Celebration in the Isolation

By Gobel Brockman

“Quarantine.”
“Self-isolation.”
“Stay-at-home.”
“Social distancing.”

   These are just a few of the words and phrases that we have heard far too frequently in the past weeks. Some businesses have temporarily closed, while others have been forced to drastically alter the way they operate. Churches have had to embrace the concept of “online services.” Family and friends are being forced to keep their distance for the time being. While this has indeed been a challenging time for many, I have been thinking about a story in the Bible about two men who were “isolated” in a rather violent way. In their case, however, it wasn’t a health issue that caused their problems; it was a faith issue. We find this story in the book of Acts:

“The crowd rose up together against (Paul and Silas.) And the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them. After they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely. Having received such an order, he threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.” - Acts 16:22-24

   We find Paul and Silas beaten, bloodied....and “quarantined” against their will, simply because of their faith in Jesus. But their reaction to their circumstance should touch our hearts with regards to where we find ourselves today:

“At midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.” - Acts 16:25

   Here they were - beaten, locked in a cell with their feet in stocks, at midnight, and yet what are they doing? “Praying and singing hymns!” I suppose we could understand the “praying” part, but SINGING? Well, allow me to make it a little more interesting. The word “hymn” actually means “to celebrate.” I’ll say it this way:

THERE WAS CELEBRATION IN THEIR ISOLATION!

   These men seemingly had every reason to complain, but instead they are singing songs of celebration! With blood probably coming from their wounds, with their bodies probably throbbing from the pain, they still found it possible to celebrate the goodness of God in their lives. If that doesn’t convict us enough, I’ll go a littler deeper: verse 25 says “...and the prisoners were listening to them.” With that thought in mind, I want to ask my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ this question: HAS THE WORLD HEARD US CELEBRATING IN OUR ISOLATION? In the midst of an incredibly challenging time in our history, have we been giving God praise for His goodness to us today?

   The story of Paul and Silas concludes with a powerful deliverance and an amazing story of salvation for the jailer and his family. I firmly believe that our circumstances today will conclude with the power of God ministering to many people all over the world. I am genuinely and enthusiastically expectant of an amazing display of the power of the Holy Ghost! The question I am asking myself today - and asking my brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ - is this:

   Do we have the faith to trust God, lift our voices in prayer, and with joy in our hearts lift up a “celebration in our isolation” today?

God Was In Control

By Gobel Brockman

   The children of Israel were fleeing Egyptian bondage. When they reached the Red Sea, it was literally “a dead end” in their minds. The sea was before them and the Egyptians were on their heels. But the Israelites were soon to realize one thing: GOD WAS IN CONTROL.

   Years later, Israel was faced with a Philistine enemy named Goliath that defied not only the army of Israel, but the God of Israel as well. But it only took one teenager with a sling, five stones, and an unshakable faith to cause Goliath to realize one thing: GOD WAS IN CONTROL.

   Years later, an arrogant king named Nebuchadnezzar built an idol and demanded that everyone bow their knees to it. But three young Israelite men refused, and as a result were thrown into a fiery furnace. But all it took was a heavenly “plus one” to prove to Nebuchadnezzar what those three brave young men already knew: GOD WAS IN CONTROL.

   I tell you these stories to remind you of a simple truth: GOD WAS, IS, AND FOREVER SHALL BE IN CONTROL!

   This week I want to be as blunt as I know how to be: a virus that has literally brought the world to its knees has NOT brought God down to His. Yes, the world was blindsided by events of the past few weeks, but I assure you that our God was NOT caught by surprise. I have no problem with people taking common-sense precautions; I actually encourage them. But fear has NO ROOM in my heart, and I will not tolerate it, for as a child of God the promise of Philippians 4:7 is absolutely mine:

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will protect your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Am I concerned for the health and safety of others? Of course.
Am I praying that God will quickly eradicate this virus? Absolutely.
Am I aware that many are hurting - both physically and financially - because of this situation? Yes I am, and may we be prepared to help each other out in the days ahead.
Will I allow fear to fill my heart and override my faith in Jesus Christ? Absolutely not.

   I join millions all over the world in praying that God will indeed bring a quick resolution to this crisis. I am also committed in my heart that fear will find no room to take root in my life. My prayer is that my faith in Jesus will remain strong enough that in the future, when I look back on this season of life, I can look back and know that I carried this confidence in my heart:

GOD WAS IN CONTROL.

Faith in the Face of Fear

Guest Author T.J. Hope

It was the spring of 2001, a warm Saturday. I was inside with our three youngest children, doing the mom thing. My husband was installing a new clutch in my car while our three oldest children played outside. One of my daughters rode her bicycle around the small parking lot of our apartment complex while two of our sons were dumpster diving. Yes, you read that correctly. They were dumpster diving.

Our neighbors were moving and throwing away their junk (our sons' treasure) into the communal dumpster. It was like Christmas for our boys. They retrieved their first ever roller blades and skateboards, among many other gems that day.

