By Gobel Brockman
I recently had one of those "Read that Scripture a hundred times and never caught that" moments. I was reading in Exodus and came upon this passage:
"Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. And he said to his people, 'Behold the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us..." Exodus 1:8-9 (ESV)
I know that Israel's time in Egypt was a part of God's plan to show them deliverance, and show Egypt (and the world) His power. But what jumped out at me was the idea that the enemy acknowledged that God's people were 'too many and too mighty'. And that got me to thinking, "Hope many times do I allow a weaker enemy to defeat me?" The Bible tells us things like 'If God be for us, who can be against us?' and 'Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world' and yet we continually struggle with things like moodiness, anger, and self-pity, while knowing that the God and Creator of all dwells in us by the Holy Spirit, and we DO NOT have to succumb to their power.
Why? I believe one reason is we simply spend too much time listening to the enemy, rather than the One Who has already given us everything we need for life and godliness (II Peter 1:3). That's one reason it's so important that we continually feed our minds on the Word of God, and ask the Holy Spirit to help us tune a deaf ear to the lies of Satan. We have victory. We are more and mightier than the enemy because of Jesus Christ. May God teach us to live in that victory.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
The Lie Of "I'm Good Enough"
By Gobel Brockman
I once heard a minister by the name of Ray Comfort say something that has always stuck with me. He was talking about people who say they're going to be 'good enough' to get to heaven. He said when that issue comes up, he asks them three questions:
"At least once in your life, have you ever told a lie?"
"At least once in your life, have you ever taken something that didn't belong to you?"
"Jesus taught that lust was adultery of the heart. At least once in your life, have you ever done that?"
Then he says, "If you answered 'yes' to those three questions - and if you were honest you did - that means you're admitting that in your life you've been a lying, thieving adulterer. And we've still got seven more commandments to go."
My point? WE'RE NOT GOOD ENOUGH. We can't save ourselves. On our best days, it's not enough. Romans 3:23 says that "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." That Scripture doesn't mean that at one point in our lives we've fallen short, it means we continually fall short. I'm not trying to crush your self-esteem, I'm trying to help you see that 'self' is the enemy when it comes to righteousness with God. Romans 10:3-4 says this: "For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes."
Simply put, you and I don't need 'improvement', we dont need 'self-help', we need SAVED. If we could be good enough, Christ's death on the cross was meaningless. My righteousness - and your righteousness - will only be found when we put our faith in what Jesus did at Calvary. And nothing else.
(Scriptures taken from the English Standard Version)
I once heard a minister by the name of Ray Comfort say something that has always stuck with me. He was talking about people who say they're going to be 'good enough' to get to heaven. He said when that issue comes up, he asks them three questions:
"At least once in your life, have you ever told a lie?"
"At least once in your life, have you ever taken something that didn't belong to you?"
"Jesus taught that lust was adultery of the heart. At least once in your life, have you ever done that?"
Then he says, "If you answered 'yes' to those three questions - and if you were honest you did - that means you're admitting that in your life you've been a lying, thieving adulterer. And we've still got seven more commandments to go."
My point? WE'RE NOT GOOD ENOUGH. We can't save ourselves. On our best days, it's not enough. Romans 3:23 says that "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." That Scripture doesn't mean that at one point in our lives we've fallen short, it means we continually fall short. I'm not trying to crush your self-esteem, I'm trying to help you see that 'self' is the enemy when it comes to righteousness with God. Romans 10:3-4 says this: "For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes."
Simply put, you and I don't need 'improvement', we dont need 'self-help', we need SAVED. If we could be good enough, Christ's death on the cross was meaningless. My righteousness - and your righteousness - will only be found when we put our faith in what Jesus did at Calvary. And nothing else.
(Scriptures taken from the English Standard Version)
Sunday, February 13, 2011
The Peril Of Flawed Logic
By Gobel Brockman
A man is arrested for public intoxication. He goes before the judge, and the judge tells him, "You are never to take another drink in your life." However, the very next day, the man is arrested again for public intoxication. This proves that the judge doesn't exist, and people can do as they please, correct?
