Want a Successful New Year's Resolution? Resolve to Follow Jesus.

By Gobel Brockman


As I type this, the celebrations are underway.

2016 is coming to an end, and we are about to enter 2017.

For some people, the end of 2016 can't come soon enough, For others, it's been a great year. I'm sure that many of you reading this have endured difficulties this year: the loss of a loved one, financial difficulty, job uncertainty, or a host of other situations. I'm also certain that for some reading this, this year has held many blessings - new love in your life, the birth of a child or grandchild, and possibly great and unexpected blessings. Wherever you find yourself at the end of this year, my prayer for you is that 2017 will be a year of joy, contentment, and most of all, spiritual renewal and revival as Jesus Christ reveals Himself to you in a greater way through the power of the Holy Spirit.

As we enter this new year, my thoughts right now are on a ritual that many engage in during this season: the "New Year's Resolution." People make many pledges and promises during this time - resolutions to lose weight, take better care of themselves, spend more time with their families, etc. Sadly, these resolutions are usually short-lived. This can lead to disappointing feelings of failure and cause us to give up hope. But as I think of this I'm reminded of what took place in the book of Exodus. God had performed many miracles for the children of Israel to set them free from Egyptian bondage. As they were about to see the final plague poured out upon Egypt, which would secure their release, God said this to them in Exodus 12:2:

     "This month shall be for you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month for you."  

God went on to tell them that every year they were to celebrate the Passover to remember this day - the "new beginning of the new year" - throughout their history to remind them of what God had done for them. My point is that their freedom came because of what God had miraculously done for them. They were about to be set free and experience a new beginning not because they freed themselves from Egypt, but because GOD set them free! As we go through this time of "New Year's Resolutions" and the disappointment that usually goes with them, I want to encourage you with this:

Changes we try to make for ourselves are limited at best, but when we allow God to make the changes, He will truly give us a "new beginning."

One of my favorite verses is Philippians 2:13, which says this:

     "For it is God who works in you both to will and to do His good pleasure."

What I'm trying to say this week is simply this: if you want real, lasting change in your life, allow God to move in your life by the power of the Holy Ghost, and the changes will happen not for your glory, but for His. I can tell you both from Scripture and personal experience that the best way to change your life is submit to God through Jesus Christ and let HIM make the changes. He will give you a genuine and eternal "new beginning."

I pray that everyone reading this has a fantastic 2017! You'll find it as you follow Jesus.

The Message of Christmas Will Change Your Life - Drastically.

By Gobel Brockman

Another Christmas is upon us. Once again we join with family, friends, and coworkers for food, presents, fellowship, and more food. It's also that time of year for the "Chreasters" - people who go to church twice a year; Christmas and Easter. Every year we hear about a star, a manger, wise men, and a virgin giving birth. But this year I want to look at the Christmas story in a way we don't often think about. It affected a lot of lives in ways that it also affects ours today:

*King Herod

He was king. His word was law. He then hears the news from wise men that a new king has been born. What that meant to him was simple: his kingdom was now in jeopardy. He made the horrible decision to have all the male children two and under killed in an attempt to keep this new king from his kingdom. However, his attempts were futile. Our attempts to keep His rule out of our lives will be futile as well. The Bible says in Philippians 2 that "every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus is Lord." That includes Herod - and you and me. He will be our Lord - whether we want Him to be or not.

*Joseph

The Bible describes him as "a just man." He finds out that his fiancé is pregnant, but doesn't want to publicly disgrace her. He was told that the child was conceived by the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph's life was turned upside down. He had to take his new family and flee into Egypt, and continually dwelled with uncertainty as God directed his life through dreams. The lesson he learned is a lesson we must learn as well: when Jesus comes into your life, your life gets turned upside down, and you become completely dependent on His guidance and provision. 

*Jesus

He was Immanuel - "God in the flesh." He was worthy of praise, admiration, and worship, yet He came in the form of a servant. Time and time again He stated that His desire was to do His Father's will - knowing that His will would ultimately lead to the cross. In spite of that, Jesus embraced the Father's will and fulfilled it. The Christmas lesson we really need to learn is that Jesus came to fulfill God's purpose, and we are called to do likewise. Jesus said in Luke 9 that to be His disciples we must take up our cross and follow Him. What He wants for Christmas is simple: everything we have and everything we are.

As much as we enjoy the food, the parties, and the presents, may we never lose sight of the undeniable truth that the message of Christmas is simple: when Jesus shows up, your life will never be the same. He messed up the lives of Herod, the wise men, Mary and Joseph, and He's been doing it ever since. He gave His all to purchase our salvation, and demands our all if we are to become His disciples. 

This year, may we celebrate Christmas as it was lived and intended - unconditional surrender to the will of God. 

That's a gift He'll truly enjoy receiving.

I'd Give My Right Arm To Be Ambidextrous

By Gobel Brockman


There are many things that I'm am guilty of, but being a "handyman" has never been one of them. For most guys a hammer or wrench in their hands is a valuable tool. For me, they're a dangerous weapon - to me and to anyone who may be standing nearby. Give me a wrench or screwdriver and my hand - and more importantly, my brain - will go numb. The simplest of household tasks will become huge undertakings for me. Red Green is better at home repairs than I am. (If you're familiar with The Red Green Show you know that's not a good thing.) I will admit that I sometimes become quite embarrassed by my inability to "work with my hands." After all, if you're a guy, that's what guys do. Except for this guy. I have to ask for help with tasks that most men could complete in less than 15 minutes. Again, I sometimes feel horrible about this.

I am a musician. God has blessed me with the ability to play music. I've never became overly proficient on one instrument, but I've been able to become "adequate" on a few. God has also blessed me over the years in doing some songwriting. None have ever been published, but a few people over the years have shared with me that a particular song has been a blessing to them at a particular point in their lives. That is an incredible blessing to hear, and I give God all of the glory for those times.

