) If I was watching TV, they saw it. (The patient liaison came in to ask why I hadn't been watching the TV that much.) If I moved from the bed to the chair, the camera on the ceiling followed me. I wasn't allowed to leave the room, and the only privacy I had was to be found in the bathroom. Let me quickly add that everyone at the hospital was extremely nice and helpful, and they did their best to put me at ease. But the idea that I was constantly being watched was on the forefront of my mind for the entire stay. I had to remind myself that the constant observation wasn't a bad thing; it was for my medical benefit.
As I've mentioned before, one thing that is interesting to me about ministry is that you look for life lessons in just about everything. A seemingly insignificant observation while driving to the store can end up being a sermon illustration. During my 48 hours of medically-induced "incarceration," a Scripture found in Psalms 139:1-8 kept going through my mind:
"O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether. You have hedged me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it. Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there." (NKJV)
That passage of Scripture has a very simple meaning: I am never out of God's sight. That can indeed be a scary thing if you're doing things that you know you shouldn't be doing. Man may never see or know the sinful things we do, but not only does God see them but He will one day hold us accountable for them if we refuse to repent and accept Christ's sacrifice. But this week I don't want to look at this in a negative light; knowing that there is nothing that happens in my life that escapes God's attention is also extremely comforting to me. Yes, He knows my sin and my failure. Yes, I need to take those sins and failures to Him and receive His forgiveness and restoration. But He also sees every tear, every pain, every worry, and every second of doubt and uncertainty that I go through. When I've endured the loss of loved ones, He was there with His comfort. When my bills were greater than my income, His provision made a way. In my darkest times when I felt that all hope was lost, He was there to gently whisper, "Hope isn't lost, because I'm still here. I haven't brought you this far to leave you now."
Some of you reading this may be facing some pain or uncertainty in your life right now. An illness that treatment doesn't seem to be helping. A family member who seems to keep straying farther and farther away. An addiction that seemingly can't be overcame. Perhaps you're not answering your phone right now because the only question you have about the call is "Which bill collector is it this time?" If that's you, and you have given your life to Christ, you need to know this right now:
God has His eyes on you.
He knows when you lie down and when you arise. He knows your thoughts, your pain, and your confusion. He knows your temptation to throw up your hands, turn away in disgust, and just walk away from the whole thing. And here's the good news - none of it pushes Him away from you or make Him love you any less. The Bible says this in Romans 8:38-39:
"For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Child of God, hear that message clearly: NOTHING can separate you from the love of God. Regardless of what you're facing right now, God sees, God knows, and God cares. Take it to Him now in faith and trust Him.
Don't hide from His camera - it's a waste of time to try anyway. Let Him see, and let Him help.
Sunday, August 9, 2015
What Will Your Legacy Be?
By Gobel Brockman
I honestly don't know how many funerals I've conducted over the years, but a couple have always stuck with me. One was for an elderly gentleman at the church I was pastoring at the time. This man was a loving husband and father, was active in the church, and left a positive impression on just about everyone he met. He also had an incredible sense of humor. His memorial service was amazing. Of course there was sadness for the family's loss, but it was also a time of joy for a life that touched many, many people. There were many times people broke out in laughter as stories were shared of the humorous things he had done over the years. There was also much joy in recounting the times he had touched other's lives by his example. It was truly a memorial service that honored a life well-lived.
The other funeral was for a person I did not know personally. The funeral home contacted me because the family had no "religious affiliation" and needed someone to do the service. In those times all a minister can really do is talk to the family and friends to learn as much as possible about the person. In this case, there weren't really any "funny stories" and only a few impersonal, generic niceties. I was literally told by the funeral home director, "The family has asked that the service be short, and they don't want to be preached to." There were very few tears, and I heard little from those in attendance that could be considered 'grief.' At the end of the service, almost everyone walked by the casket seemingly out of obligation, barely stopping before heading to the door.
The feeling - "spirit" if you will - of those two services were as different as different gets. One was a celebration of a life that everyone there was happy to be a part of, the other little more than a necessity. When I think of this, I think of what kind of legacy will I be leaving behind. I'm not talking about my funeral, I'm talking about how I'm living my life while I'm alive. Questions like:
What am I doing for Jesus?
Am I touching people's lives in a positive way?
Am I being as forgiving of others as I hope they'll be of me?
Does my life reflect the faith I say I believe?
