By Gobel Brockman
Earlier this week while home alone there was a knock on my door. When someone knocks on my door I usually look through the window first to see who it is, but this person used the familiar "shave-and-a-haircut, two-bits" friendly knock, so I made the assumption that it was a friend. So without checking first, I opened the door - and was greeted by a complete stranger selling magazine subscriptions. Let's just say I didn't buy any magazines. I also decided in that moment to never again be fooled by a friendly door knock.
In thinking about this, I'm reminded of a verse in the Bible that I would imagine many of you are familiar with:
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Revelation 3:20
Along with this verse, I'm sure that most of you have seen the famous painting that depicts this verse, showing Jesus standing at a door knocking. Although I had seen this painting since my childhood, it wasn't until many years later that a Pastor pointed out something about that painting that I had never noticed before: the door has no outside doorknob. That means that the person on the outside knocking has no way of opening the door; the person on the inside was the only one who could open it.
What an excellent illustration that is to us today. Simply put, this world is in a mess. What makes that even more disconcerting is the number of people who expect politicians to fix our problems. Let me help you with this - that's not
going to happen. I maintain and loudly proclaim that ONLY God has what we need. In His love for us He stands at our door, desiring to come in and help us. We've been hearing II Chronicles 7:14 quoted a lot lately, which contains the promise that if we will turn our hearts to God, He will hear from heaven and restore us. He is truly standing at our doors - the doors of individuals, churches, and nations. His love and mercy are knocking loudly, desiring to come with healing in His hands. But there is a crucially important point that I want to make here:
He won't knock forever.
I want to quote the late Steve Hill, who was the evangelist during the Brownsville Revival in Pensacola, Florida that began in 1995 and continued for several years. Please pay close attention to what he said:
"The Bible says that Jesus is standing at the door, not sitting. To stand signifies quick mobility. It means He could turn away at any moment. He hasn't settled down and pitched a tent at our doorstep. He is knocking, patiently, but not forever. The presence of Jesus at the door does not mean that He will remain there forever. We must respond now. We must open the door and let Him in."
My friends, my message to you this week is simple. Our God is a gracious God. The Bible teaches us that He is slow to anger and full of mercy. How I thank God for that! But the same Bible teaches us that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Read Hebrews 10:31) There will come a time when the loving hand of God will stop knocking, and it's useless to open the door to someone after they've walked away. My prayer is that we will open the door to God while we still can. You see, I can tell you both from Scripture and personal experience that if you open the door to Jesus Christ, He walks through that door bearing great gifts with Him. I can also tell you that rejecting His call will leave you with no other hope. It really is that simple.
So please hear my heart today - Jesus Christ wants to come into your life. But the door that represents your life has no doorknob on the outside. YOU will be the one who decides if the door opens or not. We each make that choice, and we'll each bear the responsibility for that choice.
I say it again - it really is that simple.
Saturday, July 30, 2016
Saturday, July 23, 2016
When You Reach the End of Your Rope, Just Let Go.
By Gobel Brockman
19th century author Hannah Whitall Smith wrote this more than 100 years ago, but the lesson it conveys is still applicable today:
"A man was obliged to descend into a deep well by sliding down a fixed rope which was supposed to be of ample length. But to his dismay he came to the end of it before his feet had touched the bottom. He had not the strength to climb up again, and to let go and drop seemed to him but to be dashed to pieces in the depths below. He held on until his strength was utterly exhausted, and then dropped, as he thought, to his death. He fell - just three inches - and found himself safe on the rock bottom."
"Are you afraid to take this step? Does it seem too sudden, too much like a leap in the dark? Do you not know that the step of faith always falls on the seeming void, but finds the rock beneath? If ever you are to enter this glorious land, flowing with milk and honey, you must sooner or later step into the brimming waters, for there is no other path; and to do it now may save you months and even years of disappointment and grief."
It's not a newsflash to anyone that we are entering into increasingly difficult times. It has now become almost seemingly impossible to turn on the news without hearing of another terrorist attack or mass shooting. People are cautious and in many cases downright fearful as they see these events transpire. The only thing certain in this world right now is that nothing seems to be certain. Tragically, this doubt and uncertainty has even affected some in the body of Christ. In many cases it seems that some Christians are just as concerned, nervous, and even fearful as those are who have no hope in Christ. That saddens me - greatly. And it must change. People who are looking for hope won't find it in people who are just as hopeless as they are.