The reason I mention all of this is that there have been a few times in my life when I wished I could trade some of my musical gifts for a little bit of mechanical know-how. As I mentioned earlier, it's quite humbling to have to admit that the simplest task is over your head. But as I've thought along those lines, this thought always come to me: the same God who gave me any musical ability I have is the same God who gives those guys the ability to do what they do. The Bible says in James that "Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father of lights." Which brings me to an interesting point: we always seem to want what someone else has instead of being thankful for what we do have. Over the years I've seen many people try to do things they want to do instead of what they are gifted to do. People who have a singing voice that sounds like Gilbert Gottfried with laryngitis shouldn't try to sing solos in church - no matter how much they want to. Guys like me shouldn't volunteer to help with the Sunday School room remodeling project. (And trust me, I don't. I help by staying out of their way. They seem to appreciate that!)

The apostle Paul touched on this in I Corinthians 12. He told them that as Christians, we are different parts of the body of Christ. He went on to tell them that the eye can't say, "Because I'm not the ear, I'm not part of the body...If the whole body were the eye, where is the hearing? If the whole body were the ear, where is the smelling?" That is a powerful Scripture for me, because it teaches a simple yet profound truth: everyone has something that they can contribute to the body of Christ. Instead of focusing on all the things you can't do, recognize that the abilities that you do have were given to you by God, and He gave you those gifts to glorify Him. Sometimes the church needs a song. Sometimes it needs a toilet repaired. Sometimes someone in the church needs a few meals prepared for them as they are going through a difficult time. (This is another area where I help out by staying out of the way.) Someone else may need someone who's a great listener with an incredible amount of wisdom. Somewhere, someone needs the gifts that God has blessed you with. When you allow Him to use you in those gifts, people will be blessed by it. And I promise you this - even if no one else notices, God will. So rejoice and give glory to God in the gifts He has given you. Allow Him to use you to minister to others with those gifts. 

But if you need my help fixing something in your house, I'll help by giving you a few phone numbers of handymen I know.

Worship Is a Verb (Audio Message)

This is an audio recording of a recent message on worship that I preached at Northview Assembly of God. Just click on the link below:

http://chirb.it/FFnm01

God May Want You to Feed His Locusts

By Gobel Brockman



I once heard the story about a pastor of an old country church. There was a lady who faithfully attended there, but her husband, a farmer, wanted no part of it. While he was a good, loving husband to his wife and friendly with the pastor, he was almost belligerent in his belief that there was no God. For several years the pastor talked with the man about the things of God, with seemingly little results. However, after several years of seeing his wife's Godly character and hearing the pastor declare God's word to him, he finally came to faith in Jesus Christ. His wife, the pastor, and many in the community were overjoyed.

Less than a week later, the pastor got a call - the farmer's entire wheat crop had been decimated by locusts. As he drove to the farmer's home he vented his frustration to God: "God, how could you let this happen? We've spent years talking to this man, praying for this man, crying over this man, hoping to see him come to believe in You. Now that he finally has, You let THIS happen? What do I do or say to him now?" As he walked through the front door, he heard something he did not expect - the farmer was walking through his house quietly singing: "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me..." The conversation that followed went something like this:

Pastor: "Uhhh...I heard you had some damage to your wheat crop?"
Farmer: "Yep, I just got back from checking things out. The crop's a total loss."
Pastor: "Uhhh...I gotta say, you seem to be handling it a lot better than I thought you might."
Farmer: "It's this simple - when I gave my heart to Jesus last Sunday, I gave him my fields too, and if He wants to feed HIS locusts with HIS wheat crops, I reckon that's HIS business. I know He'll take care of us."

There are a couple of lessons we can learn from that farmer:

     *The Bible says in Psalms 24:1 that "The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof..." I think we need to be reminded from time to time that we really don't own anything. The house we live in, the car(s) we drive, the money in the bank, and all the "stuff" that we spend our lifetimes accumulating. None of it's really ours, because "The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof." It's all His; we're merely getting to borrow it for awhile. I'm very thankful for our house, our cars, and all of the blessings I have in my life, but I try to always remember that they won't fit in my casket when it's time for me to go.

     *That farmer learned a valuable lesson very early in his faith - you can't "give your heart to Jesus" unless you're willing to give Him everything else in your life too. Committing your life to Christ is so much more than just changing how you spend your Sunday mornings. It's a call to surrender every aspect of your life to Him. Your family, your job, your finances, your future....and if I've left anything out, that too. Jesus is not only Savior, He's Lord, which means He gets to call the shots in your life. As it's been said before, either He's Lord OF all in your life or He's not Lord AT all in your life.

I think we all have "wheat fields" in our lives that mean a lot to us. I'm not telling you that if you commit your life to Jesus you're going to lose your wheat field. I'm telling you that your heart and your wheat field are a package deal. You can't give Him one without the other, and since the wheat field's already His, you may as well give Him your heart too. It's a wise investment.

Your Freedom Is Within Reach

By Gobel Brockman



     "The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy; but I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." - John 10:10

     "For this purpose was the Son of God manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil." - 1 John 3:8

A sad but true reality is that we don't have to look very hard to find human suffering. We are surrounded by hospitals filled with sick and injured people who want nothing more than a few moments of relief from their pain. Right now - even as I type these words - someone is being physically or emotionally abused due to the cruelty of alcohol abuse. Urban streets are the only home that far too many people know, with men, women, and children sleeping under overpasses or abandoned vehicles hoping to find what little shelter they can find. Right now far too many children are hungry with nothing to fill their empty stomachs. I could continue, and the list is as long as it is heartbreaking. I've said all of that to simply say this:

The devil is seeking to steal, kill, and destroy in this very hour.

However, he doesn't have the final say.

