Don't Settle for Bronze

By Gobel Brockman

     "It happened in the fifth year of King Rehoboam that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem. And he took away the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king’s house; he took away everything. He also took away all the gold shields which Solomon had made. Then King Rehoboam made bronze shields in their place, and committed them to the hands of the captains of the guard, who guarded the doorway of the king’s house. And whenever the king entered the house of the Lord, the guards carried them, then brought them back into the guardroom."

1 Kings 14:25-28 

     The Lord had established Israel as His chosen people. He promised to bless them as long as they obeyed His commands. He also told them, however, that if they rebelled against Him that judgment would surely come. Sadly, that is exactly what Israel did. They enjoyed the blessing of the Lord under the kingdom of David. Over the following years, they departed from the commandments of God and began worshipping the idols of their enemies that they had already defeated. As a result, they began facing the very judgments that God had warned them about. In this story, we see king Rehoboam suffering loss at the hands of the king of Egypt. Shishak plundered both the king's house and the house of the Lord, including taking the gold shields that Solomon had placed in the temple. Rehoboam then had bronze shields made to replace them. They may have looked like gold, but there was one huge problem: THEY WEREN'T GOLD. Israel had lost something valuable because of their sin, and then tried to replace it with something that looked close to what they previously had.

     We sadly see that same thing happening today.

     There are many people who once had a touch of God in their hearts. They knew what it meant to feel the presence of God in their lives. The word of God was real to them, prayer was a genuine encounter with the Holy Ghost, and their faith was obvious for others to see. But they soon lost the fire of the Holy Ghost in their lives, and sin soon became much more attractive to them. In time, they lost the "gold" in their lives. Yet they continue with religious activity that on the surface seems to be just like what they had before. They still go to church, give in the offering, and may even offer an occasional prayer. Just as Rehoboam paraded the bronze shields in the house of the Lord in this story, there are people who "parade" their religious activity as if things were still the same in their lives. It may have fooled the casual observer, but those who knew the truth also knew the sad reality behind it - it was nothing but a cheap imitation. Israel learned a lesson that we must learn as well: sin has consequences. We cannot turn our backs on God without suffering dire results in return. We may fool others, and for a time we may even try to fool ourselves, but we will NEVER fool God. He knows when our lives are just a cheap imitation of what it's supposed to be.

     The good news is that it doesn't have to stay that way. The Lord spoke an incredible word the the prophet Jeremiah. In Jeremiah 18:7-8 we read this:

      

     "The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it, if that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it."

     We also read these words in the New Testament written by the apostle Peter:

     "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9 

     These (and other) Scriptures tell us some wonderful news: God is more desirous to save us than He is to judge us! When we turn away from God, we will unavoidably suffer loss. We may then try to pass off a "bronze imitation" of a relationship with Jesus Christ, but it will be just that - a weak, pathetic imitation. But if we will turn our hearts back to Jesus and repent of the evil that we have allowed into our lives, God promises to forgive us and restore us to a right relationship with Him. What an incredible promise!

     So don't settle for "bronze." Make things right with Jesus and get your "gold" back.

Baptized with Fire

By Gobel Brockman


     When I was 19 I worked at a factory in a foundry area. My job was to melt this material called babbitt and pour it into bearings as they spun in a machine. The babbitt had to be melted to 700 degrees Fahrenheit before it was ready for use. I would take a metal ladle, dip it in the babbitt, and pour it into a funnel leading to the inside of the bearing. One night while doing this, I accidentally bumped the ladle against the side of the machine, spilling some of the melted metal. A small portion of the melted metal hit my left foot. It immediately burned through my pant leg, my sock, and all seven layers of my skin. (I hopped around and "danced like no one was watching" for a minute or two!) I didn't go to the clinic (guys don't go to clinics for stuff like that) and to this day I have a nickel-sized scar on my foot.

     I mention this because it reminds me of some interesting words from John the Baptist found in Matthew 3:11:

       "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He (Jesus) who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire."

     "Baptized with fire." I can tell you that after my experience of dancing around with a hole burned in my foot that the thought of being baptized with fire really doesn't sound all that appealing. There are many directions I could go with this, but this week I only want to focus on one. The babbitt came in gold metal bars that had to be put into a pot and melted. Once the pot reached 700 degrees, an interesting thing happened: all of the dross (the "junk") that was in the babbitt rose to the top, and it looked disgusting. Before I could use the babbitt I had to use another ladle and scrape out all of the dross. But here's the part that was interesting to me: once you got rid of the dross, the babbitt looked like a golden mirror, beautiful and shiny. You could clearly see your reflection when you looked at it.

     Why does God not only want to baptize us with the Holy Ghost, but also with fire? That's a multi-faceted topic, but for this week let's focus on this: we all have a lot of "junk" in our lives. It's called sin. Galatians 5:19-21 describes it this way:

     "Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."