The writer of the book of Hebrews wrote this oft-quoted verse:
"And without faith it is impossible to please God; for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6)
I understand that these are difficult times. I also understand that they're just going to get worse as the end approaches. After all, Jesus gave us about 2,000 years advance notice that what we're seeing today was coming. (Read Matthew 24.) But I remind all who read this who claim the name of Jesus Christ as their Savior that there is no need to fear. Our lives are in His hands, and whether we live or die, we belong to Him. Simply put, we win either way. But the point that I want to make today is this: fear is a choice, and I absolutely refuse to live in fear. I WILL NOT do it. Even in those times when I feel like I'm at the end of my rope, I don't want to simply tie a knot and hang on - if necessary, I want the faith to let go and trust God with the landing. He's never failed me yet, and He's not going to start now. And His love for you is just as strong. Whether it is the horrible stories that we hear in the news or the continual battles that we face in our day-to-day lives, nothing happens to us that catches God off-guard. He's got this - because He's got you.
If you're at the end of your rope right now, I'm not going to tell you to tie a knot and hang on. I'm going to tell you to not rely on your own strength. Just let go and have faith that God will be there for the landing. It's that kind of faith that pleases God.
19th century author Hannah Whitall Smith wrote this more than 100 years ago, but the lesson it conveys is still applicable today:
"A man was obliged to descend into a deep well by sliding down a fixed rope which was supposed to be of ample length. But to his dismay he came to the end of it before his feet had touched the bottom. He had not the strength to climb up again, and to let go and drop seemed to him but to be dashed to pieces in the depths below. He held on until his strength was utterly exhausted, and then dropped, as he thought, to his death. He fell - just three inches - and found himself safe on the rock bottom."
"Are you afraid to take this step? Does it seem too sudden, too much like a leap in the dark? Do you not know that the step of faith always falls on the seeming void, but finds the rock beneath? If ever you are to enter this glorious land, flowing with milk and honey, you must sooner or later step into the brimming waters, for there is no other path; and to do it now may save you months and even years of disappointment and grief."
It's not a newsflash to anyone that we are entering into increasingly difficult times. It has now become almost seemingly impossible to turn on the news without hearing of another terrorist attack or mass shooting. People are cautious and in many cases downright fearful as they see these events transpire. The only thing certain in this world right now is that nothing seems to be certain. Tragically, this doubt and uncertainty has even affected some in the body of Christ. In many cases it seems that some Christians are just as concerned, nervous, and even fearful as those are who have no hope in Christ. That saddens me - greatly. And it must change. People who are looking for hope won't find it in people who are just as hopeless as they are.
The writer of the book of Hebrews wrote this oft-quoted verse:
"And without faith it is impossible to please God; for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6)
I understand that these are difficult times. I also understand that they're just going to get worse as the end approaches. After all, Jesus gave us about 2,000 years advance notice that what we're seeing today was coming. (Read Matthew 24.) But I remind all who read this who claim the name of Jesus Christ as their Savior that there is no need to fear. Our lives are in His hands, and whether we live or die, we belong to Him. Simply put, we win either way. But the point that I want to make today is this: fear is a choice, and I absolutely refuse to live in fear. I WILL NOT do it. Even in those times when I feel like I'm at the end of my rope, I don't want to simply tie a knot and hang on - if necessary, I want the faith to let go and trust God with the landing. He's never failed me yet, and He's not going to start now. And His love for you is just as strong. Whether it is the horrible stories that we hear in the news or the continual battles that we face in our day-to-day lives, nothing happens to us that catches God off-guard. He's got this - because He's got you.
If you're at the end of your rope right now, I'm not going to tell you to tie a knot and hang on. I'm going to tell you to not rely on your own strength. Just let go and have faith that God will be there for the landing. It's that kind of faith that pleases God.
Saturday, July 16, 2016
Carriers of the Presence
By Gobel Brockman
(This week's devotional is adapted from a recent message.)
I Samuel 6:7-14 Now therefore, make a new cart, take two milk cows which have never been yoked, and hitch the cows to the cart; and take their calves home, away from them. Then take the ark of the Lord and set it on the cart; and put the articles of gold which you are returning to Him as a trespass offering in a chest by its side. Then send it away, and let it go. And watch: if it goes up the road to its own territory, to Beth Shemesh, then He has done us this great evil. But if not, then we shall know that it is not His hand that struck us—it happened to us by chance.” Then the men did so; they took two milk cows and hitched them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home. And they set the ark of the Lord on the cart, and the chest with the gold rats and the images of their tumors. Then the cows headed straight for the road to Beth Shemesh, and went along the highway, lowing as they went, and did not turn aside to the right hand or the left. And the lords of the Philistines went after them to the border of Beth Shemesh. Now the people of Beth Shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley; and they lifted their eyes and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it. Then the cart came into the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh, and stood there; a large stone was there. So they split the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to the Lord.