Jesus Christ came into this world to destroy the works of the devil. When Jesus willingly gave His life on the cross, He paid the ultimate price for our sin. When Jesus cried from the cross "It is finished" He was saying that the victory over the devil was forever won. You and I can now live and walk in the freedom that Jesus paid for on the cross. When He physically rose from the dead three days later, He said, "All authority is given unto Me in heaven and on earth." (Matthew 28:18) We have access to receive the benefits of everything that Jesus did on the cross for us. Yes, we live in a sinful world where bad things happen, but we can live in victory and freedom in the midst of it all. As we live in these days we see the Holy Ghost moving in increasingly powerful ways.

I'm writing this week's devotional about 24 hours after attending a crusade service that was more incredible than I can put into words. Jesus Christ was preached, honored, and glorified, and the Holy Ghost moved in an awesome display of power. A lady who had not been able to walk without a walker for about three years begin to walk up and down the aisle of the church without assistance after receiving prayer. That's just one example of many people who received a healing touch at this meeting. The service began with a man coming forward with his wife. She received a healing touch, and more importantly, he immediately accepted Jesus Christ as Lord of his life. Again, I could tell of many others who received from the Lord, but my point is this: what took place was what our Scripture at the beginning mentioned - the power in the name of Jesus destroyed the works of the devil in many lives that night. That same power is available to you!

If you are hurting in any way right now - physically or emotionally - I do not offer you hope in religion. I preach to you the gospel (good news) of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. There is power in His name! I encourage you to surrender your life to Him today. Yes, He died for the whole world (John 3:16), and that includes YOU!

Your freedom is within reach. Reach out to Jesus today.

It's Time to Worship. Grab Your Knife.

By Gobel Brockman

The book of Genesis tells us the story of Abraham and his wife Sarah. When they were both old and past the age of having children, God made a promise to Abraham that he would be "the father of many nations." The Bible goes on to say that "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness."  In time God fulfilled the promise and Isaac was born. In Genesis 22:1-5 we are then told this story that took place years later:

     "Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.”

I want to emphasize that this was more than Abraham just being asked to sacrifice his son: he was being asked to give back the very promise of God to him. I love Abraham's response: "So Abraham rose early in the morning." There was no hesitation or second thoughts in Abraham's mind. God had issued the demand, and he was going to obey. He went on to tell his servants something even more interesting: "The lad and I will go yonder and worship..." This brings me to the main point that I want to make this week. When Abraham went with Isaac up the mountain, he wasn't carrying a guitar to sing worship songs around the fire with Isaac. He didn't have praise music downloaded on an MP3 player and headphones. He went up that mountain with a knife. Let me say it this way:

American Christians seem to judge worship by which bands are going to be playing at WinterJam, or which "big name" speakers will be at the next conference. Abraham judged worship by the size of his knife.

I also want you to notice how Abraham finished his sentence: "The lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you." Abraham was going to sacrifice his son, and yet he said "we" will come back. How could he say that? Hebrews 11:17-19 gives us the answer:

     "By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense."

Abraham had faith that if necessary, God could and would raise Isaac from the dead. Abraham passed the test and God provided a ram for the sacrifice. The promise of God was still alive and well! The promises of God are alive and well for us also. What we are called to do, however, is to follow Abraham's example and trust God with the promises that He has made to us. God is indeed faithful and true to His word and His promises. The challenge is whether or not we trust Him to fulfill them. So what will our response be? Are we willing to take the promises of God and go worship? Are we willing to go not with a guitar or a keyboard, but with a knife and a sacrificial fire?

That should make for an interesting worship conference.

The Holy Spirit

By Gobel Brockman

*NOTE: This week's devotional is an excerpt from my book "The Holy Spirit: Still for Today, Still for You" All of my books are available for FREE download for Kindle and Kindle apps on Sunday & Monday, November 20-21 (US Eastern Standard Time) at this link: 

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_8?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=gobel+brockman+kindle&sprefix=gobel+br%2Caps%2C192&crid=1RA9E3IT6UECU

In John 13 Jesus shared what we refer to today as “The Last Supper” with His disciples. When they were finished in the upper room, they departed to go to the garden of Gethsemane. What I have found interesting as I’ve studied this story over the years is that in His last moments of freedom, what was one of the prominent things that Jesus chose to speak to His disciples about? In these last moments Jesus focused on telling the disciples about the coming Holy Spirit. In John chapters 14 through 16 – while walking to the place of His betrayal - Jesus mentioned the Holy Spirit’s role in their lives at least five times. As He told them about what the Holy Spirit would do in their lives, it’s important to understand that He was telling us the same thing - what Jesus told them about the Holy Spirit is for us today as well! Let’s take a look at what Jesus said to them about the Holy Spirit, with the understanding that He desires to do the same things in our lives today.

COUNSELOR

     “I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Counselor, that He may be with you forever: the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, for it does not see Him, neither does it know Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you, and will be in you.” – John 14:16-17

Almost immediately after telling the disciples that He was “the way, the truth, and the life” (verse 6) Jesus tells them that He would pray that the Father would give them “another Counselor.” The Greek word for “Counselor” in this passage is parakletos, and it has an interesting meaning: “intercessor, consoler, advocate, comforter; one who is summoned and called to one’s side; one who pleads another’s cause.”

What an amazing thought – the Holy Spirit is there to console us, comfort us, and intercede for us! I want to emphasize again a very important point: we are not called to live a victorious Christian life in our own strength. Anything that God asks of us, He will also through the Holy Spirit give us the power to carry it out. We must understand that God has not left us to do this alone! I also believe it’s important to note that Jesus said in this passage that the Holy Spirit would not only live with us, but in us. He doesn’t desire to just show up when we need Him, but He desires to take up permanent residence in us! 