     One thing that being baptized with "the fire of God" will do is cause those things to come to the surface - which gives God the opportunity to get them out of our lives. The great thing about that is that once that happens, God can begin to look at our lives and see His reflection in us. I Peter 1:7 says this:

       "That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ."

     Do you feel like you're "going through the fire" right now? If so, don't panic, just let the Holy Ghost baptize you with that fire. I know it's not pleasant, it can indeed be painful, and I know it can bring some ugly stuff up, but it's necessary if we want those ugly things gone. I don't know about you, but the thought of being a reflection of God's character sounds pretty amazing to me.

     As an added bonus, it just may make you "dance like no one's watching" too. Only this dance will be a joyful one that won't leave a scar on your foot.

"Well, That Escalated Quickly"

By Gobel Brockman


     When I was a kid I remember my Dad talking with someone about how fast time seems to go, and I remember him saying, "The older you get, the faster time goes." As a youngster that didn't really make sense to me.

It makes sense to me now.

     I'm reminded of this every time I hold one of my grandchildren in my arms and realize that it really wasn't all that long ago that I was holding their parent in the same way. I'm reminded of it when I see my high school classmates post pictures of their grandchildren and remember that it wasn't all that long ago that we were in high school running around and getting into trouble. Most of all, I'm reminded of it every time I look in the mirror. (That's when I'm also reminded that time can be a cruel beast indeed.)

     It's also interesting to me how quickly things can change in our daily lives. Things can be going fairly routine when one phone call or text, one knock on the door, or one "Breaking News" story on TV can change everything - sometimes in a good way, and sometimes in ways that can leave us feeling devastated. There's an excellent example of this in the fourteenth chapter of Matthew. In verses 13-21 we read of one of the greatest miracles that Jesus performed - feeding over 5,000 men (plus their wives and kids) with five loaves of bread and two fish. I try to imagine how the disciples felt that day - not only were they witnessing an incredible miracle, but Jesus was allowing them to be a part of it. In my mind I can see them on that sunny hillside smiling and laughing as they helped pass out this miraculous meal. Jesus then instructed them to gather the leftovers, and it took over twelve baskets to hold it all. It had to have been an incredible sight.

However, the disciples were soon to learn that you can go from a sunny hillside to a raging sea in a matter of minutes.

     After this miracle the Bible says that Jesus constrained (commanded) His disciples to get into a boat and go to the other side of the sea while He sent the multitudes away. It wasn't long after they began their journey that the winds became turbulent and the boat was being tossed around in the sea. Again, in my mind I try to picture their thoughts. Mere moments earlier they were experiencing an undeniable miracle, and now here they were in a stormy sea fearful for their very lives. They were in the middle of the sea - meaning that they were in the center of God's will, because it was the very place Jesus had told them to go. The Bible goes on to say that in "the fourth watch of the night" - meaning that they had been out there for most of the night - Jesus walked out on the water to them. Simon Peter asked for and received permission from Jesus to join Him on the water, and was he was indeed able to walk on the water until he took his eyes off Jesus and focused on the waves. Jesus reached down and saved him, and then they joined the others and Jesus saved them all by calming the storm.

     My point in all of this is to tell you something that I know you don't need me to tell you: life can change in an instant. We can go from a "sunny hillside" to a "raging sea" in no time flat, and the interesting thing is that as Christians many times that raging sea is the center of God's will for us. But the way I see it, Jesus was proving to His disciples - and to us - that the same power that can provide for us on the hillside can protect us in the sea. Time may move fast for us, but it's nothing to Him who is eternal. While we're fighting for our lives in the boat, He's taking a casual stroll on the water towards us. I say that because if you'll notice, the Bible doesn't say He was running on the water. He wasn't worried and He wasn't panicked. The changes that time can bring in an instant may catch us completely off-guard, but time has never caught God by surprise. He knew that His disciples were safe, because He knew He was there. Sometimes He just has to remind us of that as well.

     Wherever you are in life right now - on a hillside or on a sea - I remind you that neither time nor circumstances can impede His power. Trust Him.

The Price of Discipleship

By Gobel Brockman

     MATTHEW 4:18-22 “And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him. Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.”

     Try to imagine this scenario: Jesus passes by Simon Peter as they are fishing. Jesus calls Peter over, sits down with him, and tells him the following:

     “Peter, I would like for you to follow Me, and I think it’s only fair that I tell you what’s in store if you do. I’m asking you to forsake your livelihood. I’m asking you to leave the familiar and step into the unknown. I want you to go with Me wherever I go, but I’m not going to tell you where we’re going. On this journey, you’re going to see a lot of amazing things – people being healed, those possessed by demons set free, and many miracles that will be difficult to believe. You’re also going to experience pain, loss, and opposition like you’ve never imagined. Eventually you are going to see Me arrested, abused, and executed. Soon the very kind of people who took my life will seek yours as well – and they will eventually succeed. You are going to be used mightily to touch the lives of untold millions, but in the process, you will have to leave everything else behind, live your life completely by faith, and trust Me. You are going to be sent to many strange places, and when you get there you’ll be beaten, arrested, and eventually killed. So whatcha say, Peter? You ready to go?”