There's a question I want to ask you from this story: Do you want to be a carrier of the presence of God? If you said "yes" I ask you to consider the following about the cows in this story who carried the ark (symbolic of the presence of God):
1) "Never Been Yoked"
These cows had never been yoked before, meaning that they were free to roam, free to eat and drink whenever they pleased, basically free to do whatever it is that free cows do. Now, they are about to be yoked, and their freedom was about to be taken away. "Yoked" cows are directed by the master. They are told when to go, where to go, and how to go. They do not get to decide the difficulty, the duration, or the distance of their journey. Every aspect of their existence is now in the hand of the master.
Matthew 11:29-30 (Jesus) "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
I want to notice something in this: His yoke is easy, and His burden is light. They are, however, HIS yoke and burden, and we are required to take them on.
His yoke and burden are easy compared to the yoke and burden of sin, but carrying the presence of God demands that we indeed take His yoke and burden upon us.
2) "Take Their Calves Home"
First they have their freedom taken away. Now, they are being placed in a position that goes against their natural instincts. Moms will "take care of business" if you come against them or against their mates, but come against their children and you will see "Mama Bear" arise! And yet in this story we see that to carry the presence of God, they were required to leave their calves behind.
Luke 14:26-27 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple."
Simply put, we cannot say that we want to carry the presence of God in our lives until we are ready to say that it means more to us than anything else - even our own families.
(IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT BOTH OF THESE HAD TO HAPPEN BEFORE THE ARK (THE PRESENCE OF GOD) WAS EVEN PLACED ON THE CART.)
3) "Go to Beth Shemesh"
Not only have they lost their freedom, but now they have had to leave behind what mattered most to them. But it's still not over yet - now they have to go to Beth Shemesh. What is the point in this? They were going someplace they had never been before. We need to get a firm understanding of this: if we want to be carriers of the presence of God, we must be prepared to carry it to places that we are both unfamiliar and uncomfortable with. At times we're even going to be asked to carry it into enemy territory. But the Spirit of God directed THEIR steps, and He will direct OURS as well.
4) "A Burnt Offering"
They take a master's yoke upon them, leave what matters most behind, and go into strange and dangerous territory. And what is their reward when they finally arrive at their destination?
They were sacrificed.
But we need to understand what kind of sacrifice God is looking for from us: He's not looking for dead martyrs, He's looking for living sacrifices. (Romans 12:1 "I urge you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.")
It's not fair for us to tell God, "I'll lay down my life for you!" if we can't even lay down our remotes. It's not fair to tell God, "I'll give you everything!" when our hands are like vice grips on our tithe checks (assuming it's there to begin with.) We love quoting Revelation 12 about "overcoming by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony" but we never seem to finish reading that verse: "they loved not their lives to the death."
So what is the benefit, the reward in all of this? Simple - after they carried the ark (the presence of God) to where it belonged, Israel soon anointed David, who was a king after God's own heart. Today we are STILL reaping the benefits of their journey. ("Jesus, Son of David" is STILL having mercy on us!) People need us to be willing to carry the presence of God into their desperate situations. Thousands of years ago two cows carried the presence of God, and we are still reaping the benefits of their journey. Will future generations be able to say the same about our journey?
So my question at this point, after considering all of this, is simply this: Do you STILL want to be a carrier of the presence of God?
Saturday, July 9, 2016
Only God Can Fix This
By Gobel Brockman
The news has been both extremely eventful and extremely tragic this week. I'm sure everyone by now is aware of the tragedy that has taken place in Dallas, Texas. This horrible event followed the tragedies of police-action shootings in Louisiana and Minnesota. I have absolutely no interest in this devotional in assigning blame; I wish to address this from another perspective. Whenever tragedies like this occur, one of the questions that's always asked is, "What can we do to stop this from happening again?" At the risk of sounding fatalistic, my answer to that question is simple:
Within ourselves, we can't do anything to stop it.
Let me explain why I say that. The book of Genesis states that God created Adam and Eve. In the process of time they had their firstborn child, a boy they named Cain. Soon after they had another son named Abel. The Bible tells us that Cain eventually murdered his brother Abel. I always make this point from that story:
The first human being born into this world became a murderer, and we've been out to get each other ever since.