TRUTH

     “But when the Counselor comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness of Me.” – John 15:26

“He will bear witness of Me.” In this passage we see an incredible truth – the Holy Spirit will always direct us to Jesus Christ. In these last days when Jesus said that deception and “false Christs” would arise, I cannot emphasize enough just how important it is for us to be established in truth. We again hear Jesus referring to the Holy Spirit as “the Spirit of truth.” False doctrine and deceptive, even devilish heresies have always been something that the people of God must be on guard against. If we will give Him place in our daily lives, the Holy Spirit will help us in this area by continually bringing us back to the simplicity that is found in Christ. The Apostle Paul spoke plainly about this in 1 Corinthians 12:3:

     “Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed!” And no one can say, “Jesus is the Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.”

In short: any person, any preacher, any church, or any denominational hierarchy that denies that absolute Lordship of Jesus Christ is not being led by the Holy Spirit and must be avoided at all costs!

Move Your Magnifying Glass

By Gobel Brockman


     "Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together." - Psalms 34:3

I feel comfortable in saying that most of you reading this have looked through a magnifying glass. If you happen to have one handy, take me moment and check it out. Hold it next to the computer, tablet, or smartphone that you're reading this on. Hold it close to the screen, then move it back a few inches. You'll notice that as you move the magnifying glass, the object you're looking at is changing sizes.

Well, at least it appears to be changing sizes.

The simple and obvious truth is that what you're looking at isn't changing sizes at all. So what's happening? The object isn't changing; your perception of what you're seeing is what's actually changing. An object that seems small can become much bigger in your eyes with just the slightest movement of the magnifying glass. In the Scripture quoted above, we are told to "magnify the Lord." For me, that poses an interesting question: how could we possibly make God bigger? Isaiah 66:1 tells us this:

     "Thus says the Lord: Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool. Where then is the house that you could build for Me? And where is the place of My rest?"

If Heaven and earth can't contain Him, then how can we make Him any bigger? The obvious answer is that we can't. So just what does it mean to magnify the Lord? Simple - we change the way we look at Him! So many people look at God as some kind of cruel taskmaster who can't wait for us to mess up so that He can destroy us. Others see Him almost as a "foster father" who only tolerates us for what He might receive from us. I say to you that God is nothing like that at all! He is loving, gracious, kind, and as II Peter 3:9 says, He is "not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance." When the Bible tells us to "magnify the Lord" I believe that one aspect of that is simply to change the way you view Him.

Whether we think of it in these terms or not, we're always magnifying something. The problem is that far too often we magnify the wrong things. We look at out financial situation and think it's way too big for us to handle. We may look at our health issues and think that our physical problems are too difficult for us to endure. Sometimes there may be a family member facing an addiction or difficult situation and we're tempted to think that it's hopeless. My point is that in those times we are magnifying the wrong thing. Rather than seeing our problems as too big, perhaps we should instead begin seeing our God as more than big enough to handle them, and big enough to give us grace to make it through them. Many times we come to God feeling as though we need some kind of miraculous breakthrough, when all we really need is to, if you will, "move our magnifying glass" and start seeing God differently. Instead of increasing our doubt and unbelief, why not begin to see God in His holiness and love and begin watching our faith grow? If you are a Christian and you're presently facing a serious situation for which you have no answer, my advice to you is simple:

Move your magnifying glass. Point it in the right direction. God's already big enough to help - just start seeing Him that way.

How Clean Is Your Dirt?

By Gobel Brockman


In the fourth chapter of the book of Mark, Jesus tells a parable about a man sowing seed on different kinds of ground. He said that some fell on the path and birds immediately came and devoured the seed. He said that other seed fell in shallow soil where they couldn't take root and soon withered. Some seed fell among thorns where they grew but couldn't flourish. Some, however, fell on good ground and were able to produce an abundant harvest. For this week's devotional I would like to look specifically at the third group He mentioned.

In verses 18 and 19 of Mark 4 Jesus described this group:

     "Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful."

There's a point that I want to make about these verses, and it's what I would like to focus on this week. In the first two groups Jesus mentioned, the seed had little or no chance of growing. That was not the case with this group of seed. The potential was there for growth and a successful harvest. The problem wasn't that the ground wasn't fertile, the problem was that it was cluttered. I honestly believe that this is one of the biggest problems that people face today regarding the depth of their belief and commitment to Jesus Christ. You see, many people will say that they believe that Jesus is the Son of God. They will give mental assent to the truth of the gospel. The problem, however, is that mental assent isn't enough. In the book of James we read that the devils believe in God - and tremble. (James 2:19) Faith in God that is genuine will produce within us a desire to remove anything in our lives that will hinder our spiritual growth - and within that thought lies a huge problem.

When we think about things that can hinder our faith we immediately begin thinking about specific sins - drunkenness, adultery and fornication, and physical violence among many other things. But if we will notice what Jesus said in our passage from Mark 4, we will see none of those things mentioned. What we see instead is "cares of this world" deceitfulness of riches" and "desires for other things." What's the point? These people weren't hindered by blatant sin, they were hindered by "innocent" distractions. For them, it wasn't a case of not believing, it was a case of divided loyalty and misplaced priority. Let me say it this way:

Sin doesn't always look ugly. 

Sometimes sin is obvious and horrible, but sometimes it comes in the form of simply being too busy doing "good" things. We can become so caught up with our families, our careers, our finances, and our desire to have fun that we lose sight of the most important thing in life - the God who created us and sent His Son to die for our sins. I'll get to the point: if there are things in your life that are more important to you than your life in Christ, they will soon choke out your desire to live for Him altogether. We think of idol worship as doing things like burning incense to statues and sacrificing animals, but sometimes idol worship takes the form of being so busy with our families that we forget the God who blessed us with those families. I look at it like this: an idol is anything you have to get permission from before you can say "yes" to Christ. When we're too busy for what Christ wants in our lives, we're too busy. Period. When we consider that Jesus said that the greatest commandment of all was to "Love God with all of your heart, your soul, your mind, and your strength" (Matthew 22:37-38) that should let us know how He feels about divided loyalty.