There have been people in my life who have not only been a blessing to me, but who have influenced me to strive to be a better person. (Of course there have been other people who have been influential to me by showing me whatnot to do!) I know everyone reading this can say the same thing. My goal is to hopefully be a living example of what God can do in a person's life. In II Timothy 4 the apostle Paul told Timothy to "...be an example to the believers in speech, in conduct, in love. in faith, and in purity." As Christians in a world where hope is a rare commodity, may people see "Christ in us, the hope of glory." (Colossians 1:27)
I promise my goal this week is not to depress you, it's simply to remind us all that RIGHT NOW is our opportunity to live a life of faith, hope, and power that will honor Christ and let others see the goodness of God through us. RIGHT NOW is our time to be light in a darkened world. Philippians 2:13 is one of my favorite verses, which says: "It is God who works in you both to will and to do His good pleasure." That verse tells me that not only does God want me to honor Him with my life, but He's constantly working in me to make it happen.
May we all be willing vessels in His hands so that we can leave a legacy behind that brings glory to God and joy to our family and friends.
I honestly don't know how many funerals I've conducted over the years, but a couple have always stuck with me. One was for an elderly gentleman at the church I was pastoring at the time. This man was a loving husband and father, was active in the church, and left a positive impression on just about everyone he met. He also had an incredible sense of humor. His memorial service was amazing. Of course there was sadness for the family's loss, but it was also a time of joy for a life that touched many, many people. There were many times people broke out in laughter as stories were shared of the humorous things he had done over the years. There was also much joy in recounting the times he had touched other's lives by his example. It was truly a memorial service that honored a life well-lived.
The other funeral was for a person I did not know personally. The funeral home contacted me because the family had no "religious affiliation" and needed someone to do the service. In those times all a minister can really do is talk to the family and friends to learn as much as possible about the person. In this case, there weren't really any "funny stories" and only a few impersonal, generic niceties. I was literally told by the funeral home director, "The family has asked that the service be short, and they don't want to be preached to." There were very few tears, and I heard little from those in attendance that could be considered 'grief.' At the end of the service, almost everyone walked by the casket seemingly out of obligation, barely stopping before heading to the door.
The feeling - "spirit" if you will - of those two services were as different as different gets. One was a celebration of a life that everyone there was happy to be a part of, the other little more than a necessity. When I think of this, I think of what kind of legacy will I be leaving behind. I'm not talking about my funeral, I'm talking about how I'm living my life while I'm alive. Questions like:
What am I doing for Jesus?
Am I touching people's lives in a positive way?
Am I being as forgiving of others as I hope they'll be of me?
Does my life reflect the faith I say I believe?
There have been people in my life who have not only been a blessing to me, but who have influenced me to strive to be a better person. (Of course there have been other people who have been influential to me by showing me whatnot to do!) I know everyone reading this can say the same thing. My goal is to hopefully be a living example of what God can do in a person's life. In II Timothy 4 the apostle Paul told Timothy to "...be an example to the believers in speech, in conduct, in love. in faith, and in purity." As Christians in a world where hope is a rare commodity, may people see "Christ in us, the hope of glory." (Colossians 1:27)
I promise my goal this week is not to depress you, it's simply to remind us all that RIGHT NOW is our opportunity to live a life of faith, hope, and power that will honor Christ and let others see the goodness of God through us. RIGHT NOW is our time to be light in a darkened world. Philippians 2:13 is one of my favorite verses, which says: "It is God who works in you both to will and to do His good pleasure." That verse tells me that not only does God want me to honor Him with my life, but He's constantly working in me to make it happen.
May we all be willing vessels in His hands so that we can leave a legacy behind that brings glory to God and joy to our family and friends.
Saturday, August 1, 2015
It's Right Outside Our Door
By Gobel Brockman
Yesterday (as I write this) I went into a fast food restaurant for lunch. As soon as I sat down, I saw a lady a few booths away who was obviously homeless. It was apparent that it had been a while since she had washed her clothes. She had about five well-worn handbags sitting on the table in front of her that possibly contained everything she owned. She was sitting there resting her head on the table. Almost as soon as I sat down with my meal, a police officer pulled up outside, walked in and sat down next to her table and begin speaking with her. When I finished my meal, he was still speaking with her. I went back to the counter and bought a meal for her and set it on the table beside her and left. (I didn't think it would be a good idea to interrupt the police officer.)
I'm not writing this to tell you about me spending a couple of bucks on a burger for someone else - people do that every day. I'm writing this because as I was driving home, a simple thought kept running through my mind. I've taken a couple of one-day trips to East St. Louis to spend with a friend of mine who does urban street ministry. They were incredibly powerful times that have been burned into my heart, and I look forward to hopefully being able to visit there again. I also would absolutely love to be able to go on a short-term missions trip sometime, and I'm praying that God will make that possible one day. But the thought that kept running through my mind is that we don't have to drive halfway across the country – or get on a plane and fly halfway around the world – to find hurting people.
