"I Heard Your Prayer. Now Let's See If You Meant It."

By Gobel Brockman


In the early to mid 80's my wife and I sang in a Gospel group that played in local churches during services and special events. Sometimes I would preach afterward as well. There was one church in particular that scheduled us on a fairly regular basis, and they always asked me to preach. On one particular occasion, however, the Pastor called me and specifically told me, "For this service I just want you to come and preach, and I need to speak with you after the service." After that service we went into his office where he told me that due to health issues, he was going to have to step down as Pastor. He then went on to tell me; "I've spoken with the Elder Board of the church, and they are 100% in agreement with me that we would like for you to take over as Pastor here."

As a fairly-new credentialed minister, the thought immediately interested me. My mind instantly began thinking of ways to begin growing the church and "doing the work of the ministry." But I gave him the answer that is expected in situations like this: "Give me a couple of days to pray about it." He agreed, and I told him that I would call him as soon as I felt I had a definite answer from the Lord. I immediately went to prayer that day thinking that it was a mere formality, but it wasn't very long before the Holy Spirit clearly spoke the will of the Lord in this situation:

"NO."

"No?" "NO??" It didn't make sense to me. This church was a recent church plant that had several good, God-loving people in it. The area was a wide-open opportunity for growth. I was willing to step into the calling and give it my best. Everything seemed to be in place for my next step into fulfilling the call of God on my life. So what happens when the opportunity arises?

"NO." 

I prayed and asked God why not, and I heard the Holy Spirit speak to my heart a very simple answer: "This is not the place I have called you to be, and if you take the position it will do more harm than good."

At that point, I knew that there was no doubt that I had received my answer. I also knew that I had a choice to make. All I had to do was tell that Pastor "Yes" and the position was mine. So was I going to go with what I thought made sense, or was I going to do what I knew what God wanted me to do? Thankfully I picked up the phone and made one of the hardest phone calls that I've ever made. But it was also one of the best.

You see, we're all familiar with the story of Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane just before his crucifixion and resurrection when He prayed, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." (Matthew 26:39) It may have been possible, but it wasn't God's will, and just as Jesus had to pray that prayer, so do we. We may never travel to Israel and visit Gethsemane, but if you're serious about living for Jesus, you're going to have your Gethsemane moments.

What's your Gethsemane right now? Praying about a career change and can't feel peace about it? Trying to talk God into letting you enter a relationship with someone who isn't living for the Lord, but "you're sure you can turn them around?" Trying to go forward with your "Yes" when you know God's answer is quite different? Whatever it is, let me encourage you with a simple thought: God knows what He's doing. Even though it made no sense to me then, I can look back now and see just how much trouble I was spared by listening to the will of God instead of going my own way.

My message to you today is simple: don't enter your Gethsemane and pray, "Not my will, but Yours be done" unless you're prepared to prove that you mean it.

God Knows When You're So ______________

By Gobel Brockman

I have semi-regular bouts with insomnia, and I have what my doctor said is one of the worst cases of sleep apnea that he's ever seen. As a result of this, sleeping is a nightly adventure for me. I have some really crazy dreams at times, and waking myself up talking or praying is a regular occurrence. I mention this because one morning earlier this week I woke myself up saying, "God, I'm so __________..." I wasn't dreaming at that moment, so I have no idea what I was going to say. Was I so:

...tired?

...hungry?

...discouraged?

...blessed?

...handsome? (Sorry, sleep-deprived moment there.)

But as I was thinking about it that morning & trying to remember if I was dreaming something to cause me to say that, I thought of Psalm 139:1-6:

     O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.

You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.

I have a short, simple, but incredibly encouraging message for you this week. When we say, "God, I'm so _________" He knows how to fill in the blank. If you're confused, He is there with His peace and wisdom. If you're blessed, He's there to receive your praise. If you're tired, He's there with His strength. When we don't know how to fill in the blank, thankfully He does. You and I are never out of His sight and we are never out of His reach. In the midst of our greatest times of confusion He can give us perfect peace, because He IS perfect peace. I urge you this week to rest in that confidence.

Even when you have trouble sleeping.

Careful What You Pray For

By Gobel Brockman


There are times when we as Christians pray for things, and I'm not sure that we think through what we're really asking for. Sometimes I think we ask for things and fail to realize that getting the answers we want will change our lives more drastically than we anticipate. Prayers like:

"God, break my heart for what breaks Yours."
"God, do whatever You have to do to reach this person."

As we take this weekend to celebrate Pentecost Sunday, many churches may be filled with people praying, "Father, send us Your Holy Spirit once again as You did that day!" It's a totally understandable prayer when you look at what happened when God answered it for the disciples in Acts 2. The promised Holy Spirit came and filled 120 believers. They were immediately filled with power, and as a result of Peter's first message, 3,000 people came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Stories are told of a lame man being healed (Acts 3), people placing sick people on the sidewalks just so Peter's shadow could touch them and they would be healed (Acts 5), and many others miraculous stories as well. We look at these stories and wish that they would take place in our midst today. They can, and in many places already are, but I think we need to take a closer look at what else happened when God answered their prayer for the Holy Spirit:

*They immediately became the enemies of the "religious establishment," and were constantly faced with persecution as a result.

*In Acts 5 a married couple conspired to lie about their offering to the church. As a result, the Holy Spirit struck them both dead - in church.