So I end this week by asking a simple question: are there "thorns" in your soil? If so, who's responsibility is it to clean them out?

There's No Need for Fear

By Gobel Brockman



I once heard a story about a couple who walked into a restaurant. As soon as they entered they saw a man who fit the mold of the stereotypical 'biker' - a big, burly guy with long hair pulled into a ponytail, full scruffy beard, leather vest over a Harley Davidson T-shirt, and even the wallet with a chain attached to his belt. And what was this guy doing? Standing on a chair with a look of sheer terror on his face. The couple soon found out what the problem was - he had seen a spider. This big, burly man who could cause fear in others with his simple presence suffered from arachnophobia - to the extent that the mere sight of a spider caused a fearful reaction. Think about that for a moment. (In the book of Psalms when you see the word "Selah" that's part of what that means.)

Fear is a powerful thing. It can easily make rational people do irrational things. And please remember that there's a difference between fear and caution. Putting a seat belt on when you get into a car isn't fear, but being reluctant to get into a car because of what might happen is a different story. God doesn't intend for us to live our lives with a constant fear that something bad is going to happen. That can be debilitating. Yes, bad things happen. I can't promise any of you that something terrible isn't going to happen to you today. We live in a fallen world, and that's part of what we have to deal with because of it. But living your life with constant dread is a sad way to live, and God can give you victory over that.

The Apostle Paul said this to Timothy: "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind." I want to focus on the first part: a spirit of fear. In Ephesians 6 the Bible says that our struggle isn't with flesh and blood, but with spiritual forces. NO, I'm not saying that people who deal with fear are demon possessed. I'm saying that we need to be reminded that we are spiritual creatures who face spiritual battles. And winning these battles requires us to to do it God's way. Romans 8:6 says that being carnally minded is death, but being spiritually minded is life and peace. Begin by feeding your mind with His Word and His way of thinking. Stop feeding your mind with thoughts of gloom and despair. 

I close with this. There's a story in the Bible where Jesus and His disciples are on a boat in the midst of a storm. The disciples are struggling to keep themselves alive. And what's Jesus doing? He was sleeping. Sleeping in the boat, in the midst of a life-threatening storm. The disciples wake Him up and accuse Him of not caring that they're about to die. So Jesus wakes up and tells the storm, "Peace, be still." The storm immediately stops. He then says to the others, "How is it you're so fearful and have no faith?" It was like He was saying to them, "Sometimes I'll calm the storm. Sometimes I'll let them rage for a bit so I can teach you to be calm in the midst of them." In the midst of financial uncertainty, physical difficulties, and even a crazy political climate, God will still give His children peace.

Selah.

We Don't Need Political Change - We Need Revival

By Gobel Brockman



(This week's devotional is adapted from an excerpt from my book "The Holy Spirit: Still for Today, Still for You")


I'm reminded of a story about two men kneeling at an altar in prayer. One was very quiet, while the other was shouting his prayer at the top of his voice while pounding his fists on the altar. Finally, the quiet one stopped praying, turned to the other man and said softly, "Brother, God's not deaf." To which the other man responded, "No, and He's not nervous either!" 

What's my point? Simply that it’s not my interest to tell quiet churches to get loud or to tell loud churches to get quiet. My desire is to encourage ALL churches to let the Holy Spirit in! If you are a Pastor, then regardless of what denomination you're affiliated with, I encourage you with everything I have within me to begin seeking God and asking Him to allow the Holy Spirit to operate in your church. Religion won't change people, but the power of God touching someone's heart will. As Jesus said in John 16:7-8:

     Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is expedient for you that I go away. For if I do not go away, the Counselor (Holy Spirit) will not come to you. But if I go, I will send Him to you. When He comes, He will convict the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgement.”

It’s no secret that we are in desperate times. We are seeing a rapidly increasing rejection of Godly principles in this nation, and we are reaping the results of our rebellion. We need to realize that politicians can't fix a nation's problems, because our problems aren't political; they're spiritual. We in the church, however, must also realize that “church as usual” will no longer suffice. Three songs and a nice, comfortable sermon won't be enough to bring this nation and this world back to where we need to be. We need the Holy Spirit to move mightily in this nation and the world, and I believe that starts with us allowing Him to move in our individual lives and in our churches on a daily basis. It is that aspect of the Holy Spirit that I am primarily addressing this week. There is an important point that I want to make: 

Corporate revival begins with personal revival. 

I am equally convinced that personal revival begins with us living lives of repentance, prayer, and allowing the Holy Spirit to have complete control of our lives. May we daily seek God's presence in our lives, repent of those things in our lives that stand between us, and believe God to move mightily in our personal lives. That will lead to revival in our corporate lives. May we seek after God with our whole hearts - it’s our only hope.

Come Holy Spirit, and fill us to overflowing!

It's Disappearing a Little More Every Day

By Gobel Brockman

I have been involved in ministry in one form or another for over thirty years. For three years in the 1980's I was also a certified Emergency Medical Technician in the state of Indiana. During that time I served on a volunteer fire department, and I also worked in a hospital where part of my responsibilities were to perform CPR during "Code Blue" situations. I said all of that to say this: I've spent a lot of time around deathbeds over the years. In thinking back on those times, there are a few things that I DON'T remember:

I don't remember hearing anyone say, "I wish I had worked more hours and made more money."

I don't remember hearing anyone say, "I want to look at my Bachelor's Degree one more time."

I don't remember hearing anyone complain about sports, the cost of living, or politics.

What I HAVE heard - time and time again - during those times is something along the lines of, "Will you pray with me? I need to make things right with God." You see, I believe that we need to be continually reminded that our time on this earth is temporary. We spend far too much time concerning ourselves with temporary issues while eternity hangs in the balance. James 4:14 says this:

     "What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes."