All you have to do is walk out your front door.
People don't have to be hungry or homeless to be hurting. We are surrounded by people with nice homes and full refrigerators who still have broken hearts, broken relationships, and within themselves can see no hope for their future. I can still remember my own life before I came to Jesus. I have never been without a roof over my head, and I have never had to go hungry, but I was still hurting. The Bible says in John 10 that the devil seeks "to kill, steal, and destroy" and that's exactly what he was doing in my life. We are surrounded by people who are enduring that very thing in their lives right now. They may have plenty in the material realm, but in their hearts they are fighting depression, anger, and hopelessness. Some have been hurt by others and bitterness is robbing them of their peace of mind. The devil may not be stealing their "stuff," but he's stealing their hope that their lives can change.
As followers of Jesus, it is our calling to minister Christ's love to them. Jesus said this in Matthew 5:14-16:
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." (ESV)
If you have accepted Christ as your Savior, He has lit a flame within your heart. He did that so that His light can be seen in you by others. We don't have to be called to be missionaries to work in the mission field. Wherever we are right now is our mission field. My encouragement to all of us is to draw closer to Jesus, allow His love and His light to work in our hearts, and then go out and show what that love looks like to people who need it. I don't know about you, but I can be incredibly selfish and self-centered sometimes. I pray that God will continually break that in me. Do you need to join me in that prayer?
I close this week with the words of Jesus found in Luke 2:49 when He was twelve years old and Mary and Joseph were looking for Him in Jerusalem:
"And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? Knew ye not that I must be about my Father's business?"
May we be able to say the same.
Yesterday (as I write this) I went into a fast food restaurant for lunch. As soon as I sat down, I saw a lady a few booths away who was obviously homeless. It was apparent that it had been a while since she had washed her clothes. She had about five well-worn handbags sitting on the table in front of her that possibly contained everything she owned. She was sitting there resting her head on the table. Almost as soon as I sat down with my meal, a police officer pulled up outside, walked in and sat down next to her table and begin speaking with her. When I finished my meal, he was still speaking with her. I went back to the counter and bought a meal for her and set it on the table beside her and left. (I didn't think it would be a good idea to interrupt the police officer.)
I'm not writing this to tell you about me spending a couple of bucks on a burger for someone else - people do that every day. I'm writing this because as I was driving home, a simple thought kept running through my mind. I've taken a couple of one-day trips to East St. Louis to spend with a friend of mine who does urban street ministry. They were incredibly powerful times that have been burned into my heart, and I look forward to hopefully being able to visit there again. I also would absolutely love to be able to go on a short-term missions trip sometime, and I'm praying that God will make that possible one day. But the thought that kept running through my mind is that we don't have to drive halfway across the country – or get on a plane and fly halfway around the world – to find hurting people.
All you have to do is walk out your front door.
People don't have to be hungry or homeless to be hurting. We are surrounded by people with nice homes and full refrigerators who still have broken hearts, broken relationships, and within themselves can see no hope for their future. I can still remember my own life before I came to Jesus. I have never been without a roof over my head, and I have never had to go hungry, but I was still hurting. The Bible says in John 10 that the devil seeks "to kill, steal, and destroy" and that's exactly what he was doing in my life. We are surrounded by people who are enduring that very thing in their lives right now. They may have plenty in the material realm, but in their hearts they are fighting depression, anger, and hopelessness. Some have been hurt by others and bitterness is robbing them of their peace of mind. The devil may not be stealing their "stuff," but he's stealing their hope that their lives can change.
As followers of Jesus, it is our calling to minister Christ's love to them. Jesus said this in Matthew 5:14-16:
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." (ESV)
If you have accepted Christ as your Savior, He has lit a flame within your heart. He did that so that His light can be seen in you by others. We don't have to be called to be missionaries to work in the mission field. Wherever we are right now is our mission field. My encouragement to all of us is to draw closer to Jesus, allow His love and His light to work in our hearts, and then go out and show what that love looks like to people who need it. I don't know about you, but I can be incredibly selfish and self-centered sometimes. I pray that God will continually break that in me. Do you need to join me in that prayer?
I close this week with the words of Jesus found in Luke 2:49 when He was twelve years old and Mary and Joseph were looking for Him in Jerusalem:
"And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? Knew ye not that I must be about my Father's business?"
May we be able to say the same.
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