Meanwhile, I was in my kitchen with the wonder of dinner preparation heavy on my mind.
I was experienced at making something out of nothing. You know, those casseroles where you put a little of this and little of that and two weeks later the family wants you to make that dish again and you haven't a memory of what you put in it? Yep, I was one of those moms. On this day however, my resources were limited to one ingredient: flour.

I was in the early days of my walk with God and knew little of his nature, but I talked to Him often. "Lord, what am I going to make for dinner?", I asked. It was as simple a question as that and I din't wait for a response as I reached for the flour. "Johnny cakes it is", I thought as I fetched the cast iron skillet and placed it on the stovetop. (In case you're wondering, Johnny Cakes were the mixture of flour and water that soldiers survived on during the more difficult days of the Revolutionary War).

Before I had poured the flour in the mixing bowl to make a delectable paste, one of my boys came through the front door carrying a box. "Mom, look what I found!", he proclaimed with just enough enthusiasm to make me wonder if he somehow had an indication of my current dinner dilemma.

Inside of that box was a canned ham, two boxes of shells & cheese (you know, the ones that don't require milk or butter to prepare) and a box of Nutty Bars. We had dinner and dessert that evening and it was, to date, the best meal I've ever eaten.

For nineteen years, I've never feared hunger for my family. Each time I'm tempted to question whether or not God's provision will prevail, I picture that meal in a box on my kitchen counter.

Now, I'm not saying my faith hasn't since been tested in the arena of provision. I've been without electricity, opened canned goods with a screwdriver and feasted on cold Spaghettios in the dark.. However, my family has never known hunger...ever.

2020 has been a trying year in it's beginnings, to say the least. A blanket of panic and deception seems to cover the earth while I scramble to remain steadfast in faith. I've seen tragedy and done my share of nursing sick loved ones back to health many times, but I'm certain that this is a season for the ambassadors of Christ Jesus to rise above the whirlwind of today's terror.

I am human. I have been recently tempted to succumb to the concern of earthly pandemonium, but one thing forever remains:
God is still God and will never step down from his throne.
He is bigger than any blanket of fear,
stronger than any flu or virus,
more loving than a mother who nurses her sick child,
more compassionate than our dedicated medical staff...
shall I continue?
ok!
He is the defender of the weak,
my healer, my ever present help in times of trouble,
my anchor in unsettled waters,
my rock in shifting sands,
my hope,
my deliverer,
the way, the truth, the life,
the first and the last,
the beginning and the end,
powerful creator of every good and perfect thing who will provide for his children (even toilet paper which I will likely be asking Him for in coming days since I haven't followed the crowd in stockpiling).

In God alone I put my trust!

They Lost the Awe

By Gobel Brockman

“The children of Israel didn’t perish for a lack of wonders; they perished for a lack of WONDER.” - Rick Pino

   I write this a few hours removed from returning home from a one day Worship Conference. I was blessed, encouraged, and challenged. But the statement I quoted at the beginning absolutely resonated with me. Israel’s story in the Old Testament is incredible both for the power of God that they witnessed and the speed at which they seemed to forget what they saw:

*In Exodus 14, they had a front row seat to one of the greatest miracles God ever performed - the parting of the Red Sea. They literally saw the water part in the middle so that they could walk through it. Once their enemies followed them in, they also saw God release the sea to return to its place, and their enemies were destroyed. Just a few chapters later, they’re dancing around a golden calf that they had created while proclaiming “This is the god who delivered us from the hand of Egypt!”

*In the book of Judges, there is a repeated pattern of Israel turning from the Lord, being taken captive by their enemies, they cry out to the Lord, God sends them a deliverer, and many times uses miraculous means to save them. But what happened? Soon after their deliverance, they seemingly forget their prior bondage and return to very sin that would lead them to yet another catastrophe.

   

   These are just two examples, but you get the idea and that leads me to this thought:

   THEY SAW THE MIRACULOUS, BUT THE MIRACULOUS DIDN’T CHANGE THEM.

   But before we judge them too harshly, perhaps we should do a little self-examination. How often have we seen God move in undeniable ways in our lives, only to question His concern for us at the next problem? How easily do we allow our momentary challenges to cause us to forget the great, awesome power of our God? I’ve sadly been guilty far more than I care to admit., and I know many would say the same thing. The problem, I believe, is simple: WE LOSE THE AWE. Our thoughts and our lives can get so me-focused that we allow that to cause us to forget that our Savior has the power to hold the universe in the palm of His hand. We allow momentary afflictions to cause us to forget the times that God showed up in our lives in such an incredible way that all we could do was weep and say “thank you” for displaying His power to us. We love singing songs like “Our God Is an Awesome God” and yet we too easily forget just how awesome - and how loving - He truly is.

   My thoughts this morning are simultaneously simple and challenging: I never again want to lose the awe. Regardless of what’s going on in my life, I never again want to allow those things to cause me to focus inward to the extent that I lose my reverence for the God who has so much power that this universe exists simply because He said in Genesis, “Let there be...” May I always remember the words of another song that says, “Even when I don’t see it, You’re working; even when I don’t feel it, You’re working.”

   May I never again lose the awe.