Yes, I know that the vast majority of us never have and never will physically taken another human life. But Jesus made an interesting statement in Matthew 5:21-22:
"You have heard that it was said by the ancients, "You shall not murder,' and "Whoever murders shall be in danger of the judgment.' But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of judgment."
The Apostle John also said this in I John 3:15:
"Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him."
I would dare say that none of us could honestly say that we've never been guilty of this, which leads me to my point: mankind in his inherently sinful condition cannot fix sin on his own. Our best intentions and efforts will never remedy the hate and violence that have been in our nature since the Fall. Simply put, we need Divine help. We need revival. In addressing this, Apostle Keith Taylor of Cross Tabernacle in Terre Haute, Indiana made this statement. With his permission I will conclude this week with his thoughts:
The news has been both extremely eventful and extremely tragic this week. I'm sure everyone by now is aware of the tragedy that has taken place in Dallas, Texas. This horrible event followed the tragedies of police-action shootings in Louisiana and Minnesota. I have absolutely no interest in this devotional in assigning blame; I wish to address this from another perspective. Whenever tragedies like this occur, one of the questions that's always asked is, "What can we do to stop this from happening again?" At the risk of sounding fatalistic, my answer to that question is simple:
Within ourselves, we can't do anything to stop it.
Let me explain why I say that. The book of Genesis states that God created Adam and Eve. In the process of time they had their firstborn child, a boy they named Cain. Soon after they had another son named Abel. The Bible tells us that Cain eventually murdered his brother Abel. I always make this point from that story:
The first human being born into this world became a murderer, and we've been out to get each other ever since.
Yes, I know that the vast majority of us never have and never will physically taken another human life. But Jesus made an interesting statement in Matthew 5:21-22:
"You have heard that it was said by the ancients, "You shall not murder,' and "Whoever murders shall be in danger of the judgment.' But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of judgment."
The Apostle John also said this in I John 3:15:
"Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him."
I would dare say that none of us could honestly say that we've never been guilty of this, which leads me to my point: mankind in his inherently sinful condition cannot fix sin on his own. Our best intentions and efforts will never remedy the hate and violence that have been in our nature since the Fall. Simply put, we need Divine help. We need revival. In addressing this, Apostle Keith Taylor of Cross Tabernacle in Terre Haute, Indiana made this statement. With his permission I will conclude this week with his thoughts:
"I'm praying out my heart tonight. This Nation is under severe demonic attack - and the Church prayers are silent. We post opinions and hurtful trash that feeds the demonic evil. It's one thing to identify it, yet it's another to become God's voice of love, grace and mercy. The great divides will never be touched in the natural, and religious pointless rants that only deliver name calling and judging in a so called Christian code will only widen the divisions inside churches. Past hurts and wounds that are very real will never heal if we look for a political healing or take religious prejudice medicine over and over again."
"Lord, many have lost family and friends these past few days, and many may have left the face of this earth not knowing You. Lord, many have fallen prey to hate - murder and evil demonic spirits have driven many. Lord, break our hearts, open our eyes, and touch our hardness and help us be broken because of what has taken place and is taking place. Father God. we need Your mercy. Father, we need deliverance. Father, touch Your children and show us how to truly love one another and to love those who do not know You. Father, we are in desperate need of a revival in the midst of our leaders - not only in our Nation, but within Your Church."
"Help us, Father!"
Saturday, July 2, 2016
There's No Deception Like Self Deception
By Gobel Brockman
This week I want to address what I believe is one of the biggest lies that we try to tell ourselves. We've all heard it, and I would dare say that at one time or another most of us have said it. We say it when we want to justify ourselves, defend ourselves, or save face when we have embarrassed ourselves. What lie am I speaking of?
"I don't care what other people think about me."
Sorry, but that's a lie.
What's that? "Prove it!" you say? OK, let me ask you a few honest questions:
*How long does it take you to get ready for work, church, or a social event?
Once we get out in public, we don't see ourselves. We can't see our face, hair, or how our choice in clothing looks in full view unless we find a mirror or spend our days taking countless "selfies." So if we don't care what others think about us, for whom are we getting all "gussied up?"
*Do you have a social media account (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) that you post on frequently?
