By Gobel Brockman
I have a confession - I am a political junkie. I try to stay on top of current events in the world of government. I also actually enjoy Election Night (thus proving my complete 'nerdiness'). For years I've had my routine on the nights of Presidential elections that I probably will carry with me for the rest of my life: get home from work, have supper, fix a STRONG pot of coffee, totally ignore the phone, and plop myself in front of the TV news, watching as the election results begin to come in. (The fact that Indiana is usually the first to report election results gives me no small sense of pride.)
But as I have been watching things the past few years, a stark reality is beginning to sink in. We, as a nation, are in trouble. Serious trouble. I think everyone paying attention to things realizes that. Our monetary system is teetering on the brink of collapse. Unemployment numbers above 9%. Gas prices are, at best, unpredictable and volatile. Name the situation, and it's probably not looking good for us right now. And we watch as Republicans and Democrats both stand before us and tell us they know what the problem is - the other party.
But here's the point I want to make. The answer is simple. We, as a nation, have basically told God to 'get lost'. We took prayer out of schools, made it illegal to put HIS laws in OUR courtrooms, and murder babies in their mother's wombs by the thousands and call it 'choice'. A high school senior wanting to pray at his or her graduation makes national headlines. Then, when things like 9/11 happen, everyone wants to ask, 'Where was God?' Well, the thought that comes to my mind is that when you tell someone to go away, you forfeit your right to ask of their whereabouts.
Which leads me to the next problem. I believe that Christians should vote. I believe Christians should be INFORMED voters, knowing where candidates stand on the issues. But it troubles me when we as believers put too much of our hope and faith in the political process, political movements, and people in general. Let me put it this way:
America doesn't need the church in politics as much as America needs the church back on its knees.
Neither successful business-minded people nor card-carrying Union members are going to save this country. We don't need liberals or conservatives to 'fix things'. Our problems are too big for that. What we need is simply a REVIVAL. A revival that causes us as Christians to get our hope off of things in this world and back in God. A revival where people realize that our nation will only be saved if GOD saves us. A revival where men and women stand behind pulpits and preach the truth - that the God who loved us so much that He gave His only Son that we might have hope also has said He will not always strive with man's sin, and judgement will eventually come. And I've yet to see a politician who can hold God back when He determines to act.
What does America need? II Chronicles 7:14 has the answer - "If My people, called by My name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, I will forgive their sins, and heal their land."
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Homecoming
By Gobel Brockman
Today is our Homecoming service at church. Usually this is a time to catch up with old friends, and grow closer to new ones. A time to look towards the future, while remembering how we got here. But for me, Homecoming services always cause me to think of something else as well. In the Book of Hebrews, the Bible refers to Christians as "...pilgrims and strangers in this world...". It's always a reminder to me that this world is NOT my final destination.
In I Corinthians 15, a very interesting statement is made: "If it's in this life only that we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." I've always thought that the 'prosperity' preachers must have had this verse torn out of their Bibles. You can go to any Christian bookstore and see row after row of books on how to "Prosper", "Live the best life!", and the like. We all want to be happy, we all would appreciate a trouble-free life. There's only one problem with that - that's NOT what we've been promised. We want to forget the verses that say things like, "In this world there will be tribulation..." "If any man wants to be my disciple, he must lay down his life, take up his cross, and follow me." Which all brings me to my point for this week - we as Christians are simply too attached to this world.
I'm not trying to be critical - I'm just as guilty as anyone. I'm simply saying we sometimes exhaust too much energy on things that won't last. I watch people protest things and wonder if they realize how little time they have left in this world, and how little change they may see. Jobs, money, loved ones come into - and out of - our lives. Things we think we can't do without are gone in a matter of moments. Plans are made that never come to fruition. I think we just need to be reminded that, as the old hymn says, "This world is not my home, I'm just a-passin' through". I want to live a life that honors what I say I believe, and part of that belief is that 'to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.'
Homecoming. Sounds good to me.
Today is our Homecoming service at church. Usually this is a time to catch up with old friends, and grow closer to new ones. A time to look towards the future, while remembering how we got here. But for me, Homecoming services always cause me to think of something else as well. In the Book of Hebrews, the Bible refers to Christians as "...pilgrims and strangers in this world...". It's always a reminder to me that this world is NOT my final destination.