     The course of human history has been changed because of Peter’s life and ministry. The question I have today, however, is this: had Jesus told Peter what lay ahead of him while they were still standing by Peter’s nets, would Peter have said “yes” to the call of Jesus? Only God knows the answer to that question. In that moment, Peter had no way of knowing what life was going to be like for him. He was about to go from financial security to soon having to find a coin in a fish’s mouth to pay his taxes. He was about to leave a familiar home life to pour out his life for complete strangers. And that conversation I mentioned? It didn’t happen. All Jesus said was, “Follow Me.” 

     THAT’S ALL HE WILL SAY TO US AS WELL. 

     If we are truly going to be a disciple then we are going to have to do it with a bit of uncertainty as to what lies in our futures. The simple truth is that there is no discipleship where there is no trust. I've been thinking a lot lately about the story in Mark 10:17-31 about the rich young ruler who wanted to "inherit eternal life." Jesus told him to keep the commandments. The young man replied, "all these I have kept from my youth." In verse 21 the Bible says that "Jesus looked at him and loved him, and said, 'One thing you lack. Sell everything you have and give it to the poor, take up your cross, and follow Me.'" The Bible then says that the young man walked away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. What I've been thinking about lately is that there are two truths found in that story:

1) Jesus loved him.

2) Jesus let him walk away.

     I find it very interesting that Jesus didn't call after the young man as he was leaving and change the demands of discipleship to make it easier for him to follow. Jesus loved him, but Jesus didn't soften the call of discipleship. He will not soften it for us either. Allow me to be blunt: I believe we have a bit of a misunderstanding about what it means to "make disciples." Nowhere in the Bible do we see Jesus saying to anyone "follow Me" and then call or text them every Saturday to make sure they were coming to church every Sunday. He said "follow Me" - and then He kept going. Those who followed were those who decided that the price of following Jesus was a price worth paying. They followed in faith, and they did not look back. You see, when someone takes up a cross, it's a one-way trip; they are not coming back. THAT is the price of discipleship, and the men who turned the world upside down decided that it was a price worth paying.

     Can we say the same today?  

It's All or Nothing

By Gobel Brockman

     There is a potential danger that we must be aware of when we talk about worshipping God, and that is the danger of taking the presence of God for granted. Both the Bible and church history are filled with examples of people believing that the favor of God was upon them, only to sadly realize just how mistaken they were. A prime example of this is found in the story of Samson. Samson was conceived after the angel of the Lord appeared to his parents, who told them that their son was to be a Nazarite (devoted to God) from the womb. In this story, we see the supernatural power of God in Samson’s life, but unfortunately, we also see in Samson’s demeanor an overall disregard for the presence of God. He consistently followed his own heart’s desires, which caused him to repeatedly have to use his God-given power to deliver himself from the messes his own poor judgment had created. These poor decisions eventually led him to Delilah. I’m sure most of you are familiar with the story: she continually badgered him for the secret to his strength so that she could turn him over to the Philistines. Samson kept getting closer and closer to telling her the truth about his strength, until one day because of her constant complaining he finally told her everything. We then read what I believe is one of the saddest passages of Scripture in the Bible:

      ^“When Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, “Come up once more, for he has told me all his heart.” So the lords of the Philistines came up to her and brought the money in their hand.  Then she lulled him to sleep on her knees, and called for a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his head. Then she began to torment him, and his strength left him. And she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” So he awoke from his sleep, and said, “I will go out as before, at other times, and shake myself free!” But he did not know that the Lord had departed from him.” Judges 16:18-20 (Emphasis mine.)

     “He did not know that the Lord had departed from him.” That sentence should cause a shudder to go through all of us. I believe that it’s easy to fall into the trap of taking for granted that since we call ourselves “Christian,” go to church, put our tithe in the basket, and do all the “church” stuff that church people do that the presence of God is automatically with us. We must understand that nothing could be further from the truth. If we are truly going to worship God “in spirit and in truth” then we must understand that true worship doesn’t take place in the lives of half-hearted believers who choose to go their own way, live as they please, and then take for granted that God is still with them. In Luke 9:57-62 we read this passage:

     "As they went along the way, a man said to (Jesus), “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.” Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests. But the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.” He said to another man, “Follow Me. But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But you go and preach the kingdom of God.” Yet another said, “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go bid farewell to those at my house.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back at things is fit for the kingdom of God.”

     
     There can be no compromise and no lukewarm commitment in our relationship with Jesus Christ. We cannot be like Samson and live how we want and assume that the presence of God is still with us. It was a fatal mistake for him, and it will be for us as well. I'll say it this way: people who truly worship God don’t lay their heads in Delilah’s lap.

     When it comes to commitment to Jesus Christ, it truly is all or nothing.