*Some were called away (actually, they were driven away by persecution) from family and friends they loved to so that they could preach the gospel to complete strangers.

*James, Stephen, and several others literally lost their lives because of their faith.

I could go on, but the point is well made. Having the Holy Spirit fill a believer or a church is an incredible experience that we all should be praying for. However, I think it would do us well to "count the cost" before we pray, because there is definitely a cost involved. When the Holy Spirit comes, He brings drastic and permanent change. I pray that God will indeed pour out His Spirit upon me, but I must ask myself if I am ready for the difficulties that may come with it. I want to see people touched by the Holy Spirit, but am I willing to face opposition and risk being misunderstood in the process? Simon Peter was supernaturally delivered from jail, but the reason he was there in the first place was that he was facing death from Herod because of his faith. Am I willing to face the dangerous to see the miraculous? The early church experienced the power of God because they were willing to lay everything down and count it all loss to follow Jesus. 

Am I? Are you?

Careful what you pray for.

Treasures in Hidden Vessels

By Gobel Brockman


A couple of years ago I visited an exhibit in Cincinnati of The Dead Sea Scrolls. It was awesome. Seeing various passages of Scripture written on parchment hundreds of years ago was both interesting and eye-opening. Eye-opening because it caused me to think of where we are today. I'm typing this devotional on an iPad that has three different Bible versions downloaded on it. There are also other Bible apps available at very reasonable prices, and websites where I can read just about any Bible version I desire. I also have several Bibles in my house - some leather bound, others paper back, and a spiral copy as well. I dare say there are many reading this who can say the same thing. Which simply means this:

We're spoiled.

The people who were here during the time of the Dead Sea Scrolls didn't have these options. There weren't Internet connections in those days. Neither were there printing presses or photocopiers. If you wanted to read something, it had to be written by hand. And if someone wanted their own copy, it had to be written again. A long, laborious process that I honestly don't think we today can relate to. As I looked at the various pages that were on display, I thought of the people who wrote them. How much time did they devote to the task? How many sleepless nights did it cost them? Who all read what they wrote?

We're spoiled.

As I stood there looking at all of this history, Luke 12:48 came to mind: "To whom much is given, much will be required." Tell me that doesn't apply to this generation. Throughout the history of the church, men and women have suffered, bled, and died for a sacred Book that now is nothing more than a coffee table decoration in many homes. William Tyndale spent years translating the Bible into English for the common man - and paid for it with his life. I can't help but wonder what kind of Christians you and I would be today if we loved the Word of God like that.

It's not my desire this week to put anyone on a guilt trip. I simply want to remind us all that we have access to an absolute treasure that we take for granted way too easily. We all want direction and the will of God for our lives. I remind us all that it's at our fingertips. There's another Scripture that says "My people perish for lack of knowledge." The knowledge is there. Let's recognize the absolute treasure that we have, make the Bible a daily part of our lives, and may we never take it for granted again.

Don't be spoiled.

Was It Worth It?

By Gobel Brockman

I once heard a story about a man who walked up to a woman that he didn't know and abruptly asked her, "Ma'am, would you go to bed with me for one million dollars?" After recovering of the initial shock of the question, she thought for a moment and then replied, "Yes, I believe I would." To which the man responded, "Well, would you do it for five dollars?" Her face turned red with anger as she asked, "Just what do you think I am?" His response was simple: "We've already established what you are. Now we're just negotiating price."

I'm unsure if this was taken from a true story, but the lesson in it is sobering. What are we willing to accept as an exchange for what we presently have? There are many examples in Scripture of people who gave up so much and got so little in return:

     Adam and Eve gave up being in Eden - and in God's presence - for a desire for the one thing they were told to stay away from.

     Esau gave away his entire birthright to his brother Jacob for a bowl of soup.

     Samson gave up the Nazarite anointing and his God-given power (paying for it with his eyesight and eventually his life) for the sake of a woman.

     Ananias and Sapphira lost their lives over a few dollars in an offering.

     Judas betrayed Jesus - God in the flesh - for the sake of thirty pieces of silver.

When I think of these and other examples, one question comes to mind: 

Was it worth it?

Sadly, the list has continued down through time. History is filled with stories of people who've given up so much for so little in return. Ministers who've given up an undeniable and precious touch of God on their lives for just a few moments with someone they should have avoided. People with impeccable reputations who had the opportunity to accomplish much good, but threw it all away to pilfer a few dollars that they easily could have done without. The temptation to get that one thing that we aren't supposed to have started in the garden of Eden and is still tripping mankind up today.

What about you and me? What would it take for us to be willing to give up our family, our ministry, our reputation, and most of all, our relationship with Christ? A tawdry relationship? A few extra dollars? The praise and adulation of man? It would serve us all well to remember that just as each of us have strengths, we each also have weaknesses. We each have things that don't really tempt us, but there are other things that we may go through our entire lives combating. It's good to be reminded of the question Jesus asked in Mark 8:36-37:

     "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?"

I urge you to examine your life and honestly see if there's anything lurking that would cause you to walk away from your reputation, your family, and your God. If there is, my words to you are simple: It's just not worth it. Hold on to your birthright, child of God. It's worth immeasurably more than whatever fleeting temptation is being dangled in front of you.

We don't need to negotiate over the price, because we already know the truth: 

It's not worth it.