In I Corinthians 15, a very interesting statement is made: "If it's in this life only that we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." I've always thought that the 'prosperity' preachers must have had this verse torn out of their Bibles. You can go to any Christian bookstore and see row after row of books on how to "Prosper", "Live the best life!", and the like. We all want to be happy, we all would appreciate a trouble-free life. There's only one problem with that - that's NOT what we've been promised. We want to forget the verses that say things like, "In this world there will be tribulation..." "If any man wants to be my disciple, he must lay down his life, take up his cross, and follow me." Which all brings me to my point for this week - we as Christians are simply too attached to this world.
I'm not trying to be critical - I'm just as guilty as anyone. I'm simply saying we sometimes exhaust too much energy on things that won't last. I watch people protest things and wonder if they realize how little time they have left in this world, and how little change they may see. Jobs, money, loved ones come into - and out of - our lives. Things we think we can't do without are gone in a matter of moments. Plans are made that never come to fruition. I think we just need to be reminded that, as the old hymn says, "This world is not my home, I'm just a-passin' through". I want to live a life that honors what I say I believe, and part of that belief is that 'to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.'
Homecoming. Sounds good to me.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
I Know My Redeemer Lives
By Gobel Brockman
A while back someone asked, "What's the most difficult thing about being a minister?" I think that's one of those questions that if you asked five different ministers, you'd probably get five different answers. But for me, the most difficult part is when people expect you to have answers you don't have because 'you're the minister'. "What does that passage in The Book of Revelation mean? "Why didn't God heal my loved one? You should know - you're the minister." Yes, we are ministers. But we are just as human as anyone else. We face the same doubts, temptations, and concerns as everyone else does.
The reason I'm talking about this is that on October 1, 2011 (yesterday as I write this), our granddaughter Kellin Dawn was born prematurely. Too premature to be viable outside of the womb. Here came the questions: "Why do bad things happen to good people? God had the power to prevent this, so why didn't He?" Only this time, it was me who was asking the questions. The only thing I could do was tell myself the same thing I tell others when they ask: "I won't try to give you answers I don't have. I'll only tell you what I do know. God is still God. Jesus is still His Son. The Holy Spirit is still in my heart. The Bible is still the Word of God. And I reject any lie of the enemy to convince me otherwise."
There's a story in the Bible about a man who had everything - money, possessions, family. And in a matter of moments, he lost it all - including all of his children. How did he respond?
"Oh that my words were written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book! Oh that with an iron pen and lead they were engraved in the rock forever! For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my flesh has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God." (Job 19:23-26)(ESV)
My family is hurting, but my faith has not been shaken. Jesus Christ is STILL Lord. His blood STILL sets men free. And during this time, I won't turn away from Him, I turn TO Him completely. If you're in a place of confusion, pain, or loss right now, I encourage you to do the same.
How can I say that? I know my Redeemer lives. That's the only answer I need.
A while back someone asked, "What's the most difficult thing about being a minister?" I think that's one of those questions that if you asked five different ministers, you'd probably get five different answers. But for me, the most difficult part is when people expect you to have answers you don't have because 'you're the minister'. "What does that passage in The Book of Revelation mean? "Why didn't God heal my loved one? You should know - you're the minister." Yes, we are ministers. But we are just as human as anyone else. We face the same doubts, temptations, and concerns as everyone else does.
The reason I'm talking about this is that on October 1, 2011 (yesterday as I write this), our granddaughter Kellin Dawn was born prematurely. Too premature to be viable outside of the womb. Here came the questions: "Why do bad things happen to good people? God had the power to prevent this, so why didn't He?" Only this time, it was me who was asking the questions. The only thing I could do was tell myself the same thing I tell others when they ask: "I won't try to give you answers I don't have. I'll only tell you what I do know. God is still God. Jesus is still His Son. The Holy Spirit is still in my heart. The Bible is still the Word of God. And I reject any lie of the enemy to convince me otherwise."
There's a story in the Bible about a man who had everything - money, possessions, family. And in a matter of moments, he lost it all - including all of his children. How did he respond?
"Oh that my words were written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book! Oh that with an iron pen and lead they were engraved in the rock forever! For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my flesh has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God." (Job 19:23-26)(ESV)
My family is hurting, but my faith has not been shaken. Jesus Christ is STILL Lord. His blood STILL sets men free. And during this time, I won't turn away from Him, I turn TO Him completely. If you're in a place of confusion, pain, or loss right now, I encourage you to do the same.
How can I say that? I know my Redeemer lives. That's the only answer I need.
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