My message this week is simple: whatever problems or difficulties we may be facing right now are temporary. At times those problems may be minor, but yes, at times they can challenge us to the depths of our hearts. But in light of eternity, they are still temporary problems. Where we stand in our relationship with Jesus Christ, on the other hand, is indeed a question that deserves grave and honest consideration. I'm afraid that we too often forget the words of Hebrews 9:27:

     "For it is appointed unto man once to die, and after this the judgment."

If you are reading this and you have never surrendered your life to Jesus Christ, my prayer is that the Holy Spirit will reveal Himself to you in an undeniable way and lead you to repentance and salvation. If you are reading this and you do know Jesus as your Lord, I simply want to remind you to not let any current problems or the current political landscape distract you from your eternal purpose in Christ. 

Our lives are indeed a vapor, and that vapor's disappearing a little more every day. Don't wait until you're on your deathbed and then call for a minister - and then pray that they show up in time. Sometimes they don't. 

Yeah, I've seen that happen too. It's not a chance worth taking.

"I'm Gobel Brockman, and I Approve This Message"

By Gobel Brockman


Here in the United States we are in "Election Season." One of the things that means is that our TV and radio airwaves are filled with political ads. One sentence that we hear quite frequently in these ads is, "I'm (candidate's name), and I approve this message." This is the result of a portion of a law known as the McCain-Feingold Act of 2002 (this portion is known as the "Stand By Your Ad" provision) that requires political candidates to associate themselves with their TV and radio ads, thereby discouraging them from making controversial statements or "attack ads."

(Yeah, THAT seems to be working great. But I digress....)

The main point of this provision is indeed to make the candidate identify with the statements being made in their advertisements. They are indicating that they approve of what is being said. In thinking about this, I'm reminded of the words of the Apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 2:15:

     "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth." (ESV)

In the original Greek the word "approved" is dokimos which means "approved, acceptable, tried." The study notes from "The Olive Tree ESV Bible" app makes an interesting point about this:

"In the ancient world there was no banking system as we know it today, and no paper money. All money was made from metal, heated until liquid, poured into molds and allowed to cool. It was necessary to smooth off the uneven edges. The coins were comparatively soft and of course many people shaved them closely. In one century, more than eighty laws were passed in Athens, to stop the practice of shaving down the coins then in circulation. But some money changers were men of integrity, who would accept no counterfeit money. They were men of honor who put only genuine full weighted money into circulation. Such men were called "dokimos" or "approved." (Attributed to Donald Barnhouse)

In thinking about this, I believe that it's an excellent illustration of what it means to become a fully devoted, mature child of God. Much like the coins of that time, we must pass through the fires of temptation and adversity, and then we must have the "rough edges" shaved off - the shortcomings and weaknesses of our heart and character. Most of all, just as the men of integrity of those days would not accept counterfeit money, we can be sure that a holy, righteous God will not long tolerate our "counterfeit" Christianity. Our desire should be that we "do our best to present ourselves to God as one approved" - meaning that we commit to the idea that our commitment to Jesus Christ is genuine and actually has value. When I stand before Him on that day when I give an account of my life to Him, I want to be able to hear Him say, "Well done, good and faithful servant; enter in to the joy of your Lord." (Matthew 25:23)

May God find my commitment to Him to be true and genuine. I want my life to be a message that He "approves."

You Are Not a "Justa"

By Gobel Brockman

It's interesting how often we identify ourselves by what we do. The problem with that is that if we perceive what we do to be minimal or unimportant, it can cause us to view ourselves - and life in general - in ways that we're not intended to. In these times we may get what may be referred to as "Justa Syndrome:"

"I'm "justa" retail employee."

"I'm "justa" janitor."

"I'm "justa" fast-food worker."

"I'm "justa" housewife."

"I'm "justa" pastor of a small church."

When we begin suffering from "Justa Syndrome", it can cause us to go through our days feeling as though our lives and our contributions to the world are insignificant. Many times we may be tempted to feel as though we can easily be replaced. The problem with all of this is that it flies in the face with what is probably the most well-known Scripture in the entire Bible:

     "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16

I'm sure most of you reading this can quote that Scripture from memory, but when we're very familiar with something we can sometimes forget the power and significance behind it. In the case of this verse, we can't let the message escape us:

The Creator of Heaven and Earth; the eternal, powerful God, loved you and me enough to come to this world in human form and lay down His life for us. Let me say it in simpler terms: 

God doesn't consider you a "justa." 

So how does God view those who believe in Him and surrender their lives to Him? We are:

"A child of God." John 1:12

"Justified by faith." Romans 5:1

"A chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation." I Peter 2:9

"More than conquerors." Romans 8:37

"Never left or forsaken." Hebrews 13:5

I could go on (and on) but you get the idea. In the eyes of God, you are not a "justa". You matter to Him and you are loved by Him. But we must also remind ourselves that all of the promises available to us have one thing in common: they are all free gifts from the Father that we could never earn or deserve on our own. We are not "justas" only because God has chosen to freely share His love and goodness with us. In Exodus 33:18 Moses asked God, "Show me Your glory." God's response in verse 19 is interesting: "I will cause My goodness to pass before you..." Moses asked to see God's glory, and God showed Moses His goodness. It is that goodness that gives us hope and helps us realizes that regardless of how we view our position in life, He desires to show His glory to us as well. However, we must also remember that to receive this glory and goodness, we must respond in faith and obedience to the God who extends them to us.

The point in all of this is simple: we may make our livings scrubbing floors and toilets, typing away on computers, making sandwiches, stocking shelves, working with our hands, or doing our best to serve in our roles in our churches, but if Jesus Christ is the Lord of your life, those things are simply what we do - they're not who we are. We are sons and daughters of the Most High God. We're recipients of the grace and goodness of a loving Heavenly Father. We have an inheritance from God that the Bible calls incorruptible and that can never be stolen from us.