Umm...no. It just proves that the man didn't listen to the judge, and will have to suffer the consequences. Why do I mention this? Because one of the weakest arguments I hear from people who want nothing to do with Christianity is "I don't believe in God because if there IS a God, why do His people act like hypocrites?" I can answer that - because we're HUMAN. On our best days, we're not good. You know the expression "I'm OK, you're OK"? It's a lie. We are sinful people, in need of a Saviour. And once we are saved, we still struggle with the sin nature - and we will until the day we die or the Lord returns. The Apostle Paul put it this way; "We carry this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us." (II Corinthians 4:7) Simply put, Christians are imperfect people living for a Perfect God.
My message to those who reject God because of OUR failures is simply this: there will be a day when you stand before God to give account for your life. You may say, "I don't believe that." That doesn't matter - you'll be there anyway. And when you do, you won't be held accountable for the mistakes of others, you'll be held accountable for your own. When that day comes, my hope and prayer is that you know the Christ Who loves His people unconditionally. Even when we blow it.
Thank God.
A man is arrested for public intoxication. He goes before the judge, and the judge tells him, "You are never to take another drink in your life." However, the very next day, the man is arrested again for public intoxication. This proves that the judge doesn't exist, and people can do as they please, correct?
Umm...no. It just proves that the man didn't listen to the judge, and will have to suffer the consequences. Why do I mention this? Because one of the weakest arguments I hear from people who want nothing to do with Christianity is "I don't believe in God because if there IS a God, why do His people act like hypocrites?" I can answer that - because we're HUMAN. On our best days, we're not good. You know the expression "I'm OK, you're OK"? It's a lie. We are sinful people, in need of a Saviour. And once we are saved, we still struggle with the sin nature - and we will until the day we die or the Lord returns. The Apostle Paul put it this way; "We carry this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us." (II Corinthians 4:7) Simply put, Christians are imperfect people living for a Perfect God.
My message to those who reject God because of OUR failures is simply this: there will be a day when you stand before God to give account for your life. You may say, "I don't believe that." That doesn't matter - you'll be there anyway. And when you do, you won't be held accountable for the mistakes of others, you'll be held accountable for your own. When that day comes, my hope and prayer is that you know the Christ Who loves His people unconditionally. Even when we blow it.
Thank God.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Confessions of a Sports Nut
By Gobel Brockman
Super Bowl Sunday is upon us. Pittsburgh. Green Bay. I hate both teams, and couldn't care less who wins. I've been saying I probably won't watch, but I'm sure I'll be 'spot-checking' the score anyway. But I've been a Kansas City Chiefs fan for years, so I'm used to not caring who wins the Super Bowl.
I'm also a hockey fan. Simply put, I love the game of hockey. The speed, skill, and intensity. The idea that if you turn your head for just a moment, you might possibly miss something. Of course I want my team to win, but when they don't, I'm still glad I watched. I've attended a lot of minor league & amateur games in Indianapolis, and NHL games in St. Louis and Columbus, Ohio. The game atmosphere is always fun. I've spent a lot of money and driven through snow, cold, and late nights just to enjoy the game.
It made me think of this point - we always talk about how tired, busy, or broke we are. But it seems no matter how tired, busy, or broke we are, we always find the energy, time, and money to do the things we really want to do. I know I'm like that with sports. Am I always like that with my family? (I don't think I'll ask my wife.) Am I like that with my relationship with Jesus Christ? (I probably should ask.)
Maybe you should too.
Super Bowl Sunday is upon us. Pittsburgh. Green Bay. I hate both teams, and couldn't care less who wins. I've been saying I probably won't watch, but I'm sure I'll be 'spot-checking' the score anyway. But I've been a Kansas City Chiefs fan for years, so I'm used to not caring who wins the Super Bowl.
I'm also a hockey fan. Simply put, I love the game of hockey. The speed, skill, and intensity. The idea that if you turn your head for just a moment, you might possibly miss something. Of course I want my team to win, but when they don't, I'm still glad I watched. I've attended a lot of minor league & amateur games in Indianapolis, and NHL games in St. Louis and Columbus, Ohio. The game atmosphere is always fun. I've spent a lot of money and driven through snow, cold, and late nights just to enjoy the game.
It made me think of this point - we always talk about how tired, busy, or broke we are. But it seems no matter how tired, busy, or broke we are, we always find the energy, time, and money to do the things we really want to do. I know I'm like that with sports. Am I always like that with my family? (I don't think I'll ask my wife.) Am I like that with my relationship with Jesus Christ? (I probably should ask.)
Maybe you should too.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)