We don't post our thoughts and opinions on social media to remind ourselves of how we feel about things. (If you do, I'll be praying for your memory issues.) We post daily about what we're going to do, what we're doing, or what we're about to do. (I've often said that Facebook is a place where busy people are never too busy to stop by and tell people just how busy they are.) We let everyone know what we've had for breakfast, what brand of coffee, tea, or soft drinks we prefer, how we plan to vote in upcoming elections, and a myriad of other tidbits about our personal lives. Since we're already well aware of all of these facts about ourselves, who are we telling them to if we "don't care what other people think?"
*When talking with others, do you ever share your thoughts or opinions about anything?
If in your everyday conversations you always ONLY talk about what the other person is doing, thinking, or feeling, the "I don't care what other people think" argument may have a bit of validity. But in my 50+ years of living I've yet to meet anyone like that - and I'm not holding my breath that will change anytime soon (even if I do like the color blue.)
My point is simple: Until we go out in public without paying attention to how we look, delete all our social media accounts, and stop sharing our thoughts and opinions in daily conversations completely, I contend that we DO care what other people think about us. And I've said all of that to say this: when people look at my life, I can't help but wonder what they see? I care what people think about me for a simple reason: I'm not just representing myself in this life. As a Christian, every aspect of my life is supposed to be a reflection of the faith in Jesus Christ that I publicly proclaim, and I daily ask myself just how well or how poorly I'm representing Him. I'm basing all of this on what Paul said in Galatians 2:20:
"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
In light of all of this I ask myself, "Does how I present myself on a daily basis truly represent the life of Christ in me? Does my social media activity enhance or harm my witness for Christ? Do I have enough genuine concern for others that the love of Jesus is truly evident in me? If I'm called to share my faith with others (Matthew 28:19) that "sharing" will be much more than just a few words I say here and there; it will be seen in the way I conduct myself on a continual basis. My prayer is that people can see Jesus in me.
You see, I DO care what others think about me. The reason is that I want them to think about Jesus because of me.
This week I want to address what I believe is one of the biggest lies that we try to tell ourselves. We've all heard it, and I would dare say that at one time or another most of us have said it. We say it when we want to justify ourselves, defend ourselves, or save face when we have embarrassed ourselves. What lie am I speaking of?
"I don't care what other people think about me."
Sorry, but that's a lie.
What's that? "Prove it!" you say? OK, let me ask you a few honest questions:
*How long does it take you to get ready for work, church, or a social event?
Once we get out in public, we don't see ourselves. We can't see our face, hair, or how our choice in clothing looks in full view unless we find a mirror or spend our days taking countless "selfies." So if we don't care what others think about us, for whom are we getting all "gussied up?"
*Do you have a social media account (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) that you post on frequently?
We don't post our thoughts and opinions on social media to remind ourselves of how we feel about things. (If you do, I'll be praying for your memory issues.) We post daily about what we're going to do, what we're doing, or what we're about to do. (I've often said that Facebook is a place where busy people are never too busy to stop by and tell people just how busy they are.) We let everyone know what we've had for breakfast, what brand of coffee, tea, or soft drinks we prefer, how we plan to vote in upcoming elections, and a myriad of other tidbits about our personal lives. Since we're already well aware of all of these facts about ourselves, who are we telling them to if we "don't care what other people think?"
*When talking with others, do you ever share your thoughts or opinions about anything?
If in your everyday conversations you always ONLY talk about what the other person is doing, thinking, or feeling, the "I don't care what other people think" argument may have a bit of validity. But in my 50+ years of living I've yet to meet anyone like that - and I'm not holding my breath that will change anytime soon (even if I do like the color blue.)
My point is simple: Until we go out in public without paying attention to how we look, delete all our social media accounts, and stop sharing our thoughts and opinions in daily conversations completely, I contend that we DO care what other people think about us. And I've said all of that to say this: when people look at my life, I can't help but wonder what they see? I care what people think about me for a simple reason: I'm not just representing myself in this life. As a Christian, every aspect of my life is supposed to be a reflection of the faith in Jesus Christ that I publicly proclaim, and I daily ask myself just how well or how poorly I'm representing Him. I'm basing all of this on what Paul said in Galatians 2:20:
"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
In light of all of this I ask myself, "Does how I present myself on a daily basis truly represent the life of Christ in me? Does my social media activity enhance or harm my witness for Christ? Do I have enough genuine concern for others that the love of Jesus is truly evident in me? If I'm called to share my faith with others (Matthew 28:19) that "sharing" will be much more than just a few words I say here and there; it will be seen in the way I conduct myself on a continual basis. My prayer is that people can see Jesus in me.
You see, I DO care what others think about me. The reason is that I want them to think about Jesus because of me.
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