By Gobel Brockman
Are there certain words or phrases that immediately irritate you? I'm like that with a lot of adjectives. (I've long held the opinion that adjectives are just an excuse to talk more.) But there are certain words I hate to hear. I hate to hear someone say they're 'lonesome'. I get all tensed up inside when someone tells me to 'relax'. I know someone who just about has a stroke when someone uses 'don't' when the correct word is 'doesn't'.
But there's one word I think very few people like - NO. The thing is, it's one of the first words our parents teach us. I was watching one of those home video-type shows once. This toddler was being asked, "What's a dog say?" "Arff" "What's a cow say?" "Moo" "What's Mommy say?" "No no no..." The thing is, that ugly word sinks it teeth in and stays with us for life. NO, you didn't get the job. NO, your loan didn't go through. NO, I wouldn't go out with you on a bet. But what do we do when God says no? I've heard it said that God answers prayer one of three ways: Yes, Wait, and No. The No's really get us. We tempted to feel like asking, "OK, where do I go when there's nowhere else TO go?" Perhaps the following story may help:
There was a man who loved God with all of his heart praying in a garden one day. God had asked him to do something that was going to be difficult beyond words. He knew God loved him, but he also knew that God's will for him wasn't what HE wanted to go through. After much agonizing, and a lot of wrestling with God, he said a prayer that has become pretty well-known: "Not my will, but Thine be done..."
One of the biggest challenges we'll ever face as Christians is reaching the point of fully realizing that when God says 'No' that somewhere, somehow, He has a reason. Maybe a 'Yes' now would ruin an even greater 'Yes' He was planning on giving me later. Maybe a 'Yes' would actually do me more harm than good, and I just don't realize it yet. (That's happened to me on several occasions. Here's hoping I learn my lesson one day.) I think the question really becomes this: Do I REALLY trust that God knows what He's doing? Do I believe He has my best interests at heart? If so, I need to learn the prayer of that guy in that garden.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Why Am I Here?
By Gobel Brockman
Have you ever asked yourself the question, "Why am I here?" (Some of you probably asked yourself that when you got to this site.) But I'm thinking in slightly larger terms, as in, "Why am I on this earth?" I think we've all asked that question at times. We go through the same things, at the same jobs, with the same people, performing the same mundane tasks over and over again until we ask, "What's the point? Is this all there is to life?" When I get to those times, I remind myself of a Scripture that has forever answered the "Why am I here?" question for me:
"You are worthy, Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, for You have created all things, and for Your pleasure they were created." (Revelation 4:11 - italics mine)
"...for Your pleasure..." THAT'S why you - and I - and everything else - are here. For HIS pleasure. That thought is incredible to me, that I can give the Creator of Heaven and Earth, the Lord of all, pleasure. How do we do that? Once again, the Bible has the answer:
"Without faith it is impossible to please God..." (Hebrews 11:6a)
That verse tells me that when I do have faith in God, it pleases Him. He wants me to believe in Him, to trust Him with every area of my life, and to rest in the knowledge that my life is completely in His hands. May God be pleased with me - and you - as we believe in Him and trust Him this week.
Have you ever asked yourself the question, "Why am I here?" (Some of you probably asked yourself that when you got to this site.) But I'm thinking in slightly larger terms, as in, "Why am I on this earth?" I think we've all asked that question at times. We go through the same things, at the same jobs, with the same people, performing the same mundane tasks over and over again until we ask, "What's the point? Is this all there is to life?" When I get to those times, I remind myself of a Scripture that has forever answered the "Why am I here?" question for me:
"You are worthy, Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, for You have created all things, and for Your pleasure they were created." (Revelation 4:11 - italics mine)
"...for Your pleasure..." THAT'S why you - and I - and everything else - are here. For HIS pleasure. That thought is incredible to me, that I can give the Creator of Heaven and Earth, the Lord of all, pleasure. How do we do that? Once again, the Bible has the answer:
"Without faith it is impossible to please God..." (Hebrews 11:6a)
That verse tells me that when I do have faith in God, it pleases Him. He wants me to believe in Him, to trust Him with every area of my life, and to rest in the knowledge that my life is completely in His hands. May God be pleased with me - and you - as we believe in Him and trust Him this week.
Friday, January 21, 2011
WELCOME!
Welcome to Radiate Change! This is the 'blogosphere' of Radiate, a band based in Franklin, Indiana. We are the worship band for the Vineyard Church of Franklin (Pastor Tim Robertson), which currently meets at the Artcraft Theatre at 57 N. Main St. in downtown Franklin.
We invite you to check back often. We will be posting info on upcoming events, sharing a weekly devotional, and passing along anything that goes through our minds that we think needs repeating....
We invite you to check back often. We will be posting info on upcoming events, sharing a weekly devotional, and passing along anything that goes through our minds that we think needs repeating....
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