That's "justa" lot of great news.

Stay On the Path

By Gobel Brockman


     "You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand there are pleasures for evermore." - Psalm 16:11

Many years ago as a young preacher this is one of the first passages of Scripture that I remember using as a text for a sermon. I've experienced a lot since those early days, and hopefully I've learned a lot as well. I believe, however, that from time to time we need to be reminded of simple, foundational truths that will keep us anchored in our faith. This short but powerful verse has some important points that I would like to share with you:

1) "You will make known to me the path of life"
What I find interesting is as much what isn't said as what is said. Notice that this verse does not say "paths" (plural) but "path" (singular). That is not accidental. You see, there are people who want to believe that there are "many paths to God." There are those who believe that as long as you're a good person, you keep "The Golden Rule" and try to be kind to everyone, that those things will be good enough to get you into Heaven. Jesus taught something quite different. In John 14:6 He said this:

     "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but by Me."

God will indeed make known to us "the path of life' but we must understand that there is ONLY one path. Good works, church attendance, giving money, and a multitude of other things I could mention will not be our salvation. Salvation is found only in Jesus Christ. If you don't know Jesus Christ as Savior, then sadly you have not found "the path of life." I cannot offer hope to anyone outside of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. When you find Him, you have found "the path of life."

2) "In Your presence is fullness of joy"
There's an amazing thing that happens when you take the right path - that path leads to joy. Not temporary happiness or momentary peace, but real, lasting joy. Joy goes beyond an emotional feeling; it's a deep-rooted contentment that we are safe in the presence of God. Regardless of terrible circumstances that we all face from time to time, there can be real, lasting joy when we stay in the presence of God. How do we stay in His presence? By staying on "the path." What I mean by that is that we never stray away from our relationship with Jesus. Stay on His path and you will stay in His presence, and joy will be yours.

3)  "At Your right hand there are pleasures for evermore"
It seems that mankind is constantly looking for "pleasure" - and we seem willing to pay almost any price to get it. We spend countless hours involved in countless endeavors - sports, parties, illicit relationships, and a host of other things, all for the sake of finding a few moments of pleasure. The problem with that is that kind of pleasure never lasts; we're happy for a short time, then the happiness fades away. In the original language the word pleasures means "pleasant, delightful, lovely, agreeable." I can tell you that being in the presence of God is far more pleasant and delightful than anything this world can offer. I know - I spent far too long looking in the wrong places. Regardless of what nation you're living in or what your current situation is, I can offer you no hope outside of giving your life to Jesus Christ and staying in His presence daily. I promise you though that if you will follow the path to Jesus it will lead you to joy and Godly pleasures.

It's a path worth staying on.

Get Filled & Get Going

By Gobel Brockman

In Acts 1 we see the resurrected Jesus about to ascend back into Heaven. His last words to His disciples before His ascension are found in verse 8:

     "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

In Acts 2 we see them waiting in Jerusalem until the promised Holy Spirit came, and His indwelling made an immediate impact on the disciples. Peter preaches what was the inaugural message of the New Testament church, and three thousand people gave their lives to Jesus Christ. In the following days they saw incredible miracles, powerful deliverance, and continued growth. I try to imagine what they must have been feeling during that time. I imagine them looking at each other with joy and wild-eyed wonder as they witnessed firsthand the power of God moving among them and through them. I believe we all have periods in our lives when we wish we could push a button and say, "Life will always be like this." I'm sure it had to be like that for them during that time.

They were about to learn a difficult lesson, however, and it's a lesson that we must learn as well: you can't stay in your "Jerusalem" moments forever. What I mean is this: in the Scripture I quoted earlier Jesus told the disciples that they were to go to "Judea, Samaria, and to the end of the earth." In Acts 8:1 we read this:

     "And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles."

I find it very interesting that the persecution that God allowed to come to the disciples actually fulfilled His very words to them - even listing the areas they went in the same order. The Holy Spirit being poured upon them was for a purpose, and that purpose had to be fulfilled.

Our purpose must be fulfilled as well.

Times of revival and refreshing are amazing, and I thank God for every season of these that He has allowed me to experience. I must remind myself, however, that I'm not supposed to simply be a "sponge" - getting filled but never releasing what I receive. I desire and I NEED the Holy Spirit's continual infilling, but I need to be reminded that He fills me so that I can take what He gives me and share it with others. Our "Jerusalem" experiences are awesome beyond words, but our "Judeas and Samarias" need what God gives us. May we receive everything that God desires to give us in those times when God blesses us in abundance, and then may we take those blessings and share them with everyone we can.

What am I saying? Simply this - get filled with God, then get going for God!

No Compromise

By Gobel Brockman


Merriam-Webster's dictionary defines compromise as:

     *A way of reaching agreement in which each person gives up something that was wanted in order to end an argument or dispute; 
     *Something that combines the qualities of two different things;
     *A change that makes something worse and that is not done for a good reason

In Daniel 3 we read the story of three Hebrew men who were being held in captivity in Babylon. The king recognized the wisdom that these men possessed and put them to work in his kingdom. These men were servants of the one true God, but they were commanded to dishonor their God and instead worship a worthless idol. Their refusal led to them being called into the king's presence. The king was furious at their refusal to bow to his "god." The king didn't want to lose their wisdom, however, so he told them that they would be given one more chance to comply with his command. If they refused they would be thrown into a fiery furnace. That was the king's idea of "compromise" - comply or die.

There's a funny thing about compromise. I direct you back to the definition: "A way of reaching agreement in which each person gives up something that was wanted in order to end an argument or dispute." I've noticed over the years that when someone wants "compromise" what they really want is for the other party to make all of the concessions. Look again at the king's conditions: He placed all the demands on the Hebrew captives, and all he offered in exchange was that they wouldn't be executed. That's not compromise, that's a threat.

As disciples of Jesus Christ, we face the temptation to compromise our beliefs and convictions. Another definition of compromise is to "combine the qualities of two different things." The problem with that is that when it comes to our relationship with Jesus Christ there is no "quality" on the other side. It's impossible to have "the best of both worlds" when one of those worlds is filled with only sin, pain, and death. Our enemy (the devil) is not interested in giving up anything in order to reach agreement with us, even though he's a master at presenting his temptations in exactly that way. He is only interested in stealing, killing, and destroying what God has given us.

I've been saying for a while now that the time is coming when the name of Jesus will be a dividing line. In Luke 9:23 Jesus said this:

     "If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me."

Those who truly desire to forsake all and follow Jesus have always been opposed by those who want "the best of both worlds" - which I again maintain is impossible. My point is that the invitation to follow Jesus is not an invitation to live as you want and still keep one foot in the kingdom of God. As German pastor/theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer stated, "When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die." I say to you reading this that there is no other commitment to Jesus that will be acceptable. Regardless of any trial or temptation that we may face, following Jesus Christ is worth it. Give me Jesus and I have everything. My prayer is that my life will honor Him in every way.

I can't settle for less. No compromise.

Sleeping in Church Can Be Hazardous to Your Health

By Gobel Brockman

"On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight. There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered. And a young man named Eutychus, sitting at the window, sank into a deep sleep as Paul talked still longer. And being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. But Paul went down and bent over him, and taking him in his arms, said, “Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.” - Acts 20:7-10

Falling asleep in church. It happens every week. Some have turned it into an art form, while others haven't learned to be that discrete yet. I've heard stories of people literally falling out of their pews or snoring loudly right in the middle of service. I must confess that in my youth I once fell asleep in church, and I was told that I snored so loudly that the Pastor had to pause mid-sermon due to everyone laughing! (My affection for black coffee has since eliminated that worry.)

In this story from Acts we see a young lad named Eutychus not only falling asleep, but flat-out falling altogether. It's ironic to me that the name Eutychus means "fortunate." This young man found himself in a rather unfortunate situation, however. But I want us to learn a lesson from his story. He was sitting in a window three stories above ground. I'm no genius, but I know that isn't safe - especially when you're starting to nod off. At the end of the story he received a miracle, but in all honesty it was a miracle that he shouldn't have needed in the first place. He, his parents, or those nearby should have gotten him away from that window and roused him from slumber before he fell. How does that relate to us? In Ephesians 5:14 Paul said this:

"For this reason it says, 'Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.'"

"Awake, sleeper." Allow me to be blunt - there are too many people sleeping in church, but I don't mean literal sleep. I mean that there are too many who have closed their eyes and their minds to the unpleasant truth that this nation and the world is in an absolute mess. My desire is to do what I can to awaken a sleeping giant - the church - and encourage us all to come away from the "windows" that we are in danger of falling out of. Far too many Christians are sitting too close to windows of complacency, doubt, and unfaithfulness. Far too many are are trying to see how close to the "window" they can sit without falling. That, my friend, is a recipe for disaster. 

So what is my message this week? WAKE UP!! STEP AWAY FROM THE WINDOW!! It's past time that we arise from spiritual slumber and recognize the gravity of what we're facing. May we arise and seek the Lord with greater intensity than we ever have before. The world around us is in desperate need of a genuine outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and it starts with us!

Don't fall asleep, and if you do, prepare for a rough landing. Just ask Eutychus.

Parlez-vous Anglais?

By Gobel Brockman


In June of 1982 I took a vacation by myself to Quebec City in Quebec, Canada. It was - and is - an incredibly beautiful place, and I hope to go back sometime. The people there were for the most part very friendly and as helpful as they could be. However, they are primarily French speaking, so before the trip I basically learned just enough French to tell the French-speaking people there that I couldn't speak French. Immediately upon arrival at the airport I realized that I should have learned more French than I did. I got a taxi and and asked the driver, "Parlez-vous anglais?" (Do you speak English?) He said "No" in a way that let me know he also wasn't interested in learning at that moment. I finally got him to understand to take me to a hotel - ANY hotel. This began a 5-day adventure that included ordering a pizza that could have easily fed five people (when it came to my table I understood the look the girl at the counter gave me when I ordered) and scaring a lady at the camera counter at K-Mart. (She got on the intercom and said something in French, and in a moment the manager came running - literally. Fortunately he spoke English and laughed when I told him all I wanted was to buy a camera. Apparently I had frightened the girl behind the counter.)

I think about that trip often, and always with fondness. But one of the things that I think of is that here I was in a different country, in a different culture, with some people who couldn't understand a word I was saying to them. I was a visitor in their homeland, just there for a short time. Which got me to thinking along these lines: that's how the Bible describes us as Christians in this world. In I Peter 2:11 we are told,

     "Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lusts which war against your soul."  

"Strangers and pilgrims." As Christians, that's how we are supposed to view our time here. We believe that our home is with Christ. As such, we're not home here. Yet how often do we forget that? How often do we try to fit in in a place where we don't belong? We spend so much time and energy trying to build our lives here, forgetting that just like me in Quebec City, we're nothing more than temporary visitors in a place that isn't home. As much as I enjoyed my trip, when my plane departed from Quebec City on that Wednesday afternoon I knew I was "going home." Home to a place where people could understand what I was saying, where I knew what size pizza to order, and I could buy a camera without freaking everyone out at the local K-Mart. When my time comes to leave this earth, that's how I'm supposed to view the trip - I'm going home. Home to a place where righteousness dwells. Home to a place where pain and sadness will be no more. Most of all, a place where my heavenly Father will be, and all will be well with Him there. I want to encourage all of you by reminding you that your time here is winding down, but Christ has made a way for all of us to make it home. Jesus is the only way, but He's made the way for you and me to join Him.

Jésus vous aime. (That's French for 'Jesus loves you.')